TechConfidence™

If you’ve been using the free version of AVG Anti-Virus, it’s time to upgrade to the new version, which is version 8.5. You can find the download here.

One of the most important things you can do to keep the data (photos, documents, Quicken data, etc.) safe is to back it up. An ideal solution would make it easy to back up everything you might need in case your computer fails (or is stolen, infected by a virus, etc.), store the data securely away from home, and make it quick and easy to restore when you need the data back. Unfortunately, there are no truly comprehensive, easy backup solutions out there for Windows PCs. However, in the spirit of something is better than nothing, here are a few simple ways you can back up some of your key files:

• Most modern computers come with DVD burners and software that makes it easy to burn files to disc. Use this software along with blank DVD-R or DVD+R discs (they’re pretty similar and both should work) to periodically make a backup of your photos and other files you’d be really sorry to lose. Keep the discs in a fire-resistant safe or in a safe location away from home. (If you don’t have a DVD burner, you probably have a CD burner and can use CD-R discs. They don’t hold as much as DVD-R/DVD+R, though.)
• A USB flash drive (also known as a thumb drive or jump drive) acts like an extra disk drive when you plug it in. Copy some important files from your C: drive and store the flash drive someplace safe. Periodically copy over new or changed files to the flash drive.
• Mozy Home offers free online backup for up to 2 GB of data. That may not be enough to back up everything on your computer, but it’s probably sufficient for your main documents and photos. The software installs on your PC and then uses your high speed Internet account to automatically upload your data. If anything ever happens to your computer, you can download the files from the Mozy website and/or by installing the software on a new/fixed computer. Be sure to use a strong password (and one that you’ll remember or that you have written down and stored someplace safe) so no one else can access your data!

Currently in the news is the Conficker worm, a rather nasty piece of malware that has infected a large number of Windows computers. Some folks put together a neat tool to give a quick sense of whether your computer might be infected by Conficker or similar malware. It’s called the Conficker Eye Chart due to its resemblance to eye charts in doctors’ offices. The idea is that, on a properly working computer that isn’t infected, you should be able to see all of the images. Certain patterns of images failing to load are associated with particular versions of the Conficker worm. It’s probably worth a quick visit to make sure all is well.

Two recent websites—Academic Earth and YouTube EDU—offer free videos of lectures and even entire courses culled from the collections of top universities, including MIT, Harvard, and more. Academic Earth has a nicer interface that makes it easy to find the best lectures and courses, while YouTube EDU has a broader selection. Either way, you’ll find a lot of great classes!