Operating System Alternatives

Computer Care: Windows still rules, but there are other alternatives

By Arthur Glazerglazer.tech@gmail.com
POSTED: March 22, 2013 10:43 p.m.

I have been a fan of the Windows operating system since its inception. With Windows XP back near the turn of this century, things started getting better. Wireless and USB support were introduced and many enhancements were added with that edition. Improvements were made to the computer hardware, the operating system and software; it all began to run faster than ever before.

Windows, in one incarnation or another, has been on my computers since the ’80s (Win 3.1) at the time when I had DOS installed on it. Things have gotten progressively better with each release, with the exceptions of the Millennium Edition, or Win ME, as it was infamously known, and, of course, the much-maligned Vista.

Those two versions were an annoyance to consumers and must have been an huge embarrassment to Microsoft. Still, they created superior versions after each one of those fiascos.

I’ve had clients who hated Vista so much they downgraded back to XP. If you have the CD, you can legally put it on any one machine of your choice.

Windows XP Pro has caused me only a few problems over the years and I still have it on my desktop computer. Win 7 Ultimate is on my laptop and is a strong OS, although every now and then I think I’m using Win ME again.

Once in a while, I can’t initiate a system restore or find that the computer has an inability to rename a file or folder. Even with updates turned off, I find myself waiting at a reboot while my system configures updates. My 64-bit laptop has 6 GB of RAM installed and still, the mouse will freeze on occasion. I work on these machines for living and even I get stumped at times.

What to do? Usually things happen for a reason; sometimes though, they are unexplainable. The first thing to do is reboot. Oddly enough, that little fix does a lot of good for an operating system. It refreshes the memory and repairs little issues within the system. It takes only a couple of minutes, so try a reboot first.

Should that prove ineffective, do some scanning. Let your antivirus and malware utilities both run full scans of your C drive. All it takes is a virus or Trojan horse to make a computer run a little crazy.

Scan results may reveal unspecific intruders, often listed as PUPs, or Potentially Unwanted Programs. They should always be terminated and removed. If your utility wants to remove something and asks you for permission, always allow it.

After that, run Windows Check Disk. All of these scans may be time-intensive, so don’t be in a hurry. All totaled, they can take hours, sometimes many hours to complete.

A last-case scenario in times of large issues is to reinstall Windows. This alternative will not fix the problems on your computer; instead it will erase them and put a fresh copy of your operating system on the hard drive.

There are other alternatives. You could try another version of Windows. If you have XP, try upgrading to Windows 7; if you have Win 7, try Win 8. Should you not want to give up one for the other, consider a dual boot or a dual config. This option lets you choose which version of Windows to boot the computer to, without deleting the other.

Google this option for instructions. I could explain it, but it would be a column in itself. It’s really not that difficult to accomplish.

Windows 8 was clearly designed for a tablet or other computer with a touch-screen interface. If you already have Win 8 and are dismayed at the lack of the familiar start button, there is help.

There are legal hacks to make the interface more familiar, but why should we have to tweak a new system? It would have been better with options. But if you do want that start button back, there are apps out there to download, most free. One may be found at www.startbutton8.com.

You could also try a different operating system altogether.

Linux is a viable alternative. Ubuntu is a version, or distro, as it is called, of Linux that has been popular for years. Not only is it a good, solid operating system, it’s not any harder to learn than Windows, and it’s free. This open-source Windows replacement also comes with various free utilities and applications, with more available to download. Find it at www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop.

Chromebook is yet another choice. Google released it a few years ago as an alternative to Windows. It’s lighter and cheaper than most laptops. With Chromebook, the operating system is Chrome OS and everything, including your data, is in the cloud. Security is built in and updates are automatic. Made for online computing, they start at $249.

OK, then there’s the Mac. There, I said it. But why buy an expensive Apple device when you already probably own at least one or two Windows CDs? Plus, Chromebook is inexpensive — and Linux is free.

Arthur Glazer is a freelance writer and computer technician in Gainesville. His column appears biweekly on the Business page and on gainesvilletimes.com.

