Kim's Computer Care Blog

There are a lot of Virus’s going around right now so I thought it fitting that I should post a few tips I use to keep my computer running smooth. I am putting up a short list here. If you would like more extensive training on this subject, I would be more than happy to tutor you on the subject (at my regular fee (of course) as posted on my website www.kimscomputercare.net).

• Don’t click on any website that promises to speed up your PC
• Don’t open any suspicious e-mail attachments even if you know the sender. It is quite common for virus infected computers to send out malicious e-mails to users in the senders e-mail contacts.
• Selecting the option to view your email messages in plain text, not HTML, will also help you to avoid a virus.
• Another way a virus can infect your computer is by a pop up that comes to you while browsing the internet. If you see a pop up that looks like anti-virus software and tells you that your computer has problems it may be a scam. There have been many such programs in the past that have warned of false errors and then offered to fix them if you purchase their software. If you see a new type of anti-virus pop up that you have not seen before, or if it appears to be from an anti-virus program that you did not install then it is fake. Close the pop up, update your anti-virus program, and run a full scan. Many of these browser related apps keep temporary files on your computer and can store a virus there. To keep this risk low, make sure you delete your temporary internet files daily.
• Consider switching to a different web browser. Other web browsers (such as Firefox or Opera) are considered to have better security than Internet Explorer.
• Be careful when surfing. You can get a malicious script from a webpage and not know it. If you ever get a window asking if you want to allow an automatic install, say “No” unless you know the site requesting the install.
• Update your anti-virus program regularly
• New or improved viruses are being regularly unleashed on the Internet. Updating your anti-virus software so that it contains the latest virus definitions will decrease the likelihood that you are affected by a new type of virus
• Data files will not carry viruses.  A file that contains only data will not carry a virus since a virus has to have some kind of executable code. For example, files ending with the extension .txt, .csv, .gif, .jpg, .mp3, .wav are common data files that would not have executable code. Files ending in .doc, .xls, .exe, and even .htm may have executable code and could potentially carry a virus.
• Do not click on popups: Clicking on a popup usually spells certain doom for your computer. It opens the door for the viruses and adware that want to infect your machine, telling these malicious applications to make them at home. Stay away from those constantly advertised screensavers and icons.
• Don’t install toolbars: Even some reputable sites install custom toolbars. They slow your system down and collect information about your surfing habits. While a toolbar might offer some perks, it may also diminish your experience by dragging your system to a halt. Toolbars from less reputable places install adware and sometimes infect your system outright.
• Try to balance paranoia with common sense. Some people get really weird about viruses, spyware, etc. It’s just a computer! Back up your data and follow these steps to avoid getting a virus. If you have a good backup you know that your personal data is always safe no matter what happens.

When you copy, cut or move data, it is held temporarily in an invisible portion of memory. This is called the Clipboard. Lately I have been asked a few times how one views the clipboard to see what is in it. I am going to give instructions on how to do this on Windows XP and 7 if any of you need instructions on how to do this using a different operating system then e-mail me and I will post it.

Windows XP

1. Click on Start, then click on My Computer.
2. Double-click on your Local Disk (C:). (It is under Hard Disk Drives.)
3. Double-click on the Windows Folder. (If prompted, just say you want to see what’s inside.)
4. Double-click on System32 Folder. (Again, if prompted, just say you want to see what’s inside.)
5. Scroll down the page until you see a file named Clipbrd.

6. You can double-click on the Clipbrd file to view its contents or go to step 7.

7. Drag and drop the Clipbrd file onto your Start button to put it in your start menu.

Windows 7

Windows Vista and Windows 7 do not have a clipboard viewer. You can click on this link  –> Clipboard viewer to download a handy clipboard viewer that works very well.

I love Windows 7! That being said, I find it annoying every time I try to install a program or make a change on my computer that a box comes up with a warning and asks me if I want to continue. Well, I don’t know about you, but at that point I have already made up my mind and I was “already” continuing. I have found with many customers that they find this confusing and scary. You then have to click continue to go on with what you have already decided you want to do.  Well that feature can be disabled, and here is how…

1.       Left click on Start button on the bottom left of the screen. Click on Control Panel. Double click on Action Center

