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Answers to the most common IT questions
Do you have a “What is…” or “How to…” question that you want a quick answer to?
Below you will find simple answers to the most common IT questions.
Some Questions need a bit more information, so we have provided some links to get you the answers you need.
What Is...?
A computer Virus is a type of software that is placed on a computer to cause damage/disruption in the shape of data loss and operational issues. This software is referred to as malware. A virus differs from other malware as it is designed to replicate & spread rapidly.
Firewalls are a network security device designed to separate known trusted networks from external networks such as the internet. Firewalls provide a barrier to entry protecting networks from unauthorised access and potential threats. Firewalls can be software, hardware or cloud based.
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) provides a way to access & browse the internet securely and privately with an encrypted connection. You browse the internet through another computer allowing you to mask your identity from hackers, snoopers and other parties trying to read your internet traffic.
RAM (Random Access Memory) is a short term storage medium used by the processor to quickly store and retrieve process critical data. RAM is known as volatile memory. When power is lost, RAM will lose all of its data.
The cloud is a network of servers that store vast amount’s of data that can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection. The cloud also offers the ability to provide computing power by sending complex processes to remote servers and then sending the results back, taking the load off lower spec’d hardware and reducing the need to purchase dedicated hardware.
How To...?
Updating Windows is usually done automatically behind the scenes. Windows will notify you when updates are ready and you an either update straight away, postpone the update or Windows will automatically update when the system is next shut down. If you are unsure, here is a guide for Windows 10/11.
Removing programs from Windows can be achieved in multiple ways. The easiest and most straight forward is using Windows built in software. Here is a guide for Windows 10/11 on how to do this.
There are many reasons to clear browsing data and the process involves a few straight forward steps. The process will change depending on which browser you are using. Most of the time this can be achieved by going into your browser settings. Here are some guides to the most common browsers:
Getting your IP address can be achieved in multiple ways. Either through third party websites or through the command prompt/console in your operating system. But by far the easiest is looking below.
Your IP address is 216.73.216.84
When Should I...?
In practice, keeping an eye on Windows updates will not be on the schedule for the average computer user. Windows updates are automated, unless switched off by a network administrator. But in both instances, its taken care for you. If you want to manually check if updates are available, check our how to section.
Most antivirus software provide real time protection from threats. But scheduling regular full system scans are always recommended. This task may be already built in to your antivirus software and automatically carried out behind the scenes. But if this is not the case, it is recommended a full scan is carried out between 2 weeks and 1 month.
Sleep mode is a convenient way to keep your current session should you plan to be using the system within a short time period, stored in the RAM and easily resumed when needed. However, a power cut will cause this data to be lost and you will lose all unsaved work. Shutdown means the system is powered off and the current session is ended. Next start-up can be longer than resuming from sleep. Shutdown is unaffected by power loss. Another option is Hibernate. This is similar to sleep but the session is saved to the HDD/SSD. So you can quickly resume without a power loss effecting data.
Advice on when to change your passwords has been an ever changing subject. The general accepted advice is to change your passwords every 30 to 90 days. However this is only a guide.
Can I...?
Most modern smartphones do allow this option. By turning your phone into a wirelss access point and enabling mobile data, you can connect your laptop to your mobile phone over wifi like a normal wifi router. The phone will then allow you to connect to the internet through mobile data. Be careful not to exceed contracted data limits from your network provider.
Is 2 better than 1? In this case, not so much. Multiple installed anti-virus do not stack their effectiveness. Actually, having more than one installed is detrimental. It can effect system performance as the 2 programs fight for the same resources. Also, the 2 may interpret the other as a potential threat and stop each other from performing at all, being less effective than a single solution.
Downgrading Windows is only available to those who have upgraded from Windows 10 to 11 within 10 days of upgrading. After this grace period, a clean install will be required. This is not possible for any other versions of Windows. For these, a full installation will be required and personal data to be backed up.
You can but it depends. If you have an operating system installed and are hoping to move this across, you may find it will work. This is due to modern operating systems being able to handle most hardware changes. But the general advice is to do a clean installation. In the case where the drives, SSD or HDD, do not contain an operating system and are only used to store personal files, as long as the new hardware has the correct connectors and the power supply has the right power connectors, then there should be no issues moving an old drive to a new system.
Yes you can. By using the built in Boot Camp Assistant tool, you can run Windows alongside your current MAC OS installation without the need to uninstall MAS OS. Here is a guide from Apple.
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