If you are an XP user experiencing infections again and again, you might want to disable the Windows autorun feature. Autorun allows downloaded files to open immediately upon download. That may sound like a good thing to most of you, but what if the file downloaded is cornflicker? Not so good. Firefox, Safari, Chrome, and Opera (my favorite for general web browsing because of the speed) download to a location on your computer which allows your autoprotect in your antivirus to catch bad-guy files.
The good news is Microsoft did disable this autorun.inf file in Vista and 7. You have to give Microsoft credit for this. It's not as convenient for the user, but in the long run it saves the user computer maladies.
Please refer to the Microsoft article below for instructions how to disable the autorun feature on your XP system.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/967715/
Friday, May 28, 2010
Thursday, May 27, 2010
What is Microsoft.Net?
Microsoft.Net is a collection of code used for surfing the Internet. It consists of libraries of code for low-level programming tasks. It layers over the operating system for web applications. Some PDF generators need this program to generate PDFs within a web application. It helps web programmers to build web programs faster, because they are "borrowing" code. It can be used in many types of application and that is why it has a huge appeal to programmers.
It is safe to download directly from Microsoft. Here is the link:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=0856EACB-4362-4B0D-8EDD-AAB15C5E04F5&displaylang=en
It is safe to download directly from Microsoft. Here is the link:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=0856EACB-4362-4B0D-8EDD-AAB15C5E04F5&displaylang=en
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
File Format Explanations
PNG portable network graphics. Editable in Photoshop and Corel Paint Shop Pro. Viewable in all browsers. Best feature: super-duper compression.
DLL dynamic link library. These are system files that are used in conjunction with other programs. You can't edit them directly.
EXE executable file. This is an instruction to execute a program. You can't edit EXE files in Word or view them in your web browser.
FLV flash video. This video type can be used in Google video and Youtube. Best feature: you don't need a special player; it works thru Adobe's software which you already have installed on your computer.
RAR roshal archive file. It's named for its creator, Eugene Roshal. It's used for file compression. Rar files can wrap up several files in one nice little package. You can open them with WinRAR. Best feature: the resulting file is a fraction of the original size.
RTF rich text format. It's a word-processing format. Best feature: it works in many programs and operating systems.
ZIP another compression format. It is done thru a zip program (Winzip, 7zip, or PKzip to name a few) and it provides minimal compression.
TMP temporary file. When downloading web pages each part stores as a temp file on your computer. They are not meant to be opened. Usually it's safe to delete temp files. It's best to delete temporary internet files in the web browser rather than in Windows Explorer. Other programs can also create temp files.
MP4 motion picture expert group is an audio/video file. Playable in media players and on portable devices.
DLL dynamic link library. These are system files that are used in conjunction with other programs. You can't edit them directly.
EXE executable file. This is an instruction to execute a program. You can't edit EXE files in Word or view them in your web browser.
FLV flash video. This video type can be used in Google video and Youtube. Best feature: you don't need a special player; it works thru Adobe's software which you already have installed on your computer.
RAR roshal archive file. It's named for its creator, Eugene Roshal. It's used for file compression. Rar files can wrap up several files in one nice little package. You can open them with WinRAR. Best feature: the resulting file is a fraction of the original size.
RTF rich text format. It's a word-processing format. Best feature: it works in many programs and operating systems.
ZIP another compression format. It is done thru a zip program (Winzip, 7zip, or PKzip to name a few) and it provides minimal compression.
TMP temporary file. When downloading web pages each part stores as a temp file on your computer. They are not meant to be opened. Usually it's safe to delete temp files. It's best to delete temporary internet files in the web browser rather than in Windows Explorer. Other programs can also create temp files.
MP4 motion picture expert group is an audio/video file. Playable in media players and on portable devices.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
I Destroy Rogues!
On an almost daily basis, I find myself battling rogue antivirus infections. They are not always avoidable and sometimes pesky to remove. Best case is 1 hour (like today!); usual case 4 hours; worse case 7 and worst case is the computer has to be reimaged (wiped and start over again).
Rogues are scareware: they scare you into downloading and paying for them. Don't pay these crooks!
To avoid: don't log on with administrative priviliges, use a safer browswer (not IE), don't use msn as your home page and update everything all the time.
To fix: go into safe mode, download malwarebytes antimalware, update and scan. Sometimes processes are running that don't allow this. That's when you need the help of a technician. You don't want to end processes that can cause instability of your system.
After a rogue infection is cleaned: change passwords on all internet accounts. Your information may have been hijacked and it's a good idea to change passwords just in case. It's easy to remember a new password and not so easy to recover from an identity theft.