Make your PC defensive

POSTED: March 9, 2013 2:00 a.m. Computer Care: Keep your PC protected from bad bugs

Computer Care: Keep your PC protected from bad bugs By Arthur Glazerglazer.tech@gmail.com POSTED: March 9, 2013 2:00 a.m. Too many computers that I’ve worked on recently have had insufficient protection. Some had anti-virus apps or Internet security suites installed, but they were not properly configured. Some were so outdated they were completely ineffective. Your system needs a good defense. This means programs that will have your back and warn you when rogue programs or websites are attempting to infiltrate your computer. If you have an anti-virus alone, then I suggest you supplement it with a utility like Malwarebytes, Advanced System Care, SuperAntispyware or Malware Fighter. You can have as many of those installed on your system as you like but only one anti-virus app. In that case, more is not better. If your system has an Internet Security Suite, you’re all set. Many times, though, it will tell you that there is a conflict with a utility already on your system and ask you to remove it. Whatever you use, be sure you always have the latest version and that it updates its virus and malware definitions regularly, usually daily. The app needs to be configured past the default settings. Make sure it scans what you want it to, not just your “C” drive. If you have a partition or use external drives regularly, have them scan them as well. Be sure to set up a schedule in the settings area. If you are online every day, you should have your system scanned daily. If you don’t, it’s not a matter of if you will get an infection but when. There are plenty of free products to download. Avast, Avira, AVG, Panda and others all have free and paid versions. The latter includes support. Vipre is also a good choice and although it lacks a free version, it does offer a free trial, as do most. In most malware apps, there are no schedulers on the freebies, one reason alone to get the paid version. While you are downloading, be careful as I mentioned in previous columns. You may not get a malware infection from a reputable website, but you can still get bloatware or junkware, call it what you will. If you don’t scrutinize each box that is checked, you may end up with add-ons you didn’t ask for like a screensaver, pop-up, toolbar or some other freebie that will slow down your system. Do take note to the many offers of security for your smartphone, though, while you are downloading. Most are free. The next wave of infections will not be on your computer but on your phone, so get ready. All of the major players have these to offer. Even with the best protection, it is still possible to get an infection on your computer. The reprobate-geek on your block may have just written a virus and sent it to the Web to be spread around. Before Avast, Norton, McAfee and the rest of them get a chance write a defense against the infection, you can get it. Sometimes you simply fall through the cracks of the Internet. All you can do is be as best prepared as possible and when that fails, get rid of the infection after the fact. Although it is best to be proactive, sometimes you just have to play the cards you were dealt. Windows has built-in tools like System Restore and Safe Mode that will let you fix issues with the operating system. System Restore is like a time machine. It allows you to set the system to run as it did in the past, when it functioned properly. Safe Mode loads only the essential components of the operating system, allowing you to probe and repair without a bunch of superfluous apps running in the background. The Internet itself is my favorite tool. When I don’t know how to fix something, I Google it. There are many articles, forums and YouTube videos to help with just about anything. Someone, somewhere, has had the same issue that you are experiencing and there is assistance on the Internet concerning it. The only time I suggest you don’t try to fix your computer yourself is when you get a “Fatal Error.” They manifest themselves as “Blue Screens Of Death.” When you see a blue screen with “Fatal Error” on it that is accompanied by a STOP code, a series of numbers, it’s time to throw in the towel. Often, the more you mess with it, the worse it gets. So just walk away from this one. This is the worse-case scenario, when your head starts pounding and your eyes begin to bleed. This is when you call someone and pay them to fix the computer. Sometimes it’s just worth it. You wouldn’t try to fix a crown in your mouth or the transmission in your car. You call a professional. With a BSOD, that’s what you need to do. Arthur Glazer is a freelance writer and computer technician in Gainesville. His column appears biweekly on the Business page and on gainesvilletimes.com.

Printer Problems?

Computer Care: Printer glitch? Best to start over

	By Arthur Glazerglazer.tech@gmail.com

	POSTED: February 23, 2013 2:00 a.m.

