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Firewalls - Do you need one?

Julie (not my sister) wrote to me about getting the internet through a Dial Up ISP.  Her Husband Jim has setup Netscape (Jim’s Browser of Choice) & Internet Explorer (Julie’s B.o.C.) to access the net automatically when opened, through the use of Log on Scripts.   Some of Julie’s friends say she needs to install a firewall, while others tell her she doesn’t need to bother, because she doesn’t have an “Always On” connection.  She asked me what I think about her situation, and what the heck a firewall is.

 So the short question is:  Does she need a firewall?

 The short answer is:  Yes.

 Now, we’ll go into the longer answer…

 By automating your log on to the internet, you potentially have an “Always On” connection.

 Note:  Because you have other uses for your phone line (Like being available at dinner time for those telemarketer surveys), it should only stay as a “Potential”.

 Now, the problem comes with the software that may be installed on your computer.  Many applications on your computer may have a “Phone Home” feature.  The main drawback to these features are they use your system resources, internet (and/or LAN) bandwidth, your telephone line, and your “Online Minutes”.

 Some of these programs you want to use these features, such as Windows® Update, your Antivirus program (You do have an Antivirus program, right?), and even the lowly Windows® Media Player (New and Improved playback codec’s are constantly being posted.).  The real problem though comes from “Mal-ware” that may be on your computer.  Trojans, spy ware, and some viruses will also try to “Phone Home”, its best not to let them. 

 All this brings about the question, “How do you stop them?”

 One way starts with you unplugging the telephone line when you are not actively using the internet.  As well as removing your “Auto Log On” scripts.  This means you will have to manually enter your ISP’s phone number, user ID, and password every time you go to access the internet.  A better way to control what your computer does is to use a firewall.

 Now, firewalls come in two basic “flavors”, or types: Hardware, and software.

 Hardware:  Most Routers, and some Network hubs come with built in, semi-configurable hardware firewalls. If you have one of these devices, check the documentation that came with the device to setup and enable it (they’re all different).

 Software:  A software firewall is a program that stands between “ports” of your computer and the internet.  It will allow or deny requests going both ways (from you to the internet, and the internet to you), depending on how you set it up.

 You can get a free version of the “Award Winning” Zone Alarm Firewall software program at http://www.zonelabs.com/ .

 More about Zone Alarm:  This is an “Interactive Intelligent” program that allows you to configure it on the fly as needed.  For Example: When opening Internet Explorer (IE) for the first time, Zone Alarm will “pop-up” (Showing you a large balloon tip near the system tray), asking if you would like to allow IE to access the internet.  Below is a check box labeled “Remember this answer”, along with “Yes” and “No” buttons.

 Since you want to use IE on the internet, click the check box, and then click “Yes”.  Next time it will not ask you, because you already told it what to do.  If you are not sure if you need to allow a program to use the internet, just say “No”, and remember to NOT check the “Remember this answer” box.  If the program does not run as it is supposed to, next time say “Yes”.  If the program works satisfactorily the next time you use it, let it “Remember” the “NO” answer.

 After a few days of “training” your firewall program, the “pop-ups” asking your permission should disappear, so if you see one, you can be pretty sure that something has changed or has been added.

 Note: If you running any of the Windows® NT family of operating systems (Windows® NT, 2000 and XP), many programs are forced to use the “Svchost” program in these operating systems, so the name might be “Svchost” and not Internet Explorer, “MSMIN” (Outlook Express) or so on.  Treat it the same way.
 

Cyber Sex!

For this months 'How do I...' I've included a transcript of a Cyber Sex Chat... Both because it's funny and I didn't have time to write an article myself.  Thanks to friend Darla for the transcript (no, it's not her).  Here it is:

This is a transcript of an actual cyber sex session.

As all of you are well aware, online computers are often used to engage in cyber-sex. Detailed and erotic fantasies are typed into the computer to be instantly transmitted over the Internet.  Sometimes these harmless fantasies become fairly raunchy. This is not the case with the following transcript of an actual on-line cyber -sex session. Either this guy is clueless or has the greatest sense of humor known to mankind.

