How Safe Is Your Computer ?

by: Arvind Singh

Your computer can be open to attack from different types of spyware. Spyware constitutes those programs that are deliberately lodged in your computer without your approval or knowledge. The only way to escape spyware or at least minimize its effects is to install antispyware software on your pc.

If you surf the web, you can be sure that you face the ongoing risk of spyware or adware. It is time you updated your antispyware programs to keep your PC healthy. But first let us briefly examine the most common types of spyware.

Gone are the days when viruses were expected only via our email. Now we don't even have to click a link to be infected. All we have to do is browse the Internet, and it's an open invitation to spyware. Spyware constitutes those programs that are deliberately lodged in your computer without your approval or knowledge. You can never live without spyware and adware protection.

Types Of Spyware

Adware is the worst form of spyware. These programs lay in wait for you to connect to the Internet and then they send you popups that give you all kinds of offers. And while you are thinking how considerate those websites are, these fake popups are actually recording your viewing habits and smuggling them off to marketing companies who sell you junk.

Another irritating form of spyware is the browser hijacker. After installing themselves on your PC, they just change your default homepage and search engine. When you start your web browser, you'll find that you are flooded with ads, porn and other stuff you don't want. The scary part of this is that they mine data - which means they report your surfing habits to someone who uses the information unethically.

Keyboard loggers are thieves who steal your PIN number when you bank online. They get your passwords. This means, without spyware protection, your personal information and assets can be stolen. Then there are Diallers that enter your PC through a virus infection, adult websites, warez, or even MP3s. A dialler is software that dials numbers at premium rates when you are not around and you end up with bills for thousands of dollars.

If you use file-sharing programs, while installing it, spyware also gets installed, unless you read your end user agreements carefully or have antispyware software installed to keep these Trojans away. Imagine having every keystroke recorded, and your private instant messages, emails and other conversations being logged and reported elsewhere without you knowing about it! No - not the best situation to be in! So, never be without spyware protection.

Is There Freedom From Spyware?

The only way to escape spyware or at least minimize its effects is to install antispyware software on your pc. Some programs just remove the spyware but cannot prevent new spyware from coming into your pc. Get firewall software, if you use broadband or high-speed connections. Avoid clicking on links that promise you free movies, prizes, free software etc. Update your antispyware program and scan your PC regularly.


About The Author
Arvind Singh is admin and technical expert associated with development of computer security and performance enhancing software like Registry Cleaner, Window Cleaner, Anti Spam Filter etc.
More information can be found at
http://www.pcmantra.com

To know about the Registry Cleaner visit at:
http://www.pcmantra.com/registry-cleaner.htm

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Things You Need To Know Before Choosing A New Computer

By teahupoo

Many people when getting a new computer already know what they need in a good computer but to others it is like a totally different language. Many people already know exactly what they need and want to get the master computer. Others are like well should I just get this computer or that one. You need to know what you need before you buy random things.The person that is buying the computer should know what they need or what they need the computer for.

The right answer to what you need is the largest and fastest. It would be a good idea to go ahead and just buy the best just to save money in the long run.If you are a starter then you will just want to buy the computer that has everything you need to get started. Like monitor keyboard, CPU, and mouse.The next thing you will need to know is what you are going to be using the CPU for. Are you going to just be surfing the internet or playing games online. You will want to know what you are going to be using your CPU for.

There are many different CPUs for many different users.The other thing that is perhaps most important is the price range. How much are you willing to spend and how much you can spend at most. You will need to spend however much it takes to get what you want, especially if you are wanting the best.You will want to get the CPU with the biggest hard drive, the fastest CPU and the most RAM. You are probably saying I only need basic well its better to at least get a little but upgraded so you don't have to upgrade all that much in the future. If you are buying a package you will at least want to stick with the well known brands of computers going off the path will lead you to crashes and breakdowns of the lower quality computer.

Even though those other brands may be a bit more expensive it will be worth it when you have a working computer to use and not a broke down one.You should already know where you are going to buy it from and if not you will need to start looking because there are a lot of places that sell them for cheap and a lot of places that sell them for way more than they are worth.

Newegg is a good place to get a built computer or package they have good parts and computers for cheaper prices. If you are a newbie then maybe you just need the simple package if you are a gamer then you probably already know what to do.

About the Author
Gregg Hall is an author living with his beautiful wife and family in Navarre Beach, Florida. Find more about computers as well as computer accessories at http://www.computersystemsandaccessories.com

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Computer Hardware and Software

by : Infusionx

Looking to buy a new desktop personal computer system?
Owing to the changing nature of the PC Hardware industry and declining prices, it makes it all that much more difficult. Here come many of the basic items to examine when comparing desktop computer systems so that you can make an informed purchasing decision. Most PC Dealer bundle the configuration you require.

