Fix Computer Problems Guide

Support.com - “Instant Technology Relief for Computer Problems” 

Format: Technical Support Service
Delivery: Remote Connection and Phone
Publisher: SupportSoft
Order now for: $39.99* 

By now you may have noticed that this website is all about teaching people how to fix common computer problems on their own without expensive outside IT consultants. So why would I do a review on remote technical support service?

The reason is simple. I try to write useful how-to articles that help non-technical people understand and use their computer technology better.

But, sometimes, people just need a little extra help or something complex and nasty has really stumped them and they need a guiding hand. So who are they going to turn to for help at 1:00 AM in the morning or late on a Sunday afternoon?

I did a lot of research on remote services, checked out their reviews and forums and dug down to the “company” behind the website, if possible. Sure, I found a ton of websites hyping this one or that one, but I liked Support.com best.

Their parent company is SupportSoft, a NASDAQ (SPRT) corporation. They are the folks behind the helpdesk software systems for such customers as Lowe’s, Dell and Bellsouth. Support.com is their consumer helpdesk division, I guess you could say.

Services:
• System TuneUp
• Virus and Spyware Removal
• Network Setup and Troubleshoot
• Wireless Security Setup
• Printer Setup and Troubleshooting
• Data Backup Service
• Tune and Protect
• Digital Camera Training and Setup
• MP3 Player Training and Setup

Highlights:
Remote access over the Internet. This is big one. These guys are the experts as providing remote technical assistance. If you have high-speed access then they can reach your machine and help you. This a plus if the ability of taking your computer to a repair shop is limited due to physical problems, time contra its or travel issues.

Pros:
Remote access over the Internet. Trained computer professionals on call 24/7.

Cons:
Now they clain to fix computers instantly and naturally that’s a bit of stretch. But one they “remote” into your PC, they have very powerful software, that does make it seem like they fixed your problems, “instantly”. Repair costs are similar to an offline repair shop, so there are no direct savings there.

Recommendation:
Okay, if your machine has gone belly up and you need it worked on by a pro ASAP, this may be a service you can use. And having your PC worked on at your convenience at the time of your choosing in your own home may out weigh other considerations. 
 
Click here to order now*

Note: * indicates an affiliate link.

Computer Secrets Unleashed! Volume 2: Home & Small Office Networking

Author: Rich Pryor
Format: PDF
Pages: 63
Delivery: Download only
Publisher: Hana Bound LLC
Publication Date: August 5, 2007
Order now for: $12.95*

Okay, I’m starting not to like this guy! No, no, no not for the reason you think! He keeps writing the ebooks, I wanted to do. Dang it!

In his first ebook, Computer Secrets Unleashed! Volume 1: PC Tips and Tricks, Pryor laid out some the best computer maintenance and repair information; I have read in a long time. No, I’m not kidding. Okay, the guy ain’t Will Shakespeare, but who is?

He’s an IT pro and in his manual he has written simple, easy to use steps just how to properly maintain and keep a home or small office computer up and running perfectly. He tells his readers the same thing I tell my own clients! It’s like being a echo chamber.

Now his has gone and done it again with Computer Secrets Unleashed! Volume 2: Home & Small Office Networking. This is the ebook I wished I had gotten BEFORE I started doing small office consulting.

Let me tell you, working with a well organized company that has 10 or 12 servers and over a 100 computer users is a piece of cake compared to getting 2 poorly maintained PCs hooked to a small wireless setup using cheap networking equipment. If you have a home or small office network or on the verge of installing one, then you need to get this ebook.  Buy it, read it and then call me!

