Tech--for Everyone

Looking for new content?

2009-05-23T11:23:00.001-07:00

If you have visited here, and are wondering why I haven't posted anything new here lately, it's because this site was a "dual" of my original site which is on WordPress. I published here (also) to reach BlogSpot readers, and expand my readership.

Apparently, the search engines believe my dual posting is plagiarism and are "punishing" both sites with lower rankings.

Due to this fact, I am now only posting on the original site, which you will find here http://techpaul.wordpress.com.

Yes, the theme is a little different.. and there's no Dilbert.. but I hope you'll visit there (and bookmark it) instead.

Mac Printer Problem

2009-05-21T10:06:00.001-07:00

The other day I received a phone call (at Aplus Computer Aid) from a man whose printer had suddenly stopped working. All the lights were on. The cable was plugged in. He hadn't moved the printer or computer, changed any settings, or installed/uninstalled any software.
So he was puzzled.

So I had him try the usual Printer Troubleshooting Steps
* Was the printer getting power (plugged in)? Yes.
* Turn the printer off, and then turn it again. Resolved? No.
* Is the USB cable plugged in securely? Yes.
* Delete old print jobs. Resolved? No.
* Is the printer showing in System Profiler? No.
* Restart the computer. Resolved? No.

Hmmm...
The fact that the printer wasn't showing up at all in the Profiler meant that it was almost certainly not a software (driver) issue.. And all the lights on meant it (probably) wasn't a power issue. So I kept coming back to the USB cable, and he kept telling me it was plugged in just fine, and that he hadn't touched it.
So I told him to "humor me" and plug it in to a different USB port.

This resolved his problem.
It turns out that had had made a change recently. He had replaced his keyboard with a new wireless mouse and keyboard set.
Keyboard? What's that got to do with a printer???

His printer's USB cable had been firmly and securely plugged in -- to the old keyboard. The one that he had unplugged to make room for the new wireless one. Apple likes to put convenient USB ports on their keyboards, and..
Normally, I run into this "it IS plugged in" with powerstrips. Is the powerstrip plugged in?

Today's free link: Apple's Support page for troubleshooting printer issues provides the step-by-step methods for resolving most printing errors. Those with driver issues (software) should look here.

Today's free download: In sticking with my Mac theme today.. http://www.opensourcemac.org/ is a website dedicated to listing the best in free (Open Source) programs for your Mac. All kinds of categories, so whether you're looking for an anonymizer or image editor, you'll find something here.

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I am a dying woman

2009-05-20T11:34:00.001-07:00

urgent reply

Mrs. A .Fardiyah Zaini

My name is Mrs. Agustati Fardiyah Zaini; I am a dying woman who had decided to donate what I have to the Charities. I am 49 years old and was diagnosed for cancer about two years ago, immediately after the death of my husband,. I have been touched by God to donate from what I have inherited from my late husband for the good work of God, rather than allow his relatives to use my husband's hard earned funds ungodly.

As i lay on my sick bed, i want you to help me in carrying out my last wish on earth which will be very profitable to you. i want to WILL a total sum of $5.6million USD to you which i want you to distribute part of it to any charity home for me, please for further information contact me ASAP.
agustatifardiyah@mailserve.co.uk

Regards,
Mrs.A. Fardiyah Zaini.

I often read these scam e-mails for laughs.. and as a peek at the inner workings of the minds of my fellow humans.. If I can trust my memory, I first saw this e-mail ten years ago.

Somebody must've clicked...

Transfer OE Address Book To Vista

2009-05-18T10:20:00.001-07:00

Reader Asks How To Move Their Address Book To A New Laptop

Q: I purchased a new laptop that has Vista Home Premium. I want to move the addresses stored in Outlook Express on my old machine to the new one, but there isn't Outlook Express on Vista, there's something called Mail. How can I move my contacts to the new laptop?

A: Outlook Express is no more. It has been "upgraded" and renamed to "Mail" in Vista, but fear not -- it's still basically the same. What you need to do is make a copy of the .WAB file on you old machine, and then "Import" it on the new machine.

1) In the Search tool (Start >Search) search for "Files and folders", and enter "*.wab" (no quotes) in the "What to search for" textbox.
(Or, navigate to C:\Documents and Settings\user\Local settings\App Data\Identities\{a string of numbers}\Microsoft\Outlook Express)

2) Drag the .wab file from the results window to your portable media -- floppy disc, thumb drive. This will copy the file. (or.. you can attach the file to an e-mail, and e-mail it to yourself.)

3) Take the thumb drive/floppy to your new machine and plug it in.

4) Now launch (fancy talk for "open") Windows Mail.

Click on "File", then "Import", and then "Windows Contacts".

You will be prompted for what to import, and simply point the wizard to your portable media, and then click on the .wab file.

That's it. You're done. Now your old Address Book is installed on your new computer.