A PC is made up of the CPU (Central Processing Unit or Processor, as we know) and the Mother Board (MB) on which it fits into. MB supports many other hardware, either inbuilt or add-ons. It has slots for RAM (usually called Memory) and for other cards such as Modem, Video-graphics card, Sound Card etc. It also has lots of ports to support input, output and storage devices, peripherals and what not.

For Processors there are two basic choices, brand and speed. A lot of change is happening in the market. Both Intel and AMD are starting to produce dual core processors, but they aren't required for most people. Budget CPUs can be found around the 2.4 to 3.0 GHz (PR of 3000+ and below) range, mid-range at 2.8 to 3.2 GHz (PR of 3200+ to 3800+) and high-end processors at or above 3.4 GHz(PR above 4000+).

Budget Processors: these are on the verge of phasing out but are good for low end purposes such as word-processing etc.They are AMD Athlon 64, AMD Sempron 64, Intel Celeron D 300 Series, Intel Pentium 4 (Socket T), Intel Pentium D 805 Through 820.

Middle Processors: This is the segment of the market that is probably the best overall value for your computing dollar.The range is AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ to 4600+ (Socket AM2), Intel Pentium D 900 Series, Intel Core 2 Duo E6300 to E6700.

Top of the Line Processors: This is the cream of the crop when it comes to processing power. If you absolutely must have the best thing out there for your new computer than this is what you want to look at. AMD Athlon 64 FX-60 and higher, AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+ and higher, Intel Core 2 Extreme X6800, QX6700 and higher.

RAM is important because to run your system optimally. The minimum of 512MB PC2100 DDR or PC2700 DDR RAM should be there even for budget systems. Though1GB of RAM provides much better performance. DDR2 PC3200 can be found on newer Intel systems. When buying memory, try to buy as few DIMMs as possible to allow for future memory upgrades if needed.

Hard drives is for storage. Most hard drives available now will provide you with more than enough storage. Look for atleast 80 GB 7200 rpm drive as the minimum. If you really want performance, look for drives with 8MB or 16MB of cache. Drives will either be Serial ATA or IDE but performance levels are roughly the same.

Optical Drives. Most systems, including budget systems, sold now feature multiformat DVD burners that can support both the +R/RW and -R/RW formats and 16x for the recordable speed as well as Dual or Double Layer media support. If you don't need a DVD burner, try to at least get a CD-RW/ DVD combo drive of 24x recording speed to allow for CD media storage and DVD playback.

Video Card
Owing to rapid change in technology it is difficult to choose the right one. Card that supports DirectX 9 future capability, with 128MB of memory is the best. DVI connectors for digital LCD panels and multi-monitor support are the need of future. Otherwise there is wide range to fit your requirement. New systems should use PCI Express graphics cards over the previous AGP interface.

External Connectors
Many I/O devices, upgrades and peripherals to computers now connect through external interfaces instead of internal cards. Look for systems that have at least six USB 2.0 and one IEEE 1394 or FireWire ports.

Monitors
Choose least a 17 inch i.e 1280 by 1024 pixels resolution monitor. Choice is between bulky CRT or Sleek LCD monitors. CRTs provide a wide range of capabilities at a good price. LCDs take up less desk space but cost more and have limited capabilities.

Software
Goes with the PC are the set of software you require to work on it. Try only the reliable and widely used operating systems and software, anti virus solutions and firewalls. Not only the support is readily available, the Help (F1) is also handy. Microsoft offers most value-for-the-money readymade yet customizable solution. But assess your requirement first. Do not overload your system with unnecessary stuff. I t will be pain-in-the-ass every now and then. Oracle, Adobe, Sun Micro, Symantec, IBM etc. are also proving reliable solutions. You can go in for the custom made software, if security and confidentiality is your prime need.

About the Author

JBO Solutions provides computer hardware, software and services to all types of customers. Find out how you can reduce costs and increase productivity by using JBO Solutions Products and Services at http://www.jbosolutions.co.uk/

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Keeping Your Computer Safe From Viruses

By : matth02

To keep your computer safe from the multitude of computer viruses out there, there are several things you should be aware of. Let's examine a few that might just save your computer.

Get yourself high-quality virus protection software:

If you don't have virus protection software on your computer, you are pretty much leaving yourself open to viruses, spyware, malware, adware, worms, and other devious programs that can eventually lead to the destruction of your files and your computer. And, if you happen to be hit with a highly malicious virus, you can even become the victim of identity theft. A computer virus can literally get on to your computer, record every keystroke you make, and find out all of your passwords, bank account, and charge card information. So if you think that you don't need good virus protection software, ask yourself if ending up with a drained bank account is worth not taking the care to spend a few extra dollars on a virus protection program.