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1 - Configuring Your Router
Chapter 2 - Wiring Your LAN (Local Area Network)
Chapter 3 - Wired Networking
Chapter 4 - Wireless Networking
Chapter 5 - Configuring File and Printer Sharing
Chapter 6 - Setting up a Shared Folder
Chapter 7 - Choosing and Sharing Printers
Chapter 8 - Remote Desktop Connection
Chapter 9 - Expanding Your Network and Other Advanced Topics
Chapter 10 - Basic Network Troubleshooting

Highlights:
The section on “Configuring Your Router” and “Wiring Your LAN (Local Area Network)” is worth the price of the book alone. I’m telling you, instead of surfing all over the Net picking up a little free info here and a little free help there, bit the bullet and get this ebook, It will save you hours of head scratching and time-wasting.

Pros:
The technical information is again excellent. Technical explanations are jargon free and written is very easy to understand English.

Cons:
And even more than his other ebook, he really should have used a “Step 1, Step 2, Step 3″ layout in the more technically detailed spots. You probably will have print out some chapters and highlight sections to make sure you don’t miss a step. But overall this ebook is also a winner.

Recommendation:
If you want to save yourself thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours in worry and stress then you need to get this ebook before you setup any kind of computer network. Honestly, if I had known about it sooner, I would have saved myself lots of wasted time working on clients’ machines.

Click to order here: $12.95*

Related Link: Fix and maintain your home/small office computer: Computer Secrets Unleashed! Vol. 1
Note: * indicates an affiliate link.

Computer Secrets Unleashed! Volume 1: PC Tips and Tricks

Author: Rich Pryor
Format: PDF
Pages: 37
Delivery: Download only
Publisher: Hana Bound LLC
Publication Date: August 5, 2007
Order now for: $12.95*

Now I admit to being to a skeptical and cynical so-and-so sometimes. I had seen ads for this ebook floating around the net for over a year. But I had ignored it mainly because; I never heard any other computer geeks talk about it much.

Sure, I found a ton of Internet marketers yakking on about it but we all know some those guys live next door to crooked and would endorse a pile of bat poop if it had a big enough commission for it. So to say I was more than a little leery when I downloaded a copy of Mr. Pryor’s little ebook would be an understatement.

I was both pleasantly surprised and impressed. His little how-to manual is good, very good!

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1 - How To Buy A Computer
Chapter 2 - Can Your Old Computer Be Saved?
Chapter 3 - How To Tweak Your Computer For Maximum Performance
Chapter 4 - How To Protect Your Computer From Viruses And Spyware
Chapter 5 - How To Backup Your Computer
Chapter 6 - The Best Free Software
Chapter 7 - Bonus Tips And Tricks

Highlights:
I liked this manual because Pryor “talked to” and not down his readers. This is a rare thing in the geek world. Lots of computer technicians are highly skilled, smart (even brilliant) people but lack the ability to comfortably interact with non-technical folks. After reading his book, you can imagine him sitting across from you talking in plain, easy to understand language about what you need to do to fix your home or small office computer. And I am very glad he included a section on backups since I have a real pet peeve about clients not doing them. He even named some freebie software, I hadn’t heard about.

Pros:
The technical information is spot-on. Very well thought out and communicated with common sense and in a practical manner. Technical explanations are jargon free and written is very easy to understand English.

Cons:
I admit this is picky. While he did a great job of explaining what should be done, I personally feel a few of the more complex spots could have been helped with a “Step 1, Step 2, Step 3″ layout. But this is just me and overall this ebook is a winner.

Recommendation:
Dang it! I wish I had written it. This was one of few computer how-to guides I have found that I could honestly recommend to my non-technical clients without fear of them getting overwhelmed with computer jargon and confused with complex instructions. This is the manual should have come with your computer!

Click to order here: $12.95*

Related Link: Fix and maintain your home/small office network: Computer Secrets Unleashed! Vol. 2

Note: * indicates an affiliate link.

If you ever need to test the function of your hard drive, then you should learn how to use this great free disk-checking program included with your Windows system.
 
I love ScanDisk. Honestly, I do. As a computer support specialist with over 18+ years of experience, I often had to use this great little utility. It’s fairly powerful, works on all versions of Windows and best of all is free since it comes bundled inside Windows.

