Do you want to speed up programs on your computer because your computer slows way down when you run more than two or three programs at a time?  There are several ways to speed up your PC or laptop without breaking the bank.

Use the free tools that Windows provides for system upkeep.

You can make sure all of your software runs faster by using the tools that Microsoft puts on your system.  All versions of Windows come with a disk defragmenter, available in “System Tools” under the Accessories menu.  It’s a good idea to use this tool at least once or twice every month.

It’s also a good idea to check for Windows updates on a regular basis.  This doesn’t just help your computer run faster–it also keeps it safer (though not immune) from viruses and spyware programs.

Check for viruses and spyware on a regular basis

It could be that certain unwelcome software on your computer is causing your programs to run slowly.  In this case, you may be able to speed up programs dramatically by performing a couple of scans with free software.

There are several free anti-virus and anti-spyware programs available online that will do a good job of keeping your computer safe if you use them regularly.  While the upgraded versions often have features that are worth the price you pay, the free versions will work fine just as long as you remember to use them on a regular basis!

It’s best to have at least one anti-virus and one anti-spyware program on your computer.  These days, many programs combine both functions.  Any computer will be safe with three of these programs installed on the hard drive.

Having more than three of these programs in operation on your computer will likely slow down system functioning, without offering a significant increase in protection.  The most important thing isn’t quantity or even quality; the most important thing about these programs is whether or not you remember to use them every week!

Keep your registry clean so that your Windows system doesn’t get bogged down.

One of the prime culprits of slow computer function is a cluttered or damaged registry.  Unfortunately, this is also the least known!

The Windows registry can accumulate damaged, out of date, or erroneous files over time.  This happens for a variety of reasons that usually have nothing to do with the individual computer owner.  Speed up programs on your PC or laptop by running a free registry scan.

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Shliwapi.dll errors have a wide ranges of causes and effects.  Today, they are often an inconvenience when using Microsoft Internet Explorer or some other program.  But some people who have experienced problems with this file have had such a hard time accessing their computers, they had to entirely reload Windows onto them!

Fortunately, shliwapi.dll errors don’t have to mean the end of your computer.  Here are the most common procedures to use to fix this kind of problem (this applies to many other .dll errors as well).

Start Windows in Safe Mode if you can’t get Windows to start normally.

In some cases of shliwapi.dll error, Windows may not be able to start properly at all–but you can often start Windows in safe mode instead.  If this is the case, you will likely be given this option when you turn your computer on.

To be honest, this is probably the best way to start Windows even if it’s not giving you trouble at start-up, if you’re dealing with a shliwapi (or any .dll file) error.  This is easy to do.

• Press F8 when you first see the Windows log appear on your screen.
• Select “Safe Mode” from the menu, if given more than one choice.
• Wait for the files to load (you will likely see the names of several files zoom up your screen).
• Proceed to take care of the error.

A few steps you can take to recover your shliwapi.dll file .

• If you feel like you may have accidentally deleted the file when you cleaned out your computer, check your recycle bin.  If you find it there, simply restore it and restart your computer as you normally would.
• Some “freeware” or “shareware” open-source registry cleaners work clumsily on Windows computers and occasionally delete files that they shouldn’t.  If you have recently used one of these, proceed as though you had accidentally deleted it yourself.
• If neither of those steps are useful, use System Restore.  This will undo any recent changes you have made, restoring your computer to a previous configuration.  Select this option from “System Tools” under the “Accessories” folder in the Start or All Programs Menu.
• You may also want to run an anti-virus program at this time.

Maintain your computer with a quality registry cleaner.

There are plenty of free “open source” registry cleaners floating around the internet.  While their authors’ intentions are good, these cleaners aren’t generally able to match up to more professionally funded ones.  Fix shliwapi.dll errors (and other registry errors) with professional software built just for that purpose.

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Found sistray.exe on your computer and don’t know if it should be there or not?  Don’t fret–you’re not the only one.  Fortunately, this program is usually harmless.