	While recently attempting to print a document on a printer I’ve had installed for over a year, Windows suddenly advised me that I in fact, had no printer installed. I could see the Officejet across the room; I just used it the night before and my wife had printed something on it earlier that morning, so I knew it worked. Rather than going into panic mode, I did the same thing I did the last time this happened: I reinstalled the printer. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, this seems to be a common occurrence. This is a relatively easy task, yet not quite as straightforward as one might assume. The first thing to do is remove the USB cable, then remove the printer from your computer. Go to the “Printers” window from either the “Start Menu” or “Control Panel.” Right-click on the printer icon, choose to delete it and then reboot the system. Your printer is now uninstalled. Next, find an updated version of the printer driver and software package on the manufacturer’s website. This is better than using the CD that came with the printer, as it may have some bug fixes and enhancements that the disc lacks. It never hurts to check the Web for a newer version. That bug fix may stop your printer from crashing next time. Look for a “Support,” “Downloads” or “Drivers” section on the website (www.hp.com,www.epson.com, etc.). It will either be a hot link — maybe off to the side or a tab at the top of the page. After you find it, type in or choose your device model and then choose your operating system. Next, either just choose to download the driver to get your printer running again, or get the whole package with greeting card and calendar maker and all. Run the installer after you download it. Don’t plug in the USB cable until you are prompted to do so by the software. Even if you are connecting a wireless printer, it may ask you to temporarily connect via a USB cable, so have one ready. With a wireless installation, choose the 802.11 option and be ready to recognize your network name so you can choose it. After the installation, reboot again and go back to the printer window to be sure yours is listed and chosen as the default. Right-click and choose “Default,” if not. Next, test your printer. Right-click the icon again and choose “Properties” and click on “Print Test Page” or just try to print a document. If you’ve had this device for a while, it wouldn’t hurt to clean and align the print head. Old ink coagulates on the head, degrading the print quality and sometimes stopping it completely from printing. All printer software has these utilities built-in. Look in the “Properties” area or for a “Tools” or “Utilities” tab. This maintenance may take a while, use up some ink and a few sheets of paper, but will absolutely improve the quality of your print output. To save some ink, change your setting from the default to “Draft” mode. It uses a lot less ink, prints much faster and chances are you won’t notice the lack of ink. If printing photos though, go for the full amount and choose the “Photo” option under quality. Also be sure to change the paper type to glossy, if that’s what you’re using. While in the settings area, familiarize yourself with some of the other options there. Aside from changing paper type and ink quality, you can choose to print in grayscale, in black only or set up for pamphlet printing. This will print on both sides of the paper with two pages per sheet. You can also choose to set up poster or banner printing here, using anything from four to 25 sheets of paper. If you have a long list of docs that failed to print, you may have a jammed print queue that’s stopping the device from printing. To confirm this, right-click on your printer icon in the task bar and choose to open the device. You should be able to see all of your stalled prints. You may be able to highlight each one and choose “Cancel,” but they may be stuck there. To fix this, open a command prompt box by typing “cmd” (without quotes) from the search box or Run dialog. Then type “net stop spooler” (no quotes) and hit the Enter key. Wait for a confirmation from the system, then type “net start spooler” and again hit Enter. This clears the queue by stopping the service, then starting it again. Printers are just like everything else mechanical: Anything can go wrong. On the grand scheme of things that can go wrong with computer systems, this is really not that big of a deal. It shouldn’t cost you anything (unless you’re out of ink) and the time involved is minimal. Including the download, you should have remedied this situation in about an hour. Take a deep breath and say, “At least I don’t have to reformat my hard drive.” Arthur Glazer is a freelance writer and computer technician in Gainesville. His column appears biweekly on the Business page and on gainesvilletimes.com.

Computer Downloads: Caveat Emptor

Computer Care: Even safe downloading sites should be approached with caution

By Arthur Glazerglazer.tech@gmail.com

POSTED: February 9, 2013 1:00 a.m.