So what is it?
ScanDisk is disk-checking and diagnostic tool that you can use to test your hard drive. It can also be used repair problems on magnetic media; hard disk and floppy disks.

Why use ScanDisk?
It’s a very easy to use program and even the most non-technical person can learn how to use it. It can quickly fix most common disk errors. And I did mention it’s installed as a part of Windows so it is always available. If you can boot into Windows, then you can use the program.

How to use it in Windows 98/98SE/Me:
1) Close all programs.
2) Click on the “Start” button. 
3) Go to “Programs”
4) Scroll to “Accessories”
5) Click on “System Tools”
6) Select “ScanDisk”
7) Now locate and select the drive you want to check (C:\).
8) Check the “Standard” radio button.
9) Check the “Automatically Fix Errors”
10) Click “OK” to run.

How to use it in Windows 2000/XP/Vista
1) Close all programs before you begin.
2) Click on the “Start” button then “My Computer”.
3) Right click on drive you wish to scan and then click on “Properties”.
4) Now you click on the “Tools” tab at top of pop-up window.
5) Click on “Check Now” in the “Error Checking” section.
6) Check the “Automatically Fix Errors”
7) Click “OK” to run.

Testing Options in Windows 98/98SE/Me:
Standard: This option basically only checks files and folders for Windows system errors. This is good for routine maintenance checks.

Thorough: This option is not used often due to time constraints. Don’t check “Thorough” unless you can let the machine run uninterrupted for several hours (2+ on larger drives) or overnight. I’m not kidding. Thorough is used for when you are having severe hard drive issues only. When you have to check your drive for possible physical damage, check “Thorough” and then select, click “System and Data Areas”

Testing Options in Windows 2000/XP/Vista:
The “Standard” function in the older version is now the default. Just with click “Automatically Fix Errors”

To use a thorough scan to check for both system and physical errors, you should also check “Scan For and Attempt Recovery of Bad Sectors.”

To run scandisk in Windows 2000/XP/Vista you have to have programs closed down, or you will keep getting a error message, “Disk check could not be performed because exclusive access to the drive…” If this keeps happening then if possible restart your computer and press “F8″ after PC the logo but before Windows starts. This will let you into Windows “Safe Mode”. You can run ScanDisk now but be warned it will take twice as long but will give you the same results.

ScanDisk Test Results:
After processing you should get a pop-up window with the results of your test. The important to look for is “Bytes in bad sectors”. This shows the number of bytes that have been marked bad or basically unusable for storage. It’s normal to have a small number of bytes in bad sectors (less than 100,000).

But if it is more than this or increases in number over time, then this is sign for keeping your file backups up to date and saving for that bigger, better hard drive.

Here are another seven signs of eminent hard drive failure. If your hard drive is having any of these seven symptoms then you must take immediate action to backup your files…
  
“Back up my hard drive? How do I put it in reverse?” ~ Unknown
 
While doing regular backups is very important, sometimes people believe that backups are some kind of magic bullet so they let themselves get over confident and let bad hardware issues get out of control.

By paying attention and seeing if your machine is experiencing any of these seven signs of eminent hard drive failure, you may be able to save yourself hours of wasted time and an expensive repair bill.

Sign 8 - Disappearing files and folders. As a drive goes bad it will often display subtle indications of trouble. One of the most overlooked are “vanishing” files or folders. If you notice that you can never find your files anymore or that folders you “know” were there are now gone, then your hard drive maybe slip sliding away.

Sign 9 - Folder and file names that have been scrambled and changed. A related issue is that you can find the folder or file you want…or at least you think you have. The filename is messed up but when you open it, it’s the letter you were looking for. But you have a set way of labeling your files it is way wrong. A sign of things going badly quickly.

Sign 10 - You experience really loooong waits to access folders and files
Another related issue. You can find the file fine but you notice that over the last little bit, it’s been taking practically forever to open folders or files. Once you click on a file, you can get up, grab a coffee, and read the front page of daily paper before it opens up. Just joking, but accessing files are noticeably slower.

