Introduction: This site deals with using and networking personal computers (PCs) running Microsoft 'Windows' operating systems (OSs). Its main objective is to advise how to set up and use PCs safely and securely, using free software. It tackles some of the concepts, but also proposes tools to achieve the objective. The idea is to have a 'solution' that can be applied universally, avoiding the need to learn different proprietary ways of doing things eg when buying another PC. It's aimed at the user who has experience of configuring PC hardware and software via their graphical interfaces.

The ordering of the internal and external links represent a logical way of looking at the topics covered, as given in the summary below. However, another priority might be a procedure for setting up a new PC in line with this advice; there's a checklist how to do this on the 'New PC?' page.

The 'Forum' exists to enable coverage of more technical points without complicating the main pages; queries or comments which would help to improve the content are welcome.

Summary: You're asking for trouble if you:

• don't implement some basic security measures for controlling access to the PC
• don't password-protect or encrypt private data, particularly when stored or moved off-PC
• configure a PC for networking, particularly via wireless links, without implementing rigorous security measures
• connect to any network (especially the internet) without a properly configured firewall
• load any software (from the internet or elsewhere) without installing (and keeping updated) anti-malware programs (anti-virus and -spyware)
• fail to update the OS regularly from Microsoft's website
• don't perform routine maintenance regularly, like deleting redundant files and configuration data, and defragmenting the drives
• use a PC without making regular backups

Some necessary jargon: Throughout the site, the term 'drive' is used to refer to any storage device (for programs, user data etc) that the OS can access via a 'drive letter' eg 'C:'. The location where the OS and its standard programs are installed is referred to as the 'system drive'; this is normally 'C:', and is normally on an internal 'hard disk'.

A drive might be a whole internal hard disk, or removable memory card, or USB stick or external hard drive, or network storage device. Or, it might be just a section of one of those, a 'partition', the physical object having been 'partitioned' by suitable software, so that it appears to the OS as several separate storage devices ('virtual' disks, as opposed to 'physical' ones.) If a physical storage device is meant, it will be specifically referred to as such eg 'hard disk'.

In general computer-speak, any storage device that the OS can access is known as a 'volume'; storage devices can be 'mounted' (ie become volumes or drives, accessible to the OS) or 'dismounted' (no longer accessible). In Windows, mounting/dismounting is normally carried out automatically when the PC starts up or shuts down, but in some special situations, user action is required.

NTFS: Any drive must be formatted by the OS with a 'file system' to enable it to carry out read and write operations. (Think of it by analogy with a library book catalogue system.) It is not a good idea to continue to use versions of Windows based on the 'FAT32' file system (eg 98 or ME); NTFS-based systems, like XP, Vista, 7 (or 2000) are now the only sensible choice. (Not NT4; it can't handle modern technologies like USB or wireless networking). And, ensure all drives are formatted NTFS.

FAT32 is inherently insecure, the more so now that it can't be updated. You can't control who has access to the files stored on a PC with FAT32, and the file system is much more likely to crash, and corrupt data when it does, than NTFS.

Disclaimer: The advice and information herein is offered in good faith, but you follow it at your own risk! It has been tested on Windows 7 (Ultimate, 32-bit, and Home Premium, 64-bit), Vista (Home Premium, 32-bit) or XP (Pro and Home, 32-bit) on a variety of different PCs. (If this is not the case, it will be explicitly stated.) However, given that Windows PCs can be built and set up in many different ways, there can be no guarantee that it will work on all, and configuration interfaces may differ from the screenshots or text accounts given here.

The content will also apply to other Windows OSs, particularly earlier ones, to a greater or lesser extent. It will be explicitly stated what versions of Windows any recommended software is compatible with; the publishers' sites should also say, and may have links to earlier versions for previous Windows releases. The recommended programs and sites can be trusted as malware-free.

Notes: (1) The author is based in the UK. (2) This site arises from a previous site, PC Guide. Parts of that are out-of-date, but some is still useful and relevant (hence the link); once such material is incorporated here, 'PC Guide' will be closed.