“Spyware Doctor is a top-rated malware & spyware removal utility that detects, removes and protects your PC from thousands of potential spyware, adware, trojans, keyloggers, spybots and tracking threats. Protect your privacy and computing habits from prying eyes and virtual trespassers with the help of Spyware Doctor.”

Spyware Doctor Screenshot

One thing you immediately notice upon installing the Spyware Doctor is the ease of updating the program. After you install and open the program you are prompted to run the Smart Update feature. This insures that you have the latest version of Spyware Doctor at all times. After the updating is complete you are free to open and use the program.

Download Spyware Doctor

Spyware Doctor Update

Before you begin using Spyware Doctor you may be interested in reviewing the Spyware Doctor Quick Start Guide. This is an overview of the most common tools used in Spyware Doctor. The guide shows the buttons of the interface and what each does or represents. The guide also lets you know about the navigation of Spyware Doctor and how to use the Smart Update feature. If you need further assistance on Spyware Doctor you can use their Help option for more detailed information.

The main screen, or the interface, of Spyware Doctor is easy to understand and use. The simplicity is refreshing but also can leave you wanting more. I do enjoy all of the numbers and facts listed under System Status on the interface. For example, when the subscription expires or when your last scan was done. I like that it is very obvious as to whether your protection is on or off, too.

Spyware Doctor Scan

A really great thing about this program is that you are still able to run and operate other programs and such of your computer WHILE running the scan of Spyware Doctor. All too often your computer slows down drastically when a search or scan of this nature is being done. With some, you might as well start the scan and leave the computer until it finishes, but not with this particular program.

Don’t let the straightforward name fool you, Spyware Doctor does much more than watch out for simple spyware. This program uses IntelliGuard to immunize your computer against malicious ActiveX objects. Spyware Doctor will also rid tracking cookies, Trojans, dialers and keyloggers from your PC while IntelliGuard is in the active stage.

I have noted many great features of Spyware Doctor and overall I think it’s a great program to use. This program is not only something I now, personally use, but something I also recommend to any and all PC users. The value of your dollar goes so far when using Spyware Doctor to prevent horrible things from happening to your computer that it would be crazy not to be safe and get this program.

Download Spyware Doctor

Checkout the new PC Training Club’s photoshop video tutorials.

These videos actually let you watch over the shoulder of a photoshop expert and listen as he teaches you all the ins and outs of photoshop and how to get more done in less time.

Even if you learned photoshop in college, I promise you will learn new tricks from these videos. You will impress even the hardcore photoshop geeks after downloading these tutorials into your brain.

You can pause, rewind and replay and part and just pop in the cd to review other sections.

Checkout these photoshop tutorials and start learning photoshop now!

PC Training Club is highly regarded as a top computer learning site.

We could create jobs in the alternative energy space if we would just focus some attention on it. It would be nice if the winner of this election truly decides to focus on alternative energy. There is a reason oil has cut in half lately, if it stays at the $150 a barrel range then we will be forced to make a beeline for alternative energy. If they keep us happy around $70 per barrel then the sheep will just turn a blind eye as we have done for decades.

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 I have put together a few items which when set correctly can help you control how resources are used on your system. Some of these items listed will simply uninstall certain features or change a program configuration. Others listed can be used to actually designate what resources are dedicate to individual programs. If used properly this can make specific programs operate faster and more efficiently.

You may or may not wish to implement some or all of these changes as it will be a matter of preference. Please remember you should document any changes made to your system. This well help you reverse any changes made if for any reason you experience adverse effects. 

Uninstalling remote differential compression

The remote differential compression feature is designed to streamline file transfers to and from remote directories by keeping track of file changes and only transferring the changed information.

To disable this feature:

Go to “start/control panel/programs/uninstall a program”.

On the sidebar select “turn windows features on and off”.

Uncheck “remote differential compression” and select “ok.”

Designating which CPU (if using multiple processors) runs a specific process

Windows Vista allows you the ability to assign an application to run only on a specific CPU. This is called processor affinity. This is a good way of balancing the load on a multi-core CPU.

Assigning processor affinity to an application:

Launch the desired application.

Press CTRL+ALT+DEL and choose the “task manager”.

In the “applications” tab locate the desired program and right click it. Choose “go to process”.

This will bring you to the “processes” tab with the process used by the application application highlighted. Right click the process and select “set affinity”.

The processor affinity window will open. Using the check box select which processor(s) you want to run that application.

Note: All settings will reset to default when a restart of the computer is performed.

Assigning priority to an application

All recent Microsoft operating systems have contained the concept of priority, meaning in this case, which process gets the most attention from the CPU. In Vista, you can customize these priority settings so that your hardware is concentrating most on what you want it to.