Sign 11 - The System locks-up during boot up, repeatedly
Okay, even the best of machines, even brand-new-outta-the-box ones will misbehave by locking up occasionally. Occasionally… If you start have lockups every other time you boot up your machine, the drive can be having lots of read/write errors that overwhelm it. Time to go shopping.

Sign 12 - ScanDisk or a third-party utility shows bad sectors
Windows’ drive diagnostic tool Scandisk if one of my faves. By running it and setting it to “automatically fix” errors, you can see if your drive has physical bad “spots” or sectors on the disk platters. You can also use a third-party program. All the major hard drive manufacturers have free utilities on their websites.

Sign 13 - Error message: Disk can’t find the Windows Master File Table (MFT) or Master Boot Record (MBR)
You may have a bit of luck with this one. The good news, a virus or piece of spyware has taken over your drive and rewritten or “hidden” the MFT (on Windows 2000 and later) or MBR (Windows 98/Me and earlier). You may be to repair this with some technical help. The bad news, is that the MFT/MBR files rarely get corrupted or become infected, so this is almost a sign of drive gone bad.

Sign 14 - The drive is running hot. This one sign you probably will never notice since, it requires that the case be removed from your computer. Instead of sign this should actually be classified as a more of a test. If you notice any of the other problems mentioned above, then you can pop your PC case and lay your hand on top of hard drive while in operation. It should be warm but not hot to the touch. A hot device is positive physical sign of early failure.

Your PC is having any of the above issues then you must backup your files, as completely as possible as soon as you can. Even with these danger signs, hard drives have been known to fail without warning, so backup frequently.

If your hard drive is having any of these seven symptoms then you must take immediate action to backup your files…
  
“I do not fear computers. I fear the lack of them.” ~ Isaac Asimov
 
Like the late, great Dr. Asimov said, we shouldn’t worry about computers taking over but be more concerned when they fail us and take all our important files with them. A computer’s hard drive is the central storage within the system and its failure will bring all practical functions to a complete halt. 

If your PC is experiencing any of the following signs of impeding doom then you must run (not walk) and grab CDs to burn backups of all your essential data.

Sign 1 - You hear high-pitched whining, loud clicking or grinding noises coming from the drive. A normally operating drive will make a smooth “whirling” sound as is spins up or down. But if a drive has a grinding or clicking sounds (the Read/Write heads scraping too close to the magnetic platters), then your drive is sick and is on the way out.

Sign 2 - You see the infamous “Blue Screen of Death”, repeatedly. BSODs (Blue Screens of Death) are actually called “Stop” errors and they only appear when your Windows system is experiencing severe software or hardware issues. Often BSODs can cured with a careful “Repair Install” of the Windows operating system or by removal of a bad device driver. But if these software fast fixes don’t seem stick, then your hard drive is usually on its last legs

Sign 3 - Your computer keeps re-booting on its own. I admit, I have only seen this problem a few times in my 18+ year career and in all instances it was due to hardware issues. Once it was a dust covered motherboard, and another time an overheating processor. But all the other times it was due to bad drives.

Sign 4 - Your system keeps having frequent freezes or hang ups. You are working along just fine, and then suddenly everything comes to a halt. The program freezes up on you. Your mouse and keyboard seem to stop responding. The only solution is to reboot.

Sign 5 - Error message: hard drive is not formatted. This a fun message that you will get when you start up your machine. You maybe able to restart and get it to boot into Windows a few more times but this error is “fur-sure” sign that you drive is very close to death. And by the way don’t try to format the drive! You will lose all your data.

Sign 6 - Error message: boot drive or device not found or drive cannot be accessed. This is another favorite of mine. You can check the CD/DVD trays or the floppy drive to make sure no stray disks are stuck inside. You can also check the BIOS to make sure the system is booting from the hard drive first. If all these tests are no-good, then the drive is a goner.

