To keep your system running smoothly.

In order to keep your system running smoothly, you should keep the following installed at all times:

• Firewall
• Anti-Virus
• Anti-Spyware, Adware, Malware

Symantec is a product YOU DO NOT WANT TO INSTALL, it uses too many resources, and it can cause too many problems on most machines; from my experiences, and by what others do say on a daily basis.

NOTES: Do not accept or download files from strangers, or people you do not trust. And even if you do trust them, scan them by multiple scanners (online scanners, and scanners otherwise,) if you want to take time.

Do NOT download illegal software, content, products, source code, applications or otherwise, and do not download unlawful content, products, source code, applications or otherwise, including any unofficial content and material. This is a major reason why you can become infected by a virus.

** A note to the above, if you do not surf the internet out of ignorance, or carelessness, you will most likely not become infected. I am just telling you, I know otherwise, so I am not sharing all of my experiences, knowledge, or otherwise. (just trust your gutt.)

For good and free protection, try the following products out:

• http://www.avast.com/ (avast! Home (free) or Professional (fee)) can scan your computer of viruses, malware, and other malicious programs, applications and software, and in real-time.
• http://www.personalfirewall.comodo.com/ (http://www.comodo.com/) for a free firewall of professional quality. It can be annoying at first, but you can stop it from "learning" what you do. It's worth a try, I used it and loved it, now I am using Vista's firewall (blocks incoming and outgoing, and still unsure of Vista's firewall, dunnot what I may use.)
• http://www.lavasoft.com/ and http://spybot.safer-networking.de/spybot/en/index.html.) - look at http://spybot.safer-networking.de/ (may not be there for much longer.)

HOWEVER, I RECOMMEND that YOU do the FOLLOWING on a daily, or a every other day basis:

• DEFRAG your drivers; Do this always, even if your system is used a bit -- do it when your systems are not being used period. (Trust me, it can never hurt.)
• CHKSDK (SCANDISK) your drives too, because any errors that are found, can sometimes be corrected; therefore saving you in the end. (You can also purchase a program that fixes bad sectors, that a lot of stores do NOT want you to know about *cough* SpinRite as an example.
• Registry Defrag can also help you too, as it can speed your system up similar to DEFRAGing your drives.
• Try NOT to fill up, and try NOT to keep your drives filled. The more files you have on your system, and the more software you have installed, the slower your system can become.

The bottom line is, check your system on a daily basis and perform maintainence or do it every other day, and keep a backup, and do it frequently.