Wellhung: Hello, Sweetheart. What do you look like?
Sweetheart: I am wearing an expensive red silk blouse, a black leather mini skirt and high-heeled boots. I am tanned and very buffed. I work out everyday. My measurements are 36-24-36. What do you look like?
Wellhung: I'm 6'3 and about 250 lb. I wear glasses and have on a pair of blue sweat pants I just bought at Wal-Mart. I'm also wearing an old T-shirt, it's got some barbecue sauce stains on it and it smells kind of funny.
Sweetheart: I want you. Would you like to screw me?
Wellhung: OK
Sweetheart: We're in my bedroom. There's soft music playing on the stereo and candles on my nightstand. I look up into your eyes and I'm smiling. My hand works its way down to your crotch and I begin to feel your huge swelling bulge.
Wellhung: I'm gulping. I'm beginning to sweat.
Sweetheart: I'm pulling up your shirt and kissing your chest.
Wellhung: Now, I'm unbuttoning your blouse. My hands are trembling.
Sweetheart: I'm moaning softly.
Wellhung: I'm taking hold of your blouse and I'm sliding it softly off.
Sweetheart: I'm throwing my head back in pleasure. The cool silk slides off of my warm body. I'm rubbing your bulge faster now, rubbing and pulling.
Wellhung: My hand suddenly jerks spastically and tears a hole in your blouse. I'm sorry.
Sweetheart: That's, OK. It wasn't really too expensive.
Wellhung: I'll pay for it.
Sweetheart: Don't worry about it! I'm wearing a lacy black bra, my soft breasts are rising and falling as I breathe harder and harder.
Wellhung: I'm fumbling with the clasp of your bra, I think it's stuck. Do you have scissors?
Sweetheart: I take your hand and kiss it softly, I reach behind my back and undo the clasp. My bra slides off. The cool air caresses my breasts, my nipples are erect for you.
Wellhung: How did you do that? I'm picking up the bra and inspecting the clasp.
Sweetheart: I'm arching my back. Oh baby, I just want to feel your tongue all over me.
Wellhung: I'm dropping the bra. Now I'm licking your, you know, breasts. They're neat!
Sweetheart: I'm running my fingers through your hair. Now I'm nibbling your ear.
Wellhung: I suddenly sneeze. Your breasts are covered with spit and phlegm.
Sweetheart: WHAT?
Wellhung: I'm so sorry. Really.
Sweetheart: I'm wiping your phlegm off of my breasts with the remains of my blouse.
Wellhung: I'm taking your sopping wet blouse from you and throwing it in the corner of the room.
Sweetheart: OK. I'm pulling your sweat pants down and rubbing your hard tool.
Wellhung: I'm screaming like a woman! Your hands are cold! Yeee!
Sweetheart: I'm pulling up my miniskirt. Take off my panties.
Wellhung: I'm pulling off your panties. My tongue is going all over, in and out and nibbling on you. ummm, wait a second.
Sweetheart: What's the matter?
Wellhung: I've got a pubic hair caught in my throat. I'm choking.
Sweetheart: Are you OK?
Wellhung: I'm having a coughing fit. I'm turning all red.
Sweetheart: Is there anything I can do to help?
Wellhung: I'm running to the kitchen. Choking wildly. Looking for a cup. Where do you keep your cups??
Sweetheart: In the cabinet to the right of the sink!
Wellhung: I'm drinking a cup of water. There that's better.
Sweetheart: Come back to me, lover.
Wellhung: I'm washing the cup now.
Sweetheart: I'm aching for you lover.
Wellhung: Now I'm drying the cup. I'm putting it back in the cabinet. And now I'm walking back to the bedroom. Wait it's dark, I'm lost. Where is the bedroom?
Sweetheart: Last door on the left at the end of the hall.
Wellhung: I found it.
Sweetheart: I'm tugging off your pants. I want you so badly.
Wellhung: Me too.
Sweetheart: I kiss you passionately. Our naked bodies pressed against each other.
Wellhung: Your face is pushing my glasses into my face. It hurts.
Sweetheart: Why don't you take your glasses off?
Wellhung: OK. But I can't see very well. I'm placing my glasses on the nightstand.
Sweetheart: I'm bending over the bed. Give it to me baby!
Wellhung: I have to pee. I'm fumbling my way blindly to the bathroom.
Sweetheart: Hurry back lover.
Wellhung: I find the bathroom and it's dark. I'm feeling around for the toilet and lift the lid.
Sweetheart: I'm waiting eagerly for your return.
Wellhung: I'm done going. I'm feeling around for the flush handle. Uh-oh!
Sweetheart: What's the matter now?
Wellhung: I just realized I peed in your hamper. Sorry again. I'm walking back to the bed now. Blindly feeling my way.
Sweetheart: Mmmm, yes. Come on.
Wellhung: Now I'm going to put my, you know, thing in your umm, woman's thing.
Sweetheart: Yes! Do it, Baby! Do it!
Wellhung: I'm touching your smooth butt. It feels so nice. Ma'am, I'm having a little problem here.
Sweetheart: I'm moving my ass back and forth. I can't wait another second. Slide it in! Screw me!
Wellhung: I'm flaccid.
Sweetheart: WHAT?
Wellhung: I'm limp. I can't sustain an erection.
Sweetheart: I'm standing up and turning around; an incredulous look on my face.
Wellhung: I'm shrugging with a sad look on my face, my wiener all floppy. I'm looking for my glasses to see what the problem is.
Sweetheart: NO! Never mind. I'm getting dressed, I'm putting on my underwear and my wet nasty blouse.
Wellhung: No wait. I can't find the night table. I'm reaching across the dresser, knocking off cans of hairspray, your picture frames and your candles.
Sweetheart: I'm buttoning my blouse. I'm putting on my shoes.
Wellhung: Now I've found my glasses. My God! One of your candles fell on the curtain! The curtain is on fire. I'm pointing at it with a shocked look on my face.
Sweetheart: Go to hell! I'm logging off, LOSER!