Vista has a range of available settings ranging from “low” to “real time”.

Note: Any full screen application automatically is assigned high priority by Windows Vista.The best way to optimize such applications is to tweak the commonly used windowed applications.

Assigning a custom priority to an application:

Launch the desired application.

Press CTRL+ALT+DEL and choose the “task manager”.

In the “applications” tab locate the desired program and right click it. Choose “go to process”.

This will open the “processes” tab with the process highlighted.

Right click the process and choose “set priority”. The priority list will openand you may designate your desired level.

Note: that choosing “realtime” is not wise as this will designate all processing being alloted to this one specific process. All settings will be reset to default when you restart the computer.

Configuring Windows Defender

Windows Defender by default runs a scan daily. Even though this scan runs in the background it can impact system performance. You may wish to disable the automatic scanning and perform only occasional manual system scans.

Disable Windows Defender automated scans:

Open the “start” menu and in the search field type “defender.”

select the “tools” icon at the top of the window and then “options”.

Uncheck “automatically scan my computer” and select “save”.

This will be the first in a line of articles dedicated to improving performance on Windows Vista. If you have a suggestion of your own that you have implemented and you feel may be beneficial to others please comment on this article. We would be happy to include any viable tips in our next article.

You can even download a copy of our internet speed test, just click here. Now you can test your speed right from your desktop as much as you want, anytime you want. Download Speed Test

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I highly suggest any pc users grab a copy and check it out.

Have a great day
Patrick

The above sentence was taken directly from the CyberDefender website. I wanted to use this sentence as a guideline for testing and reporting any faults or positives in the Cyberdefender program.

Interface

First I would like to state that it’s nice a company that produces protection software finally figured out it’s easier to browse and figure out a program when you have access to everything on a single layout interface.

The main interface gives easy access to monitor the status of each protection type. From spyware to scam or phishing protection addressing settings and options is fantastically easy.

Each subcategory is easily viewable and accessed.

Performance

The best thing I can document is the ease of use. Not just the overall ease of use, but how many of you have tried to scan your computer with your current protection software while still retaining the use of the pc? “Sluggish at best” comes to mind right?

Out of the box the greatest piece of design built into CyberDefender is the low impact on resources during scanning and active monitoring. I would enjoy meeting their design team just to congratulate them and shake their hands on this fact.

This isn’t your typical protection suite. Even with all proactive monitoring in use (spam, phishing, spyware, and virus) as well as performing a full system virus scan I noted my CPU load was not over 40%. I am noting the hardware configuration of the laptop that was used to test the functionality below.

Item Value

OS Name Microsoft® Windows Vista™ Home Premium

Version 6.0.6000 Build 6000

System Type X86-based PC

Processor Genuine Intel(R) CPU T2400 @ 1.83GHz, 1833 Mhz, 2 Core(s), 2 Logical Processor(s)

Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = “6.0.6000.16386″

Time Zone Central Standard Time

Total Physical Memory 2,549.82 MB

Available Physical Memory 1.24 GB

Total Virtual Memory 5.17 GB

Available Virtual Memory 3.77 GB

Page File Space 2.78 GB

Protection Available

Just insure you have a complete understanding of the available security and protection I want to list the available features other than virus scanning

1. Early Spam Protection: The spam protection integrates with your current email client to provide an incoming and outgoing email scanner which provides a more complete security suite.

(See picture Below)

2. Early Spy Protection: Active monitoring and protection from spyware and adware software types.(See picture Below)

3. Early Scam: Protects against phishing scams which are used to collect your data.

(See picture Below)

Additional Security Features

While CyberDefender not only supplies you with virus protection, but as well offers spam, spyware and phishing protection there are a couple of features which I would like to list that you might want to know about.

Early Monitor includes the following features not previously listed.

1. CyberDefender monitors the Windows update site for patches and updates to the Windows operating system.

2. It also monitors your firewall status and protection to insure you have the right protection.

3. Easily access and maintain control of cookies on you systems.

4. Password protection:CyberDefender shows you the passwords saved by Windows which can be accessed by others. Take control and remove the saved passwords, don’ allow windows to save such information.

Additional Features

Aside from comparing performance, cost and overall effectiveness of CyberDefender against it’s competitors one thing you can note about the software that no other competitor offers is 24/7 PHONE AND EMAIL ANTI-MALWARE SUPPORT.

Considering my experience with the CyberDefender software I would have to agree with their statements concerning the performance and effectiveness of the program. I would even go as far as having to state that I would consider CyberDefender to not only be a valuable piece of software, but a required piece of software in the fight against virus, spam, phishing and spyware infections.

