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Ask the Master Newsletter Archives
Welcome to the previous editions of the Ask the Master newsletter.
On your left you will find links to tips and the how to’s of
running a Virtual Assistant practice. We hope you enjoy your stay
and if you have a question you’d like answered send it to submission@vatp.ca.
Ask
The Master
July 2004 Volume 3/Issue 7 |
Safeguarding Your Computer
If you use a safety deposit box for your valuables what are you
using for your computer?
Your computer is a very large part of your business, next to who you
are of course, and it is as important to safeguard your computer from
harm as it is your data. Anyone who has experienced a virus, worm,
trojan horse, or equipment failure knows how important it is to protect
your computer from breaking down. In this edition we'll explore some
of the things you can do to keep your computer and your business up
and running.
Warmly,
Mary-Lou Ashton
Master Virtual Assistant
Questions In This Edition
(Click on the links to go to that question.) What can I do
to improve communication with a client?
I have antivirus software
and I update it regularly, what else do I need to know? In
addition to scanning your computer and keeping your virus definitions
up to date you should also be sure to upgrade your antivirus software
every couple of years. The products improve and therefore so does
the protection level.
Find out when virus definitions are published. For instance Norton
publishes theirs once a week on Wednesdays so I have my program
scheduled to get the updates on Thursday morning. That way I stay
as current as possible.
What can I do if I
get a virus? If you do get infected with a virus do not
solely rely on the fix provided by the antivirus company. Sometimes
they can still leave traces of the virus that can affect your computer.
Always try to manually remove them versus using the tool and don't
rely solely on your antivirus program to find them.
What else can I use
in addition to antivirus software? There are other tools
you can use to scan your computer in addition to antivirus software.
There is a great little free software program by Lavasoft called
Ad aware. It will do a registry and a deep registry scan in addition
to your active processes and automatically quarantine what it finds.
I have it set up to run at Windows start up and it consistently
finds and quarantines items.
Do I need to have
a firewall? A firewall definitely reduces your vulnerability
to viruses and hackers. You can pick up a problem by simply visiting
a web site. You can set the degree of security that you want the
firewall to maintain. Black Ice is a good program and Spybot offers
a free version you can use. Be aware that firewalls may sometimes
interfere with accessing secure sites.
What other tips or
maintenance should I know about? The location of your computer
is also important for maximum performance and reliability. Be sure
that you do not have your tower or CPU sitting directly on the floor,
the higher off the floor the better. This reduces the amount of
dust that your computer picks up. Be sure the cooling fans are working
properly and are not blowing out hot air. If so you may have a problem
with the fan. You also want to make sure your computer is well ventilated
to prevent overheating. If you are using a computer armoire be sure
that the computer is off before closing up the doors.
Brought to you by
Virtual Strategies
and the Virtual Assistant Training Program
Making dreams reality!
www.vatp.ca
info@vatp.ca
1-604-483-3740 |
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