Scenario: You turn on your computer and Windows won’t start. Or, you download a nefarious attachment that roasted your operating system. Or, you computer is so infested with malware, it’s nearly impossible to use in a sensible manner. Either way, your important documents, pictures, music, and other legal media have been rendered useless, along with your borked copy of Windows.

Solution: Install a second hard drive in your computer which will now house all your important stuff. Windows (your “operating system”) will reside on its own hard drive, so when things get nasty, you won’t need to kick the dog because your favorite video has been lost. Seriously though, remember that hard drive failure is not uncommon, and this sort of setup (generally speaking) should provide a safer digital environment. This is because system drives experience heavier loads than secondary drives that store information not accessed as often. Hard drives are manufactured to withstand heavy loads for quite some time, but like any mechanical device, it can only handle so much and can significantly decrease its useful life.

You have two options for installing a second hard drive:

1. Internal hard drive installation (more work, more know-how)
2. External hard drive installation (what installation?)

Internal hard drives take some “know-how” as I put it. First, does your computer case have physical room for another hard drive? Do you have an unused IDE or SATA cable available? Does your BIOS support hard drives larger than 137GB? Blah blah blah! And then, do you know how to open your computer case? Do you know how to configure the jumpers on the hard drive? Blah blah blah! Did you remember to wear your anti-static wrist band? Don’t forget the screws! Oh yeah, let’s hope you don’t put too much load on your power supply either… and don’t forget to format the new drive for use. Mind numbing geekiness, I know. Try an external drive if you’re lacking a computer tech or if you’ve decided not to torture yourself with learning the latest in computer technology.

External hard drives are as easy as plugging in the power (you know what a power outlet is right?), connecting the USB or Firewire cable to your computer, and finding a cozy home for the new piece of hardware (on your desk perhaps?). Most external hard drives come pre-formatted too. Plug ‘er in and play!

The Basics: Once the external hard drive is plugged in, Windows will automatically configure it and pop up a window asking what you want to do. I usually tell it to open the window with explorer so I can view the files on the hard drive. Alternatively, you can double-click My Computer and the new drive should be visible there. Now, you can organize and store your documents on the new external drive as you normally would. Create folders/directories for Pictures, Music, Documents, and so forth.

Scenario: You've deleted a few pictures, programs, or other files you thought were no longer needed. You've emptied the Recycle Bin and they're gone for good. Then, it hits you: "I needed that!" What to do?

Solution: Use a free program by Piriform called Recuva to recover deleted files! Now, before we get started, please be aware that this program should be installed prior to experiencing any data loss. This is because Windows doesn't entirely delete files once they've been emptied from the Recycle Bin. The space is freed simply by removing the reference information your system uses to find the file. However, the data can be overwritten when you create new files (like installing a new program). To avoid destroying the lost data you want to recover, be sure to either install Recuva on a different hard drive, or install it before you actually need it.

• Download and install Recuva, then load the program from the Start Menu. This is what Recuva looks like when first started:
  

• Select the drive you want to recover files from using the drop down box (top-left). Click the "Scan" button near the top-middle of the program window. Recuva searches for recently deleted files that can be recovered. Recuva found one recoverable file on my C: drive called "resume.dat.old":
  

• Select the check boxes next to each file you want to recover. Then click the "Recover..." button in the lower-right corner of the program. Select the location to save the file to and presto complete-o! Note: You should recover the file to a different hard drive, if possible, to avoid over writing the sectors/information of the file you are trying to recover with itself!

"Phishing," the latest attempt by scammers to gain access to your financial information, is moving from email threats to telephone attacks. Consumers have reported cases of scammers calling their homes and requesting personal financial information over the phone, including bank account, credit card and PIN numbers.

Remember, the bank or credit card company already knows this information, and with almost all institutions, they would never ask for it over the telephone or email (Internet). I've received many phishing emails trying to confirm eBay accounts, PayPal information, Bank of America (even though I don't do my banking there), and other popular service companies used by millions. The trick to picking out a phishing scam from a legitimate inquiry is to be aware of the following:

• Obvious spelling/grammar errors
• Links to websites that don't begin with www.company.com
• Companies almost never ask for personal information via email

Visit the Anti-Phishing Working Group website (www.antiphishing.org) for more information on the latest scams, how to protect yourself from identity theft, what to do if you've fell victim, report scams, and other digital protective services and advice.

If you're wondering where all your hard drive space went, then check out this small free program. CCleaner (the first "C" stands for "Crap") removes old Internet files, unused registry entries, old prefetch data, temporary files left by thirdparty applications, and a slew of other clutter. The Disk Cleanup program that comes with Windows hardly make a dent in the remnants left from normal computer use. I was able to clear 239MB of "crap" after using Windows Disk Cleanup!

Download the free utility, run the setup wizard, start the program and click "Analyze" then "Run Cleaner." Done! 

The move toward open-source and free software solutions is gaining popularity thanks to the growth of Internet advertising, consumer frugalness, and globalization. What does this mean for you? You can fix most computer headaches yourself, with free software! The three basic solutions any computer should have installed are Anti-virus, Firewall, and Spyware removal and prevention software.

I've spent days, months, years, repairing computers infected with viruses, adware, and spyware. Rest assured I know what I'm saying when I recommend the following pieces of software.

Anti-virus Solution

AVG Anti-virus Free edition: Similar to the commercial versions of AVG Anti-virus, Norton Anti-virus, McAfee, & Zone Labs. Tested by IT professionals aplenty, this free Anti-virus solution offers thorough protection against the latest viruses and trojans. The program automatically updates itself every morning and provides the user with an intuitive setup process.

Firewall Solution

Zone Labs ZoneAlarm Free edition: The best firewall software on the planet. No question. Strong, flexible, and user-friendly. Zone Labs offers a commercial version of this software, but I don't think it's necessary for most users. The free edition provides advanced security measures and protection not found in Windows XP's integrated firewall. The setup process is straight forward and even offers users the opportunity to watch free training videos.

Spyware/Malware/Adware Solution

Spybot Search & Destroy: Spyware/Malware/Adware is becoming more of a problem than viruses. It can slow your computer down so badly that you may purchase a new computer thinking your old one is just too slow. Spyware/Malware/Adware is tiny software-like bugs that usually install themselves automatically or trick you into thinking their services are mandatory/useful. They can track your Internet use, steal credit card information and passwords, cause major slow down issues, and even render a computer useless. Spybot Search & Destroy will remove most of these bugs and prevent them from installing in the future. Download it, follow the setup instructions, and use it religiously (once a week minimum). The software works much like anti-virus software, downloads weekly updates and scans your local computer for known bugs/infections.

All-In-One Solution

Zone Labs ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite: This commercial program will set you back a whopping $49.95/year, but includes all the advanced and trusted features of the above mentioned programs, all in one, easy-to-use application. The best, most affordable solution. If you've shelled out over a thousand dollars for a new computer recently, don't you think it's worth protecting your investment? I'd say so. If you don't have the time to manage three individual software solutions, then get this All-In-One application!