What is the best software for virus protection?

There are many, many companies that market and sell great virus protection software. Some of the top virus protection software available on the market for the year 2007 includes: The Shield Pro, Bit Defender 9, Norton Antivirus, Kaspersky 5.0, McAfee Virusscan, Trend PC-cillin, and Panda Antivirus.

Let's take a look at one of these programs. The Shield Pro, for example, is both an anti-virus and firewall program. (Note that many popular anti-virus software programs come with firewall protection as well.) The Shield Pro is a good program for people who don't know too much about computers or virus protection. This is due to the fact that it is very simple to install and use. It will literally walk the user right through the very short installation process, and explain what is going on. This particular program scans your computer once a week and updates itself just as often. You don't have to remember to run scans with this program, as it does it on its own. If you have a problem getting The Shield Pro to work, it comes with a live help option. The Shield Pro does not take up a lot of space on your hard drive, unlike other popular programs. Therefore, it will not slow down your system to get the virus protection that you need.

The importance of updating anti-virus software:

It cannot be stressed enough just how important it is to update your anti-virus program. This is because your anti-virus software will only be 100% effective if it is totally up-to-date. Typically, if you purchase anti-virus software, it comes with one year of free updates for virus protection. After your year runs out, you will still have the anti-virus software on your PC, however you will have to purchase additional updates and make sure that you keep them up-to-date! For example, when your year runs out, you can simply purchase service for another year or more.

About the Author

More Computer Security Articles at http://eComputerSecurity-Today.com. Learn how to operate a Successful Niche Website Network at http://ewebcreator.com/. Matthew Hick has been designing profitable Niche Adsense Websites for over 5 years.

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10 Easy Steps to Speed Up Your Computer - Without Upgrading

By Jim Shutes
Lapeer Tech Group

It seems that the longer you own your computer, the slower it gets! A lot of people will keep their computer until it gets so slow that they feel they need a newer, faster model. Some feel like the reason it is getting slower is because it is getting older, when that is just not the case. Your computer should run just as fast as the day you brought it home if you follow these 10 Easy Steps to Speed Up Your Computer.

1. Empty the Temp directory regularly.

After a short while, the temp directory fills up with hundreds of temp files that always get scanned over when Windows starts up and when programs launch. This slows everything down immensely.

Rule of thumb for Temp Files: If you don't have any programs open (and nothing minimized in the bar below), then you shouldn't have ANY temp files in your temp directory. If you do, delete them.

To delete Temp files, make sure NO programs are open, and :
a. In Windows 95, 98 or Me, go to C:WindowsTemp and delete everything inside the Temp folder.
b. In Windows 2000 or XP, it is a little trickier. First, make sure that you can see hidden folders. Double-click My Computer. Click on the Tools pull-down menu, and then on Folder Options. Click on the View tab. Scroll down and click on Show Hidden Files and Folders. Click Ok. Now you can go to the C:Documents and SettingsAdministratorLocal SettingsTemp folder. Delete everything here.

2. Empty the Temporary Internet Files regularly.

To empty Temporary Internet Files, go to your Control Panel and double-click the Internet Options icon. Choose to Delete Cookies, and to Delete Files. This will clear all of your Temporary Internet Files.

3. Check your hard disks for problems.

a. For Windows 95, 98, or Me, double-click My Computer. Right-click the C-drive and click on Properties. Click on the Tools tab and choose to check the computer for problems. If you choose to do a Thorough Scan, this will do the hardware check for physical disk damage or sector damage. Choose to fix any errors it finds.

b. For Windows 2000 and XP, double-click My Computer. Right-click the C-drive and click Properties. Click on the Tools tab and choose to check the computer for problems. Click on Check Now. You will then have two check boxes. The top option is for the file check, and the second option is for the hardware (physical disk) check. Check either one, or both. At least check the top one. Hit ok, and reboot. This may take some time, but let it run.

4. An even more thorough disk check,

would be to use a 3rd party utility. One of my favorites is TuneUp Utilities 2004. It does cost $39.99, but they do offer a FREE download trial of 15 days. This program does a really good job of fixing software and physical hard drive problems. It also tunes up your system for increased speed, and streamlines your operating system for peak performance. Download it HERE... http://www.lapeertechgroup.com/downloads.asp

5. Or, you can do a few of the performance tweaks yourself,

if you have Windows XP. By default, EVERYTHING is turned on in Windows XP. It isn't very streamlined for performance, but rather for appearance. You can turn off a few of the unnecessary features, and Windows will still work just fine, and maybe a little faster.

