This week’s email and on-line newsletters are now available:
*   free weekly Terry”s Computer Tips email newsletter
*   weekly on-line Terry”s Computer Tips newsletter

This week’s online newsletter includes:

*   First Look At VIPRE Antivirus + Antispyware
This week, I began my evaluation period on Sunbelt Software’s new VIPRE Antivirus + Antispyware program. I was promptly shocked — read why in this week’s online issue.

*   Wireless Printer Setup Problem
This week, I received a question from a site visitor who was having a problem setting up her new wireless printer.

*   My Security Software Recommendations
My recommendations for anti-virus, anti-spyware, firewall, and anti-spam software…

*   Tabs in Firefox versus Tabs in Internet Explorer 7
Looking at some very useful features of the web browsing with tabs in the web browser window.

This week’s email and on-line newsletters are now available:
*   free weekly Terry”s Computer Tips email newsletter
*   weekly on-line Terry”s Computer Tips newsletter

This week’s online articles include:

*   A Look Inside PCPitstop Optimize 2.0
I put Optimize 2.0 through its paces, with screenshots and commentary…

*   Updates Last Week
I watch a few operating systems and programs for updates — mainly because these are the ones that I use or in which I am interested. What updates or versions were new last week?

*   My Computer Security Software Recommendations
Want to know which Antivirus program I recommend? Which firewall program? Which Antispyware program? Which Antispam? Or, which router for your home network?

The more you use your computer, the slower it will get. Run the all-new, free PC Pitstop PC Optimize 2.0 scan now and in just minutes receive a custom report showing you how to keep your PC running like new. Run the FREE scan now!

Recently, I received a query from a reader about a warning message he was receiving:

Hi Terry , I was wondering if perhaps you can help me , I have this very annoying adware that occurs EVERYTIME at startup …. not-a-virus:Adware.Win32.BHO.cr Now althugh this doesn’t appeato be causing any problem on my PC and I get delete it , it is still annoying to do this everytime . Is there anything you can suggest to REMOVE this adware from startup . Pls note : I am not computer savvy and my experience is limited , so I would need exact steps If you could help me , it would be greatly appreciated Regards

I’m not familiar with this particular message, but a little quick searching via Google showed that a number of people had posted similar questions on forums — and they all seemed to use ZoneAlarm.

Continue reading Adware Ties into Internet Explorer

This week’s email and on-line newsletters are now available:
*   free weekly Terry”s Computer Tips email newsletter
*   weekly on-line Terry”s Computer Tips newsletter

This week’s online articles include:

*   A Look Inside Secunia Software Inspector
I’ve found a great tool that examines my computer to make sure that
it has the latest updates of the most common software packages —
not all the updates, but the security updates for the versions I’m
runninng.

*   Updates Last Week
I watch a few operating systems and programs for updates — mainly because these are the ones that I use or in which I am interested. What updates or versions were new last week?

*   My Computer Security Software Recommendations
Want to know which Antivirus program I recommend? Which firewall program? Which Antispyware program? Which Antispam? Or, which router for your home network?

Reader Dee Smith wrote to ask about antivirus recommendations:

I have been using Norton antivirus programs for 10 years. In May I purchased Norton 360 which has been giving me fits. When I shut down Windows, everything goes off but the tower. I have done all their troubleshooting to see which program I have that might be conflicting with 360 to no avail. I have just uninstalled it and everything is working fine. But I have no virus protection.

Someone told me that you really don’t need an addtional virus program as Windows has it’s own built in anti virus. I have been searching this and have not found that information anywhere.
I’ve been reading your site’s information but haven’t been able to filter through all of the information.

what do you recommend?

First, Dee has received some bad information — Windows does not have its own built-in anti-virus. Neither Windows XP nor Windows Vista include an anti-virus program as part of Windows.

Windows XP and Vista include a Microsoft firewall. The XP version has gone through some changes, but still doesn’t control outbound communications. With Windows Vista, though, Microsoft finally realized that outbound communications are an issue, too.

Continue reading Microsoft Anti-virus?

Can’t wait? My choice is NOD32

Last week, Microsoft gave us another new set of their anti-piracy tools — Windows Genuine Advantage and Windows Genuine Advantage Notification. If you’ve been reading my newsletters for a while, you know that I believe these have no value for consumers and are strictly anti-piracy tools to enhance Microsoft’s bottom line.

Don’t get me wrong. I believe that software piracy is wrong. I do not do it, I do not condone it and I do not support it. The real problem is that past versions of the WGA and WGAN tools have been reported to have way too many false positives — to claim that legitimate copies of Windows were pirated copies. With Windows XP, the false positive would result in nagging by Windows. Vista, on the other hand, disables some functions if it decides that the copy is a pirate copy.

So, what can you do? Not a lot. The WGA anti-piracy is mandatory to get a number of Windows updates and other downloads from Microsoft.com. On the other hand, the Windows Genuine Advantage Notification program really is optional.

First, Windows Updates or Microsoft Updates will tell you that you have a Windows Update component that has to be updated before you can do anything else. This is the Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) anti-piracy tool. I installed it as I expect that you will.

Once WGA is installed, you’ll get the next update presented — the WGA Notification update. I chose not to install WGA Notification.