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#151
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Ask Windows XP Expert Walter Clayton user accounts
hi chris.... help i have windows xp home edition.. admin account can activate
internet.. but my childrens account cannot... any help well great thanks "Chris Norred [MSFT]" wrote: Hello and welcome to our first Ask-the-Experts discussion, moderated by the Windows XP Expert Zone Community. This is a new trial effort and our goal is to make it easy for you to ask questions and find answers on a specific topic from a recognized expert in the online community. We’ll continue this discussion in the newsgroups for one week and our volunteer expert will select one or two questions each day and respond. Other experts and users online may also chime in with advice. At the end of the week, we hope to have a single thread filled with good information that can be preserved for the benefit of other users in the future. This week, our expert host is volunteer MVP Walter Clayton who will be discussing the topic of spyware and adware and his experience helping users in the newsgroups deal with spyware issues. Walter is an IT professional from Frankfort, Kentucky. He is a self-trained computing pro with 20 years of experience, and he has been helping people in the online community for many years. Walter is a recipient of the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) award for his volunteer efforts helping Windows users over the past five years. A quote from Mr. Clayton: “I enjoy working the newsgroups because it forces me to think and learn. Everyday I get a slightly different perspective on something or see a new situation or problem. There is also the challenge of keeping communication skills sharp. Determining the answer to a problem, and communicating it in the newsgroups can present its own set of challenges, especially at times when the wrong answer can leave the user in a no-boot situation.” Our Ask the Experts discussion is different from the live chats hosted on the Windows XP Expert Zone Community site (http://communities2.microsoft.com/ho...iteid=34000077). In these discussions, you may not get an immediate answer. The hosts will check-in at a time convenient for them and answer questions. You can post a question any time. Then you may want to add the discussion to your Favorites list in Internet Explorer (Click Favorites, and then click Add to Favorites). You should check back later in the day, or the next day, to see if your question has been answered. Click the Refresh button to see if any new posts were added while you have been reading. If you’re more comfortable using Outlook Express or another newsreader, please do. To post a question or reply in this discussion, using the Web-based newsgroup reader: 1. Click Reply. 2. If prompted, sign in with your .NET Passport. 3. Edit the subject line if you like. 4. In the Reply form, type your message or question in the Message box. 5. Review the text you typed in the Body box to make sure it says what you want; you cannot revise your message after you click Post. 6. To receive e-mail notification when someone posts to this thread, select the Notify me of replies check box. 7. Click Send. This is a new trial effort and your feedback and assistance are appreciated. We’ll keep links to these discussions in the Windows XP Expert Zone Community Columns Archive (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/e...s/archive.mspx). Truly Chris Norred Editor Windows XP Expert Zone Community |
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#152
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Ask Windows XP Expert Walter Clayton About Spyware
-- Johan "Chris Norred [MSFT]" wrote: Hello and welcome to our first Ask-the-Experts discussion, moderated by the Windows XP Expert Zone Community. This is a new trial effort and our goal is to make it easy for you to ask questions and find answers on a specific topic from a recognized expert in the online community. We’ll continue this discussion in the newsgroups for one week and our volunteer expert will select one or two questions each day and respond. Other experts and users online may also chime in with advice. At the end of the week, we hope to have a single thread filled with good information that can be preserved for the benefit of other users in the future. This week, our expert host is volunteer MVP Walter Clayton who will be discussing the topic of spyware and adware and his experience helping users in the newsgroups deal with spyware issues. Walter is an IT professional from Frankfort, Kentucky. He is a self-trained computing pro with 20 years of experience, and he has been helping people in the online community for many years. Walter is a recipient of the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) award for his volunteer efforts helping Windows users over the past five years. A quote from Mr. Clayton: “I enjoy working the newsgroups because it forces me to think and learn. Everyday I get a slightly different perspective on something or see a new situation or problem. There is also the challenge of keeping communication skills sharp. Determining the answer to a problem, and communicating it in the newsgroups can present its own set of challenges, especially at times when the wrong answer can leave the user in a no-boot situation.” Our Ask the Experts discussion is different from the live chats hosted on the Windows XP Expert Zone Community site (http://communities2.microsoft.com/ho...iteid=34000077). In these discussions, you may not get an immediate answer. The hosts will check-in at a time convenient for them and answer questions. You can post a question any time. Then you may want to add the discussion to your Favorites list in Internet Explorer (Click Favorites, and then click Add to Favorites). You should check back later in the day, or the next day, to see if your question has been answered. Click the Refresh button to see if any new posts were added while you have been reading. If you’re more comfortable using Outlook Express or another newsreader, please do. To post a question or reply in this discussion, using the Web-based newsgroup reader: 1. Click Reply. 2. If prompted, sign in with your .NET Passport. 3. Edit the subject line if you like. 4. In the Reply form, type your message or question in the Message box. 5. Review the text you typed in the Body box to make sure it says what you want; you cannot revise your message after you click Post. 6. To receive e-mail notification when someone posts to this thread, select the Notify me of replies check box. 7. Click Send. This is a new trial effort and your feedback and assistance are appreciated. We’ll keep links to these discussions in the Windows XP Expert Zone Community Columns Archive (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/e...s/archive.mspx). Truly Chris Norred Editor Windows XP Expert Zone Community |
#153
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Windows explorer and desktop problem
