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An Essential Guide to Protecting Your Computer System

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An Essential Guide to Protecting Your Computer System

Computer viruses and malware are an increasingly common problem for computer users worldwide, yet many people still fail to take the appropriate steps to ensure their computers remain safe. As a result, they expose themselves and others to a wide variety of threats. No matter what you use your computer for, there are always risks involved whenever you connect to the Internet or open email inboxes. 

Malware is common enough that it is possible that they could have infected your device with something harmful without your knowledge, and this can lead to complications down the line. To avoid issues like this, you must access the correct information. Here are some tips on how to protect your computer from attacks.

Always Update on Time

To protect your computer from malware, you should always make sure it is updated. Software companies will generally create updates to fix flaws in their programs or add new features. They may also use these updates to patch up security holes that were previously identified. Users should try not to skip these updates since they address many vulnerabilities. Generally, you will be able to update your device automatically, although this feature may need to be turned on or activated yourself.

Manage Your Passwords

Malware may not always infect your system as soon as you connect to the Internet. In some cases, all it takes is for someone to gain access to one of your passwords to cause problems. If a hacker manages to get their hands on one or more of your important passwords, they could have full access to some or all of the data on your computer. You should, therefore, prioritize the management of your passwords. Password managers can help you organize and protect your passwords more quickly, but they are not a substitute for regularly changing them to make it harder for hackers to get in.

You might also like: Why Is Data Masking Important in Health Care?

Avoid Pop-Ups

Many malware will use pop-ups to try and trick you into clicking on them. You should always avoid interacting with these pop-ups, especially if they claim to help you fix an issue related to your computer system. It is possible that some people can use some pop-ups for legitimate purposes, but it is generally safest not to interact with them at all. If you need to interact with the pop-ups on your computer, ensure that you only do so in a secure environment.

Make Sure You Have An Antivirus

Antivirus can be one of the best ways to keep your device safe from malware. A good antivirus should include tools for identifying and removing known malware threats. In addition, you should look for an antivirus that offers real-time protection. This enables the software to scan your device as soon as anything suspicious is detected, preventing any possible damage from being done.

When choosing an antivirus program, it is also vital that you look at the company’s privacy policy. Antivirus companies can analyze your device to identify existing malware threats. If you have trouble finding the right antivirus software, you can check out this list of the best antivirus protection of 2022 to find the one that works for you. If this concerns you, check that they give users the option of disabling or refusing this activity. You should always find out if it is compatible with your operating system.

Backup Your Data

No matter how careful you are, it is possible that you could still get infected with malware. This type of attack can cause all kinds of issues, and in some cases, the software used could corrupt or damage your data. That means that unless you have taken the necessary steps to protect yourself, you will no longer be able to access your files. Backing up your data is one of the best ways to ensure that this does not happen, giving you an easy way to restore your files if anything goes wrong.

You might also like: What Is the Purpose of NetSuite?

Avoid Public Networks

When you are in public, you should avoid using free Wi-Fi. The security risks of accessing the Internet through a public network are usually too high unless it is an emergency. Although hackers may try to access your device when you are on a secure network, this will not happen automatically. However, if you use a public network, you will be sharing the connection with many other people. Hackers could easily install malicious software on other devices to access your system with that in mind.

In summary, while it is not possible to 100% protect yourself against malware, if you follow the steps outlined above, you should minimize the risk of getting affected by it. Just remember that while this might help in most cases, there are still some situations where malware may find its way onto your system.

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Apple reportedly considering touchscreen Mac laptop for 2025

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Apple reportedly considering touchscreen Mac laptop for 2025

Apple could release a MacBook Pro laptop with a touchscreen as soon as 2025, according to a report from Bloomberg.

Teams inside Apple are working on the project, and the first design would include a trackpad and keyboard as well as a touchscreen, according to the report.

The move, if it were to happen, would mark a significant reversal for Apple, which has said for years that touchscreen laptops are ergonomically inferior, even as competing Windows laptops now have touchscreens as a standard feature.

“We really feel that the ergonomics of using a Mac are that your hands are rested on a surface, and that lifting your arm up to poke a screen is a pretty fatiguing thing to do,” Apple’s head of software Craig Federighi said in 2018, adding that he’s “not into touchscreens” on PCs.

More recently, he was asked at a conference whether Apple would release a touchscreen laptop, and he said, “who’s to say?”

Apple’s Mac business doesn’t need a shot in the arm, though. Mac sales surged when Apple replaced Intel processors in most of its computers with its own silicon. The change improved battery life and reduced overheating. Apple’s Mac business generated $40.1 billion in revenue during the company’s fiscal 2022, up 14% from 2021.

A touchscreen Mac would require significant software changes to accept finger taps, which require larger buttons, instead of mouse clicks. Apple’s iPhone and iPads use an operating system designed for touchscreens, while macOS can currently only be controlled with a mouse and keyboard.

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Amazon’s Twitch CEO steps down nearly 10 years after acquisition

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Amazon’s Twitch CEO steps down nearly 10 years after acquisition

Emmett Shear, the CEO of Amazon’s livestreaming service Twitch, is stepping down from his role effective immediately, the company announced Thursday.

Amazon acquired Twitch for almost $1 billion in 2014. The site is most known as a popular livestreaming platform for video gamers. After buying Twitch, Amazon was largely hands off with the business, though it has offered Prime subscribers perks on the livestreaming platform, such as free games and in-game loot.