To do this, right-click on My Computer and click on Properties. Click on the Advanced tab. Under the Performance section, click on the Settings button. On the Visual Effects tab, you will see a list of check boxes. By default, these are all on. You really don't need any of them for Windows to run. Go through the check boxes one by one, and determine which ones you can and can't live without.

6. Turn off Active Desktop.

Active Desktop turns your desktop into a web page, and allows you to have things like a real-time calendar, and up-to-the-minute weather or stocks. These are nice, but really slow down your computer. And even if you don't use Active Desktop for anything, just having it active can cause a performance decrease. Turn it off.

a. In Windows 95, 98 and Me, right-click on the desktop and in the pop-up menu, choose Active Desktop. Inside that option, uncheck Active Desktop. If there is no check next to it, then it isn't on. Don't choose it. Instead, just click the desktop again to get out of the menu.

b. In Windows 2000, right-click on the desktop and in the pop-up menu, choose Active Desktop. Inside that option, uncheck Show Web Content. Again, if there is no check next to it, then it is not on. Do not check it.

c. In Windows XP, right-click on the desktop and in the pop-up menu, choose Properties. On the Desktop tab, choose Customize Desktop. Now, on the Web tab, make sure that there are no websites chosen here. If there aren't any, then Active Desktop is not on. Cancel and go back to the desktop.

7. Install and run a good AntiVirus program,

to keep out viruses that can take over your system. One of my favorites is AVG. It is not only a really good AntiVirus program, but it is also FREE! If you don't have any AntiVirus software on your computer, get AVG AntiVirus NOW by downloading HERE:
http://www.lapeertechgroup.com/downloads.asp

8. Get rid of Spyware.

A lot of computer users have Spyware and don't even know they have it, much less how to get rid of it. If your computer has been taking you to websites that you don't want to go to, or if you get pop-ups when you aren't even on the Internet, or if your computer has been running extremely slowly lately, for no reason, you probably have Spyware.

On all of the computers that I setup, I install two different AntiSpyware programs: AdAware SE and SpyBot. These two programs are highly recommended by TechTV (G4) and other computer authorities (including my own research on Spyware) and work very well together. They compliment each other and catch Spyware that the other misses, but together, do a very good job.

Get SpyBot HERE... http://www.lapeertechgroup.com/downloads.asp. Download all updates and run the Immunize option a couple of times.

AdAware SE does a good job when you keep up on the updates and manually scan your system with AdAware. Get it HERE... http://www.lapeertechgroup.com/downloads.asp

In some cases, when the Spyware has become too entwined into your system, even a computer repair technician can't get rid of the Spyware. At this point, it is better to just backup only what you need and have the operating system reinstalled. Believe me, when your computer gets to this point, you don't want to just put a “band-aid” on it. Just start from scratch with a clean system. It's the best way to go.

9. Streamline MSCONFIG.

One thing that really causes a HUGE performance decrease is to have unnecessary programs running in the background. Some of these programs can be seen in your System Tray (located next to the clock). These are tiny programs that are robbing you of memory and processing power. Some of them you need, while most you don't. Some of the programs you DON'T need are printer icons, CD burning icons, shortcuts to programs (such as video settings), AOL, any Instant Messaging Programs, etc. Just because these programs aren't always running, doesn't mean that you still can't print, burn CDs or Instant Message. They can all be run from a shortcut.

You can use a utility, called MSCONFIG, to turn OFF unnecessary Start Up items.
a. In Windows 98, Me, and XP, click on StartRun and type msconfig. Click on the Startup tab. This is a list of everything that is running in the background, some of which show up in the System Tray. Now, be careful, some of these you do need. Some items to keep are Ctfmon.exe (XP), Scan Registry (Win98, Me), Task Monitor (Win98, Me), System Tray (Win98, Me), LoadPowerProfile (Win98, Me), Rundll.32, any AntiVirus programs (such as McAfee, Norton, or AVG). Others, you can uncheck, such as NeroCheck, ypager, qttask, AOL, and any other Instant Messaging programs, or printing programs. Remember, if something doesn't work, because you turned it off, it can always be turned back on. You just have to reboot every time you make a change here. But, as you uncheck the unnecessary programs that run in the background, you will see that Windows loads much faster, that there are less icons in the System Tray, and that your system is much more “snappy” and quick to respond.

b. In Windows 2000, MSCONFIG wasn't supplied. You actually have to download and run an MSCONFIG utility. Download the MSCONFIG utility HERE:
http://www.perfectdrivers.com/howto/msconfig.html.

After you reboot, you will have a window that says that the configuration utility was edited. Just check not to show that in the future, a check box at the bottom. This just means that there was a change made to the MSCONFIG.

10. Defragment your hard drives.

NOTE: to efficiently defragment a hard drive, it likes to have 25% free space. It can still do the defragmentation with only 15% free space, but it takes quite a bit longer. If you can, delete any unnecessary files before deframenting your drives.

