Daily Tech Compass

A slow laptop is frustrating, but buying a new one is not always necessary. Several free steps can make a noticeable difference, especially on a computer that has been in use for a few years. Restart It Properly It sounds obvious, but many laptops go weeks without a full restart. Restarting clears temporary processes and applies pending updates. If your laptop only ever goes to sleep, a weekly restart is a good habit. Limit Startup Programs Many applications set themselves to open when the computer starts, slowing down boot time and using memory in the background. Check the startup settings in your operating system and turn off anything you do not need straight away. Free Up Storage Space A nearly full drive can slow a system down. Start with: ·          Emptying the downloads folder of old installers and files ·          Removing applications you no longer use ·     ...

Hard drives fail, laptops get lost and files are deleted by mistake. A backup is the difference between a stressful afternoon and losing years of photos or work. What the 3-2-1 Rule Means The 3-2-1 rule is a simple and widely used guideline: ·          3 copies of your important data ·          2 different types of storage ·          1 copy kept off-site, away from your home or office The original files on your computer count as one copy. A Simple Home Setup For most people, a practical version looks like this: 1.        Your files on your computer 2.        A copy on an external hard drive or USB drive 3.        A copy in a cloud storage service The external drive protects against computer failure, and the cloud copy protects against theft, fire or a pr...

Most people know they should use strong passwords, yet many still reuse the same one everywhere because it is easier to remember. The good news is that strong and memorable are not opposites. Why Reuse Is the Real Risk When a website suffers a data breach, leaked passwords are often tried on other services. If you use the same password for email, shopping and social media, one breach can open several accounts. Unique passwords limit the damage to a single site. Use Passphrases A passphrase is a sequence of several random, unrelated words, for example four or five common words joined together. Long passphrases are much harder to guess than short complex passwords, and far easier to remember. Tips for good passphrases: ·          Use words that are not connected to each other ·          Avoid famous quotes, song lyrics or personal details ·          Make ...