Tutorial Komputer

Data Backup For Beginners

2009-12-27T03:35:00.000-08:00

Data. Small bits of information clustered together to make Word files, documents,pictures, MP3s, HTML etc. We work on our computers every single day never sparing a thought for all those millions of chunks of data spread all over our hard disks. The data is there and it does it's job. Until of course the data is not there anymore.72 hours ago I suffered from massive data loss. There were no hackers involved. No power surges or lightning strikes. Just wear and tear on my hard disk. 20 Gigabytes of business and personal information gone forever. Passwords, HTML files, ebooks all gone. I didn't lose any sleep though. Why? Simply because this was my secondary hard disk that was only used as a backup drive. All my critically important data is safely stored elsewhere.Picture this scenario. You sit at your computer, turn it on and nothing. Dead. You've just lost everything you've worked on for the last 12 months. All your Adwords campaigns, website templates, ebooks, Excel files. Everything. How do you feel? How do you go about recovering?

70% of companies who suffer serious data loss go out of business within 12 months

The truth is that most people never recover from losing all their data. What can you do to prevent this happening to you? Backup.Backup. Backup. Use a backup system.How do I backup my data?You could use a zip drive, a CDR/DVD writer, a USB drive or a secure online storage service. Using any of the above is far better than using nothing at all and hoping for the best Data loss cost US businesses in excess of 18 billion dollars in 2003.

How often should I backup my data?You should backup all important data on your PC at least once a week. An easy way to do this is to use a rotating backup system. Get 4 blank disks . Label these disks Week 1, Week 2, Week 3 and Week 4. At the start of the month make a fresh copy of all your critical data on the Week 1 disk and continue this process on Week 2, 3 and 4. Following this procedure ensures that no matter what happens your stored data will never be more than 1 week old and you'll also have 3 other copies of your data stored away that are less than a month old. Simple. Effective.What software do I need?Microsoft Windows has its own backup software included. Apple Mac users can take advantage of Apples Backup software and iDisk backup service. How soon should I do this?Now. Even using floppy disks start the process of backing up your data today. The sooner you start the safer your data is.

Human error and hardware failure account for 76% of all data loss.

The cost of recovering from a major hardware failure such as a hard disk crash can be massively reduced by keeping a backup of your data.You're worked hard to build up your business. Don't throw all that hard work away by not taking the proper steps to safeguard your critical information

hopefully usefull

Can You Restore Your Data From Your Backup?

2009-12-24T13:16:00.000-08:00

Making backup is vital!For small business people the value of their business is often stored on their computers.Emails, contracts, PowerPoint presentations, business contacts, text documents and client databases are all vital information.Accidents do happen and data can be lost!Are you sure you can restore your data back to what it was?Can you be back in business without losing to much time?To be on the safe side you should adopt a working backupstrategy! Let's look at what can happen!There are three different cases to consider.1. Specific files or folders have been corrupted or deleted by accident.2. The data on your hard disk have been lost. This can be caused by a virus or by hard disk failure.3. Your computer have been lost. This can be caused by a natural disaster, a fire or by theft.Your preparation and action should to be different in each different case.It will also depend on how valuable the data are for you and how much you are willing to spend on protection.Here are your action plans for each case.1. These are files which you are working with on a daily basis. It is vital data to your business and you should make backup of these files on a regular basis. You should therefore identify them in advance.It can be files in folders like MyDocument, your emails or database files where you store your business information. To do this you need to find a backup product from which you can easily make backup of these vital files on a regular basis.Store the backup you make in a safe place.For extra security you can backup files online to a web server or you can hire space from companies that offer online backup services. If you use this option you should encrypt your data.2. When you have a hard disk data loss you have to format the disk, maybe with the help from a person with experience.The work involved reconfiguring the computer by installing Windows can be extensive.First after that Windows and the backup program have been installed are you able to restore the data from your backup. To avoid this extra work you may consider making a full backup of your hard disk image. From an image backup you are able to restore directly your complete data back to your hard disk and avoid extra installation work.3. You have lost your computer. But, because you already have backup of your vital data which you are working with on a daily basis, you are ableto restore your business to any configuration on anew computer.You just have to have your application products and your working data restored to be back in business.
The problem you face is that in order to restore all your hard disk data you need to have the same or a similar configuration for everything to work out as before. Maybe the operating system you used is not available anymore or hard to find.In any case you probably want the newest and latest version.This is where you have problems!You can install the old operating system if you have the installation CDs available. When you install the backup program and install the datafrom the backup you can run into problem. If it is a new operating system then you do run into problem.This is because program modules and also settings stored in the registration file becomes mixed up and the computer stops working.It is often not enough to use the same Windows version in the installation. Your backup you can still have a different version as a result of different bug fixes. This is what Microsoft calls Service Packs and your deep level data can get mixed up.As a result you may be losing software you have installed from the Internet or bought from a supplier and you have to purchase the products again.There are two actions to take to solve this depending on how important this is to your business.One: You find that the products you have downloaded or the application products you have bought are not of high enough value. Or you can afford to purchase the software again.Two: You keep record of all software you have downloaded and purchased on the Internet so that you can contact the vendor for a new version.You store all installation product and documentation so that you can install the products from the installation CD you have purchased over time.To be on the safe side you should: 1. Make regular computer backup of the data you are working with on a daily basis and have the computer backup stored on a safe place. Preferably on a remote location.2. Do make an image backup of your hard disk when you have installed new software. This ensures that you can be back in business in the case of corrupted hard disk or hard disk failure.3. Document all your purchases and passwords. Keep records and store all software installations. Keep all this at a remote location.

Avira Free Antivirus 9.0

2009-12-06T06:33:00.000-08:00

Avira AntiVir Personal is a free security suite for home users. It promises basic protection from viruses and spyware. How does it rank against other antivirus solutions? Read our review to find out.

Product Overview

Avira AntiVir Personal provides basic protection against viruses, worms, and Trojans, and also has basic anti-spyware protection. Avira claims the application monitors all user activities on the system for maximum pro-activeness.

Support is handled through an online support forum. An FAQ, tutorials/install guides, and documentation are all provided. This is essentially the same way AVG handles support for its free antivirus suite.

Avira is available in four languages -- English, German, Italian, and French. AntiVir Personal is for home use only.

Download & Installation

Avira is a 33MB free download from the company's website. The install is relatively simple and takes about 10-12 clicks and three to five minutes to install. This is slightly longer than other antivirus suites but nothing to complain about.

During the install users must agree to use the product for personal use only in addition to a license agreement. Registration is optional.

After the install, users must click through a configuration wizard which we found to be unnecessary. The wizard makes the user select protection settings, which was confusing as shown above. The next screen was equally as confusing:

Lastly, the wizard asks when to start the antivirus suite. Why? All of this should have been automatic; no other antivirus suite has required us to perform something this low-level. We left all install and configuration settings at default.

Program Interface

Avira has a simple yet drab and outdated-looking interface. Basic navigation is handled in the left pane, and the selected item is displayed in the center. The overview tab shown above displays the status of program components including security, last scan and update times, and license info.

We found the names of items to unwieldy. For example, overall status is shown in the "AntiVir Guard" component, but that was not immediately obvious. Avira uses color-coding for status, though it could be more accentuated.

Many of the screens are not user-friendly. For example, the Local Protection's Scanner screen displays the confusion screen at the right.

There are three options for each component listed, revealed by rolling over the icons:
Start scan with the selected profile
Start the scan with selected profile as administrator
Create a desktop link for the selected profile

These options are a first for us, and we're betting most users won't know what they mean.

Overall we find the interface lacking polish compared to AVG. It is functional but not always intuitive.

Updates

Avira automatically updates every 24 hours like AVG. Unlike AVG the updates took an unusually long time to complete; despite our 10 megabit connection we achieved just a few kilobytes per second download rate. The initial update was over 8MB in size, which at the slow speeds required over an hour of waiting to download and install. We actually aborted the update at first because we thought it froze. We can only hope this is a sporadic issue and not widespread.

In Use & Effectiveness

Avira generally stayed out of the way with one exception: the occasional pop-up advertising for the paid version.

Since the software is free it is hard to complain about this, however AVG has a far less intrusive way of doing so through the program interface.

To test the effectiveness of Avira I used several virus files from Eicar.org, an IT security website. Please see the test description for extensive information on the tests.

Avira detected one out of four upon download and discovered the others during a system scan. It performed the appropriate actions to remove them from the system. This is the same level of pro-activeness we observed with AVG. Avira performs as expected with no surprises.

Performance Impact

We evaluate the performance impact and system resource usage of using anti-virus software in three ways:
Overall system performance measured before and after installation using PCMark
Memory footprint
Time it took to perform a full system scan

Our test system is an HP Pavilion dv5t.

Overall System Performance Impact Measured with PCMark Vantage

Prior to installing Avira the notebook had the numbers on the left. After installing Avira the benchmark was run again, producing the numbers on the right.

Avira has essentially a 0% impact on system performance -- call us impressed. This is on par with AVG and bests many paid solutions.

Memory Footprint

Avira uses about 20MB of RAM, which is less than AVG.

Time it took to perform a full system scan

Avira took 45 minutes to scan our test computer's hard drive with 122GB of data; this is a very reasonable time and beats the scan times of some paid solutions. AVG comes in at 23 minutes however only after performing a system optimization scan.

Conclusion

Avira is a functional free antivirus suite. It matches AVG for proactiveness and system performance impact, however we have reservations. Its interface is very Windows 98-like and not always user-friendly. Updates take a long time to complete. We did not like the occasional pop-up ads for the paid version either. Overall we recommend the suite though prefer AVG due to its better interface, faster updates, and non-intrusive ads.

PROS
FREE of charge
Virtually no performance impact
Reasonable scan times

CONS
Could be more pro-active
Unpolished interface
Pop-up ads

Virus Hoaxes

2009-12-02T09:19:00.000-08:00

Have you ever gotten an email message like this?

BIGGGG TROUBLE !!!! DO NOT OPEN "WTC Survivor"It is a virus that will erase your whole "C" drive. It will cometo you in the form of an E-Mail from a familiar person. I repeata friend sent it to me, but called and warned me before I openedit. He was not so lucky and now he can't even start his computer!Forward this to everyone in your address book. I would ratherreceive this 25 times than not at all. If you receive an emailcalled "WTC Survivor" do not open it. Delete it right away! Thisvirus removes all dynamic link libraries (.dll files) from yourcomputer.Again,,, I urge all of you to make sure your virius scannersare up to date daily!!!!!!FGSounds very bad, doesn't it? My, what a horrible virus. It, andothers like it, will eat your hard drive, destroy your email,infect every other machine on your network and listed in youraddress book, and even perhaps give you cookies and make yourcar break down!This email and others like it are simply hoaxes? How do I knowthey are a hoax and not a real warning? Here's how it works. Avirus propagates (reproduces) by automatically sending itself toall of the addresses in your address book. This is a fairlycomplex piece of code, requiring a little knowledge on the partof the person who created the virus.Well, instead of writing code to propagate something, why notask some gullible people to do it for you? That's what thesehoaxes are all about - the "virus" is the email message and thedelivery system is human being. Why will people do this? Sometimes it's just for a laugh, andsometimes it's for more insidious reasons. Someone could sendout a message which claimed that any message from AOL containeda virus, for example, in an effort to make AOL look bad. Here is one of the first hoaxes known to have been sent outacross the internet. It went out in 1988.SUBJ: Really Nasty VirusAREA: GENERAL (1)I've just discovered probably the world's worst computer virusyet. I had just finished a late night session of BBS'ing andfile treading when I exited Telix 3 and attempted to run pkxarcto unarc the software I had downloaded. Next thing I knew myhard disk was seeking all over and it was apparently writingrandom sectors. Thank god for strong coffee and a recentbackup. Everything was back to normal, so I called the BBSagain and downloaded a file. When I went to use ddir to listthe directory, my hard disk was getting trashed again. Itried Procomm Plus TD and also PC Talk 3. Same results everytime. Something was up so I hooked up to my test equipment

and different modems (I do research and development for alocal computer telecommunications company and have an in-houselab at my disposal). After another hour of corrupted harddrives I found what I think is the world's worst computervirus yet. The virus distributes itself on the modemsub-carrier present in all 2400 baud and up modems. Thesub-carrier is used for ROM and register debugging purposesonly, and otherwise serves no othr (sp) purpose. The virussets a bit pattern in one of the internal modem registers, butit seemed to screw up the other registers on my USR. A modemthat has been "infected" with this virus will then transmitthe virus to other modems that use a subcarrier (I supposethose who use 300 and 1200 baud modems should be immune).The virus then attaches itself to all binary incoming dataand infects the host computer's hard disk. The only way toget rid of this virus is to completely reset all the modemregisters by hand, but I haven't found a way to vaccinate amodem against the virus, but there is the possibility ofbuilding a subcarrier filter. I am calling on a 1200 baudmodem to enter this message, and have advised the sysops ofthe two other boards (names withheld). I don't know how thisvirus originated, but I'm sure it is the work of someone inthe computer telecommunications field such as myself. Probablythe best thing to do now is to stick to 1200 baud until wefigure this thing out. Mike RoChenleSo what should you do if you receive a warning about somehorrible virus? Generally, if these demand to be sent to everyoneyou know, it's a hoax. If you are unsure, then check out thefollowing site:Symantic Antivirus Research Center - http://www.sarc.comGo to the search page and enter a few words from the messageclaiming to warn you about a horrible virus. Behold, you willnow read about the hoax. In fact, here's the datasheet on thevirus mentioned at the start of this article:http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/wtc.survivor.hoax.htmlIn any event, hoax or not, it's a good idea to just file the emailor delete it. Don't send it on to all of your friends. Don't doanything dramatic. These things only gain power when people givethem power.In other words, maintain your reason and don't give in to anemotional response which simply floods email inboxes with junk.

About the Author
Richard Lowe Jr. is the webmaster of Internet Tips And Secretsat http://www.internet-tips.net - Visit our website any time toread over 1,000 complete FREE articles about how to improve yourinternet profits, enjoyment and knowledge.

Tutorial Computer -----CMOS Virus & BIOS settings

2009-10-14T02:30:00.000-07:00

TutorialComputerku

CMOS Virus & BIOS settings

If your motherboard keeps losing its' clock settings and other BIOS options the first thing to do is change your CMOS battery, of course. However if this doesn't cure it, one of two things is wrong:
1. You have a CMOS virus
2. Ths Moboard is faulty.
Before throwing your motherboard away, make sure you are not infected by a virus such as CMOS or CMOSDeath. A good antivirus program should detect this.For more information on CMOS virus try a Google search or one of the Antivirus sites eg Panda Software.
There is a link to this on this website at:http://www.computerhyper.co.uk

greeting..

