Another Day With My PC

Don’t you find it amazing that kids as young as 3 years old are already tapping their fragile fingers at keyboards? Let’s face it, generation X, Y, and the coming Zs will be exposed to computers as early as their first year outside the womb.

Time will come when kids at primary school will be more literate than us when it comes to computers. Whether or not their first experience with the PC will be pleasant or frustrating depends largely on us adults. We all know that malicious and pernicious materials abound in the Web, and we can’t monitor or filter everything that they read, see, or download in cyberspace.

One of the best ways by which we could ensure that they won’t stray to forbidden Web sites is by installing applications that restrict child movement in cyberspace. This also protects them from logging on to Web sites that disseminate files that are infected with malware.

Invest in programs that put virtual barb wire around your PC whenever it’s connected to the Internet. Antivirus and registry cleaners are must haves. As for Web site filters, there are various applications available in the market. Check your Web browser’s maker if they’re offering a free add-on or built-in filter. This could save you a few bucks. But don’t scrimp on security software, though. They are very good investments.

What do you do when your PC slows down?

While some people try to examine what’s wrong with their computer when it’s performing under par, others are quick to put their unit out of its misery by discarding it and replacing it with a new one.

Computer manufacturers have mix reactions as to the option or solution of early retirement for PCs performing below expectations. Of course, they’re very happy with people buying new computers all the time since this would mean millions or billions in profits. However, this impatient and wasteful attitude of PC owners may also damage their name and goodwill since their units’ underperformance might be taken as a sign of poor manufacturing techniques.

Many users exhibit more patience in handling PC slowdown situations, though. Oftentimes, the problem lies not on the hardware but on the applications that are running the show. Indeed, Acer, HP, Dell, and other PC makers take pride in their units and warrant them for any defects.

PC slowdowns are usually caused by malware. You don’t have to kick the hard drive out of your system when viruses or spyware make it their abode. The simple, most effective, and cost-efficient solution for this is to run an antivirus and registry cleaner scan on your system. This does the trick almost 99% of the time. So please, don’t euthanize your computer. There are many cures out their in the market, such as RegCure.

In this age where dial-up is already extinct and 1Mbps is considered as just a trickle, one would definitely be up in arms if his Internet connection chokes or coughs up kbps phlegm. An uprising is definitely in place considering that Internet Service Providers are now promising 20-foot waves whenever you surf the Net using their surfboards.

While many ISPs are notorious for exaggerating their connection speeds, they are not actually the usual suspects when your bandwidth slims down to a needle thread. Indeed, they wouldn’t dare you into jamming their customer service phone lines by scrimping you on your broadband diet.

Surfing With Malware

Not every slow browse is caused by greedy ISPs, though. Most of the time, the problem lies in your PC. If you haven’t invested in an antivirus program or in a registry cleaner, such as RegCure, then chances are is that your Web browser is being choked by malware. Malware is considered to be one of the major causes, if not the primary cause, of slow browse. If your ISP insists that the problem is not at their end, then you could bet your modem that it is coming from yours. Fortunately for you, slow Web browsing caused by malware could easily be spiked up by simply running your antivirus and registry cleaner. Those programs easily fix slow browses in a jiffy by ridding your browser of its excess baggage.

Update Your Browser

If your PC is as clean as a sterile gauze and your ISP insists that it is providing you with tsunami waves to surf on, then your problem probably lies on your Web surfboard. Faulty browsers could definitely make Web surfing a drag. Visit Microsoft or Firefox’s Web sites and see if they already have a new version. Check for patches, too, as browsers with too many holes are susceptible to malware attacks. We all know what those malicious software could do, so be diligent in searching for updates.

Unplug Your Plug-ins

If you could still finish singing Beyonce’s latest single while waiting for a Web site to completely load up or appear on your screen, then your browser might have some problems with its plug-ins. Plug-ins are small applications that enhances programs by adding functions or features to it. Many of these programs are made for browsers. They’re definitely welcome add-ons to Internet Explorer or Firefox. However, faulty plug-ins could also slow down your browser. The best way to know if this is your slow browse culprit is by disabling your add-ons or by choosing to open a version or copy of your browser that has no cosmetics on it. You could do this in IE 7 by clicking Start • All Programs • Accessories • System Tools • Internet Explorer (No Add-ons). If you’re using firefox, just click on Tools • Add-ons, then disable the items listed as your browser’s plug-ins.