-- Johan "Chris Norred [MSFT]" wrote: Hello and welcome to our first Ask-the-Experts discussion, moderated by the Windows XP Expert Zone Community. This is a new trial effort and our goal is to make it easy for you to ask questions and find answers on a specific topic from a recognized expert in the online community. We’ll continue this discussion in the newsgroups for one week and our volunteer expert will select one or two questions each day and respond. Other experts and users online may also chime in with advice. At the end of the week, we hope to have a single thread filled with good information that can be preserved for the benefit of other users in the future. This week, our expert host is volunteer MVP Walter Clayton who will be discussing the topic of spyware and adware and his experience helping users in the newsgroups deal with spyware issues. Walter is an IT professional from Frankfort, Kentucky. He is a self-trained computing pro with 20 years of experience, and he has been helping people in the online community for many years. Walter is a recipient of the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) award for his volunteer efforts helping Windows users over the past five years. A quote from Mr. Clayton: “I enjoy working the newsgroups because it forces me to think and learn. Everyday I get a slightly different perspective on something or see a new situation or problem. There is also the challenge of keeping communication skills sharp. Determining the answer to a problem, and communicating it in the newsgroups can present its own set of challenges, especially at times when the wrong answer can leave the user in a no-boot situation.” Our Ask the Experts discussion is different from the live chats hosted on the Windows XP Expert Zone Community site (http://communities2.microsoft.com/ho...iteid=34000077). In these discussions, you may not get an immediate answer. The hosts will check-in at a time convenient for them and answer questions. You can post a question any time. Then you may want to add the discussion to your Favorites list in Internet Explorer (Click Favorites, and then click Add to Favorites). You should check back later in the day, or the next day, to see if your question has been answered. Click the Refresh button to see if any new posts were added while you have been reading. If you’re more comfortable using Outlook Express or another newsreader, please do. To post a question or reply in this discussion, using the Web-based newsgroup reader: 1. Click Reply. 2. If prompted, sign in with your .NET Passport. 3. Edit the subject line if you like. 4. In the Reply form, type your message or question in the Message box. 5. Review the text you typed in the Body box to make sure it says what you want; you cannot revise your message after you click Post. 6. To receive e-mail notification when someone posts to this thread, select the Notify me of replies check box. 7. Click Send. This is a new trial effort and your feedback and assistance are appreciated. We’ll keep links to these discussions in the Windows XP Expert Zone Community Columns Archive (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/e...s/archive.mspx). Truly Chris Norred Editor Windows XP Expert Zone Community |
#154
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Desktop and windows explorer problem
Hi Chris
Problem 1: Folder tasks other places details Thats normaly on the left side when I click on my documents and it opens. Now there's nothing instead it's on the left side of my icons on the desktop. How do I get it back to its place in my documents. 2: I click on windows explorer but it does not open. I use xp home sp2 I hope you can help. Thanks Johan |
#155
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Desktop and windows explorer problem
Hi,
1) See: http://www.dougknox.com/xp/scripts_d...sk_desktop.htm 2) See if the problem is still there after applying the fix to (1). -- Best of Luck, Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/ Windows help - www.rickrogers.org "Johan" wrote in message ... Hi Chris Problem 1: Folder tasks other places details Thats normaly on the left side when I click on my documents and it opens. Now there's nothing instead it's on the left side of my icons on the desktop. How do I get it back to its place in my documents. 2: I click on windows explorer but it does not open. I use xp home sp2 I hope you can help. Thanks Johan |
#156
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Ask Windows XP Expert Walter Clayton About Spyware
Dear Chris,
I am having a terrible time. My hard drive is filling up and I can not seem to find out why. I have run Adaware, Spybot, Norton's, and I have Zone Alarm Pro, nothing. I run cclean every time I get ready to shut my system down. I reduced the restore limits to 800M and still it continues. I am at a loss as to what is going on with this computer. Could all of these automatic updates that I am unaware of be the cause or is there another reason? Some of the forums offered quick fixes from trouble shooting tweaks and fixes web site but I would not even know where to begin. Any help would be appreciated. Thank You -- Rvtime "Chris Norred [MSFT]" wrote: Hello and welcome to our first Ask-the-Experts discussion, moderated by the Windows XP Expert Zone Community. This is a new trial effort and our goal is to make it easy for you to ask questions and find answers on a specific topic from a recognized expert in the online community. We’ll continue this discussion in the newsgroups for one week and our volunteer expert will select one or two questions each day and respond. Other experts and users online may also chime in with advice. At the end of the week, we hope to have a single thread filled with good information that can be preserved for the benefit of other users in the future. This week, our expert host is volunteer MVP Walter Clayton who will be discussing the topic of spyware and adware and his experience helping users in the newsgroups deal with spyware issues. Walter is an IT professional from Frankfort, Kentucky. He is a self-trained computing pro with 20 years of experience, and he has been helping people in the online community for many years. Walter is a recipient of the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) award for his volunteer efforts helping Windows users over the past five years. A quote from Mr. Clayton: “I enjoy working the newsgroups because it forces me to think and learn. Everyday I get a slightly different perspective on something or see a new situation or problem. There is also the challenge of keeping communication skills sharp. Determining the answer to a problem, and communicating it in the newsgroups can present its own set of challenges, especially at times when the wrong answer can leave the user in a no-boot situation.” Our Ask the Experts discussion is different from the live chats hosted on the Windows XP Expert Zone Community site (http://communities2.microsoft.com/ho...iteid=34000077). In these discussions, you may not get an immediate answer. The hosts will check-in at a time convenient for them and answer questions. You can post a question any time. Then you may want to add the discussion to your Favorites list in Internet Explorer (Click Favorites, and then click Add to Favorites). You should check back later in the day, or the next day, to see if your question has been answered. Click the Refresh button to see if any new posts were added while you have been reading. If you’re more comfortable using Outlook Express or another newsreader, please do. To post a question or reply in this discussion, using the Web-based newsgroup reader: 1. Click Reply. 2. If prompted, sign in with your .NET Passport. 3. Edit the subject line if you like. 4. In the Reply form, type your message or question in the Message box. 5. Review the text you typed in the Body box to make sure it says what you want; you cannot revise your message after you click Post. 6. To receive e-mail notification when someone posts to this thread, select the Notify me of replies check box. 7. Click Send. This is a new trial effort and your feedback and assistance are appreciated. We’ll keep links to these discussions in the Windows XP Expert Zone Community Columns Archive (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/e...s/archive.mspx). Truly Chris Norred Editor Windows XP Expert Zone Community |
