Laptop Computer Security Tips

Laptop Computer Security Tips
by Debbie Jacobsen


Due to their portability, laptop computers tend to require a bit more care than a traditional desktop PC. They are also a lot more expensive. Following are some tips to help protect your laptop investment as well as your privacy:


Use a Computer Security Suite with an Annual Subscription Most new laptops come with preinstalled security software, but it is often "trial period" software only. Check to see that the "automatic updates" subscription is good for at least a year. If not, either renew it or uninstall and purchase new software. Here is some information on Computer Security Suites

If you use Peer to Peer (P2P) File Sharing Applications, P2P Doctor is a MUST!

P2P applications like Kazaa, Morpheus, BearShare, and Limewire are file sharing programs that will not run unless the user agrees to the installation of many advertising-based applications. These "extra" applications are known as Spyware, and can be very dangerous. If file sharing applications must be used, a program like P2P Doctor is a must. This software removes file sharing add-on programs without causing the P2P program to stop functioning.

Purchase an Extended Warranty

Most laptop computers come with a standard 12 month warranty, which will cover any system defects that arise during the first year. Although this is fine for a desktop computer, I have found that many laptop hard drives and displays actually break down during years 2 and 3. The cost of replacing a laptop hard drive is around $300, and the cost of replacing a display can easily be $800. Extended warranties don't cost that much extra, and are a wise investment.

Utilize an Online Backup Service

Laptop hard drives crash more often than PC hard drives. Your hard drive might last several years, or only several months - there's no way to tell. Because a laptop hard drive is often exposed to more "abuse" than a PC hard drive, it is imperative that your data be backed up on a regular basis. Carbonite Online Backup is the cheapest, most reliable way to protect the data on your laptop - costing only $5 a month. An excellent investment, and cheap price to pay for piece of mind.

Use Windows XP Professional, NTFS, and a Regular User Account

Windows XP Professional has a ton of security features, and is designed to provide a stable and secure operating environment for a networked computer. Make sure the hard drive is formatted with the NTFS file system, which will enable the strongest security. Create a "user" account, and a strong password (at least 6 characters, using a combination of upper and lower case + numbers). The user account does not have the power to install applications or make system registry changes, which gives you a lot of protection. Operate the laptop under the user account, and only log into the administrator account when you need to install new software. This ensures that "unknown" software is not installed without your knowledge.




About the Author
Debbie is an information technology professional and author of antivirus-firewall-spyware.com and long-distance-savings.com.

Notebook Hard Drive Recovery

Notebook Hard Drive Recovery
by Linda Miller


Our society is always on the move; so it's no surprise that mobile computers are the tools of choice for today's movers and shakers.

Numerous PC sales reports have revealed that more and more people are using laptops or notebook computers each year. A number of reasons contribute to this growing trend. The technology behind and within notebook computers is advancing at a remarkable pace, and improvements are realized with each new model that hits the market. The notebook industry continues to grow, but as with every type of technology, errors and breakdowns can occur.

If your notebook experiences trouble with booting, if you hear noises originating from your hard drive, or if your drive is completely inaccessible, you likely need a notebook hard drive recovery.

When you perform a notebook hard drive recovery, you will be restoring failed hard drives and retrieving lost data from the drives. Although it may seem simple, a notebook hard drive recovery is not an easy task to perform. It is a more complicated process than the hard drive data recoveries on desktop PCs.

The main problem with notebook hard drive recovery actually lies in the fact that notebook computers are sealed, and specialized electronics must be employed due to their lightweight nature. In order for a notebook hard drive recovery to be successful, the internal components must be free of dust. This also allows the heat to properly dissipate, and allows the components to operate at their maximum efficiency levels.

It is important that only an authorized vendor or the original manufacturer open your notebook computer to investigate. Since the units are highly susceptible to dust and moisture, any hard drive recoveries must only be performed in a clean, authorized facility.

In order to save yourself a lot of trouble, you should make it a habit to backup the data stored in your notebook at least once a week. This is the single most highly recommended notebook hard drive recovery tip. Just be sure that backing up your data is only done on the network or, if necessary, on portable media. If a network is unavailable, you can use portable media for storage to ensure that the backup works one hundred percent of the time. Without this backup, you will need a professional to provide your notebook hard drive recovery.

In the worst-case scenario, you've forgotten to provide data backups, and you need a professional notebook hard drive recover. Rest assured, there are many experts available to recover lost files and repair your drives. Most of the notebook hard drive recovery companies specialize in recovering files, whether they were deleted through formatting or by accident, from mechanical drive failures or due to outside forces like water or fire damage. If you choose to have your notebook hard drive recovery performed by a professional, you can expect a success rate of over 98 percent. The services of most professional companies are warranty compliant, but you should verify this before agreeing to the service.

If lost data has slowed you down or brought your productivity to a grinding halt, call a professional for notebook hard drive recovery. You, and your notebook, will quickly be on the move again.


About the Author
Linda Miller enjoys writing for several web sites, on home business and computers and work at home topics.

When You buy a Dell Inspiron...

When You buy a Dell Inspiron, what do you really get?
by Brenda Moore


In the computing world, a Dell laptop packs quite a punch. It is one of the most recognizable and well known laptop computers on the market. It is true that Dell's advertising campaign has been extremely effective, but that does not explain away how they manage to maintain a top market share.

Dell laptops are famous for featuring the latest technology, great graphics, and high powered processors. For instance, consider the Dell Inspiron 6000 laptop. This ultra-powerful notebook computer features the latest Intel processor, the Sonoma chipset. This particular processor was designed especially for optimal performance on your laptop. Not only does this model includes the latest processor technology, it is also known for super fast graphics, great battery performance, and includes wireless connectivity.

This particular Dell laptop also incorporates the latest in wireless technology. There is a standard 10/100 Ethernet card with WiFi access plus Bluetooth technology. These features make it easy to connect to the Internet with your Dell laptop whether you are at home or traveling around town.

The Dell Inspiron 6000 laptop also includes a FireWire port, an S-Video video port, a IEEE 1394 port, and four USB ports for even more flexibility in connectivity. It even includes a slot for secure Digital memory cards. So it does not matter how many of your electronic gadgets that you wish to connect to your Dell laptop, you will not have to worry about not having enough access for them all.

Not only is this Dell laptop feature heavy, it packs loads of processing muscle in storage space also. When purchased than the Dell Inspiron, you are allowed to choose between the 1.60 GHz Pentium processor and the 1.30 GHz Intel Celeron processor. And there is lots of room for your files on the included hard drive, which can range in size from 30 GB to 80 GB. You can round out the features on your Dell laptop with a DVD double-layer burner or a writable CD/DVD.

No matter what your computing needs are, the Dell laptop is sure to please. Whether you require a basic laptop for general purposes or a heavy-duty, top-of-the-line laptop that you can count on in the workplace, the Dell laptop delivers.


About the Author
Brenda has is an avid user of the dell laptop but also uses the sony vaio laptop. She's gotten her last dell laptop for free, via the free laptop website.