General advice on your IT installation
In these pages you will find suggestions for solutions to common IT problems.
*** IMPORTANT: READ THIS *** Stay Safe online
Spring clean your PC or laptop
How to clean virus infection off your computer
How to check your PC is safe from hacking
John's advice on cooling PC's
Local and Microsoft Accounts
Using a laptop on battery or mains
Using a laptop on battery or mains
The chargers built into modern (for at least the last ten years) laptops are very good at managing the battery so will not over charge. So its safe to leave a laptop plugged in 24/7. However, is that the best way to manage your battery to maintain its health?
Lets look at some alternative regimes of use.
Plugged in 24/7:
There is some evidence to suggest that the continuous trickle of charge can degrade your battery. However leaving it plugged in continuously means it will always be ready for use. This is my preferred option.
Only plugged in when charging is required:
Another recommendation is to run your battery between 80% and 20% (ie until the battery saver turns off your laptop.) Every charge/discharge cycle reduces its capacity. So if you ARE using it away from a mains supply, its safe to use it until the power saver cuts in, then fully charge it.
Be aware your laptop can continue to discharge when not plugged in, so may not be ready to use.
The worst:
Frequently using it a little, then fully charging. If its unplugged, use it without charging until the battery is getting low (unless you know you will need a full charge).
Many manufacturers have a "battery care" app you can download if you wish.
https://batteryuniversity.com/article/bu-808-how-to-prolong-lithium-based-batteries
Local and Microsoft Accounts, changing your login and credentials (username, password, PIN)
If I set up a PC for a client I can only provide a "local account". There are many benefits of changing this to a Microsoft Account, and you can find documents explaining how to do this, as well as how to just change your login credentials, in these documents.
Windows Switch to using a Microsoft Account.pdf
Windows Create a Microsoft Account.pdf
Changing your login user name and password.pdf
Better Browsers
Most Windows PC's will have Edge and Chrome Browsers. These are fine for most internet browsing, but there are more secure browsers you can use for such activities as online banking or shopping. Here are some suggestions - all are free, you can get them just by clicking on the link.
Firefox: fast, very long established, and natively quite secure (much more than chrome or edge browsers); my default browser.
Brave: a new browser based on Chrome but with better security.
Avast Secure browser: built by AVAST and also based on Chrome, with some good facilities for internet banking etc.
Tor: not the fastest but it provides very high levels of security and anonymity; by default it clears its cookies and history to protect your privacy when you exit so you will need to accept cookies more often. Probably overkill unless you are paranoid.