Spam?
Well, I've again been bombarded with emails that expect me to resend to all the people I have in my address book.  Come on people.  Your all supposed to be adults.  You know you don't get anything for nothing.  AOL is not going to pay me (or you) for forwarding a badly written letter to 100 people.  Microsoft is not going to write you a check for doing the same thing (They're in the business of taking our money, not giving it away...), the United Way collects money for charities, not you.

Without researching the factual claims made in a forwarded email there's no 100% sure way to tell it if it's a hoax, but here you'll find common signs to watch for...

Here's How:

  1. Note whether the text was actually written by the person who sent it to you. If not, be skeptical.
  2. Look for the telltale phrase, 'Forward this to everyone you know.'
  3. Look for statements like 'This is not a hoax' or 'This is not an urban legend.' They usually mean the opposite of what they say.
  4. Look for overly emphatic language, the frequent use of UPPERCASE LETTERS and multiple exclamation points!!!!!!!
  5. If the message seems geared more to persuade than to inform, be suspicious. Hoaxers are out to push emotional buttons.
  6. If the message purports to give you extremely important information that you've never heard of before or seen elsewhere in legitimate venues, be suspicious.
  7. Read carefully and think critically about what the message says, looking for logical inconsistencies, violations of common sense and obviously false claims.
  8. Look for subtle or not-so-subtle jokes, indications that the author is pulling your leg.
  9. Check for references to outside sources. Hoaxes will not typically name any, nor link to Websites with corroborating information.
  10. Check to see if the message has been debunked by Websites that cover Internet hoaxes (see below).

Tips:

  1. Virtually any chain email you receive (i.e., any message forwarded multiple times) is more likely to be false than true. Be skeptical.
  2. Hoaxers usually try every means available to make their lies believable -- e.g., mimicking a journalistic style, attributing the text to a 'legitimate' source, etc.
  3. Be especially wary of health-related rumors. Most importantly, never act on this type of rumor without first verifying its accuracy with your doctor or other reliable source.

Check out : http://hoaxbusters.ciac.org/ for more information.
Some handy tips
Installing Windows from the C:\ drive
If you have Windows 95 and wish to install Windows 98 most efficiently, copy the files to your hard disk, then begin the installation.  To do this, double-click on My Computer, then insert the Windows 98 CD.  When the Auto Run screen appears, select Browse This CD. Next, select the Win 98 folder, drag it onto your C: drive in My Computer, and release.  To begin installation, open the Win 98 folder in your C: drive, and select the setup.exe file.   Alternately, if you already have Windows 98 installed, follow the directions above and Re-install over top of your existing installation... The benefit of this procedure is that when installing a new piece of software or hardware, you won't be prompted to insert your Windows CD every time.


Here are some common errors and the best way to handle them:


Explorer Has Caused an Error in Kernel32.dll

 
If you receive an error message like this one: "Explorer Has Caused An Error In Kernel32.dll", odds are there's a control panel file (with the .cpl extension) in the Windows\System folder that is damaged or otherwise incompatible with the OS.  Resolve the problem by starting your system in Safe Mode.  To do this, hold down the Ctrl key while the PC is booting up and choose Safe Mode.  Then, click the Start button, Search, For Files Or Folders and type *.cpl in the Search For Files Or Folders Named field.  Click Search.  Now, noting the original file names, in the Search Results pane, right-click a .cpl file in the Windows\System folder, and click Rename.  Rename the Mca.cpl file first (if it exists), and also rename the first file in the Search Results pane to an .old file extension.  So, if the file name is File.cpl, rename the file to File.old.  Also, note which file you have renamed on the list of original file names.  To see if it worked, try to open the Control Panel.  Keep repeating this process until you can open the Control Panel, and verify that the last file you renamed is the damaged or incompatible file.  Then, rename all of the files you renamed back to the original file names, except for the file that you determined is causing the issue. When you're finished, reboot your computer.


