Key Post Helpful links for a clean pc

Re:So good to have such expert advice available here

This really is an excellent post. Up to date, clear and informative. I have found it excellent and have pointed several others to the post.

Thank you to all the contributors.

ajapale
 
Tweaknow

I've downloaded tweaknow and installed it. However, I can't open it. This has happened recently with other programs I've downloaded. Any suggestions why this is happening? (I've been having lots of problems with my PC lately).

Thanks

Liam
 
tweaknow

Are you able to install the app but not open it or not even install it?

what operating system are you running?
 
AVG software

Can anybody tell me if AVG's free anti virus software contains any spyware?
 
AVG software

> Can anybody tell me if AVG's free anti virus software contains any spyware?

Not as far as I know. I've used it for a good while now and have had no problems and Ad-aware doesn't report anything untoward when AVG is installed.
 
Tweaknow

Car

I can install it but can't open it. I'm using Windows XP. It's happening to some programs I download, but not all.
 
tweaknow

liam,
It sounds like a problem with xp, I googled for problems running programs with XP and a few solutions were thrown up. Try the solution suggested [broken link removed]

As to avg having spyware, Ive never seen any thrown out from adaware either, nor any of the others that Ive ever tried out.

May I add Ive been using the yahoo toolbar for a bit now to see what its like. A couple of improvements on the google one like the yahoo links on it and the syware feature which has caught a couple of things.
 
crap cleaner

here's a new one i've just found:

Crap Cleaner

CCleaner (Crap Cleaner) is a freeware system optimisation tool. That removes unused and temporary files from your system - allowing it to run faster, more efficiently and giving you more hard disk space. The best part is that it's fast! (normally taking less that a second to run) and Free. :)

try it out, it's only 320k d/l.
 
Re: crap cleaner

I've recently come across which monitors the startup/run entries and notifies you if something tries to modify/add to them.

I've also moved from ZoneAlarm to [broken link removed]. That's another great piece of kit. As well as firewalling your internet connection, it will tell you of instances where one program is trying to launch another. It also gives you a blow by blow account of what programs are eating up your bandwidth.

Not entirely on-topic but can anyone recommend some filtering software for protecting the underage browser?
 
Re: re: Kerio (KPF)

but what about this:

Free for personal use. After installation, KPF works as the full edition for 30 days, after which it becomes the limited free edition.

for free fully-featured personal f/w here:
 
Interesting SpyWare Article PCWorld

[broken link removed]
[broken link removed]
[broken link removed]

Recommendations

It's been a long four weeks since we started dealing with spyware. Now it's time to quickly review what you need to do to keep the stuff off of your PC.

1. Scan your system weekly with one (or all) of the spyware scanning products I've mentioned in previous weeks: Ad-Aware, Spybot Search & Destroy, and SpywareGuide's X-Cleaner.
2. Use SpywareBlaster. You can get it, and the other products I've mentioned, at the PC World Spyware Help Center.
3. Read Andy Brandt's "Security Tips: Keep Viruses, Worms, and Spyware Off Your PC," then take a screwdriver to IE's ActiveX settings. Or do as reader John Huntley from Australia recommends, switch to Mozilla Firefox. "I find it a great browser to use, but more importantly the security it offers is great. I ran AD-Aware yesterday after 30 days of online use--and guess what? NOT ONE piece of spyware was on my system."
4. Be suspicious and paranoid as you travel through the Web. Be wary of great-sounding Web site offers. And, geez, don't click on pop-ups.
5. Resist the temptation to visit risky sites--places you wouldn't want your kids going to. Those sites are likely to do harm to your system's well being.
6. If you missed any of my columns on the topic, you'll want to read them at PC World's Web site: "Spyware Primer," "More on Fighting Spyware," and "More Spyware Prevention and Removal."
 
adult filters

father dougal asked about adult filtering...

If youre ever looking for software of any type, go to www.download.com and search. Its got most if not all downloads mentioned in the posts here.

The adult filter search threw up this free app...
[broken link removed]
and also this..
[broken link removed] which will clear all adult content from you pc as well stopping spyware adware etc. I dont think this will actually block the adult websites tho. (Ive had a look at this and its use is restricted unless you get the delux version for 40$, could still be worth it tho.)

If youre going to use download.com I would recommend you try to pick popular downloads with good approval ratings, read the comments around an app before installing to see if the software can be trusted.
 
SpyWare Reviews

[broken link removed]

The December issue of pcworld reaffirms the suggestions made here that spybot and adaware are the best products and are free.

Beware of that nasty No-Adware.

ajapale
 
Help. I downloaded Adaware and a registry clean up two days ago on my Home XP setup (which has McPherson anti virus programme running constantly for which I pay an annual fee). My daughter added a new printer yesterday and a few hours afterwards the computer refused to start up. It was ok immediately after the printer was set up. Later on, it appeared to start up but only gets as far as the wallpaper. It is not possible to open any individual programme so I don't have any chance to run the virus scan. Any ideas on what to do ?
 
I downloaded Adaware and a registry clean up two days ago ...

Never run a registry cleaner without first backing up the registry as allowing registry entries to be deleted can be risky even if the tool identifies them as redundant!

My daughter added a new printer yesterday and a few hours afterwards the computer refused to start up. It was ok immediately after the printer was set up. Later on, it appeared to start up but only gets as far as the wallpaper. It is not possible to open any individual programme so I don't have any chance to run the virus scan. Any ideas on what to do ?

Does XP offer you a "safe mode" or "last known good" option at startup time (you may need to press F8 or something like that at reboot time)? These may allow you to roll back to a good installation and attempt to redo the printer installation or else at least let you in to rectify the problem. Make sure that you have the latest drivers for the printer as often the CDs that arrive with additional hardware are already out of date.
 
Going back to the original subject of this topic, if you want to test how secure your PC/firewall is from TCP/IP port scan attacks etc. then go to Gibson Research, click on the ShieldsUP! logo on the front page, on the next page scroll down to the Hot Spots section and click on the ShieldsUP! link and then follow the instructions for using the site to probe your PC and report your security status. You may have to read some of the explanatory text carefully.
 
Dont know if anyone has posted this yet but everyone take my advice and go to the microsoft website, go to downloads on the left,click the first one Windows AntiSpyware (Beta), follow the instructions and watch this baby go....

btw u need to have at least 2000 installed.

Bill Gates all is forgiven.......
 
btw u need to have at least 2000 installed.

Oh - I didn't realise that it worked with Windows 2000!

Bill Gates all is forgiven.......

Or maybe not! ;)
 
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