Vista

Home Networking — Wired + Wireless Connections

February 17, 2009 By Terry Stockdale

The simplest way to set up a home network, including both computers with wired connections and computers with wireless connections, is to set up a wireless router immediately following your DSL modem or Cable modem. Sometimes, a DSL modem even has the router built into it.

In this setup, all the computers are assigned their IP addresses by the DHCP server that is built into the router. All are on the same logical network. However, their ability to share files, printers, and otherwise communicate between each other will depend on your settings in each computer.

In order to share files, you have to tell Windows (or Linux, etc.) to enable file and printer sharing, identify which directories should be shared, and have the computers on the same Windows Workgroup (or Windows domain, if you’re a very advanced user running a Windows domain controller). You’ll also have to tell the firewall programs on each computer to allow the sharing with the other computers — or the firewall will block the data.

Continue reading Home Networking — Wired + Wireless Connections

Filed Under: Networking, Performance Tweaks, Security, Security Issues, Terry's Computer Tips, Vista, Windows Vista, Windows XP

Acronis Releases New Acronis True Image Home 2009

January 21, 2009 By Terry Stockdale

Acronis has now released their latest version of their hard drive backup utility — Acronis True Image Home 2009. We had some hints that something was coming. The new version is here…but do we need it?

First, what’s an image backup and why should I use one?

Tech Tip
An “image backup” is effectively your own “recovery disk” or “recovery partition”, complete with all your installed programs and data files, too. You can back up onto DVD’s, to external hard drives, to other computers, to another partition on the same hard drive, or to another hard drive in the same computers. Of course, not all of these destinations provide the same level of reliability — if you back up to another partition on the same hard drive, it can save you from a “brain freeze” problem, but not from a hard drive failure!

Some image backup programs can work only with the entire partition, either backing up or restoring the whole partition. Other programs can back up entire partitions, and can also back up only the files that changed since the last full backup. Similarly, some can restore entire partitions, and are also able to restore individual files and folders of files from the backup file.

I’ve used disk imaging for system backups for my computers since about 1995, starting with DriveImage 2 from the former PowerQuest. Ultimately PowerQuest Corporation was purchased by Symantec in 2003, who used Drive Image 7 as the basis of its next Norton Ghost version.

Continue reading Acronis Releases New Acronis True Image Home 2009

If you don’t already have a copy of Acronis True Image, you can order a copy directly from Acronis, and can download it and even order a backup CD.
If you don’t already have a copy, you can buy two licenses for Acronis True Image Home 2009 for only $20 more than the price of one (this is not a choice on the web site, it’s available only via special links like this one
If you already have a copy of an earlier version, you can upgrade to Acronis True Image Home 2009 for 40%-off.

Filed Under: Backups, Hard Drive Recovery, Terry's Computer Tips, Vista, Windows Vista, Windows XP

Malware Silently Alters Router Settings – Change Your Router Passwords

October 31, 2008 By Terry Stockdale

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Not your password for Windows — you may or may not change that, based on your personal preference (or if at work, based on the requirements of your employer’s network).

I’m talking about changing your passwords on your wireless routers and wired routers.

Whether you use a Linksys router, a DLink router, a Belkin route, or one of the many other brands of routers , whether you use wireless or regular Ethernet connnections with your router, change the password from the default password — now!

In my security articles on routers, I have long recommended that you change the router’s password. Sure, it can’t be accessed from the Internet side of the router, but if you manage to pick up some automated malware or a trojan that gives remote control of your computer to someone else, you may find your router subverted. It may run all of your requests through their system, so they can log and analyze your actions, passwords, etc.

Well, the automated malware that I’ve long predicted has now been found in the wild.

Continue reading Malware Silently Alters Router Settings – Change Your Router Passwords

Filed Under: Anti-spam, Anti-spyware, Anti-Trojan, Anti-virus, Networking, Patches, Security Fixes, Security Issues, Terry's Computer Tips, Vista, Windows XP

Improving Your Wireless Security

October 16, 2008 By Terry Stockdale

If you’ve read some of my other articles about having an open, unsecured wireless network versus securing your wireless network so that others can not get into it, you know that I believe in security.

I recommend that everyone secure their wireless network to the extent possible. It’s impossible to completely secure a wireless system, but you can block out most users. You can make it difficult for others to use your network.

The point is to make the process hard enough that the visitor — the unauthorized person who is trying to use your network for normal Internet usage or illegal and/or immoral actions — decides to use someone else’s network.

Continue reading Improving Your Wireless Security

Filed Under: Communications, Networking, Security, Software, System, Terry's Computer Tips, Vista, Windows Updates, Windows XP

Sunbelt VIPRE Review | VIPRE Antivirus + Antispyware Review

August 23, 2008 By Terry Stockdale

When I began my evaluation period of Sunbelt Software’s new VIPRE Antivirus + Antispyware program, I was promptly shocked.

