Take a Computer Software Inventory
Do you know what computer programs are on your computer? More important, do you know the registration keys? If a virus destroyed your computer could you reinstall all the software without the hassle of finding the registration keys? This scenario happens all the time. If you lose your registration key and did not register the software the only alternative may be to repurchase the software. Not a fun idea.
Belarc advisors have a free software inventory product that lists out an inventory of your computer. Not only are the registration keys included but software versions, installed Microsoft hotfixes, hardware, and virus protection. If any hotfix is missing you will know it. Best of all, according to Belarc’s privacy notice, this information remains private: the data is only kept on your computer and not sent back to Belarc or anywhere else.
Mysecurepc recommends running and saving the software inventory every month or every time a major piece of software is installed. And keep the inventory page backed up.