Dan Butler's
TNPC Newsletter

A Serious Reminder About Viruses and Backups

by TNPC Staff

As another year closes and Y2K grabs more headlines, please make sure that your virus scanner has the most up to date virus definitions. Reports are already surfacing about new viruses set to trigger on December 25, 1999 or January 1, 2000. Make sure your data is safe from viruses and that your backup is current. Avoiding a virus is simple but not always easy. Some simple rules to remember:

• Don't open an attachment from anyone unless you scan it for viruses first.

• Don't open any files off a floppy disk until you've scanned the disk. Dan found a virus just the other day on a floppy he hadn't used in years.

• Do scan your files before you send them to friends, just as an added precaution.

• Don't forward all the chain letters you receive this season to 300 of your closest friends. Okay so this doesn't pertain to viruses really but NOT forwarding these messages is courteous and does help cut down on the time we all spend at the computer. If you have to forward something, at least delete the extra 200 or so email addresses that have accumulated in the message before you got it.

Make sure your system is clean and then backup your most important data. We cover both of these topics in some detail in our book "The Unofficial Guide to PCs." If you don't currently have a virus scanner, grab McAfee VirusScan 4.0 for free from Beyond.com:
http://www.TheNakedPC.com/t/226/tr.cgi?beyond1