Internal Error Messages


The following error message sometimes occurs if you had multiple windows open within one application: "There Was an Internal Error, And One Of The Windows You Were Using Will Be Closed.  It Is Recommended That You Save Your Work, Close All Programs, And Restart Your Computer".  If you receive this message, save the work in the other open windows in the program (if you can) before closing it, then save and close any other work before restarting your computer.  If you get it frequently (especially when opening the program), try re-installing the program.
Invalid System Disk Error
When your computer boots up, if you receive an error message telling you that have an "Invalid System Disk", chances are there's a non-system disk in the A:/diskette drive.  Pop the diskette out, and hit any key and the computer should then boot properly.  If there isn't a diskette in your floppy drive, chances are your System Bios has "lost" your Hard drive. 

Computer POST codes
This is a big one, so follow this link : Computer POST

Another Hoax
OK people, it's started again... another round of HOAX virus warnings are going around, each asking you to delete a windows system file and "pass this on to all the people in your address book". The SULFNBK.EXE came and went last year and now its the JDBGMGR.EXE surfaced in the last month or so... ( I also got sent to me the SULFNBK.EXE Hoax twice in May - Just in case I forgot, I guess).

Here are some extracts from Symantec's site about these two hoaxes :

This is a hoax that, like the SULFNBK.EXE Warning hoax, tries to persuade you to delete a legitimate Windows file from your computer. The file that the hoax refers to, Jdbgmgr.exe, is a Java Debugger Manager. It is a Microsoft file that is installed when you install Windows.

It has a teddy bear icon as described in the hoax:

jdbgmgr.exe.file.hoax.1

CAUTION: Jdbgmgr.exe, like any file, can become infected by a virus. One virus in particular, W32.Efortune.31384@mm, targets this file. Norton AntiVirus has provided protection against W32.Efortune.31384@mm since May 11, 2001.

NOTE: If you have already deleted the Jdbgmgr.exe file, some Java applets may not run correctly. This is not a critical system file. The file version may vary with your operating system and version of Internet Explorer. If you want to restore the file, read the instructions in the How to restore the Jdbgmgr.exefile section at the end of this document.

Hoax message
This hoax has appeared in several languages.

English
I found the little bear in my machine because of that I am sending this message in order for you to find it in your machine. The procedure is very simple:

The objective of this e-mail is to warn all Hotmail users about a new virus that is spreading by MSN Messenger. The name of this virus is jdbgmgr.exe and it is sent automatically by the Messenger and by the address book too. The virus is not detected by McAfee or Norton and it stays quiet for 14 days before damaging the system.

The virus can be cleaned before it deletes the files from your system. In order to eliminate it, it is just necessary to do the following steps:
1. Go to Start, click "Search"
2.- In the "Files or Folders option" write the name jdbgmgr.exe
3.- Be sure that you are searching in the drive "C"
4.- Click "find now"
5.- If the virus is there (it has a little bear-like icon with the name of jdbgmgr.exe DO NOT OPEN IT FOR ANY REASON
6.- Right click and delete it (it will go to the Recycle bin)
7.- Go to the recycle bin and delete it or empty the recycle bin.

IF YOU FIND THE VIRUS IN ALL OF YOUR SYSTEMS SEND THIS MESSAGE TO ALL OF YOUR CONTACTS LOCATED IN YOUR ADDRESS BOOK BEFORE IT CAN CAUSE ANY DAMAGE.

How to restore the Jdbgmgr.exe file
If you have deleted this file, restoration is optional. However, without it, some Java applets may not run correctly. This is not a critical system file.

To restore the file, follow the instructions in the Microsoft Knowledge Base article Virus Hoax: Microsoft Debugger Registrar for Java (Jdbgmgr.exe) Is Not a Virus (Q322993).