Rogues are scareware: they scare you into downloading and paying for them. Don't pay these crooks!
To avoid: don't log on with administrative priviliges, use a safer browswer (not IE), don't use msn as your home page and update everything all the time.
To fix: go into safe mode, download malwarebytes antimalware, update and scan. Sometimes processes are running that don't allow this. That's when you need the help of a technician. You don't want to end processes that can cause instability of your system.
After a rogue infection is cleaned: change passwords on all internet accounts. Your information may have been hijacked and it's a good idea to change passwords just in case. It's easy to remember a new password and not so easy to recover from an identity theft.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Shake shake shake... that window!
A windows 7 feature that you might not now about is Aero Shake. Simply shake the window that you want to work on and every other window will minimize instantly. Just grab the window and shake, shake shake!
Aero peek is an instant view of your desktop and it's open windows. Hover your cursor over the rectangle in the lower right corner of your screen.
Both of these features are in Windows 7 only; sorry Vista and Xp users!
Aero peek is an instant view of your desktop and it's open windows. Hover your cursor over the rectangle in the lower right corner of your screen.
Both of these features are in Windows 7 only; sorry Vista and Xp users!
Thursday, May 20, 2010
What's the Difference Between a Bug and a Virus?
They are both code, but that is where their similarities end.
A virus is a successfully written chunk of code with malicious intent. It can wipe out data or send it to another person. It can rob memory resources and affect the performance of your computer. A virus needs to be removed with an antivirus program or cleaned by a technician or skilled user.
A bug is unsuccessfully written, benevolant code. Its intent is to enhance program content or functionality, but the code did not blend with your operating system, browser, or add-ons. There is nothing you can do about this type of error. Restarting your computer might help you to regain functionality of the program, but your computer isn't in danger of being wiped out.
I've been experiencing a bug in Facebook error and restarting resolves my browsing ability, but the error hasn't been corrected so it will continue until the code is rewritten.
A virus is a successfully written chunk of code with malicious intent. It can wipe out data or send it to another person. It can rob memory resources and affect the performance of your computer. A virus needs to be removed with an antivirus program or cleaned by a technician or skilled user.
A bug is unsuccessfully written, benevolant code. Its intent is to enhance program content or functionality, but the code did not blend with your operating system, browser, or add-ons. There is nothing you can do about this type of error. Restarting your computer might help you to regain functionality of the program, but your computer isn't in danger of being wiped out.
I've been experiencing a bug in Facebook error and restarting resolves my browsing ability, but the error hasn't been corrected so it will continue until the code is rewritten.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
UPS Delivers.... Electricity!
UPS in computer hardware lingo mean uninterruptible power supply. If the electricity to your computer fails, a UPS can provide battery power long enough for you to save documents. UPS can save not only your work, but your computer. If you live in a building that has power problems and your computer constantly loses power, your hard drive can be damaged to the point it won't boot.
UPS's vary in size and length of time they provide power. The one I am using is about the size of a shoebox, but the battery inside it is only about the size of a pound of butter. Physical size doesn't matter as much as length of time. You should never plan on using a UPS for an extended period of time. All electricity is not the same. Only use a UPS to provide temporary power long enough to get your work saved and your computer properly powered down.
APC is one of the most popular providers of UPS power. Here's a look at one of their personal UPS backup solutions: APC Back-UPS ES 8 Outlet 550VA 120V. Here's a UPS from one of their competitors:
CyberPower CP1000AVRLCD 9-Outlet Intelligent LCD UPS (1000VA/600W)
One rule of thumb when using UPS protection: only essential appliances get plugged into UPS outlets. Printers are not essential for shutting down a computer so they do not get plugged into UPS power supplies. Even though a monitor is a big power hog, it needs to be plugged into the UPS because you can't see the screen to shut down the computer.
UPS's vary in size and length of time they provide power. The one I am using is about the size of a shoebox, but the battery inside it is only about the size of a pound of butter. Physical size doesn't matter as much as length of time. You should never plan on using a UPS for an extended period of time. All electricity is not the same. Only use a UPS to provide temporary power long enough to get your work saved and your computer properly powered down.
APC is one of the most popular providers of UPS power. Here's a look at one of their personal UPS backup solutions: APC Back-UPS ES 8 Outlet 550VA 120V. Here's a UPS from one of their competitors:
CyberPower CP1000AVRLCD 9-Outlet Intelligent LCD UPS (1000VA/600W)One rule of thumb when using UPS protection: only essential appliances get plugged into UPS outlets. Printers are not essential for shutting down a computer so they do not get plugged into UPS power supplies. Even though a monitor is a big power hog, it needs to be plugged into the UPS because you can't see the screen to shut down the computer.
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