Sistray.exe helps with your graphics and is completely harmless–99% of the time.

SiS stands for Silicon Integrated Systems.  The SiS Mirage 3 integrated graphics chip allows computers to smoothly run 3D gaming graphics.  It enables the graphics card to switch clock settings automatically from 3D to 2D, which saves on CPU resources.

Sistray.exe makes it show up in the system tray on your computer.  This is the bar at the bottom-right of your windows screen that shows various icons (such as the Battery icon on laptops, and the Speakers/Volume icon on almost every windows computer in the world).

A malicious file also poses as this file.

It’s not a very common occurrence–but it does happen.  There is a Trojan virus called Prova that has a file called sistray.exe.  The file information will of course not list it as a virus.

How can you know if this file is “the real deal” or not?  Right-click on the icon or the file’s listing in your file manager.  Click on “properties” or “about” to see who or what program owns the file.  If a program other than Silicon Integrated Systems claims it, you may have a malicious file on your hands.

Anti-virus and anti-spyware programs do not take care of the whole problem.

If the sistray.exe file on your computer is from a rogue piece of software, then you definitely should run an anti-virus program to remove the Prova Trojan!

Unfortunately, anti-virus programs often do not clean up the mess that malicious software leaves behind.  You may still have problems with your Windows registry.

The Windows registry is a database that coordinates all of your system’s process files with one another, and with your computer hardware.  Without it, your computer would take way too long to perform even the simplest operation.

Unfortunately, programs like Trojan horses and viruses often leave this database damaged and “confused.”  Even non-malicious programs can leave behind “junk” in the registry when they don’t properly uninstall (many don’t).  The registry also becomes clutter through normal use, by no fault of the computer owner.

Regular application of a registry cleaning program will fix sistray.exe errors, as well as any other errors or damaged files.

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We want you to get the most from your computer, to optimize computer performance to the level that you won’t want to go back to living with the slow-running, average machine that you’re working with now.  So here are some tips to optimize computer performance and get you the speed you need.

First Steps toward Computer Optimization

The very first thing we recommend is to make sure that your anti-malware programs are up-to-date.  This can include virus protection, spyware protection, and other security threat prevention programs.  Depending on what you use your computer for, you may need to consider a firewall program.

Whatever your protection, make sure the updates do not expire, because new viruses and spyware are being created all the time, and old software simply will not find the new bugs.

Next, get into a routine of backing up your files regularly.  It doesn’t matter what system you pick (manual, an internet storage company, a software program).  What matters is that you do it.  Not only will this protect you from a loss of data, but it should get you deleting obsolete files and programs as you notice them, which will free up space on your computer, boosting speed and performance.

Clean House to Boost Performance

Your PC comes with various tools built in that will increase efficiency and optimize performance.  One such tool is the Disk Defragmenter.  Fragmentation is the name given to the process of breaking down files into chunks that fit the blocks of available space on your hard drive.  It takes a computer longer to access files that have been fragmented because the disk has to spin to several places to retrieve one file.

Running the Disk Defragmenter will put the files back together and leave the empty space all together to prevent further file fragmentation. (Run a search of your computer to find this tool, since its location varies depending on what version of Windows you’re running.)  Of course, as more programs are deleted, space frees up in inconvenient places again, so this is something to do monthly.

The Check Disk program is another tool provided with your PC.  This one repairs errors on your hard disk that may be caused by improper shut downs or program crashes.  These errors can lead to further errors.  So, in order to keep your computer performing optimally, you’ll need to fix the errors as they come.  Microsoft recommends doing this once a week.

Realize Your Need for Speed

Finally, to really boost speed, run a registry cleaner to optimize computer performance and target the errors on your Windows registry.  These errors can be responsible for a host of error messages and symptoms.   With a clean registry, your computer will run faster than you can remember!