Today's free download: Speakonia is a freeware utility that reads text out loud. Speakonia comes with about 20 voices (all with strong robotic accents) and lets you quickly change the reading speed and pitch. Speakonia can save text in WAV files for playback when you're driving or jogging, but unfortunately it can't save sound files in the MP3 format. The program interface is clear and straightforward; you simply select text in any document and press Ctrl C to read it aloud. Decent performance and free price make it a reasonable choice for the vision-impaired or people who'd rather do their reading with their ears than their eyes.

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Four Vital Tools You Already Have...

2009-05-16T11:28:00.001-07:00

But Might Not Know About

Revitalize and Protect Your PC With Windows' Utilities

Computers get slower with age. And as we add programs and updates, sometimes little 'quirks' develop. The older our machines get and the more we use them, the worse these things become.

Largely, this is simply due to how our machines read and write the 1's and 0's to our hard drives, and various "clutter" that builds up. (But some of it is our fault. We humans are curious creatures and we like to install new programs and try them out, and then we just leave them there, unused...)

Windows gives us four tools - called "utilities" - to help us keep our hard drives clean, happy, and running smoothly (sometimes called "optimized") which you might be unaware of, (or use often enough) as you have to right-click to find them. (Out of sight, out of mind, right?)

These are:
● Disk Cleanup Tool
● Error Checker
● Tool Defragmenter
● Backup

To get started, click on Start >Computer (or, "My Computer" in XP/older).

Now right-click on the drive you want to "optimize" (usually, that will be "Local Disk (C:)", but each drive ["volume"] will have this. C: is your main one), and a context menu will open -- click on "Properties".

A new window will open to display the drive properties, and by default it will open to the "General" tab.

On this tab, we're interested in the Disk Cleanup button. Disk Cleanup is a safe way to "take out the trash" and remove clutter from your disk.

My super-ultra-deluxe article on the in's-and-out's of this tool is here, More than you wanted to know about the Disk Cleanup Tool, but the short version is: click the buttons, answer "yes" and let it do its job. I recommend doing this once a week.

Now we dig down one layer, and this is hard work, so you might want to put on your gardening gloves, click on the next tab over.. the "Tools" tab.

Here you find the other three utilities buttons.

The top button is the Error Checking tool. Running this tool is a good way to eliminate those odd 'glitches'. What it does is, it examines the physical surface of your hard drive looking for "potholes" and marks those areas as "bad" so that the computer won't try to put your files there.

It also examines your file allocation table (FAT) and makes sure that all your internal roadsigns are pointing at the right streets. Um.. maybe a card-catalog-at-the-library analogy might work better -- it makes sure all the index cards are in the proper order and all the Dewey Decimals are correct.
This tool is for use as a repair, and not a maintenance, so use it as needed and not on a schedule.

Next up is the defragmenter. I remind my readers to run this once a month, and to set an automation schedule for it (Vista and Win 7 already have that) in articles like, When was the last time you “defragged”?
Keeping your disk "defragged" is the best way to keep it running like when it was new. (Be sure to run Disk Cleanup tool before the defrag.)

The last -- Backup -- isn't an optimizer or age-fighter, but it is probably the most important feature in Windows. I have written probably 30 different articles on just how important making backup copies of your files, photos, records, etc., is, and why you really, really, really want to do it. See How To Use Windows Backup Tool.

I don't really know why -- for all these years -- Microsoft has not put these utilities right under our noses and in plain sight as separate entries under Start >Programs... But now that you know where they are, you can use them and get that PC of yours into a more "like new" performance state. Aka, "optimized"!

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A Word About Words -- Passwords, That Is

2009-05-15T12:38:00.001-07:00

A Quick Look At Common Password Mistakes

If your name is Fred, "Fred" is not a good password.

Neither is "Fred1". Nor is "Fred123". Nor is "123Fred". Nor is "Fredbirthdate". Nor.. is "Derf".

Now, I know, you read that and you might have laughed at those examples, and said to yourself, "nobody does that!" Well.. let me tell you, I look at a lot of machines in my job. Almost everybody does this. And when I look at their browser's "remembered passwords" list, 95% of their online logins are "Fred123" too.

* It's easy to remember.

* I'm asked for passwords every time I turn around. How am I supposed to remember them all?

* Nobody ever told me.

If you are a UC Berkeley alumnus, and your desktop is blue and gold "Cal" logos wallpaper.. what are the chances your password is "GoBears" or "GoCal"? From what I've seen, close to 100%.
(Substitute your favorite school/team)

Q: What are passwords for? And why am I being bugged for one ALL the time?

A: Passwords are the primary means to prevent unauthorized access. Put a simpler way, a password keeps Joe Criminal from reading your e-mail and sending a letter to your boss telling said boss to go fly a kite (or worse).. or transferring your saving account balance into his.

That's kind of important, wouldn't you say?

Strong passwords should be “complex”. That means that they should contain both upper and lower-case letters, special characters (!,@,#,$,%,^,&,*,(,),{,},[,]) and numbers, and be at least eight characters long, and–most definitely–not be a word (or name) found in the dictionary.

Your passwords (notice the plural. It is not wise to use the same password for everything.) will be easier to remember if you make them into a ‘passphrase’. An equestrian might use a passphrase of 1Lu^h0rsez, for example.

