HomeComputerGuide.com

This is part three of a three part series about computer viruses and malware. Part one was about the virus problem and, most importantly, how you can’t rely totally on your antivirus software to keep viruses and malware off your computer. Part two was about virus and malware removal. Now that your computer is virus free today I’ll show you how to keep it that way.

There are no silver bullets when it comes to antivirus software. There are far too many threats created every day for any one company to keep up with them all. And even if your antivirus software is good at detecting viruses that doesn’t mean it’s good at removing them. That’s why I don’t believe in paying for antivirus programs like Norton and McAfee. I clean up a lot of virus infected computers and the majority of them have either Norton or McAfee installed. Since it’s possible to get a virus no matter what antivirus software you have installed why pay for it?

Although I don’t recommend paying for any computer security products it is important to have antivirus software installed on your computer. But you must also use common sense and keep your operating system and other software installed updated. Here’s my list of do’s and don’ts:

1. Turn on Automatic Updates in Windows and set them to install automatically. Also insure the Windows firewall is enabled.

2. Install an antivirus program that updates its definitions at least once daily. The free antivirus programs I recommend are AVG Anti-Virus and AntiVir. In addition to installing either one of those I would recommend adding another layer of defense. For this I’ve been using Panda Cloud. It’s light on resources and is good at keeping viruses off your computer.

3. Don’t install any free software from the internet unless it’s from
   www.download.com. Download.com guarantees no viruses or other malware will come along for the ride and they have a huge selection of free software. So before you download that torrent or free MP3 stop and reconsider. Is it really worth a computer infection?

4. If you’re still using Internet Explorer, stop! I recommend using
   Google Chrome instead. It’s faster and more secure.

5. Be careful where you surf on the internet. A vast number of virus infections today are spread by unscrupulous web sites. All you have to do is visit the website and a script can run to infect your PC. The best advice I can give is to be careful where you surf. And don’t click on links in Facebook or anywhere else on the internet unless you know it’s taking you to a safe website.

6. Don’t click on links from MSN Messenger or other instant message programs unless you’re absolutely certain they’re legit.

7. Also use caution when clicking links or opening files in your email messages. Don’t even watch that video someone sent you unless you’ve scanned the file for viruses first.

8. Don’t click on links in emails from your bank or the government that ask you to give any personal information. Call them instead. It’s far too easy for the bad guys to spoof an email address and create a website that looks legitimate so you could end up sending your personal info right to them.

9. If you’re asked to install updates for programs like Java, Flash or Acrobat Reader go ahead and install them. Often they’re fixing security gaps.

I hope you noticed a pattern. The easiest way to get a virus is when you click on a link or open a file! If in doubt error on the side of caution.

The virus/malware business is a very lucrative business so don’t expect them to fold up shop and go away any time soon. It’s their job to infect your computer. It’s primarily your responsibility to keep them off so you have to use caution and common sense.

If your computer is acting strange or your antivirus program tells you that you have a virus then refer to my last post for virus removal instructions.

-Bert

This is part two of a three part series about computer viruses and malware. In part one we talked about the virus problem and, most importantly, how you can’t rely totally on your antivirus software to keep viruses and malware off your computer. There are far too many viruses created every day for any one antivirus company to keep up with so there is no silver bullet. Of course you should still use antivirus software but you also have to use some caution and common sense on the internet.

Today we’re going to talk about virus removal and next week we’ll talk about virus prevention. If you’re wondering why we’re not talking about virus prevention first it’s because most people reading this probably have a virus already or will get one before they’re ready to take any action. Of course I’m not talking about you though! :)

Basically if your computer is doing anything out of the ordinary I would suggest scanning your computer with any of the following FREE anti-virus/malware programs below. It’s best to do this soon after you suspect you have a virus infection because your virus problem will get worse and harder to fix over time. If you wait too long you could lose your internet connection or worse, you may not be able to boot into Windows. At that point you’ll most likely have to pay someone to fix it.

