How many of you have a laptop? I am typing this on a laptop! We've nearly all got one now and how many of you have taken a note of the Windows product key from the bottom of the laptop?
Without this key should you need to reinstall (and you do not have a recovery CD) you will not be able too! You would have to buy the operating system again!!
Take a note of it now and keep it safe, placing a small piece of cello tape over the key will keep it in tip top condition.
Friday 25 February 2011
Tuesday 8 February 2011
Free Anti Virus Protection
There are many free Anti Virus programs out there and one I seem to find works is Microsoft Security Essentials. Its free for a start which is always good, its made by Microsoft - so what's the chance of it screwing up your machine? and its seems to do exactly what it says on the tin!
Down side it takes an age to scan, I mean soooooo sllloooowwww but it does detect viruses fair quick, as in - Pen drive in USB, installed BOOM VIRUS! detects it and removes it. Job done.
I suggest if you want to run the full scan pick a day say Sunday while you are having your tea and start it going. By the time you have had tea and watch Top Gear it will be done. If its a laptop leave it on the floor so you can see when it's complete. Once done repeat about once a month (ish).
Paid anti-virus? Some people say that they will be updated quicker should a threat be detected and this may be the case but I don't really do anything other than email, bbc web site, email again, (why is no one emailing me??) twitter, facebook (that's got it own issues right there) more email. So for me its fine. You might have different needs to way up the pros and cons of buying an anti virus compared to the free ones that are out there.
Way to avoid viruses? Be careful what emails you open, avoid "dodgy" sites (that covers a multitude of sins there) some facebook messages can link to viruses so if your friend suddenly posted something out of character or emailed you a "Click here for a million quid" think before you click!
If you want the free Microsoft Anti Virus head to google and enter "Microsoft Security Essentials" ensure you chose the right version ie: x64 or x86 depending on your computer.
Bodtree Systems - Catherine
The dreaded fake anti virus virus!
Now I get really annoyed at this virus/malware!! I go to so many people who have been the victim of this mindless malware.
How this virus, malware - pain in the bum ware what ever you want to call it works is this. Your surfing away and you navigate to a site, up pops a message saying something along the lines of " Your computer is at risk, let me run a free scan to help you with that" or something of a similar nature. You click on the ok button BANG you've done it, let it on your machine. By clicking on the pop up you have given it permission to install on your machine, hence the AntiVirus companies of the world struggle to stop it as YOU gave it permission!!!
If this pops up, right click your start bar, open task manager and kill the browser process you are using, so if it's Internet Explorer find the iexplore.exe in the list click it and end now. If its chrome, find chrome.exe and end it now. All else fails turn the machine off!
The virus is pure evil, once on it changes your browser settings to send you to their web site so you can have your credit card details stolen and even if you do "buy" it it still doesn't go away! They just buy something nice for themselves using your credit card details!
If you do happen to get attacked by it and are in a pickle, there are various programs to remove it, one I have seen is Super AntiSpyware - which is free for home use. You would of course have to put it on a memory stick and run it from there once logged in. But the neat thing about that program is it uses a strange name for its program so sas1234.com etc which is actually the .exe of the program so it usually runs ok as the virus is designed to kill. exe programs. Hence why you cant open task manager or any other .exe as it says they are the virus, when we know they are not!
Once removed make sure you run a full anti virus check with what ever program you are using to make sure its not hiding any where.
Microsoft also do the Malicious Software Removal Tool - although I have found this hit and miss with regards to finding them - you MUST run a full scan with this, quick scan finds nothing most of the time! Full scan can also take hours, so be prepared!
Bodtree Systems - Catherine
How this virus, malware - pain in the bum ware what ever you want to call it works is this. Your surfing away and you navigate to a site, up pops a message saying something along the lines of " Your computer is at risk, let me run a free scan to help you with that" or something of a similar nature. You click on the ok button BANG you've done it, let it on your machine. By clicking on the pop up you have given it permission to install on your machine, hence the AntiVirus companies of the world struggle to stop it as YOU gave it permission!!!
If this pops up, right click your start bar, open task manager and kill the browser process you are using, so if it's Internet Explorer find the iexplore.exe in the list click it and end now. If its chrome, find chrome.exe and end it now. All else fails turn the machine off!
The virus is pure evil, once on it changes your browser settings to send you to their web site so you can have your credit card details stolen and even if you do "buy" it it still doesn't go away! They just buy something nice for themselves using your credit card details!
If you do happen to get attacked by it and are in a pickle, there are various programs to remove it, one I have seen is Super AntiSpyware - which is free for home use. You would of course have to put it on a memory stick and run it from there once logged in. But the neat thing about that program is it uses a strange name for its program so sas1234.com etc which is actually the .exe of the program so it usually runs ok as the virus is designed to kill. exe programs. Hence why you cant open task manager or any other .exe as it says they are the virus, when we know they are not!
Once removed make sure you run a full anti virus check with what ever program you are using to make sure its not hiding any where.
Microsoft also do the Malicious Software Removal Tool - although I have found this hit and miss with regards to finding them - you MUST run a full scan with this, quick scan finds nothing most of the time! Full scan can also take hours, so be prepared!
Bodtree Systems - Catherine
Windows updates - why are they so important?