To defragment your hard drives (in any Windows operating system), double-click on My Computer. Right-click on the c-drive and click on Properties. Click on the Tools tab and choose the bottom button, to Defragment Now

Good luck. I hope this article has helped you. If you live in the Lapeer County, MI area, and would like a Professional professionally TuneUp your computer(s) in your home or business, please contact Lapeer Tech Group at (810) 793-1093, or visit our website at:
http://www.lapeertechgroup.com/

About the Author

I have worked in the IT field since 1989 and hold several Microsoft certifications. I am a network administrator and owner and operator of Lapeer Tech Group, located in Columbiaville, Michigan (just outside of Lapeer). During these years, I have supported both Macs and PCs, am an accomplished graphic and web designer, and have had the opportunity to support 2nd and 3rd level enterprise networks for GM, EDS, Delphi and Delco.

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When, Why, And How Should I Reformat My Hard Drive?

Submitted By: Timothy Scheiman

Sometimes we have no choice when it comes to reformatting your hard drive. Just make sure you understand that all your data will be lost unless you take the time to backup files you do not want to lose. This should only be done as a last resort.

When should I reformat my hard drive? If your windows files are corrupted beyond repair or you have files missing and all your attempts to repair have failed. If you have a virus and all your attempts at removal has not worked. Another reason would be if your computer is infected with spy-ware to the point you cannot open Internet Explorer or your computer's performance has slowed considerably. Another reason would be if your computer will not finish a successful de-frag

Why should I reformat my hard drive? One of the biggest complaints I used to get when working with a clients computer was that it was so slow and it used to be a lot faster. Computers will lose performance over many months of use if it has not been de-fragged, multiple spy-ware infections, multiple virus infections, registry errors, files left after we un-installed programs we are not using. All these factors over time will slow your computer to a crawl. It would be a good idea when your computer is to the point that all your attempts to correct the problems have not improved the situation. If your at this point than its time you make preparations to reload your computer.

How should I reformat my hard drive?

1. Before you can begin to reformat your hard drive you must try to backup any files you may want to keep. Keep in mind if your computer is infected so can the files your backing up be infected. Before you proceed with the backup process separate the files you want to keep into a separate folder. Any folders that contain files you want to keep you can drag and drop those into this folder too.

2. Run a scan virus and spy-ware on this folder and make sure these files are not infected. Any files that cannot be repaired get rid of them.

3. You can backup your folder easy if you have CDRW or zip drive. If you have a secondary hard drive you could just drag and drop those files into it. Just make sure you label your folder backup so you can find it easily. Many of you have songs and pictures you want to keep you can backup those too as long as they are clean from infection.

4. Don't forget to backup your history and bookmarks folder if you do not want to los that information. Take inventory of all items you want to keep and put them in this folder and scan them. This should keep your losses to minimum.

5. Your computer manufacturer would have given you a restore CD and driver CD. You should have least one of each depending on the manufacturer you may have more than just two. If you cannot find your CD's or they are damaged you can get replacement from your computer manufacturer for nominal fee. It is a good idea when you first take your computer out of the box to put the CD's in a safe place. You can also make backups of them so if they become damaged you don't have to buy replacements.

6. If your computer came loaded with Windows XP it is very easy to reformat your computer with the CD. Do not copy Windows over Windows always delete the partition when it prompts you and create a new partition. The next step it will ask you to format the drive and it completes these steps easily for you.

7. It will than run Windows setup and load XP back onto your computer.

8. If your computer is older and your running Windows 98/ME the process is basically the same except depending on your computer manufacturers restore disk you may have a some different steps. You may be required to reformat your drive with a DOS boot disk. Consult your manual for instructions.

9. Your computer manufacturer also supplied driver disks and possibly applications disks. Once Windows is loaded you would use your driver disk to load the applicable drivers you need to operate your computer efficiently. Once all your drivers are installed and working correctly you can install any applications.

10. Your computer manufacturer bundled some trial applications with your computer that the licenses have expired putting those back on at this point is not necessary. You do not have to put on any applications you are not using. If your not using them just save the space for other things.

11. Now you can put the backup folder you created back on your computer. Once you have accomplished that you can drag and drop the files and folders into their original positions over writing any folders Windows created.

12. Now you would install your virus and spy-ware program and make sure you can get on the Internet.

13. Once your on the Internet do not do anything else until you have done all the windows updates. This is critical so you get your browsers security updated. Install any service packs and make sure your Windows firewall is activated.

14. Run any virus definition updates and spy-ware updates.

15. This process make take several hours to get everything up and running but it is important that you do this so your computer operates efficiently.

