Al Lustie's Tips and Tricks

Organize your files.  Make use of My Documents (Windows XP), Documents (Windows Vista) or a main area in Windows 7.  In addition to "My Pictures, etc., add the categories you need to add.  I have a folder called "Letters-Env" where I keep letters and envelopes along with blank letter templates and blank envelope templates. 

Under "My Pictures" I have a sub-folder for 2008, 2009.  Etc. 

Unter My Pictures/2009 I have folders labeled:  1-Jan-2009, 2-Feb-2009, 3-Mar-2009, etc.  The nuber that starts each folder permits them to sort in order.  I will spend New Years Day setting folders up for 2010. 

Then remember to SAVE documents, pictures, music, etc. in the appropriate folder.  When the times comes to retrieve something it's a whole lot easier if you are organized. 

Back up your data regularly.  That's it.

At least once a week send it to an external hard drive, or to Carbonite or another on-line back up repository.

Sub Tip:  If you use Mozille Thunderbird, search for, download and install MozBackup.  Use it each week and put the backup in My Documents, Documents or whatever area(s) you back up in Windows 7.  If you use Microsoft Outlook, or Outlook Express, remember they do not save your email, contacts, etc. in My Documents or Documents.  You need to EXPORT your .pst file into a directory in the area you back up.  Once a week.  Maybe more often.

If you use a MAC, get an external hard drive and use the Time Machine.  Do a full backup and then incremental when files change.  DO IT! 

Protect your computer -- especially if it is a PC.

Install and regularly update an Internet Security program such as Norton (Symanatec).  It is hard to upgrade and hard to renew and hard to uninstall, but it makes a big difference.  McAfee is also good.  I have used Comodo with good success.  Do a web search using Bing, Google or Yahoo to get ratings of the various anti-virus, anti-spyware programs and choose a good one.  Do NOT install more than one on your computer.  They will conflict and the bad stuff will slip in between the cracks.

Go to:  http://remove-malware.net/how-to-remove-antivirus-system-pro-rogue-anti-spyware/ 
and download the program.  Run it if you get nasty stuff.  If you get stuff that won't go away, read the "Really, Really Nasty" post on blog.lustie.com.  If those tools don't help, call me and if you are in the south Denver/Littleton/Centennial area I will get your hard disk cleaned up and as much of your data preserved as humanly possible.  

You are regularly backing up your data aren't you.  But that is a topic for another post.

I am an experimental guy.  So, this blog is an experiment.  In it I will be trying out blogging ideas which others may know already, but which I want to experiment with.  I will share tricks and tips about PCs and Macs as well as ideas for Web development and for living well.