Often when visiting customers I notice that they have not been applying windows updates when asked to. If you do not know what windows updates are they are updates issued by Microsoft every Tuesday to fix holes that have been found in the operating systems. ie; Windows! These holes are usually used by hackers and malicious software to gain access to your machine, so by applying these updates you protect yourself from their attacks.
Updates either apply automatically and your machine will ask you to restart (you may have seen a box on Vista or Windows 7 asking you to restart or pros pone for 10 minutes) this means the computer has automatically installed the updates and rebooting allows it chance to apply the changes.
Windows XP updates
Windows XP displays the yellow shield in the bottom right hand corner by the clock and often pops up a message bubble to ask you to update. Click the message and follow it through. If you have missed many updates in Windows XP and do not have service pack 3 on the machine you can go ahead and install this which is a cumulative update so includes all previous updates before SP3. Once SP3 is on there will be several more to install, do these also. You will then be up to date. If you would like your computer to automatically install the updates or you would like to check your settings do the following:
Click Start
Move the mouse to "My computer"
Right click "My Computer"
Select "Properties" from the list (usually at the bottom)
This will open the properties window for the machine, here you will see how much RAM you have and what Processor your have. Notice the windows update tab at the top of the window, go ahead and click that.
You will be able to see what settings you are using, I bet it says install at 3am?? Who is up at 3am!! change the time to a time where you are using the machine and if needed a certain day. This way the updates will install when you choose them to!
If you are sat there thinking what on earth is windows updates...... click on start all programs and at the top there you will see Windows Updates, click that which will launch IE and take you to the Microsoft Updates site. Run the updates from there - chances are you have many to install!!
Updates in Windows 7
Windows 7 is a little different, as is Vista (but we wont mention the evil one (Vista) )
Here windows updates are on the start bar, click the start orb - all programs and you will find Windows Updates listed there. This will open a window on your computer showing you the updates status. 7 also has a habit of forcing updates on you, scenario......
You're heading out for the day just checking the traffic on Google, you click start shut down and notice the shield on the shut down button but click it anyway BOOOOOM windows updates install and your left stood there waiting for the machine to turn off so you can unplug it from the wall to save on the electricity bill. So annoying!!! You can click on the little arrow next to the shut down button and select the shut down from this menu this "should" not install the updates but instead shut down.
Another way is to go in to your settings and change it to "down load but let me choose when to install". But you must remember to install them manually or else you will end up with loads of updates to do!
Any issues with Windows Updates drop me an email!
If you ever find an error when checking for updates check your computer time and date. An error in either and the updates wont work!
Bodtree Systems - Catherine
Updates either apply automatically and your machine will ask you to restart (you may have seen a box on Vista or Windows 7 asking you to restart or pros pone for 10 minutes) this means the computer has automatically installed the updates and rebooting allows it chance to apply the changes.
Windows XP updates
Windows XP displays the yellow shield in the bottom right hand corner by the clock and often pops up a message bubble to ask you to update. Click the message and follow it through. If you have missed many updates in Windows XP and do not have service pack 3 on the machine you can go ahead and install this which is a cumulative update so includes all previous updates before SP3. Once SP3 is on there will be several more to install, do these also. You will then be up to date. If you would like your computer to automatically install the updates or you would like to check your settings do the following:
Click Start
Move the mouse to "My computer"
Right click "My Computer"
Select "Properties" from the list (usually at the bottom)
This will open the properties window for the machine, here you will see how much RAM you have and what Processor your have. Notice the windows update tab at the top of the window, go ahead and click that.
You will be able to see what settings you are using, I bet it says install at 3am?? Who is up at 3am!! change the time to a time where you are using the machine and if needed a certain day. This way the updates will install when you choose them to!
If you are sat there thinking what on earth is windows updates...... click on start all programs and at the top there you will see Windows Updates, click that which will launch IE and take you to the Microsoft Updates site. Run the updates from there - chances are you have many to install!!
Updates in Windows 7
Windows 7 is a little different, as is Vista (but we wont mention the evil one (Vista) )
Here windows updates are on the start bar, click the start orb - all programs and you will find Windows Updates listed there. This will open a window on your computer showing you the updates status. 7 also has a habit of forcing updates on you, scenario......
You're heading out for the day just checking the traffic on Google, you click start shut down and notice the shield on the shut down button but click it anyway BOOOOOM windows updates install and your left stood there waiting for the machine to turn off so you can unplug it from the wall to save on the electricity bill. So annoying!!! You can click on the little arrow next to the shut down button and select the shut down from this menu this "should" not install the updates but instead shut down.
Another way is to go in to your settings and change it to "down load but let me choose when to install". But you must remember to install them manually or else you will end up with loads of updates to do!
Any issues with Windows Updates drop me an email!
If you ever find an error when checking for updates check your computer time and date. An error in either and the updates wont work!
Bodtree Systems - Catherine
Welcome!
Hello and welcome to the Bodtree Systems Blog! The idea of this blog is that I can share some of my IT knowledge to help you with those annoying little IT problems that plague us all from time to time!
I will also tell you a bit about my background in IT and post some links which might help you with your day to day computer needs.
Feel free to leave me a question or email me and I will do my best to get back to you as soon as possible.
Bodtree Systems - Catherine
I will also tell you a bit about my background in IT and post some links which might help you with your day to day computer needs.
Feel free to leave me a question or email me and I will do my best to get back to you as soon as possible.
Bodtree Systems - Catherine
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