I had read several reviews about VIPRE and had read phrases like “high performance” and “low resources.” I had even read comments that where the writer said that VIPRE was virtually unnoticeable on their computer and that their computer suddenly had more speed that it had in a long time.

Naturally, I discounted those comments and claims, thinking that they were advertising exaggeration and hyperbole. They usually compare the computer’s performance to when it had been running one of the big-name suites, so that wasn’t too surprising any way.

I was shocked when I installed VIPRE on my notebook computer. I saw for myself that VIPRE didn’t interfere with my activities. My computer really was faster with VIPRE, even faster than the speedy combination of CounterSpy and NOD32.

Get more information on VIPRE

Continue reading my Sunbelt VIPRE Antivirus + Antispyware Review

Try the free, fully-functional trial of VIPRE for 15 days – click here

Filed Under: Anti-adware, Anti-spyware, Anti-virus, Software, Terry's Computer Tips, Vista, Windows XP Tagged With: Antimalware, Antispyware, Antivirus, Firewall, GFI, GFI Sunbelt, Sunbelt GFI, Sunbelt Software, Sunbelt VIPRE Review, VIPRE, VIPRE Antivirus Premium

HOWTO: Identifying and Changing Default File Type / Program Associations

May 12, 2008 By Terry Stockdale

If you need to identify which program opens a particular file type, you can do that, and a lot more, using the Folder Options functions in Windows Explorer.

To find Folder Options, open Windows Explorer (right-click on Start, select Explore). Then, on its menu bar, select Tools and then Folder Options…

At this point, we need to select the File Types tab.

On the File Types tab, we see a large, scrollable box that lists file types. As we scroll down the list, we see various file extensions (such as JPG and DOC) along with a text description of the file type.

Continue reading HOWTO: Identifying and Changing Default File Type / Program Associations

Filed Under: File system repair, Performance Tweaks, Software, System, Terry's Computer Tips, Usability, Vista, Windows XP

HOWTO: Using Excel – How To Use Absolute Addressing

April 21, 2008 By Terry Stockdale

Microsoft Excel, like most spreadsheets, has a really convenient feature. When you copy any given cell into another cell, Excel will automatically adjust the formula references to other cells so refer to cells in the same relative position.

First, a look at Relative Addressing

In the example below, I copied thte formula in cell C2 into cells C3 through C8.

Excel automatically adjusted the formulas so that each formula referenced cells in the corresponding locations (columns a and b — it changed the row numbers) to the cells referenced by the cell that I was copying.

Continue reading HOWTO: Using Excel – How To Use Absolute Addressing

Filed Under: Office, Software, Terry's Computer Tips, Vista, Windows XP

Adware Ties into Internet Explorer

March 28, 2008 By Terry Stockdale

This week, 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

Continue reading Adware Ties into Internet Explorer

Filed Under: Anti-adware, Anti-spyware, Anti-Trojan, Anti-virus, Security, Security Fixes, System, Terry's Computer Tips, Vista, Windows XP

Outlook Express Links Don’t Work

January 14, 2008 By Terry Stockdale

I received an interesting question from subscriber Maria. She has been using Firefox, as many people do, including me. In this case, she had just upgraded her Internet Explorer to IE7 and was having problems with Outlook Express.

Maria wrote:

Terry, I currently have Fire Fox and Internet Explorer on my computer. I just added the Internet Explorer as a browser after removing it some time ago. Outlook Express is my default email handler. The problem is that in Outlook Express the links don’t open since I added Internet Explorer. [Tech guy] at [a local computer shop] says that it seams like the two are competing I am hoping that you have some ideas as I have tried a few from a Google search.

Fortunately for Maria, I had seen this problem before and thought I knew the answer.

Internet Explorer 7 messes up Outlook Express’ settings if Internet Explorer is not the default web browser when it is installed.

Continue reading Outlook Express Links Don’t Work

Filed Under: Email, IE, Operating System, Outlook Express, Software, System, Terry's Computer Tips, Vista, Web browsing, Windows XP

WinPatrol – for System Control and Protection

October 22, 2007 By Terry Stockdale

I’ve written a number of times about one of the programs that I use on every one of my computers, including my family’s computers. Well, really on every computer that runs Windows — and I’ve been using it since well before 2004.

This program is a great protection tool called WinPatrol. WinPatrol allows me to control which programs start automatically on my system. It also monitors my system for any changes to the programs that start automatically. Unlike some anti-spyware applications, WinPatrol allows me to make the reversable decision to disable auto-starting of a program, where most systems will simply not allow the program to set itself to auto-start.

WinPatrol is available in two flavors — the totally free WinPatrol and the added-function, added-information WinPatrol Plus.

Continue reading WinPatrol – for System Control and Protection

Filed Under: Operating System, Performance Tweaks, Security Fixes, Speed Tweaks, System, Terry's Computer Tips, Vista, Windows XP