Today is Thanksgiving 2009 and some folks celebrate at mom’s house. Many people support their parents or siblings computers and today is a day to take the time and update, enhance and in general make YOUR life easier when you have to provide support.
So here are 5 things you can do to provide quick and easy support to your loved ones and hopefully they’ll be extra thankful today for your generosity. 🙂
1. Firefox
If you haven’t already installed Firefox on their computer, do so. In general, it’s a bit quicker, a bit more secure and renders web pages in a more standard way. Plus, most likely your family member’s computer is an older one. Firefox can load quicker than most browsers on older computers. Make sure you provide shortcuts to their top 3 or more favorite sites on the desktop.
2. Virus Update
If their computer already has virus protection, make sure it’s up to date. If they don’t have virus protection and its a Windows computer, download and install the freely available Microsoft Security Essentials. Make sure you set it up to do a daily Quick Scan. You can do the scan when your family member sleeps and then…
3. Automatically Shutdown Their PC
You can pick between any of my articles on How To Shut Down Your Windows XP Computer, or How To Automatically Shut Down Your Windows Vista Computer, or How To Automatically Shut Down Your Windows 7 Computer .
Now, depending on what Anti-Virus software you’re running, that software might include an automatic shut down as well, after a virus scan. So go for a scan when they’re sleeping and then auto-shutdown the computer. A computer that’s turned off is a safer computer.
4. Remote Control Software
Don’t ya’ just love those late night calls or in some cases every night calls? Ease the pain by installing remote control software on your relative’s computer.
I prefer LogMeIn Free. But, I’ve also used Copilot. Copilot is one of the best and quickest ways to connect to someone. However, you only get 2minutes free. If it’s someone you support occasionally, CoPilot also offers a Day Pass for $5.00 that gives you 24 hours of support. The Copilot Day Pass has worked wonderfully for me.
5. Backup, Sync and Share
While working on Mom’s computer, you might need to transfer files or keep a quick backup of necessary tools, documents, etc. For that, I use Dropbox. With 2GB of online storage for free, Dropbox is incredibly fast and a secure way to backup, sync or share files that you might need while supporting computers.
There’s plenty more tips, tricks and techniques I will share in future articles, so make sure you subscribe. Happy Thanksgiving!! 🙂
I highly recommend CCleaner. It saves me so time when going out on jobs. I’ve used to quickly delete over 20 gigs before. .
Some great tips here I am now trying to convince my mom to use firefox (easier said than done)
Great post!! The only thing I would change is installing Chrome instead of Firefox (it seems to run a bit quicker with less issues). I love Firefox because haves a lot of extensions
Thanks — this is very helpful information!
Well, before taking care of these 5 things on my moms computer i really need to teach her how to work the mouse, lol
Rachel
I have one to add to you list, since it seems to be the most common issue I have to sort on my mother in laws pc!
Make sure all windows updates have been downloaded and installed!
firefox is A#1 the best thing you can do. Make sure you have the most recent update as well. Its way better than IE and you don’t have to worry about all the viruses that come along with Microsoft as much..
There is nothing I can do to prevent my dad and step mom from getting all kinds of viruses. Remote control software like logmein.com or showmypc.com are used several times per year to fix an issue on their computers. I guess a mac would help prevent a lot of the issues, but then they’d be calling me asking how to do something on the Mac. There is no winning with old people and pcs.
atrix cover » I would encourage them to look for a computer class. My mother-in-law is 80 years-old and she took a free computer class through the catholic church in her home town. But, convincing someone who’s 80 to take classes can be tough to do as well. 🙂 Good luck.
Wow these list of tools are quiet helpful indeed! Not only for moms but for me as well. I guess the most important for me are items 2 and 5, virus update because I always have the tendency to forget to check or update my anti-virus.. thus usually causing me problems with number 5.. cause I am also always never caring to back-up etc. ..
Great blog!
being the go-to person for all of the family’s computer problems drives me nuts! These days the first tool I reach for is often Ubuntu: “install this, it doesn’t get viruses, is fast and secure”. Saves me the hassle in the long run!
I use Firefox for about 2 weeks now and it’s really great with its numerous plugins. As for visuses, there’s no antivirus created yet to stop our parents get viruses)
My mom knows her way around computers but not all. Like me, she also spends most of her time in the computer and she always get in trouble with viruses. I guess it’s time for me to visit her and at the same time check her computer. Thanks for the tips!
What a very nice post! And this is what’s funny. My daughter, a lovely 14 year old who spends a lot of time on the computer, picked up some flowers, tied it with a ribbon with a card saying, “this is what I will give you today because it’s your birthday” and gave her a list. This is the list. Thanks for posting. Although I had heaps of questions from her while she was doing it, it really is very lovely.
pubs in bolton » I love some of the new versions of Firefox. I use both Chrome and Firefox all the time. I don’t experience crashes with Chrome.
I think that Chrome is easier to use for many people. Probably also for most of the Moms out there.
Now we are in 2011 and your post of 2009 still get valid to care the computers, but Google Chrome is getting a lot of fans and Team Viewer to the remote support, is a great blog.
Wow dropbox looks pretty cool. I didn’t know about this company. I know your post is old but I still learned a lot.
Have a good day,
Anita
Anita » Thanks for stoppin’ by Anita. I’m still using Dropbox.
Builders in Chester » I personally use Google Chrome a lot these days but I still use Firefox extensively. But for my mother-in-law, she’s happy with Firefox.
One of the most important tools is Spybot Search & Destroy, is very easy for people who are not very accustomed to the Internet fall into traps and infect their computers with spyware, keyloggers, rootkits, etc..
Today I use Firefox with Norton Internet Security and I must say I am very satisfied, without forget to update constantly my operative system.
Oh lord, taking care of mom’s computer.. Nothing distresses me more.. Still, you have some nice tips here. None nicer than taking a hammer to the damned thing, but still, thanks!
Don’t forget programs like Malwarebytes and HitMan Pro, both are available in free formats, and are invaluable at removing hard to detect infections which some anti-virus programs often miss.
Chris » Good ones Chris. Malwarebytes is on my USB flash drive I carry with me.
Back up is main important thing to take care because due to un expectation of data loss will help to recover database.
I find your 5th tool the most important one. Aside from Dropbox, I also use an external hard drive as a back up for my files. I can’t risk having only one hard drive for my files.
This post really appealed to me. Everytime I go home for the holidays I always have to look at her computer for her. ll use these suggestions next time Im down.
This is very informative post ,and their are some main causes for a slowdown in the performance of our PC:
Too much information stored; Unnecessary files not deleted;
Wrong uninstalling of files; No virus scan/watch;Fail to use the system tools of the PC;Fail to delete the browsing history.These things certainly make our mom’s commuter slowdown.
thanks for making some of the best tips i also admit toolbar of browser and the download folder these are the first to check …happy holidays
one of the best assembled tips moms at the age are not fully aware of the troubleshooting tips which are must for handling PC