A FEW RANDOM TIPS
If you’re using Win98 / 98SE / ME, go to the control panel. Click on "add and remove programs"
There will be a "windows setup" tab - click on it. Then double click on "accessories"
Scroll down the list, and towards the bottom will be something called Windows Scripting Host. UNTICK IT and hit "ok".
This will stop most simple email viruses from being able to run (if you use lookOut Express, many viruses can run and install themselves without you knowing, or even looking at the message).
** Never open a file attachment sent in an email unless you knew it was coming **
Even if you think you know who it is from, bear in mind that many viruses will "spoof" email addresses to spread themselves. Just because an email *looks* like it came from someone you know doesn’t mean it actually did - if their email address is on someone else’s computer system, a virus can find it and pretend it was being sent from them, not the machine it found the email address on !
A good practice to get in to is if you’re ever sending someone a file attachment, tell them in the text of the email that it will be there. Some viruses can tag a file attachment on without you knowing. If you can get your mates to do the same, you’ll all be a little bit safer.
Microsoft *NEVER* send updates via email – any email that says it has one is really a virus.
Remember to use the built in "Windows Update" at least once a month to help keep your system secure, or use the automatic updates built into WinXP SP2
If you have a virus checker installed (and you bloody should have !) make sure you update it regularly if it doesn't do it automatically.
Some viruses are particularly nasty, so if you would rather not lose your entire system (and possibly destroy the hardware in the process), update your virus killer.
This is not an idle threat – many millions of systems were destroyed following an outbreak of a virus in about 2001 that destroyed the computers’ BIOS – without the BIOS, the computer will not boot up, and the damage is permanent !