Does your computer tend to suddenly turn itself off without warning? Has it been running sluggishly lately? You may be the victim of overheating.

Computer systems of all types, from smartphones to desktops, require to be kept within a specific temperature range to function properly. Your CPU (central processing unit, the “brain” of your computer) will generally idle between 84 and 106 degrees, spiking to over 140 degrees when under heavy load. When your machine senses that it’s getting too hot, it’ll shut itself down to protect itself from damage.

On April 18th, 2019, systems running Windows 7 began to receive notifications for the end of life for that venerable operating system. The successor to the generally despised Windows Vista, 7 has been supported for ten years, which in technology is a very long time. Like all great software it was beloved by many, but the time has come to let it die in peace.

Those of you still using Windows 7 are likely annoyed by these prompts to upgrade, and may be wondering why it’s important to do so. Among many other reasons, the most crucial is the lack of security updates going forward. I’ve written elsewhere about the implications of this (https://www.techno-literate.com/2019/03/21/time-to-leave-windows-7-behind/), but in short, your data and Internet usage will be at risk if you continue to use Windows 7 after the end of 2019.

If you’re still using a computer that you purchased with Windows 7 preinstalled, you may find your Windows 10 experience to be sluggish. Very old computers from the last decade are definitely not powerful enough for modern software, so you may need to consider purchasing a new system. Here’s some basic information that you’ll need to know as you shop.

Have you ever accidentally deleted a folder on your computer? I know I have! Keeping backups of your data can protect you from these kinds of silly blunders, as well as ransomware, hard drive crashes, or anything else the universe throws at you. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of supremacy that comes after successfully restoring data from a backup and knowing that you can’t be stopped!