You should change your current passwords once every 90 days.. just like they (probably) make you do at work.

OK. Good advice. But since it's tedious, who's going to actually do it? Well, since easily guessed passwords are the primary security weakness in the world of computing.. (think "Sarah Palin", and "celebrity Facebook account hacked") and have been since the beginning, I'd say, I sure hope YOU will, Dear Reader.

Solution: There are tools (programs) to help you with your passwords, which are collectively known as "password managers". These tools can generate complex passwords, store them securely, etc., and are a great way to go for those people - like me - who sometimes forget them, and forget to change them after 90 days.

There are many to choose from, but the most popular one is undoubtedly RoboForm, which has both a free, and a "Pro" version, and there's a portable version too.

Today's free download: RoboForm was named PC Magazine Editor's Choice, and CNET Download.com's Software of the Year.

RoboForm allows you to:
.    Manage your passwords and Log In automatically.
.    Fill long registration and checkout forms with one click.
.    Encrypt your passwords to achieve complete security.
.    Generate random passwords to maximize password strength.
.    Fight Phishing by entering passwords only on matching web sites.
.    Defeat Keyloggers by not using the keyboard to type passwords.
.    Back up your passwords and copy them between computers.
.    Synchronize passwords between computers using GoodSync.

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Does My Laptop Need Professional Help?

2009-05-14T14:26:00.001-07:00

Q: Paul, my Acer Aspire is having a problem, and I'd like your advice. When I open programs and start working it will turn off. I tried running Norton Scan but it shut down before the scan could finish. I am very careful on the Internet and have Norton so I don't think I have a virus. This has been happening pretty constantly for two weeks now, and I can't get any work done. Is there something I can do, or do I need to take it into a repair shop? I suspect since you are a tech you're going to say take it in, but thanks in advance.

A: Dear Reader,
I would have to ask you several questions before I attempted to diagnose your particular issue, and I have not run across it in an Acer before, but I must say to you, very good guess! I am going to recommend taking it to a certified repair shop. Here's why --

This is most likely a hardware issue, but it could be a software conflict (and, yes, it might even be malware). You can try uninstalling any recent Updates, or programs you've recently installed, and maybe "rollback" device drivers, but the time to do that - really - was when it first started acting up. (And then System Restore would've been a good starting point. See, How To Use System Restore To Fix Windows)

But as I said, this is most likely a hardware failure (or fault) -- it could be a memory module, a fan is not cooling enough, a loose connector, the mainboard, or a power controller (usually a component of the motherboard) or a half dozen other things... A repair shop will have the tools to isolate the fault.

You didn't say how old your laptop was, and whether or not it was still under warranty, but folks should know that opening a laptop case usually voids any warranty.
And, notebooks are assembled in a very intricate and complicated way, and it is not easy to access all the components. Disassembling a laptop is really not a task for the "average user".

PS -- Yes, I repair laptops, but when looking for a repair shop, I suggest trying to find one that's "Acer certified". This page on the Acer website should help you locate a service center near you.

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Sidebars and Gadgets Explained

2009-05-11T12:55:00.001-07:00

Understanding the Windows Vista Sidebar

A little while ago, Rick Robinette posted a great article on his site, What's On My PC..., that I think some of my readers will appreciate. It is sort of an 'ABC's In A Nutshell' about Vista's (and Windows 7) sidebar and desktop gadgets. Here's an excerpt--

"If you are a Vista user and you do not know what the sidebar is, it is an area, usually inhabiting the right edge of your desktop that contains gadgets (such as a clock, picture viewer, calendar, etc…). What most people do not know is that you can install, add and remove gadgets from the sidebar and you can also drag gadgets from the sidebar and place them anywhere on your desktop; thus, making the sidebar an useful feature.

To assist you with Understanding the Sidebar
I have compiled the following, easy-to-follow tutorial.."

To visit his site and read the article, please click here. These gadgets are fun and informative, and I think you'll be glad you did. (I was going to discuss this in my next A Tech's First Impression of Windows 7 article, but he's done a much better job than I would have.)

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A Tech's First Impression of Windows 7 RC

2009-05-10T10:46:00.001-07:00

Like many people, I downloaded the Windows 7 "Release Candidate", and I have been running it for a few days now. I will now describe to you, Dear Reader, my initial impressions of Microsoft's newest operating system, as I did for Windows 7 beta. (drum roll please)

(For those of you who would like to get a copy, please see, Click here to download Windows 7. For those of you who would like to read my earlier statements on Windows 7 first, please see, A Tech’s First Impression of Windows 7, Part 1.)

Let's get started: I opted to install the 32-bit version. I installed a “clean install”, though I could have “upgraded” an existing Vista or Windows 7 install (I recommend ‘clean install’ as a General Rule Of Thumb).

Microsoft is calling Windows 7 a whole new OS, and is expecting it to replace replace Vista.. in the same way that Vista is replacing Windows XP. I can tell you that it is not a whole new operating system. I can also tell you that it does not give us the new file system (WinFS) that was originally promised as one of the “three pillars of Vista”.