TUTORIAL KOMPUTER ----VIRUS AND WORMS

2009-07-23T05:41:00.000-07:00

Viruses and Worms

In general terms a virus is a program that runs on a system against the owner's or user's wishes and knowledge. Viruses have one or more methods they use to spread. Most commonly they will attach a file to an e-mail message and attempt to trick victims into running the attachment.
Virus Damage
In most cases, viruses can do any amount of damage the creator intends them to do. They can send your data to a third party and then delete your data from your computer. They can also ruin your system and render it unusable without a re-installation of the operating system. Most have not done this much damage in the past, but could easily do this in the future. Usually the virus will install files on your system then will change your system so the virus is run every time you start your system. It will then attempt to replicate itself by sending itself to other potential victims.
The normal effect a virus will have on your system is that over time your system will run slower. Also when you are using the internet your connection may seem to run slower. Eventually you may have trouble running programs on your system, your system may freeze, and in the worst case you may not be able to get it to boot up when you turn your computer on.
How Viruses or Worms Spread
Most commonly viruses today use e-mail to spread however they have used one or more of the following methods to spread in the past
Some viruses will load themselves onto any part of a writable removable drive as possible and spread from computer to computer as people use the removable drive.
A worm is a program similar to a virus that will exploit a vulnerability in an operating system or application that a computer user is running. The best defense against a worm is to have either a personal firewall on your system or be behind a corporate firewall. Another good defense is to update your system regularly. All you need to do to get a worm is to connect an unpatched computer to the internet or infected network when your computer does not have firewall protection.
Most viruses will spread themselves using e-mail attachments. They may tell the user that they neet to open the attachment to get the rest of the information that is being sent to them. Many times the virus may claim it is an administrator and the user needs to either read the data or install a program on their system. Viruses have even claimed to be Microsoft sending a system patch as an attachment to the e-mail. Microsoft would never send a system patch through e-mail.

http://www.comptechdoc.org/basic/basictut/

Tutorial Computer ---MicroWorld Antivirus (MWAV) Toolkit Utility

2009-07-22T00:06:00.001-07:00

Tutorial Computer

MicroWorld Antivirus (MWAV) Toolkit Utility

MicroWorld Antivirus (MWAV) Toolkit Utility.The features of MWAV 1. New features to detect Porno Dialers, Adware, Spyware and Riskware.2. MWAV can now updated itself automatically so that it can scan for all the new viruses3. Facility to activate itself for removing/disinfecting worms and viruses4. Facility to weed out worms that attach themselves to popular browserslike Internet Explorer that are not detected by popular antivirus productsby using deep registry scanningAntiVirus products traditionally do scanning of entire hard-drives to checkfiles for viruses. But the ever increasing size of hard-disks and themillions of files that these hard-disks can store, makes it practicallyimpossible for antivirus products to scan all the files within practicaltime limits.But, because Microsoft's registry, which stores "links" to files which areautomatically executed by various software's, is not fully documented, AVsoftware often fail to catch viruses which appear to re-surface even aftersuccessful disinfections!!!This is exactly what MWAV toolkit today attempts to solve. It will searchdeep into the registry, even looking for entries

which are normally notdocumented, and within minutes detect and remove viruses.Moreover MWAV will remove "invalid" and "dead links" inside the registry,which often causes unnecessary warnings to fill up the Event Logs.According to Mr. Govind Rammurthy, CEO of MicroWorld Technologies Inc.,"Relatively undocumented auto-run entries inside the registry was a BIGhassle for customers and Antivirus vendors. The all-new-powerful MWAV willprove to be a real boon to customers and hardware technicians."MWAV has already received numerous accolades and appreciations fromcustomers worldwide and used by numerous consultants to "quick scan" PCsand Servers.New MWAV can be downloaded and used from MicroWorld Technologies Inc.website http://www.mwti.net/antivirus/mwav.asp

About the Author
MicroWorld Technologies is one of the leading solution providers for Information Technology, Content Security and Communications Software. MicroWorld's primary motive is to "add confidence to computing" by developing innovative solutions targeting Single Home Users, Small & medium companies, Corporate, Large Enterprise, Schools & Universities, Government Organisations and ISPs.

Tutorial Computer ---Traditional antivirus programs useless against new unidentified viruses!

2009-07-21T23:37:00.000-07:00

Tutorial Computer

Traditional antivirus programs useless against new unidentified viruses!

Every now and then you can read about a new virus and the damage it causes. The millions viruses costs companies each time they strike. It is however not only companies that are suffering from the damages caused by viruses. A virus can be just as damaging if not more for a private Internet user by destroying important documents, family pictures and everything else you keep on your computer. Therefore should no home computer be without a good virus protection software. This way you can protect your computer and yourself from loosing data, corrupted hard drives and a number of other problems. There are several anti virus programs available of which some are free and some are not. You should however always remember that you might get what you paying for, meaning that the service and the updates might be better for the paid alternatives and thereby protect your computer better.When using a virus program you should try to find one that is fast, reliable and able to discover as many viruses as possible. Whether it is fast or not might seem unimportant if you don't use your computer that much, but you will find that an anti virus program that scans your computer faster will be used more frequently and thereby giving you a better protection. If an anti virus program should be effective when protecting your computer it needs to be able to recognise all viruses, and since new viruses are constantly created this means that the database for the program has to be constantly updated. You should therefore consider how often the different anti virus programs update their databases when choosing which antivirus program to get. You should always make sure to keep your virus program up-to-date.One of the best anti virus programs on the market today is Panda Active Scan Anti Virus Software Online which has an unrivalled capacity for detecting viruses and other threats online which is the most common path for viruses to reach our computer. Almost all viruses today are spread through the Internet. Panda Titanium Active Scan Anti Virus 2005 is easy to install and once it is installed it finds and remove viruses automatically. Panda Anti Virus also automatically updates itself if you want it to. In other words: Panda Anti Virus is an anti

virus program that manages itself and makes sure that it is up to date and able to keep your computer safe from viruses. Panda Titanium Active Scan Anti Virus 2005 scans your entire computer, including the program itself, to make sure that a virus can't infect any part of the computer. Panda Anti Virus doesn't just search for virus, it also search your computer for a number of other security risks like spy wares and Trojans.Panda Anti Virus contains TruPrevent Technologies. TruPrevent Technologies is a system designed to help Panda Anti Virus protect your computer against unknown viruses and intruders. The user can choose whether they want to use TruPrevent Technologies or not. The technology has been implemented to allow Panda Anti Virus to protect your computer against new virus since a new virus can spread world wide within a few hours. The TruPrevent Technologies allows Panda Anti Virus to detect and block viruses even if they are not yet included in the virus database. This allows Panda Titanium Active Scan Anti Virus 2005 to keep your computer safe against all viruses and not only the ones that are already identified, since you might encounter a new virus despite the fact that Panda updates their database at least once a day. Old anti virus programs - and most of the modern anti virus programs as well - can only protect you against already identified viruses. The ability to protect against unknown viruses is what Panda Anti Virus a superior choice for an anti virus program.Panda Titanium Active Scan Anti Virus 2005 does not only offer superior security and very user friendly functionality. It also comes with tech support where experts answer any questions that might arise.All personal computers should have virus protection since you otherwise risk loosing important document, family pictures etcetera and if you are looking for user friendliness and a superior security Panda Anti Virus is your best choice.You can get panda antivirus at support cave

About the Author
Supportcave.com offers new and enhanced free virus software. Not only will these programs effectively check and clean your computer from virus, once installed they will also shield your computer from future virus intrusions.

TUTORIAL COMPUTER ---Registry Cleaner: Protection for Your PC

2009-07-21T12:13:00.000-07:00

Tutorial Computer

Registry Cleaner: Protection for Your PC

Written By:David Dwight

Your personal computer saves all the processes that are happening within it. The operating system has its own log of these programs running, and changes that are happening within it. What is a registry cleaner? First you must understand what a registry is. A registry is an applet within your compendium pack of an operating system. Within the term itself ¡°registry¡± registers the processes that take place. It also takes note of the automatic processes that are happening in your PC and are running in the background. Think of the registry as a big notebook of your PC¡¯s to-do list and it logs everything into it. Why a registry cleaner important? Registry cleaners are important because it protects your PC from other processes that are not considered viruses, but can be harmful to your PC. Is your computer slowing down without your knowledge? Are you having errors that are not distinguished by your anti-virus program? Your PC might be affected by applications that are running without your knowledge. Registry cleaners are a must! Your PC might be inflicted by Adwares, Spywares and Spambots. In addition, your registry might be littered with logs that commands your PC to execute these files. A registry cleaner is needed to clean some of these programs. Registry cleaners detect errors in your PC. Registry cleaners help your PC function properly and registry cleaners detect errors, and deletes and/or fixes them. For your PC to function in its optimum performance, you must have a registry cleaner. The basic programs that your PC should have in order to function properly should be: anti-virus software, firewall, anti-spam, and a good registry cleaner.When your PC suddenly has a mind of its own, it might have caught a Spyware, or an Adware from the internet. Spywares and adwares are small programs that download themselves from the internet to your PC. They affect your PC¡¯s registry and a registry cleaner can possibly fix the errors that they cause. Spywares monitor your PC¡¯s activity?the programs running, registry information, websites visited. Adwares are annoying pop-ups and spam mails. Registry cleaners often block these from proliferating in your PC. These programs are not considered virus by your anti-virus, but it tinkers your PC¡¯s registry, and sometimes cause errors. A registry cleaner fixes ¡°bugs¡± or errors that are inherent in your PC. If you don¡¯t have a registry cleaner, your PC will function at a slower rate. Also, without a registry cleaner, a PC will be inflicted with many annoying programs that run on the background. A registry cleaner scans, identifies and fixes the bugs that are contained in your operating system¡¯s registry. Some of the bugs in your PC are actually from other programs that you have installed. Sometimes, your PC is running programs that are non-existent anymore. Installation and uninstallation processes also affect your PC¡¯s performance. Registry cleaners also deal with these errors. Sometimes, files are corrupted when you uninstall. Some PC¡¯s even restart on their own, behaving erratically and uncontrollable. If you have these problems, you need a registry cleaner.Registry cleaners are softwares. You can download free registry cleaners in the internet. But it is advisable to buy a licensed registry cleaner because it offers better technical support. Crashes are inevitable without registry cleaners. Losing all your data, or having a corrupted program is a nightmare, so be wise, have a registry cleaner!Your personal computer saves all the processes that are happening within it. The operating system has its own log of these programs running, and changes that are happening within it. What is a registry cleaner? First you must understand what a registry is. A registry is an applet within your compendium pack of an operating system. Within the term itself ¡°registry¡± registers the processes that take place. It also takes note of the automatic processes that are happening in your PC and are running in the background. Think of the registry as a big notebook of your PC¡¯s to-do list and it logs everything into it. Why a registry cleaner important? Registry cleaners are important because it protects your PC from other processes that are not considered viruses, but can be harmful to your PC. Is your computer slowing down without your knowledge? Are you having errors that are not distinguished by your anti-virus program? Your PC might be affected by applications that are running without your knowledge. Registry cleaners are a must! Your PC might be inflicted by Adwares, Spywares and Spambots. In addition, your registry might be littered with logs that commands your PC to execute these files. A registry cleaner is needed to clean some of these programs. Registry cleaners detect errors in your PC. Registry cleaners help your PC function properly and registry cleaners detect errors, and deletes and/or fixes them. For your PC to function in its optimum performance, you must have a registry cleaner. The basic programs that your PC should have in order to function properly should be: anti-virus software, firewall, anti-spam, and a good registry cleaner.When your PC suddenly has a mind of its own, it might have caught a Spyware, or an Adware from the internet. Spywares and adwares are small programs that download themselves from

the internet to your PC. They affect your PC¡¯s registry and a registry cleaner can possibly fix the errors that they cause. Spywares monitor your PC¡¯s activity?the programs running, registry information, websites visited. Adwares are annoying pop-ups and spam mails. Registry cleaners often block these from proliferating in your PC. These programs are not considered virus by your anti-virus, but it tinkers your PC¡¯s registry, and sometimes cause errors. A registry cleaner fixes ¡°bugs¡± or errors that are inherent in your PC. If you don¡¯t have a registry cleaner, your PC will function at a slower rate. Also, without a registry cleaner, a PC will be inflicted with many annoying programs that run on the background. A registry cleaner scans, identifies and fixes the bugs that are contained in your operating system¡¯s registry. Some of the bugs in your PC are actually from other programs that you have installed. Sometimes, your PC is running programs that are non-existent anymore. Installation and uninstallation processes also affect your PC¡¯s performance. Registry cleaners also deal with these errors. Sometimes, files are corrupted when you uninstall. Some PC¡¯s even restart on their own, behaving erratically and uncontrollable. If you have these problems, you need a registry cleaner.Registry cleaners are softwares. You can download free registry cleaners in the internet. But it is advisable to buy a licensed registry cleaner because it offers better technical support. Crashes are inevitable without registry cleaners. Losing all your data, or having a corrupted program is a nightmare, so be wise, have a registry cleaner!Your personal computer saves all the processes that are happening within it. The operating system has its own log of these programs running, and changes that are happening within it. What is a registry cleaner? First you must understand what a registry is. A registry is an applet within your compendium pack of an operating system. Within the term itself ¡°registry¡± registers the processes that take place. It also takes note of the automatic processes that are happening in your PC and are running in the background. Think of the registry as a big notebook of your PC¡¯s to-do list and it logs everything into it. Why a registry cleaner important? Registry cleaners are important because it protects your PC from other processes that are not considered viruses, but can be harmful to your PC. Is your computer slowing down without your knowledge? Are you having errors that are not distinguished by your anti-virus program? Your PC might be affected by applications that are running without your knowledge. Registry cleaners are a must! Your PC might be inflicted by Adwares, Spywares and Spambots. In addition, your registry might be littered with logs that commands your PC to execute these files. A registry cleaner is needed to clean some of these programs. Registry cleaners detect errors in your PC. Registry cleaners help your PC function properly and registry cleaners detect errors, and deletes and/or fixes them. For your PC to function in its optimum performance, you must have a registry cleaner. The basic programs that your PC should have in order to function properly should be: anti-virus software, firewall, anti-spam, and a good registry cleaner.When your PC suddenly has a mind of its own, it might have caught a Spyware, or an Adware from the internet. Spywares and adwares are small programs that download themselves from the internet to your PC. They affect your PC¡¯s registry and a registry cleaner can possibly fix the errors that they cause. Spywares monitor your PC¡¯s activity?the programs running, registry information, websites visited. Adwares are annoying pop-ups and spam mails. Registry cleaners often block these from proliferating in your PC. These programs are not considered virus by your anti-virus, but it tinkers your PC¡¯s registry, and sometimes cause errors. A registry cleaner fixes ¡°bugs¡± or errors that are inherent in your PC. If you don¡¯t have a registry cleaner, your PC will function at a slower rate. Also, without a registry cleaner, a PC will be inflicted with many annoying programs that run on the background. A registry cleaner scans, identifies and fixes the bugs that are contained in your operating system¡¯s registry. Some of the bugs in your PC are actually from other programs that you have installed. Sometimes, your PC is running programs that are non-existent anymore. Installation and uninstallation processes also affect your PC¡¯s performance. Registry cleaners also deal with these errors. Sometimes, files are corrupted when you uninstall. Some PC¡¯s even restart on their own, behaving erratically and uncontrollable. If you have these problems, you need a registry cleaner.Registry cleaners are softwares. You can download free registry cleaners in the internet. But it is advisable to buy a licensed registry cleaner because it offers better technical support. Crashes are inevitable without registry cleaners. Losing all your data, or having a corrupted program is a nightmare, so be wise, have a registry cleaner! Irene Graham is the owner of Free Internet Eraser. To learn more about using registry cleaners to protect your PC, go to: http://free-internet-eraser.com