Before you call up your ISP and complain that your DSL or wireless Internet connection is acting up like a dial-up, check your bandwidth meter and see if your service provider is really the guilty party. If you don’t have one, download a copy at Cnet or PC World.

If you’re not a very demanding PC owner, then you’ve probably never heard of the term “overclocking.” I bet that if I dare you to guess right now what that IT gobbledygook means, you’d probably give me answers relating to time settings. Of course, answers following that line are far from being correct.

Overclocking refers to that process or method by which you speed up your PC by pushing its processor beyond the limit set by its manufacturer. CPU speed varies depending on its model. The one that I have right now is a 2.4 GHz Intel Dual Core processor. If you’re not into extreme gaming or heavy multimedia tasking, then a 2.4 GHz Dual Core chip would already satisfy your needs. However, if you think that God’s Will for you is to primarily play every online game that EA sports have created, then I bet my CPU’s second core that you’ve already mulled of trying to squeeze more out of your processor by putting a few more ticks into its clock.

Costless But Costly Upgrade

Overclocking is very tempting for both gamers and ordinary users alike. This is not surprising considering that putting a few more gigahertz into your CPU is like having your PC upgraded without being concomitantly punched on the pocket. And the difference is far from being negligible. You’ll definitely see a considerable enhancement in PC speed after overclocking it.

As with all things, there’s a downside to it. Overzealous overclocking could drive your PC to extreme exhaustion. This would eventually lead to a massive computer cardiac arrest. Overclocking your PC to almost twice its prescribed speed is like whipping a horse every second in order to make it run two times faster than it normally does. It will definitely run faster, but not for long.

Intel Roasting on an Open Fire

If you’re bent on adding a few digits on your CPU, be ready for the consequences. I’m not saying though, that overclocking would always lead to disaster. I just want you to be aware of the possible results or consequences, both good and bad (especially the latter), when you try to demand more from your processor. Make sure that your CPU and other PC fans are also working double time as overclocking is also synonymous to overheating. Don’t you dare put steroids into your PC when you can’t put ice in your system.

Overclocking is a very effective, but also very risky way of increasing PC speed. As with all quick fixes, they are littered with perils. I therefore suggest that you try other optimization methods first before resorting to this extreme measure. There are many ways by which you could speed up your PC, such as by defragging your hard drive or cleaning up your Windows registry so that no unnecessary instructions are flexing your PC’s muscles. These overclocking alternatives may cost you a bit, but in the end, it would actually save you from spending more when you eventually have buy a new chip and motherboard if overclocking toast your computers’ internals.

What do you do when you encounter an error message?

I bet many of you just click “ok” after reading the first 4 words that are written in the notice or warning. I don’t blame you for having that kind of attitude towards Windows’ occasional ranting. I myself am guilty of that sometimes. The words in the warning or message box seem either gibberish or too technical to comprehend. In the fatalistic hope that things would turn out just fine by clicking ok (after all, ok means ok, right?), many users blindly click the first button that they see, especially if it’s selected or highlighted by default.

It’s Actually Telling You Something

The authors of Windows didn’t just randomly copy a page of the operating system’s manual and paste it on the error or warning boxes, though. You can bet your mouse’s left button that the designers carefully thought out all the error messages that Windows could utter in case it hiccups. I would even dare say that around 50 cents of the operating system’s price tag accounts for the time that the programmers have spent in writing those error messages.

It’s not wise to ignore error messages. Warning or error boxes that pop up on your screen are Windows’ way of telling you that it’s not feeling well and that it probably needs some tweaking. The fact that you know nothing technical other than Ctrl+Alt+Del doesn’t mean that you don’t have to exert any effort to try to address those messages. The most prudent thing to do when you see Windows coughing is to take note of the thing’s that it’s telling you and try to Google on it for clarifications and solutions.

The Blue Screen of Death

If you’re too lazy to open Google, then just continue reading this post. I’ll just spoon-feed you as to the possible causes.

One of the well known (and dreadful) error messages that you could get is the blue screen of death (BSoD). This curse is usually caused by faulty hardware, such as the motherboard and SIMM modules. Overheating on the CPU can also cause your monitor to spray blue paint all over its screen.

