Tip of the Week: 3 Basic PC Tips That Every User Should Know

For this week’s tip, we’re getting back to the basics by highlighting three PC tips that every user should know. If you aren’t familiar with these common tips, then don’t feel bad. This article is for you and you’ll be a more proficient computer user because of it!

Shut Down Your PC Correctly
When it comes to shutting down your PC, there’s only one right way to go about it; Start Menu > Shut down. We feel the need to make such a basic point because some users treat a PC like a television and turn it on and off by pressing the actual power button. Abruptly turning off a computer like this is a bad move because it doesn’t give applications the time to properly shut down, which could lead to damaged files and even data loss.

In similar fashion, you’ll want to be careful not to turn off your PC by unplugging it or flipping the off button on the power strip. Even a sudden power outage can result in file corruption, which is why you’ll want to invest in an Uninterrupted Power Supply device for your company’s computers.

Understand Where Your Files are Stored
You know it’s a best practice to save the project you're working on. Otherwise, you might lose your data if something unexpected were to happen to your PC. But do you also know what happens to your file upon saving it? It’s important to know where your files are being stored, and to be intentional about storing your data in places that 1) make sense, and 2) can be accessed by other people on your staff who need them.

If you’re not intentional about this, then you may end up storing your files in multiple locations. For example, you’re not doing yourself any favors by storing some of your files locally on your PC’s hard drive, and some files on your network’s server units, while keeping other files in the cloud. When it comes time to access a needed file, you may end up losing more time than you would prefer when searching for it if it’s not where you thought it was. Solve this dilemma by having a policy on exactly where files should be stored.

Tip: One way to find out exactly where your file is being stored is to right click the file and go to properties. From here, go to the General tab and find the file path listed under Location.

We can’t stress this enough: most business backup solutions only back up files that are stored in centrally managed locations on your network, like the server. Keeping important files on your desktop not only makes it hard for other users to collaborate or access those documents, but it also makes you accountable if disaster were to strike and your files aren’t backed up.

Make Sure to Update Your Software and Antivirus Definitions
It’s easy to miss this important best practice if everything on your PC seems to be running just fine. Therefore, think of performing regular software updates as more of a preventative measure that will keep your PC running well. By updating your PC with the latest Windows patches and updates, you’ll get software issues resolved and potential security problems addressed. Likewise, by updating your antivirus definitions, you’ll be staying one step ahead of hackers and the latest threats. You’ll also want to run the latest versions of your mission-critical applications so that you can improve your company’s productivity and network security.

Admittedly, it can be easy to forget to stay on top of your software updates. Therefore, this is a service that we provide for our clients. When you sign up for Horne & Benik’s managed IT service, we will remotely update your software for you so that you don’t have to!

When it comes down to it, these three computing tips are pretty basic, but their importance cannot be stressed enough. By neglecting these best practices, you will put your data at risk, which is why you need to take best practices like these seriously. For more PC tips and tricks, subscribe to our blog and call us at (603) 499-4400.