TUTORIAL KOMPUTER ----Viruses: The Code Red Worm

2009-07-21T06:11:00.001-07:00

Tutorial Computer

Viruses: The Code Red Worm

Years from now, we will all look back on the summer of 2001 as one of thestrangest summers in the history of the internet. We will surely laugh atthe frantic gyrations of system administrators and security professionalsbecause of a worm called "Code Red". We system administrators will mostcertainly chuckle as we fondly reminisce on the late evenings spent patchingserver after server at the urging of our security professionals. And hey,that blue screen or two that resulted was so much fun to research, and thereinstalls that we had to do the next day will certainly be the topic ofcampfire conversations for years to come! Not!During late July and early August, Microsoft, CERT (Computer EmergencyResponse Team) and the FBI issued emergency bulletins urging all systemadministrators to patch their web servers immediately. The press was alertedand asked to help spread the word that the internet itself was in extremedanger. Every security and antivirus company on the planet was busy sendingout notices to everyone they could find that the problem had to be fixedimmediately, or dire consequences would result.The predictions were that internet speed would be reduced to a crawl fordays while billions (trillions?) of meaningless packets were thrown at theWhitehouse web site an attempt to knock it off the air.What was the cause of this three-ring circus?It's very simple really. The same old story. Microsoft had a bug in theirweb server code. Well, saying they had a bug dramatically understates themagnitude of the problem.To put it into perspective, let's say you hired a contractor to build a newbank (you are the bank manager). Naturally, your bank is outfitted withstate of the art technology (so says the brochure), including a shiny,well-publicized security system. The project was expensive, but you're happybecause, hey, it's the new, improved, extra special XP bank. Besides, thecontractor is the biggest one on the planet and, frankly, you paid them anexorbitant rate to ensure that you got the best there was.After your bank is robbed, you find out that the contractor had"accidentally" left an eight foot hole in the right wall. This isn't just asmall hole, it's a huge, gaping crevice leading directly to the vault. It'sin plain view to everyone, except, seemingly, the contractor. When youconfront the contractor to ask them how they could do such a stupid thing,they politely tell you, after a three hour wait on hold and a $295 charge onyour credit card, that it's really your fault because you didn't follow theinstructions in their special security bulletin two months ago. Didn't yousend a couple of your employees to the BSE (Bank Systems Engineer) classesto learn that they need to purchase the extra-special, super spectacularBankNet knowledgebase CDs?Okay, all kidding and sarcasm aside, there is a bug in the Indexing service(the component that creates searchable indexes) in the Microsoft InternetInformation Server (the program which displays web pages on a web server)which is supplied with Windows NT and Windows 2000. This bug allows allowsanyone who can send a special string of characters to a web server to "takecontrol" and, basically, cause the web server to do anything that theattacker desires.The bug is something commonly known as a "buffer overflow", which simplymeans you can send more

characters to the web server than it is capable ofreceiving. When a program receives characters it writes them to memory in aplace called a buffer. If a poorly written program receives more charactersthan it is designed to handle, it will, under special conditions, cause theextra characters to be executed with privileges.To put it very simply, it was discovered that you could cause the IndexingService to "overflow it's buffers" and execute selected code as a privilegeduser. This allows a special hacker program (which is reported to haverequired all of a half hour to write) to gain control of a server.You have to understand that buffer overflows are nothing new to the world ofcomputing. In fact, I am sure that the first programmer is also the firstperson to experience this condition. This is well known to competent qualitycontrol departments, programmers, designers and, of course, hackers.To put it bluntly, buffer overflows should not occur in any program writtenby any programmer who has passed "programming 102". In addition, any qualityassurance person who has taken "quality control 101" should be able to checkfor and spot the problem from a mile away.All right already, so what is the infamous Code Red worm?Code Red is a clever little program which takes advantage of this gapinghole in the Index Server. What the program does is search for systems withthe flaw. It's easy to find those systems and Code Red is very good at it'sjob. So good, in fact, that in early August 2001 it is estimated that itinfected over 300,000 machines!Once the worm finds a machine, it executes the buffer overflow condition andcauses itself to be installed on the machine. Remember the Wrath of Kahnmovie where the beetle with the big pincers crawled into Checkov's ear? It'ssomething like that.Once the bug got into his brain, oh sorry ... once the worm has installeditself it does a number of different things depending upon the day of themonth. Some days near the beginning of a month it will search for newsystems to infect. Towards the middle the worms will all launch an attackagainst the Whitehouse web site. At the end of the month, all of thesemalicious little programs will sleep, waiting for the next month.Interestingly, the Code Red worm has a couple of small flaws. First, it'sattack is directed at a single IP address. Thus, during the first waves ofattacks in July the Whitehouse "dodged the bullet" by simply changing theiraddress.Second, the worm only installs itself in memory. This means it's simply amatter of rebooting the server to rid it of the pesky infection. Of course,if you don't install the patch (a fix to repair the problem, conceptuallylike the piece of rubber used to patch a hole in a tire), it's just a matterof time until your system gets infected again.Naturally, a new worm called "Code Red II" worm has been reported in thewild, and almost certainly does not include these flaws. Hopefully systemadministrators will comply and install their patches so their systems willnot be assimilated into the Code Red and Code Red II attacks.

About the Author
Richard Lowe Jr. is the webmaster of Internet Tips And Secrets athttp://www.internet-tips.net - Visit our website any time to readover 1,000 complete FREE articles about how to improve yourinternet profits, enjoyment and knowledge.

Tutorial Computer ----How To Backup Your Hard Drive

2009-07-20T21:29:00.000-07:00

Tutorial Computer

How To Backup Your Hard Drive

We all know that we should back up our system as soon as possible. But if you're like most of us, you will get to it tomorrow. The problem is that tomorrow rarely ever comes until you experience a serious computer failure and then it’s too late.
Taking the time to backup your data or entire hard drive is not as painstaking as it may seem. And the rewards of doing so will be great should your system experience a crash.
WINDOWS AND OTHER BACKUP SOFTWARE
If you have Windows XP you will need to install the new Windows backup utility from the Windows XP cdrom. Just place the WinXP cdrom in your cdrom drive and locate the line D:VALEADDMSFTNTBACKUP.
Here you see the first letter as D but if your optical drive has a different drive letter, exchange the D with your drive's letter. To install the utility, click on the file named NTBackup.msi.
The backup utility will be installed to the system tools group. Click Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, and Backup. There is a neat wizard that will walk you through the backup process.
WinXP's backup utility will backup your entire hard drive and will make a recovery disk to boot.
One neat third party backup software you can try is NewTech InfoSystems at http://www.ntius.com where you can download their trial version and put it to use for 30 days. And if it’s your cup of tea, the full version will run you about $79.95
INCREMENTAL OR DIFFERENTIAL BACKUPS
You should back up your entire hard drive when you perform your first backup. After that it is best to perform an Incremental backup. This type of backup only allows you to backup files that have changed since your last performed backup.
Differential Backups copy changed files that have been added since you last did your entire backup. This type of backup is more detailed than incremental backups and is easier to restore.
BACKUP STORAGE DEVICES
You can backup your files on cdroms and have the files compressed to save both space and backup time. WinXP will compress folders, subfolders, and files during backup.
You can purchase compression software that will do the same, saving you cdrom storage space. The compressed files are automatically uncompressed once they are restored onto your hard drive. continued below ...

You can also use a second hard drive as your backup storage device. We use two backup hard drives to be certain Ultimate PC Repair is up and running 24/7.
You can either purchase an internal hard drive and install it to your ide cable, or you may want to purchase an external hard drive that connects to your Universal Serial Bus or USB Port.
The advantage of the external drives is that they have very large amounts of storage space, transfer data fast, and can be moved from your computer to any other computer.
We use the Western Digital 170 Gigabyte External Hard Drive and we simply bounce it around to either one of our four computers with the greatest of ease.
USING ONLINE BACKUP SERVICES
You may also consider online services for backing up your data. If you lose all your backup data, say due to a natural disaster such as a flood, your online data is right there waiting for you.
Another advantage of online backups is that you can access, upload, or download your data from any location. It is best to use high speed internet access if you're considering online data storage.
One such online backup service is Istorage located at http://www.iomega.com/istorage and charges from $2.49 a month for 50MBs to $17.95 a month for a big 1,000MBs of storage.
Or you can check out FilesAnywhere located at the url http://www.filesanywhere.com
Still another online service to try is CapSure located at http://www.capsure.com
Backup your system now in one way or another if you have not done so. If you have critical data that you simply cannot do without, take the time to invest in a backup device or one of the many online backup services.
Stop and perform those backups as soon as possible. You will be thankful you did should something go wrong with your computer. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.
Otis F. Cooper is the author of the award winning PC Super Pack, the Computer Training By Video course. For hundreds more free PC repair tips, sign up for his bi-monthly newsletter and learn the PC free at http://www.ultimatepcrepair.com

Tutorial Computer ----How to REALLY backup the Windows Registry

2009-07-20T21:27:00.000-07:00

Tutorial Computer

How to REALLY backup the Windows Registry

Reprintable Article: Permission is granted for thefollowing article to forward, reprint, distribute, use forezine, newsletter, website, offer as free bonus or part ofa product for sale as long as no changes are made and thebyline, copyright, and resource box is included. ----------------------------------------------------------How to REALLY backup the Windows RegistryBy Stephen BucaroIn Windows 3.x configuration information was stored inhuman readable text files like win.ini, system.ini,config.sys, and autoexec.bat. But that method of storingconfiguration was inadequate to store configuration forthe enormous amount of bloat Microsoft put into Windows 95and higher.In Windows 95 and higher, configuration information isstored in the "registry". The word "registry" rarelyappears without being accompanied by the word "warning",and a vague description of how your computer will go up insmoke if you even think about messing with the registry.The registry is bloated and overcomplicated, but since itis the central repository for almost all of Windowsconfiguration information, you will probably have to dealwith it sooner or later. In fact, if you ever require theassistance of a support technician, the first thing theywill instruct you to do is open registry editor.It is perfectly safe for you to work with the registry,provided that you back it up first (and you know how torestore it). Windows automatically creates a backup of theregistry every time you start your computer. But when youare making configuration changes, you usually have toreboot your computer several times, possibly writing baddata to the backup.To make your own backup of the registry, start your systemwith your startup floppy disk. (If you can’t find yourstartup disk, use the Add/Remove utility in Control Panelto make a new one. Place a copy of the file attrib.exefrom the c:windowscommand folder on the disk.)After you start your system with your startup disk, useDOS to change to the C:WINDOWS directory (type c: thencd windows). Then carefully type in
the following DOScommands.attrib -s -h -r system.datattrib -s -h -r user.datcopy system.dat c:copy user.dat c:attrib +s +h +r system.datattrib +s +h +r user.datNote: if your system is Windows Me, also back upclasses.datThen remove the startup disk and restart your system.Why did I put you through such a laborious method just tomake a copy of two files? Could you just use Window’sExplorer to copy the files? Could you use the RegistryEditor (Regedit) to back up the registry (or Windows MeSystem Restore)?Yes, you could. But what if your system crashed so that itcan’t even start in Safe Mode? Then you can’t use any ofthose Windows programs to restore the registry. I put youthrough the DOS method to make sure:1. The boot sequence in your BIOS is setup to boot fromthe A: drive.2. You have the minimum proficiency with DOS to restorethe registry if required.3. To make sure that you have a copy of attrib.exe on yourstartup disk.To restore the registry, start your system with yourstartup disk. Use DOS to change to the c:windowsdirectory. Then type in the following commands.attrib -s -h -r system.datattrib -s -h -r user.datdel system.datdel user.datcd copy system.dat c:windowscopy user.dat c:windowscd windowsattrib +s +h +r system.datattrib +s +h +r user.datThen remove the startup disk and restart your system.My advice is to frequently use Windows Explorer to makecopies of the registry files. Make copies of the registryfiles before you install any hardware or software or makeany changes to the registry. Make sure you are preparedto use your startup disk and DOS to restore the registry.----------------------------------------------------------Resource Box:Copyright(C)2002 Bucaro TecHelp. To learn how to maintainyour computer and use it more effectively to design a Website and make money on the Web visithttp://bucarotechelp.comTo subscribe to Bucaro TecHelp Newsletter Send a blankemail to bucarotechelp-subscribe@topica