#157
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Ask Windows XP Expert Walter Clayton About Spyware
Rvtime wrote:
I am having a terrible time. My hard drive is filling up and I can not seem to find out why. I have run Adaware, Spybot, Norton's, and I have Zone Alarm Pro, nothing. I run cclean every time I get ready to shut my system down. I reduced the restore limits to 800M and still it continues. I am at a loss as to what is going on with this computer. Could all of these automatic updates that I am unaware of be the cause or is there another reason? Some of the forums offered quick fixes from trouble shooting tweaks and fixes web site but I would not even know where to begin. Any help would be appreciated. Use this.. http://www.win.tue.nl/sequoiaview/ And this.. http://www.jgoodies.com/freeware/jdiskreport/index.html They can help you visually discover where all the space is being used. If you are comfortable with the stability of your system, you can delete the uninstall files for the patches that Windows XP has installed.. http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/spack.htm You can use an application that scans your system for log files and temporary files and use that to get rid of those: Ccleaner (Free!) http://www.ccleaner.com/ You can run Disk Cleanup - built into Windows XP - to erase all but yuor latest restore point and cleanup even more "loose files".. How to use Disk Cleanup http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310312 You can turn off hibernation if it is on and you don't use it.. When you hibernate your computer, Windows saves the contents of the system's memory to the hiberfil.sys file. As a result, the size of the hiberfil.sys file will always equal the amount of physical memory in your system. If you don't use the hibernate feature and want to recapture the space that Windows uses for the hiberfil.sys file, perform the following steps: - Start the Control Panel Power Options applet (go to Start, Settings, Control Panel, and click Power Options). - Select the Hibernate tab, clear the "Enable hibernation" check box, then click OK; although you might think otherwise, selecting Never under the "System hibernates" option on the Power Schemes tab doesn't delete the hiberfil.sys file. - Windows will remove the "System hibernates" option from the Power Schemes tab and delete the hiberfil.sys file. You can control how much space your System Restore can use... 1. Click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Properties. 2. Click the System Restore tab. 3. Highlight one of your drives (or C: if you only have one) and click on the "Settings" button. 4. Change the percentage of disk space you wish to allow.. I suggest 5% or higher. 5. Click OK.. Then Click OK again. Even though it seems you have a decent grasp on system maintenance - you may want to review these tips - see if there is anything else you could be doing and/or any other tools you could be utilizing to maintain your system better/more cheaply/automatically... Microsoft has these suggestions for Protecting your computer from the various things that could happen to you/it: Protect your PC http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/ Outfitting a new computer for the Net http://www.microsoft.com/athome/secu...wcomputer.mspx Getting started with a new PC http://www.microsoft.com/athome/moredone/yournewpc.mspx Although those tips are fantastic, there are many things you should know above and beyond that. Below I have detailed out many tips that can not only help you clean-up a problem PC but keep it clean, secure and running at its best. I know this text can seem intimidating - it is quite long and a lot to take in for a novice - however I can assure you that one trip through this list and you will understand your computer and the options available to you for protecting your data much better - and that the next time you go through these steps, the time it takes will be greatly reduced. Let's take the cleanup of your computer step-by-step. Yes, it will take up some of your time - but consider what you use your computer for and how much you would dislike it if all of your stuff on your computer went away because you did not "feel like" performing some simple maintenance tasks - think of it like taking out your garbage, collecting and sorting your postal mail, paying your bills on time, etc. I'll mainly work around Windows XP, as that is what the bulk of this document is about; however, here is some places for you poor souls still stuck in Windows 98/ME where you can get information on maintaining your system: Windows 98 and 'Maintaining Your Computer': http://www.microsoft.com/windows98/u...s/maintaining/ Windows ME Computer Health: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsME/u...alth/articles/ Pay close attention to the sections: (in order) - Clean up your hard disk - Check for errors by running ScanDisk - Defragment your hard disk - Roll back the clock with System Restore Also - now is a good time to point you to one of the easiest ways to find information on problems you may be having and solutions others have found: Search using Google! http://www.google.com/ (How-to: http://www.google.com/intl/en/help/basics.html ) Now, let's go through some maintenance first that should only have to be done once (mostly): Tip (1): Locate all of the software you have installed on your computer. (the installation media - CDs, downloaded files, etc) Collect these CDs and files together in a central and safe place along with their CD keys and such. Make backups of these installation media sets using your favorite copying method (CD/DVD Burner and application, Disk copier, etc.) You'll be glad to know that if you have a CD/DVD burner, you may be able to use a free application to make a duplicate copy of your CDs. One such application is ISORecorder: ISORecorder page (with general instructions on use): http://isorecorder.alexfeinman.com/beta.htm Yes - it is BETA software - but very useful and well tested. (Don't know what "BETA" means? In simplest terms, it is the stage of a softwares' life where it is tested for bugs, crashes, errors, inconsistencies, and any other problems.) More full function applications (free) for CD/DVD burning would be: CDBurnerXP Pro http://www.cdburnerxp.se/ DeepBurner Free http://www.deepburner.com/ ImgBurn (burn ISO images) http://www.imgburn.com/ Another Option would be to search the web with Pricewatch.com or Dealsites.net and find deals on Products like Ahead Nero and/or Roxio. Tip (2): Empty your Temporary Internet Files and shrink the size it stores to a size between 128MB and 512MB.. - Open ONE copy of Internet Explorer. - Select TOOLS - Internet Options. - Under the General tab in the "Temporary Internet Files" section, do the following: - Click on "Delete Cookies" (click OK) - Click on "Settings" and change the "Amount of disk space to use:" to something between 128MB and 512MB. (Betting it is MUCH larger right now.) - Click OK. - Click on "Delete Files" and select to "Delete all offline contents" (the checkbox) and