The install itself: My “clean” install on a freshly formatted volume took just 27 minutes, and involved three automated reboots. I then transferred in my settings tweaks and customizations, all my installed programs (except for my antivirus) and games, files and photos, etc., from the Win 7 beta in 20 minutes using Windows Easy Transfer.
It would have taken less time had I migrated the User Profile via my network, but I used a USB storage drive instead.

No device driver issues: I installed Windows 7 on a recent-vintage machine (it came with Vista Home Premium) and I had to install zero, zip, nada, device drivers — and this is a beta! Every device worked out of the gate. Microsoft claims Windows 7 is the most ‘backwards compatible’ OS yet and I believe them. A beta.. and no device driver installs??? Amazing.

In case you're not following along.. From inserting the CD, to a fully tweaked, loaded, and ready-to-go state in 47 minutes.. without the use of 3rd-party programs, tools or special cables.

That is simply... OUTSTANDING! (Yes, I'm shouting.)

In my earlier series, (see link above) I wrote "My experience matched that of other reviewers: it was by far the fastest, smoothest, easiest Windows installation I’ve ever had. That this is a beta release makes this fact all the more remarkable."
The RC beat it handily .

Folks, I cannot count the number of Windows Installs, re-Installs, and User State Migrations I've done -- I am a Support & Repair Tech, after all -- but this last was something I had previously only dreamed of.

I'm going to stop here but I will add this statement -- I will delay buying my next computer until they come with Windows 7 on them; and I advise you to do the same if you can. (Can you tell I'm impressed?)

More Windows 7 RC "impressions" to come..

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Banned From The Internet For File Sharing?

2009-05-09T09:51:00.001-07:00

Internet service providers are cooperating more and more with copyright holders to crack down on illegal downloading and peer-to-peer file-sharing.

Becky Waring published a very interesting 'round-up' look at the current state of the 'battle' between copyright holders (primarily RIAA) and the very popular (yet largely illegal) "Torrent" P2P file-sharing phenomenon on Windows Secrets.

There are some tough new laws recently enacted, or under consideration, in many countries following the recent convictions of the operators of the popular Pirates Bay Torrent search engine in Sweden ... laws that could get people "blacklisted" from the Internet.

Internet Service Providers are coming under increasing pressure to use technology to identify people using Torrent applications and punish them, and Torrent users are using technology to escape detection. This 'battle' poses some very serious questions about the issues of privacy and technology.

Ms. Waring has done an excellent job with this article, and I invite my readers to read it. Please click the link below.

ISPs assist in cutting off file-sharing users

Today's free link: KidZui – Free, Safe Internet Browsing for Kids

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Video - How Hackers Infect Your PC

2009-05-06T07:59:00.001-07:00

Ever wonder how they do it? This video from Panda Security shows one current method -- search results.

Blackhat SEO Attack Uses Wordpress to Spread Rogue Anti-Malware Software from Panda Security on Vimeo.

Please note: I have one, MAJOR, complaint about this video: it pretty much says that if you have an up-to-date anti-malware (such as an antivirus) on board, you’ll be protected from these things. WRONG! Once you click the links, ignore the the warnings, and click “Run”.. you’re hosed. Telling your machine to ‘run it’ bypasses all your protections.. even Vista’s annoying UAC.

Today’s free link: ErrorRepairTOOL Computer Infection? - Blame Your Search Engine!

Today’s free download(s): The best defense is to NOT click “Run” when you’re not sure.
But there are tools you can add to your web browser to help you detect and avoid these poisoned websites in the first place — known as “anti-phishing”. I suggest installing both:
WOT: (Web Of Trust) is a free Internet security add-on for your browser. It will help keep you safer from online scams, identity theft, spyware, spam, viruses and unreliable shopping sites. WOT warns you before you interact with a risky Website. It’s easy and it’s free.
Link Scanner Lite: Automatically inspect search results for exploits, hacked sites, fraud/crimeware, and other online threats. Includes right-click, on-demand scanning of any URL you choose.

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My CD-ROM Is Gone. Help!

2009-05-04T09:04:00.001-07:00

How To Get Windows To See Optical Drives Again

Q: Paul I need your help. Yesterday I put a CD in my computer nothing happened. It has been working fine, and usually it will just start playing the first song. I put in a different disk and again nothing. I opened My computer and there was no icon for the DVD. Just icons for the Floppy A:, Local disk and no CD player. It just vanished! I rebooted and that didn't help. What happened? How do I get my CD player back?

A: The exact steps required will depend on the cause of the issue, so the following answers are 'generic', and may not apply to your particular situation.

1) In Windows XP and older have a reputation for "losing" optical drives (but I have seen it occur in Vista) after uninstalling disc burning software -- such as Roxio or Nero. Sometimes.. after installing; but usually it is an uninstall failing to work properly, which leaves incorrect values in your Registry.
Sometimes, though less frequently, a Windows Update, or other software change can cause this as well.

Sometimes Microsoft gets it right:
If this is you -- you have uninstalled Roxio, say -- the solution is to visit Microsoft Help & Support and click the "Fix It" button. (I have written about using the built in troubleshooter before, see Microsoft “One-click” Fixes)

The appropriate Fix it page/button is found here. One click should do it!