Tutorial Computer ----How to Backup Your Computer Files

2009-07-20T21:25:00.000-07:00

Tutorial Computer

How to Backup Your Computer Files

As I write this, it’s early December, and try as I might, I can’t remember what my new year’s resolution was last time around. One thing I can say with near hundred percent certainty is that whatever it was, I failed to keep it. Maybe you’re the same. Maybe you resolved to quit smoking, lose weight, or read more. We all make promises with ourselves, then fail to keep those promises. Worst of all, those promises might be exactly what we need most. Consider this: When was the last time you backed up your computer files? Last month? Last year? Never?Let’s make a new year’s resolution together, you and I. Let’s promise to back up our computers. It’s important, I promise. Just yesterday the automatic backup feature in MS Word saved me about an hour’s work when my computer froze up. Given that I haven’t backed up my computer in almost a year, I can’t even imagine how much data I’d lose if I suffered a power surge or hard drive failure. It can happen to the best of us, and often does. Even high end hard drive manufacturers report an average failure rate of between five and eight per thousand every year. That may not sound like much, but let’s face it, somebody has to be those five to eight people. Feeling lucky? There are about 185 million household PCs in the U.S., according to Computer Industry Almanac, so that means about 150,000 hard drives fail each year. But even if your drive stays intact, about a tenth of all computers suffer minor data loss in any given year. A power surge, the magnets in your home stereo speakers, or even an accidental nudge can affect data storage. According to a report from the ONTRACK data recovery service, data loss can be caused by natural disasters (3% of cases), computer viruses (7%), software problems (14%), and plain old user error (a whopping 32%). Now, I’m sure you never hit a wrong keyboard button, but do you have a button on your computer that prevents a bolt of lightning? I didn’t think so.WHEREAS our data is important, and disaster can befall even the most noble and undeserving of us, BE IT RESOLVED that you and I shall back up our computer files forthwith.Amen, brothers and sisters. Now, where and how do we start?STEP ONE: Choosing FavoritesNot all files are important enough to preserve for posterity. The most critical files on a computer are its operating system files. If you’re a good little consumer, you bought the operating system and kept those CDs handy and secure from data loss. If you’re not, then remind yourself to go stand in the corner later. The drones at Microsoft did not work for years just to watch you steal their work. It’s people like you that keep Bill Gates from buying his second planet. Now that you’ve been suitably chastised, either go buy a legal copy of the operating system, or include the necessary files in your “must back up” list.The same principle goes for software applications. Maybe you bought an ad and spyware blocker you really like, but the company that coded it has since gone out of business (perhaps because other consumers weren’t as scrupulous as you). If so, include the files you need to run the app in your must list.Now it’s time to look at the remaining files on your computer and prioritize. If you’re not a digital packrat like me, it may be possible to save everything. If so, congratulations. I don’t have ten gigabytes of portable media at my disposal, so when I back up my computer, I’ll be leaving a few gigs of MP3s and questionable Windows Media files at risk. One of the first things I will save is the folder I use to save my writing assignments, because that data represents money in my pocket. I’ll back up my email address book, plus my digital photography and fiction writing efforts. I can live without “Milkshake” (what was I thinking?), but the guitar piece my friend recorded and sent to me is going on the list. Your results may vary.STEP TWO: In Which I Tell You Where You Can Put ItThat’s right, this is the section in which I’ll tell you where to store your data. It’s not a good idea to put backup files on another drive on the same computer. That defeats the whole purpose. Duplicating your files on another computer in the same LAN is almost as risky, because computer viruses can spread as fast as an imaginary Anna Kournikova JPEG. You need to find a portable storage medium that can hold all the files on your must list. Your options include floppy diskettes, portable hard drives, optical drives, tape drives, and remote servers. We’ll look at each in turn.Hard diskettes, the old familiar 3.5” squares, hold up to 1.44 megabytes of data. They’re cheap, but 1.44 MB is less than two percent of the ten gigs of data on my hard drive. Even if each of those - continued below ...
files were smaller than 1.44 MB (and each weren’t), I’m not keen on the idea of buying, labeling, and storing fifty diskettes. Next idea, please.Most computer experts rely on removable hard drives for memory backups. The most popular of these drives are the Zip drive from Iomega and the ORB drive from Castlewood. They’re relatively inexpensive and hold up to two gigs of data. Basically, you’ll save your data on a Zip disk, then transfer it from the disk to the portable drive. The catch is that removable drives fail about as often as regular hard drives. They may even be more susceptible to damage from dust and rough handling. A sub-option here is to use a permanent hard drive as a removable drive. At up to two hundred gigs, conventional hard drives are bigger than removable drives, and prices have dropped enough in recent years to make this idea practical. Whatever kind of hard drive you decide to use, make sure to keep it isolated from dust, magnetic charges, and static electricity.Optical drives use a laser to store information, rather than a magnet. Even if you’re not a tech junkie, that’s probably enough information to give you a clearer idea what we’re talking about: namely, CDs and DVDs. Less common are EO (erasable optical) and WORM (write once, read many) media; they’re less common because they cost over $1000 per drive. CDs, on the other hand, cost less than a buck and can hold up to 650 megabytes. DVDs hold up to five gigs and cost about fifteen dollars apiece. Most computers nowadays have either a CD or DVD writer (or both), but write times can be slow. My CD writer, for example, works best on the 300 kilobyte per second setting—if then. I’ll be using the remote server option. At $250 and up, tape drives are more expensive and slower than hard drives or optical media, hence less common, but also extremely reliable.Remote servers are third party companies that store data online for a fee. This is a great option for broadband Internet users, especially people like me who don’t own a reliable data writer. SkyDesk runs Backup.com, Back-Up Solutions maintains BackUpHelp.com, and Iomega hosts iServer (Iomega.com/iStorage). XDrive.com, once a free service, now charges ten bucks a month for up to five gigs of storage. Promotions and other rates change, so it’s a good idea to shop around before selecting a remote storage service.STEP THREE: Git ’er DoneNow it’s time to put the files you want to save on the storage medium you’ve chosen. There are several ways to do this. Your CD writer, for example, may come with proprietary disk writing software. That application may even include a backup option. If it does, and you’re more familiar with that software than Windows features, then that’s the way to go. Otherwise, backup is still relatively easy on all MS operating systems since Windows 98. Windows 98, Windows ME, and Windows XP Professional include a built-in Backup utility. To run it, just click on Start, then Programs, then Accessories, then System Tools, then Backup. How easy was that? If you’re using the XP Home edition, you may need to add the utility manually. If so, insert the Windows XP CD into your disk drive and wait for the “Welcome to Microsoft Windows XP” screen. (You may need to double-click the CD icon in My Computer.) Then click on Perform Additional Tasks and Browse This CD. In Windows Explorer, double-click the ValueAdd folder, then Msft, then Ntbackup. Double-clicking on Ntbackup.msi will install the utility. Once it’s installed, you can also run the program by clicking Start and Run, then typing msbackup.exe (Windows 98 and Windows ME) or ntbackup.exe (Windows XP) in the Open field. Click OK, and you’ll be off to the races.Incidentally, the Windows XP Backup utility also includes a bonus application called the Automated Recovery Wizard. This creates a bootable floppy that initiates backup if the hard drive must be replaced. Other options for “disaster recovery” include BackUp MyPC from Stomp (StompInc.com, $79) and Norton Ghost 9.0 from Symantec (Norton.com, $69.95). Ghost actually allows users to duplicate the contents of their computer over the Internet. Both have earned stellar reviews from top PC magazines.Don’t let another month go by without protecting the files you value most. My girlfriend justifies her messy car by saying she “lives out of it.” Well, I live out of my computer. It’s not just my office; it’s the home of cherished memories in the form of pictures, MP3, and other data files. I’m resolved to keep it safe.
About the Author
Christian Carvajal is a writer for http://www.all-cheap-laptops.com - a site that provides tips and tutorials for individuals interested in buying and upgrading laptop computers.

TUTORIAL COMPUTER ----How to Backup a PC

2009-07-20T21:23:00.000-07:00

TUTORIAL COMPUTER

How to Backup a PC

Everyone thinks, ‘it won’t happen to me’. But what if it does? All your files, pictures and documents gone, in an instant. Sure, you can reach for the disks that came with your computer to reinstall the applications but what about the most important component, your data? Data backup is something too many computer owners ignore.There are a number of things that can bring down your computer, some of which include a power surge, hard drive crash, careless mistakes, viruses, a fire or theft. If your system did not come with a recovery disc, you should consider making a backup disc as soon as possible. This is important should you ever need to rebuild your system to its “as bought” condition. How often you back up your data varies from person to person. It depends on the volume of data input, frequency of change, and the nature of your data. A general rule of thumb would be to back up anything that would be difficult and time-consuming to re-create. How to backup data:If you have Windows XP, it includes backup software; however, if you’re running on Home Edition, it isn’t installed by default. Once the software is installed, go to the Start menu and choose “accessories”, then “system tools”, then “backup” in order to run the backup wizard. On the final screen, you can press the “advanced” button which will allow you to automatically schedule recurring backups. The wizard also allows you to create a system recovery disc which will enable you to boot and rescue your data should Windows get damaged. At the end of this article, you will find a list of programs and software that can do the data backup for you. You may think you’d like to back up everything you have –
in your computer. However, there is no need to back up software and applications since these can be reinstalled with the original discs. Most Windows programs now have a default for storing data within your user profile. Backup programs:There are a number of programs that perform data backup for you, some of which are described here. Ghost 9.0 creates full drive images, IBackup copies files to remote databases, and Dantz’s Retrospect Professional 6.5 is a traditional backup tool. There is also free software available for data backup. For instance, Backup4 protects your data and features an easy backup wizard that allows you to schedule backups whenever you like. Disk Tools Image Maker is an easy-to-use disk imaging tool which allows you to create exact images of your entire drive. It works directly from within Windows so there is no need to boot from a floppy. Handy Backup is another software which makes an automatic backup of critical data to any type of storage medium. Backup Tips:Here are a few tips to keep in mind regarding data backup:Don’t procrastinate. Most people decide to back up their data only after they’ve experienced a loss! Try to find a backup software that can hold twice as much as your hard disk so that you’re able to schedule backups when you’re not there. Back up only what is necessary. However, if you’re not sure, back it up ... better safe than sorry!
About the Author
Marisa Pellegrino is a freelance writer from Montreal and is the head researcher and content manager for RAID RECOVERY (www.raidrecoveryguide.com)and other sites

Tutorial Computer --- How to Backup Windows XP Home Edition

2009-07-20T12:18:00.000-07:00

Tutorial Computer

How to Backup Windows XP Home Edition

Your computer cost you from hundreds to thousands of dollars, but the computer itself is not the most valuable part. The data on the hard disk is the most valuable part. How many hours of work did you put into creating that data? One little event, like a power line spike from a lightning strike, and all that work could be lost. Unfortunately, backing up with Windows XP Home Edition is not as simple as it should be.
The first step is to choose a backup device. You might choose a tape drive or a DVD drive, but those devices might require drivers to be installed before you could restore from them. The simplest option is to install a second hard drive in your computer.
The second hard drive doesn't have to be equal to your main hard drive. You can use an older, smaller hard drive as the backup device, as long as the backup drive has more "Free Space" than the main hard drive has "Used Space".
Install a Second Hard Drive
When installing a second hard drive in your computer, it's important to configure the drives correctly. Your motherboard should have two ATA (sometimes called IDE) connectors. The primary connector should have a cable with two drive connectors. The end connector should go to your main hard drive, the middle connector can be used for a backup hard drive. The second motherboard ATA connector should go to your CD-ROM.
On the back of each hard drive is a jumper. The jumper on your main hard drive should be set to the "Master" position. The jumper on your backup hard drive should be set to "Slave" position. Most modern computers use "Cable Select", so you can set both jumpers to the "Cable Select" position. Don't forget the power connector for the second drive.
When you restart your computer, the second drive should be automatically recognized and be designated with the next drive letter available, usually E: (D: being used for the CD-ROM drive).
Format the Second Hard Drive
Generally, you will want to re-format the second hard drive after installation to remove any previously installed operating system and to remove any previous file access rights. To format the drive, select Start Settings Control Panel Administration Tools Computer Management. In the "Computer Management" window, under "Storage", click on "Disk Management".
Right click on the backup disk's drive letter. In the popup menu, select All Tasks Format... In the Warning dialog box that appears, click on the "Yes" button. In the "Format" dialog box, in the "File system" drop-down list, select NTFS. Click on the "OK" button. Again, in the Warning dialog box that appears, click on the "Yes" button.
Install the Backup Utility
Windows XP Home Edition doesn't install the Backup utility by default. You'll need to install it manually from your Windows XP CD-ROM.
1. After inserting the CD-ROM, open Control Panel's "Add or Remove Programs" utility. In the "Add or Remove Programs" utility", click on the "Add New Programs" button, then click on the "CD or Floppy" button.

the "Run Installation Program" dialog box that appears, navigate to the VALUEAD/MSFT/NTBACKUP folder on the CD-ROM and select the file NTBACKUP.MSI. Click on the "Finish" button. The Backup utility will be installed.
Perform a Full Backup
To perform a backup, select Start Programs Accessories System Tools Backup to open the Backup Utility.
Note: If you don't find Backup listed in System Tools, double click on the file name ntbackup.exe in the Windowssystem32 folder.
In the "Backup or Restore Wizard", click on the "Advanced Mode" link. In the "Backup Utility" dialog box, select the "Backup" tab and set the checkbox next to the drive to backup (c:) and set the checkbox next to "System State".
In the "Backup media or file name" text box, enter the path to the file for the backup (example E:Backup.bkf). Click on the "Start Backup" button.
In the "Backup Job Information" dialog box that appears, set the radio button next to "Replace the data on the media with this backup". Click on the "Start Backup" button. The "backup Progress" dialog box will appear.
Even when you backup to relatively fast media like hard disk, the process can take 30 minutes or longer depending upon how much data is on the main drive.
When the backup is complete, turn off the computer and remove the data and power cables from the backup drive. It doesn't make sense to leave the backup drive connected because if the cause of a failure is a power spike, it will take out both drives. Next time you want to backup you'll need to reinstall the cables.
How to Perform a Restore
In the unfortunate event that your computer crashes and you can't get it back by any other means, you'll need to reinstall Windows XP from the CD-ROM. (Automated System Recovery is not supported in Windows XP Home Edition.) You'll need to re-install the Backup utility. Then you'll need to shut down the computer to install the data and power cables to the backup drive. Restart the computer and use the Backup Utility to restore Windows XP from the backup file.
When using this backup method, it's important to be careful not to break any pins when you are removing and installing the data cable of the hard drive. And if your computer doesn't use "cable Select", don't forget to change the jumper on the main hard drive back to "Single".
Copyright(C) Bucaro TecHelp
Permission is granted for the below article to forward, reprint, distribute, use for ezine, newsletter, website, offer as free bonus or part of a product for sale as long as no changes are made and the byline, copyright, and the resource box below is included.
Stephen Bucaro
To learn how to maintain your computer and use it more effectively to design a Web site and make money on the Web visit bucarotechelp.com To subscribe to Bucaro TecHelp Newsletter visit http://bucarotechelp.com/search/000800.asp

TUTORIAL COMPUTER ---The Nimda Virus...

2009-07-20T12:07:00.001-07:00

The Nimda Virus...

Because of the increased activity over the Internet, viruses and worms have become serious pests. As the Internet advances, these pests are becoming much more sophisticated. There capacity to spread across the Internet in just a matter of hours can cause serious floods of payloads to systems. One recent virus that caused, and still is causing, an up-roar across the Internet is the 'Nimda'. What is Nimda?Nimda is a computer virus appearing first on September 18, 2001 when it caused massive delays by creating huge amounts of traffic as it spread across the Internet. Nimda has four main attach mechanisms: web server to web server (IIS 4 / 5), to desktops through an e-mail attachment called README.EXE or ADMIN.DLL; browsing infected Web sites from Windows desktop or server machines; and by shares across internal networks. Once an internal machine is infected, it is possible for the virus to spread to shared drives and machines.Nimda is a 'resource hungry' virus that steals a lot of bandwidth and

in some cases results in a denial of service effect. Nimda does not seem to damage or destroy any files however it is known to be one of the most malicious viruses created, because of the considerable amount of down time it causes systems, resulting in a slow down to a loss of traffic. The most affected industry is the 'web hosting' industry, where, even though you may be protected from the immediate affects of the virus, you still get 'hammered' by the residue, the excess traffic produced from other non-protected systems on the Internet.Hence the industry result of this is a slow, to non-existent, service; or even a shut down of servers, until all traffic is attended to; causing great grief and many misunderstandings.The name of this virus came from the reverse spelling of "admin" apparently referring to the "admin.DLL" file that, when run, propagates the virus.
About the Author
Written by Candice Humbleyhttp://m6.netFast, reliable and affordable Windows 2000 web farm hosting.