If you have completed all the steps congratulations you just reloaded your computer and your ready to go.

About the Author:

A+ Certified Technician with many years experience in the Computer Support field. http://pcxpress.blogspot.com/

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Protecting Your Computer From Viruses, Spyware, And Other Security Threats

Submitted By: Gabriel Adams

Most of us rely on our personal computers and those in our office to complete multiple tasks each day. If that data is lost or compromised it can create numerous problems for us. Protecting computers against viruses and spyware is something you should do before you start using any program on it. The information you prevent from being accessed could be your credit card accounts and bank accounts. If they are compromised you can end up becoming a victim of identity theft.

One way that people accidentally end up with viruses or spyware on their computer is by not paying attention to the sites they use. Don’t get into the habit of giving out your personal information online just because a site asks for it. To opt in, you should only have to give them a first name and an email address.

Always check the address in the URL to make sure you are accessing a secure site. It should start with “https” as this will let you know it is very secure. If it only starts with “http” then the site is not secure and you can end up compromising the security of your computer if you continue entering information on the site.

Viruses can spread very rapidly so if you think your computer may be infected, you should take care not to pass it to any other area of your computer or to others via email. By disconnecting your computer from the network you have a good chance of isolating the damages.

Always be on the alert for various types of emails known as phishing. This is a scam to get you to provide personal information. Once you do, spyware can be attached to your computer. Never respond to emails asking you for personal information as most credible companies won’t contact you for such information.

Make sure you purchase a virus and spyware protection program that is very easy to install. Most of them offer step by step instructions for you to follow. You can find out how easy such software programs are to install before you buy them just by reading some independent reviews online.

You need to choose the program for your computer protection very carefully. While they are designed to give you the very best security, you can be sure those trying to pass viruses or get spyware into your system are very smart. They have learned elaborate tricks to be able to gain access to your information.

One of the latest tactics that these criminals have been using is to sell software that is supposed to protect your computer from viruses and spyware. Unfortunately, what they are selling you is actually the very thing you are trying to protect yourself against. Always get such software from a company that has an excellent reputation, not just any one that you come across online for a good price.

In order to ensure your computer is well protected against viruses and spyware, you want a program that offers you instant updates. These will usually happen for one full year after you install the program. This ensures that your protective software is always the most current available and criminals will have a hard time infecting your computer system with viruses or spyware.

About the Author:

Protect your PC with Trend Micro's Security product: Trend Micro Internet Security 2008 - PC-cillin.

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Tips For Choosing The Right Computer For You

Submitted By: Gabriel Adams

Are you ready to purchase a new computer? Great! The choices can be daunting, though. Just looking at the price aspect, you can spend anywhere from three hundred euros to several thousand euros, quite easily.

The first choice you'll need to make is whether to buy a desktop or a laptop. If you need any amount of mobility at all, we'd suggest a laptop. If you don't plan on moving your computer around or using away from your home or office, you might want a desktop. Desktop computers are easier to repair and are cheaper for what you get.

Next, you'll need to make a choice on some of the major features and components of the computer.

Memory is a big factor in determining how quickly your computer performs tasks - I would not buy a computer with less than 512 MB of memory. 1 GB of memory would be even better. If you are planning on doing lots of multimedia work or other tasks that require a lot of operating resources, you should probably get 2 GB of memory. Also keep in mind that memory is classified by speed as well as storage size.

You'll also need to decide on what processor you want and/or need. If you're not familiar with the technical aspects of computer processors and you are going to need a processor that's more powerful than standard, you might want to consult with a computer expert to help you make the choice.

You'll also need to choose the hard drive size you'll need. This is any easy choice to make - just see how much hard drive space you're using now, add in any increases you expect to need, then add some space for expansion.

There are many, many different components of a computer that you'll have to choose. It's worth a little time to think about exactly what you need so you make the right choice the first time.

About the Author:

Visit Virtua IT, your source for computer sales and service in Costa del Sol: http://www.virtuait.com/

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Top 10 Ways To Make A Computer Run Faster

by: Brooks Carver

Today I am going to be talking about different ways you can make a computer run faster. There is actually a lot you can do yourself that will boost your PC's performance. So lets take a look at different ways we can remedy that slow computer of yours!

1. Free Up Disk Space

A great way to make a computer run faster is to free up some disk space. Windows comes with a disk cleanup tool that helps you free up space on your hard disk. The utility identifies files that you can safely delete without messing anything up, and then enables you to choose whether you want to delete some or all of the identified files.

How to use disk cleanup tool.

* Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Disk Cleanup. If several drives are available, you might be prompted to specify which drive you want to clean.

* In the Disk Cleanup for dialog box, scroll through the content of the Files to delete list. (If you have multiple hard drives you will have to select which one to scan.)