click OK. (If you had a LOT, this could take 2-10 minutes or more.) - Once it is done, click OK, close Internet Explorer, re-open Internet Explorer. Tip (3): If things are running a bit sluggish and/or you have an older system (1.5GHz or less and 256MB RAM or less) then you may want to look into tweaking the performance by turning off some of the 'resource hogging' Windows XP "prettifications". The fastest method is: Control Panel -- System -- Advanced tab -- Performance section, Settings button. Then choose "adjust for best performance" and you now have a Windows 2000/98 look which turned off most of the annoying "prettifications" in one swift action. You can play with the last three checkboxes to get more of an XP look without many of the other annoyances. You could also grab and install/use one (or more) of the Microsoft Powertoys - TweakUI in particular: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/d...powertoys.mspx Another viable (decently inexpensive) option is to increase the amount of memory (RAM) your computer has. You can get an idea of what you need by visiting: Crucial Memory AdvisorT Tool http://www.crucial.com/ Then either buy direct from there or write down the specs you get and visit: http://www.pricewatch.com/ and locate the best price on what you need. 512MB up to 1GB total memory should be more than enough for the normal home user. Tip (4): Understanding what a good password might be is vital to your personal and system security. You may think you do not need to password your home computer, as you may have it in a locked area (your home) where no one else has access to it. Remember, however, you aren't always "in that locked area" when using your computer online - meaning you likely have usernames and passwords associated with web sites and the likes that you would prefer other people do not discover/use. This is why you should understand and utilize good passwords. Good passwords are those that meet these general rules (mileage may vary): Passwords should contain at least six characters, and the character string should contain at least three of these four character types: - uppercase letters - lowercase letters - numerals - nonalphanumeric characters (e.g., *, %, &, !, Passwords should not contain your name/username. Passwords should be unique to you and easy to remember. One method many people are using today is to make up a phrase that describes a point in their life and then turning that phrase into their password by using only certain letters out of each word in that phrase. It's much better than using your birthday month/year or your anniversary in a pure sense. For example, let's say my phrase is: 'Great new job in January 2006' I could come up with this password from that: 'Gr8n3wj0bJAN2006' The password tip is in the one time section, but I highly recommend you periodically change your passwords. The suggested time varies, but I will throw out a 'once in every 3 to 6 months for every account you have.' Also - many people complain that they just cannot remember the passwords for all the sites they have - so they choose one password and use it for everything. Not a good idea. A much better method would be to use a Password Management tool - so you only have to remember one password, but it opens an application that stores your username/passwords for everything else - plus other valuable information. One that I can recommend: KeePass Password Safe http://keepass.sourceforge.net/ It can even generate passwords for you. Tip (5): This tip is also 'questionable' in the one time section; however - if properly setup - this one can be pretty well ignored for most people after the initial 'fiddle-with' time. Why you should use a computer firewall.. http://www.microsoft.com/athome/secu...wbenefits.mspx You should, in some way, use a firewall. Hardware (like a nice Cable Modem/DSL router) or software is up to you. Many use both of these. The simplest one to use is the hardware one, as most people don't do anything that they will need to configure their NAT device for and those who do certainly will not mind fiddling with the equipment to make things work for them. Next in the line of simplicity would have to be the built-in Windows Firewall of Windows XP. In SP2 it is turned on by default. It is not difficult to turn on in any case, however: Enable/Disable the Internet Connection Firewall (Pre-SP2): http://support.microsoft.com/kb/283673 More information on the Internet Connection Firewall (Pre-SP2): http://support.microsoft.com/kb/320855 Post-SP2 Windows Firewall Information/guidance: http://snipurl.com/atal The trouble with the Windows Firewall is that it only keeps things out. For most people who maintain their system in other ways, this is MORE than sufficient. However, you may feel otherwise. If you want to know when one of your applications is trying to obtain access to the outside world so you can stop it, then you will have to install a third-party application and configure/maintain it. I have compiled a list with links of some of the better known/free firewalls you can choose from: BlackICE PC Protection (~$39.95 and up) http://blackice.iss.net/ Jetico Personal Firewall (Free) http://www.jetico.com/index.htm#/jpfirewall.htm Sunbelt Kerio Personal Firewall (KPF) (Free and up) http://www.kerio.com/kpf_download.html Outpost Firewall from Agnitum (Free and up) http://www.agnitum.com/products/outpostfree/ Symantec's Norton Personal Firewall (~$25 and up) http://www.symantec.com/sabu/nis/npf/ ZoneAlarm (Free and up) http://snipurl.com/6ohg You should find the right firewall for your situation in that list and set it up. Every firewall WILL require some maintenance. Essentially checking for patches or upgrades (this goes for hardware and software solutions) is the extent of this maintenance - you may also have to configure your firewall to allow some traffic depending on your needs. ** Don't stack the software firewalls! Running more than one software firewall will not make you safer - it would possibly negate some protection you gleamed from one or the other firewall you run. It is fine (and in many ways better) to have the software firewall as well as a NAT router. Now that you have some of the more basic things down.. Let's go through some of the steps you should take periodically to maintain a healthy and stable windows computer. If you have not done some of these things in the past, they may seem tedious - however, they will become routine and some can even be scheduled. Tip (6): The system restore feature is a useful - first appearing in Windows ME and then sticking around for Windows XP. It is only a useful feature if you keep it maintained and use it to your advantage. Remember that the system restore pretty much tells you in the name what it protects which is 'system' files. Your documents, your pictures, your stuff is NOT system files - so you should also look into some backup solution. Whenever you think about it (after doing a once-over on your machine once a month or so would be optimal) - clear out your System Restore and create a manual restoration point. 'Why?' Too many times have I seen the system restore files go corrupt or get a virus in them, meaning you could not or did not want to restore from them. By clearing it out periodically you help prevent any corruption from happening and you make sure you have at least one good "snapshot". (*This, of course, will erase any previous restore point you have.*) - Turn off System Restore. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310405 - Reboot the Computer. - Review the first bullet to turn on System Restore - Make a Manual Restoration Point. http://snipurl.com/68nx That covers your system files, but doesn't do anything for the files that you are REALLY worried about - yours! For that you need to look into backups. You can either manually copy your important files, folders, documents, spreadsheets, emails, contacts, pictures, drawings and so on to an external location (CD/DVD - any disk of some sort, etc) or you can use the backup tool that comes with Windows XP: How To Use Backup to Back Up Files and Folders on Your Computer http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308422 Yes - you still need some sort of external media to store the results on, but you could schedule the backup to occur when you are not around, then burn the resultant data onto CD or DVD or something when you are (while you do other things!) Another option that came to my attention as of late: Cobian Backup http://www.educ.umu.se/~cobian/cobianbackup.htm A lot of people have wondered about how to completely backup their system so that they would not have to go through the trouble of a reinstall.. I'm going to voice my opinion here and say that it would be worthless to do for MOST people. Unless you plan on periodically updating the image backup of your system (remaking it) - then by the time you use it (something goes wrong) - it will be so outdated as to be more trouble than performing a full install of the operating system and all applications. Having said my part against it, you can clone/backup your hard drive completely using many methods - by far the simplest are using disk cloning applications: Symantec/Norton Ghost http://www.symantec.com/sabu/ghost/ Acronis True Image http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/trueimage BootItT NG http://terabyteunlimited.com/bootitng.html Tip (7): You should sometimes look through the list of applications that are installed on your computer. The list may surprise you. There are more than likely things in there you know you never use - so why have them there? There may even be things you know you did *not* install and certainly do not use (maybe don't WANT to use.) This web site should help you get started at looking through this list: How to Uninstall Programs http://snipurl.com/8v6b How to change or remove a program in Windows XP http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307895 A word of warning - Do NOT uninstall anything you think you MIGHT need in the future unless you have completed Tip (1) and have the installation media and proper keys for use backed up somewhere safe! Tip (8): Patches and Updates! This one cannot be stressed enough. It is SO simple, yet so neglected by many people. It is really simple for the critical Microsoft patches! Microsoft put in an AUTOMATED feature for you to utilize so that you do NOT have to worry yourself about the patching of the Operating System: How to configure and use Automatic Updates in Windows XP http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306525 However, not everyone wants to be a slave to automation, and that is fine. Admittedly, I prefer this method on some of my more critical systems. Windows Update http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ Go there and scan your machine for updates. Always get the critical ones as you see them. Write down the KB###### or Q###### you see when selecting the updates and if you have trouble over the next few days, go into your control panel (Add/Remove Programs), insure that the 'Show Updates' checkbox is checked and match up the latest numbers you downloaded recently (since you started noticing an issue) and uninstall them. If there was more than one (usually is), uninstall them one by one with a few hours of use in between, to see if the problem returns. Yes - the process is not perfect (updating) and can cause trouble like I mentioned - but as you can see, the solution isn't that bad - and is MUCH better than the alternatives. Windows is not the only product you likely have on your PC. The manufacturers of the other products usually have updates. New versions of almost everything come out all the time - some are free, some are pay and some you can only download if you are registered - but it is best to check. Just go to their web pages and look under their support and download sections. For example, for Microsoft Office you should visit: Microsoft Office Updates http://office.microsoft.com/ (and select 'Check for Updates' and/or 'Downloads' for more) You also have hardware on your machine that requires drivers to interface with the operating system. You have a video card that allows you to see on your screen, a sound card that allows you to hear your PCs sound output and so on. Visit those manufacturer web sites for the latest downloadable drivers for your hardware/operating system. Always get the manufacturers' hardware driver over any Microsoft offers. On the Windows Update site I mentioned earlier, I suggest NOT getting their hardware drivers - no matter how tempting. How do you know what hardware you have in your computer? Break out the invoice or if it is up and working now - take inventory: Belarc Advisor http://belarc.com/free_download.html Once you know what you have, what next? Go get the latest driver for your hardware/OS from the manufacturer's web page. For example, let's say you have an NVidia chipset video card or ATI video card, perhaps a Creative Labs sound card or C-Media chipset sound card... NVidia Video Card Drivers http://www.nvidia.com/content/drivers/drivers.asp ATI Video Card Drivers http://www.atitech.com/support/driver.html Creative Labs Sound Device http://us.creative.com/support/downloads/ C-Media Sound Device http://www.cmedia.com.tw/e_download_01.htm Then install these drivers. Updated drivers are usually more stable and may provide extra benefits/features that you really wished you had before. As for Service Pack 2 (SP2) for Windows XP, Microsoft has made this particular patch available in a number of ways. First, there is the Windows Update web page above. Then there is a direct download site. Direct Download of Service Pack 2 (SP2) for Windows XP http://snipurl.com/8bqy Order Windows XP Service Pack 2 on CD http://snipurl.com/d41v If all else fails - grab the full download above and try to use that. In this case - consider yourself a 'IT professional or developer'. Tip (9): What about the dreaded word in the computer world, VIRUS? Well, there are many products to choose from that will help you prevent infections from these horrid little applications. Many are FREE to the home user and which you choose is a matter of taste, really. Many people have emotional attachments or performance issues with one or another AntiVirus software. Try some out, read reviews and decide for yourself which you like mo ( Good Comparison Page for AV softwa http://www.av-comparatives.org/ ) AntiVir (Free and up) http://www.free-av.com/ avast! (Free and up) http://www.avast.com/ AVG Anti-Virus System (Free and up) http://free.grisoft.com/ eset NOD32 (~$39.00 and up) http://www.eset.com/products/products.htm eTrust EZ Antivirus (~$29.95 and up) http://ca.com/store/home/us/hp2/ Kaspersky Anti-Virus (~$49.95 and up) http://www.kaspersky.com/products.html McAfee VirusScan (~$11 and up) http://www.mcafee.com/ Panda Antivirus Titanium (~$39.95 and up) http://www.pandasoftware.com/ (Free Online Scanner: