Your PC Questions Answered
Q
I’m looking for a second hard drive but
I’m not sure what to look out for.
Should I get one that will hold a lot of
data or one that accesses its data
fastest? How can I be sure that I’m
getting good value for money?
A
As always, it really depends on what you
will use your disk for. If it’s simple
storage, you needn’t get one with a fast
access time. This is usually measured in
milliseconds and is only a guide,
because it reports behaviour under
perfect conditions. Drives that spin
fastest tend to perform better, so opt
for a 72 000 rpm model if available.
However, the main consideration is how
much space the disk affords. The rule is
simple. More is better. You can never
have too much storage.
Q
I’ve heard that the internet is full of
dangers that might be much greater if
I’m always online with a broadband
connection. Should I avoid a broadband
connection because of this?
A
It’s true that viruses, Trojans and
hackers can attack your computer and
that the longer that you’re connected
the greater the risk from them is.
However, if you run an up to date
antivirus program, keep Windows up to
date and protect it with a firewall, the
chances of coming to grief are very
slim. We can advise on firewalls and
antivirus programs.
Q
My daughter spends a lot of time online.
I’m getting worried about who she may be
chatting to. What should I do?
A
Try to talk to her about what she does
on the internet. Ask if you can join her
when she next goes online. Say that
you’d like to learn more about the net
and get her to show you the sites she
visits and which programs she uses. She
may not be totally honest, but this
approach will help lead into a
discussion about the internet and its
dangers after which you can introduce
content filtering or time limits on her
usage. We can provide advice and
guidance on the use of internet
monitoring software and whether it is
appropriate in your case.
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