These are my favorite free virus removal tools:

1. Malwarebytes (try this first)

2. SUPERAntiSpyware (try this second)

3. IObit Security 360

After you install the program run the Update so the virus definition files are current. Then run the scan, usually the Quick Scan is sufficient and only takes 10-15 minutes.

After you run any of the above, if it found any threats have the program remove them, reboot your computer and run the program again and insure it doesn’t find anything the second time. If it does, then try the next program in the list. You need to be sure your computer is clean and viruses are like mice, you never have just one. After these scans come back clean it’s a good idea to run a full scan using whatever antivirus program you have installed (Norton, McAfee, AVG, etc.).

Hopefully, after running the above program(s) you’ve taken care of your virus problem. Having cleaned up a lot of heavily virus infected computers I’ve found these programs can totally take care of the problem about 90% of the time.

Stay tuned for next week’s article about virus and malware prevention. Now that your computer is virus free I’ll tell you how to keep it clean. We have four computers in our house that get used almost daily and we haven’t had a virus on any of them.

-Bert

Over the next few weeks I’m going to discuss the virus problem, how to remove viruses and malware, and how to protect your computer from becoming infected by viruses. In today’s first installment I’ll talk about the problem of viruses and malware.

The problem of computer viruses has been evolving since the internet was born. In the past you could only catch a virus or malware by actually opening a file. Now you can become infected simply by going to a web site or opening an email.

There are over 4 million virus threats that are currently flagged by current antivirus programs. And that number increases by over 2,000 new threats every day! Depending on the virus the effects can range from annoying to destructive. The worst infections can delete files on your hard drive, make your computer inoperable, and some malware (keyloggers) can even capture and send your personal and financial information to the bad guys. Even a mild infection can slow down your computer and internet connection, cause annoying popup advertisements and redirect your internet browser’s homepage.

Unfortunately there’s no one program that’s good enough to remove and/or prevent every virus. There are some decent antivirus programs and there are some decent antispyware/malware programs but so far no one has created one program that can do both effectively. Also, some programs are better at virus prevention while others are better at virus removal.

Because of that, the main point I’d like to make today is that it’s primarily your job to keep viruses off your computer. That probably comes as a big surprise to a lot of people but don’t worry, it’s not difficult and we’ll cover everything you need to know. You just have to use the tools that are available, like antivirus software, but more importantly you have to use some caution and common sense on the internet.

The virus/malware business is a very lucrative business, generating about $8 billion a year for the bad guys, so don’t expect them to fold up shop and go away any time soon. And the bad guys can afford to pay their software developers a lot more money than the antivirus companies can.

Stay tuned for next week’s article. I’ve had the opportunity to clean up a lot virus infected computers and I’ll tell you how to do it.

-Bert

It’s amazing how much the world has changed since I grew up in the 70s and 80s. We’ve gone from movies on VHS, music on cassettes, playing Pac Man and talking to friends on hard-line telephones to a world where you can literally be plugged-in 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Today we have the internet, email, texting, twitter, blogs, facebook, video-chat, iPods, iPads, iPhones, ebooks, laptops, netbooks, Wii, Playstation, Xbox, and on, and on, and on… And you wonder why it’s so difficult to get your child’s attention today.  :)

Earlier this year the Kaiser Family Foundation published some incredible statistics on just how plugged-in our children are. I’d encourage you to read the full report at this link but here are some highlights.

• 8-18 year-olds devote an average of 7 hours and 38 minutes to using entertainment media across a typical day (more than 53 hours a week).
• Because they spend so much of that time ‘media multitasking’ (using more than one medium at a time), they actually manage to pack a total of 10 hours and 45 minutes worth of media content into those 7½ hours.
• TV remains the dominant type of media content consumed, at 4:29 a day, followed by music/audio at 2:31, computers at 1:29, video games at 1:13, print at :38, and movies at :25 a day.
• Three-quarters (74%) of all 7th-12th graders say they have a profile on a social networking site.
• 7th-12th graders report spending an average of 1:35 a day sending or receiving texts. (Time spent texting is not counted as media use in this study.)