Solving BSoD problems caused by faulty hardware can easily be solved. However, the solution could be a bit of a burden on your pocket. Sputtering peripherals usually need to be changed. Although you could have it examined and dissected by a technician, chances are is that the numbers on the repair costs are almost the same as the price tag for a brand new part. I recommend that you just buy a brand new component rather than having your old peripheral undergo e-surgery.

Soft Solution for a Hard Problem

Before you buy a new component, though, make sure that it is really the problem. There are times when the peripheral is actually ok but appears to be not working due to a defective or incompatible device driver. Make sure that all the supporting applications or drivers that are necessary in order for the component to function are already installed. Update them regularly by visiting its manufacturer’s Web site for new releases or by checking driver repositories on the Internet, such as Driver Detective.

BSoDs are also caused by faulty Registry. If this is the cause of your operating system’s problem, you can solve it by running System Restore. If you failed to create a restore point, then seek the help of a Registry cleaner, such as RegCure. This program could rid your operating system’s registry of unwanted lines and instructions.

You don’t have to read every post in this blog to realize that running a full virus and registry scan at least once a week is as imperative as taking a bath at least once a day (I really hope that you do). We’ve devoted almost every article in this blog to campaign for PC optimization and security, and you cannot attain either if you don’t check your PC regularly for viruses and other malware.

At first glance, it seems that there’s no excuse for us to skip or fail to run a full system scan. After all, it takes just one click to scan your whole PC for malware. However, a typical hard drive contains thousands of system and other data files. Depending upon the depth or thoroughness of the scan that you’ve set, the antivirus software would generally rummage through every item in your computer. This process would definitely be time-consuming.

In this era where time is more valuable than gold, many simply cannot afford to freeze their tasks just to make way for their antivirus and anti-spyware programs to do their job. While there is such a thing as multitasking, sharing PC resources with an antivirus could be a problem since a security suite that’s running a full system scan would be very jealous of anything that tries to get the CPU’s attention.

Deadlines and other tasks should not be made as seemingly reasonable excuses to skip a full system scan. Unless you’re working 24 hours a day, there will definitely be pockets of time where your PC’s CPU would feel useless or neglected. Make use of these periods to flex your antivirus and registry scanner’s muscles. Schedule scans during lunch breaks or even after office hours. Every PC task can be done automatically, so you don’t have to baby sit the whole process. Trust everything in your anti-malware programs or to your task scheduler. It will take care of everything.

Malware could be very unforgiving when it decides to strike. While some unwanted programs would already be contented in creating small shanties for themselves inside your hard drive and just monitor everything that you do, others are not so passive and will pillage your system until they are the only applications left in it.

Of course, antivirus and anti-spyware programs are always there to save the day. But what if the carnage happened before you installed your security suites?

The Easy Step / Solution

Before anything else, let me just make it clear that anti-malware programs will still work even if you install them after your PC gets infected. Antivirus programs do not just prevent unwanted apps from entering into your system, but they also remove those which have already injected themselves therein.

The most common solution to an infection is to run a thorough virus or anti-spyware scan over your entire system. The security suites would automatically do the detection and removal of the malicious programs. Most of the time, the detection and removal will be successful. However, things will become a little bit different and complicated when the infection is so severe and it already involves vital system files.

It Doesn’t Always Win

There are times when security software cannot safely remove a virus from a file. Even if it can, doing so might render the file useless as the removal process could damage the data. In cases like this one, what the antivirus program usually does is to just leave the file as it is and recommends that you replace it with a new but similar one. This may seem easy, but I’m telling you that it isn’t. Take note that many programs come from zipped or compressed files. This means that you can’t just look for the infected program’s installation disk and get the needed file therein. You won’t find it in the disk. What you’ll probably see is just a few compressed files that need to be decompressed or unzipped first.

The Final Solution

If the infection is extremely severe, such as when a variety of malware have already nailed a “home sweet home” sign in your computer, then opening your antivirus to extract a cure may already be futile. The infestation in this case is already so serious that you cannot anymore remove the unwanted programs without damaging the whole operating system.

If your antivirus cannot remove many of the malware found in your system and you can’t also delete the infected file because it is vital to your system’s operation, then the only viable and effective solution to the problem would be to reformat your hard drive and reinstall your OS. This may seem a very tedious task that but a pandemic definitely requires the most extreme solution.