Sign 7 - Errors: Operating system not found or Missing Operating System
This is a bad one. Even the Microsoft technical support knowledgebase has only got a few causes for this error message. Basically your PC can no longer detect the hard drive or the drive is too severely damaged to read (DOA).

What to do if your drive has any of these symptoms:
1) First, listen up, if possible, BACKUP YOUR FILES NOW!

2) Create a boot disk and run Windows Scandisk and set it to automatically fix errors. If it finds more than a few bad sectors then see the point above

3) If possible download and use a hard drive diagnostic program. All the major hard drive manufacturers have free utilities on their websites. Repair what you can and see point 1.

Your hard drive is fading into the West. You hear all manner of grinding sounds coming from it and it’s working slower than an accountant doing an audit. So you grab your wallet and bounce down to the local electronics store to find a replacement.

Whoa! You get inside and are dazzled and dazed by the sheer number of hard disks…you didn’t think it would be this difficult. All you want is something affordable and reliable but where to start?

Performance vs. Capacity
When you are out shopping for a new drive these are the two main factors you should take into consideration. Performance is based on a computer’s drive controllers (connector types), the rotational speed and access times of the drive itself.

Capacity is basically a question of storage space and whether or not your current system can recognize and handle it or not.

Know your connector type
Modern computers can have several different styles of controller interfaces (connector types) and this will greatly determine what kind of drive you can fix into your machine.

The current standard is the IDE or ATA drive. ATA drives can have ATA/66, ATA/100 or ATA/133 connections. Every ATA slot can operate 2 separate devices (2 hard drives, 1 drive/CD or CD/DVD).

The newest drives have SATA (Serial ATA) connectors but can only run device per connector but at a much faster speed. Speaking of which…

“I feel the need for speed!”
The first thing you should find out when looking at a new hard drive is its rotational speed or RPMs (revolutions per minute). The higher the RPM rating a drive has, the faster it will work when in operation. Speed = better performance for both the Windows operating system and other software programs. The average RPM for a hard drive is either 5400 or 7200.

Seek Times. Occasionally you may hear some big time technical person mention the “seek times” for a drive. Seek times are measured in milliseconds and are basically a gauge of how rapidly a software program can locate the data it requires on a given hard drive.

Access times and seek times for our purposes are the same. Most modern home computers have a seek time of about 8ms. So a new drive with a seek time of 9ms is considered a bit slow.
So when looking at speed find the highest RPM matched with the lowest or average seek time.

Bigger is Better?
The next thing you should look at is a device’s size or storage space. You ideally should get as big of a drive as you can afford. Hard drive capacity is measured in “megabytes” (million byte size: very old drives), “gigabytes” (billion byte size: current drives), and the very newest are “terabyte” drives (trillion byte size). Like in a house, you can never have “too much” storage room!

So now you know to get a drive with…
- 7200 RPM
- Seek times of 8ms or lower
- With as many Gigabytes as you can afford
- Check with your PC manufacturer to be sure your new drive can be handled by your old computer

“Technology… is a queer thing. It brings you great gifts with one hand, and it stabs you in the back with the other. ” ~C.P. Snow

It’s an accepted fact that hard drives are the weakest link in computer technology. The hard disk is where the operating system and all software applications are stored. Because of this, a properly working drive is essential in the operation of any computer.

But since these drives are basically just an electro-mechanical devices, and like any other machine they will eventually breakdown and fail.

And then oops, without backups, all your family photos, legal documents and important emails are gone!