Based on the evidence we can’t deny that raising children today is much different than it was even ten short years ago. For better or worse the game has changed and it’s important that we, as parents, adjust as well so we can raise happy, healthy and productive children in this new digital world.

I like the way Dr Tanya Byron, a Clinical Psychologist from the UK, put it:

“The virtual world and the real world do contain risks, and children left to navigate a solo path through either, face many dangers. The trouble is that although as adults we instinctively know how to protect our children offline, we often assume that their greater technological expertise will ensure they can look after themselves online. But knowledge is not the same as wisdom.”

So there you have it. Even if your children know more about this digital world than you do that knowledge does not translate into wisdom. It’s our job as parents to insure our children’s safety both offline and online.

Without further ado I’d like to give you some tools and ideas that can help.

1. The Kaiser Family Foundation found in their study that only about 30% of young people say they have rules about how much time they can spend watching TV, playing video games, and using the computer.  But when parents do set limits, children spend less time with media: those with any media rules consume nearly 3 hours less media per day than those with no rules.

2. Keep the TVs, computers and gaming consoles out of the bedrooms. All of these devices and activities should be done in a community or family room. I’ve never liked the idea of TVs in bedrooms but there’s not much danger in it since the TV, like an iPod is one-way media. But allowing a computer with internet access in a bedroom can be very dangerous since a child can communicate with absolutely anyone in the world at any time of the day or night. That’s scary!

3. If you have children that use a computer to access the internet you need to install an internet filter. Children don’t go looking for trouble on the internet but a simple typo in a search engine or clicking the wrong link can expose your children to things you would never want them exposed to. Here’s some Internet Filtering Software Reviews. They all have different features and some cost more than others. In our house we use an excellent free internet filter called K9 Web Protection so if cost was an issue now you have no excuse. Install a web filter today.

4. If you ever wonder if a movie, game or website is appropriate for your children there’s a great website that gives excellent reviews of all types of media and shows what ages the media is appropriate for. Check out CommonSenseMedia.org.

5. Probably the most important thing you can do is talk to your kids about their media use. Knowing you care is huge so don’t ever be afraid to ask your children who their texting, what games they’re playing, what websites they visit, etc.. And if you don’t understand something about all the new technology just ask your kids. They’d probably be happy to teach you a thing or two.

The game has changed but you can’t lose unless you decide to just put your head in the sand. So get in the game, you can do it and your children deserve it!

-Bert

Last weekend I finally had a chance to update my Toolbox of free software I use to remove and prevent viruses and other malware:

Free Virus & Spyware Removal Tools

I’m still using a lot of the same great free programs I’ve been using for a long time. Malwarebytes and SUPERAntiSpyware are still my top picks to remove viruses. AVG and AntiVir are my picks for real time virus protection and CCleaner is still my favorite for cleaning up Windows to keep your computer running fast.

There are also a couple new programs as well. I’m currently testing Panda Cloud Antivirus as another layer of protection to be used in combination with AVG or AntiVir. Panda Cloud is super light on resources and is best at keeping viruses off your computer.

If you’re already using AVG or AntiVir install Panda Cloud in addition and let me know what you think.

Thanks!

-Bert

TigerDirect has a great deal on an Acer Aspire AS5740-5255 LX.PM902.131 Notebook PC – Intel Core i3-330M 2.13GHz, 4GB DDR3, 320GB HDD, DVDRW, 15.6″ Display, Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit, Blue.

If I were in the market for a laptop today that’s the one I’d buy. We have three Acer laptops in our house and I highly recommend them. These probably won’t last long at this price.

-Bert

I’ve been working on Windows computers for nearly two decades and have never been compelled to use anything else. But a recent experience with something called Linux Ubuntu has turned my computer world view on its head!