Full info on this hoax can be found at : http://www.sarc.com/avcenter/venc/data/jdbgmgr.exe.file.hoax.html

Here's the extract about SULFNBK.EXE :

Do you believe that a friend of mine sent me an alert and the procedure that we have to follow for the possible infection of SULFNBK.EXE. And I had checked, just to make sure. An then... the file was there, hidden even of McAfee and Norton, maybe waiting something to start work.
Well, see bellow the procedure that I followed step by step, and I found the file:

1. Start/Find Folders. Type the file name: SULFNBK.EXE
2. If it find, open Windows Explorer, browse into the folder where the file is and delete it. Do not click with left button on the file and do not open it.
3. Just delete it
4. Mine was on Windows/Command
5. The virus from the person who gave the alert was on Windows/Config

Yes, Norton and McAfee do not detect it.
We do not know if it makes some damage on the machine, but I think that anybody will not want to test it to know, will it?
Folks, this is not fun, I deleted it from my computer.
And my definitions are updated.
Do the same, ok?

How to restore the Sulfnbk.exe file
If you have deleted this file, restoration is optional. Sulfnbk.exe is a Microsoft Windows utility that is used to restore long file names. It is not needed for normal system operation. If you want to restore it, there is more than one way to do this. For additional information, read the Microsoft Knowledge Base article Description of Sulfnbk.exe and How to Replace the Program File (Q301316)

Full info on this hoax can be found at : http://www.sarc.com/avcenter/venc/data/sulfnbk.exe.warning.html

Now we'll go into it one more time...

1) Always have antivirus software running on your computer. You can download FREE AV software at : http://www.grisoft.com/html/us_index.htm.

2) You should make sure your virus definitions are updated regularly and that heuristic detection is enabled (meaning that your AV software will look for Virus like behavior - not just known viruses).

3) Have at least a personal firewall program installed AND configured to run on your machine on boot up. (the default settings may not be good enough). You can download a free copy of Zone Alarm firewall at : http://www.zonelabs.com/.

4) Every once in a while check your computer with the On-Line Virus Scanners (I check mine every month). Try Panda at : http://www.pandasoftware.es/activescan/com/default.asp. or Symantec at : http://security2.norton.com/ssc/home.asp?j=1&langid=us&venid=sym&plfid=20&pkj=IBYGABOKQYWTFVRHRMS.
I've recently been asked "Where is it?", "Why is it changed?", and comments like: "I liked it better the "old" way". These questions and comments pertain to Windows 2000.

Windows 2000 (W2K) is an updated version of Windows NT that has a "pretty" overlay of Windows 95, 98, ME (9X) features. What that means is, it is a more stable operating system (courtesy of NT) with lots of usability features (from 9X). It also means that not all the features of 9X that you may be used to are there, or work the same... Or are even named the same.

For example: "Network Neighborhood" in 9X becomes "My Network Places" in W2K. The network detection ability of "My Network Places" is a very anemic version compared to the 9X "Network Neighborhood" because in NT (and W2K), it is expected that networks will be configured manually by someone who REALLY knows what they are doing, as opposed to 9X where it would be a "user" setting up a network who doesn't know all the ins and outs of proper network design and maintenance.

The major tool used in 9X to setup a network is Winipconfig.exe which is a great little program that will either find a way to work, or it won't. If it doesn't, reboot and try again. In W2K you have ipconfig.exe that you run from a command prompt with lots of software switches that must be configured manually. The real difference is the knowledge needed to use the tools. In a properly setup W2K network, the network is "ALWAYS" up, while in 9X networks, the "loss" of a network resource can cripple or bring down the network. Easy setup, or always working, Hmm... Guess which one IT departments recommend for new implementations, or PC cycle replacements.

Another big difference between the two operating systems is the built-in support for various types of Hardware and Software. In 9X, just about everything made in the last 20 years will work (although you might need to use a script, workaround or patch). While in W2K Hardware and Software support is quite limited by design. This is the major reason any computer running any flavor of NT is "More Stable"... There's far less chance of things going wrong when everything is specifically designed to work with Operating System.

So now you should have a good idea "where it is" and "why it's changed", and as for the statement that's been mentioned before, "I liked it better the old way", all I can say is give it a try, play around with it a bit, you may find something new (and improved)... Overall the usability of any feature in ANY version of windows has been better than the previous version (because they DO take users input seriously!), but breaking a "habit" of doing things one way to learn another takes time... At one time ( back in the DOS days), I was a keyboard commander and HATED that DARN mouse... Now I use the mouse so much that my already poor keyboard skills are atrophying even more. On the other hand, my son, Adam, has become the keyboard shortcut "king" and rarely uses his mouse - even though he started using the mouse in kindergarten.