TUTORIAL COMPUTER ----An Easy way to Deal with Email Viruses and Worms

2009-07-20T12:04:00.000-07:00

TUTORIAL COMPUTER

An Easy way to Deal with Email Viruses and Worms

If you feel intimidated when someone tries to teach you something new on the computer, this article is for you!
In the course of my career, I’ve worked with many people who I knew were smart but were convinced that they couldn’t learn how to do new things on a computer. At some point, they’d convinced themselves that they weren’t one of those “computer people”. I would try to teach them how to do something that would make their work a lot easier or faster, and I could see them shut down immediately. “I can’t do stuff like that. I’m just not good at it.”
In a few cases, my colleagues were simply amazed that I knew how to do things like upload photos to the Internet or how to start a new folder in Windows. Some would tell me that I must have some special gift for technology. I would just laugh and tell them that nothing could be further from the truth! I have a degree in psychology. I’m not a math and science type of person, and if it weren’t for the patience of my tech-minded husband and friends, I never would have learned how to do these things.
The fact is, computers are such a part of our lives, that you can’t afford to think of yourself as not a “computer person”. The reason I think that a lot of people are intimidated when learning about computers is that so much of the instructions and directions are full of jargon and assume that people have as much technological knowledge as people who work with computers for a living.
I’m convinced that if I can do it, anyone else can do it too. All it takes is an open mind, confidence, and someone to explain things to you step by step in plain English.
---------------------
Aside from using anti-virus software, there is another way to keep some email viruses or worms from driving you crazy and clogging up your inbox. While the "Sobig" virus seems to have died down, there are sure to be some like it in the future. If you would like to prevent these bogus Emails from reaching your inbox, you can set up rules in Outlook or Outlook Express to send them directly to the delete folder.
Although the Sobig virus seems to be under control, it might be good practice to do this now. That way when the next big virus comes around, you'll be able to filter it out right away. It might seem like its difficult, but I know that anyone can do this. If you're smart enough to do your taxes and balance your checkbook, you can do this, trust me.
If you're using Outlook Express, go to Tools, then select "message rules" and then "mail". A box will pop up with buttons on the right side of the window. Hit the "new" button. Another box pops up with three windows. In the first box, click the box next to "Where the subject line contains specific words".
In the second box, click "delete it". Now in the third box it should say, "Apply this rule after the message arrives/Where the Subject line contains specific words/Delete it." Click on the words "contains specific words".
This is where you tell the program what words to look for in the subject line. It’s very important to remember that this is case sensitive, meaning that if you put "abc" in, it will only delete emails with "abc" in the subject, and not "ABC" or "Abc". For the Sobig virus, there were seven subject lines that were commonly used. If you would like to read more about this, go to http://www.webpro.com/iq/SobigF.asp The subject lines are:

That movie
Wicked screensaver
Your application
Approved
My details
Details
Your details
Thank you

It’s a good idea to copy and paste the phrases above to make sure the capitalization is exactly the same. (copy=control C, Paste=Control V)
Enter the first phrase into the box and then click on the "add" button to the right. That phrase will appear in the box below. You can add as many phrases as you'd like, clicking "add" after each one. When you're done, hit "ok" Then hit "ok" again.
At this point, we are back to one box open with buttons on the right. Be sure to click the "apply now" button if you want the rule to apply to the email that is already in your inbox as well as any future emails.
When you are done with that, click the "ok" button and you're finished.
If you use Outlook, the process is a little different.
First go to Tools, and then choose "Rules Wizard". Click on the "new" button on the right. It should say at the top of a new box "What type of rule would you like to create?" There will be a list of types of rules: you want to choose "Check messages when they arrive", which is at the top so it should already be highlighted. Simply click on "next".
The next box asks you "which conditions do you want to check?" with a list of choices, each with an empty box next to it. Scroll down until you - continued below ...
continued ...get to "with specific words in the subject", and click the box in front of it.
Once you click it, you'll notice that "with specific words in the subject" appears in the box below. Click on the "specific words" in the lower box here to specify which words the program should look for.
This is where you tell the program what words to look for in the subject line. It’s very important to remember that this is case sensitive, meaning that if you put "abc" in, it will only delete emails with "abc" in the subject, and not "ABC" or "Abc".
For the Sobig virus, there were seven subject lines that were commonly used. If you would like to read more about this, go to http://www.webpro.com/iq/SobigF.asp The subject lines are:

That movie
Wicked screensaver
Your application
Approved
My details
Details
Your details
Thank you

A new box will pop up that says, "search text" at the top. Enter one of the phrases you want to filter out and click "add". You may enter as many phrases as you'd like, clicking "add" after each one. When you're finished, click "Ok". You'll be taken back to the previous box. Click "next" at the bottom.
At this point, you have two choices. You can either specify that these emails go into your delete file to be reviewed later, or you can specify that they be permanently deleted from Outlook so that you never see them. At this point, either click in the box next to "delete it", which simply moves it automatically to the delete folder, or click "permanently delete", which means that you will never see the email at all and won't be able to get it back.
Click "next" again and you're now at the exceptions box. I can see no reason to use the exceptions when dealing with the Sobig viruses and others like it. There might be a temptation to make an exception for people who are in your address book or close friends. But remember, a virus will take over someone else's address book and send you emails without the person ever knowing. Anyone in your address book could send you an infected email without knowing it. I recommend that you hit “next” without selecting any exceptions at this point.
In the next box, the program would like to know the name of the rule you've just created. You might want to call it "viruses #1" or something similar. Click finish after naming your rule. At this point you have another choice: you can apply the rule you just created to the mail already in your inbox, or you can choose to have it apply only to the incoming mail from now on. Choose either "run now" or "ok".
You're finished. That wasn't SO hard, was it? You might even want to set up some more rules to help you organize your inbox or to filter out spam or unwanted email.
-------------------
Some more information about attachments and viruses/worms:
Email viruses and worms almost always are transmitted through attachments. Remember after the Anthrax scare in the US a couple of years ago when everyone was very picky about what mail they accepted and opened? Anything that looked suspicious or didn't have a return address wasn't opened.
Think about attachments in the same way. If you get email from someone you don't know, don't open the attachment! If the email doesn't say anything personal to you or use your real name, don't open the attachment. You can always send an email back to that person asking them about who they are or what the attachment is for if you're in doubt.
What you need to know about the difference between spam and viruses:
Recently online I've seen a couple of people referring to the emails they get from viruses as spam. If you want to impress your friends and coworkers with your technological savvy, you need to know that spam is unwanted and unsolicited email you get for a commercial purpose. The intention of the email is commercial. Someone wants you to buy something, be a part of their program or visit their website.
Email you get because of viruses is technically not spam. Although it is unwanted, its intention is not to advertise or market anything, it’s simply a nuisance created by someone with too much time on his or her hands!
Also keep in mind that viruses commonly get into people's address books and send out automatic emails to everyone on the list. Your friends and relatives are not sending you infected email on purpose.
Heather Dickson is the owner of Virtuassist.net, a virtual assistant practice. She is a member of the International Virtual Assistants Association and a Certified Real Estate Support Specialist. Heather lives in Missouri with her husband and four cats.
heather@virtuassist.net

TUTORIAL COMPUTER ---All About Computer Viruses

2009-07-20T12:02:00.000-07:00

TUTORIAL COMPUTER…

All About Computer Viruses

Your computer is as slow as molasses. Your mouse freezes every 15 minutes, and that Microsoft Word program just won’t seem to open.
You might have a virus.
Just what exactly is a virus? What kind is in your computer? How did it get there? How is it spreading and wreaking such havoc? And why is it bothering with your computer anyway?
Viruses are pieces of programming code that make copies of themselves, or replicate, inside your computer without asking your explicit written permission to do so. Forget getting your permission down on paper. Viruses don’t bother to seek your permission at all! Very invasive.
In comparison, there are pieces of code that might replicate inside your computer, say something your IT guy thinks you need. But the code spreads, perhaps throughout your office network, with your consent (or at least your IT guy’s consent). These types of replicating code are called agents, said Jimmy Kuo, a research fellow with McAfee AVERT, a research arm of anti-virus software-maker McAfee Inc.
In this article, though, we’re not talking about the good guys, or the agents. We’ll be talking about the bad guys, the viruses.
A long, long time ago in computer years, like five, most viruses were comprised of a similar breed. They entered your computer perhaps through an email attachment or a floppy disk (remember those?). Then they attached themselves to one of your files, say your Microsoft Word program.
When you opened your Microsoft Word program, the virus replicated and attached itself to other files. These could be other random files on your hard drive, the files furthest away from your Microsoft Word program, or other files, depending on how the virus writer wanted the virus to behave.
This virus code could contain hundreds or thousands of instructions. When it replicates it inserts those instructions, into the files it infects, said Carey Nachenberg, Chief Architect at Symantec Research Labs, an arm of anti-virus software-maker Symantec. Corp.
Because so many other types of viruses exist now, the kind just described is called a classic virus. Classic viruses still exist but they’re not quite as prevalent as they used to be. (Perhaps we could put classic viruses on the shelf with Hemingway and Dickens.)
These days, in the modern era, viruses are known to spread through vulnerabilities in web browsers, files shared over the internet, emails themselves, and computer networks.
As far as web browsers are concerned, Microsoft’s Internet Explorer takes most of the heat for spreading viruses because it’s used by more people for web surfing than any other browser.
Nevertheless, “Any web browser potentially has vulnerabilities,” Nachenberg said.
For instance, let’s say you go to a website in IE you have every reason to think is safe, Nachenberg said.
But unfortunately it isn’t. It has virus code hidden in its background that IE isn’t protecting you from. While you’re looking at the site, the virus is downloaded onto your computer, he said. That’s one way of catching a nasty virus.
During the past two years, another prevalent way to catch a virus has been through downloads computer users share with one another, mostly on music sharing sites, Kuo said. On Limewire or Kazaa, for instance, teenagers or other music enthusiasts might think they’re downloading that latest Justin Timberlake song, when in reality they’re downloading a virus straight into their computer. It’s easy for a virus writer to put a download with a virus on one of these sites because everyone’s sharing with everyone else anyway.
Here’s one you might not have thought of. If you use Outlook or Outlook Express to send and receive email, do you have a preview pane below your list of emails that shows the contents of the email you have highlighted? If so, you may be putting yourself at risk.
Some viruses, though a small percentage according to Nachenberg, are inserted straight into emails themselves.
Forget opening the attachment. All you have to do is view the email to potentially get a virus, Kuo added. For instance, have you ever opened or viewed an email that states it’s “loading”? Well, once everything is “loaded,” a virus in the email might just load onto your computer.
So if I were you, I’d click on View on the toolbar in your Outlook or Outlook Express and close the preview pane. (You have to click on View and then Layout in Outlook Express.)
On a network at work? You could get a virus that way. Worms are viruses that come into your computer via networks, Kuo said. They travel from machine to machine and, unlike, the classic viruses, they attack the machine itself rather than individual files.
Worms sit in your working Nachenberg said.
OK, so we’ve talked about how the viruses get into a computer. How do they cause so much damage once they’re there?
Let’s say you’ve caught a classic virus, one that replicates and attacks various files on your computer. Let’s go back to the example of the virus that initially infects your Microsoft Word program.
Well, it might eventually cause that program to crash, Nachenberg said. It also might cause damage to your computer as it looks for new targets to infect.
This process of infecting targets and looking for new ones could eventually use up your computer’s ability to function, he said.
Often the destruction a virus causes is pegged to a certain event or date and time, called a trigger. For instance, a virus could be programmed to lay dormant until January 28. When that date rolls around, though, it may be programmed to do something as innocuous but annoying as splash popups on your screen, or something as severe as reformat your computer’s hard drive, Nachenberg said.
There are other potential reasons, though, for a virus to cause your computer to be acting slow or in weird ways. And that leads us to a new segment – the reason virus writers would want to waste their time creating viruses in the first place.
The majority of viruses are still written by teenagers looking for some notoriety, Nachenberg said. But a growing segment of the virus-writing population has other intentions in mind.
For these other intentions, we first need to explain the “backdoor” concept.
The sole purpose of some viruses is to create a vulnerability in your computer. Once it creates this hole of sorts, or backdoor, it signals home to mama or dada virus writer (kind of like in E.T.). Once the virus writer receives the signal, they can use and abuse your computer to their own likings.
Trojans are sometimes used to open backdoors. In fact that is usually their sole purpose, Kuo said.
Trojans are pieces of code you might download onto your computer, say, from a newsgroup. As in the Trojan War they are named after, they are usually disguised as innocuous pieces of code. But Trojans aren’t considered viruses because they don’t replicate.
Now back to the real viruses. Let’s say we have Joe Shmo virus writer. He sends out a virus that ends up infecting a thousand machines. But he doesn’t want the feds on his case. So he instructs the viruses on the various machines to send their signals, not of course to his computer, but to a place that can’t be traced. Hotmail email happens to be an example of one such place, Kuo said.
OK, so the virus writers now control these computers. What will they use them for?
One use is to send spam. Once that backdoor is open, they bounce spam off of those computers and send it to other machines, Nachenberg said.
That’s right. Some spam you have in your email right now may have been originally sent to other innocent computers before it came to yours so that it could remain in disguise. If the authorities could track down the original senders of spam, they could crack down on spam itself. Spam senders don’t want that.
Ever heard of phishing emails? Those are the ones that purport to be from your internet service provider or bank. They typically request some information from you, like your credit card number. The problem is, they’re NOT from your internet service provider or your bank. They’re from evil people after your credit card number! Well, these emails are often sent the same way spam is sent, by sending them via innocent computers.
Of course makers of anti-virus software use a variety of methods to combat the onslaught of viruses. Norton, for instance, uses signature scanning, Nachenberg said.
Signature scanning is similar to the process of looking for DNA fingerprints, he said. Norton examines programming code to find what viruses are made of. It adds those bad instructions it finds to its large database of other bad code. Then it uses this vast database to seek out and match the code in it with similar code in your computer. When it finds such virus code, it lets you know!
©2004 by Kara Glover
Feel Free to reprint this article in newsletters and on websites, with resource box included. If you use this article, please send a brief message to let me know where it appeared: kara333@earthlink.net
Kara Glover is a Computer Tutor and Troubleshooter. You can find her articles and tutorials on topics such as Microsoft Word®, Excel®, and PowerPoint® on her website: http://www.karathecomputertutor.com
kara333@earthlink.net
memory, or RAM,

TUTORIAL COMPUTER ----Antivirus Software – Get The Bugs Before They Get You!

2009-07-20T11:58:00.000-07:00

TUTORIAL COMPUTER…

Antivirus Software – Get The Bugs Before They Get You!

You turn on your computer, and it doesn’t look quite right. Maybe your icons have changed, or the background picture is wrong. Some options are disabled. Even worse, you may not be able to boot your computer up at all. Guess what – it’s probably got a virus.In today’s online world, protecting your computer from all the nasty things online is vital. Viruses can cause obvious issues, as described above, but they can also run silently in the background, propagating themselves across your computer and transferring on to the computers of people you know. Mostly, you only know you have a virus when substantial damage has already been done.Some common signs of a virus include:-Programs working erratically-Computer locks up-Greyed out options-The browser home page has changed-Icons have changed-Difficulties starting up the computerThere is a solution! Antivirus software is readily available, and the good ones are very efficient at dealing with viruses in all their many and varied mutations. Basically, if you’re online, you need this type of software.So which one do you choose? For starters, be careful of using something free off the internet, particularly if it’s one you’ve never heard of. Sometimes these programs are a way of implanting more viruses on your computer. Some of the better known brands give you the option of doing a free scan online, which is useful, but not a long term solution.It’s really important to choose well-known antivirus software. Ask friends, or someone computer savvy, for their recommendations. It may be worth visiting a
computer store and buying it there, rather than online – after all, if they’ve gone to the trouble of stocking it, it’s most likely an established and trusted product.There are plenty of good brands available, far too numerous to list here, but some of the best known are from McAfee, Norton and Trend. Check out the support available to you – can you contact someone if you have trouble installing the software?Most importantly, make sure there’s an easy way to update the software on a regular basis (preferably as part of the purchase cost!). For example, my antivirus software pops up a little box every time an upgrade is available. I click okay, and it’s automatically downloaded to my computer. Viruses change and develop at an alarming rate, so it’s vital to keep your antivirus software up to date.Finally, the all-important backup! The word “backup” tends to produce the same glassy eyed response as the word “budget”, but it really is an essential part of being online. Regularly backup your important files to CD or DVD. If you’re a business user, an automated and frequent backup process is vital. Once a virus has destroyed your computer, it’s too late.Being online is wonderful, but don’t let it become a nightmare. Antivirus software will play a vital role in keeping your online experience a positive one.Copyright Felicity Walker
About the Author
Keeping her computer running smoothly is a priority for the author! To find out more, check out http://www.antiviruszoneonline.com for more information.