You’ve probably heard of Linux, and you may have even heard that Dell sells computers loaded with Ubuntu. But what could be so earth shattering that it’s got some geek going bananas over it!?

Let me start at the beginning.. About a week ago I started working on someone’s computer with Windows XP Professional. From what I understood, Windows prompted the user to do an update and as soon as it was installed, their computer no longer worked.

I’ve seen that happen before and normally don’t have any problems fixing it but this computer was really bad. After a few hours of trying different things I called my customer and explained that they’d be better off buying a new PC than paying me for several hours of labor. So I gave them a backup of their hard drive files and didn’t charge them anything. To my surprise, they graciously gave me the computer.

If you’re getting bored, hold on, this is where it starts getting good! You see, I couldn’t look at that computer sitting on my bench every day and not do anything about it. A couple people at work had been talking to me about Linux but part of my job is working with a UNIX server and running command lines just isn’t that exciting to me, so I put it off. But now, low and behold, I had an older computer with a mishmash of hardware and no operating system.

It was the longest wait of my life (not really, I went to sleep) downloading the 700MB Ubuntu to burn to a CD. The rest of the setup was so simple it made loading Windows look like brain surgery. 

I have to give one word of caution here. A while back I got a call from a lady I know from church. Her son tried to make their Windows PC into a dual boot computer so they could boot into either Windows or Ubuntu. Unfortunately all of their files were wiped out during the installation. So the lesson is, don’t try this unless you’ve backed up all your important files! And I’m not even going to talk about making your computer dual boot since the computer I was working on didn’t have a working copy of Windows anyway. OK, enough of the disclaimer!

After about 15 minutes, I had Ubuntu loaded and was prepared for the worst. But to my astonishment all the hardware was detected and worked and I was looking at a very nice desktop! And that’s just the beginning.  At work I design applications and occasionally they even let me build them. What caught me off guard was how intuitive they made the Ubuntu operating system. I couldn’t help thinking, if I were to design an operating system, it would be just like this one…

Click the pics to enlarge them

I’ve only been playing around with Ubuntu for about a week but here’s what I like best:

1. It’s FREE! Yes that means I didn’t have to pay Microsoft or anyone else hundreds of dollars for the ability to make this hunk of metal into a functional PC.

2. It’s FAST! The install was very fast compared to Windows, the boot-up is fairly quick and the shutdown is fast. What’s most impressive though is working with multiple documents and browsers open. In fact, right now I have a several browsers open and a few different versions of this document and I’m only using half of my 512MB of RAM.

3. It’s EASY! Here’s where I was really amazed. This OS comes pre-loaded with everything most people use a computer for. It comes with Firefox for Internet browsing, which worked perfectly from the moment I booted the computer. It also comes with OpenOffice which is just like Microsoft Office, without the Bill Gates price tag attached. You can even create or edit Microsoft Office documents. It comes with Evolution Mail, which is a full blown email program like Outlook that includes contacts, calendars and everything else you need.

Need another application? Simply go into Add/Remove programs and pick from a long list of other free programs to install.

Aside from the pre-installed programs I really like how the desktop is set up.  There’s a top and a bottom toolbar that are very simple and well organized so things are easy to find. One of the things I like best though is something called “Big Desktop” that allows you to move back and forth between two separate desktop views. It’s like a dual monitor setup but with only one monitor.

I could go on and on about this amazing Operating System but instead I’ll just leave you with the fact that a few days ago, the computer I’m now using to write this was virtually worthless. Microsoft had crashed it with one of their own updates.. Given no money and not much time I now have a fully functional computer and couldn’t be happier :)

If you’ve got an old computer just lying around it’s time to dig it out of the closet and put Ubuntu on it!

-Bert

In celebration of their 15th anniversary, Check Point Software will be giving away their ZoneAlarm Pro software for free!

This offer is only good for 24 hours starting at 6 AM PDT on Tuesday November 18th, 2008.

