prepare for the worst.(Daily Break)

By Bill Husted

Cox Newspapers

If you own a computer long enough, it's going to let you down. But there are ways to disaster-proof that will help you cope with even the most dramatic failures. Today, we'll tackle that job.

An ounce of prevention

Let's start with ways to lessen the chance of disaster striking. I won't sugarcoat things. Even if you faithfully do everything I suggest, you're not immune to trouble. It's more like getting a flu vaccination: There's no guarantee you'll be immune, but you've shifted the odds in your favor.

Our prevention plan demands that you use (and keep updated) a program to detect and stop what techies call malware. So you need protection against computer viruses, adware and spyware, as well as other threats that can hijack your machine.

Some software, like Norton's 360 All-in-One-Security, offers a suite of programs that attempt to do everything. That's not a bad way to go since you'll get almost everything your computer needs in one package.

You'll pay for that in both the purchase price and yearly subscription fees. But, for many, the use of commercial software and the one-stop-does-all approach removes fear and hassle.

Microsoft's free Security Essentials is a no-cost option. It attempts to provide the same kind of do-everything protection without the price tag. I prefer Norton, but Security Essentials is a capable program.

Or you can assemble a collection of various free programs to get the same kind of protection. For instance, Super-antispyware (www.superantispyware.com) does a terrific job with spyware and adware. The free version of AVG (www.tinyurl.com/yknjwbx) finds and removes viruses. And Windows itself comes with a decent firewall program that reduces the chances of a hacker invading your machine.

The ups and downs at home

You may not realize it, but the electrical power in your home hops around quite a bit. While you may think there is a steady stream of 120 volts, the voltage supplied can vary from 114 to 126 volts. Luckily, that's within a range that can keep your computer happy.

But other factors - including the dips caused when big appliances kick in - can cause voltages to change even more. So your computer is subjected to surges and dips in power. In extreme instances, that can create computer glitches and even damage.

Most of us think of a UPS (uninterruptible power supply) as a gadget that provides emergency backup power to give you time to safely power down your computer when the lights go out. But it also filters the power and attempts to smooth out the voltage bumps.

When disaster strikes anyway

For most of us, the data stored on our hard disk is worth more than the combined price of the computer and all the software you own. What sort of price can you put on your family photos? How much is your tax information worth?

Back up any way you like. Buy an external hard disk and use it. Sign up for a commercial online backup service. Back up your data to another machine on your home network. Or, better yet, use a combination of backup methods so you have more than one backup of your data available.

One nifty product called Back in a Flash (www.tinyurl.com/4ps3c9v) goes a step beyond usual backup methods. Not only does it automatically back up selected files, it furnishes software that lets you continue to work even when your hard disk is dead.

The same small memory stick that contains your backup also contains some rudimentary programs that let you send e-mail, write documents and even edit a spreadsheet until you've replaced the hard disk.

Use it as a supplement, not a replacement, to your regular backup system.

A failure to communicate

Home computers do more than compute. We use them to send e-mail. At times, the ability to send and receive e-mail is essential for our jobs and for school. So learn a few ways to cope when your Internet connection goes down.

One of the most valuable things to know is that you can often restore a DSL connection by simply powering down the modem and then starting it up again. More than half the time, that will fix the problem.

But what about times when it doesn't? If you have an old-fashioned dial-up modem, your provider may furnish emergency dial-up numbers that will let you get back online in the meantime. Check with your provider to see if that service is available and to learn the number you should dial.

Summing it all up

No matter how carefully you prepare, there will always be ways that trouble can sneak in the back door. But by taking my tips to heart, you'll put the odds in your favor.

And by doing that, you may never have to send me a sad e-mail explaining how technology has let you down.