And after you have done what Mum Said.
You might want to set yourself up a routine to where you do important tasks and make your browsing a bit safer as well.
If you have Windows 7, then see this page:
http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hostswin7.htm
If you have another version of windows you will need to google up how to change the HOSTS file. The interesting thing about the host file is that you can block sites like those that commonly are known to redirect, or ad sites and others that you do not want. More on what your hosts file can do for you is found here:
http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.htm
Another thing is you need to have an off the machine back up system. I have an external harddrive that I back up every Monday to. AFTER I run a deep scan, after clean disk and error check is done, after I go through the list of programs uninstalling those I do not need, and after I run ad-aware and spy checker and finally running Ccleaner to clean the registry of errors.
Adaware:
http://www.lavasoft.com/
Ccleaner:
http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner
These guys are totally free and are updated often, so run the updater before you use. They are relatively easy to use once you read up on some stuff.
While I have Windows Explorer Browser on my machine, I never use it. I use the latest Firefox from Mozzila:
http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/fx/ It is free to use.
Tabbed browsing and many other features Firefox was doing and Microsuck stole the ideas for their bulky, slow, and corruptible Explorer.
Firefox also comes with a lot of addon options - these are
options, you do not have to have them and I would strongly suggest you stick to only a few.
Other things to consider. If you have a lot of added task bars to the top of your browser, such as Yahoo's bar and Ask Bar and all of that, you need to uninstall those. Each comes with some minor risks and security issues, each steals resources and most of them do things that a few clicks and a web-search can do for you.
Often these are bundled as add-ons to software trials and 'free' programs. If you cannot uncheck these when you are installing that program - meaning they do not allow you to opt out, then you need to seriously reconsider the safety of that particular program, changes are very high that its going to be a security risk.
Assuming you have gotten your computer cleaned out of its bugs (viruses, Trojans, hijackers, adware, spy ware, etc) then you also should seriously consider installing and using Ghostery:
http://www.ghostery.com/
It is yet one more free program (really free) that blocks unwanted stuff - mostly ads and trackers. I can now go to any page on the internet and not get slammed with annoying embedded video ads and the like. Its like being in my own private, quiet bubble. And I know that Google and Facebook and the rest of those creepy critters ain't tracking my every move.
My last computer lasted nearly 10 years before going to hardware heaven It still functioned, it was pretty much useless against all of the newer hardware and powerful stuff one deals with on the internet. It was so old that nothing had any more patches and updates. the Graphics card just couldn't cope. In all of that time it only got infected once, by my partner who disarmed a lot of my safety protocols to download a codex for a porn movie he wanted to see (A movie he got from limewire). That was actually not a codex, it was a redirecting Trojan that required my having to wipe the disk and reinstall everything. This was back in the day before I was a back-up Nazi.
If you are into downloading data from peer to peer sharing networks. Stop it. Not only is it illegal, it is also like sticking your dick into a dozen unwashed, never protected whores. If you fear STD's then you should fear P2P networks and file sharing they swap computer diseases.
IF you are in the habit of downloading and having files on your desktop. Stop it.
Start having files within your My Documents folder - folders are free to use and make sorting far easier. Your desktop should be used for short-cuts only, not for programs, not for files. With Vista and Windows 7 you do not even need to do that. You can create a New Tool bar (usually down at the bottom of the computer next to the system tray (where the clock is) directly linking to a folder in My Documents where all of the files and Icons will be listed Folders within folder. I have my 'Shortcuts' Task bar, I right click on that and more folder options show: Games, Links, System Operations, Clients I hover the mouse over any of those and I see icons and more folders.
In essence, from only one tiny button on my computer screen I can access 90% of the stuff I use. My desktop when my Lcarsx32 is off is empty except for the recycle bin.
Every six months I do a seriously file cleaning of my documents. While I back up my client files weekly to daily (every time I use a clients folder I back it up to its own CD/DVD/ROM) Every 6 months I go through and back up all of the files to a permanent storage device (plus the hard copy files for my records - paper) And I delete unused, older clients who I haven't been doing anything for for a few months.
I also take the time to delete with the option to back up other files - images, Sketch-up models I lost interest in, SimCity Rushhour cites and plugins, Spore Creatures and stuff that I haven't been using but might in some far off distant time.
I know this sounds like a lot of time and energy, and it will be if you have never done such things before, but once you set up positive filing habits and keep on top of stuff on your computer, you spend very little time mucking around and sorting everything when the big crash takes place, or a nasty trojan crops up or something like your hard drive makes that loud squealing sound and smoke wafts up out of your computer as the hard drive takes its final nose dive. It happens.
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