And just so you'll know, the NEW AND IMPROVED Microsoft operating system XP is a souped-up, flashy version of W2K and carries the NT core instead of 9X, so most of these points apply to XP as well.

P.S. My wife says "Take a course". She has such a way with the obvious - check with your local Adult Learning Centre or even night classes at a High School. Check out : http://www.intelinfo.com/cat1.html for some on-line courses.

How to solve common beginners' Windows problems
Here are a few of their most common complaints and ways you can resolve them:

1) "The taskbar is gone." Often, the user has accidentally resized the taskbar to where it's just a thin bar across the bottom of the screen or moved it to the top or side of the screen with Auto Hide on. Explain to the user how to resize it, move it and how to use the Auto Hide feature will usually correct the situation.

2) "My program is gone." When you hear this complaint, suspect the user has either deleted a shortcut from the desktop or may have accidentally deleted the program's shortcut from the Start menu. Just walk the user through re-creating the shortcut.

3) "My documents are gone." Someone may have changed the file location that appears in the Open dialog box in an application program, such as Word. Give the user a quick tutorial on file and folder locations, and how to change the save location.
 

A more Difficult problem - Windows Won't Start

Suppose you can get video to display on the monitor, and you can get into the BIOS, but Windows won't start. The problem could be many things... To find the fix, check out these potential causes:

1) Make sure the hard disk that contains the Windows OS is functional (check the cables and jumper settings!).

2) If Windows begins to start but then hangs, a specific driver or DLL is probably causing the problem. Press and hold the CTRL key while booting up to see the boot menu, then use the step-by-step confirmation method and make a note of the last line that appeared on-screen before the hang. Then reboot (hold the CTRL key down) and pick Safe Mode this time, remove the program that is causing the problem or use MSCONFIG.EXE, the System Configuration Utility, to exclude that item from startup.

3) If Windows locks up at the point where the chosen video mode kicks in - that is, after the splash screen but before you see the mouse pointer - an invalid video mode has probably been chosen. Start in Safe Mode and change the video to default VGA mode (640X480 and 256 colors).

Installing MS Back Up and Some great tools for your PC
OOOOPS!!!  It was noticed in last month's "How do I Do That?" that I mentioned using Backup, but did not tell you how to install it if it wasn't already installed. Read it here : February 2002. OK, the default (or typical) installation of Windows does not include several great tools or accessories, so here's how you add them:

Click "Start", then point to "Settings", then click "Control Panel". In "Control Panel" open "ADD/REMOVE SOFTWARE". Click "Windows Setup" at the top, and wait while it checks what is already installed. Scroll down to "System Tools" and click "Details". Select "Backup" and click "OK". If your Windows .CAB files are not on your hard drive, you will be prompted to insert your Windows CD. Then it should install, but might require you to reboot before using it. You can install other options the same way if they were "missed" during the original installation.

For this issue I'm including a look at freeware / shareware that I consider to be pretty much essential for Win9X computing.

System Tools

Do you have problems getting Windows to defrag properly? Try Power Defrag Lite: www.powerdefrag.com.

Disable some of those startup items that you don't need or want loading every time you start your computer with Startup Cop: ftp.zdnet.com.

Take Task Bar a step further... see ALL the running processes on your computer and selectively "end" them with Cool Kill: http://www.utilitygeek.com/software/cooltools/coolkill.shtml

Free up your Ram with Ram Idle (choose custom and uncheck ON FLOW component, it is ad ware and you don't want it): http://www.tweaknow.com/ramidl.html

Mr Tech has way too many features to go into, but it allows the "cleanup" of Windows Temp files and your Internet Cache (even the ones marked as in use!): http://www.mrtech.com/mrsystray/index.html

System Utilities

AVG Anti-Virus is about the best free Anti-virus program out there now that InoculateIT PE is gone. Get it at : http://www.grisoft.com/html/us_index.htm

V-Catch is a virus scanner that checks your E-Mail and Gnuettella hosts (Napster, Lime Wire, KaZaA, Audio Galaxy, etc.). Download it at: http://www.vcatch.com/

Zone Alarm is a great firewall program and YOU NEED IT! Get it here: http://www.zonelabs.com/

MS Win Errors will help you figure out what those errors mean that say some thing like "Media Player caused a terminal page fault at address X0009 etc.". Download it at : http://www.gregorybraun.com/MSWinErr.html

Cool Stuff

The best picture viewer out there. Download IrfanView

Murphy's Laws (and others) right on your desk top... How cool is that? Download Murphy 97 at : http://murphy.monitor.hr/0001567/download/

WS_ftp le is a great ftp (file transfer protocol) program and it makes you wonder what feature they could possibly add to the "pay" version, cause it already does it all. Check it out at: http://www.ftpplanet.com/download.htm

Net Lab is a great little app that will access a "who is?" server and give you information on who keeps trying to access your computer from the wild and wooly web (kind of like what zone alarm pro will do, but free). Check it out at: ftp.ccit.edu.tw.

