How to Keep an Old Computer Running Smoothly

How to keep an old computer running smoothly

Being stuck with an old computer can be challenging. Unsupported operating systems are vulnerable to Internet threats, and the hardware of an older computer starts to face some limitations. However, there are a few things you can do to protect it and keep it running smoothly. 

Secure your computer

Older versions of Windows, like Windows XP, no longer receive security updates from Microsoft. This leaves them vulnerable to many Internet dangers. You can protect your system by running up-to-date antivirus, antimalware, and firewall programs. Learn more in our lesson on Protecting Your Computer from Internet Threats.

Using alternatives to Internet Explorer can also make your computer safer from Internet threats. Chrome and Firefox are popular choices for browsing.

If you're using Microsoft Outlook, you might want to consider switching to another email client like Thunderbird. Many Internet threats specifically target vulnerabilities in Outlook.

Consider upgrading your OS

One option for keeping your computer running smoothly and securely is upgrading to a newer OS, giving you access to current security updates and support. However, it will usually cost money, may require reformatting your hard drive, and might be confusing to use at first. Before upgrading, consider if it is worth these costs, and check to see if your computer is powerful enough to run the new OS.

Alternately, you could install a lighter, free OS like Linux. Learning how to use Linux might take longer if you're accustomed to Windows, but it has many advantages and usually runs well on older computers. See our Linux resourcesfor more information.

Maintain your computer

A few simple steps can extend the lifetime of your computer, keep your operating system running smoothly, and protect you from data loss. Think of these as good habits, like brushing your teeth every day or getting the oil changed in your car regularly.

• Shut down your computer at least a few times a week, or every day.
• Uninstall programs you no longer use.
• Delete large files you no longer need, especially media files like movies, music, and images.
• Disable programs from running on startup unless they are necessary.
• Use a maintenance tool like CCleaner.

Back up your files

Older computers are more likely to experience hardware failure. Preparing for this possibility is much easier than recovering data from a failed drive. Backing up your files will protect you from losing your data. The two most common ways of doing this are copying your data to an external drive and using an online backup service.

Disable Applications from Running on Startup

Disable applications from running on startup

You may not realize it, but your computer runs several applications as soon as it starts. While this is necessary for your computer to function, too many applications running on startup can slow down your computer. Among other ways to keep your computer running smoothly, you can disable applications from running on startup to improve its performance. 

Consider before disabling anything

Before you disable an application from starting, consider whether you should. You don't need to disable most applications, but disabling the ones you don't always need or ones that are demanding on your computer's resources can make a big difference. If you use the program every day or if it's necessary for the operation of your computer, you should leave it enabled on startup. You can do an Internet search for the name of a program if you aren't sure what it is or what it does.

Disable in a program's own settings

Some programs have a built-in setting to enable or disable them from running on startup. Each program is different, but it's usually in a settings or configuration menu. Many programs don't have a startup setting because most operating systems can automatically manage which programs run on startup.

Disable in Windows 8 and 10

In Windows 8 and 10, the Task Manager has a Startup tab to manage which applications run on startup. On most Windows computers, you can access the Task Manager by pressing Ctrl+Shift+Esc, then clicking the Startup tab. Select any program in the list and click the Disable button if you don't want it to run on startup.

Disable in Windows 7 and earlier

In Windows 7 and earlier, the process is a little more complicated. These settings are in the System Configuration utility, also known as msconfig.

1. Open the Start menu and locate the search box. Note: If you're using Windows XP, click Run on the right side of the Start menu.
2. In either the search box or the Run dialog, type msconfig and press Enter.
   

How to Set Up a New Printer

How to set up a new printer

Trying to get your new printer up and running? Here are the basic steps you'll follow to set up almost any printer.

1. Plug in the printer's power cable and make sure it's turned on.
   
2. Connect the included cable (usually a USB cable) from the printer to the computer. Note: The process will be different if you're using awireless printer; we'll talk more about that later on.
   
3. On your computer, locate the Printer settings. If you're using a Windows computer, you'll find these in the Control Panel. If you're using a Mac, you'll find them in System Preferences.
   
4. Look for the option to Add a printer, then follow the instructions that appear.
   
5. Now it's time to try printing something! For example, you could try printing this test page. After you click the link, select File > Print from your web browser's menu, or simply press Ctrl+P on your keyboard (orCommand+P if you're on a Mac).
6. A dialog box will appear. Locate and select the new printer from the list, then click Print.
   
7. The item will then be printed. But if it doesn't work, don't panic! You can try using some of the solutions to common problems below.