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Is the need to repair your taskbar a serious problem?  Usually, it really isn’t.  The thing is that it is detrimental to the functionality of your computer.  It’s not unusual for people to be running twelve different items in their taskbar that they are cross-referencing all at the same time.

Reset Taskbar to Default with Drag and Click

The taskbar relocation is usually just a snafu that you created without even realizing it.  You can easily fix it with a drag and click.  When you drag and click the taskbar, it doesn’t drag and click like a picture or a text box.  It will go from Point A and when you let go, reappears at Point B.  There are no tracer lines to show you the journey on the way.

All you need to do is put it back in its place, and then you can “Lock the Taskbar” in place by right clicking in the taskbar and making sure the function is checked.

Run Your Security Programs

Sometimes when you get the taskbar moved back into place, it doesn’t solve the underlying problem.  Trojans, viruses, and malware can still be lurking around.  The only way to tell is to run your anti-virus and anti-spyware programs and rule out or take care of anything that could harm your computer.

Taskbar Toolbar is Grayed Out

If you are trying to reset the settings on your toolbar, you can right click on the taskbar and review your toolbar options.  If the Toolbar sub-menu options are grayed out, you may have a restriction placed on the Start Menu through the Group Editor or the registry may have some faulty keys.

To fix this, you can open the registry editor and find the following keys:

• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Policies \ Explorer
• HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Policies \ Explorer
• Export these keys and back them up.  Right-click and delete “NoCloseDragDropBands”.
• Restart Windows.

Fix the Faulty Registry Key

If you don’t feel good about editing your registry, don’t feel bad.  Even computer techs don’t want to go this route.  If you were to take your computer to shop, they would probably do the same thing that you could do from home.  Download and scan with an advanced registry cleaner.

You can repair the taskbar, fragmented files, corrupted files, and anything else to do with registry maintenance from your house.  Just don’t wait too long.  If you are dealing with a computer crash, you will have to take it into the shop.

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Performing a PC tune up isn’t just for computer technicians!  There is a lot you can do from home to do a PC tune up and prevent common errors and general computer slowness.  Get in the computer-maintenance routine, and these problems will be history.

PC Tune Up 101

Regularly backing up your files is the most basic thing you should be doing to maintain your computer.  This won’t tune up your PC per se, but should be completed before you go ahead with any other steps.  Accidents, errors, and viruses happen, and this step will ensure that your data is protected.  Set up a regular schedule for back-ups based on your computer use.

A close second in the basic maintenance category would be making sure your software and drivers are up to date.  Virus protection and malware or spyware protection software should occupy the top place on the list of what to update, as this is your line of defense against many errors.

Basic software and driver updates can be done monthly, while virus and malware protection should be updated weekly (often an automatic setting for these programs).

The Second Tier of Computer Optimization

If you are ready to take charge of your computer’s performance, move on to these steps.

1. Defragment the hard drive monthly to rearrange how the computer’s data is saved and make it easier for the computer to access it.  This increase processing speed and decreases error frequency.
2. Another step to take in general clean up is to delete old or temporary files from the hard drive.  This also frees up space.
3. Look up online instructions for creating a Restore Point, something that can also be done monthly; in case your computer ever becomes heavily problematic, the system can be restored to this point.
4. Finally, add a registry cleaner to your PC tune up regimen to truly optimize your computer.

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As security advances so does the opposition. Many malicious software makers are starting to notice that the average PC user is becoming smarter when it comes to avoiding emails that could be potentially harmful.

Recently these malicious programmers have started to take a different path. They have begun to create different types of threats. One type that you may have already seen is where the program will inform the user needs to download security software. Three other major programs which are known as Win32/FakeXPA, Win32/FakeSecSen, and Win32/Renos have been found on millions of computers.

Attacks have also been taking place in common files such as .PDF and .DOC. Even Adobe Reader 9 and Acrobat 8 have had several exploits in them. While there are updates out for these programs, many users don’t update their software. For example over 90 percent of attacks in Microsoft Office have been from an exploit that could be fixed with a simple update. Surprisingly this update is over 2 years old!

