You just got a new computer a short time ago. It seems like yesterday that you were taking it out of the box and plugging in all of those wires. You remember pressing the button for the first time and going through that painful setup process and then the nightmare of installing all of your favorite programs and making them work just the way you want them to. Then you think of the somewhat complicated experience it was to set up your Internet and Email connections and the fun you had using them once you finally got hooked up to the Internet. You reminisce about all of the games and fun stuff you downloaded and clicked on.

Now here you are inserting that recovery CD into the CDROM drive, knowing that when it's done running the recovery process you will be right back to where you were when you pressed the button for the first time. You know this because that's what the tech support guy told you to expect. "It's the only thing we can do for it at this point", that's what the tech support guy said after being on the phone with him for an hour and a half. "It's the only thing we can do for it at this point". What a nightmare. It's a brand new computer, what could have possibly went wrong you ask yourself over and over. The support guy did mention something about Antivirus software, Windows updates, Adware and Spyware removal tools and he also said something about installing a firewall. What is all this stuff and would it have stopped my computer from slowing down to a crawl and rebooting all the time? It's a brand new computer, wouldn't it have all these things installed and configured anyway?

This could very well be a typical scenario that could happen to anybody with a new computer. The problem is that most new computers sit in the box for 2 or 3 or maybe even 6 months before you initially set it up. So by the time it gets all up and running, any security program installed on the computer is either out of date or not activated to begin with. Any computer security program needs to be installed, configured and updated regularly for it to work properly. Let's take a look at a few of the most important steps that need to be taken to keep that new computer running healthy.

The first and most important step that should be taken is to ensure that you have Antivirus software installed on the computer. Some computer manufacturers install it and some don't. It's up to you to find out. Take a look on the start menu programs and look for some form of Antivirus software program. There are many different brands to look for. McaFee, Panda Security, Norton Antivirus and Trend Micro are some of the major players. If you do not have anything installed, you need to buy some Antivirus software right away. A computer should not be on the Internet without updated Antivirus software. Once you are sure you have it installed the next step is to update the software. You may need to open up the program and click an update button or read the directions or whatever you have to do, but make sure that it is updated before going any further. Depending on the software, there may be an automatic update or you may have to keep it updated manually. Whatever the case, you need to make sure that it stays updated. New viruses are found daily. Some antivirus software companies update their software daily, others may be weekly, it's up to you to find that out. Having good Antivirus software installed is a major step guarding you against ever having to use that recovery CD again.

The next step is quite critical also. Let's assume you are running Windows XP as an operating system. You need to go out to http://www.windowsupdate.com and get all of the critical updates installed on your computer. It is a very simple process that needs to be done. When you first get to the update site, a new window may pop up asking you if you want to install a newer version of software. Click yes to proceed. If you ever see a box like that from anyone but Microsoft or Macromedia, click No. Next you will scan for updates and then install updates. That last step may take some time but it's worth every minute. What you are installing is fixes for all of the vulnerabilities found in Windows since it's release. Some people argue that the vulnerabilities shouldn't have been there in the first place but the bottom line is that Microsoft fixes them. With that done you should be feeling pretty secure, but there a still a few things to worry about.

People are constantly trying to get into your computer through an open port or a backdoor. The best way to prevent that from happening is to install a firewall. A firewall is basically a "wall" put between your computer and the Internet. There are two types of firewalls, hardware and software. Linksys and Netgear are probably the best hardware types. Mcafee and Zonealarm are probably the best software types. There are plenty of other brands that pretty much do the same thing; they build a wall between your computer and the Internet. You should be feeling pretty safe at this point.

There are a couple other nuisances you should be aware of that will slow your computer down to a crawl. Spyware and Adware programs. These programs are usually installed on your computer by you, and you install them without even knowing it sometimes. They usually come embedded in all of that "free" software going around the Internet.

Nothing is free anymore. These programs will give you Internet pop up ads and use your system resources for possibly malicious deeds to slow your computer down. Never install anything on your computer without reading the software agreement first. If you are not sure about it, don't install it. It's that simple. At this point, yoiu might want to try to take an exact image of your computer in case it does fail you again. An image will get you back to this point in a matter of minutes. View a tutorial.

Now your new computer should run smoothly until its time for your next upgrade. Just remember to keep your Antivirus software updated, check for and install all of the Microsoft critical updates, use a firewall and remember that nothing is free anymore so be careful what you click yes to and you will stay nightmare free for a long time to come.

R.L. Stock