TUTORIAL KOMPUTER ----How Viruses and Spyware Get In to your computer

2009-07-20T07:08:00.000-07:00

TUTORIAL KOMPUTER

How Viruses and Spyware Get In to your computer

Spyware and viruses infect an individual or business computer in many ways, from the obvious methods to the sneaky, back door tricks. Viruses are designed to interrupt and alter normal computer functioning and spyware is intended to literally spy on its victims, all the while recording their personal information. Either infection, no matter what the method in which it intruded by, can cause an array of difficulties for the computer user.
Often times viruses and spyware are put into your computer by opening insecure emails and sharing files with infected computers. Spyware also intrudes as a "ride along" on third party software you might purchase and download online. In other situations spyware and viruses find a "back door" in your computer and use it to install their malicious codes. Signs your computer has been affected by viruses or spyware could be unusual behavior and slower functioning.
Unauthorized dial out from your internet connection are most likely spyware applications. Other common signs include browser crashes, longer boot ups, more pop ups and possibly missing files.
To get rid of any virus or spyware infection back up your files and scan them for viruses and/or spyware. Keep your virus
and spyware software updated and run the scans regularly. If you have no spyware or virus scanning software it is recommended you find a free programs that will detect and warn you of possible infections.
Once you have the proper software it is important to get rid of spyware infections and viruses as well as protect your privacy and your computer from further invasions. If spyware has latched onto your computer and at scanning tool catches it you will most likely have to remove the entire programs to completely rid yourself of those spyware applications.About the Author
Mitch Johnson is a successful freelance author that writes regularly for http://www.spyware-removal-made-easy.com/ , a site that focuses exclusively on spyware removal software, as well as tips on how to prevent spyware from popping up on your computer. This site articles on has spyware guard, http://www.spyware-removal-made-easy.com/spyware_guard.htm as well as spyware scanner, http://www.spyware-removal-made-easy.com/spyware_scanner.htm

TUTORIAL KOMPUTER -----How To Recognize If Your Computer Has A Virus Or Trojan On It.

2009-07-20T07:05:00.000-07:00

TUTORIAL KOMPUTER

How To Recognize If Your Computer Has A Virus Or Trojan On It.

You have permission to publish this article electronicallyor in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines areincluded and all links are made active. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated: published@antivirus-report.comHow To Recognize If Your Computer Has A Virus Or Trojan On It.Eric Koshinskyhttp://www.antivirus-report.comIt isn’t always easy to tell if your computer has become infected with a virus or similar anti-social piece of software. Normally, your antivirus software will locate and identify any malicious programs that find their way onto your computer. However, in the event that you haven’t yet installed the antivirus software, or have let it get out of date (shame on you), here are a few things to look for as clues that you have an infection of some sort on your machine.Disk Space ReductionThe disk space reduces suddenly without any cause - this is because many viruses create multiple copies of themselves every time the disk is accessed. These copies are normally made by attaching the virus code to already existing programs on your system. This increases the file size of the newly infected file and reduces the amount of space on your drive even though you did nothing.Directory Structure Damage Some viruses destroy directory structure to achieve replication. When this happens, when you try to view the contents of that folder, you may see garbage and/or incorrect files displayed on the screen.File Allocation Tables (FAT) DamageFile allocation tables are used by Microsoft ™ operating systems to manage all data on computer disks. They are basically a complex record of what and where all data is located on your computer's disks. By destroying FAT, considerable data loss can happen very easily. This type of damage is not limited to Microsoft™ operating systems. All computer systems have some sort of disk data management system, and viruses are designed to attack any of them.Improper Disk FunctionSome viruses, when in memory, watch all disk activity and divert the system to access the disk in an improper, unwanted and damaging manner. This can often be noticed by increased disk activity (for instance your disk is always active), slower open and save times, and generally slow disk performance.Hard drive noiseSome viruses watch all disk activity and when the conditions for infection are matched the virus will check for targets on the disk and infect/destroy them if found. This search, infection, destruction requires some extra time and more disk rotations, which is often indicated by more hard drive noise, the hard drive never stopping, or simply taking longer than normal to access your files. Unfortunately, these symptoms also develop when you need to defragment your disks. A good commercial virus checker will let you which is the case.Drive light glows without any reason. When some viruses take control they search for their target on all drives they can possibly access. As a result drive lights may glow (turn on) without you actually doing anything that

accesses the disk (saving a file, loading a file).If you find that your computer is accessing the hard drive more and more frequently while you are doing nothing that access the hard drive (like reading an email for example), you may want to perform a complete system scan with your antivirus software to rule out a possible virus or spyware infection.Increased Number or size of Files. Viruses often create new files to store their own code in separate files. Generally such newly created files are hidden. However if you suddenly start to lose disk space, it can often be a sign of a virus creating hidden files on your hard drives. Some viruses increase size of the executable files, while infecting them, as they attach their own code to them.Change in Date/Time Stamp of the File. Some viruses do not restore the old date/time stamp of a file after infecting it, hence date/time stamp of the file is the date/time stamp of the virus infection. Look out for other odd things like when the 'seconds' entry of a time-stamp shows more than 60 seconds.Funny things happening with your screenViruses can use the screen for other activities than just for displaying the message. Some viruses are specially designed to play with the screen such as they can highlight some pixel character or can increase intensity of some pixel or display bouncing balls on screen etc. Some viruses show effective animated pictures e.g. a dancing girl on your screen while in background the virus is busily formatting your hard disk.These few things represent clues to an infection – you could say they are all when your PC starts doing odd things. Relying on figuring out you’re infected isn’t really a very smart solution, since any damage could well be done before you notice. What you need to do is to take decent precautions to prevent the infection in the first place. Step one is almost undoubtedly buying and running antivirus software from one of the major suppliers.To learn more about effective, easy to afford and use PC protection tools, visit http://www.antivirus-report.com+++++++Note:If you manage a website with similar content to http://www.antivirus-report.com, we are interested in exchanging links with you. Please visit http://www.antivirus-report.com/link-to-us.html for more details.+++++++********Note II:We have a 100% brandable version of the antivirus report available to anyone who wants to add an effective broad appeal revenue source to their portfolio. It is available at no expense ( F.R.E.E. ) here: http://www.antivirus-report.com/aa-brand.html********
About the Author
Eric Koshinsky created the layman’s guide to antivirus and PC protection after helping too many people deal with simple PC problems. Find out exactly how to protect your computer from harmful internet attacks at http://www.antivirus-report.com. The comprehensive antivirus report is available at no cost. Find out how to block trojan horses, spyware, computer viruses, and other malicious software quickly and easily in one place.

TUTORIAL KOMPUTER ----Top 8 Tips for a PC Clean and Safe From Viruses

2009-07-20T07:01:00.002-07:00

TUTORIAL KOMPUTER

Top 8 Tips for a PC Clean and Safe From Viruses

You have permission to publish this article electronicallyor in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines areincluded and all links are made active. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated: published@antivirus-report.comTitle: Top 8 Tips for a PC Clean and Safe From Viruses Email: articles@antivirus-software.comTop 8 Tips for a PC Clean and Safe From VirusesEric Koshinskyhttp://www.antivirus-report.comViruses aren’t a mystery - there are some simple steps that everyone should take to avoid becoming a victim of computer viruses and also avoid spreading viruses to others. Unfortunately a lot of people don’t bother taking these precautions and make the evil work of spreading viruses much, much easier. 1. Never open an E-mail with an attachment you were not expecting.Many viruses are spread by E-mail automatically from an infected computer without the owner’s permission. This means that even if an email is addressed from someone you know and trust, don’t open it if you were not expecting it. Even if you were expecting something, avoid opening the attachment until you have scanned it with up-to-date virus software. Remember malicious code, like Trojan horses, can slip into your system by appearing to be from a friendly source.2. Turn off the 'automatic preview' in your email program.A lot of people don’t realise that automatically previewing an email message has the exact same effect as opening and reading an email. Many of the newest internet worms, trojans, and viruses simply need to have an email message read in order for them to be activated. Turning off the preview feature allows you to scan any email BEFORE you actually read it.3. Beware of the floppy disk!Floppies are still one of the most common ways viruses are transmitted. If you are using a floppy disk while working on your computer, remove it when you shut the machine off. If you don’t the computer will automatically try to boot from the floppy when you restart and this can launch any viruses on the disk. Similarly, don’t share floppies - even a well-meaning friend may unknowingly pass along a virus, Trojan horse, or worm. Label your floppies clearly so you know they're yours and don't loan them out - there are other methods of file sharing. In any case, scan floppies before using them. You could have easily picked up a virus from an insecure network and introduce it into your system. Running a virus scan before launching any of the programs on the disk will prevent infection.4. Keep your web browser set to its highest security level.Of course it’s a pain to get the warning messages on every other web page you visit, but it is the best way to protect yourself - especially if you use Microsoft Internet Explorer and Outlook. 5. Don't download programs from the Web.Unreliable sources such as Internet newsgroups or Web sites that you haven't heard of may be willing providers of viruses for your computer. Avoid downloading files you can't be sure are safe. This includes freeware, screensavers, games, and any other executable program. Executable files are those that end with a .com, .exe, .ovl, .drv, .sys, .bin extension – like something called "coolgame.exe." for example. Check to see if the site you are downloading from has anti-virus software running on their side. If in the end you do have to download from the Internet, be sure to scan each program before running it. Save all downloads to one folder, then run virus checks on everything in the folder before using it. Regardless of where you download from, ALWAYS scan downloaded software.6. Clean any virus, worm or trojan off your computerUsing your antivirus software, perform a full system scan of your PC, hopefully it will detect and remove the virus. If a virus was detected, restart your computer and run the full scan again. Sometime the virus will keep reappearing, due to the evolving nature of viruses. If your machine got infected BEFORE you installed antivirus software, you may need a virus removal tool, which is simple software that will scan your computer for infections, and then remove them from your machine. 7. Install a FirewallIf you use broadband or a high-speed method to access the internet, you need to get a firewall. A firewall is a program that defends your computer from hackers who attempt to gain direct access to your computer over the Internet.8. Install and use a high-quality anti-virus program.This is the key to protecting your computer. Buy one of the major anti-virus programs. The primary benefit of the commercial packages is the frequency and ease of updating the virus definition files that these programs use to detect viruses. With new viruses popping up all the time, unless your protection software is kept updated, you start to become ever more vulnerable to infection.To learn more about effective, easy to afford and use PC protection tools, visit http://www.antivirus-report.com+++++++Note:If you manage a website with similar content to http://www.antivirus-report.com, we are interested in exchanging links with you. Please visit http://www.antivirus-report.com/link-to-us.html for more details.+++++++********Note II:We have a 100% brandable version of the antivirus report available to anyone who wants to add an effective broad appeal revenue source to their portfolio. It is available at no expense ( F.R.E.E. ) here: http://www.antivirus-report.com/aa-brand.html********
About the Author
Eric Koshinsky created the layman’s guide to antivirus and PC protection after helping too many people deal with simple PC problems. Find out exactly how to protect your computer from harmful internet attacks at http://www.antivirus-report.com. The comprehensive antivirus report is available at no cost. Find out how to block trojan horses, spyware, computer viruses, and other malicious software quickly and easily in one place.

TUTORIAL KOMPUTER ----Top 10 Ways To Protect Yourself From Computer Viruses

2009-07-20T07:01:00.001-07:00

TUTORIAL KOMPUTER

Top 10 Ways To Protect Yourself From Computer Viruses

As more and more people are becoming comfortable using their computers at school, home or in the office it's only a matter of time before they encounter a computer virus. Here are our top 10 steps to protect you from computer viruses.
Use a high quality anti-virus program. There are many different anti-virus computers programs on the market some of them are better than others. Look to reputable computer magazines or websites for ratings to help you find the one that matches your needs.
Always use your anti-virus software. Make sure your anti-virus software is always turned on and scanning, incoming and outgoing email messages, and any software programs you run.
Keep your antivirus programs up to date. Most programs come with a yearly subscription make sure you take advantage of the updates. More advanced programs allow you to schedule updates or full system scans for "off hours" like 2AM when you aren't likely to be using your computer.
Keep your computer up to date. From time to time operating systems fall victim to security holes or issue updates. Make sure you check periodically to make sure you are running stable up to date versions of your software.
Backup your data regularly. Most windows computer users keep their documents in the "My documents" folder. This makes it easy to back up all of your important documents. Make weekly or monthly copies to CD or USB drives.
If you use floppy disks or USB drives on public computers like your school computer lab
Kinko's, or even digital photo printing store make sure you scan them for viruses. Public computers are notorious for not being up to date and properly protected.
Be wary of email attachments. Treat any email attachment as potentially dangerous. Never open attachments from people you weren't expecting. Also be careful of attachments from people you know but weren't expecting. Many computer viruses replicate themselves by reading the contacts from an infected computer.
Use text email if possible. While HTML email is prettier and allows you more control over formatting it also can carry computer viruses. If you use text based email the only way to get a virus is by opening an attachment.
Use downloaded freeware and shareware files or software with caution. Try to download them from popular reputable sources that scan the programs before they are uploaded. To make sure you are safe scan the program before you install it on your computer.
Be wary of links in IM or instant messaging software. Don't accept invitations from people you don't know and never click a link from someone you don't trust, they can easily redirect you to another website that will try to install a virus on your computer system.
© Computers.6ln.com, All Rights Reserved.About the Author
This article was written by Jim Faller of http://computers.6ln.com a website with information about viruses, spyware, adware, backups, data recovery and computer security.

TUTORIAL KOMPUTER ----Why Do I Need Anti Virus Software For My Computer?

2009-07-20T06:59:00.000-07:00

TUTORIAL KOMPUTER

Why Do I Need Anti Virus Software For My Computer?

If you've recently purchased a computer, or are just learning about using email and the internet, you may have heard about computer viruses and anti-virus software. You may be wondering if this is something that you should be concerned about, and if so, what you should do about it. This article will attempt to answer these questions for you.
First, you may be wondering just what a computer virus is. Basically a computer virus is one of many types of small programs that install themselves on your computer without your consent. Usually they enter your program through an email, or while you are browsing a website.
When these programs run, usually without you knowing, they can cause all types of problems with your computer. Some viruses can be mildly annoying, slowing down your computer as they use your computer's resources for another purpose. Others can be very dangerous, collecting your personal information and sending it to another party, or damaging your hard-drive.
True to their name, viruses are able to use your internet connection and email program and send themselves to the computers of other people you know, spreading themselves just like a contagious disease.
Because of this, just like the health of your body, when it comes to computer viruses, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. It is much easier to prevent viruses from entering your computer than it is to get rid of them and cure your computer once it becomes infected. This is why Anti-Virus software is important.
Once
you realize that you need anti-virus software installed and running on your computer, you'll have to choose which one to purchase and install. This can be a complicated process, but here are some tips to make it a bit easier.
First, check your computer to see if it came with anti-virus software. Many new computers are shipped with anti-virus programs already to go on them, you just need to turn them on. Check your instruction manual to see if this is the case with your computer.
Check with the vendor. If you purchased your computer from a local retailer, check with them to see what anti-virus program they recommend. They should be more than willing to help you and may even be able to provide you with a discount since you purchased a computer from them.
Once you have your anti-virus installed and running on your computer, be sure to contact the software's support if you have any questions. It is also important to keep your software updated. Many of these programs will automatically update themselves when you are online. This is very important since new viruses are always appearing and you want to make sure your computer is protected.About the Author
Angie Noack is a business strategist with a sharp edge for technology. With her unique ability to combine these two skills, she's able to help businesses save time and increase profits. You can find her online at http://softwaresoftwaresystems.com

TUTORIAL KOMPUTER ----How To Keep Your Computer Virus Free

2009-07-20T06:58:00.000-07:00

TUTORIAL KOMPUTER

How To Keep Your Computer Virus Free

Computer viruses can and do strike at any moment.They assault your computer by destroying data,andrendering your system useless.The very first line ofdefense is to boost your knowledge of these wellhidden malicious codes.Malicious codes come in three basic formulas.Virusesare small programs that reproduce themselves for the purpose of causing some damage.Trojan Horses are disguised as gifts which may come as an attachment in your email.Once ran its purpose is to cause do harm to your system as well.Then you may come in contact with does worms whichcause damage by copying themselves over networksas wells as individual systems.These codes alters notjust one system but several within a network.After you enhance your knowledge of malicious code,know the symptoms of an infected system.StrangePC behavior,an increase or decrease of data in a file,pop up messages,random graphics,and files beingdeleted are some symptoms of your system havinga virus.The best way to find and remove viruses is with theinstallation popular anti virus software from Norton or McAfee.These programs readily identify infectionsas well as promptly remove them.Norton Anti vitus installs easy and a configuration wizard runs after the computer has been re-booted.This software offers several options that give youthe best virus scanning options.Use the neat update feature to keep up with all the new viruses.Their userfriendly configuration leave no doubt in what and
howyou want this software to perform.What should you do to prevent virus infection if youdon't have anti virus software installed on your PC?We should all give a word of thanks for the Internet.Rush over to one the free virus scanning serviceswhich will scan your hard drive for malicious codes.Trend Micro's Housecall scans your drive for viruses,trojans and worms.They ask you to register first butyou can scan without registering.Why not go over tohttp://housecall.trendmicro.com where you can goVisit Symantec's Security Check site and downloadtheir scan for viruses software which check your PCfor possible infections of any malicious codes.Go tohttp://security.norton.com/ssc/vc_scan.asp.Don't do it.Don't say,yes,I will get anti virus protectionsoon.It will be when you wait one day too many andrealize your computer must have a virus because it isdeleting files,randomly showing graphics,performingone task when it should be performing another task,and other strange things.Take the time or invest themoney for virus protection right now.