There are three levels of data or file recovery for a dying or broken hard drive:

1) Basic Level: The drive is working (your can hear it spin up but it will not boot to Windows)
This usually means that some essential Windows files have been comprised or damaged in some way. With the right software you can view your files and even copy them. You have to choices…

Use a Rescue CD: You can grab a bootable CD with hard drive utility software already installed on it. You can then make repairs or copy your files from your bad drive to a replacement. A good name brand rescue CD for Windows is the “Ultimate Boot CD”

Move the Drive: If you don’t have a way of burning a rescue CD and don’t want to wait for a copy to shipped to you; you can always move your bad drive and place it in another working desktop PC. Once installed you should be able to view all your files on the drive from a secondary slot (normally where the CD or DVD drive live.)

2) Intermediate Level: The drive works but you can’t see the files you want using the methods above.
Okay, things are not going good. You at this point have to get out the big guns. You will have to download and run a data recovery program such as “Active UNDELTE”, “Recover My Files”, etc. Both of these programs are powerful, reliable, and easy to use and won’t cost you an arm or a leg to buy.

With Active UNDELETE you can also make a bootable CD to run on a PC if you can’t move the drive to another computer. Both have technical support options if you need further help.

3) Advanced: You have tried everything above but you still can’t find that Last Will from Aunt Sue…
At this point you have probably spent several hours (if not days) without your PC and invested just over a $100 in software if you used all of the above products. Now, is the time for you to decide to either use a professional level recovery application or throw in the towel and take your drive to a recovery specialist.

If you have the time but not a lot of cash (understand that hard drive recovery services can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars) then you can ratchet it up a notch and buy a copy of the home version of EasyRecovery from Ontrack. Ontrack is one of the leading data recovery companies in the world.

But if time is more critical and money is no obstacle then bite the bullet and take your drive to a local computer shop that does recovery work. Or if that is not possible then contact a big service like Ontrack and ship your hard drive to them.

Data recovery can be expensive no matter who does it, so to be on the safe side and make file backups frequently and fully.

Has spyware taken over your computer? Learn the 3 levels of spyware to know for sure…

“The only difference between the fool, and the criminal who attacks a system is that the fool attacks unpredictably and on a broader front.” (Tom Gilb)

It doesn’t matter if your computer is compromised by professional villains or just by the geeky kid across the street, once your sensitive files have been broken into your life may never be the same. Spyware is one of the most unrated forms of “espionage” occurring in the world today.

Most computer users think of this kind of program as a being just as an annoying or embarrassing kind of prank. But criminal-minded programmers know better.

In the past, spyware and its close cousin adware were simply wicked bits of “paid advertisements” for shady website publishers to attract customers. But soon, more malicious coders determined to use these programs to really “spy” on innocent people and dig out as many of their victim’s secrets to use or sell on the black market as possible.

These new programs are being crafted by “professional” development teams just like a “real” software company. The programs are sophisticated and slick.

At its most innocent level, these spy packages just track your browsing habits (where you go and what you do on the web). Your email addresses are also raided. This information is then sold to websites for advertising.

At an intermediate level, a “keystroke” logger (a program that observes and records what you type on your keyboard) can be used in combination with web-tracking software to dig out the keywords, passwords and usernames you use when visiting sites such as eBay, PayPal and your bank.

The final level is in which spyware has completely overwhelmed your computer and all your sensitive information is laid-bare to any prying eyes that want to view it. Your ID/SSN numbers, your home address, personal photographs, your banking or other financial information is dug out and sold to the highest bidder.

This is then used to create everything from fake driver’s licenses for teenagers, terrorists, and illegals to making dupe credit cards used to run up charges under your name. Your “identity” has been stolen and compromised for years to come.

Your computer can be turned into a “zombie” and thousands and thousands of fake emails could be sent through your connection to the Internet. This will result in your ISP (Internet Service Provider) taking action and limiting or shutting down your account. And with unpaid charges bouncing about your credit card report will soon be in a shambles as well.

