TOTALLY COMPUTER IGNORANT HERE!!!
When the hard drive in my XP puter fried I bought a new one...it had 8. Several times MS would up-date it and I would find my screen had changed. A much younger friend (grand child age) would come over and set things right. Then her family was going to move. She showed me how to go to a restore point and stop the automatic up-dates. Now I have a stack of 65 “important” up-dates and 4 optionals. When I read the up dates, I understand NOTHING, so they stay on the list. Since I use the computer only for photos, surfing, emails, shopping, occassional CC payments and access to my former employer’s (I’m retired) benefit center, how much am I tempting fate by continuing to ignore these up dates?
TIA
I know I said I have Windows 8, but it may be 7. It is the one that came out after XP but NOT Vista.
How can I tell if it’s 7 or 8?
A LOT more than you want to know.
The only way to prevent viruses, trojan horses, etc. altogether is never to access the internet, which pretty much prevents all the activities you've listed.
Plus you would have to prevent the use of any USB memory sticks from external sources, too.
Bottom line?
Find out if your Internet Provider furnishes an antivirus protection suite upon request.
You shouldn't ignore critical Windows updates; that's just asking for it.
Just opening the wrong email could ruin your entire month.