TIP OF THE WEEK FOR OCTOBER 29, 2007
It's very unfortunate but one of the biggest problems we are faced with in today's marketplace is the problem of spyware and viruses. I put spyware first because this is the problem most people are confronted with today. Several years ago I attended a Microsoft dealers meetings. This was shortly after Microsoft started offering a free anti-spyware program. One of the presenters told us that spyware had become one of their biggest support problems, thus the free spyware solution, which they still offer today. He also stated a computer system un-protected on the internet would become infected in approximately 20 minutes with spyware. This was several years ago, so if you find your system running slower and your anti-spyware and anti-virus definition files are outdated there is a very good chance your system is infected. The longer it is infected the harder it is to correct the problem. Some technicians will now take the tact to recommend buying a new hard drive and starting fresh with a fresh install of the operating system and programs. Use the contaminated hard drive as a slave and use it as a data drive. The problem I have with this is the drive is still contaminated, you'll still want to scan it with your anti software. Keep in mind as a slave drive when your system boots up it will boot up with fresh everything including services and this prevents the spyware/viruses services from kicking in. My approach is similar, but I'm Scottish & prefer not to buy the additional drive unless necessary so what I do I take a system that is up todate with definition files and is well protected and make the contaminated drive as a slave on this system. On the top of the hard drive you will see a diagram of how to set a hard drive's jumper setting to make it a slave. This might sound hard but trust me it's pretty easy. Many computer manufacturers will set their hard drives as cable select also set by a jumper. If this is the case it might be necessary to set the clean hard drive to master also by using a jumper. Then you can run your anti programs. This will not clean everything because you will still have services running when you put it back in your system, but at least you will have a fighting chance to get it squared away. The first couple of times that you run your anti programs be sure to start in the "Safe Mode". You go into safe mode by hitting the F8 key during boot up. It might take a couple of tries to master this. The reason for this is in safe mode you only start your critical services and not your virus or spyware services unless you have rootkit problems (this is for a different week) which if you do you might as well buy that additional hard drive & start fresh. I have listed websites for free anti programs including AVG's Anti-Rootkit program. Good luck you'll be surprise at what you can accomplish. Be patient this does take time.
For information on how to clean without having a second system & for more detail information go to:
http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=35407
http://www.download.com/3120-20_4-0.html?tg=dl-20&qt=spybot&tag=srch (download Spybot 1.5 & run)
http://www.download.com/3120-20_4-0.html?tg=dl-20&qt=avg&tag=srch (Avg Anti-virus Free, AVG Anti-spyware & AVG Anti-Rootkit Free)
http://www.stevengould.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=29&Itemid=70 (CleanUp 4.5.2 download)
http://www.download.com/3120-20_4-0.html?tg=dl-20&qt=ad-aware&tag=srch (please download Ad-aware 2007 7.0.2.3 & run)
PLEASE HELP THEM BY EITHER DONATING OR BUYING THEIR PROFESSIONAL SOFTWARE WHEN YOUR COMFORTABLE WITH THEIR PRODUCT
For information on how to clean without having a second system & for more detail information go to:
http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=35407
http://www.download.com/3120-20_4-0.html?tg=dl-20&qt=spybot&tag=srch (download Spybot 1.5 & run)
http://www.download.com/3120-20_4-0.html?tg=dl-20&qt=avg&tag=srch (Avg Anti-virus Free, AVG Anti-spyware & AVG Anti-Rootkit Free)
http://www.stevengould.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=29&Itemid=70 (CleanUp 4.5.2 download)
http://www.download.com/3120-20_4-0.html?tg=dl-20&qt=ad-aware&tag=srch (please download Ad-aware 2007 7.0.2.3 & run)
PLEASE HELP THEM BY EITHER DONATING OR BUYING THEIR PROFESSIONAL SOFTWARE WHEN YOUR COMFORTABLE WITH THEIR PRODUCT
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Desktop PC's
Laptops
Video Cards
Sound Cards
Ethernet Cards
CD/DVD Players
Hard Drives
Printers
Scanners
Other Devices
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add'l systems $150
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Contract $250
1st Computer
add'l systems $150
includes 6
visits per year