About the Author

Otis F. Cooper is solely dedicated to boosting the knowledge and confidence of every computer user that is serious about knowing computers.Use his informative articles and videos to understand every aspect about the PC. Read more about his formula for pc training at http://www.ultimatepcrepair.com andsubscribe to the only newsletter with video clipsshowing you step by step PC repair procedures

TUTORIAL KOMPUTER ----COMPUTER VIRUSES, WORM AND HOAXES

2009-07-20T06:55:00.000-07:00

Computer Viruses, Worms and Hoaxes

Computer Viruses, Worms and Hoaxesby Lady Camelot
In recent days, I was one of the unfortunate persons to receive the "Mydoom" worm emails. Not just one, but at least forty appeared in my popserver mailbox. As frustrating as it was deleting all of these nasty little boogers, I realized that some of these "worm" emails even came from persons I knew - or so I thought I knew.
The problem with the "Mydoom" email worm is that it specifically targets email addresses with the following extensions:
* .htm * .sht * .php * .asp * .dbx * .tbb * .adb * .pl * .wab * .txt
Furthermore, it sends "get" requests to target domains and uses direct connections to port 80. It will also attempt to send email messages using its own SMTP engine. The worm is successful by using a mail server that a recipient uses or local server as well. Some strings to these target domain names are:
* gate. * ns. * relay. * mail1. * mxs. * smtp. * mail. * mx.
The "Mydoom" worm will have subject headings such as:
* "Returned Mail" * "Delivery Error" * "Status" * "Server Report" * "Mail Transaction Failed" * "Mail Delivery System" * "Hello/hello" * "Hi/hi"
What persons need to realize is that even if you "know" the sender, you must make absolutely sure that any attachments are specifically clarified from the sender before you attempt to open these suspect emails. Most worms and viruses are spread directly through attachments. Unless you are expecting an attachment from a person you know, be cautious. Do NOT open attachments unless you are absolutely positive that your known correspondent has actually sent it to you. Another thing to remember is that the "Mydoom" worm ranges from 6,144 bytes to 29,184 bytes in size and can affect Windows 2000, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows NT, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP. Luckily, if you have DOS, Linux, Macintosh, OS/2 or UNIX, your systems will not be affected by the MyDoom - continued below ...worm.
For those of you who share files through Kazaa, there is a new worm with aliases such as Worm.P2P.Apsiv (Kaspersky) and W32/Apsiv.worm!p2p (McAfee) and seemingly affects Windows systems 2000, 95, 98, Me, NT, Server 2003 and Windows XP. The damage profile has not yet been assessed, but it would be a good idea to steer clear of this one as well.
"Keylogger.Stawin" is probably one of the nastiest viruses as it attempts to steal a user's online banking information. A Trojan is distributed through email messages with the subject line, "I still love you," and has a "message.zip" attachment. Affecting the same vunerable systems as mentioned above, Keylogger records keystrokes and has the ability to steal personal, financial information. A few systems that Keylogger monitors are window titles such as "PayPal," "Logon," and numerous other window titles associated with banking logins.
Common Hoaxes
A popular hoax circulating the Internet is an email titled, "FREE M &M's." Sorry guys - no M & M's here. More recently, you may have received the "Life is Beautiful" virus ... er, hoax. The "Life is Beautiful" virus is not real and should be ignored. This is only a scare tactic that causes unwarranted fears and concerns.
In closing, the Internet is a massive electronical world filled with infinite bits of information. When using your "key" to this magnificent but vast window of versatile knowledge, it pays to use logic when distinguishing hoaxes from real threats such as viruses and worms. To learn more about current viruses and worms, go to: http://search.symantec.com/custom/us/query.htmlFor an updated listing of current email hoaxes, go to: http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/hoax.html
About the Author
(c) 2004 Lady Camelot - Public Relations' Director for www.holisticjunction.com
Become a Business Member at HolisticJunction.com today! Your choice for today's Internet advertising and marketing venue. Click here: membership@holisticjunction.com and be a vital part of our community today!

TUTORIAL KOMPUTER ---Dirty Little Computer Viruses and How To Protect Yourself

2009-07-19T21:57:00.000-07:00

TUTORIAL KOMPUTER

Dirty Little Computer Viruses and How To Protect Yourself

Whether you have learned your lesson from a past experience with a nasty computer virus or have been pressing your luck by surfing the web and downloading various files or opening those email messages sent to you by people you don’t know without any real understanding of just how vulnerable you really are each time you log onto your computer you now have the opportunity to discover what steps you can take to avoid such an annoying and many times destructive infestation.
Listed below are some of the guidelines you can follow in order to keep those nasty viruses from making a mess out of your computer and your life.
•Purchase and install a well respected antivirus software program and be sure to set it up so that it automatically runs when the computer starts up each time.
•Make sure to keep your antivirus software up to date by either using the automatic update feature that many come with or make it a habit to manually check at least once or twice a week for updates on your own.
•Set your antivirus program to scan for potential viruses each time you open a word-processing document like the ones that get sent through email. Viruses found in word-processing documents are called Macro Viruses.
•When purchasing software make sure to only buy from vendors that are well known and from ones you trust.
•Resist swapping data with the use of floppy disks or other mobile storage devices between various computers. If exchanging programs between computers is unavoidable just make sure to scan the storage device(s) for viruses before transferring data from one.
computer to the next.
•If using floppy disks to transfer data make sure to format them before using them for the first time.
•Never use pirated software. This is both illegal and a very good way to invite an unwanted computer virus.
•When downloading software from the internet do so as little as possible. There are many neat programs available on the internet, but unfortunately there are many viruses that go along with them also.
•If you must download programs from the internet ALWAYS scan them for viruses BEFORE opening them up to install on your computer.
•Probably the most important and neglected method of disaster recovery are periodic backups of all important files found on your computer. Should a virus happen to get through your lines of defense you may need to replace the virus corrupted files with fresh ones that have been kept for such an occasion.
Finally, it is not guaranteed that if you follow the above steps that you will not be the victim of a computer virus,but you can sure bet that if followed you will greatly reduce the chance of being an unsuspecting recipient of such an unwanted program.
Dan Preston is the webmaster of a site called InfoHeaven Digital Books and The Online Book Store where you can find useful and Fr'ee information along with many how-to digital books that cover a large variety of interesting topics. http://infoheaven-digital-books.com and http://online-book-store.net.

TUTORIAL KOMPUTER ----KOMPUTER VIRUS WRITER A FEW BATS IN THE BELFRY

2009-07-19T21:44:00.001-07:00

Computer-Virus Writer's: A Few Bats In The Belfry?

"Male. Obsessed with computers. Lacking a girlfriend. Aged 14 to 34. Capable of creating chaos worldwide."

The above description is the profile of the average computer-virus writer, according to Jan Hruska, the chief executive of British-based Sophos PLC, the world's fourth-largest anti-virus solutions provider.

"They have a chronic lack of girlfriends, are usually socially inadequate and are drawn compulsively to write self- replicating codes. It's a form of digital graffiti to them," Hruska added.

To create and spread cyber infections, virus writers explore known bugs in existing software, or look for vulnerabilities in new versions.

With more and more new OS (operating system) versions, there will be more new forms of viruses, as every single software or OS will carry new features, and new executables that can be carriers of the infection.

Executables are files that launch applications in a computer's operating system, and feature more prominently in new platforms like Microsoft's Windows 2000 and Windows XP than they did in the older DOS or Windows 3.1.

Virus writers also share information to create variants of the same infection, such as the Klez worm, which has been among the world's most prolific viruses.

The Klez, a mass-mailing worm that originated in November 2001, propagates via e-mail using a wide variety of messages and destroys files on local and network drives.

But the news gets worse. Recent events have uncovered what may be a new trend: spammers paying virus writers to create worms that plant an open proxy, which the spammer then can use to forward spam automatically. Many suspect this occurred with the SoBig virus.

The Sobig worms, began spreading in the early part of 2003. The unusual thing about them was they contained an expiration date and were given a short life cycle to see how features worked in the wild.

Having an expiration date also makes the virus more dangerous, because most people would have been alerted to the new worm within a few weeks and anti-virus definitions would have been updated.

A variant of Sobig, Sobig-F was so efficient that just a few infected machines could send thousands ofmessages. Sobig-F created a denial-of-service effect on some networks, as e- mail servers became clogged with copies of the worm.
According to Mikko Hypponen, manager of anti-virus research for Finland-based F-Secure Corp, Sobig-F sent an estimated 300 million copies of itself.

Computer Economics, Inc. states, "Nearly 63,000 viruses have rolled through the Internet, causing an estimated $65 billion in damage." However criminal prosecutions have been few, penalties light and just a handful of people have gone to prison for spreading the destructive bugs.

Why is so little being done? Antiquated laws and, for many years, as crazy as it sounds, a "wink, wink" or even admiring attitude toward virus creators.

One person has been sent to prison in the United States and just two in Britain, authorities say. But the low numbers are "not reflective of how seriously we take these cases, but more reflective of the fact that these are very hard cases to prosecute," said Chris Painter, the deputy chief of computer crimes at the U.S. Department of Justice.

So what can you do to protect yourself against computer viruses?

Well, first and foremost, make sure you have proven anti-virus protection like like Symantec's Norton Anti-Virus or McAfee's ViruScan.

In addition, If you haven't already done so, I highly recommend installing Microsoft's Service Pack 2. SP2 tightens your PC's security with a new Windows Firewall, an improved Automatic Updates feature, and a pop-up ad blocker for Internet Explorer. Plus, the newly minted Security Center gives you one easy-to-use interface for keeping tabs on your PC's security apps.

"Male. Obsessed with computers. Lacking a girlfriend. Aged 14 to 34. Capable of creating chaos worldwide."

Now, I'm no psychiatrist, but to me, the above description sounds more like someone with a few "bats in the belfry!"

Dean Phillips is an Internet marketing expert, writer, publisher and entrepreneur. Questions? Comments? Dean can be reached at mailto: dean@lets-make-money.net
Visit his website at: http://www.lets-make-money.net

Tutorial Computer ---- Detecting and Eliminating Computer Viruses at the Gateway

2009-07-19T21:37:00.000-07:00

Tutorial Computer ---- Detecting and Eliminating Computer Viruses at the Gateway

Traditional anti-virus software only stops known computer viruses – stopping undefined computer viruses requires a different approach.
In the past, network administrators scrambled to apply new virus signatures whenever new computer viruses were discovered. While these signatures will stop a known threat, it takes time for anti-virus vendors to develop them. Unfortunately, the newest and most damaging viruses are able to spread so quickly that the damage is done before a signature can be developed and distributed.
In fact, the independent testing laboratory AV-test.org found the response times for major anti-virus software publishers to range from just under 7 hours to almost 30 hours , with the four leading vendors (Sophos, McAfee, Symantec and Trend Micro) clocking in at no less than 12 hours.
In January 2004, the computer virus known as “MyDoom” created mass disruption to corporate resources and reputations as it quickly spread through e-mail networks worldwide. At its peak, MyDoom infected one in every five e-mails transmitted over the Internet. The worm broke records set by previous malware, such as Sobig.F, to become the fastest-spreading virus ever. This incredible propagation speed left many networks vulnerable - despite the presence of anti-virus software - because of the lag time between when the virus outbreak began, and when a virus definition became available.
As a result of recent malware threats, corporations and organizations have learned a painful but important lesson: simply deploying a signature-based solution is no longer enough. Detecting and eliminating computer viruses requires a multi-faceted, rapid-response approach that traditional anti-virus protection cannot provide. Even a single unprotected computer on an enterprise network can bring down the entire system in just minutes, rendering even the most expensive and up-to-date software useless. Why E-Mail is Particularly Susceptible
In many organizations, e-mail has replaced the telephone as the most useful business tool available. Unfortunately, e-mail has also been a victim of its own success and presents a unique threat to the enterprise network as a whole.
Detecting and eliminating threats has traditionally been the combined responsibility of firewalls, virus scanners, and intrusion detection systems (IDS) set up by enterprises to defend against attacks. Firewalls prevent unauthorized programs from accessing the network, virus scanners scan each PC in the network for malicious code, and gateway servers lock down extraneous ports to protect against unauthorized access.
But key Internet-facing applications, including e-mail are unguarded by firewalls. In order to function, e-mail must expose firewall ports, including port 25, the port used by SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) and port 110, the port used by POP (Post Office Protocol).
When a firewall receives a connection on port 25, it generally assumes that the transmission is e-mail and allows it to flow through to the e-mail server. The transmission may very well be a valid e-mail; however, it could also be a virus, spam or something much worse. Firewalls are not able to distinguish between “good” mail and “bad” mail and therefore they are unable ot protect the e-mail application.Stop E-Mail Threats at the Gateway
Therefore, some sort of protection is needed specifically for e-mail and, since the best place to stop a threat is before it gets inside the network, the protection should be at the e-mail gateway. Protecting the e-mail gateway requires a coordinated effort to combat a host of issues, including spam, viruses, corporate policy infringements, directory harvest attacks, denial of service attacks, phishing, spoofing, and snooping. As e-mail threats evolve, the distinction between each of these types of threats becomes blurred.
Furthermore, accuracy in identifying “bad” e-mails is crucial. Extreme care must be taken to avoid filtering out legitimate e-mails (false positives), which could contain important information from customers or partners.
Historically, enterprises have turned to multiple vendors to solve their e-mail security issues. They have relied on anti-virus vendors to protect them from viruses. They use a separate anti-spam vendor to help cut back on the spam. Then, there are the issues of content filtering, policy enforcement, encryption, and network security. Unfortunatley, attackers are now highly adept at exploiting these non-integrated solutions. This “Swiss cheese” defense has not only been costly, but increasingly ineffective at protecting corporate email systems.
Recent attacks from various types of computer viruses and worms have had profound effects on computer systems around the world. Enterprises have been brought to their knees and forced to spend billions of dollars cleaning up the mess and rebuilding their infrastructures. While the increased IT costs are clear, there are other risks corporations face with regard to e-mail borne viruses.
System DowntimeE-mail has evolved to be the primary communication tool for most organizations and the loss of e-mail due to attack can severely affect enterprise operations. Beyond the immediate expenses involved in restoring the network, an attack on your enterprise e-mail system can also result in lost hours and days for employees who have come to rely on it to accomplish their daily tasks.
Resource DepletionThe costs of cleaning up after an attack are significant. IT teams are forced to spend considerable time and money repairing virus damage. The damage, however, is rarely contained to network servers. Once inside the network, viruses can quickly infect large numbers of relatively exposed client machines - all of which must be individually cleaned, patched and repaired.
AdministrationIn the past, when a new vulnerability was discovered, network administrators scrambled to apply security patches from the makers of their anti-virus software and manually reviewed quarantine lists for virus-infected messages. Software manufacturers release patches so frequently that network administrators cannot reasonably be expected to keep up with them all. As stated by Gartner Research, “Enterprises will never be able to patch quickly enough. After all, attackers have nothing else to do.” The staggering damage caused by recent computer viruses and malware attacks is clear evidence that manual intervention to institute emergency measures or review quarantined messages is rarely effective against rapidly propagating threats.
Compliance and LiabilityRecent Federal regulations such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) and Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SoX), require enterprises to protect data residing in mail servers and other internal systems. Security breaches violate these regulations, exposing sensitive data and opening the door to serious sanctions and costly litigation.
CredibilityFalling victim to a virus attack can also result in lost trust from business partners and customers. According to Gartner, “Enterprises that spread viruses, worms, spam and denial-of-service attacks will find not only that malicious software can hinder their profitability, but also that other businesses will disconnect from them if they are considered to be risky.” While an attack may not be your fault, it is most certainly your problem. The Solution
Although signature-based anti-virus systems are inadequate to preventing virus attacks in the first few hours or days of an outbreak, it is possible to identify outbreaks before they infiltrate your organization’s network and become a problem. In fact, doing so successfully requires tight integration of several different technologies designed to analyze mail based on many different characteristics. One of the most innovative and important technologies for meeting these threats is known as Anomaly Detection.
Large-scale virus outbreaks create anomalies in mail flow which are identifiable by the message content, source, volume, attachment or any of a number of other indicators. When a particular message appears to be a part of a sudden surge of anomalous messages moving across the internet, the message can be quarantined until virus definitions can be developed to address the new threat.
Anomaly DetectionCipherTrust’s IronMail utilizes a unique Anomaly Detection Engine (ADE), which dynamically identifies and responds to abnormal behavior in mail flow. By monitoring “normal” e-mail traffic rates across the Internet, the ADE allows IronMail to identify spikes in traffic that are often the first signal of a malicious attack. Once these spikes are recognized, IronMail units take appropriate action to prevent infiltration of the network.
About the Author
CipherTrust is the leader in anti-spam and email security. Learn more by downloading our free whitepaper, “Next Generation Virus Protection: An Overview of IronMail Zero Day Virus Protection” or by visiting www.ciphertrust.com.

