Newsletter for Gene's Customers
This newsletter was primarily written for my customers with information that is important, first for the proper operation of their computers, and second, what you should know. Look right here at the top to see special announcements and the date of updates. Today: 6-30-05
Gene is Host of Computer Corner on WCOJ - 1420AM
WCOJ-1420AM is the Voice of Chester County. I do a radio show on WCOJ-1420AM called Computer Corner on Saturday Mornings from 8-9 AM. It is a "call in" show where you can ask questions about your computer problems and I will give computer information while waiting for callers. Callers may call in with their specific problems. I start with a few minutes of computer news, a Tip of the Week, a web site pick, and then introduce a topic for the day, many times with a special guest. You can also email questions and comments to computercorner@wcoj.com. Check the WCOJ web site for show schedule and some download links.
Viruses, Worms, Trojans, Spyware, & other Infections
You and other Americans are being terrorized by computer. The terrorists are not dropping bombs on our buildings right now, but they are causing much more in financial damage and inconvenience. Viruses, Trojans, and Worms, as well as Spy-ware and Hi-jacking are being pumped into our computers so fast, that nothing seems to stop some of them. Your computer may become infected before the anti-virus companies can detect and write fixes for them and add them to their definition list. If an infection gets to your computer before the fix is released, your anti-virus may not even detect them.
Much of the vicious stuff is coming from the Middle and Far East, but recently, drug users have learned the ways and are also using Trojans and Spyware to obtain personal information which they easily sell to support their habits. If you download music, you will probably get an infection the first time you go to that site. The popups push the infections right past most forms of protection.
Viruses, Trojans, Worms, Spy-ware, Pop-up Advertising, Browser Hijacking, Phishing, Hacking, and Cracking are all closely related, but they are very different and require different means to eliminate them. No one product is good enough to get them all. Spyware inserts a Trojan and the door is opened to everything. It is not uncommon to find 25 to 50 or more infected files and bundles of Spyware in most computers.
You can reformat your hard drive and reload all your software, but it takes less than one minute with an unprotected computer to become infected again. No one is safe.
Windows 98 and Me will not allow proper protection from the latest Malware. You need a computer with Windows XP and powerful enough to run it. You also need Service Pack 2 installed, along with all the rest of the CRITICAL updates (SP3). These are not an option. If you attempt to install SP2 while your computer is infected, even if you didn't know it, it will crash your computer. Make sure it is absolutely clean before you install it. Learn what MSCONFIG is all about. It will stop all automatically starting programs, which you must do before installing ANY software.
Your computer needs good, up to date, anti-virus software, such as Norton Anti-Virus
2005 or Trend Micro's anti-virus, and it must be kept up to date. Let it expire,
even by one day, and it will cause you serious trouble.
You must make sure it is updating because Spyware can turn this protection off.
Updates are posted daily but, the automatic updates happen only once a week.
You must learn to do it daily, and manually. Norton Anti-Virus 2005 is worth
upgrading to, rather than just upgrading definitions of older versions, which
are no longer capable of defending your computer. No not get the Internet suite,
just get the anti-virus.
"Spy-bot Search and Destroy" or "Counter Spy" are the only 2 spy-ware programs of any value at this time. Both are highly recommended in magazine after magazine. Spybot S&D is free, but they solicit donations. Consider giving them one. "Ad-Aware" is the best solution for the pop-ups. The free version can be used to remove adware, but the paid version is necessary to stop them. Any and all software that pops up to you from the Internet is an infection. Don't install it unless you ordered it. "Free is Fire"
Use Firefox instead of Internet Explorer. Use Thunderbird instead of Outlook Express. Both are free downloads from Mozilla.org. Both will help eliminate most spy-ware and popup infections.
If you have Cable, DSL, or Wireless, you also need a Firewall. One is built into Windows XP. Also use a hardware Firewall built into most routers to translate your IP address. These are enough. There are "Worms" and hackers roaming the Internet, looking for a way into any "open" port on your computer. You do not need to open email to catch an infection. Infected web sites as well as "Pop-ups" also deliver infections. Other Firewall software may cause you great grief - ask me why.
Back up your pictures, music, address book, Quicken or other financial stuff, and any other documents to CDR, Zip, or some other device and do it regularly. Do it before you loose them.