---------------------------------

2) If that doesn't resolve the issue, you can next try restoring your system to a prior (working) state by using System Restore. Please read How To Use System Restore To Fix Windows for instructions.

3) If that doesn't help, or isn't appropriate..
Open your computer's case and check to make sure the power wires, and the ribbon cable are firmly connected to the back of the drive and to the motherboard -- they may have become loose or disconnected.

No? Then open your Device Manager. Right-click on "My Computer" and select "Properties". In Vista, click on Device Manager in the left column; in XP, click on the "Hardware" tab, and then click the "Device Manager" button.

In Device Manager, find "Optical drives" on the list, and expand the category by clicking once on the "+" sign. You should now see the device and a yellow triangle - which is telling you there's an error.

Right click on the device's name, and click "Uninstall" from the menu which opens. Answer "Yes", you want to do that. Then restart (aka "reboot") your machine. Windows should "find" a "new" CD-ROM and install it for you, thus restoring functionality.

4) If these steps fail, there is something else going on (maybe malware) and I recommend you contact a knowledgeable repair tech.. such as myself (shameless plug).

Today's free link: KidsEmail.org. Along with ZooBah, something to consider when your child wants their own e-mail address.

Today's free download: GOM Player is a free multimedia player with popular video and audio codecs built-in. GOM Player supports file formats such as AVI, DAT, MPEG, DivX, XviD, WMV, ASF. Users don't have to install codecs separately. GOM Player is capable of playing incomplete or damaged AVI files by skipping the damaged frames. It can also play locked or partially downloaded files.

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Important Message To Facebook Users

2009-05-03T11:10:00.001-07:00

Facebook Among Top Phished Web Sites

Brian Krebs at the Washington post has a brief, important message to people who use the popular Facebook social networking site.

He tells you what to watch for, and a simple step for avoiding trouble.

Please click here, and read his excellent advice. And then - please - tell your friends who use Facebook too.

If you aren't exactly sure what "phishing" is, please click here.

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Firefox Tips and Shortcuts

2009-05-02T11:30:00.001-07:00

Whether you’re a beginning, intermediate or advanced user, these shortcuts and suggestions will help you get the most out of Firefox 3.

After a recent update to my Firefox web browser, an unusual thing happened. Upon restart, instead of open to the standard "You've just upgraded Firefox!" page, (uh.. yeah. I know. I'm the guy who launched it. Duh.) it opened to a "Tips & Tricks" page.

This page has 5 tips each in Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced "levels". I sort of hate to confess, but I found a few I didn't know in each one.

There are tips on shortcuts, bookmarks, plug-ins, downloading, and more. Some are Firefox 3 specific, but most are generic.

It will only take you a few minutes to look over, and if you use Firefox, I believe you'll be glad you did. Click here to visit the Firefox 3 Tips & Tricks page.

Today's free download: Firefox 3 "There are literally thousands of totally free ways to customize your Firefox to fit exactly what you like to do online."

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Screensavers and Monitor "Burn In"

2009-05-01T09:42:00.001-07:00

A reader question reminded me that some notions take a long time to die.

Q: Paul, I think I need your help. I am concerned about my friend's computer. She doesn't use a screensaver even though I have consistently warned her that her image will freeze and ruin her monitor and she will have to buy a new one.

Would you please write about the importance of screensavers so I can show her your article? Thank you.

A: Dear Reader,
In reading your e-mail, I believe that what you are referring to is a phenomenon that was known as "monitor burn in" (aka "screen burn"), where an image or set of text could get 'etched' onto the phosphors of a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) screen. Which would create a permanent 'ghost' on the screen.

It is true that the screensaver was invented to reduce/eliminate that problem.

It is also true that it was relevant to 1980's technology and hasn't been pertinent to any monitor built after.. oh.. say.. 1990? 1986? and that is capable of more than one color. (I hope your friends equipment isn't that obsolete!)

However, the idea of screensavers never really went away, as they are kind of neat, and visually interesting. A lot of people use them as a slideshow of their favorite pictures, (see, Show off your photos with a screensaver slideshow) but for decades now, use of a screensaver is entirely optional.

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Do Not Want That Update? How To Stop A Nag

2009-04-30T13:07:00.001-07:00

IE 8 is an "Important" Update, Yes, But I Don't Want It

Sometimes we need to tell Windows Update to stop prompting us to install a particular Update.

When Microsoft has released important and/or critical Updates (aka "patches") for us, Windows has various ways of letting us know, including a System Tray icon.

I am a big fan of Updates. I (almost) always install them the moment I become aware of them. I use Secunia's Personal Software Inspector to keep an eye on all my installed programs' update state.. and I recommend you do too. Updates are 'good' and you want them.

Tip of the day: Manage Windows Updates prompts.
Currently, Microsoft Update is annoying me be continuously nagging me that there are Updates available. And when I click on the icon to see just what these updates are...