What you should do now to lock down your PC…

• Download from the Net or buy a good anti-spyware software package. For free try Ad-Aware or SpyBot’s S&D. Or use SpySweeper if you need an industrial strength cleaner.
• Scan your hard drive and follow any instructions on removing items.
• Install a good personal firewall program to slow down pop-ups and other nastiness.
• Password protect any personal folders where sensitive documents, photos, etc are stored.
• Download and install a password storage program like “Password Safe” to securely store your usernames and passcodes.
• Use strong passwords.
• Change passwords every 6 months for your bank, eBay, PayPal and other financial institutions.

Are you sabotaging yourself with spyware?

“The Amish Virus
You have just received the Amish virus. As the Amish don’t have any technology or programming experience, this virus works on the honor system. 
Please delete all the files from your hard drive and manually forward this virus to everyone on your mailing list.  Thank you for your cooperation.”
 
As a computer technician, the first time I read this joke, I laughed out loud. Yep, I thought to myself, ain’t that the truth. I know from both personal and professional experience that spyware programmers can cause a lot of damage not only to a computer but also to your personal life if they have access to your sensitive files.

But all jokes aside, the most dangerous person who can access your machine is not some remote foreign hacker but you and your family. Often when I visit a client who is having spyware issues, I often find that the bulk of their problems are self inflicted.

Malicious programmers can only hide their products inside of innocent looking pop-ups, webpages or “freeware” programs hoping to lure some unwary computer user into downloading them. Like a fisherman on the river bank, they can only cast out appetizing bait hoping to hook you.

But it’s you, the computer user who can do whatever you like with your machine:

Like download files or programs from unknown sources…

Or turn off your firewall, because you find it annoying…

Forget to download and update security patches for operating system…

“Borrow” programs from your good buddy and install on your PC…

Visit high-risk websites catering to game “cheats”, offshore gambling or the “babe-of-the-day”…

Use weak passwords or don’t change them frequently enough…

Change the security and privacy settings on your web browser, so you don’t have to keep approving downloads…

Never look at the URL or address of website to make sure you haven’t been redirected to a spoof site…

Never read the EULA (end user license agreements), opt-in terms, privacy statements, and any notices with any software you download.

I feel, that to a certain extent, lack of proper knowledge on how to prevent spyware is a problem but still a good many clients just don’t care enough to stop their bad browsing habits. They like doing what they want on the Net and they just figure that spyware is the “cost” of doing business as usual.

But this “it can’t happen here” mindset is exactly what the bad guys are looking for. They have created the best “lures” they possibly can but you still have to “take the nibble” to get caught.

Spyware like the “Amish Virus” relies on people to make their own selves victims.

If you want to prevent having your personal files exposed then you should read what to do when you get hacked…

Hey, it could happen to you. I know. I am professional PC technician and it happened to me. Yes, I write how-to articles and tell all my clients the same things: be careful of “freeware” programs, watch where you download stuff, change password frequently, etc. All the rest but despite my best efforts I got jacked!

It happened innocently enough. I was doing some work for a client and was trying to convert some music and video files into a more portable format. But all the good software was only had “paid” versions and I wanted to save myself some money. So I logged into some geek forums and started nosing around.

One guy recommended this little “freeware” program he had used to good success. So I clicked on his link and surfed over to a software directory I had never used before and downloaded it. The program was running fine, when I noticed that my hard drive was being hit really hard, with its activity light going nuts.

So I quickly stopped the program and uninstalled it. But within a few days I got emails from eBay complaining that I was sending out “spam” emails to other users all across the eBay system. When I logged in, I realized that “someone” had used my user name and password to fraudulently send messages selling some kind electronic gear from a seller in Poland!

Dang! I had been hacked!

What Not to Do…

Don’t panic. You have to remain calm so you access the damage and take the appreciate action. Running around downloading this and that “fix-it” software program can only make worst. Take a breath and get a grip…
…What To Do

I immediately took my PC off the Internet (I turned off my cable modem), then restarted and entered Safe Mode (hit F8 after the PC logo). I ran both of my anti-spyware and anti-virus programs for a deep scan of my PC. I found several Trojan Horse programs, which I removed.
Then I manually searched the “Program Files” folder to see if I could find any strange programs (don’t do this unless you know what to look out for). I then used the Windows “Add/Remove Programs” module and got rid of thing suspicious.

