Your Home Computer Guide

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

If your computer runs a Microsoft Operating System, there’s one free program you should not be without. 

CCleaner (Crap Cleaner) is a free system optimization tool that removes unused and temporary files from your system - allowing Windows to run faster, more efficiently and giving you more hard disk space. 

One of my favorite past-times is fixing other peoples computers and I’m always amazed when I run CCleaner on a PC and see just how much junk Windows collects. I’ve seen over 3GBs of junk removed by CCleaner. The result was simply a faster, cleaner computer.

You’ve probably noticed that your computer was much faster when it was brand new, but over time it has slowed down. Just to give you an idea how much junk gets collected, I ran CCleaner to insure my PC was clean. See the screenshot below:

Then I opened Internet Explorer and browsed to three popular websites. First, I checked my email, then a news site, and finally my local weather. I didn’t click any links on those sites I simply went to their home-pages. As you can see from the screenshot below, visiting those three websites in about 15 seconds Windows managed to collect 2.25MBs of junk..

Just to give you an idea how much 2.25MB is, an MP3 music file is usually about twice that size. And if I can pick that up in 15 seconds of surfing, just think how much junk is on your PC if you’ve never run CCleaner..

So how often should you run CCleaner? I’d recommend at least every week or two.

CCleaner deletes files, including your cookies. So if you save websites usernames and/or passwords be sure to go into Options > Cookies and move any cookies you’d like to keep over to the “Cookies to Keep” side before running CCleaner the first time.

I won’t mention any names but, there are companies out there that will charge you for software that does exactly the same thing CCleaner does. 

CCleaner is the fastest and easiest way to clean up your PC. And, since it’s free, it’s a no-brainer. Download CCleaner today.

Happy Computing!

-Bert

OK, so I was working on the national financial crisis today and started thinking, hmmm, what if we don’t give 1 trillion dollars to a bunch of fat cats who ran their companies into the ground??

Let’s see.. there are about 218 million people in America over the age of 18. Lets divide that one trillion dollars by the 218 million adults so we can pay off our own debt or really boost the economy by blowing it on stuff we don’t need to impress people we don’t even like.

Here’s where it gets cool, because I was thinking how much money that would be for each person. Problem was, my archaic calculator doesn’t have enough digits for 1 trillion (how many zeros is that anyway??).

So I go to Google and type in “1 trillion divided by 218 million” and it worked!! Try it and see how much we should be getting. The sad part is, that’s actually the number we’ll all end up contributing so the fat cats can keep getting fatter..

Well, at least we have a cool calculator

-Bert

There are so many different kinds of viruses, trojans, spyware, and adware they’re often all lumped together and just referred to as as malware (malicious software). By the end of 2009 experts predict that there will over a million malware programs trying to disrupt your computing experience and steal your personal information. 

The sad reality is that most people don’t use effective virus protection or follow my 11 steps to protect their computers from viruses and other malware.  Not only are most computers at risk but, until someone’s computer actually gets infected by malware, they don’t even think about it.

If you’re one of those people one day you’ll probably experience one or more of the following signs and symptoms of computer malware:

1. Lots of annoying pop-up advertisements.

2. Dialog boxes popping up telling you that you have a virus or other problems. 

3. New toolbars on your internet browser.

4. Your internet Home Page has changed.

5. New Favorites in your browser that you didn’t put there.

6. Your computer has slowed down or even crashes and restarts on its own.

7. Programs not working or files not opening.

If you ever get a pop-up window telling you that your computer has a virus or registry problem and telling you to buy some program to fix the problem, DON’T! 99% of these are viruses, trojans and adware just trying to sell you software that will just make things worse. All they want is your money.

This is exactly what you need to do if you’re experiencing any of the signs/symptoms above:

1. Download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware. (Save it to your desktop)

2. Close all programs and windows on your PC, including your web browser.

3. Rename the downloaded mbam-setup.exe file to mb.exe to help work around certain malware that will block it from being run.

4. On your Desktop double-click mb.exe to install the removal program. Leave the default settings.

5. Update the program if asked and begin the Quick Scan.

6. After it’s finished running click the Remove Selected button.

7. When finished you can close the program.

If you’re still experiencing problems, run an online scan at Eset.com. 

To keep from getting infected in the future, follow my 11 steps to computer security.

Happy Computing!

-Bert

By day I’m an application developer but on most evenings and weekends I fix other people’s computers. No matter what’s wrong with a computer I fix, the one thing I do to every one of them is optimize it. 

Most computers are loaded down with junk software, so even if it’s brand new, it still runs slower than it could. Also, over time Windows collects a lot of junk that accumulates and slows down your computer even more.

A while back I made a video that shows exactly what I do to every computer to speed it up and optimize it. If you watch the video and take these simple steps your computer should boot up faster and run faster.

The best part is I’m making this video available for free. For how long, I haven’t decided yet

Here’s the link:  http://fix-my-slow-pc.com/

Enjoy!

-Bert

Since the dawn of the internet there have been people writing malicious programs intent on ruining your computing experience.

