Hi! I'm glad you want to learn more about protecting your computer. I will try to keep it simple but there's a few things you should know first, then go to the link's page I have listed some helpful applications that you can use to keep safe.    

              Tip's  & Info        

First and foremost GET!!! repeat GET a Anti-Virus program and learn how to use it, and run it at least once a week it only takes a few minutes (well worth the hours, day's, week's you might spend fixing your PC if it get;s a virus). Don't forget the site you get your Anti-Virus at, each month at least 23 new viruses come out and you need to have your Anti-Virus program updated at least once a month (I do it weekly)

* Just a note here to let you know why it important to update your Anti-Virus program. Your Anti-Virus program has a list of viruses it check for like say....frog, BO, DoctorD, Death, etc,etc, but the newest virus out is called Devil and its not on your list then your Anti-Virus program wont look for it because it doesn't know it's suppose too it's not listed.

Second most important thing to me (now) is Backing up my file's I was very lucky before the virus hit I had saved my most important thing's on a floppy disk and I went to www.hotmail.com and www.yahoo.com and got me a free email account and I had email myself small file's I didn't want to loss. This all is a great way to save space on your PC. (*note here make sure if you are going to load them back to your main files in windows explorer you download them from your email to a floppy and do a virus check) if you go to start>help and search and look up backup you will see this:

You can use Backup to back up files on your hard disk. You can back up files to floppy disks, a tape drive, or another computer on your network. If your original files are damaged or lost, you can restore them from the backup.

Anti-Virus programs(software) are not full proof many viruses are designed to bypass them. For example you buy or download a Anti-Virus program that says it can protect you from.....(lets say a virus called "frog") your anti-virus scans your computer for "Frog" but tells you it can find it....but it doesn't look for "Froggie" or Frogger" or "Frog1" etc. etc. (get the idea) many viruses change their name so they can hide better.

Many Anti-Viruses programs cant detected files under 100kb. and Hackers know this.

Your computer maybe be running just great so you think your safe and don't run your anti-virus scan very often. You should know many viruses can lie dormant  hiding waiting for just the right trigger activates them. Viruses can hide for days, months, years.

Your computer is messing up and you just know you have a virus....but it is just a "File that is damaged" ....what could cause this ? a number of things from a power flux or static electricity, a software bug and even your fingerprints can cause damage to a Disk or CD (get a clean soft cloth and keep it by your PC to wipe them before and after).

The easiest way to get a virus is by sharing a Diskette or CD....for example your friend has gotten a cool game from his friend, he copies it and gives you a copy and all the while unknown a virus got in somewhere now its spreading as each share the game.

Your online(telephone connection) friend wants to download or email you a cool program or any type of file.....it could contain a hidden virus that your friend didn't know about.

Downloading from a web site...although most are safe you have to use your judgement. For example a well know site as http://www.microsoft.com/ie40.htm I fully trust but even so I always do a check to see if they have any news I should know about ....like they found a bug in a program and have a patch to fix it. Another example would be a site named www.??????.com/joes/cool/freebies   You have to ask yourself is this a trust worthy site? Does this site check for viruses? Its up to you to decide if you trust it.

You get a email from someone with a file with an attachment that you have to open up....are you opening up a virus?? For example its Christmas time and everyone is getting executable email Christmas cards.....could a virus be hidden inside???Yes it could be.

Keep an Eye Out For virus scares and hoaxes that perennially circulate through e-mail and electronic conferences. Check first before you forward any virus-related message that urges you to send it along to as many people as possible.

Many  friends of mine like to play wav's in chat these are sound or media files. They share them with each other downloading the wav to everyone. The problem with this is that a hidden virus could be attached. There is two way's to check the wav to be sure it's safe:

1. Download the wav to a floppy and run a virus scan on it.

2. Save the wav to a test file you make check to see if the file was the same size as the wav. For example on ICQ it tells you the wav file is 100k but when you download it to your test file and it's 180k....hmmmmm....something's wrong! Just delete the whole thing don't take a chance! Better safe then sorry!

A note to those who use ICQ the best way to learn about safety with ICQ is to go to http://www.icq.com/security-tutorial.html and http://www.icq.com/security.html read about it.  Make sure your IP address is hidden, to do this click on Menu, choose Security and Privacy and a Security dialog is displayed.

Also  for those who use a firewall please check out ICQ info on using a firewall with ICQ at http://www.icq.com/firewall/firewallhelp.html  

I hope these hint's and tip's have gave helped you please go on to links and look at the site's listed and check out their programs, find one that's easy for you to understand most have a demo version or a 30 trial. There are many listed so get one try it for a while if you can use it easily then consider buying the full version.