18 search results for "advanced options"

Computer Security    by Don Trauger – Kennett
(Updated on website 2/23/2015)

Malware (malicious software) is an umbrella term for all sorts of infections including viruses, trojans, worms, keyloggers, etc. Escaping a malware infection over the life span of your computer is virtually impossible. Don’t confuse normal updates from Microsoft, Adobe, or Oracle (Java) and others with unwanted programs that invade and often take over your computer. Legitimate updates are vital to your security so allow them to install. If you do on-line banking it’s most important that your computer runs at a high security level. Read on to make your computer secure. 

Become familiar with your Anti-Virus (A/V) program. Don’t ignore it just because you have one installed. All A/V programs should update automatically when you have an Internet connection. Open the A/V program you have installed to make sure the updates are actually current. If your A/V program is subscription based, make sure it is still active. A/V programs are virtually worthless if they are not up to date.  

I’ve researched the latest field of free anti-virus programs and have decided Bitdefender is the best choice. Why a free Anti-virus program? Simply because Bitdefender ranks among the top in protection and the program code works well with XP. I also recommend it for newer operating systems such as Windows Vista, 7 & 8. In a recent test by an independent security company, Bitdefender had an 82% detection rate. Avast measured 79%. The highest was a paid-for brand at 84%.  If you want to change to Bitdefender here’s what you need to do. Go to the Bitdefender web site (http://www.bitdefender.com/solutions/free.html) to download this free version.

 If you have an outdated A/V program you can get a free one (non-subscription based) at http://www.filehippo.com/  

 Click on View More and also download Malwarebytes. Malwarebytes which can work with any A/V program and complements its performance. The combination of these programs will provide superior results compared to a single A/V program. Once you have determined that your A/V program is current, perform a manual scan. If you have never done this, do a full scan. I recommend a quick scan at least every 2 weeks and a full scan whenever something is detected during a quick scan. Scanning is very important as malware can sneak in and by-pass the protection. If your A/V program performs the scanning task automatically you should review the log file or the Quarantine or Virus Chest area to see what it found. 

An Adware Protection program should also be considered.  It is a program that searches for and deletes Adware, Toolbars, Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUP), and browser Hijackers from your computer.  AdwCleaner is another free malware cleanup program that can be utilized should your computer become infected. Of course if you have previously installed my recommendation of Malwarebytes, you may not need AdwCleaner. However, I have seen  several cases and have been told by another user that AdwCleaner removed some malware that Malwarebytes did not detect.

My three free security recommendations therefore are Malwarebytes, Bitdfender Anti-Virus and AdwCleaner.

            AdwCleaner can be download from: https://toolslib.net/downloads/viewdownload/1-adwcleaner/

            Malwarebytes can be downloaded from: http://www.malwarebytes.org/

            Bitdefender can be downloaded from: http://www.bitdefender.com/solutions/free.html

 Some infections may disable your A/V program and that’s when serious trouble begins.  If using XP, Vista, or Win 7, you can use Safe Mode to open your A/V program to run a full scan. Safe Mode is a Windows diagnostic mode that can help rid your computer of malware. To enter Safe Mode reboot the computer and hold down the F8 key for about a second, then release it for a second or so. Keep doing this until you see a Startup Menu or Advanced Boot Options. Select Safe Mode with Networking and press the Enter key. No mouse is available in this area so use the arrow keys on the keyboard. 

 If you have problems running a scan in Safe Mode, try an on-line scanner. These scanners are provided by a few of the major A/V companies. A good one from Eset can be run from http://www.eset.com/us/online-scanner/ Another from F-Secure at http://www.f-secure.com/en/web/home_global/online-scanner is also good. 

 Discussion about computer security and other topics is available to all HM residents at the PC Club meetings. Meetings are held on the 2^nd Tuesday of each month at 7:00 PM in the upstairs Ardmore room of the Community Center.

Don Trauger – Kennett

I’ve collected many Windows 7 tips and tweaks that can be performed on a Windows 7 computer. In this article I’ve noted
a few of the easier ones that may interest you. Just remember, they won’t necessarily work on XP or Vista computers.

Minimize multiple windows on your Desktop screen
This tip is a fun one to try. If you frequently run multiple programs simultaneously, your desktop can get extremely cluttered.
This can get annoying if you’re working on one program and want to minimize all the other windows. In previous versions of Windows
you had to minimize them individually. With Windows 7’s “shake” feature, though, you can minimize every window except the one in
which you’re currently working in a single step. Click and hold the title bar of the window you want to keep on the desktop; while
still holding the title bar, shake it quickly back and forth until all of the other windows minimize to the taskbar. Then let go.
To make them return, shake the title bar again.

Add a video link to the Start Menu
The Windows 7 Start Menu includes links to your Pictures and Music folders, but not to your Videos folder. If you watch a lot
of videos and want a link to them on your Start Menu, here’s what you can do:
1. Right-click the Start button and select Properties.
2. On the screen that appears, go to the Start Menu tab and click Customize.
3. In the dialog box that appears, scroll to the bottom, look for the Videos section, select “Display as a link,” and click OK and then OK.

Show all your drives in Windows Explorer
Depending on your system settings, when you go to Computer in Windows Explorer, you may be in for a shock you may not see all your
drives such as memory card readers if those drives are empty. If this disconcerts you, there’s a simple way for you to see them
even if there’s nothing there:
1. Launch Windows Explorer and press the Alt button to reveal the top menu.
2. Select Tools –> Folder Options and click the View tab.
3. Under “Advanced settings,” uncheck the box next to “Hide empty drives in the Computer folder.” Click OK. The drives will now always be visible.

Take control of the taskbar notification area
The notification area, at the far right of the taskbar, shows system messages and alerts, and displays the icons of programs
and services that typically run in the background, such as Windows 7’s wireless service. But what determines when, how and which
icons show up there seems one of Windows’ great mysteries.
There’s a simple way to find out, and better yet, to customize it.
1. Right-click the taskbar, select Properties, and from the dialog box in the notification area section, click Customize.
2. For each application, select from the drop-down box whether you want the icon and notifications to always be displayed,
to never be displayed or to have an icon appear only when there’s a notification of some kind. Click OK when you’re done.

Rearrange taskbar icons
It’s easy to rearrange the icons across the bottom of the screen simply drag an icon to where you want it to live. You can also add icons to the taskbar by dragging them from an application, and delete the icons by highlighting them and pressing the Delete key.

---

To get answers to your questions about computers, please come to the PC Club meeting. The computer club
meets the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00 PM in Hershey’s Mill Community Center.