Microsoft Security Scanner. This is a download from them and it looks for viruses and malware and spyware. It is only good for 10 days afterwhich you need to download a new copy. It will run even if you are using an anti-virus other than their Defender.
http://www.microsoft.com/security/scanner/en-us/default.aspx
Check your data breach Status. Many companies over the years have had hackers grab bunches of usernames, passwords, and email addresses from their databases. This site scans a database of known hacked data to let you know if you are part of those hacked addresses. If you are, you should change your passwords.
www.haveibeenpwned.com
10 minute email address allows you to have an email address that is only good for 10 minutes. You know those sites that only allow you to pass if you give them your email address? Then they send you emails every day. This site creates a temporary email address you can give them. They can verify it and then it will no longer be valid.
www.10minutemail.com
Speaking of passwords. Have you made a list of sites and passwords for your heirs? We have all made a will and placed it in our safe deposit box. We may even have given a key to our executor and added them to the box. But a lot of our important stuff is now online. Have we left instructions in our box as to what sites they need to get into, like financial and insurance sites, and usernames and passwords they need for access?
Secure sign on is more than having a password. Some sites will ask an additional question before letting you in. This makes access a little more secure, 2FA is even better. You have probably experienced this on site such as Microsoft. To get in you enter your username and password. Then they give you a choice of using the email address you registered with them or the cell phone number. They send you an email or text you a number, usually 4-6 digits long, that you then enter in the given box on the screen to finally log in and access your secure data.
www.twofactorauth.org
Let Google scan your files. Google drive scans all files for known viruses automatically
And if you upload a files to your g-drive and open it any issues will be isolated in the cloud and not have any effect on your PC
Good idea to create a password reset CD or USB boot media. Then if you forget your password to get into Windows, you can boot from this media and create a new password. Keep it in a safe place because anyone could use it to change your password.
http://tinyurl.com/6mq7tzm
Ubuntu OS instead of Windows. There may come a time when Microsoft tells us we have to pay for Windows 10 by sending them a monthly fee for using it. This is just conjecture on my part. They have not implied anything and have in fact said it will be free. There are a number of other choices out there for Operating Systems. Apple has there own but you need an Apple computer to use it. Google has there own but you need a Chromebook to use it. Neither OS will run Windows programs so you have to find others that will do the same job for you. Then there is Linux. It is an open source OS meaning that there will never be a charge for it. There are many versions of it and the one that seems to be very popular is Ubuntu. You can download it to a CD and try it out before ever installing it. And you can even install it along with Windows. At boot time you are given the choice to choose Windows or Ubuntu.
www.ubuntu.com
Lubuntu is a popular version for older machines and has a file explorer very similar to Windows. Works as a great replacement for Windows in those old and slow XP machines---or even Vista and 7. Lubuntu is a fast, energy saving and lightweight variant of Ubuntu using LXDE. It is popular with PC and laptop users running on low-spec hardware.
http://lubuntu.me/
A great way to download and install popular software is to use Ninite. You checkoff the programs you want and an installer is downloaded to your PC. Run it and the programs are downloaded and installed without any additional surprises--no added programs. For past notes on it put this in our browser address line and hit Enter:
ninite site:dickevanstraining.blogspot.com or just go right to www.ninite.com
Dual Boot means being able to have more than one operating system on the same computer. You get an option when booting to choose the one you want to use. Both can access your entire hard drive. This would allow you to have Window 10 in one partition and Windows XP in another letting you run some of those older programs, perhaps even ones that will access your floppy drive. (have not tried this out).
Partition Magic from EaseUS is an easy way to partition your hard drive to enable you to dual boot. You can get it from http://www.partition-tool.com/. Having ia second partition can also be useful when you have a lot of unchanging data on C: like old pictures or past documents taking a lot of space. Create another partition and move all that stuff to it. This frees up space on C: and makes you image backup of C: much quicker. Why backup all that never changing data all the time?
Making Desktop Shortcuts is easy and necessary in Window 10. When programs install in 10 they may not create a shortcut on the desktop. Locate the .exe file for the application. To locate the .exe press Win+Q and type the name of the program. It will appear in the list above. Right click it and choose Open file location. Then right click it. Then choose Send To > Desktop (create shortcut). Done. A shortcut will be on the desktop.
Maintenance White Paper updated in 2016 by Dick Evans
http://rwevans.com/ComputerMaintenance.pdf \
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