Download CyberDefender Now

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StumbleUpon | Digg | Del.icio.us | Newsvine | Spurl | Furl | Reddit | Yahoo! MyWeb]]> http://www.pcnineoneone.com/blog/cyberdefender-review/feed/ http://www.pcnineoneone.com/blog/real-computer-maintenance/ http://www.pcnineoneone.com/blog/real-computer-maintenance/#comments Wed, 14 May 2008 22:58:41 +0000 pbash http://www.pcnineoneone.com/blog/real-computer-maintenance/  We have all read hundreds of articles on how to make our computers run faster, how to tweak the operating system, or how to secure them. The one thing you don’t see many of are articles on simply keeping your computer stored and cleaned properly.

We all seem to know how to clean our homes, and we can recognize the dust layer on the table or dust bunnies under the couch. Well you must understand that if you have to clean your house once a week to keep the dust and dust bunnies out then you must do the same for your computer. Your computer is even more at risk down there….in that little computer desk cubby hole….underneath everything!

The easiest way to make sure your computer collects as little dust as possible is to insure it is in a well ventilated area. Air circulation as well keeps your computer from over heating. Even with ventilation any computer will require cleaning internally. Over heating can cause a computer to lock up unexpectedly, shutdown intermittently and even cause slow performance.

Cleaning your computer is not as complicated as most people might fear. All computers have an access panel. Some OEM manufacturers hide them as well as they can to prevent users from accessing internal components, but don’t worry…..it is there.

All you will need is a can of compressed air (Which you can pick up at your local computer store) and ten minutes of your time. Please remember to unplug your computer when doing this, because if for any reason you dropped a screw or anything metallic on the system board while it was plugged in or turned on it could be catastrophic.

There are a couple of areas you will really want to focus on. Not that you should ignore the rest of the computer.

The CPU heat sink and fan- Very important to clean as this component keeps your CPU cooled.

Fans- Any system fans should be blown out as they draw in cold air or push out warm air.

The power supply- The power supply may or may not contain a fan internally that needs to be cleaned, but it should still be blown out regardless.

A good overall spraying of the system board and any other hardware is a good idea as well.

Now that your computer is cleaned (And it cost you all of what? three or four dollars for the can of air.) you will have the peace of mind that it wont over heat.

So how often should you do this? Well that depends on many things that I cannot address here, but in general take a look at your computer at least every 30 to 45 days to see if it might need your attention.

If you are experiencing slow performance aside from heat issues it as well can be due problems internal to the Windows registry. The fastest and easiest way to scan the registry for invalid, incomplete or missing data would be to use the PC Registry Cleaner. Not only will it remove these types of errors from the registry, but it also has embedded registry optimization entries which will improve the overall performance of a PC.

Lets not forget the fact that the manufacturer offers free support for any ongoing issue. You can download the trial program using the following link.

 http://www.pcregistrycleaner.com/download/PCRegistryCleaner_setup.exe

Well for starters the Mac does not have the x86 memory limitations. In a Mac when you have 2gigs of memory that is exactly what it sees; whereas a PC has the 640k limit in which it must break up the 2gigs worth of memory. Thats not to say Mac’s dont have their issues with memory.

The main benefit I believe comes from a standard hardware set. If you have a set type of hardware then you can test that hardware for a more efficient design of the overall computer. Unfortunately with the typical PC based OEM system hardware is not picked by best performance, but rather the lowest bidder. This is where you can run into trouble. I know I have experienced issues with PC based systems having compatibility issues between hardware devices.

PC based systems might reap the benefits of atleast somewhat standardizing the equipment (atleast between models), and before you say it; yes I understand the impact it would have on the hardware industry, but maybe performance is atleast one cause for the increase in market share that Apple is enjoying.

Some of the changes included in xp sp3 have been implemented in there own individual update packages previously, but are now included in the encompassing sp3 pack. This will provide a one time update solution for those who are like me on many of Microsofts’ patches.. a little weary.

I most curious to test the latest service pack to see how performance compares with Vista sp1; which at least with xpsp2 the xp operating system has proven to out perform Vista.

The service pack has been released on TechNet and made available in an admin pack, but has yet to be released on the Windows Update site.

Of course many of you know my feelings on jumping out there and immediately grabbing the latest updates. This isn’t to say I will not grab it for testing. I’m just always the cautious one when implementing in a production environment. This does include you individual users……at least those who consider their data valuable.

Considering this I have as well fallen into a comfort zone when it comes to the xp operating system and my confidence in it, even still I will muster the strength to be patient.

Of course right now the big buzz is being generated by all the sites guessing when the service pack will be made available to the update service. I will not even venture to even guess. Besides I am more interested in the buzz it will create after the release. Yes that was me chuckling in the background!