* Clear the check boxes for files that you don't want to delete, and then click OK.

* When prompted to confirm that you want to delete the specified files, click OK.

2. Use Defrag Tool

When you add a file or a new program to a new computer, the hard drive is relatively empty so new data is saved to the hard drive in one whole block. When you need to use that information, the computer can quickly access it because it is all in one place. Defragging your system is definitely a way to make a computer run faster.

How to use defrag tool.

* From the start menu point to "all programs"
* Point to "Accessories"
* Point to "System Tools"
* Click on "Disk Defragmenter"
* The disk defragmenter will display the hard drives on your computer. Just select and click Defragment.

3. Get rid of spyware

Definition

Spyware is software with malicious intent - by design; it does something bad to your computer. Usually, it gets installed without your knowledge. It sometimes takes advantage of the fact that most people click "I Agree" to software licenses without reading them.

The only way to get rid of spyware is to have some kind of scanner, sort of like an anti-virus. In order to make a computer run faster and keep it safer your going to need an anti-spyware program. This is tricky, a lot of the spyware programs out there are malicious and will actually add viruses and spyware to your computer by using the "spyware scanner and blocker". So please remember to be very careful when choosing your anti-spyware program.

4. Find and repair disk errors

Detect and Repair Disk Errors

In addition to running Disk Cleanup and Disk Defragmenter to optimize the performance of your computer, you can check the integrity of the files stored on your hard disk by running the Error Checking utility.

How to run the error checking utility.

* Click Start, and then click My Computer.
* In the My Computer window, right-click the hard disk you want to search for bad sectors, and then click Properties.
* In the Properties dialog box, click the Tools tab.
* Click the Check Now button.
* In the Check Disk dialog box, select the Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors check box, and then click Start.
* If bad sectors are found, choose to fix them.
Tip: Only select the Automatically fix file system errors check box if you think that your disk contains bad sectors.

5. Get an external hard drive

Adding an External Hard Drive to your computer will allow you to clear out a lot of the things you don't need to be storing on your normal hard drive.

A great example would be your music or pictures. All those songs and pictures are sitting on your computer making it go slower. You will see a decline in your computers performance as soon as you use over half of your hard drive space.

Moving all your songs or pictures to your external hard drive will free up a lot of space on your main hard drive. You can even move applications such as photoshop or games.

An external hard drive is also handy because it is portable. You can unplug it from your computer and take it to a friends house and plug it in there, sharing photos and pictures very easily.

This is truly a great way to make a computer run faster.

About The Author

My name is Brooks Carver and I am a pretty die hard computer tech. I have been working with computer directly for over 20 years now. I have a beautiful wife and daughter, and when I am not programming or fixing computers I enjoy spending time in the out doors.

If you like these tips then you will love my website. It gives the top 10 ways you can speed up your computer. It is very user friendly, it has pictures going along with every step to show you exactly what I mean. I also give out valuable information about what anit-virus and spyware programs that are safe to buy and really work. There are other fun things there too, such as top fastest things on the internet that you can vote on. If your looking to make a computer run faster this is your #1 resource! Click below now!
http://www.squidoo.com/makecomputerrunfaster/

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Effects Of Spyware On The Computer

by: Arvind Singh

Spyware has a lot of side effects of the registry. One of the greatest drawbacks is the slowing down of the system. This process will continue until the registry is cleaned with a registry cleaner.

If you have browsed the Internet for a substantial number of hours it is guaranteed that you have downloaded some sort of Spyware to your system, albeit inadvertently. That is the reason it is called Spyware. If it made itself known it would not be spying. Spyware is not illegal software. It is downloaded with the 'permission' of the user. Once the Spyware downloads and installs itself it begins, first of all, to consolidate itself on the machine. It does this by entering its information in multiple parts of the registry. These entries can only be removed with Spyware removal utilities and there are many free anti Spyware and Adware removal tools available to do a satisfactory job for you.

Effects On The Registry

A lot of add-on Internet Explorer tool bars are also Spyware. They constantly monitor the users browsing habits and the type of software that is installed and run on the computer. At times this may be helpful to the user as the relevant advertisements are directed to the browser. However, in the long run this Spyware will definitely slow down the system to a crawl. This malicious software must be removed from the system as soon as possible with free Adware and Spyware removal tools. Spyware is constantly making entries to the registry. This makes the registry grow out of proportion. Since the system has to refer to the registry multiple times in a session, the registry has to be scanned from the beginning every time. Considering that the registry has tens of thousands of records it may take a very long time to scan and locate the information being sought. Spyware keeps adding junk to the registry and this slows the system down.

