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Virtually everyone who owns a computer and is connected to the Internet knows about the security implications. Most people do worry about malware and I would like to think that only a few run a computer without an antivirus program or other security-related Image may be NSFW.
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software. However, there are many more important PC tools that most people never use, even though they are essential for running a stable and secure system.
If you’re not sure what I’m talking about, you might be well advised to glance over this article, and stay tuned for part 2. I will show you, in all 6 critical tools that will make your work with a computer easier, your data safer, your system more stable, and your overall computer experience much smoother.
1. Backup Program
Are you feeling guilty already? It’s not like backup programs are secret tools that nobody knows of; yet a lot of people either don’t worry about their data or they just never get around to running backups. It’s time to quit that!
Reasons To Use A Backup Program:
- You will always have a second copy of your data in case the other copy gets compromised or is lost.
- Your data is valuable! A backup will save you money or time trying to recover damaged or lost files.
- Murphy’s Law: Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.
MakeUseOf recommends and The Computer Guy agrees that you should use FBackup (free) for local backups and Mozy for online backups (2GB free)
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2. Password Manager
Unless your name is Data, you probably have a hard time remembering things now and then. If you’re human that’s normal. Nevertheless, you should 1. have a different password for every account and 2. change it often to protect yourself from hackers and identity theft.
Reasons To Use A Password Manager:
- Never again forget a password.
- Use complicated secure passwords and thus protect your accounts from getting hacked.
- Murphy’s Law: Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.
And you’d better back up your Password Manager!
Which Password Manager To Use:
MakeUseOf and The Computer Guy recommends LastPass, a cross-platform browser plugin that stores and syncs your passwords wherever you go. For local storage I recommend KeePass.
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3. Software Or Driver Update Tools
As mentioned in the introduction, almost everyone these days is aware of viruses, hackers, and other security-related threats that linger online. And I’m sure you have all heard about security holes in various programs. While a lot of programs install security updates automatically, many won’t do anything, unless the user initiates an update.
Reasons To Use Upgrade PC Tools:
- Fix security holes.
- Fix bugs and gain access to new features.
- Murphy’s Law: Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.
Which Upgrade Tools To Use:
Probably the reason why most people do not use these PC tools is that none of them cover all possible software or hardware. However, they are still easier to use than checking for updates manually. I recommend Device Doctor for driver updates and Update Notifier for finding software updates. Again, these are free programs.
This will end part 1 of 6 Important PC Tools Most People Never Use, But Should!! Check back or subscribe to my blog for part 2. In the mean time, I’d love to hear your feedback!
This article was originally featured by MakeUseOf on March 17,2011 and written by Tina Sieber