Wipe an Old Hard Drive

Posted by admin on Jun 25, 2009

Nothing can complicate your life quite as thoroughly as identity theft.  So before you well your old PC or return a dead hard drive, keep one important fact in mind: Deleting files does not guarantee that they are gone for good.  To erase your hard drive properly, you can’t just toss the files into the Recycle Bin and empty it – you need to overwrite the data on the disks as well.  I could get all technical at this point, but instead, just go to www.dban.org and download Darik’s Boot and Nuke, a free boot-disk utility that securely wipes any hard drive using any one of several tried-and-true methods.  Once DBAN is done with your disk, you can be sure the data is gone.

Of course, nothing beats smashing the hard drive with a 2 pound hammer, but at least your drive will still be useable if you use DBAN.  If that procedure seems a bit too technical for you, and you can always bring the drive to your favourite computer repair shop and have them do it for you.


How To Avoid Viruses

Posted by admin on Feb 13, 2009

Taken from Maximum PC, January 2009 Edition

Captain Obvious says that the best way to prevent infection is to avoid viruses in the first place, but what he doesn’t tell you is how to do it.  And even though hackers continue to get more cunning in both delivery and execution, you can tip the odds considerably in your favor by practicing safe and sane computing.

If you receive an unknown or unexpected attachment, don’t open it no matter who it came from.  Not only are some viruses capable of emailing themselves to everyone they find in an infected user’s address book, but inexperienced computer users are just as guilty of passing along payloads as hackers are of distributing them.

Bit Torrent sites and peer-to-peer networking clients are also common modes of spreading infection.  When attempting to download a legitimate program – a Linux distribution, for instance – use the link provided at the vendor’s website.  Pirated software is a particularly popular source of malware, so if your moral compass doesn’t steer you toward the straight and narrow, the risk of infection should.

And finally, get in the habit of regularly checking for software updates.  New exploits are always being discovered in Windows, Quicktime, web browsers, and other common programs.


Malware Terminology 101

Posted by admin on Feb 13, 2009

Taked from Maximum PC, January 2009 Edition

A computer virus is a piece of software or code capable of reproducing itself and spreading to others systems, but the term is often used to describe a multitude of threats.  The effects of malware can range from mildly annoying to completely debilitating, sometimes costing corporations thousands of dollars in downtime and manpower to heal the outbreak.  Let’s have a look at the different types of infections.

TROJAN HORSE – Named after the mythological wooden horse used to sneak Odysseus and other Gree heroes into Troy, a Torjan horse will masquerade as a legitimate program but will unleash a harmful payload once installed.

WORM – Computer worms are self-replicating programs that burrow into systems, seeking out vulnerabilities to exploit.  The ability to spread without any user action makes them particularly dangerous.

SPYWARE – Ever fell like you’re being watched?  If your PC is infected with spyware, you just might be.  Even worse, spyware not only monitors your activities but can also hijack your system with redirected web searches and other annoyances.

POLYMORPHIC – To avoid detection, polymorphic malware constantly changes its own code, often using encryption with a variable key.  This stealthy technique poses a problem for typical scanners.


Microsoft to Offer Free Antivirus App

Posted by admin on Feb 12, 2009

Taken from Maximum PC, Feburary 2009 Edition

Having achieved only modest market share with its subscription-based OneCare PC security plan, Microsoft is switching gears and offering consumers a free antivirus app beginning mid-2009.  Code-named Morro, the app will focus strictly on malware protection versus OneCare’s combo of AV, system maintenance, and data backup; it will be available for XP, Vista, and the upcoming Windows 7 OS.

Microsoft says its motivation is to get antivirus protection on more PCs.  But the company has no plans to bundle the app with Windows.  Rather, it will be available for download, which should help the company avoid any antitrust flak.

Are AV heavyweights McAfee and Symantec worried that Microsoft’s free app will lure their paying customers?  Representatives from both companies say no.  As Symantec’s Senior VP of Consumer Business Rowan Trollope put it, “We view this announcement as a capitulation by Microsoft and a reinforcement of the notion that it’s simply not in Microsoft’s DNA to provide high-quality, frequently updated security protection… Making a significantly scaled-back version of that same substandard security technology free won’t change that equation.”  Ouch!


