Windows Tools, Help & Guides

This is an excerpt from the Windows Guides PC Security Handbook. To learn more or find out other security-related tips, download the PC Security Handbook now.

Data backup is essential. If you’d like to explore local backup options, download my Windows pocket guides. I strongly recommend using online (off-site) backups. Backing up your data online prevents data loss if your computer is damaged or stolen—or if your data is wiped by malware.

Online Data Backup

By far my favorite solution for online backup is Mozy. Mozy offers free online storage (up to 2GB with paid options too.) I’ve had Mozy installed on my laptop for over two years and it has saved me on more than a handful of occasions.

Setup is simple and after downloading Mozy, you can specify what you want to back up and when. Mozy will automate your backups and let you decide when it backs up (specific times), what causes it to back up (low CPU usage), and how often (one, two, three etc. times a day.)

I just let Mozy run and it alerts me after a successful backup:

You can specify what types of files to backup or specify folders— it’s up to you:

Mozy even integrates into My Computer so you can browse and restore your backed up files (even ones you’ve deleted from your computer):

MozyHome Features

• Open/locked file support: Mozy will back up your documents whether they’re open or closed.
• 128-bit SSL encryption: The same technology used by banks secures your data during the backup process.
• 448-bit Blowfish encryption: Secures your files while in storage, providing peace of mind that your private data is safe from hackers.
• Automatic: Schedule the times to back up and MozyHome does the rest.
• New and changed file detection: MozyHome finds and saves the smallest changes.
• Backs up Outlook files: Disaster-proof email protection.
• Block-level incremental backup: After the initial backup, MozyHome only backs up files that have been added or changed, making subsequent backups lightning fast.

Download Mozy for Free

Download MozyHome Free

In the past, I’ve recommended splitting your drive into partitions so the if you need to reinstall your operating system, you will not lose personal data. Other reasons to create partitions include the following: ensuring minimal fragmentation on your system drive and not filling your system partition up to the point where your operating system cannot function properly anymore. There are many disk management solutions out there and Windows even comes with one built in. If you are looking for a good, free program to manage your hard disk drives, EASEUS Partition Master Home Edition is a great option.

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Battery bar is a free application for Windows, which shows the life and health of your battery. Not only does battery bar show you the current health of your laptop battery, but it also shows you other information such as the following:

• Total Capacity of your battery
• Discharge rate
• Battery wear

I tried this program on both my laptop and my wife’s laptop and the results seemed pretty accurate. The screenshot above is taken from my wife’s laptop and shows the ware on the battery is 39.6%; this seems fairly accurate as the battery does not last as long as it used to.

Download Battery Bar

Process Manager adds an entry to your right-click context menu that adjusts a selected application’s priority or kills it. This seems simple and it is, but this can be very useful and save you a few clicks.

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Revo Uninstaller is primarily designed to ensure programs are properly removed from your computer. Revo is freeware and is available to all those who want to ensure their computer is clean and working at its best.

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Windows Free Extended Task Manager provides additional Windows process management features and information about disk activity and network port usage. If you are a geek, who likes to know everything about your computer, this program is a must.

Extended Task Manager features

• Displays disk input/output activity with information about related applications
• Displays network port activity with IP addresses of external computers
• Displays information about applications that utilized most of the CPU or memory at any time presented on the charts
• Displays all files locked by a select process
• Finds all processes locking a specified file
• Includes “Summary” tab for quickly assessing the overall state of the Windows system
• Allows freezing individual Windows processes
• Offer various visual and functional improvements over the standard Windows Task Manager

Free Extended Task Manager