Shear will be replaced by Twitch President Dan Clancy, who has been a “close partner” to Shear, he wrote in a blog post. Shear said he’s stepping away to spend more time with his newborn son. Shear will continue to work at Twitch in an advisory role.

“With the arrival of my son, the time has come for me to focus my energies on building that tiny little startup family, and I’m ready to dedicate my energies there,” Shear wrote. “Twitch will always remain part of my extended family, a community where I grew in so many ways alongside Twitch itself.”

Shear’s resignation adds to a recent exodus of leadership under CEO Andy Jassy. Earlier this month, Ring CEO Jamie Siminoff announced he was stepping down from his role at the home security subsidiary. Last year, executives overseeing Amazon’s Alexa and hardware research and development group, known as Lab126, exited the company. Last July, public policy chief Jay Carney announced he was leaving to join Airbnb, and 23-year Amazon veteran Dave Clark resigned as retail chief the same month.

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How to Fix HP Black Ink Not Printing

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How to Fix HP Black Ink Not Printing

If your HP printer is not printing in black color, there may be some issues with the black cartridge. However, HP printers have a special ink-backup mode that allows printing using only tricolor cartridges (C, M, Y) when the black cartridge encounters a problem.

In such cases, the black color can either disappear on the printout or appear as a grayish color instead of true black. Mostly, a low level of black ink is responsible for the issue. Sometimes, a mispositioned or clogged printhead can also prevent the printer from printing in black color.

Check the Level of Black Ink

If your HP printer is refusing to print in black color, you should first check the level of black ink on the cartridges. There are multiple ways you can check the ink levels on your HP printer.

If you have an HP Ink Tank series printer, you can inspect the ink levels from outside the printer only. Otherwise, you can use the HP assistant tool to check it.

  1. Open Control Panel.
    open control panel on your computerhttps://9db0732cdace87f6755b80f95f544792.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-40/html/container.html
  2. Click Hardware and Sound.
    hardware-and-sound
  3. Click Devices and Printers on the next window.
    devices-and-printers
  4. Double-click the HP printer profile.
    double-click-hp-printer-on-control-panelhttps://9db0732cdace87f6755b80f95f544792.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-40/html/container.html
  5. Again double-click HP Printer Assistant.
    open-hp-printer-assistant-1
  6. Go to Estimated Levels.
    estimated-level-tab-on-hp-printer-assistant
  7. Now click Estimated Cartridge Levels to see the level of black ink on your printer. Consider refilling the ink tank or changing the ink cartridges if the ink levels have gone too low.
    estimated-cartridge-level-on-hp-assistant

You can also refer to this guide to learn about multiple ways to check ink levels in HP printers

Change Paper Settings

An incorrectly configured paper setting is another reason the printer refuses to print in black color. Not only black, but it can also sometimes cause problems printing in color. It is because the ink spraying mechanism of the printer varies depending on the paper type.

So, you should always set the paper size and paper type that exactly matches the papers in the input tray of the printer. Also, make sure you are using papers compatible with your printer.

  1. Hit Windows and keys simultaneously on your keyboard.
  2. Type control printers in the text area.
    control-printers-on-run-box
  3. Click the OK button.
  4. On the new Control Panel window, look after the HP printer name and right-click it.
  5. Select Printing preferences.
    printing-preference-of-hp-printer-1
  6. Click the Paper/Quality tab.
  7. Choose the correct Paper Size and Paper Type from the respective drop-downs.
    paper-size-and-paper-type
  8. Click OK.

Align the Printheads

The printheads of your printer should be correctly aligned so that it can properly spray the ink onto the paper and generate quality printouts. Even a slight change in the position of the printhead can prevent the colors from getting to the paper. Aligning the printheads also helps if you have started facing issues after installing the cartridge.

  1. Open HP Printer Assistant from Control Panel.
    open-hp-printer-assistant-1-1
  2. Go to the Maintain Your Printer menu.
    maintain-your-printer-in-hp-printer-assistant
  3. Now click the Device Services tab and select Align Cartridges.
    align-cartridge-option-on-hp-printer-assistant
  4. Click Print alignment page > Next.
    print-alignment-page-on-hp-printer-assistant
  5. You will get a printout of an alignment page like this.
    printed-alignment-page
  6. Insert the printout over the scanner assembly.
  7. Now click the Scan button.
    scan-the-printed-alignment-page
  8. You will get an alignment successful popup after the printer completes the alignment process.
    alignment-successful-message

You can consult this comprehensive guide to learn more about aligning the printheads of HP printers.

Run the Printhead Cleaning Cycle

Running a printhead cleaning cycle will be helpful if the printhead of the black cartridge is blocked due to ink residues or any foreign bodies. We recommend you run about three cycles of printhead cleaning for better results.

  1. Open the Run application on your PC.https://9db0732cdace87f6755b80f95f544792.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-40/html/container.html
  2. Type control printers and click OK.
    control-printers-on-run-box
  3. Double-click HP printer > HP Printer Assistant.
    open-hp-printer-assistant-1-1
  4. Select Maintain Your Printer.
    maintain-your-printer-in-hp-printer-assistanthttps://9db0732cdace87f6755b80f95f544792.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-40/html/container.html
  5. Click the Device Services tab.
  6. Click Clean Cartridges.
    clean-cartridges-on-hp-printer-assistant
  7. Your printer will eject a diagnostic report after completing the cleaning process.
    print-quality-diagnostic-report-of-hp-printer-1

You may also read our other article on how to clean the HP printheads and learn more about the manual process of cleaning them.

Running a manual clean cycle will help if you cannot sort out the issue after performing the automatic cleaning cycle.

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