http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan/) RAV AntiVirus Online Virus Scan (Free!) http://www.ravantivirus.com/scan/ Symantec (Norton) AntiVirus (~$11 and up) http://www.symantec.com/nav/nav_9xnt/ Trend Micro (~$49.95 and up) http://www.trendmicro.com/en/home/us/personal.htm (Free Online Scanner: http://housecall.trendmicro.com/hous...start_corp.asp) Most of them have automatic update capabilities. You will have to look into the features of the one you choose. Whatever one you finally settle with - be SURE to keep it updated (I recommend at least daily) and perform a full scan periodically (yes, most protect you actively, but a full scan once a month at 4AM probably won't bother you.) Tip (10): The most rampant infestation at the current time concerns SPYWARE/ADWARE. You need to eliminate it from your machine. There is no one software that cleans and immunizes you against everything. Antivirus software - you only needed one. Firewall, you only needed one. AntiSpyware - you will need several. I have a list and I recommend you use at least the first five. First - make sure you have NOT installed "Rogue AntiSpyware". There are people out there who created AntiSpyware products that actually install spyware of their own! You need to avoid these: Rogue/Suspect Anti-Spyware Products & Web Sites http://www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm Also, you can always visit this site.. http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm For more updated information. Install the first five of these: (Install, Run, Update, Scan with..) (If you already have one or more - uninstall them and download the LATEST version from the page given!) Lavasoft AdAware (Free and up) http://www.lavasoft.de/support/download/ (How-to: http://snipurl.com/atdn ) Spybot Search and Destroy (Free!) http://www.safer-networking.net/en/download/index.html (How-to: http://snipurl.com/atdk ) Bazooka Adware and Spyware Scanner (Free!) http://www.kephyr.com/spywarescanner/ (How-to: http://snipurl.com/ate3 ) SpywareBlaster (Free!) http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/sbdownload.html (How-to: http://snipurl.com/ate6 ) IE-SPYAD2 (Free!) https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/ehowes/www/resource.htm (How-to: http://snipurl.com/ate7 ) CWShredder Stand-Alone (Free!) http://www.intermute.com/spysubtract..._download.html Hijack This! (Free!) http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/downloads.html (Log Analyzer: http://hjt.iamnotageek.com/ ) ToolbarCop (Free!) http://windowsxp.mvps.org/toolbarcop.htm Ccleaner (Free!) http://www.ccleaner.com/ Browser Security Tests (Free Tester) http://www.jasons-toolbox.com/BrowserSecurity/ Popup Tester (Free Tester) http://www.popuptest.com/ The Cleaner (~$49.95 and up) http://www.moosoft.com/ Sometimes you need to install the application and reboot into SAFE MODE in order to thoroughly clean your computer. Many applications also have (or are) immunization applications. Spybot Search and Destroy and SpywareBlaster are two that currently do the best job at passively protecting your system from malware. None of these programs (in these editions) run in the background unless you TELL them to. The space they take up and how easy they are to use greatly makes up for any inconvenience you may be feeling. Please notice that Windows XP SP2 does help stop popups as well. Another option is to use an alternative Web browser. I suggest 'Mozilla Firefox', as it has some great features and is very easy to use: Mozilla Firefox http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/ So your machine is pretty clean and up to date now. If you use the sections above as a guide, it should stay that way as well! There are still a few more things you can do to keep your machine running in top shape. Tip (11): You should periodically check your hard drive(s) for errors and defragment them. Only defragment after you have cleaned up your machine of outside parasites and never defragment as a solution to a quirkiness in your system. It may help speed up your system, but it should be clean before you do this. Do these things IN ORDER... How to use Disk Cleanup http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310312 How to scan your disks for errors http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315265 How to Defragment your hard drives http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314848 I would personally perform the above steps at least once every three months. For most people this should be sufficient, but if the difference you notice afterwards is greater than you think it should be, lessen the time in between its schedule.. If the difference you notice is negligible, you can increase the time. Tip (12): SPAM! JUNK MAIL! This one can get annoying, just like the rest. You get 50 emails in one sitting and 2 of them you wanted. NICE! (Not.) What can you do? Well, although there are services out there to help you, some email servers/services that actually do lower your spam with features built into their servers - I still like the methods that let you be the end-decision maker on what is spam and what is not. I have a few products to suggest to you, look at them and see if any of them suite your needs. Again, if they don't, Google is free and available for your perusal. SpamBayes (Free!) http://spambayes.sourceforge.net/ Spamihilator (Free!) http://www.spamihilator.com/ MailWasher http://www.mailwasher.net/ As I said, those are not your only options, but are reliable ones I have seen function for hundreds+ people. Tip (13): ADVANCED TIP! Only do this once you are comfortable under the hood of your computer! There are lots of services on your PC that are probably turned on by default you don't use. Why have them on? Check out these web pages to see what all of the services you might find on your computer are and set them according to your personal needs. Be CAREFUL what you set to manual, and take heed and write down as you change things! Also, don't expect a large performance increase or anything - especially on today's 2+ GHz machines, however - I look at each service you set to manual as one less service you have to worry about someone exploiting. Black Viper Service Configuration Tips http://www.blackviper.com/WinXP/servicecfg.htm Configuring Services http://snakefoot.fateback.com/tweak/winnt/services.html Task List Programs http://www.answersthatwork.com/Taskl...s/tasklist.htm Processes in Windows NT/2000/XP http://www.reger24.de/prozesse/ There are also applications that AREN'T services that startup when you start up the computer/logon. One of the better description on how to handle these I have found he Startups http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_content.php If you follow the advice laid out above (and do some of your own research as well, so you understand what you are doing) - your computer will stay fairly stable and secure and you will have a more trouble-free system. -- Shenan Stanley MS-MVP -- How To Ask Questions The Smart Way http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html |
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Ask Windows XP Expert Walter Clayton About Spyware
how do i install Active X on my computer
