PrintUnderstanding the threat
A PC is a valuable tool and contains sensitive information about you and your life. It is a good idea to take some common sense actions to prevent the theft or destruction of information when you connect to a network or the internet. Some viruses found on the internet are so prolific they can infect your computer within seconds of making a connection. This document provides ideas on how to protect a notebook from viruses and other security issues when connecting to the Internet.
Because the information on the PC, and the viruses on the net, are constantly changing, you must have a plan for protecting your PC on an ongoing schedule. Your PC may have been safe when it was new, but over time you need to look for software updates that will reduce the risk of virus or security threats. If your notebook is ever re-imaged for repair or a system recovery is performed to repair the operating system, all of the software on the hard drive is restored to its original factory configuration. That means all of the software updates and security patches are lost and must be re-installed.
Enable the Microsoft internet connection firewall
To help prevent viruses from affecting a computer, HP recommends enabling the Microsoft
Firewall, which is a feature of Windows.
To automatically enable Microsoft Firewall, click the Microsoft Fix it Solution:
Follow the steps below to manually enable the firewall:
- Click Start , and then click Control Panel .
- Select Classic View , and then click Windows Firewall .
- When prompted for permission to execute the program, click OK .
- Verify the On (recommended) option is selected, and click OK .
Scan for spyware using Windows Defender
Window Defender (previously known as Microsoft AntiSpyware) arrives automatically enabled on your computer. It can detect when spyware installs itself, changes important settings on your computer, or runs on your computer. It can also scan software as you download it from the web and help you remove unwanted programs more easily.
Windows Defender will automatically scan for updated information from Microsoft and examine your hard drive at scheduled points in the day. To change when the scans take place, follow the steps below:
- Click Start , and then click Control Panel .
- Select Classic View , and then click Windows Defender .
- When the Windows Defender window opens, click Tools .
- Follow the directions to select a schedule for updates and scans that suits your needs. You may also turn the scans off here, if you choose to do so.
Update Windows using Microsoft Windows Update
HP recommends downloading and installing all available Microsoft Critical Updates using the Windows Update feature on the PC. Follow the steps below to run Microsoft Windows Update. This will help prevent security issues that viruses and spyware can exploit.
- Click Start , right-click Computer , and select Properties .
- Click Windows Update and follow the instructions.
Update Windows using HP Update
Follow the steps below to locate the updated HP software and hardware drivers and files.
This will help prevent security issues that viruses and spyware can exploit.
- Click Start, type HP Update in the search field, and press then Enter on the keyboard.
- On the Welcome to HP Update panel, click Next to start the search for updated software and drivers.
- Download and install all the recommended updates.
Using anti-virus software to scan and clean
Your HP notebook PC was shipped with Norton anti-virus software from Symantec. Most anti-virus software currently comes with an anti-spyware add-on. Make sure that you have downloaded the most recent updates to your anti-virus software before beginning the scan. To configure the anti-virus software, consult the User's Guide or online help documentation.
If you upgrade your operating system from XP to Vista, the old security programs will not work and could even damage your PC. You should research, purchase, and install an anti-virus program that is designed for Vista.