Fresh Start

Reformatting your hard disk and reinstalling your operating system would give you a fresh start in your effort to keep your system free from malware. A reformat would wipe out all programs, good or bad. As with all fresh starts or second chances, make sure that you won’t have to go into that situation again where you have to go back to the drawing board. Before you go online or introduce other programs aside from your OS, make sure that you install an antivirus and a registry cleaner first. This would ensure that no malicious program would get in your way when you surf the Web or run any application.

Have you ever come across a spam mail that bore your e-mail address?

A friend of mine did and she was so aghast by it that she immediately e-mailed all of those in her contact list to clarify that she was not the one who sent the e-mails. I could very well understand her shock and embarrassment since the spam mail that had been distributed to all her contacts contained indecent photos and links to pornographic Web sites.

You might think that the tale that I’ve just told you is fictitious. Indeed, one would wonder how a virus could log in to your e-mail account and compose various types of messages and even attach images and documents thereto. But it is possible. The malware need not log in to your account. All it has to do is publish or post your e-mail address as the sender so as to add a semblance of legitimacy to the mail. It would really thus appear that it came from you. But a close perusal of such spam mails would reveal that it had been sent through another account and is just being masked by your e-mail address.

Save yourself from such an embarrassing situation by building an impregnable virtual gate around your PC with an antivirus as your steel bars and a registry cleaner as its padlock. Your tech-savvy friends may immediately know or realize that the e-mail purportedly coming from you is just the handiwork of a malware that infected your PC. However, those who are not well-aware of the deception might think that you’re promoting illegal or indecent sites. Protect your reputation by protecting your PC.

There was a time when computer jargon was understood by bespectacled persons only. Those days are definitely gone. At present, everybody knows what OS means or what AV stands for.

The computer will undoubtedly beat sliced bread as the most common item known to man in a few years time. When that point comes, don’t be surprised if the United Nations adds Assembly Language, Visual Basic, or C++ along with Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish as one of its official languages.

A working knowledge of computers is unquestionably indispensable. It’s not that hard to learn how to use one. You don’t have to buy a dozen Dummies book about PCs in order to learn how to operate them. All you have to do is devote a few hours of your day on a daily basis in pounding that keyboard and see what happens on the screen. Trust me, the method may seem to be designed for Neanderthals, but this was how many computer geeks learned their favorite pastime.

Make sure that your PC is safe from external threats so that you won’t be disturbed in trying to find out what those F keys are for. System file or Windows registry infection could surely hamper your effort in trying to get to know your unit more intimately. Invest in an antivirus and a registry cleaner before you do anything with your PC.

Have you noticed that it’s been quite a while since Microsoft has released a new browser? Whenever I see IE 7’s icon on my desktop, I sometimes feel that it has been installed there for almost a decade already.

Everybody wants to see something new on their computer. Why do you think people mobbed the stores when Vista was first released? The fact that the first program that we always see on our computer is the operating system makes us all the more eager to try new ones in order to break the monotony. Many indeed decided to change despite the fact that many analysts stressed at that time that XP is more secured than its successor.

The second most used program in your PC would most likely be the browser. Naturally, you would want a new one to spice up things when you teleport yourself into cyberspace. Seeing the same old interface day after day would, after all, cause undue fatigue to your eyes.

I think the guys at Redmond have already noticed that they’ve been using the same old browser for Bill knows when. Hence, the release of Internet Explorer 8.

But don’t jump to Microsoft’s download site just yet. The fact that it’s free doesn’t mean that it’s ok to try it out without giving other things a thought. Take note that while the browser is your primary portal to the Internet, it is also the door most commonly used by hackers to take control of your PC.

IE 8 is still in its beta stages. Although Microsoft has already released a copy of it, it’s still far from being the finished product. The fact that it’s a beta version should clip your eagerness in trying the application. You could be sure that there are a variety of issues that are hounding the new browser, foremost of which is security.

If you’re bent on introducing the new Microsoft browser in your system, make sure that all your security apps are up and running. Be sure to have RegCure installed so that your Windows registry will not be compromised. Of course, an antivirus is also indispensable. Although it might be ok to try IE 8 beta, you shouldn’t use it as your primary browser. Doing so would be like putting up a door with a broken lock.