.. and I see that there is just one Update Microsoft wants me to install (the others only rate "optional") -- Internet Explorer 8.
Now, I understand why Microsoft wants us to be using a more secure browser (and I understand why it's considered "important") and I will upgrade from IE7 on most of my machines -- but not all. Not yet.

So I right-click on the Update I don't want to be nagged about and then click on "Hide update".

That's it. I'm done. Windows Update will no longer prompt me to install this 'hidden' update. At a later date, to see Updates that I've hidden, I just click on "Show hidden updates". I can undo my change.

Note: This technique can be used on troublesome Updates that cause incompatibility issues such as BSOD. If a Windows Update install causes you trouble, and you need to uninstall it, the "Hide" tip won't help you (it's too late). Please refer to the 3rd answer in this article, IE’s Menu bar, Taskbar icons, and bad Updates*, to see how to remove Updates.
After you get that Update uninstalled, use the Hide feature to prevent Windows Update from re-Installing it on you.

Today's free link: Panda Cloud Antivirus - Free Cloud Protection
Panda Security has launched a brand new type of antivirus, and Security blogger Bill Mullins has this excellent write up.
"FREE, antivirus thin-client service for consumers which is able to process and block malware more efficiently than locally installed signature-based products."

Today's free download: Adeona is the first Open Source system for tracking the location of your lost or stolen laptop that does not rely on a proprietary, central service. This means that you can install Adeona on your laptop and go.

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Firefox Quick Tip – Deleting Old Passwords

2009-04-29T12:29:00.001-07:00

Most web browsers offer to “remember” the user name and password combination you use to log into certain websites (such as Hotmail, or your bank, etc.) which allows for faster access when you return to the site. Firefox is no exception.

If you should need to change the remembered login on your machine – say, if you “remembered” an incorrect combo, or if you changed the login using a different machine (it is highly recommended that you change your passwords several times a year..) – the following steps will allow you to delete the ‘bad’ ones.

Tip of the day: Manage your login passwords in Firefox.

1) Open Firefox, and click on “Tools” from the menu bar at the top.
2) From the Tools menu, click on “Options…”
3) A new window will open. Click on the “Security” tab.

4) Now click the “Saved Passwords” button.
5) Now a new window will show you all of the “remembered” logon combinations that Firefox is storing for you. Simply click on the troublesome/obsolete item and then click “Remove”.

This deletes the entry. Now go to the website in question. You will be asked to log in. Then Firefox will offer to “Remember” this password – click Yes.

That’s it. You’re done.

Today's free link: For those of you who may like to learn what constitutes a good password (and, what does not) please read, Strong passwords, hidden Admin

Today's free download: Portable Glary Utilities. Folks, I have mentioned the wonderful, free, Glary Utilities program here before. It contains a safe Registry scanner, Privacy sweeper, anti-spyware sweeper, temp file deleter, and more. Now you can carry this tool around on your thumbdrive by downloading the "portable" version. I suggest using the first link; te "self-installer.

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Official Gmail Blog: PowerPoint and TIFF file viewing

2009-04-27T20:48:00.000-07:00

Official Gmail Blog: PowerPoint and TIFF file viewing

Have You Gone Virtual Yet?

2009-04-27T11:33:00.001-07:00

One of the hot topics in the IT industry is virtualization. Basically what this is, is software that creates an environment — on an existing PC — into which you can install (and run) another operating system [OS]; in short, running a PC on top of your PC.. which gives you two PCs. This “on top of” machine is called a “virtual machine“.

Tip of the day: Get more out of your PC by using a virtual environment.
(I must take a moment to state that it is the power of the newer generations of PCs that allow us to take advantage of machine virtualization. VM “shares” resources (CPU, RAM) with the existing install… so if you’re barely clunking along as it is, forget about VMs and click here to read my article(s) on when it’s time for a new machine.)

How can this benefit you? One of the main advantages is when you are thinking about a dual-boot install, or would like to do away with an existing dual-boot set up — say, for security reasons. Instead of partitioning your hard drive, and using FAT32 to run (boot to) either Windows 98 or XP, format your drive in NTFS, install XP, and run 98 inside the virtual environment. (I am using Windows 98 as an example. You may want to run a Linux distro, and learn about Open Source. The fact is you can run any OS that you have a license for… except Vista.)
If you do this, and create a shared folder for the VM on XP, you will be able to switch back and forth between the two and share files with both OS’s.

Another advantage of using a VM is, it loads much like “mounting” a disk image. You can make multiple ’snapshots’ of your VM, and load the one of your choosing. This is an absolutely fantastic method for dealing with security issues. I know several geeks who run an XP VM on their XP machine– they use the VM version for their daily surfing and usage, and as a “sandbox” for testing downloaded programs and patches/Updates. At the end of the day, they just close the VM, and when they open it again (unless they take a ’snapshot’ and Save those changes to the VM) their pristine VM loads: no browsing history, no spyware, no trace of yesterday’s activity… just a brand-new XP machine.
By keeping a copy of the VM snapshot in another location, they always have a full system backup on hand. (And all my readers know about the importance of recovery backups!)