	There are good places to go on the Internet for downloads and there are not-so-good places. Often when you think you are navigating to a certain website, you end up somewhere else, possibly on a rogue site. You have been redirected. This redirection can be initiated from malware that has infiltrated your system or it can be that you were duped into clicking an online link that was similar to your destination. The similarity could be in the site spelling or it could be a different suffix. You may have wanted a .com and ended up at a .biz instead. Alternatively, you may have clicked on an ad in your search results, rather than on a bona fide hit. I never thought too much about being redirected. Hey, I am careful. No, not me. I always watch what I click on. Alas, even your local tech writer was taken in by a recent installation of AVG. After clicking on "Decline" various times during the installation of the anti-virus program, I assumed I'd dodged the optional toolbars offered by AVG. Most of those attach themselves to Internet Explorer and since I use Google's Chrome, I wasn't immediately aware they were in fact clandestinely installed, without my knowledge (or permission). It was only after careful scrutiny, when I ran the free utility AdwCleaner, that I realized the registry had been altered and there were components added to my system that I neither requested nor desired. AdwCleaner is a good utility, but it, like Combofix, another good free malware cleaner, requires interaction on the part of the user. If you are not comfortable making decisions about what should or should not be deleted, get outside help from a tech-savvy friend or perhaps find different utilities to clean your system. Although technically I wasn't redirected to another site, I was still redirected to install a rogue application. Only recently have I been made aware of similar tactics on a site I've sent you, my readers to, many times in the past. Download.com, the large computer information site run by CNET, has fallen to letting malware attach itself to some of its downloads. It was usually safer to go to an author's site and download an application from its origin, but now they refer you to websites that are clearinghouses for downloadable programs and allow garbage to be piggy-backed onto their apps, for a price. Program authors and websites subsidize their (free) offerings by allowing these installers to be attached to their programs. They earn a fee each time one is downloaded. I've said this before, but allow me to reiterate: There are no free programs. In the past, I have encouraged my clients and readers to use download.com. Now all I can say is, caveat emptor. You are on your own guys. Be careful out there. MajorGeeks.com, is another site that offers downloads and computing advice. BleepingCompter.com is good for help, but has no programs. Be ever-vigilant while installing anything. Run a scan daily, and always after you install something to your computer. A virus checker looks mostly for viruses. It's best to (carefully) install one or more anti-malware utilities as well. You can only have one anti-virus app installed. More is not better in this case. You can however, use multiple anti-malware programs. Many work well in conjunction with one another since they either work differently or seek out different types of malware. By definition, malware is simply bad software. This encompasses adware, spyware, pop-ups, toolbars, hijackers, keyloggers, Trojans or anything else that you didn't ask to be put on your system. Aside from the apps I mentioned above, I recommend Malwarebytes (see malwarebytes.org). Even the free version is great, but for a few bucks, the paid version has a scheduler and is well worth the small investment. This, by the way, is a clean installation. They only try to get you to try the Pro version, but you can decline it. Nothing else is added. SuperAntiSpyware, with its superhero name, is a also good program. Again, they offer free and paid versions. Just remember, sometimes certain utilities ask you how you want to respond to an issue. If you are unsure, leave it alone. A change to the Windows registry cannot be undone. If you don't know what you are doing, my best advice is to refer to a professional. We techs have fixed more computers that users have attempted to repair on their own. Whether you click a link, install an application or sign up for a newsletter or sweepstakes, you are susceptible to malware installation on your computer. Watch what you agree to and what boxes are checked before you click, "Next." Then run a few scans just for good measure. Run updated, full scans daily for viruses and malware. Remember, if you only have a virus checker, download a good malware utility or two. Be careful even downloading it. Nothing is sacred anymore. I hate to say you can't trust anyone anymore — but you can't. Arthur Glazer is a freelance writer and computer technician in Gainesville. His column appears biweekly on the Business page and on gainesvilletimes.com.

Computer Shortcuts

Computer Care: Learn shortcuts or create your own

	By Arthur Glazerglazer.tech@gmail.com

UPDATED: January 25, 2013 11:59 p.m.

