Do I turn my computer off at night?
Answer: This is a very popular question my customers ask me. The pros and cons of turning your computer off at night versus leaving it on outweigh each other, so you get to choose!
On one hand you can argue that leaving the computer can cause the hardware to wear out faster. On the other hand you can counter that by saying that the heating and cooling by turning the computer on and off causes the components to expand and shrink which could wear out the hardware as well. You would both be right.
The debate can go on forever, so if you'd like to leave it on, leave it on. On the contrary, if you feel the need to turn it off, turn it off.
Now, there is no question about turning it off while you are away from home for an extended period, or when there is an impending thunderstorm coming. You should also unplug the UPS or surge protector (that the computer is hopefully plugged into) from the wall for an added assurance of protecting your computer from potential electrical problems.
What is all this stuff on my new computer?
Question: I just got a new computer and there are a lot programs I don't want on there and also advertisements for Norton, BT, etc. How can I get rid of these?
Some OEM vendors pay computer makers money for putting their software on new computers. In turn, computer manufacturers pass some of the savings onto the consumer to help entice them to buy the computer. OEM software getting bundled on new computers is one of the many reasons computers are so cheap these days.
Follow these steps to remove unwanted software from your computer.
Click on START, then CONTROL PANEL, and then (XP) click add/Remove Programs.
(Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8) Click on Programs and Features.
This is a list of the software that is installed on your computer. Click on the title you want to uninstall and choose the option REMOVE.
Be careful what you uninstall. You should know exactly what it is and know definitely that you don't want it nor need it.