These are just two uses and applications for virtual machines (VMs). You may be able to think of others. You are not just limited to one VM, either — but each VM (unless it is an Open Source OS, like Linux) does require a valid Product Key/license. This is not a way to cheat.

Today’s free download(s): The most popular virtual machine software is put out by VMware. The free offerings are VMware Server (don’t worry about the use of the word “server”) and VMware Player (which is a web browsing sandbox). Not only is this a flexible (highly compatible with your particular hardware) program, but VMware offers several pre-configured Open Source ’snapshots’, called “appliances”, that you can download and run without going through an OS install process.

Microsoft also offers free virtual machine software, that some people argue works better with Microsoft OS’s. From website: “Virtual PC 2007 is a powerful software virtualization solution that allows you to run multiple PC-based operating systems simultaneously on one workstation.”

Either way you decide, you are not making fundamental changes to your hard drive or currently installed operating system. This is just a program, like Excel or Word is a program. Simply uninstall it if you find you don’t like or need it.. but I doubt very much that you ever will– it’s just too useful and safe.

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The Internet Is Not Disneyland

2009-04-26T13:21:00.001-07:00

Folks, the Internet is not Disneyland. Most knowledgeable people refer to it as the “wild, wild, West”, (a reference to sheer lawlessness) but I like a different analogy better.. think of it as going into the Big City, and going down to the docks/warehouse district, alone, and at night.
You can do it, but you best be careful.

What you can do to have protection:

1: please read Top 10 things you should do to your computer. It is a checklist, and provides you with the How To’s for a (more) secure computer, as well as providing links to important (free) security downloads.
2: enable an anti-phishing filter, which can help alert you to poisoned websites before you go there. All modern browsers have a filter built in, and all you have to do is turn it on. Or you can add an anti-phishing toolbar/plug-in such as Link Scanner Lite, McAfee’s Site Advisor and/or - the excellent WOT.
3: make sure ALL the programs on your computer are patched and up-to-date. The easiest and most effective way to do this (IMHO) is to download and install the PSI (Personal Software Inspector) from Secunia.
4: Never respond to e-mails asking for personal information. Legitimate businesses never contact you about “important issues” via e-mail. But criminals love to go phishing!
5: Be PARANOID on the Internet. (Use common sense) Think someone can’t trace back to you? Guess again; your browser reveals a wealth of information by default.
Sound too good to be true? It is. There’s no such thing as a “free iPod”… and, no, you did not win the Irish Lottery.
Is looking at sexually explicit material simply irresistible? Go to one of those video rental shops that has a back room instead of clicking links and images.

A malware infection can cost you all your data and/or several hundred dollars in cleanup.. and/or many hours of your time..

[note: almost all of these things referred to above are "set it, then forget it" simple. You do not have to be an über-geek, or devote hours, to implement them. An ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure!]

Today's free link: What’s On My PC… FREE Layers of Protection!

Today's free download: K9 Web Protection is a free Internet filtering and control solution for the home. K9 puts YOU in control of the Internet so you can protect your kids.

* Orig post: 2/4/09

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Poisoned E-mail From Amazon

2009-04-25T08:44:00.001-07:00

Transaction Notice Has Virus Attachment

Cybercriminals have started using an old trick with a new twist -- sending spam e-mails purporting to be from a real company regarding a "recent transaction" (or shipment). The e-mail has an attachment claiming to be a summary, receipt, or 'required' form.

Of course, the attachment is a virus, and "opening" it infects your computer.
(Many security experts would have told you this method was obsolete and no longer being used..)

In this most recent wave of spam attack, the company being spoofed is Amazon.com. It reads:
Your transaction has been processed by WorldPay, on behalf of Amazon Inc.
The invoice file is attached to this message.
This is not a tax receipt.
We processed your payment.
Amazon Inc has received your order,
and will inform you about delivery.
Sincerely,
Amazon Team

This confirmation only indicates that your transaction has been processed successfully.
It does not indicate that your order has been accepted.
It is the responsibility of Amazon Inc to confirm that
your order has been accepted, and to deliver any goods or services you have ordered.

Remember folks, your clicking bypasses your security, so resist your curiousness. Never click the links in unexpected/unsolicited email. Best yet, don't even open them.

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Tech Paul Has A Dream

2009-04-24T09:45:00.001-07:00

(With apologies to MLK Jr.)

Folks, today I'm going to share with a secret, recurring fantasy I have. I am aware that this is a risky thing to do, and some of you may think me nuts when I'm done.. But, here goes:

In my fantasy, I'm endowed with a magic arm. With my 'magic' arm, I can reach through the phone. I just shove my hand in the receiver end of my phone, and it will pop out the speaker of my caller's phone. Like in a cartoon. I have this fantasy every time a telemarketer calls.

I will leave it up to your imagination what my hand does to the telemarketer (or recorder that plays the "pre-recorded announcement") at the other end of the line.. but I will give you a hint: they never use the phone to 'pitch' another living soul ever again.

Since I do not have a 'magic arm' nor cartoon-like superpowers, I registered my phone number(s) on the National Do Not Call List.