Solutions to common problems

• Problem: Nothing happens when I try to print. There are several reasons a printer might not work, even if everything's connected properly. First, you'll want to make sure you've put paper into thecorrect tray and there's no paper stuck inside the printer.
• Problem: The printer has paper and nothing's stuck, but it still won't print. If the solutions above don't work, try canceling the print job from the computer and trying again. Many printers also have a button you can use to restart the current job. If all else fails, try turning the printer off and on again to see if it fixes the problem.
• Problem: The printer works, but the text is very light and difficult to read. If this happens, it probably means your printer requires a new ink cartridge to keep working. The instruction manual included with the printer should note what type of cartridge you'll need to buy.

Advanced troubleshooting

If you're still having trouble, you can try to find help for your specific printer. We've collected a list of support pages for some of the most common printer brands below:

• Brother
• Canon
• Epson

Another idea would be to run a Google search describing your problem, including the brand and model number. In the example below, we're searching for canon MX920 not responding.

What about wireless printers?

The convenience of wireless printers has made them increasingly popular in recent years. Without the need to physically connect a printer to your computer, wireless printers make it easy to print from laptops, tablets, and even smartphones.

What to Do If Your Computer Gets a Virus

What to do if your computer gets a virus

Computer viruses can be dangerous and should be taken seriously, but there are ways to remove them before serious damage is done. We'll go through the basic steps of virus scanning and removal, but keep in mind that it may still be necessary to hire a technical support professional to completely remove the virus and repair your computer.

Antivirus software

First, if you don't already have an antivirus program, install one. Be sure you only have one antivirus program installed, because having more than one can cause significant problems. Our Internet Safety tutorial discusses selecting and installing antivirus software.

Run a system scan

Once you've verified that your antivirus program is running, begin a scan. If you're unsure how to do this, review the documentation for your antivirus program, which usually can be found on the developer's website. Some programs offer several types of scans, and you may want to run the most thorough type, usually called a full system scan. This may take several hours. Usually, you do not need to remain at the computer during the scan.

If no viruses or malware are found but you are still experiencing problems with your computer, try other troubleshooting techniques or have your computer assessed by a support professional.

Review discovered threats and recommended action

Either during the course of the scan or when it is complete, the antivirus program will notify you of discovered threats and recommend various courses of action. Usually the recommended action for each threat is the best choice. If the antivirus is unable to remove any threat, don't ignore it. Investigate how to proceed with some Internet searches or by contacting a professional. The support team for the antivirus program can often help you at this point.

Malware

Your antivirus program may be bundled with an anti-malware program. If it isn't, you may want to install an anti-malware program and run a scan. This can help to find any malware your antivirus may have missed. Antivirus and anti-malware programs scan for slightly different things but they work similarly, so you can follow the same steps in this tutorial.

If all else fails

If you are unable to remove the virus—or if your programs or operating system are damaged beyond repair—it may be necessary for you to erase the hard drive and reinstall your operating system and programs. At this point, you may want to consider hiring a technical support professional, but it is still possible to do this yourself. If you perform a full reformat of all your hard drives during this process, it is almost guaranteed to eliminate even the most pernicious viruses, but all data on your drives will be lost. This is one of many reasons it is crucial tokeep regular backups of your data before your computer develops any significant problems. If you restore your data from backups after reformatting your hard drive, perform a virus scan on your restored data to be sure it is not infected with a virus.

How to Avoid Malware

How to avoid malware

Malware is one of the most common hazards to your computer on the Internet, but it's easy to avoid. Developing safe and smart browsing habits can protect you from malware and other threats like viruses. Securing your computer and learning how to identify and avoid suspicious links are the fundamentals of safe browsing habits.

Secure your computer

Limiting your computer's vulnerability to malware is a crucial safe browsing habit. You can protect your computer by running antivirus and antimalwaresoftware. These programs can block malware from being installed and can remove it if it does get onto your computer. Even if you don't see signs of malware on your computer, running regular scans can catch any malware that has escaped notice.

Many malware programs take advantage of security flaws in Windows and other software. Keeping your OS, browser, and other programs updated is an important step to protecting your computer. The security patches in these updates make your computer immune to many threats.

Learn more in our lessons on Protecting Your Computer from Internet Threatsand How to update your software.

Back up your files

Some malware can delete or corrupt data on your drives. Preparing for the possibility of data loss is much easier and cheaper than attempting to recover data after a malware attack. The two most common ways of doing this are copying your data to an external drive and using an online backup service.

Learn more in our lesson on Backing Up Your Files.

Avoid suspicious links

Most malware requires you to click something to download and install it. These links are often disguised as something they are not. If you are aware of what suspicious links can look like, you can avoid them. Here are some examples of misleading links concealing malware downloads.

• Ads on websites can look like system messages or diagnosticswarning you that something is wrong with your computer, like the image below.
  