2.       In the top left Click on Change User Account Control Settings.

3.       From here you can scroll that bar down to Never Notify and click OK.

4.       You are done!  Have a great day!

So you have a new computer, out of the box, ready to go? Not quite, slow down tiger! There are a few things you should do before you embark on your new PC adventure. These things will help ensure a more satisfying PC experience. Most computers that are straight out of the box are filled with programs that are actually trial programs. Usually you have a 30, 60, or 90 days to preview it before it turns off while leaving the remains “junk” of itself behind on your computer, for you to uninstall. The most harmful of these would be anti-virus programs. They give the user the false impression that they are protected when often they are not. Also, many anti-virus programs do not “play” well with other protection programs. If you go to install your own anti-virus on a new computer you need to make sure an existing trial program isn’t already installed on your PC. The consequences of not doing this are potentially devastating. My suggestion concerning preinstalled software on a new PC is to take it all off. Just because you were given a trial of software doesn’t mean it is a good one. My experience with preinstalled trial software, is that it is not the best, in fact it is usually the most “commercial”, and that is about it.

There are essential programs (basics) that a computer needs to ensure that programs run, e-mails open, and that you are able to view programs properly on your computer (online or offline). Interestingly enough, these are all free programs and they are not typically preinstalled on a new PC.

• Adobe Reader (opens PDF files)
• Java (helps programs run)
• WinRAR (unzips zipped files usually from e-mail)
• Shockwave player (online video and some online applications)
• Mozilla Firefox (safer web browsing)
• Picasa (a fantastic simple photo organizing/viewing program)

To summarize, after buying a new PC, bring it home and take off all of the trial programs. Research reviews on anti-virus software before just buying the preinstalled one. Download and install all essential software. Finally, when you are finished, run a defrag (start button/programs/accessories/ system tools/ defragmentation) to put everything in order. There you have it, a new computer, as it should be, out of the box! As always, email me (Kim) if you have any questions or concerns tech@kimscomputercare.net

What a PC Tune-Up Should Include

What is a PC Tune-Up? A PC Tune-Up is when adjustments are made to a PC to boost performance and increase stability. When a new computer is purchased it runs fast with very little hesitation (relatively speaking). Over time it begins to run slower and slower (usually this is noticeable after a few months).  To keep a PC running at an optimal performance and speed, a tune-up should be performed once or twice a year. Along with performance, a tune-up can save you money by extending the life of your computer and also by reducing your energy bills. A tune-up can save you time by reducing start up and load up times. Finally, it can eliminate the annoyance of working on a slow computer. While looking around at what competitors are charging for tune-ups, I noticed that the pricing wasn’t the only thing that differed. There was quite a bit of difference in services being performed or not performed. There are quite a few things that slow a computer down over time. Below is a list of things that are essential in a tune-up to keep your PC from becoming a sluggish annoyance.

• Registry cleaning
• Registry defragmentation
• Spyware updating/removal
• Hard disk defragmentation
• Applying Windows updates and security patches
• Cleanup unused desktop icons
• Uninstall unwanted programs
• Delete temporary files
• Remove broken shortcuts
• Diagnose/repair errors
• Update drivers
• Blow out inside of tower (obviously this one is not included in a remote tune-up)

There are other issues that can slow a computer that don’t fall under the category tune-up. A few of these issues (repairs) would be an installed program that didn’t meet the minimum system requirements, incorrect driver installations, or a virus. I would advise that a tune-up be performed after any major repair. When you are taking your PC in for a tune-up be informed, ask the technician what their tune-up actually includes.

