Have You Made These Five Computing Mistakes?

What about Linux system? I´ve been using Ubuntu at home (MS is standard at my job site) and had no worries about security. Is that safe?

Regarding free anti-virus programs. Some may be excellent for finding and eliminating dangerous viruses, but they seem to lack some features that Norton Internet Security has, namely frequent automatic updating and guarding of your computer's entrance portals. When I first got my new HP computer with Windows 7, a 60-day trial for NIS was included. During this time, there was not a single intrusion of a virus, worm, Trojan or whatever.
I think that a $65 yearly license for all my three computers was worth getting rid of the worry of having some malware raising hell in my computers after sneaking in when my free-AV watchdogs weren't looking. You "gets what you pays for"!

I don't know what updates are crucial. I still have a gateway with windows xp. Once in a while I have to re install everything because the computer becomes extremely slow, or have malware or something (I back up my files, and do all the cleaning, run antivirus, defrag, etc). Then I start from zero and when I click on updates for my computer, it will give me about 100 (hundred)updates to install and they have different identification with the same title. Microsoft support told me to download/update all but this seems to slow down my computer. I asked support what where critical files for windows xp and he said that all. How can I know what are necessary to download and update so my computer won't slow down?
Thank you,
Cristina

@Christina
It's been my experience that whenever I reinstall XP Pro (and even Windows 7), the very first thing I do is install my antivirus suite and update it. Then I'll start with the latest Service Pack. That would be SP3 for XP and SP1 for Windows 7. The Service Pack will install all of the earliest updates and then you can install updates that came out after the Service Pack. You'll still have a boatload so I install just a few at a time (usually 5 at a time, never more than 10.)

If an update causes issues you'll know which group the offending update is in. Uninstall all 5 and reinstall one at a time. They'll either install without problems or you'll know which specific update is causing the issue. Disregard the offending update for the time being and continue installing the rest 5 or 10 at a time.

I do the Critical updates first, then the important updates, and lastly the Optional ones. After all updates are installed I'll run a full virus scan, then use Disk Cleanup to get rid of temporary files, and then I'll defrag. This should pretty well assure that your machine will run at optimum speed. Hope this helps.

I recently lost a computer to some kind of worm (Worm being the person behind it, maybe not the malware). The mistake was to click on a link purportedly to download an update for installed software. Being cautious to keep my software updated I fell right into the trap. The caveat here is to be cautious about clicking on links to update software, not to avoid updating. (The specific software was Microtorrent (utorrent) bit torrent client. That permanently ended my occasional relationship with P to P networks)

Bob, it's hard to imagine anyone NOT following the simple rules outlined above! I have no sympathy for those who don't and then whine after the fact. Ignorance is no excuse for negligence either. The guidance is available everywhere, and is as easy as simply signing up for your newsletter! These same people likely don't maintain their vehicles or air conditioners either. If you're gonna be lazy and apathetic, you deserve what you get!

I gave up on Windows last year. Now using Linux and very happy. I update the system a couple of times a week. My computer is much faster using Linux than it was with Windows 7.

After years of experience (I began with DOS) of working, installing and re-configuring windows pcs I changed my mind about windows updates. Call me crazy, but since the last XP reinstall (more than a year ago), I do not do the windows updates. I trust my computer security (with zero, yes, zero worms problems in this period) to regularly updated MBAM and AVG 2012. It makes sence the computer is going to be slower with the updates because they are too much (more and more commands to process), and worst, they can crash and ruin your system, making you restart the intallation over from the beginig (format again?) stop it!, I´m proving they are useless waste of time. Do somebody already experienced that?. Thanks Bob, I really enjoy your material.

My local computer shop tells me that de-frag is not really necessary for Vista or Windows 7. Is that true?

EDITOR'S NOTE: Not true. See this article from Microsoft: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Improve-performance-by-defragmenting-your-hard-disk

I have been using a computer, since Sept. 1996. Needless to say, I have been guilty of not using all 5 must-dos, at one time or another. This is how you learn. Sometimes, it takes hard learn lessons on how to get your computer back into working order, to gain common sense.

2011, I now do ALL 5!!! Must admit, I learn fairly quickly, since, it has been years where I have been 'caught' doing something stupid.

Even, the computer illiterates in my house, my husband and grand kids have learned to get me, when something 'pops up'. They know NOT to click on it. Most times, it is something simple, but, once in awhile, it is Malware or worse.

Bottom line, both of my computers in my household are in good working order 24/7. I do all 5, on both computers, routinely.

I have an external hard drive, but it's not formatted for NTFS. I wanted to create an image of my hd on it, per Windows 7 Backup screen, but got the message that it couldn't be used for the image because it's not formatted for NTFS. If I were to format it for NTFS, would I lose everything that's backed up on it now?

With my jaw wide open you got me good for a minute, glad I don't have a pacemaker.