Especially if that is the only computer you have to work on your homebased business with!
Do you have the setup configurations, eg for your ISP?. You will need this to re-install some programs.
Do you have a copy of your email address book? Your email list or address book is vital to your home based business.
Do you remember all your passwords – for retrieving email, connecting to your ISP, membership sites, etc?
So what can you do to make certain that your computer will run as well as you’d expect, and continue working when your computer is down?
1. Is your computer protected from viruses? Install anti-virus software such as Norton Antivirus or McAfee, and make sure to get regular updates. You can do an online virus scan at: http://housecall.antivirus.com
2. Install a firewall. Anytime your computer is connected to the Internet without a firewall, it is operating under an “open door” policy to intruders. Hackers can get in, take what they want, and even leave open a “back door” so they can turn your computer into a “zombie” and use it to attack other computers, distribute porn and spam.
Your bank account and credit card information, passwords, documents and personal files can be stolen while you’re busy surfing. You can download a personal firewall from here:
http://www.zonelabs.com or from http://soho.sygate.com/products/spf_standard.htm
3. Protect your homebased business, make regular backups of your important files. Keep a record of all vital information, such as passwords, system configurations, etc. in a file and also print a copy of this and keep in a safe place. If your computer does not come with a zip drive or CDRW drive, it would be a good idea to invest in one. Zip drives and CDRW drives are inexpensive and can be easily installed. The cost of a blank CD for example is less than $1.00 and can store up to 650MB of data.
If you lost some files or your hard disk crashed you can easily retrieve them from the backups. And if your computer is down for repair, you can take that backup CD and work your homebased business from another machine.
4. Remove all unwanted files on your hard disk. You can safely remove files in your temporary internet folder. In Internet Explorer, select Tools -> Internet options – > Delete Files.
5. Increase your systems performance by defragmenting your hard disk regularly. As applications and files are saved and deleted they gradually cause your hard disk to fragment. By defragmenting your hard disk you can optimize the performance of your computer. Defragmenting may also save wear and tear on your hard disk and extend its lifetime.
Marg Roukens
202-657-5874
SKYPE: Skype Me
Tri Power Team