The other day while working on a new clients computer, she stated, “I don’t know why my computer is running so slow, I have been running a defrag everyday like a friend told me to do to keep my PC running faster, but it just keeps going slower and slower?”. What is Defragmentation of the hard drive, why do I need to do it, and how do I do it? Defragmentation of the hard drive is not a hard concept to understand, but it can be very boring (and time consuming) to hear it explained. I am going to explain it here, in hopefully a very simple, quick, and easy way to understand. A computer becomes fragmented over time from installing programs, uninstalling programs, installing updates, ECT. A computer puts the new whatever, wherever it can find space (kind of like some teenagers).  It’s kind of the nature of the beast –grin-. Imagine a file cabinet, let’s say four drawers high. Let’s also say that the file cabinet is filled with unorganized files. Parts of the same file may be in the first, second and or say fourth drawer down. You know all of your stuff is there (or think you do), but you aren’t quite sure exactly where everything is.  This would be an example of a fragmented hard drive. Why do you need to defrag a hard drive?  If you use the files in your file cabinet often, you can understand why you would want to keep the files in order, or at least organize them once in awhile. It can become time consuming to not know exactly where any certain file is at any given time. The same goes for a computer. When you tell the computer to open a program, the computer goes to the “file cabinet” and looks for the “files” needed to run the program. If it is a messy file cabinet it can take a long time to find. In a computer you may notice a program taking a long time to open, or at times to even freeze up (it just cannot find the file but will continue to keep on looking until it finally finds it or just locks up from not finding it). These are signs that a hard drive needs to be defragmented. For future reference, these are also the only problems a defragmentation of the hard drive will fix. Now, finally, the good part, how to defrag the hard drive. All windows operating systems come with an adequate defragmentation program, in my humble opinion –grin-. There are some good ones out there that you can buy if you like. I have used Paragon Hard Disk Manager and liked it with one exception. Even if my hard drive wasn’t very fragmented it would always take four to five hours to run (an estimate from memory), so I would always start it before going to bed and let it run all night. Nowadays, I just use the one provided by whatever windows operating system I am using. You will find the Defragmentation program when you click on the “start button”, then “all programs”, then “accessories”, then “system tools”. A menu will appear, you then click on “Disk Defragmenter”. Check the box of the drive you want defragmented (usually that would be “C” drive) and click “start”. If you run this regularly (I do once a month), it usually only takes a short time to run (about 10 minutes). If you haven’t run one in a long time, or ever, it can take hours to run. One thing to note after a defrag has been performed is that it can take a little bit of time after running it for things to start loading faster again (it’s kind of  like the computer getting used to being organized again). After I defrag a customer’s system I always open the main programs (web browser, word program, Outlook) once to get past the initial “hesitance” of loading a program. In writing this blog I try to explain things in the most un-tech user friendly terms I can come up with. Here is a link if you would like a more detailed description of defragmentation http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defragmentation .

If any of you have decided to download this new version of AVG, you might want to disable the link scanner for now. So far it has not been real good at deciding the good links between the bad ones. Webkinz for one will not come up with the link scanner enabled, along with most other flash games. When I installed AVG I just clicked on custom install and disabled everything but the anti-virus, that way I didn’t have to dis-able anything once it was installed (if you wait to dis-able after it is installed it leaves an irritating msg all the time that you are not fully protected). Another thing you will want to do before using AVG 2011 is to go to “change your scan settings”. Once in there make sure to check the box next to tracking cookies, and then click on “Save settings”. AVG does great with eliminating spy-ware. I am not real happy with the route AVG seems to be going but I still believe it is the best free anti-virus out there. When I first downloaded AVG, I was irritated by how un-user friendly it was to install and setup compared to past versions, and the size of it has grown to over 100 MB. I have always recommended this software to users who could not afford to have an anti-virus on their system but needed protection. They were able to easily install and use it. Now, it is a little more complicated. Once you do the couple things I suggested above, it runs nice and clean. All this being said, and after going out there again and exploring other alternatives, I still believe AVG is the best free anti-virus out there. One final thing; I always use Spybot Search & Destroy and Malwarebytes alongside AVG. If one doesn’t get something the others will. They play well together.

A virus is getting into some Yahoo mail users accounts (I have also seen it on one occasion in AOL). What happens is this… All of the people in your contact list are getting e-mails from you (but you didn’t send them), with a link to a pharmaceutical company in Canada. I don’t believe (but don’t know for sure) that it is even a real company. Usually it is not legitimate when it is involved in something like this. The e-mail wouldn’t be so bad (aside from something compromising your personal mail security) if it was only one but it grows. Your contacts get it every day, then twice a day and so on. I can go on and on discussing this issue but let’s get to the solution. If anyone wants to know more details, just ask. You cannot get rid of this the usual way, which is to perform virus removal because this virus resides online in yahoo world. The good news is that because of that you don’t have to hire a technician to get rid of it. All you have to do is change your Yahoo e-mail password (if you have any questions about how to do that just ask and I will post it). This should fix any further issues of this type. I looked for a link that I could supply here to describe this problem further, but it seems all the places I find info on this, they seem to be convinced its an infected computer. I disagree, so I wont be adding links for this one. I have completed cleaned out computers of all virus/malware/spy-ware, and this one still exists. FYI,another name for what this problem is called is “spoofs” .

I deal with issues everyday where customers state, “I wish I would’ve known that”. When I see or hear of issues that could positively or negatively affect a users computer experience, then I will post them here. Blogging is a new experience for me, so if you have any comments or suggestions on how I can do a better job, feel free to let me know.