ZoneAlarm is excellent security software that includes a firewall plus identity theft and spyware protection. Normally they charge $39.95 for this software which includes one year of updates. 

Be sure to click here on Tuesday to get your free copy of ZoneAlarm Pro.

Thank you Check Point Software!

-Bert

Caring for your computer hardware today will go a long way towards extending its life. I’d like to share with you some easy things you can do to keep your computer running in top form.

1. Many of the computer desks available today have a closed cabinet for you to place your computer in. Computers need circulating air to keep them from overheating. I recently replaced a video card that got too hot and blew some capacitors because it was in a closed cabinet. 

If possible try to put your computer out in the open and up off the ground. Also the environment should be moisture, smoke and dust free if possible.

2. I’m often asked if it’s better to leave a computer left on or shut it down when you’re done until the next time you need it. If you use your computer daily it’s best to leave it on. Every time you have to cold start your computer it causes stress to the electrical components. 

Leaving your computer on is better for it but make sure you’re using the energy saving features that turn off your monitor and hard drives after a set amount of time. I don’t recommend the Windows hibernate feature though. Also insure your computer is plugged into a surge protector and that you’re using a firewall if you have a broadband connection. The Windows firewall is sufficient, Comodo’s free firewall is even better.

3. Dust inside the computer case can plug fans and coat components causing your computer to work extra hard and overheat. I worked on a computer recently that the fans were literally plugged with dust and debris. 

The extra stress and heat caused three blown transistors right next to the processor and a fourth was bulging. 

The life of this computer has been cut short due to too much dust. Once a year I make it a point to clean up the inside of my computers. I also clean the inside of every computer I fix.

Here’s how to do it:

A. Shut down the computer and unplug it.

B. Open the case. Usually it’s as easy as removing two screws in the back of the computer or pushing a latch. See the documentation that came with your computer if you’re not sure how to open the case.

C. There’s a huge debate about whether you should use a vacuum or not since vacuums can create static electricity which can cause permanent damage to the computer. Everyone agrees though that using compressed air is OK to use as long as you keep the can upright. If you tip the can it starts blowing moisture and can even freeze components in the computer. 

I’ve always used a combination of compressed air and a vacuum. You might want to do this outside or in the garage if you don’t want a bunch of dust blown into your house. I usually just hold the computer hose outside the case and blow the compressed air to dislodge the dust.

If the computer is really dirty and you can see that the fans/heat-sinks are plugged and components are coated with dust you can carefully use a small paintbrush and/or these great, inexpensive vacuum micro attachments. Personally I would never purchase the special vacuums created specifically for vacuuming out computers because most of them get bad reviews.

4. While the computer is still unplugged, close the case and take a slightly damp rag and wipe down the exterior of the computer. I usually wait at least a couple hours after doing step 3 and 4 before I plug in and turn on the computer.

5. Next I unplug and clean the monitor. It’s very important that you don’t just start spraying Windex on your screen. LCD screens used on laptops and flat screens can be ruined using abrasive cleaners. Personally, I use Monster ScreenClean Display Cleaning Kit that includes a reusable MicroFiber cloth to clean any type of screen. Don’t spray the screen, spray the cloth then wipe the screen gently. You can find other screen cleaning options in your owner’s manual or a quick Google search.

6. You’ll also want to clean your keyboard. I usually just turn the keyboard over and shake it out then use compressed air to blow the dust out.

Following these simple and inexpensive steps to keep your computer hardware clean will extend its life and save you money in the long run so get started today!

-Bert

Due to the price of gas falling below $2.79 a gallon, CodeWeavers Inc. will be giving away its CrossOver software tomorrow only!

Unfortunately not everyone can use their software since it’s for Mac and Linux users and allows them to run Windows software on their computers. If you use a Mac or Linux or know someone who does, spread the word.

This giveaway is for one day only, Tuesday, October 28th. Visit the CodeWeavers site for the details and to get your free CrossOver software that even includes support!

-Bert