-- Tom "The Unknown P" wrote: How in God's name do you think this is going to differ from the numerous NG's and the posts pertaining to this topic. In short this is not only a waste of space but a little redundant as we have been dealing with thousands of questions pertaining to spyware\adware for years. If this supposed eXPert has anything to add he or she can feel free to answer the questions posted in any number of these NG's as the rest of us unrecognized or unheralded individuals do. Please don't go out of your way for us or the general public. Like any of the people who reply to these NG's it is at our conveniance and we certainly don't need your majesty to point this out to us. }:~) -- There are three types of people in computing, those that can count and those that can't. |
#159
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unable to access backed up files
I just flattened my hard drive due to myriad problems. I dutifully backed up
my office files to a cd as per instructions this included my inbox, outbox, contacts etc. I did not assign a password or did I request encryption...I now have my system up and running but when I try to reload my office files I get the bland message ..access denied. What goes on ?Is there some step by step instruction I am missing ? "Chris Norred [MSFT]" wrote: Hello and welcome to our first Ask-the-Experts discussion, moderated by the Windows XP Expert Zone Community. This is a new trial effort and our goal is to make it easy for you to ask questions and find answers on a specific topic from a recognized expert in the online community. We’ll continue this discussion in the newsgroups for one week and our volunteer expert will select one or two questions each day and respond. Other experts and users online may also chime in with advice. At the end of the week, we hope to have a single thread filled with good information that can be preserved for the benefit of other users in the future. This week, our expert host is volunteer MVP Walter Clayton who will be discussing the topic of spyware and adware and his experience helping users in the newsgroups deal with spyware issues. Walter is an IT professional from Frankfort, Kentucky. He is a self-trained computing pro with 20 years of experience, and he has been helping people in the online community for many years. Walter is a recipient of the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) award for his volunteer efforts helping Windows users over the past five years. A quote from Mr. Clayton: “I enjoy working the newsgroups because it forces me to think and learn. Everyday I get a slightly different perspective on something or see a new situation or problem. There is also the challenge of keeping communication skills sharp. Determining the answer to a problem, and communicating it in the newsgroups can present its own set of challenges, especially at times when the wrong answer can leave the user in a no-boot situation.” Our Ask the Experts discussion is different from the live chats hosted on the Windows XP Expert Zone Community site (http://communities2.microsoft.com/ho...iteid=34000077). In these discussions, you may not get an immediate answer. The hosts will check-in at a time convenient for them and answer questions. You can post a question any time. Then you may want to add the discussion to your Favorites list in Internet Explorer (Click Favorites, and then click Add to Favorites). You should check back later in the day, or the next day, to see if your question has been answered. Click the Refresh button to see if any new posts were added while you have been reading. If you’re more comfortable using Outlook Express or another newsreader, please do. To post a question or reply in this discussion, using the Web-based newsgroup reader: 1. Click Reply. 2. If prompted, sign in with your .NET Passport. 3. Edit the subject line if you like. 4. In the Reply form, type your message or question in the Message box. 5. Review the text you typed in the Body box to make sure it says what you want; you cannot revise your message after you click Post. 6. To receive e-mail notification when someone posts to this thread, select the Notify me of replies check box. 7. Click Send. This is a new trial effort and your feedback and assistance are appreciated. We’ll keep links to these discussions in the Windows XP Expert Zone Community Columns Archive (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/e...s/archive.mspx). Truly Chris Norred Editor Windows XP Expert Zone Community |
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unable to access backed up files
Quandary wrote:
I just flattened my hard drive due to myriad problems. I dutifully backed up my office files to a cd as per instructions this included my inbox, outbox, contacts etc. I did not assign a password or did I request encryption...I now have my system up and running but when I try to reload my office files I get the bland message ..access denied. What goes on ?Is there some step by step instruction I am missing ? Take ownership of the files. Take Ownership of a File or Folder in Windows XP [Q308421] - http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=308421 How Do I Get the Security tab in Folder Properties? - http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/xp_security_tab.htm Malke -- MS-MVP Windows Shell/User Elephant Boy Computers www.elephantboycomputers.com "Don't Panic" |
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Ask Windows XP Expert Walter Clayton About Spyware
Hi there ! I hope you can help. I have IE v6. My "Internet Search Button"
used to take me to "Wanadoo", but that no longer works, and freezes. How do I take it back to work normally ? Thanks, Mart42 "Chris Norred [MSFT]" wrote: Hello and welcome to our first Ask-the-Experts discussion, moderated by the Windows XP Expert Zone Community. This is a new trial effort and our goal is to make it easy for you to ask questions and find answers on a specific topic from a recognized expert in the online community. We’ll continue this discussion in the newsgroups for one week and our volunteer expert will select one or two questions each day and respond. Other experts and users online may also chime in with advice. At the end of the week, we hope to have a single thread filled with good information that can be preserved for the benefit of other users in the future. This week, our expert host is volunteer MVP Walter Clayton who will be discussing the topic of spyware and adware and his experience helping users in the newsgroups deal with spyware issues. Walter is an IT professional from Frankfort, Kentucky. He is a self-trained computing pro with 20 years of experience, and he has been helping people in the online community for many years. Walter is a recipient of the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) award for his volunteer efforts helping Windows users over the past five years. A quote from Mr. Clayton: “I enjoy working the newsgroups because it forces me to think and learn. Everyday I get a slightly different perspective on something or see a new situation or problem. There is also the challenge of keeping communication skills sharp. Determining the answer to a problem, and communicating it in the newsgroups can present its own set of challenges, especially at times when the wrong answer can leave the user in a no-boot situation.” Our Ask the Experts discussion is different from the live chats hosted on the Windows XP Expert Zone Community site (http://communities2.microsoft.com/ho...iteid=34000077). In these discussions, you may not get an immediate answer. The hosts will check-in at a time convenient for them and answer questions. You can post a question any time. Then you may want to add the discussion to your Favorites list in Internet Explorer (Click Favorites, and then click Add to Favorites). You should check back later in the day, or the next day, to see if your question has been answered. Click the Refresh button to see if any new posts were added while you have been reading. If you’re more comfortable using Outlook Express or another newsreader, please do. To post a question or reply in this discussion, using the Web-based newsgroup reader: 1. Click Reply. 