Lava Soft's ever popular Ad-Aware program to remove Ad Ware and Spy Ware components from your computer. You need this, get it at : http://www.lsfileserv.com/downloads.html

Belarc Advisor is a great little program that will give you a very complete accounting of what your computer has (both software and hardware) get it at : http://www.belarc.com/Download.html

Built in Windows tools to fix your PC
Ok, here's some good stuff from everybody's favorite Uncle Bill in Redmond. He's so good to us, he provides the tools to fix our broken operating systems... If only he would release a bullet proof operating system we wouldn't need these Apps. Seem a little bitter, don't I? While verifying the Surf Report links this month, I had IE 6 crash three times... and Windows 98 lock up on me once. It's still better than IE 5 and Windows 95, though. (Don't even get me started on Windows 2000 or XP, I see them crash all the time <:^)> ).
Replacing your registry with a backup copy

Your system always keeps a backup copy of your registry configuration (including user account information, protocol bindings, software program settings, and user preferences). You can use the backup copy if your current registry encounters a problem. Each time you restart your computer, Registry Checker automatically scans your registry. If Registry Checker notices a problem, it automatically replaces the registry with the backup copy.

You can start Registry Checker by clicking Start, pointing to Programs, pointing to Accessories, pointing to System Tools, clicking System Information, and on the Tools menu, clicking Registry Checker. If your registry contains an entry referencing a file that no longer exists (such as a .vxd file), it will not be fixed by Registry Checker.

Using System File Checker

You can use System File Checker to verify the integrity of your operating system files, to restore them if they are corrupted, and to extract compressed files (such as drivers) from your installation disks. You can have System File Checker back up the existing files before restoring the original files. You can also customize search criteria based on folder and file extension.

You can start System File Checker by clicking Start, pointing to Programs, pointing to Accessories, pointing to System Tools, and then clicking System Information. In System Information, click Tools, and then click System File Checker.

Using Backup

You can use Backup to back up files on your hard disk. You can back up files to floppy disks, a tape drive, or another computer on your network. If your original files are damaged or lost, you can restore them from the backup.

You can start Backup by clicking Start, pointing to Programs, pointing to Accessories, pointing to System Tools, and then clicking Backup. If you do not see Backup on the Accessories menu, it is not installed. For information about how to use Backup, click the Help menu in Backup.

Keeping Windows 98 up-to-date

(This is important since Microsoft has put a time limit to the active product cycle of Windows 98. There will not be ANY updates soon. Get 'em while you still can)

Windows Update is an online extension of Windows 98 that helps your computer work and run better. Windows Update provides a central location to find product enhancements and specific files customized for your computer. Product enhancements include service packs, system files, device drivers, and new Windows 98 features. Windows Update indicates the approximate download time and whether an update is already installed on your computer. You can select one item or multiple items to install.

To open Windows Update, click Start, and then click Windows Update. You can also open Windows Update by clicking Start, pointing to Settings, and then clicking Windows Update.

Using these tools regularly along with the standard Defrag and Scandisk, should help make your computing experience much more enjoyable.

P.S. - Don't forget to update your virus scanner...
Recently Computer Security has become an ISSUE at our house. We have a computer nerd that thinks it would be cool to install something on Dad's computer, then dad's 'puter don't work right anymore; we have a visitor get mad with someone and access her hotmail account and profile, change things to say offensive things, masquerade as her to her friends and upset them, as well as change the password so she can't get in; as well we have had an infestation of the Badtrans virus (not on my 'puter, thank goodness).
All right people, here are ten rules that should help you deal with your computer:

1) if it works, don't touch it.

2) if it's not yours, don't touch it.

3) if you don't recognize it, don't touch it.

4) as well as your opinion, keep your password to yourself.

5) make a backup REGULARLY.

6) keep your Anti-Virus matrix updated.

7) run Scandisk and Defrag regularly.

8) make sure you have a windows startup disk...