• Ads can look like messages saying you have won a prize and instructing you to click to claim it.
• Pop-up windows frequently contain malware or attempt to lead you to a less secure site. Most reputable sites don't use pop-up windows. Many browsers block pop-up windows by default.
• If you are prompted to download something you weren't expecting, or if it seems to be unrelated to the page you were on, it's probably malware.
• Headlines that are ambiguous and sensational that encourage you to click to read more are called clickbait. Sites that use lots of clickbait headlines are more likely to contain links to malware.

Identify suspicious sites

If you're ever unsure whether a website or download is safe, close it and investigate the site before returning to it. It's always a good idea to be cautious when browsing unfamiliar sites.

• Ask your friends if the site is reputable or if they have any experiences with the site.
• Search for information about the site. Use a search engine to find news about the organization that runs the site, or look for posts on forums about other people's experiences with that site.
• Check the address bar in your browser. Some malicious websites are designed to look like other well-known sites, but your address bar will tell you which site you're actually on. If you are no longer on the site you expected to be, it's suspicious.
• Run a Google Safe Browsing diagnostic on the site. Copy and paste the URL of a site into the search box on the diagnostic page and click the search button. This will display a site safety report.
  

How to Customize Your Desktop Background

How to customize your desktop background

Want your computer to feel a bit more like, well, your computer? You might want to consider changing your wallpaper.

The wallpaper is the image that appears behind the icons on your computer's desktop—that's why it's usually called a desktop background. On most computers, you can change your background by right-clicking the desktop and selecting Personalize.

Then select Desktop Background. By default, you'll see the images that were included with your computer.

If you're looking for something specific, might we suggest Google Image Search? Its custom search tools allow you to search for images by size, which is perfect when you're looking for a large picture (we recommend an image that'sat least 1024 x 768). Anything smaller will look pixelated or grainy when stretched across your desktop.

When you find an image you like, just select it and choose View image.

Then click and drag the picture to your desktop.

You can now set the image as your desktop background. Right-click the image and select Set as desktop background.

You can use this same technique to turn any of your personal photos into a desktop background.

How to Update Your Software

How to update your software

Keeping your software up to date is a crucial practice in Internet safety. Most software updates automatically by default, but you should know how to check the updates and begin the process yourself. Knowing how to keep your software updated can improve your computer's stability and security and let you know about new features, helping you be an informed and empowered user.

You can read more about Internet safety practices here.

Update your operating system

Keeping your operating system updated is one of the most important steps in protecting yourself from viruses, malware, and other Internet security threats.

Windows

To update Windows, first open the Control Panel. If you don't know where theControl Panel is, check out this lesson in Windows Basics. In the search bar in the Control Panel, type update. Under Windows Update, click Check for updates.

It may take a moment for Windows to search for updates. Once it does, if there are any updates available it will prompt you to install them.

It may take a while to install all the updates. It's safe to leave the computer and do something else while it finishes. Once it's done, Windows will probably prompt you to restart the computer. If you need to do anything else after this, Windows will prompt you; otherwise, you're up to date!

Mac OS X

To update Mac OS X, open the App Store, then click Updates at the top. OS X updates will be at the top of the list of available updates. On the right side of the screen, there are buttons to update individual apps or to apply all available updates.

Apple has an excellent support page on how to check for updates for OS X and apps.

Update your apps

For many apps, regular updates provide new features and stability rather than security patches, so it isn't necessary to update them as frequently. However, for more essential software like web browsers and antivirus software, security updates are just as critical as operating system updates.

Many apps in both OS X and Windows will automatically check for updates when you open them. If you installed them through the App Store or another distribution platform, the program will alert you about updates. For standalone programs, take time to explore the program's menus and learn how to run the update process.

For example, in Avast! Free Antivirus, there is an Update page on the Settings screen.

However, in Firefox, the About Firefox screen in the Help menu also checks for updates.

How to Set Up a Wi-Fi Network

How to set up a Wi-Fi network

The Internet is a really powerful tool. It gives us access to all kinds of information at a moment's notice—think email, Google search, and Wikipedia. So there's something a little counterintuitive about only being able to use the Internet when you sit down at a desktop computer. What if you could use the Internet from anywhere in your home or office?

If you already have high-speed (broadband) Internet service at your house, it's pretty easy to create your own home wireless network. Commonly known asWi-Fi, a wireless network allows you to connect laptops, smartphones, and other mobile devices to your home Internet service without an Ethernet cable.

Purchase a wireless router

To create your own Wi-Fi network, you'll need a wireless router. This is the device that will broadcast the Wi-Fi signal from your Internet modem throughout your house. Your Internet service provider (ISP) may offer you a wireless router for a small monthly fee. If you've never set up a Wi-Fi network before, this may be the easiest option.

If you want to buy your own router, we'd recommend spending a little more time researching different options. PC Mag offers a comprehensive guide onHow to Buy a Wireless Router.