If you want clean email, try Bee Net, a local Internet Service Provider here
in Chester County. They have great dialup, but their email is screened for Viruses,
Worms, and Trojan infections before you get them. They also have the best filtered
spam protection. You can get their email service for $50 a year, even if you
have DSL or Cable. They also have Web Mail and even distant numbers when you
travel. (610-280-2274)
Linux
We are doing Linux Computers now. Linux normally doesn't crash and it is not subject to most of the Viruses and Trojans that "take out" Windows. Linux loads on to the hard drive faster and includes most of the drivers that your computer needs. It even includes "Open Office" which will allow you to open Word documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and databases.
Quiry Your system
There is a program (Belarc Advisor ) that everyone who owns a computer should have and use. It's on the Internet at www.belarc.com/free_download.html . This is something everyone should download, install, run, and print out as soon as possible. It will give you a printout of everything in your computer, along with all your important software, and their serial numbers. Print and save this file. It just may save you and your computer. Do it while your computer is working.
Email! Spam! I was getting somewhere between 150 and 200 emails a day. My email service from Bee Net screens most of it. They use Postini. I do get a chance to look in the screened files before I dump them, and every once in a while, I find something that Postini screened out that is wanted. It's possible that I may miss something legit that the screened list has because I skim over the list rapidly. With Postini, I only get about 5 - 8 emails now and that's much better. Bee Net will sell you an email account for $50 a year. Viruses just don't come through it. If everyone would agree not to respond to Internet advertising, it would eventually go away. The trouble is, the 5 % response on these spam messages is enough to make it pay.
System CD Disks
Your "Recovery" or "Windows" CD and driver disks are the key to getting your computer back up when things go really wrong, and they do go wrong. Many are lost, misplaced, or damaged beyond use (scratched by the kids, left to bake in the sun, or melted into the plastic holder). Your Compaq, Dell, or Gateway is junk without them. Know where they are and keep them safe. In the latest effort to cut costs, some manufacturers are no longer providing these CDs. You have no idea how bad this is for you. They will tell you that they have placed recovery on your hard drive for you to use and that is an easier recovery than from a CD. This is BULL. Hard drives die! Hard drives get corrupted. Virus do attack the recovery files, even on another partition. I know. I see this all the time. Never buy a computer that does not come with a Recovery CD or Windows CD. Demand them or walk away.
Your computer needs care. Here are some important tips:
Never bump or move your computer with the power turned on. It will cause premature hard drive failure as well as data loss..
Dust needs to be cleaned from the CPU and power supply fans. Dust is an insulator and traps heat causing failures.
Learn to use "MSCONFIG" to stop unnecessary programs that startup when your computer starts. Computers that have been loaded with many programs also have components that get out in the startup group and these all steal your power and resources. There is a lot of poorly written software from well known vendors that cause conflicts. MSCONFIG can prevent some of these conflicts. Be careful not to turn off virus protection, printer utilities, and modem drivers here.
Run "Disk Cleanup" under hard drive properties to cleanup unnecessary files.
Running Scandisk and DEFRAG are important utilities that you must learn to use monthly.
Use a quality surge protector on the power line, the modem telephone connection, and also the cable modem if you have that service, to protect your computer.
Did you know that your inkjet printer will die from lack of use? Actually, the ink dries up in the heads and becomes very hard to clean out. A real mess! You have to use them almost weekly. That means using all the colors too. Make a test file that prints a word in each color and use it weekly to exercise your printer if you do not do a lot of color printing.
Selecting Your New Computer
I've said it before and I say it again, you get what you pay for. Most new low cost computers are cheaply made. Under-rated power supplies are common. Good computers have 300 watt or more power supplies for the Pentium 4. I see many major manufactureres with only 125-150 watt power supplies. Most new computers are coming without serial and parallel ports and some don't even have floppy drives. You can't even add a conventional floppy drive because the computer doesn't even have the floppy controller. You could add a USB floppy drive, but the cost is about $50. Your Tech Support will probably come from India and if you need to return it, lots of luck.
Open architecture computers are the only way to go. Manufacturer specific computers such as Dells, Gateways, Compaqs, IBM, HP, etc, and many others use proprietary power supplies and motherboards. I recently had a Compaq in for service and I have received 2 wrong power supplies for it that didn't even fit. Compaq was given the exact computer model number and even the model of the old power supply.
