It's pretty easy to protect yourself from viruses, spyware and malware; but there are some things you should know.

Do you have a good AntiVirus and AntiSpyware and AntiMalware program? If you don't have all of those bases covered, your machine will most likely get infected.

Is your update subscription out of date? If so, your AntiVirus and AntiSpyware/AntiMalware program is becoming more useless every day. New viruses and spyware come out daily - if your protection program isn't updating, chances are it wont know about them and your machine will not just get infected, but you wont even know about it until your computer slows to a crawl or stops working entirely.

Do you regularly scan your whole computer? You should, just in case something slips in. Or just in case something you downloaded last week (before an AV update to detect it came out) gets flagged by a new AV definition file.

Do you think Windows Defender alone is enough to protect your computer? Really? "But Microsoft wrote it!" They also wrote Windows. You need a good AntiVirus, AntiSpyware and AntiMalware Suite to protect your computer from infections.

What programs do you recommend? We recommend AVG's Internet Security Suite - see the link on the right to order it. You can get discounted pricing by buying copies for more than one computer, or for buying 2 year subscriptions.

Do I need separate programs for each (AV/AS/AM)? Not if you have a good suite that does it all.

What benefits does AVG have over other products? AVG Internet Security is an All-In-One integrated Suite that not just handles malware, spyware and viruses, but also comes with a full firewall, personal identity protection, anti-phishing protection, browser plugins for Firefox and Internet Explorer to help protect you during web searches via Google, LinkScanner Active Protection to ensure web pages you click on are safe before you go there, email anti-spam tools, email scanners, rootkit protection, and more!

Why not just use the free program? The free version simply provides AntiVirus and web protection (and the related other protections), leaving out a lot of other features, such as malware and spyware protection, identity protection, the enhanced firewall, free technical support and more.

A loose laptop jack is a problem that is very easy to avoid...

Don't ever place your laptop in a laptop bag with the power cord plugged in.

Avoid carrying your laptop around with the power cord plugged into it.

Always make sure that the power cord and plug are not putting any pressure on the laptop jack. This means you need to ensure the plug that connects to your laptop is not resting on anything or pressed against anything. If it is pressed against something, not just do you run the risk of damaging the jack, but you also run the risk of damaging the power cord where it connects to the plug end.

Take extra special care in how you place your laptop and power cord if you use an aftermarket "Universal AC Adapter" - most of them have large tip assemblies on them. If you are not careful how you place them, the tip may be resting on your desk or other surface, and thus putting pressure on your laptop jack.

When unplugging the power cord from your laptop, ALWAYS pull it straight out. NEVER wiggle it up and down.

Do not place your laptop on a soft surface such as a bed or soft couch. Not just can this damage the jack if pressure is being put on it from that surface (when the latop sinks into it), but it may also cause potential overheat issues (which may damage other components).

When unplugging your power cord from the laptop, always try to unplug it by holding the plug portion. Avoid pulling it from the cord itself. This makes it less likely that you will put lateral pressure on the laptop jack - and it will also help prevent damage to the power cord itself (where it mates with the plug end).

IF you have damaged your laptop jack - whether it is broken or just loose - let us know! We can fix virtually any model laptop! Our Lead Technician has over 20 years of board level soldering/repair experience (IBM trained). Instead of offering to replace your laptop's entire motherboard (like many big stores will do), we can re-solder your laptop jack to your motherboard (or solder in a new one if the old one is damaged). We're local - and we only charge $129.99 for repair labor for this service (jacks - if needed - ARE INCLUDED IN THIS PRICE). Simply visit our Laptop Jack Repair Page for more information.

Here are some things to know...

You should NOT smoke in the same room as your computer or laptop. Tar buildup inside the machine will make the dust that flows through it stick to components and fans. Not just does this make an overheat or other damage more likely - but it makes cleaning out the dust more difficult.

You should try to avoid having a computer or laptop in use in the kitchen when you are cooking - similar reasons as why you don't want to smoke near one.

If you have pets (cats, dogs, etc), you should have your computer or laptop cleaned out more frequently (every 3-9 months - more frequently if you have more than one pet).

Take extra special care in where you place your laptop computer or desktop computer. Do not place one anywhere that the fans will be blocked, and avoid placing them where heat will build up.

Proper internal cleaning schedules should be once every 6 months to a year (the time frame will vary depending on the conditions, pets, etc).

Do NOT place your laptop on a bed or sofa or other soft surface. That can impair air flow through it's vents, or help build up heat on the underside and cause overheating issues. A laptop should always be used on a flat, solid surface such as a desk or table.

IF you are not comfortable cleaning out your desktop or laptop - or just don't feel like going through the hassle, simply call us! We charge $19.99 to clean out a desktop computer; and $29.99 to clean out a laptop computer. DON'T wait until your system has overheated - the job then becomes a REPAIR job, which is more costly and may require some expensive parts. Simply visit our Computer Repair Page for more information.