	Some routes are quicker than others. From our house, I use the Ledan Road shortcut to Ga. 53 and the Wild Smith shortcut to U.S. 129 North. On my laptop, I use keyboard shortcuts. There are usually at least two ways to get to anything on Windows. You can use the Start Menu, click a desktop icon or use combination shortcut with your keyboard. Common shortcuts like copy and paste (Control + C and Control + V) I use constantly. These are used with highlighted text when copying or moving them around in a document or from the Web to a document. Instead of copying a Web address manually, simply highlight it and copy/paste to your browser. Ctrl + Shift + Arrow will help you to highlight that text. There are a plethora of useful shortcuts, so let’s just hit the highlights. Beginning with the most common and very useful is Ctrl (Control) + Alt + Del (Delete). This will open a window to allow to you log off, switch users or open the Task Manager. Or you can use Ctrl + Shift + Esc to go directly to Task Manager. The top row of keys are the “F” or Function keys. They work in conjunction with the Function (Fn) key on the bottom left of the keyboard. For example, the combination on my laptop (they vary by manufacturer) of Fn + F6 makes the display brighter. Fn + F5 dims it.  Look for the diagrams on your F keys to determine what they will do. Often other keys may be assigned other tasks as well. Some “F” keys work alone. At Windows boot, if you press the F8 key, this will along with other options, allow you access to Safe Mode. The F2 key will put you into setup mode at boot (again, systems vary by brand). The F5 key will refresh your browser page while online and F2 will let you rename a highlighted file or folder in Windows. Ctrl + S saves a document; Ctrl + X is the “cut” command and Ctrl + Z and Ctrl + Y are undo and redo, respectively. A few holdouts that have been around since the days of command prompts are the Pause/Break and the Prt Sc/Sys Rq keys. The former used to allow a break in the modem connection, but is useless now except maybe for some games. SysRq was used to switch between operating systems way back when more than one were on a system. The Windows Logo Key with Pause/Break will open the System Properties window. The Prt Sc key should capture your screen to the Windows clipboard and Alt +Prt Sc or Fn + Prt Sc will copy the active window, but you will need to print it from within other applications like Paint or Word with Ctrl + P. The Windows Logo Key alone opens the start menu; with the “E” key it will open Windows Explorer. Win Logo + L will log off your account; with “X,” it will open Windows Mobility Center, allowing you to alter brightness, volume, Wi-Fi and other options. Win Logo + T cycles through all of the programs that are minimized to your taskbar; with the tab key it cycles through those same programs in an impressive 3-D mode. Win Logo + D minimizes everything to the taskbar so you can see your desktop. Hitting it a second time reverts them back to where they were. Using the Win Logo key with the “+” key zooms in so you can get a closer view of your display. You can navigate around with your mouse and revert back to normal using the Win Logo and “-” keys. For a comprehensive list of shortcuts, go to support.microsoft.com/kb/126449 and for Windows 7-specific shortcuts, see windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/keyboard-shortcuts. Between these two lists, you should have an arsenal of shortcuts from which to choose. To create custom shortcuts to your programs, right-click on a blank area of your desktop and then left-click on “New, “ then on “Shortcut.” Next browse to a program in Program Files (Computer to “C” to Program Files) and click “OK,” then “Next “and “Finish.” Alternatively, you can drag and drop program icons from the start menu to the desktop using a right-click and choose to “Create shortcut here” when at the desktop. To create a keyboard shortcut, right-click on the program in the start menu and choose Properties. Type a letter in the shortcut area and Ctrl + Alt will be automatically applied. Click “Apply” and “OK.” The use of shortcuts may be short-lived. With the recent announcement by Intel that they will soon be ceasing the manufacture of motherboards for desktops, who knows? The demise of the desktop will still leave laptops. With the omnipresent Smartphones, tablets in every flavor and the upcoming phablets (phone plus tablet), we may soon be using voice commands alone to control our computers. Beyond that we may be computing via retinal recognition. It’s already being used as a logon process. Next we may simply look at an icon to click on it. Arthur Glazer is a freelance writer and computer technician in Gainesville. His column appears biweekly on the Business page and on gainesvilletimes.com.