Some Internet modems may already have a built-in wireless router, which means you won't need to purchase a separate one. 

Connect the cables

1. Once you've acquired a wireless router, you'll need to connect it to your existing Internet modem.
2. Connect an Ethernet cable from your modem to the wireless router (there is usually a short Ethernet cable included with your wireless router for this purpose).
3. Plug in the power cable for the wireless router.
4. Wait at least 30-60 seconds and make sure the lights on your router are working correctly.

Configure your router

Next, you'll need to use your computer to configure your router's default settings. This includes setting a unique name and password for your wireless network.

1. Using your web browser, enter the router's default IP address into the address bar, then press Enter. Your router's instructions should include this information, but some of the most common addresses include192.168.0.1, 192.168.1.1, and 192.168.2.1.
2. The router's sign-in page will appear. Again, the exact sign-in details should be included with your router's instructions, but most routers use a standard user name and password combination, such as admin andpassword.
3. Your router's settings page will appear. Locate and select the Network Name setting, then enter a unique network name.
4. Locate and select the Network Password setting, and choose an Encryption option. There are several types of encryption you can use, but we recommend WPA2—this is generally considered to be the most secure.
5. Enter your desired password. Make sure to use a strong password to help ensure no one else can access your network.
6. Locate and select the Save button to save your settings.

Connect!

That's it! Now you're ready to connect to your Wi-Fi network and make sure it's working. The process for connecting to a Wi-Fi network will vary slightly depending on what type of computer or device you're using, but any system will require these basics steps:

1. Locate your computer's network settings and search for nearby Wi-Fi networks.
2. Select your network and enter your password.
3. If the connection is successful, open your web browser and try navigating to a webpage like www.google.com. If the page loads, it means your Wi-Fi connection is working correctly!

Congratulations!

You've just set up your own home wireless network—way to go!

What is a PDF File?

What is a PDF file?

Adobe PDF files—short for portable document format files—are one of the most commonly used file types today. If you've ever downloaded a printable form or document from the Web, such as an IRS tax form, there's a good chance it was a PDF file. Whenever you see a file that ends with .pdf, that means it's a PDF file.

Why use PDF files?

Let's say you create a newsletter in Microsoft Word and share it as a .docx file, which is the default file format for Word documents. Unless everyone has Microsoft Word installed on their computers, there's no guarantee that they would be able to open and view the newsletter. And because Word documents are meant to be edited, there's a chance that some of the formatting and text in your document may be shifted around.

By contrast, PDF files are primarily meant for viewing, not editing. One reason they're so popular is that PDFs can preserve document formatting, which makes them more shareable and helps them to look the same on any device. Sharing the newsletter as a PDF file would help ensure everyone is able to view it as you intended.

Opening PDF files

Opening and viewing a PDF file is pretty simple. Most modern web browsers will open PDF files directly in your browser window instead of downloading them to your computer. If your browser can't do this, it should prompt you to download the file instead. Try clicking this link to see how it works on your computer.

If you need to view a PDF file just once, it's usually easiest to open it in your web browser. If you need to access the PDF later, you'll want to save a copy to your computer. This process will vary depending on your web browser, but in the example below the Save PDF button can be found near the upper-right corner.

If the PDF file is already on your computer, you can simply double-click to open it with the default PDF application.

If your computer uses Windows 7 or earlier, you may need to download a free PDF viewer (such as Adobe Reader) before you can view PDF files.

Editing PDF files

As we mentioned earlier, PDFs are primarily meant for viewing, not editing. However, there may be times when you encounter a PDF that allows you to enter certain information, like name and address. These PDFs use a special feature called form fields, which allow you to type new information into the document and save your changes. For example, this PDF contains several form fields for entering your name, address, and other information.

This feature is not supported in all web browsers, so you may need to download the PDF before you can use form fields to add your information.

There may also be times when you want to make small edits to PDF files, like adding a comment or highlighting text. To learn more about editing PDF files, check out our lesson on how to Edit and Merge PDFs.

Creating PDF files

There are several ways to create PDF files, but the method will largely depend on the device you're using. For example, if you're using Windows 10 you can go to the Print dialog box, then select PDF from the list of printers at the top. This allows you to create a PDF of anything you would normally be able to print, including documents, emails, and webpages.

If you're on a Mac, the Print dialog box has a PDF menu that allows you to save a file as a PDF.

If your computer has Windows 8 or earlier, you have a few options. The simplest method is to use software that supports a PDF export, such as Microsoft Office or Google Chrome.

Another option is to use a PDF converter like Smallpdf, which is a free app that runs in your web browser. Smallpdf can convert various file types—such as Microsoft Office documents—into a PDF format.

OK, those are the basics of PDF files!