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Disk Cleanup

• Disk Cleanup is a tool to clean up your hard drive by removing files to free hard disk space.
• Click on Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools and then Disk Cleanup and enjoy all of that newly found hard disk space.

ScanDisk

• To improve the performance of your hard disk's file system, scan it regularly for errors.
• Over time, errors can creep up in the file system.
• This leads to lost data, file corruption and wasted disk space.
• Use an antivirus software program, such as McAfee Antivirus or Norton Antivirus to protect and remove viruses from your computer.
  
  

Malware or "malicious software" refers to programs designed to damage or do other unwanted actions on your computer without the owners knowledge or consent. Malware is a crime and is being produced at an alarming rate. Examples of malware:

• Viruses - Are small malicious programs that can create files, move files, erase files, consume your computer's memory, and cause your computer not to function correctly. Some viruses can duplicate themselves, attach themselves to programs, and travel across networks. Opening an infected e-mail attachment is the most common way to get a virus.
• Worms - This is a type of virus that replicates itself, but does not alter any files on your machine. However, worms can still cause havoc by multiplying so many times that they take up all your computer's available memory or hard disk space.
• Trogan Horses - These are programs that pretend to be other programs like games, disk utilities, and even antivirus programs. If they run, they will do malicious things to your computer. Make sure you know what programs you are running.
• Spyware - It gathers your information through the Internet without your knowledge, usually for advertising purposes and monitors your activity on the Internet and transmits that information in the background to someone else.
• Adware - It is known as advertising supported software that plays automatically or downloads advertisements after software is installed. (Added toolbars)

Other programs that help keep your computer safe are Ad-Ware and Spybot.