Vista Features You Can Disable Right Now

Posted by admin on Nov 4, 2008

There are a few features in Windows Vista that you can remove or disable, and probably not affect your use of the operating system at all.  Since running unnecessary processes in the background can rob you of system performance, it is a good idea to turn off what you do not use… especially if your system is less than top-of-the-line.

Remote Assistance – Click on Start, right-click Computer and select Properties. Click Remote Settings. Uncheck Allow Remote Assistance connections to this computer.

Internet Printing Client – Open the Programs and Features control panel and click the Turn Windows features on or off link on the left; you’ll get the Windows Features dialog box.  Expand the Print Services section and uncheck Internet Printing Client.  Click OK, and reboot when prompted.

Windows Meeting Space – Open the Programs and Features control panel and click the Turn Windows features on or off link on the left; you’ll get the Windows Features dialog box.  Simply uncheck Windows Meeting Space.

Tablet PC Stuff – First, open the Program and Features control panel and click the Turn Windows features on or off link on the left; you’ll get the Windows Features dialog box.  Uncheck Tablet PC Optional Components.  Then click on Start, tupe in services and press Enter.  Find and double-click Tablet PC Input Services.  In the Startup Type drop-down menu, select Disabled and then click OK.


Sometimes the Best Things in Life ARE Free

Posted by admin on Sep 24, 2008

Here is a list of some of the best – and FREE! – programs you can find.

If you are a customer of ICS, then you know that our favourite anti-virus program is AVG, and for many home users, the FREE version is plenty good enough.  You can download it at free.avg.com

If you are attempting to switch from Norton to AVG (or any other antivirus program for that matter) we suggest that you download and run the Norton Removal Tool first.  This little utility published by Symantec removes all the remnants of any of Norton’s products.  You can find it at symantec.com

Another great little program for doing a bit of housekeeping, is a little gem called CCleaner (it used to be called Crap Cleaner).  We still cannot beleive that it is free… since it does so much that would normally take hours to do.  You can use this link to get your very own copy.

If you use Microsoft Office at work, and would like to use it at home… but cannot justify the $199 for the Home & Student version, then consider OpenOffice.  This great office suite is created by the same community that gave us Linux… and its FREE!  Download your copy at OpenOffice.org

Ever need to create a bz2 archive? What about any of the compression formats that WinZip does not support?  Download and install 7-zip, and you will never have a problem with a compressed archive again.  Get it at 7-zip.org

Minimize greedy RAM gobblers and find memory holes in programs using a great little tool from Kerkia called Minimem.  Originally designed for Firefox, the author has re-coded it work with any program.  Get it at kerkia.net

Xirrus Wi-Fi Monitor is a sidebar gadget for Windows Vista that displays informaiton about your current Wi-Fi connection, as well as nearby hotspots.  You’ll be able to see how strong the signal is, and get your IP and MAC addresses.  You can get that from Microsoft’s Vista Gadget link or directly from Xirrus.

Sprout is the quick and easy way for anyone to build, publish, and manage widgets, mini-sites, mashups, banners and more. Any size, any number of pages. Include video, audio, images and newsfeeds and choose from dozens of pre-built components and web services.  Try it out at sproutbuilder.com


Make Vista’s User Account Control Less Annoying

Posted by admin on Jun 18, 2008

Taken from PCWorld Magazine, May 2008 Edition

Windows Vista’s User Account Control feature is a constant annoyance for many users, but turning it off entirely can leave your system vulnerable to online threats. Fortunately, you can do a bit of fine tuning via the Group Policy Editor to disable the most irritating parts of this feature without ditching it altogether.

Here’s how to tweak the appropriate settings in this configuration tool. Click Start, type gpedit.msc, press <Enter>, and then click through the UAC prompt. In the left pane, find Local Computer Policy/ComputerConfiguration/Windows Settings/Security Settings/Local Policies/Security Options. Now with Security Options selected in the left pane, look for ‘User Account Control options’ on the right.