By doing so, supposedly, telemarketers would be barred from calling me, and if they broke the Law, I could simply report them and they would be prosecuted (probably just fined. I know you were thinking Public Flogging, or worse). More information on what the service, and law, does and does not do, is available here.

Wonderfully, the suppers interrupted by real live salespeople has been greatly reduced. Regrettably, I had to use the word “supposedly”, because I still rather regularly get spam (recorded) phone calls – at least one a week from “Daisy” at some carpet cleaners, some “urgent” call about my credit card (in both a male and female voice), and one that tells me my car’s warranty is about to expire.

Fortunately, I have only experienced “annoyance” calls, and no really dangerous con artists are going after me or my getting-up-in-years parents (I registered their numbers as well).
I cannot - with certainty- say if this is directly attributable to the No Call List. But, I can’t say it isn’t, either.

Tip of the day: If you have not already done so, click the link (above) and get your (and maybe, your loved one’s) phone number(s) on the list. It is an easy two-step process.
1) Enter up to three numbers on the form, and provide a valid e-mail address. (If you have more than 3, revisit the page.)
2) Copy the URL link in the e-mail you receive from Register@DoNotCall.gov, and paste it into your browser’s address bar.

That completes the registration process. You will have to wait for the legalities to cover you, so don’t delay. These kinds of things only work for us if we use them!

[update: A reader has provided more information: "I thought I’d mention that recorded phone calls are illegal as of December 1st 2008. Not that those “spam (recorded) phone calls” are made legally but now there is one more reason to report the calls to https://donotcall.gov/. Here is the news: http://800notes.com/articles/News.aspx/CAtiWMbEqAC4OAjLIpk_Jw (not sure if the link will work it’s http://800notes.com “FTC: Robocalls Must Now Include Terminator Option”)" -- from Ex Telemarketer.]

Today’s free links: a quite excellent resource page, Do-it-yourself: Stop junk mail, email and phone calls - A free guide to reducing unwanted or intrusive advertising

Tom Mabe is a comedian who has a unique way of dealing w/telemarketers... as heard here.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=un_PjRXV5l8]
Copyright 2007-9 © Tech Paul. All rights reserved. post to jaanix

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Can't Download? Reset IE

2009-04-23T13:56:00.001-07:00

Outsmart Malware With This Tip

Sometimes programs get “corrupted” and just refuse to work right, and usually the way to repair them is to uninstall them (Add/Remove Programs), and then re-Install a fresh copy.

One of my more popular articles has been how to repair the hyperlinks function in IE when clicking on a link doesn’t open a new page (if that’s your issue, click here), and this tip goes a little further than that. (To see all my articles on Internet Explorer, click on “IE 7″ in my Categories widget.)

You can resolve many troublesome IE issues by “resetting” it (which also re-registers .dll’s).

[note: Export your Favorites to a file on your Desktop first, and then Import them again after the repair.]

For IE 7 and 8:
Click on “Tools” and then “Internet Options”.
On the Advanced tab, and then click the “Reset” button.

For IE 6:
[note: I highly, sincerely, and ardently, urge you to stop using IE 6, and switch to 7 or 8, or Firefox 3, or Avant, or whatever. Please? IE 6 is only the most hacked piece of software ever!]

a: Click Start, click Run, type “%systemroot%\inf” (no quotes) and then press Enter.
b: Find the Ie.inf file that is located in Windows\Inf folder.
c: Right-click the Ie.inf file, and then click Install.
d: Restart the computer when the file copy process is complete

Today’s free link: A fellow tech blogger asked for an interview to post on his website. If you're interested, you can read it here.

Today's free download: In one of the tips above, I mentioned Windows’ Add/Remove Programs tool (found in your Control Panel) which is the standard method for uninstalling programs from your machine. Long-time Windows users can attest that this utility doesn’t always work as it should, and completely remove all traces of the app you want gone. To really remove a program, you may want the power of a 3rd-party uninstall program, and the one that’s most recommended in the Geek community is Revo Uninstaller (also available in a portable version).

How To Play Online At Work

2009-04-18T10:19:00.001-07:00

Don Reisinger over at C/Net writes, "We all spend some of our time at work doing things that have nothing to do with our job. We surf the Web. We play games. Sure, we all need our downtime, and the enlightened manager knows that. But still, we'd rather just surf in private than deal with the raised eyebrows.

That's why we need ways to ensure that when our boss surprises us or sneaks up behind us, she'll think that we're actually working."

Now, I hope you won't think me too much of a curmudgeon, but...
* At a recent major IT "expo", the keynote speaker kicked off the show by saying, "IT lost 100,000 jobs last month but.."
* Far more companies are downsizing than are hiring, and there are now more job seekers-per-job-opening than ever before in history.
* You're not twelve any more.
* No amount of camouflage or quick Alt-Tab-ing is going to fool your machine's logs, or the corporate screen-capture "productivity" monitoring software.

However, if you want to see the latest Fool The Boss tools, click here.

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Two Quick "Must Reads"..

2009-04-17T17:52:00.001-07:00

Folks, two recent articles are worthy of your special attention. Please see,