Know Your Error Messages

Computer Care: Know your error messages, real and phony

By Arthur Glazer

glazer.tech@gmail.com

POSTED: January 12, 2013 2:00 a.m.

	POSTED: January 12, 2013 2:00 a.m.

	Anyone who uses a computer eventually gets error messages. These annoying pop-ups can often be intimidating, leaving the user frustrated. Google, at least has a sense of humor with their, “Aw snap, Google has crashed” and “Jim, I think he’s dead.” Most messages though, leave you exasperated, wondering what to do next. If you encounter a messages like, “NTLDR is missing,” or “No bootable device” and the “Can’t boot to hard disk,” you may simply have a CD in the optical drive. The system is attempting to read that disk before it gets to the hard drive. Since there is no boot information on the CD, it fails. Take the CD out and reboot.  The system will then read the boot sector on your hard drive and boot as usual. “A network cable is unplugged,” is a common error message for wireless users. Click on your network icon and right-click the icon in that group with the “X” on it (your Ethernet connection) and choose “Disable.” That message, along with icon in your taskbar will disappear. If you suddenly get a message saying, “No Internet Access,” it’s usually one of three things: the connection from your ISP, the modem/router or your computer. First try to reboot your computer. If that fails, reset your modem and router by unplugging them for 30 seconds. If you have a modem and a router, plug in the modem back in first. After the LEDs stop flashing, plug in the router and retry your Internet connection. If that too fails, it may be your ISP. Your house or even entire neighborhood may be without a signal. Call your ISP and tell them you did a system reset and still have no Internet access. Ask them to ping your modem. If they can’t, they’ll probably send a technician out. Know the difference between hard drive storage and memory. Your hard drive stores your data permanently and will eventually fill up. Memory is temporary storage. If you get a message telling you that your hard disk is low or full, you need a larger drive, a second one or need to clean out the one you have. Windows also uses that drive to create a virtual swap or pagefile that it uses like RAM. If you run out of physical storage space, Windows will not be able to create that pagefile and the system will slow down. If you get a message advising you Windows needs to adjust your virtual memory settings, allow it to do so. If you set it manually (better), set the virtual setting to about 1.5 times what your physical memory is. The dreaded “Blue Screen of Death” warns of serious errors, usually warranting a technician’s expertise. These BSODs have STOP codes with numbers. If you Google the number after the word “STOP” (like 0x0000007B), it will at least advise you whether it is a hardware, software, Windows or motherboard issue. It may be as simple as bad or loose RAM, a device driver in need of an update or as serious as a corrupt installation of the operating system. Often the best way to fix these errors is to (gasp) reinstall Windows. Error messages that warn of impending doom are usually telling you the computer is infected with malware, those messages being the infection. Windows does not tell you of registry errors. If you didn’t run a scan and the warning isn’t coming from an installed antivirus or Internet security app, it is bogus and should be ignored. There are many malware infections that use intimidation factors to scare the user. Ignore messages like, “You have 692 registry errors. Click here now to repair them.” Shut your computer down after you write down any identifying information from that pop-up. It may be a real program (probably not), but usually is just a ploy to get your credit card number. There is not much you can do other than calling a technician. This type of malware can’t be removed via conventional methods. These infections often get worse the more you click on them. Messages that come from your installed apps should not be ignored. If your antivirus app for example, advises you not to go to a certain website, by all means, don’t go there. If your security app finds malware, allow it to remove those rogue programs. Windows Update messages will appear if you don’t have the “Automatic” option chosen. It’s not always the best option, especially if you don’t use Internet Explorer. I choose to have it advise me when updates are available and it lets me choose which ones to download and install on my schedule instead of its schedule. Learn how to react to error messages — which ones to follow and which to ignore. If you get duped into reacting to spurious pop-ups, you may end up with more trouble than you wanted to deal with and a doorstop instead of a computer. Arthur Glazer is a freelance writer and computer technician in Gainesville. His column appears biweekly on the Business page and on gainesvilletimes.com.