In the beginning viruses were like teenagers spray-painting walls. They seemed to arise out of boredom and had no other purpose than to bother you. For the most part these early viruses were pretty easy to get rid of.

As time went on and the internet became more popular the people writing the malicious code had only one thing in mind, using their programs to steal your money.

Recently I read that creating spyware, viruses and trojans is a very profitable business. Seven billion dollars a year is stolen from people like you and me by people who can’t seem to make a living any other way. They certainly aren’t making a positive impact in the world in which they live.

Emailing their destructive code has been their method of choice for several years. They figure, all they have to do is get you to open your email and they win. How much easier is it for them now that they’re able to spoof their email address so it looks like it’s coming from a Fortune 500 company.

In the past couple weeks there have been two very large companies who have put out warnings to not open email from them. First there was UPS who put out the following warning:

We have become aware there is a fraudulent e-mail being sent that says it is coming from UPS and leads the reader to believe that a UPS shipment could not be delivered. The reader is advised to open an attachment reportedly containing a waybill for the shipment to be picked up. This e-mail attachment contains a virus. We recommend that you do not open the attachment, but delete the e-mail immediately.

And just yesterday Northwest Airlines issued the following warning:

Northwest Airlines on Friday warned e-mail users to watch out for phony messages using the company’s name that may be infected with a computer virus. The Eagan-based carrier said the e-mails contain fake ticket confirmation and enrollment information and infect the user’s computer when attachments are opened. The e-mails thank the recipient for using the new service “Buy flight ticket Online” on the airline’s Web site. It states an account has been set up and gives the e-mail user an account number and password.

For a long time email users have been warned about opening email attachments. The first virus I ever encountered was from a friend who emailed me a cool video. I thought it was so cool I forwarded it to my parents. Unfortunately we all got infected with a computer virus… Thankfully it was pretty easy to rid our computers of it and we all learned a valuable lesson.

Unfortunately, people are still learning this same lesson every day and are more likely to have lost some money in the process.

Thankfully, there are some pretty simple ways you can protect yourself.

1. Install antivirus software that checks your email if you use an email client like Microsoft Outlook. A very good free antivirus program that does this is AVG. If you’d rather pay for antivirus software, use Eset’s Nod32. Most of the major web based email portals like Gmail and Yahoo mail have antivirus software on their server that checks attachments.

2. Delete email from anyone you don’t know or the subject line seems strange. Don’t even open the email message.

3. Even if an email message appears to come from someone you know or a business be skeptical of it and don’t click any links or open any attachments unless you’re absolutely sure it’s legitimate.

Sorry that I haven’t had a chance to write in a while. I live in a place where you only have a few months to enjoy the nice weather outside :).

Happy computing!

-Bert

Over the years, I’ve run into several situations where I needed remote access to a computer. Before I found a solution I can remember frustrating conversations with my parents, who live about 3 hours away. They’d call because they were having a computer problem and I’d listen to what was happening and try to walk them through solutions. Many times the problem wouldn’t get resolved and we’d all be frustrated because of the difficulty of trying to troubleshoot without being able to see the problem.

Thanks to some excellent companies who provide free remote access software I can now log into their computer, see their desktop and remotely control their computer to quickly resolve the problem. If you’re concerned about security, both programs I recommend use a secure connection and authentication so you never have to worry about someone else logging in.

I’ve found two different situations requiring remote desktop control and the perfect piece of free software for each. The first is when you want to remotely access a computer when nobody is on the other end. Maybe you need to access a file or your email on your home computer from work or while on vacation. I’ve remotely accessed my home PC on more than one occasion and emailed myself a file I needed. I also work with a couple computers at church that I sometimes need to access from home.

For situations like these the perfect free solution is LogMeIn.com. The process is simple. From the computer you want to remotely access, go to LogMeIn.com and on the home page click the link to Download LogMeIn Free. Fill out the short signup form, download the software and install it on the PC. Once that’s done you can remotely access that computer from anywhere as long as it’s turned on. From any other computer just go to LogMeIn.com, log in to your account and very quickly you’ll have full remote access to that computer.

The other situation is when a friend or relative calls and wants you to help them with a computer problem. In these situations you probably haven’t had the opportunity to install LogMeIn on their computer and quite possibly they wouldn’t want you to be able to access it at any time anyway. As long as their computer has internet access and they can take a couple minutes to get their PC ready there’s an excellent free solution for this type of situation as well. TeamViewer is a fairly new program but I’ve used it several times and really like it.

Have the person needing help go to TeamViewer.com and from the home page click the Start Customer Module link. When they click the link they’ll get the option to either Run or Save the file. They can just click Run. The file is a little under 1MB so, on a broadband connection, it should only take a couple seconds to download and install. Once installed, the program will present a window with an ID and a Password. They’ll need to give you both of these in order for you to connect to them.

At this point you’ll also want to go to TeamViewer.com and click the Start Full Version link. This will download and install a program that’s just a little over 1MB. Once it’s running, it’ll allow you to enter the ID and Password the person on the other end gave you and, within seconds, you’ll have full remote access to their computer desktop.