Tutorial Computer --- ANTI VIRUS WARNING

2009-07-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

TUTORIAL COMPUTER
AntiVirus Warning

It is a sad day when the antivirus software messes up your computer more than the @#$& virus you got in yesterday's email. The more complex antivirus software gets, the more it becomes like a virus itself. In honor of my recent discovery of a new problem with my antivirus program, here are a few pitfalls of popular (and not so popular) programs:1. "Norton Crash Guard crashes my computer."This is the first problem I noticed with Symantec's popular suite of computer protective software. Norton Crash Guard immediately forced my brother's new Compaq computer even with errors that would normally just shut down the program involved. (That was just the worse case.)On other computers, loading Crash Guard slowed down the computer so much I felt compelled to take it off.2. "Norton AntiVirus is keeping me from accessing the internet."When I first installed Norton AntiVirus, I had to call our internet service provider AND Eudora in order to access email again. It turns out the program tries to route all email through their server to check for viruses. You have to go into your preferences and reset them in a way that will work with your internet service provider.I'm not the only one, either! I recently received a message from a direct mail guru who said he was offline for almost 12 hours because he loaded Norton AntiVirus to delete a virus he inadvertently picked up from an email message.3. "Norton Systemworks is slowing down my computer."My Dad recently took a computer in because it was having some problems. The technician told him they recommended everyone uninstall the Norton Systemworks computer monitor (the little window that tells you how much your drive isfragmented, how much of your CPU you're using, etc.).They claim the little box does nothing Windows doesn't already and slows your computer - continued below ...

continued ...down 10%! (I believe them. I remember how much faster the computers were before we loaded it, and my computer at home has been fine without it.)4. "Internet Explorer (IE) won't work!"This was my big problem for over a year. It started (coincidentally) about the same time I loaded Netscape 4.7. I've heard of other people having problems with Netscape and IE on the same computer, so I assumed Netscape was the problem.I tried installing Netscape and re-installing it. I tried uninstalling IE and re-installing it. Nothing worked. Sunday night, my antivirus program (Aladdin's E-Safe Desktop) gave me an error when IE accidentally popped up. I unloaded the program, and IE started to work! I don't know why I didn't think of it before. I uninstalled the program and now IE works fine.IE has ActiveX, a language that has been found capable of delivering viruses, and Microsoft is constantly using it to send update information to users. My virus protection software shut down the program for my computer's own good!5. "What about McAfee?"Well, maybe McAfee is better. It's been working okay on my computer for about a week now. However, I've heard horror stories about them from some of my subscribers as well! In the past, I've had problems with updates."There's always hope!"I polled my subscribers about the best antivirus solutions, and Trend Software's PC-Cillan won. You can download their software (priced competitively with Norton's AntiVirus andMcAfee's Virus Shield at http://www.trend.com/One subscriber also recommended a free solution: AVG anti-virus from http://www.grisoft.comGood luck!
About the Author
Dawn Gray writes Busy Marketing Tips! Subscribe today by emailing subscribe@busymarketing.com and get free Search Engine Tips.

9 Steps to Protect your MS Windows System from Viruses

2009-07-19T05:26:00.000-07:00

Tutorial Computer 3.
9 Steps to Protect your MS Windows System from Viruses

Written By:Evgeny Kovalenko

Nowadays as the Internet and other networks are greatly developed computer viruses are distributed rapidly and intensively. Everyday several new viruses capable to damage considerably your computer system arise. Anti-virus specialists work hardly to make updates their software against new viruses as soon as possible. The viruses can get inside computer in different ways. That is why there is no simple method to protect system. Only series of measures can give you reliable protection from the infection. Below are 9 steps to protect MS Windows based PC system from viruses.
1. Make regular backups. It should be said that there is no absolutely safe way of protection. Virus creators regularly find holes in new computer products to use them for infection of computer systems. Some dangerous viruses can considerably damage data files or even erase entire file system. Make regular backups of your data files to separate file storage device. It can be separate hard drive, flash card, compact disc or another file storage device which you choose. To ease the procedure you can use some automatic backup software. And be ready if the system will die because of virus infection.
2. Be ready to reinstall your system if it dies because of viruses. Get distributives of your operation system and distributives of software which you use and keep them together, for instance, on a set of CDs not far away from you. In this case if virus infection will cause unrecoverable system failure you can rapidly reinstall your working medium.
3. Protect your network connection with Firewall. Firewall is a software which blocks suspicious potentially dangerous connections to preventing viruses from network to penetrate into your system. Windows XP system has quit simple but reliable built-in firewall. You can enable it as follows. 1) in Control Panel, double-click Networking and Internet Connections, and then click Network Connections. 2) Right-click the connection on which you would like to enable firewall, and then click Properties. 3) On the Advanced tab, check the option to Protect my computer and network.
can get and install more advanced firewall software like Norton Personal Firewall or Outpost Firewall. If you use this software you have ability to permit or to block particular connections and to monitor network activity.
4. Use antivirus software. Install antivirus software which will scan your system searching and erasing viruses on a regular basis. Leaders in antivirus software products for Windows systems are Norton Antivirus, McAfee, Kaspersky Anti-Virus and PC-cilin.
5. Regularly update operating system. Windows XP has built-in automatic update service. It regularly contacts Microsoft server to find updates and notifies you if updates are ready to be installed. Updates are important because hackers regularly find holes in operating system which are often used by virus creators.
6. Don't install and don't run suspicious software. Check new programs which you are going to install with anti-virus software. Don't download software from suspicious websites. To download software always seek website of software creator or official distributor. Do not open applications received by email from unknown persons.
7. Limit access to your computer. Protect enter to system with password.
8. If you use Internet Explorer, consider moving to another browser. As IE is the most distributed browser today virus creators actively use defects in its security system to infect computers. Infection may arise if you will visit webpage which contains invisible harmful code. You are more safe if you use less known browser only because virus creators do not pay much attention to it. Major IE competitors Firefox and Opera browsers provide now the same comfortable interface and range of services for working on the Web.
9. Use spam protection. Viruses are often distributed via email. Switch on spam filters in your email box to block spam receiving. If you need assistance with using of the filters you can ask your email service provider. About the Author
Evgeny Kovalenko is the Editor of FSSD computer software directory with free submission service for software developers and distributors.

16 New Benefits of Windows Vista ( Tutorial Komputer )

2009-07-11T09:54:00.000-07:00

16 New Benefits of Windows Vista by Vithal Pai

Microsoft created frenzy with the introduction of Windows Vista. Many XP users notices the benefits, appeal, and curiosity skyrocketed through the roof. If you've ever wondered about Vista's benefits can learn about it here.
Improved Search Capabilities
1. The Start Menu now has a Windows logo; the search function launches programs automatically. These improves make navigation earn than XP's search options.
Intense 3D Graphics
2. Microsoft stepped up its grapics by 300% compared to XP. The new Avalon encoding allows gamers, web designers, and game designers to use 3D software with no problems. Another solution includes Aero that renders top 3D graphics for open Windows.
3. Live Taskbar thumbnails uses the navigation of the applications available such as Internet Explorer, Windows Media 11, and other tasks frequently used on the system.
4. New improvements of search uses indexing services thatr finds, launch, and saves applications with ease.
5. Windows has tackled the security problems associated with Internet Explorer's previous versions. Internet Explorer 6 is upgraded to Internet Explorer 7; some of the top features include Antiphishing, Parental Controls, Protected Mode Browsing, Inbound and Outbound firewall, User account control, Standard user control, and Windows Defender. Now users can feel secure compared to the previous versions' lack of protection.
Speedy Start Ups and Shutdown6. Speedy startup, new sleep mode, and speedy shut down completes in 10 seconds compared to the 20-30 seconds processes of XP. Not only can you move on without worry of the system taking too long, you can put the system in Hybrid Sleep Mode. Hybrid Sleep Mode writes memory contents to the hard disk then enters shutdown with hibernation.
7. Fetch, now 'Super Fetch', is a new memory management technology that pre-loads most used applications into memory. Now, you can launch the applications in half the time to imrpove productivity.
Ready Boost- Speed Up Your PC
8. Ready Boost improves the speed of your PC by tapping into the Virtual Memory concept with swap files. Swap files are substitution for additional memory in your PC without adding RAM. The swap files are stored in relative slower hard disk that affects the overall performance of the PC, but it's a great addition to managing space. If this sounds like a great deal, consider the use of USB flash hard drives' use of Ready Boost to add additional memory to your PC at any time. All of this is offered in a tight, little package in a USB port instead of previous hard disk to help move documents to an encrypted format so it cannot be read by others.
9. Hybrid Hard Drive Support drives combine the features of flash memory with conventional hard drive to boost the overall performance of the PC. With this improvement, the hybrid hard drive increases battery life of PCs that turns off the internal motor the hard drive off. Hybrid hard drive support drives keeps data flowing with no problem; this is an extension of Microsoft's attempt to enhance performance and portability of PCs.
10. Power management control allows users to change the settings of their PC while creating a profile to save battery life. With this new addition available, top manufacturers may set their own settings preloaded in your PC. The power management control is a great addition to the other features because you will have more time to enjoy the fun of your PC compared to Windows XP.
Wireless Networking
11. Windows Vista's wireless networking features allow you to name it, save individual settings for the network, and reconnect to their network with the configurations. These additions allow you to leave hotspots without logging out of their systems. With the settings readily available, you can return without entering the same configureations that's required in Windows XP.
Vista's Windows Photo Gallery
12. Windows Photo Gallery has a lot of features including the thumbnail views, previews of photos, and scales. You can also preview, sort, distribute, import, and modify photo contrasts as well as videos in the software. Vista's improvements will allow anyone with a little editing knowledge great picture perfect photos for their family and friends at home.
13. Change the names of files, photos, and videos by right clicking the default folder and clicking the Rename option. You can change the file name up to the file extension while keeping organization to a minimum with the new feature.
14. You can go directly to files because of the removal of 'My' before navigation with Windows Explorer.
Media Player 11
15. Multimedia capabilities now allow users to burn DVDs, CDs, and edit playlist to create the perfect sing-a-long for road trips or iPods.
Gadgets on the Sidebar
16. The new sidebar improves functionality and productivity with an analog clock, calendar, slide show, news feed, and notepad. Windows offers over 3,000 gadgets online for easy downloads.

Submitted by Vithal Pai on 2009-07-07

Find Out How To Repair Chkdsk Error Within 2 Minutes

2009-07-11T09:41:00.000-07:00

Find Out How to Repair Chkdsk Error Within 2 Minutes by Mark T

Chkdsk, or checkdisk, is a command on Windows and DOS based operating systems that outputs the file system integrity, and is capable of fixing logical errors in the file system. Computers which operating systems are NT based, chkdsk can also find physical flaws on the hard drive, bad sectors, and save information that is still readable.Chkdsk errors occur in Windows XP when the operating systems detects a problem with the file system and attempts to directly check it by performing chkdsk. Chkdsk can repair these errors, nonetheless, if Windows diagnosed the problem incorrectly, the chkdsk can possibly make the problem worse. Mostly the reasons for windows to initiate chkdsk are logical errors in the file system, bad sectors, directory errors, and shutting down the sytems the wrong way. malicious viruses, such as the Zobot virus, can also create chkdsk errors. This can lead to problems in Internet Explorer, lost or corrupt files, or sa slow down your computer system.A great preventive step that you should take when making chkdsk errors is to make a backup copy of significant files to a CD or floppy disk. Anything you see in your computer is saved in the hard drive and a Chkdsk error means theres something wrong with your hard. Back up irreplaceable files first, and then move on to the others which are of less priorities. After the important files are backed up, return to your computer and try to find solution to the problems.One of the effective and most reliable processes of fixing and preventing chkdsk errors is to to be exact your registry is in highest shape. The Windows Registry is a database that operates in Windows platform. It accomodates configurations and alternatives for your operating system, information necessary for the operating system and most non operating system programs, hardware, and stores per user settings. The registry is basic to every operation on your computer and a corrupted or misleading entry can spell doom. Downloading and running a registry scan tool can find and repair any problematic registry errors, and can help solve Chkdsk errors.A good second step is to defragment your computer and clean out your temporary files. Newer versions of Windows include a tool to help with this task. After everything has been backed up, your computer has been defragmented and cleaned out, run a chkdsk to look for and repair any problems with your hard disk and file system.

Submitted by Mark T on 2009-07-08