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Before securing Windows Vista

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Looking for Windows XP version of the article? Click here then.
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This section is not a must for owners of brand new (up to one week maybe?) computers. It still does not hurt to go through or read these steps, maybe there is an antivirus or antimalware program missing on your computer?

If you've used your computer for quite some time, there is a good chance that your hard disk is at its capacity limit or has some small errors on it or that some kind of malware exists somewhere in the computer.

These cases can stop updates installing on your computer. Maybe just because your hard disk has not enough free space, maybe because a virus or malware prevents you from patching the security holes it uses for spreading. In worst case scenario your Windows will not start anymore (see Troubleshooting Windows Vista section in that case).

So if you have had your computer and Windows Vista for at least 3 months, take these preventive steps before going to next section - Securing Windows Vista:

• check if your computer's memory modules are fine with MemTest86+
• check your hard disk's health with Check Disk
• make some free space for updates by removing unnecessary files and compressing old files with Disk Cleanup
• scan for viruses quickly in our BitDefender QuickScan page or install either avast! Free Antivirus or Microsoft Security Essentials
• scan for malware with Spybot Search & Destroy and Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
• optimize Windows Registry and delete most temporary files with CCleaner

And here is the most important thing to do before everything else!

Set up an automatic backup of your computer!

Do you remember when you last backed up your documents and files? Have you ever done that at all?

Please make a system image backup with Macrium Reflect to a flash disk or external hard drive.

Also read and print out the articles in troubleshooting section.

Looking for Windows XP version of the article? Click here then.
Looking for Windows 7 version of the article? Click here then.

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