Cloud Computing

Computer Care: Cloud is OK, but rely on spare backups

	By Arthur Glazerglazer.tech@gmail.com

POSTED: December 29, 2012 1:00 a.m.

	The cloud is up there somewhere on the Internet, out in an intangible place you can’t put your finger on, and although it can’t be seen, has become a popular locale for computer data storage. This Internet storage alternative is on a computer not unlike your own. It’s not some magical storage haven where everything is secure. On the contrary, it may not be any safer than your computer. Some cloud-based services offer multiple backups for security while others may not, so caveat emptor. The cloud is the Internet. The name comes from the flow-chart diagram that describes computers. The symbols denoting the Internet are drawn as clouds, thus the name. The Internet is comprised of computers, lots of them. Some are used for storage, others for different services. When you do a Google search, check your email, pay a bill online or view a YouTube video, you are accessing a computer somewhere on the Internet. Use the cloud for storage, but store your data on various local media as well, including external drives and optical discs. I’m an advocate for redundant backups. It’s unwise to put all of your apples in one cart. Placing your data on the cloud raises the issue of security. The more information of yours that is out there, the easier it is for you to be hacked. Google, eBay or Facebook already has lots of information about you and a clever hacker can gain access to them via nefarious methods from a courteous customer service agent. Armed with a bit of information, more can be had. Hackers may be able to use information obtained from one of your accounts to gain access to another. By the time hackers contact the support desk at your Internet Service Provider, they probably have enough information to hack your cloud storage or your online bank accounts. Outside access to your Facebook account may cause you grief by having things posted in your name, but access to your cloud account could wipe all of your family’s photos or your company’s spreadsheets. Access to your bank account could wipe you out, period. I’ve said this before, but know your passwords; make them strong; change them regularly and don’t use the same password for multiple accounts. If a hacker gains access to one account, he then gains access to many or all of them, your cloud account included. Whatever data you value should be backed up and then backed up again. If you don’t, your data may disappear one day.  When I have to erase a client’s hard drive to reinstall Windows, I inquire if they have a backup in place; most times they say they don’t. Many have good intentions of making copies of their important data, yet most procrastinate. My data backup system includes the use of external USB hard drives. A conventional hard drive has a life expectancy of about five years. I’ve had some last much longer, but why gamble with valuable data? The trick to longevity with external drives is to only power them up when copying or retrieving data. To keep them turned on whenever your computer is on defeats the purpose of having one. It will die the same time the drive in your computer does. Optical disks such as CDs are good for backup of a few dozen files, as are DVDs for more data duplication, but those types of media can scratch easily, rendering them unreadable. USB flash drives, like the ones on your keychain are also good, but usually top out at 16 GB. They have a limit as to how long they’ll last, measured in read/write accesses, not in time. They max out at about 100,000 accesses, although I’ve had some stop long before that for other reasons. I’m not anti-cloud, but I believe it shouldn’t be your sole source for duplicating your data. Spread it around. Every method has its downside. Use a few of them and pray that some still work when you need them. The cloud is a viable alternative, but makes for a good secondary or tertiary storage facility. The cloud-based services I use are more for file sharing than for file storage. In my Dropbox account, I create a folder where I place photos that I want to share with others. Then I simply send them the link to that folder, instead of a bunch of images. So what if the Internet is down, leaving you without access to your cloud-based data when you need it? What if your account gets hacked or what if the service you use gets hacked or crashes? These are some reasons why I’m an advocate for data redundancy. Back up your backups. The cost is minimal, as is the time it requires. One day when you determine that your online storage out in the cloud has been compromised, you’ll be glad you put forth the effort to create a local ground-based backup as well. Arthur Glazer is a freelance writer and computer technician in Gainesville. His column appears biweekly on the Business page and online.