1. Rebooting before calling for help.
It should be a comfort to most that rebooting your computer fixes a multitude of both real and perceived errors. Even if a reboot does not solve the problem, the mere fact that the problem recurs after a reboot can give the significant diagnostic information.
2. Reporting a computer problem properly.
It’s important to provide information that will help expedite the resolution of your problem. For example, always provide the text of the error message. Be sure to tell your tech what operating system you are using and the type of hardware you’re running. Be able to express what you were doing when the problem occurred and whether or not you can reproduce the problem again and again by the same steps. It's always better to give more information that less!
3. Keeping password and/or passphrase safe.
There is little point in having a password or passphrase if it's written down in an unsecured location or shared among friends and/or co-workers. Don’t keep your password on a post-it by your computer, don’t write it on the back of your hand and don’t keep it on a sliver of paper in your wallet!
4. Constructing secure passwords and pass-phrases.
Constructing a REAL password/phrase has become as much art as science. Typically, names of family members, sequencing numbers, and obvious words and phrases should be avoided. Random numerals and a mix of cases, punctuation, and spaces are encouraged. However, there must be a balance between creating a password/phrase that works vs. creating one so complex that you end up writing it down! Doing so defeats the whole point of creating a password/phrase in the first place!
For fear of making a password so complicated that I forget it or God forbid, consider writing it down, I prefer a passphrase. It tends to be longer than a password, more complex and surprisingly easier to remember! Your phrase can be something more personal, which will help in the remembering but be certain that it’s NOT a straight forward sentence. For example, your phrase might be: “Timy walked at 2” Note, how I intentionally misspelled Timmy. Also, I used spacing and a numerical number rather than the word “two.” This password is much more complex than: timmy2
5. Practicing safe computing while traveling.
When taking your laptop, PDA, or whatever on the road you’ll have to be extra careful to prevent unauthorized access. Remote access tokens should not be carried in the same case as the computer and access codes, names, and passwords should not be written down! Another safe guard for your sensitive data is to keep it encrypted and/or stored on removable data storage devices and kept separate from the computer. Logical? If you’re device is stolen you’ve made it much harder (if not impossible) for the thief to gain access to your vital information!
6. Preventing loss of data.
There is no such thing as backup elves! Be aware that backups don't happen by magic and if you delete a file before it has been backed up you may never see it again! Backing up your data should become a regular routine.
7. Protecting against viruses, phishing, malware, and other nasties.
While you may think your installed anti-virus software has the responsibility protecting your system, no AV is 100% foolproof. You must still be vigilant in keeping your computer safe. If you don’t how to identify phishing or malicious e-mails from legitimate emails, ask for help. There are a few basic rules to observe to keep your system safe:
1. Never open e-mails from unknown sources.
2. Do not open unidentified attachments.
3. Do not turn off any protection on their computer.
4. Stay on top of antivirus updates. When your anti-virus software asks to update itself, don’t keep putting it off.
