There are a lot of myths and misconceptions out there about viruses and computers.  Here at GIGA Fix, we believe in spreading our knowledge to keep our customers informed and help you avoid trouble and maintain your computers.  Therefore, we’ve compiled a list of the Top Ten Computer Myths – Busted.

 

• Have you disconnected the USB flash disk without properly ejecting it?  – oh dear !!!

FALSE! The belief of ejecting your USB device without clicking on the safely remove device is not accurate. first of, it will not cause any damage to your computer, this is a precaution designed to make sure that you don’t remove the device while data is being transferred.

• You should turn your computer on and off regularly to let it rest

FALSE! Every time you turn on a computer, the hard drive has to work quite hard.  Unless you are going away for more than a few days, it’s perfectly fine to leave your computer on all the time, but let it go into sleep mode or hibernate when not in use.

• Cookies harm your computer

FALSE! This is true if you refer to real cookies, in this case, over-consumption is not recommended.
But if you refer to internet cookies, those who keep the information of your online activity, then their bad reputation as enemy number one is totally not right.

Without Cookies who will have the password for Facebook? Instagram? and Gmail?
Cookies are quite legitimate supplement, among other things, responsible for keeping the username and password to Facebook, Gmail and any other site that you are registered to.

Our cookies also retain the advertising cycle you are exposed to and take care you’ll watch the same ads every time.

Of course, like any other software, in the wrong hands they can be dangerous, but in general, this is a friendly factor.

• Deplete the laptop battery occasionally to extend its lifespan

FALSE! This superstition was born because older laptops batteries were made from a nickel-cadmium complex. New computers have lithium batteries which have no “memory” and thus their depletion does not affect longevity.

It is important to note that it is recommended to empty lithium batteries completely about once every 30 charges. This is not to help the battery life, but to calibrate the computer indicator that shows the remaining battery lifetime.

• Virus can be avoided if you do not open the infected file

FALSE! Most of us already know that it is not recommended to open files or install a software that seems suspicious, but it is important to know that sophisticated viruses capable of invading your computer without any action on your part.

How to protect yourself? First of all, try not browse suspicious websites and install a strong antivirus like Avast or AVG. Even a little prayer can help.

• Downloading torrents is dangerous

FALSE! Another important shatter the myth: Did you know that, according to a survey conducted in the US, 48% of people believe that the most common source virtual viruses and malware are the torrents, those files of movies, music, games and more, people around the world share with each other.

Another study of network security software company found that most of the harmful viruses and malware are actually distributed through websites.

• Faster computer will increase the speed of the internet

FALSE! This is true if you have a relatively old computer (age 5 and up), but if you’re looking at newer computers, your Internet speed is determined by the Internet speed you have. an exception is if the memory is overloaded, or if you have a virus or a malware. (there are a few more reasons that may affect your internet speed, please contact one of our specialists to solve the issue)

• Whenever your computer notifies you of updates, you should install them all

 FALSE! Not all updates are necessary or even wise.  Security updates, yes, you should almost always install.  Software updates may or may not be applicable to you, so read through what is included and decide if it’s relevant for you.

• When computers slow down, it means that they are old and should be replaced.

FALSE! Running newer or larger software programs on an older computer could lead to slow performance, but replacing or upgrading a particular component (memory, operating system, CD or DVD drive, etc.) may suffice.  There could also be programs running in the background or even malware on the computer.  A tune-up may be all you need.

• Anything you delete from your hard drive is gone forever

FALSE!  While moving documents to the trash may remove them from your folders, the data itself is preserved in the hard drive of the computer.  Likely this will not cause a problem for residential users, but if you have highly private or secure information on the computer, you may need high-level deletion services.

• Apple or Mac computers cannot get viruses.

FALSE!  PCs may be more prone to viruses.  However, as Mac products are on the rise, virus writers are developing codes that can affect these machines as well.  Be on your guard.  If you are considering purchasing a Mac, don’t let this misconception be one of the reasons for doing so.