After I was sure had scrubbed down my computer and was clean, I logged back online and entered my eBay account. I changed by password and then changed the password for PayPal also. I tried to remember every online account I had visited over the last several days. Oops, my bank!

So I contacted my local bank and changed the password for their account too. Was this strictly necessary…hmmm, I wasn’t sure, but I could recovered from a shut-down eBay account a heck of alot faster than I could from empty checking account!

So after changing passwords for any websites I was working on and any other accounts, I could settle down and figure out what I had done wrong. I routinely use anti-virus and spyware killer software. I have a good firewall installed and I seldom download “freeware” from unknown sites, but I got in a hurry and I overrode my own rules. Being cheap was alot more than the few bucks the software would have cost once I tallied the “price” downtime and lost productivity.

But it could have been worse. I didn’t lose any money or my identity!

Is your computer infected with spyware? Check out these 10 warning signs to take action today…

It’s been estimated that over 60% of all computers have some kind of spyware installed and most of their owners are unaware! If you are tired of your PC running slow and filling your screen with those nasty pop-up then you will want to read the 10 warning signs listed below. Afterwards check out my “action plan” and what you can do to rid yourself of your spyware infestation.

1. Browser Hijacks - When I used to get a call from a customer saying that their homepage had suddenly changed, without them doing anything, I knew to bring my anti-spyware fighting software. Malicious programmers love to change your browser settings to transfer your homepage to their “client’s” websites.

2. PC is Crashing - Without warning, your PC starts crashing, freezing or locking up, but you haven’t added any new software or updated anything recently.

3. Pop-Ups - You open your browser to visit your favorite blog site then “WHAM!” You are suddenly drowning in pop-ups! Your screen is full of brightly colored lures to porn, gambling or gaming websites. You click on the “Close” or the “X” to shut it down…uh, oh something is downloading to your machine!

4. Strange Favorites - You notice that there is a strange looking icon in your favorites. You click on it out of curiosity. You are caught in a webring of girly webpages…drat it, you’re at work!

5. Strange Icon on Desktop or in Systray - You know notice a “winking” red light on the bottom-right in your Systray display. It says you have been infected. You hurriedly click on it to see what is wrong. Then a pop-up appears that says it is downloading an “anti-virus killer”…uh, oh.

6. Strange New Files Appear - You are poking about in your files and you notice that some odd, spyware-killer software has a folder on your hard drive. Where did that one come from?

7. Strange Emails - While searching for a note you dropped to the boss, you notice that you have lots of strange emails in your “Send” folder. You didn’t send them, especially the ones in a foreign language.

8. Strange Toolbars - You open up your browser and now you have 3 toolbars instead of just one. What gives? When you try to remove, or change the settings, they keep coming back no matter what you do.

9. PC runs sluggish or slow - Granted your computer may not be the newest kid on the block but lately it has been moving slower than the Street Dept fixing a pothole. It takes several minutes for it logon and go out on the web. And it takes forever for you do to the simplest things anymore.

10. Hard Drive is running all the time - You have noticed that your hard drive is running all the time now. Even when nobody is on the machine! You can see the activity light blinking away and you can also hear the drive being accessed. Huh?

Action Plan - What to do next…

Download from the Net or buy a good anti-spyware software package. For free try Ad-Aware or SpyBot’s S&D. Or use SpySweeper if you need an industrial strength cleaner.
Scan your hard drive and follow any instructions on removing items.
Install a good personal firewall program to slow down pop-ups and other nastiness.

If you want to avoid being overrun with spyware then read and avoid the five mistakes most everyone makes…

You have already heard enough about spyware to last you for a lifetime. So why is your machine acting so strange lately? The crashes, the sluggish behavior and the pop-ups are driving you mad.

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