Your IT-inexperienced parents or grandparents have acquired a PC or MAC computer with internet access (for Christmas)? Yes, finally, one might think, if it weren't for the sometimes very demanding IT support and the voluntary assistance that parents or grandparents will certainly soon demand from their children. Because PC problems, unknown error messages, 404 messages on a website on the Internet, for example, or pitfalls in everyday use are known to lurk behind every mouse click. In this blog post, we will tell you 6 things you should definitely take care of during your first IT support for the family.
1. Create a new backup with every maintenance
If you use your PC regularly, you already know this. The crucial question is not "IF" you are threatened by system crashes, viruses or other defects. The crucial question is "WHEN" that will happen and "HOW" you are prepared then. Especially as hard drives age, the risk of hardware defects often increases significantly.
Therefore, our request: When providing IT support to your family, regularly back up all data. Don't just create the backup, but also gladly show your parents/grandparents how they can do this themselves. Because with a lot of data, a backup can take several hours.
2. Delete unneeded programs
Whether new or used: You can be sure that there are numerous programs on your parents'/grandparents' new PC that they don't want at all. With used computers, this is the old software of the previous owner. With newly purchased PCs, these are usually time-limited trial versions and partner software (also called crapware or bloatware). Often, these programs massively impair the speed and performance of the PC. And who wants to have pre-installed programs that, after a short time, urge them to finally buy a full version? No one also knows whether some of these outdated programs do not pose security risks.
Therefore, our recommendation: Show your parents/grandparents every installed program. Keep only what they know or need.
3. Organize anti-virus software
Often, new PCs already come with virus scanners – even if these are usually limited to one year or three months. So you have a large window of time to look for a good deal on anti-virus software. You can usually get these online much cheaper than in a store. We also offer our customers discounted anti-virus software from time to time. Simply subscribe to our newsletter and you'll stay up to date.
Our tip: There are anti-virus software providers where you can protect not only your own PC, but every device (PC, smartphone, tablet and also MAC) in the household or within your family. If you already have such software in use, remove the pre-installed (time-limited) anti-virus software on your parents'/grandparents' new PC and extend your virus protection accordingly. This will save you a few euros for additional virus software.
4. Deactivate intrusive default settings
Your parents / grandparents use Windows 10? Then you should also take care of all intrusive and spying default settings during your first IT support in the family. These are hidden in numerous places in the system and allow Microsoft to transfer various data at regular intervals to US servers in Redmond. There, the data and user behavior are analyzed and prepared for advertising. But your browsers and other programs also collect data and spy diligently. We once counted and found over 80 of these annoying and sometimes very brazen spying settings. Many of them in Windows, Cortana and the browsers Edge and Explorer alone. You should deactivate these as much as possible during your IT support for the family.
5. Set up an email address for your parents
For surfing the net and visiting websites, an email address is just as important today as a physical address. Whether for shopping or social media: Without an email, many services on the net cannot be used. And should your parents/grandparents perhaps one day get smartphones thanks to your support, an email account (e.g. for Android on Google) is essential.
6. Install TeamViewer or other remote access software for your IT support
Remote maintenance software is a great help. Once installed on your parents' / grandparents' computer, you can then quickly and easily check the affected PC and help with any questions after entering a password, for every supposed or real problem. This even works on the go via smartphone or tablet. Phone calls or a home visit to your parents / grandparents just to check a small error message will then no longer be necessary.
What requirements you should have for remote maintenance software and why we recommend TeamViewer to you, you can read in this blog post: Remote maintenance software - and what you should pay attention to here