2. If prompted, sign in with your .NET Passport. 3. Edit the subject line if you like. 4. In the Reply form, type your message or question in the Message box. 5. Review the text you typed in the Body box to make sure it says what you want; you cannot revise your message after you click Post. 6. To receive e-mail notification when someone posts to this thread, select the Notify me of replies check box. 7. Click Send. This is a new trial effort and your feedback and assistance are appreciated. We’ll keep links to these discussions in the Windows XP Expert Zone Community Columns Archive (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/e...s/archive.mspx). Truly Chris Norred Editor Windows XP Expert Zone Community |
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Ask Windows XP Expert Walter Clayton About Spyware
Without getting into the registry and modifying the keys for the current
user, you can try: 1. Open Control Panel | Internet Options | Program Tab, and click on the Reset Web Settings... I don't know what all that changes other that the default Search Page, add the Home Page (depending on your answer to the prompt). If you want to change just the search page: 1. Click on Start Menu | Run and enter regedit 2. Open key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main 3. Modify Search Page and/or Search Bar There are other areas depending what you want. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchUrl "Mart42" wrote in message ... Hi there ! I hope you can help. I have IE v6. My "Internet Search Button" used to take me to "Wanadoo", but that no longer works, and freezes. How do I take it back to work normally ? Thanks, Mart42 "Chris Norred [MSFT]" wrote: Hello and welcome to our first Ask-the-Experts discussion, moderated by the Windows XP Expert Zone Community. This is a new trial effort and our goal is to make it easy for you to ask questions and find answers on a specific topic from a recognized expert in the online community. We'll continue this discussion in the newsgroups for one week and our volunteer expert will select one or two questions each day and respond. Other experts and users online may also chime in with advice. At the end of the week, we hope to have a single thread filled with good information that can be preserved for the benefit of other users in the future. This week, our expert host is volunteer MVP Walter Clayton who will be discussing the topic of spyware and adware and his experience helping users in the newsgroups deal with spyware issues. Walter is an IT professional from Frankfort, Kentucky. He is a self-trained computing pro with 20 years of experience, and he has been helping people in the online community for many years. Walter is a recipient of the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) award for his volunteer efforts helping Windows users over the past five years. A quote from Mr. Clayton: "I enjoy working the newsgroups because it forces me to think and learn. Everyday I get a slightly different perspective on something or see a new situation or problem. There is also the challenge of keeping communication skills sharp. Determining the answer to a problem, and communicating it in the newsgroups can present its own set of challenges, especially at times when the wrong answer can leave the user in a no-boot situation." Our Ask the Experts discussion is different from the live chats hosted on the Windows XP Expert Zone Community site (http://communities2.microsoft.com/ho...iteid=34000077). In these discussions, you may not get an immediate answer. The hosts will check-in at a time convenient for them and answer questions. You can post a question any time. Then you may want to add the discussion to your Favorites list in Internet Explorer (Click Favorites, and then click Add to Favorites). You should check back later in the day, or the next day, to see if your question has been answered. Click the Refresh button to see if any new posts were added while you have been reading. If you're more comfortable using Outlook Express or another newsreader, please do. To post a question or reply in this discussion, using the Web-based newsgroup reader: 1. Click Reply. 2. If prompted, sign in with your .NET Passport. 3. Edit the subject line if you like. 4. In the Reply form, type your message or question in the Message box. 5. Review the text you typed in the Body box to make sure it says what you want; you cannot revise your message after you click Post. 6. To receive e-mail notification when someone posts to this thread, select the Notify me of replies check box. 7. Click Send. This is a new trial effort and your feedback and assistance are appreciated. We'll keep links to these discussions in the Windows XP Expert Zone Community Columns Archive (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/e...s/archive.mspx). Truly Chris Norred Editor Windows XP Expert Zone Community |
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Ask Windows XP Expert Walter Clayton About Spyware
I have a non registered version of Windows XP Professional installed on my
computer and I want to reinstall Windows XP Home (that came with the computer). How do I do this and deep all the existing documents and settings etc., and without backing up? |
#164
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Ask Windows XP Expert Walter Clayton About Spyware
UncleJohn wrote:
I have a non registered version of Windows XP Professional installed on my computer and I want to reinstall Windows XP Home (that came with the computer). How do I do this and deep all the existing documents and settings etc., and without backing up? You can not. There is no way to do a downgrade, and the only way to get XP Home installed is cleanly, which means the loss of everything on the drive. Why do you want to do this? Are you aware that XP Home is a subset of XP Professional? There are extra features in Professional that are not in Home, but not the other way around. -- Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User Please reply to the newsgroup |
#165
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Ask Windows XP Expert Walter Clayton About Spyware
Where is the question for Windows XP Expert Walter Clayton about Spyware?
Tom "Ken Blake, MVP" wrote in message ... | UncleJohn wrote: | | I have a non registered version of Windows XP Professional installed | on my computer and I want to reinstall Windows XP Home (that came | with the computer). How do I do this and deep all the existing | documents and settings etc., and without backing up? | | | You can not. There is no way to do a downgrade, and the only way to get XP | Home installed is cleanly, which means the loss of everything on the drive. | | Why do you want to do this? Are you aware that XP Home is a subset of XP | Professional? There are extra features in Professional that are not in Home, | but not the other way around. | | -- | Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User | Please reply to the newsgroup | | |
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