Upgrading Computers
Upgrading is a broad term. You can always upgrade memory and add cards. You can usually add another hard drive if there is physical space. Changing to a bigger hard drive may be limited to your BIOS limitations. There were barriers at 540MB, 2GB, 8GB, and most recently 33GB. Adding a 80GB hard drive to a computer that only allows 8 or 33GB may not be possible. Changing motherboards in proprietary computers is usually impossible, while open architecture computers do allow it. There are differences in cases: AT, ATX, and now BTX, and even proprietary variations of those. An ATX motherboard does not go in an AT case and an ATX motherboard probably won't fit in a DELL, Gateway, IBM, HP, or Compaq. There are differences in power supplies. The Pentium 4 has different and additional connections than the Pentium III and even the AMD processors. When a motherboard is replaced, usually it has to be updated because the older technology is probably not available, and that means a new processor, faster memory, and maybe the power supply. There is money to be saved upgrading an open architecture computer. When hard drives are moved between different computers or motherboards, Windows must be totally reconfigured to allow the drivers for the components on that motherboard to work.
What Makes Windows Crash?
Windows crashes from interuptions of power or bad shutdown, uninstalling software, software conflicts, driver conflicts, viruses, and human error. Fixing Windows may be as simple as replacing missing or corrupted files or reconfiguring certain files or the registry. If Windows is really destroyed, reinstalling Windows, either on top of Windows or clean, may be the only other options. If you are doing this, you need to know what you are doing. You could wipe out everything if you do not know what to do and how to do it. Be sure to read additional documents under Technical Information on this web site.
New Computer Accessories
Minolta QMS has a quality color laser at an affordable price ($499). Samsung also has a new color laser for about $499. Laser toner doesn't dry out. They are excellent for documents and brochures and also do a fairly good job with photos.
If you are comtemplating a DVD Writer, I recommend the Samsung dual format writters that are quality made.
Samsung has the finest quality TFT LCD monitor. Their 17" LCD goes for $299. The 15" LCD is about $50 less.
If you are in need of Comcast Cable High Speed service, see us first. We are an authorized distributor and stock cable modems, routers, and network cards. We can guide you toward the right equipment and can also configure your computer here. We have Comcast here and can configure your computer for it.
We are stocking some 802.11 wireless equipment (WIFI) and can help you with your needs, including testing here at the store. We are also able to configure your computer for most networking needs right here.
CTC Wireless installs 2 way Satellite Internet (DirecWay) as well as DirecTVs. We can put you in touch with him for any of these needs. (610-532-1011). We have 2 Way Internet set up in the store if you want to see it work.
Computer Parts
Most of you know by now that we do not sell processors, motherboards, memory, and certain other components, unless we install them. Static electricity easily damages these parts. There are too many different types of memory. We sold these components for some time, but when the returns took over our time so that we couldn't do anything else, we stopped. It is better to loose the sale and go on. That's why we are still here after over 15 years. Any wrong connection or static electricity or wrong choice of part can and did generate returns. I have only had 2 "dead" or defective components in the last 10 years. Customer handling is usually what destroys them. I still get people who get still off the Internet or from superstores who bring equipment in after they install the parts and when they are defective anyway, have wasted time and money.
Phone Service
If you have Comcast Broadband Internet Service and are looking for a better phone service, look into Vonage. I have Vonage at the store and can demonstrate it and tell you the advantages. I also have it at home. For $25 a month, you have unlimited local and long distance as well as Call Forwarding, Waiting, 3 Way, Caller ID, and even Call Transfer. Even Voice Mail. You can even keep your present number when you transfer service. This service is so popular that Verizon has been loosing customers very fast. They just announced that they will be building a VoIP network in the next years to compete with Vonage.
New Wireless service for mobile customers (EV-DO)
Verizon is building out their wireless network to provide wireless over the cell network with Broadband speed expected to be as fast as DSL. This service is called CDMA2000 1X EV-DO or EV-DO for short. Service is now available in the Phila area. A PC Card (PCMCIA) is required for notebooks. This service will work anywhere Verizon has service in the equipped market which will be great for the businessman on the move. 1X phones will not work with EV-DO at the faster speeds. Service is about $80 per month and you must purchase the wireless modem card, usually at a promo price.
Night School Classes
Night School classes are finished for the spring term. The catalog should be out in August for the fall semester. I have been teaching for about 15 years now. Classes are on Tuesdays at 7PM at Great Valley Middle School in Malvern.
"Build and Understand Your Own Computer" and "When Windows Freezes" aka "Fixing Broken Windows" are the two courses in am presently scheduled to teach. The Build and Understand class is great for learning about computer hardware and how it all works together. We start at the beginning for beginners and we go into detail. The Windows class teaches what makes up Windows, how it works, why it breaks so easily, and how to fix it.
You can sign up at 610-692-1964 if you do not get the mailer or want to sign up early. Classes usually fill up fast. If you do not get the mailing by mid August, you need to call the school.
I have created a new document to suppliment the class that will help students better understand their computer. Click here to get this new PDF file.