Removal Technique

Spyware can be removed from the Computer with the use of anti-Spyware utilities. However, these utilities will only uninstall the Spyware from the operating system. The anti-Spyware utilities are not designed to go in to the registry hives and make changes. Going into the registry and removing the entries is very specialized operations and cannot be clubbed with some other software or program. Removing the Spyware entries from the registry is very important. Because once the Spyware determines that the exe file has been removed it will kick in from the registry and reinstall the exe from the Internet site it came from initially. Therefore removing the entries with a registry cleaner is very important. Free Microsoft Spyware removal tools and PC registry Cleaner are good software that can remove all redundant and bad entries from the system registry.

Qualities Of A Good Registry Cleaner

A good free Spyware removal utility will have three facilities such as a registry backup function a restore function and a scan and repair function. It is important that the spyware cleaner make a good backup of the registry just in case the system fails to function properly after the computer clean up.

About The Author

Arvind Singh is admin and technical expert associated with development of computer security and performance enhancing software like Registry Cleaner, Window Cleaner, Anti Spam Filter etc. More information can be found at
http://www.pcmantra.com
To know about the Registry Cleaner visit at:
http://www.pcmantra.com/registry-cleaner.htm
Know more about Registry Cleaner?
Read Articles at :
http://www.pcmantra.com/RegistryCleanerResource.aspx

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Removing Viruses, Spyware, Adware And Trojans Using Free Antivirus And Free Antimalware

Submitted By: Matthew Rizos

Please follow the steps below to become malware free.

1. Backup your critical documents and system files

2. Create a Restore Point by clicking start – run – and typing rstrui.exe and click choose the option that allows you to create a restore point. The exact text\options will vary according the version of Windows you are using.

3. Backup personal files such as documents and pictures to external media (like a usb hard drive, cd/dvd or flash drive)

4. Uninstall your current antivirus via add/remove programs in the control panel. I know this may seem a little weird since we are trying to remove malware, but it’s obvious that your current antivirus is not working otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this. If you don’t have antivirus, then you can skip this step.

5. Visit the following link to download AntiVir Free Edition to your download folder (like you’re my documents or desktop for example) The download is about 17 mb and takes about 1-2 min on cable or dsl.

6. Double Click antivir_workstation_win7u_en_h (looks like a little umbrella) and follow the default install options.

7. AntiVir will want to download an update. Please let the update download and install.

6. Once AntiVir has been completely updated you may start encountering some virus detections. If you do please quarantine infections first (and only delete as a second option).

7. Now, we are going to reboot your PC in Safe Mode. Safe Mode loads a “bare bones” version of windows and disables 90% of viruses and their protection mechanisms.

8. Reboot your pc.

9. As the PC is starting please type the F8 key on your keyboard until you receive a text based list of about 6-10 options.

10. Please use your up/down arrows on your keyboard and select safe mode. You will see about 30 lines of quickly scrolling text. This is normal.

11. After 30 seconds – 5 minutes you will be loaded into windows safe mode (it says safe mode on all four corners of your screen). Windows may ask if you if you would like to enter safe mode. Choose Yes.

12. Now it’s time to load AntiVir. You may have a shortcut on your desktop or you can load AntiVir by clicking Start – Programs – AntiVir PersonalClassic Edition -- Start AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic

13. Click the “Scanner Tab”.

14. Right Click “Local Drives” and click scan.

15. Your entire computer will be scanned now. This entire process can take 1-4 hours (typically). During this process will most likely encounter malware ( such as viruses, spyware, adware or Trojans ). You should always try to remove malware in this order:

a. Repair
b. Quarantine
c. Rename
d. Delete

16. After the scan has completed and the malware has been neutralized you should do a reboot.

The following steps below are removing additional malware left behind. We will be using MalwareBytes’ AntiMalware which can be downloaded from (malwarebytes.org). MalwareBytes Antimalware comes in 2 flavors: Free and Paid. The paid version offers always on protection and the free version requires you to initialize the scan.

1. So, download MalwareBytes (from malwarebytes.org) and install it.

2. Update MalwareBytes by launching it and clicking the update tab and then clicking check for updates.

3. Once MalwareBytes has been completely updated please reboot into safe mode. If you don’t remember how to boot into safe mode please read steps 9,10 and 11 from above.

4. In safe mode launch MalwareBytes.

5. Select “Perform a Full Scan” and click Scan.

6. Select the Drives that you want to scan and click Scan.

7. At the end of the malware bytes scan quarantine anything that it finds.

8. Reboot.

Optional Programs to run if your still experiencing malware issue are

ComboFix (Windows XP ONLY)
SmitFraudFix
VundoFix

About the Author:

Matthew Rizos is a PC Security Consultant in Saint Louis Mo You can read my blog at www.remove-malware.com

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