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other ways to speed your computer up. This one’s more about hardware than software:
“Don’t put your computer on carpet or up against a
Allowing too many startup processes wall,” warns Carmitchel. “Doing so can cause heat to
build up, and if it can’t dissipate, it can damage the
Having too many startup processes kicking in as hard drive and other compo- Page 7 nents. Give it
soon as your computer starts will really slow things room to breathe, or expect big repair bills.” Find out
down, says, Paul Bischoff, consumer tech expert at the other everyday items you didn’t know could be
Comparitech.com. To fix this, go to the Startup tab hacked. Not thinking of yourself as your best firewall
or Startup Items and disable anything you don’t
need. Your computer will start up and run faster as Whenever your computer is hooked up to the Inter-
a result. Ignoring warnings that disk space is full net—and when is it not?—you should consider what
“Running out of storage space will cause problems information you’re giving away about yourself and
in everything you try to do,” says tech expert, Kelly what you’re saying “yes” to when you accept software
Wilkerson. “Your computer or mobile device will be conditions. “We need to be our own human firewalls,”
slow, unstable, and start crashing randomly.” If you says Rhonda Chicone, PhD, a cybersecurity expert
get that warning, take heed, and start deleting files and professor at Purdue University Global. Next,
you don’t need. Just verify you really don’t need find out the clear signs you’re about to get hacked.
them.
Originally Published: September 18, 2018
Having a messy desktop

Even before you get a warning, it’s a good idea to
keep your desktop tidy. “Organize your computer
like you would your desk,” recommends tech expert,
Calley Nye. “Delete unnecessary files, and uninstall
unused apps. Having too many things you don’t
need loaded onto your computer will slow it down
and introduce vulnerabilities.” Don’t miss these red
flags someone is spying on your computer.
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Not backing up important files
 6 Tips on Handling Packages and Deliveries During
“Every hard drive will fail at some point without ex- COVID 19
ception,” advises Ben Carmitchel, CEO of Datare-
covery.com. “Make sure to back up your files. In  6 Useful Amazon Echo tips you’ll use daily
fact, set up an automatic backup. Just make sure to
check your backups on occasion to make sure that  10 Surprising Things You Probably Didn’t Know
they work.” About Mail Carriers

Not blocking popups  Amazon Echo Show 8 Review

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You know those relentless popups that clutter your
desktop? They also slow down your browser and top, phone, camera and batteries
may allow a third party to mine your personal infor-
mation, according to Internet privacy protector  The Best WiFi Range Extenders
Ghostery. To put a stop to those popups, install a  The Biggest tech stories of a disastrous 2020
browser extension that blocks popups. Because
these are often “free” downloads, check to make  This browser extension reveal Amazon book availa-
sure it’s legit. One way to do that is to Google the
name of the popup blocker to find reviews, or seek ble free at your local library
recommendations from computer experts. Here are  Two reasons your WiFi is slow, and how to fix things
three that are recommended by CNet. Make sure
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slow internet.

Not letting your computer breathe

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