Please keep in mind that the free versions of these programs are for personal use only, but if you want to use them for business purposes, both companies sell a commercial version.

Thank you to both LogMeIn.com and TeamViewer.com for providing free software that has made remote computer access simple and made frustrating troubleshooting phone calls a thing of the past!

Regards,

-Bert

LogMeIn Tutorial:

 

According to Symantec’s recent Internet Security Threat Report  the number of malicious software (malware) detected has surpassed the one million mark. Unfortunately the number of new viruses, trojans and spyware is increasing at an alarming rate, with nearly 70% of the existing malware being created in 2007. Trojan Horses lead the pack of infections by a large margin.

Not only are malicious programs on the increase, they’re also becoming more tenacious. It’s becoming harder for the average computer user to clean up their computer after it’s been infected. In many cases malware quickly multiplies from one infection to dozens, making restoring the computer to a clean state extremely difficult without professional assistance.

In the past the most common way your computer could become infected was by opening an email attachment. Today, the most common way to get infected is by visiting an infected website. Since most people own a computer to surf the internet and email the chances of your computer becoming infected are very high. Panda Security, in a recent test, found that 23% of computers with up to date security solutions are infected with malware. Depending on the source, anywhere from 70-90% of computers that aren’t running a current antivirus program are already infected.

The dangers of an infected computer are scary. Besides the annoyance of pop-up windows and a slow computer much of the current malware is designed to monitor your surfing habits, display advertisements for bogus software promising to remove viruses, and record your login usernames and passwords for sites you visit, including banking and credit card sites. “Increasingly, Symantec has observed that malicious activity has moved away from targeting computers and towards targeting end users themselves. Specifically, attackers are targeting confidential end-user information that can be used in fraudulent activity for financial gain.”

Many people are quick to degrade Microsoft because most malware targets their operating system and web browser. But since 90% of computers in use today run a Microsoft Operating System it’s obvious why they’re the main target. That being said, if you have no intention of insuring your computer is protected from malware you should either buy a Mac or switch to one of the popular Linux Operating Systems, like Ubuntu.

If you continue to use a Microsoft Operating System, like Windows 2000, XP, or Vista, then your only choices are to either insure you’re properly protected or become a victim of malware. Here are some things anyone running a Microsoft Operating System should do:

1. Turn on Microsoft Automatic Updates and set them to install automatically.

2. Insure you have System Restore turned on in case you need it.

3. Back up your important computer files like tax files, resumes, etc..

4. Run antivirus software with current updates. If you’re antivirus definition updates have expired the program is useless. Here are some great options.

Free Programs - Use AGV Free Edition or Avira AntiVir.

Paid Programs - Use NOD32 or Avira Antivir.

5. Run antispyware software with current updates. If you’re running a free antivirus program or your antivirus program doesn’t protect against spyware make sure your running one of these free programs as well. Spyware Terminator or Windows Defender.

6. Consider using Firefox or Opera instead of Internet Explorer for web surfing.

7. Don’t open email from people you don’t know. Even the pictures shown in emails can infect your computer.

8. Never respond to an email that appears to be from your bank or credit card company asking you to go to a website to verify any personal account information. If you get an email like that delete the email and call them using a phone number you have on file for them.

9. Insure you have your Windows firewall turned on, or an even better option is the free Comodo firewall.

10. Don’t install free programs unless they’re from a reliable source like download.com.

11. Don’t use P2P file sharing programs like BitTorrent, Limewire, Morpheus, etc..

The stakes are high when it comes to your computer security and protection. There are now over one million malicious programs out there intent on stealing your identity and financial information, invading your privacy, and destroying what should be an enjoyable computing experience. Following these 11 computer security tips will help you to be safe and not become a victim.

Happy Computing!

-Bert

Have you ever been reading something on your computer and thought, “wow, that font size is so small it’s making my eyes hurt”? There’s a really easy way to increase or decrease the font size. Simply press the Ctrl key on your keyboard and use the scroll wheel on your mouse to increase or decrease the size.

If you don’t have a scroll wheel on your mouse you can press Ctrl and use the + and - keys on your keyboard. Pressing Ctrl 0 (zero) will set it back to the original size.

I’ve found this works in both Windows XP and Vista in nearly any application. It’ll even increase or decrease the size of your desktop icons. Give it a try!

Regards,

-Bert

If you run Windows Vista you may have encountered one its many bugs if you’ve ever tried to unzip a compressed file. A file with a ZIP extension is simply one or several files that have been compressed into a single, smaller file. It’s common when downloading files from the Internet to get them in ZIP format.

This evening I was reminded of the issue when I downloaded a fairly small ZIP file. It contained 580 files but was less than 2MBs so it should have unzipped in a few seconds. Using Vista extraction would have taken over an hour!

Hopefully Microsoft will come out with a patch soon but in the meantime I’d suggest downloading the free 7-Zip program HERE.

Using 7-Zip I extracted all 580 files in about 2 seconds. Sure beats waiting 1+ hour using the Vista method!

Regards,

-Bert