While many PC users look for updates through Microsoft they rarely look to update other programs. There are a lot of PC users that believe that the Microsoft updates will solve everything. While Microsoft does run the PC business due to most users using Windows, they can’t watch over every company’s individual software issues such as the issue with Adobe.

It’s surprising how many people have issues with malicious software but do nothing to fix it. There are updates for programs coming out all the time to fix these holes and help prevent attacks however many users don’t seem to check for updates as they should. Microsoft alone last year released 78 updates that fixed 155 issues.

Therefore if you are having continuous problems with attacks you should ensure that everything on your computer is up to date. While you may update Windows constantly it’s not enough to stop someone from attacking your computer.

Source: CNET

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It’s the 21 century and everyone has a computer and many of those people use cable modems or home routers. Recently a worm has been found that can attack various routers and modems. There’re a total of 55 modems and routers that are at risk. Even if you have a top name brand router such as Linksys you could still be at risk.

The codename for the worm is Bluepill or psyb0t. Surprisingly it’s the first of its kind that is actually able to infect home networks. The worm uses a database of over 6,000 usernames and 13,000 passwords to try to get into your network. While this may not seem like much of a threat at first glance, the reality is that it’s a huge threat to your personal privacy. This is because your home network (both the router and the modem) run 24/7. They also allow unlimited chances for you to get the username and password right.

Therefore the worm can run 24/7 until it cracks your system. You may be asleep at the time and not even notice it happening. While this may not seem like much of a threat at first glance, the reality is that it’s a huge threat to your personal privacy. This is because your home network (both the router and the modem) run 24/7. They also allow unlimited chances for you to get the username and password right. If that wasn’t bad enough the worm is designed to execute any code that is programmed into it. Bluepill has been suspected of being in over 100,000 systems. Many users that have their computers infected don’t even know it!

To help avoid getting hacked you should use an advanced username and password that is random and extremely uncommon. If you think that you’ve already been infected then you may want to reset your hardware to get rid of the worm.

Source: PCWorld

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If you think you’ve already crossed the finish line after several hours of waiting for Windows 7 Beta to finish filling up your hard drive, then you’re in for a big disappointment.

Many antivirus software, including McAfee and Norton’s, are rejecting the new OS. While your primary security application cannot prohibit you from running or using the new Microsoft software, doing so would expose your system to numerous malware threats as the antivirus would cease to function.

This isn’t the first time that antivirus programs are raising the red flag on a Microsoft beta release. Early releases of previous operating systems, as well as some Windows updates, were even tagged as potentially harmful. While many were perplexed, a considerable number of users were already expecting it as numerous bulletins already warned the buyers of the new OS that a number of their existing software might not yet recognize the Microsoft newbie.

Don’t fret, though. As with the previous cases, the makers of the applications that get jittery with the new OS will release patches or updates that will correct the problem. For now, you could either just wait for the remedies to be released, or find another antivirus that recognizes Windows 7.

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Finally, the long awaited admission.

After years of bragging that its unit is virtually impregnable, Apple has started advising Mac users to beef up OSX’s security by installing an antivirus software. This tacit admission that the Mac is vulnerable to malware comes as a surprise since one of its product’s main selling points is that it is more secure than the PC.

The advisory wasn’t brought about by any virus or spyware attack. It wasn’t an alarm bell as some have thought. The manner by which it was aired was actually discreet as the article or note was more of a nonchalant endorsement of the idea or tip.

Still, the advisory confirms what everybody, including Mac users, already knew – no computer is safe from malware, regardless of the platform or architecture on which it’s built.

This development should not be seen or interpreted as a victory for the malware authors. On the contrary, the news might have even discouraged hackers from testing Apple’s units, thus making the Apple computer even safer and more secure. It’s already difficult to infect the Mac and its OSX as it is. Fortifying it with an antivirus will definitely make any attempt to climb its walls all the more impossible.

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