To retain the benefit of UAC, leave it turned on but set it to stop prompting you. Double-click User Account Control: Behaviour of the elevation prompt for administrators in Admin Approval Mode. Choose Elevate without prompting, and click OK. A pop-up will complain that UAC is not on, ignore it.

You can also surpress UAC prompts entirely. It’s not as safe as the defalt settings, but it’s more peaceful.

Vista Home Premium doesnot have the Group Policy Object Editor. To make the change in that version, you will have to edit the registry. This is something that we do not recommend for the average user.


Windows 7

Posted by admin on Jun 18, 2008

Taken from PCWorld Magazine, May 2008 Edition

Microsoft recently dropped two strong hints that the next version of its Windows operating system will arrive in 2009, up to a year sooner than anticipated.

The hints might signal Microsoft’s intention to cut its losses with Windows vista, which customers, especially large companies, have grudgingly accepted or shunned.

The company has long said that it wants to release Windows 7 about three years after Vista, and most outsiders had pegged 2010 as a likely arrival year for the new OS. But recently in Miami, Microsoft chairman Bill Gates reportedly said in response to a question about Vista, “Sometime in the next year or so we’ll have a new version”.

And in announcing plans to extend the availability of Windows XP Home for low-cost laptops, Microsoft said it would retire the OS only after June 30, 2010, or one year after the release of Windows 7, whichever came first.

The annoucement’s wording implies that the company may be targeting the middle of next year as a release milestone for Windows 7.

Microsoft has divulged few of the changes planned for the new operating system.


AVG Upgrade from 7.5 to 8.0

Posted by admin on May 14, 2008

AVG has undergone a major revision, making a much more comprehensive protection package.  In the process, the makers have kept the program easy to use, and seamless in it’s operation.  The problem is that by the end of May, you will no longer be able to get support and updates for any of the 7.5 versions… including the Free version.

For FREE version users, you can get the replacement 8.0 version at free.grisoft.com Just click on the “Get it Now” button under the “Free basic protection” header.  Follow the simple instructions, and you are all upgraded.

For PAID version users, you can download the newest version from the AVG Website.  You will have to get a new product key in order to unlock the 8.0 program, as your old key will not work.  You can use this online tool to get a new one.  When asked for the new key, remove the existing key, and enter the new one from the tool.

If you are currently using the FREE version, and wish to start using the PAID version, you can purchase that through our online store.

If you are having troubles with any of these instructions, please feel free to contact us, or bring your system in.  Also, if you are on dial-up internet, the downloads can take as much as five hours to complete.  Using our high-speed internet, we can have the program downloaded, installed, updated, and ready in about 30 minutes.


How to Play It Safe with Software Licenses

Posted by admin on Mar 11, 2008

Taken from PC World Magazine, March 2008 Edition

The Business Software Association is on the prowl to catch small businesses that are using pirated software.  What is pirated software?  Simple… it is any program that is installed on a system without an associated software license.  You will have to read the license details for each program carefully, to determine if you are legal.  Some companies offer a site license (as many computers as you like, provided they are at the same address); some offer a per-user license (as many computers as you like, but a limited number of people using them at a time); but most are a per-computer license (one license for every system).

A 10 employee architectural firm was fined $67,000 for illegal software, another company was fined $110,000.  The maximum fine under the law is $150,000 per pirated copy of any Microsoft, Apple or Adobe program.  Also, it does not matter if you were not aware of the law, or the fact you had pirated copies of software.

Get Out Of Trouble

The first thing you need to do is to perform a software audit.  Make an inventory of every program installed on every computer you own.  Be sure to itemize version numbers and serial number.  Then, compare this data to your licenses or sales receipts.  If the BSA asks for proof of ownership, you must be able to prove that you purchased the software.

The next step is to figure out if every copy of every illegal program is necessary.  It is possible that you have programs installed on every system, just out of convenience… but they are seldom (or never) used.  Remove them.

The last step is to purchase the required licenses you require.  Depending on the number of licenses you require, you can save by purchasing bundles.  If you find that you need more licenses than you can afford at once, make a written plan to bring yourself up-do-date.  If the BSA audits your business, and they can see that you have a plan to purchase the required licenses over the next year, they may go easy on you.

If you need assistance in this process, please contact us and we help you every step of the way.