Written by Gemmis Technologies
Discerning fact from myth when using a computer isn’t always easy. There is plenty of incorrect information going around. Check out this list of some of the most commonly believed myths and set the record straight before it’s too late!
Myth 1: You should shut your computer down every day.
While it’s a good idea to put your computer in sleep mode at the end of the day, it isn’t necessary to completely shut it down. There is a lot of debate over which way is better but there is no proof that one way is more damaging than the other. If you decide to leave it on, be sure to occasionally reboot it as this will keep the computer running well.
Myth 2: Anti-Virus is the only thing needed to protect your computer against viruses.
Never rely solely on Anti-Virus. While it does help to protect your computer, it is not enough to combat the threat of viruses. You should always have a layered approach to security, just as you should never “put all your eggs in one basket”. Anti-Virus is great at catching known malware, but some threats will have new code that the anti-virus won’t recognize and therefore can’t fight.
Myth 3: Deleting Data from your hard drive removes it from your hard drive.
If you’re giving away or selling your computer, you need to do more than simply delete data. Only a third party program can completely erase data from your hard drive. A program like Eraser is free and will successfully delete your data.
Myth 4: Restarting your computer fixes problems
Turn your computer off and then on again. This is usually the first step in any tech support phone call- and for good reason. Restarting your computer can usually solve most basic issues. Often, you’re running many programs at once, listening to spotify, editing photos on photoshop, and surfing the web with eight open tabs. Restarting your computer will wipe out that temporarily stored data. This means that the software will have a clean slate and can begin running normally again.
At Gemmis we know it isn’t always easy to tell the facts from the myths, so be sure to call us if you’re not sure.