9) if you don't really need it, port it over to floppy, CD-R or delete it (your Hard Drive will thank you...).

and 10) empty both Sent mail and Deleted mail folders regularly and compress your Saved email folder.
 

Using Windows without a Mouse

Occasionally, I've had problems with a computer mouse not working.  Microsoft seemed to at one time, have thought that it might happen often enough to need a solution.  Well they wrote a neat little app called MouseKeys.  It allows you to use the number pad on your keyboard as a mouse.

Now, anyone who's ever tried to fix Windows, without a working mouse probably already knows about the Alt, Tab, Shift, and Space keys that will allow you to "reluctantly" open windows and apps.  MouseKeys is much better.  It makes your number pad into a real mouse.  After all, Windows is designed for a mouse or some type of pointing device.  

The only problem with MouseKeys, is that it has to load up when you start your computer, and it's a pain to try and load without a mouse.  Once it IS loaded it just sits in your taskbar waiting for you to use it.  Just turn OFF your NUM LOCK, and use your arrows on the number pad.  The "+" and the "-" keys become the left and right buttons (you have to also press "5" to select).  To speed up cursor movement, hold down your Ctrl key while using an arrow key, and to slow down, use the Shift button.  

To load MouseKeys, go to Control Panel, and open Accessibility Options, then Mouse, then check that "use MouseKeys" is selected.  If you do not have any Accessibility Options in control panel installed, you'll have to install from your Windows CD through Add New Programs / Windows Setup.

Problems with Defragging
Got this from Michele,

forgot to ask you something, I'm having trouble doing a defrag on my puter.  I noticed that it isnt able to run the application and i remember someone telling me that i have too many things open on my computer when i run it.  The problem is that i dont remember what program that i have to keep open when i do ctrl alt del.  Could ya tell me??  Thanks

Well Michele, you're right.   Sometimes a process or application running on your computer in the background (where you can't see it) will just upset Defrag so much that it starts singing that Willie Nelson classic "Take this Job and shove it!".  

The way to get around it is to turn off your screen saver (it checks every minute or so to see if your using your computer), any open application, and just about all the icons in your task bar (the little pictures on the right by your clock).   Now sometimes that isn't enough... some processes run completely in the background and it is very hard to tell if anything else is running.  

By using the Windows three finger salute (Ctrl +Alt +Del) ONCE, you should see the Task Manager box pop up, and it will allow you to select individual processes or applications and terminate them.  Unfortunately, it won't tell you EVERYTHING that is running and trying to figure out what you should close or end and what HAS to be left alone, can still be quite confusing. 

The best solution I've found is a little program called Power Defrag Lite that shuts down your system and restarts in a customized version of  "Safe Mode", runs Defrag, and when it's done, it restarts your computer in Normal mode.  

The benefits of this program is that you don't have hunt down things that are running on your computer just to shut them off so you can Defrag, and Defrag runs Faster in safe mode, especially when it isn't constantly restarting!

You can download the free ware version of Power Defrag at:   http://www.powerdefrag.com/  

P.S. - sorry I didn't reply to you sooner.

More on Internet Explorer
If you have a favorite Web site that you will access fairly often,
you can add it to the Link bar for quicker access. First, you need to activate the Links toolbar by :

1. Clicking on the View menu and point to Toolbars.
2. Select Links if it is not already active (to be active it needs to have a checkmark next to it).

To add a link to the Links toolbar:

1. Find the link you want to add to the Links toolbar. You can do this by finding the link on the site, or using the URL listed in the Address field at the top of the browser window.
2. Click and drag the Link or the address into the Links toolbar.

In last month's newsletter, we went over some keyboard shortcuts, and both Roger and Adam where quick to point out that "windows key" + M is a very quick way to minimize all open windows. Here are some more "windows key" shortcuts :
To

Cycle through buttons on the taskbar

Display Find: All Files

Display Find: Computer

Display Help

Display the Run command

Display the Start menu

Display the System Properties dialog box

Display Windows Explorer

Minimize or restore all windows

Undo minimize all windows

 Press

WINDOWS +TAB

WINDOWS + F

CTRL + WINDOWS + F

WINDOWS + F1

WINDOWS + R

WINDOWS

WINDOWS + BREAK

WINDOWS + E

WINDOWS + D

SHIFT + WINDOWS + M

Archiving Outlook Express messages
Here's a good one. "How do you archive Outlook Express Messages that you don't want to lose?"

1) Create a new mail message.

2) Put the archive name into the Subject line and then copy all the messages that you want in the archive from the Outlook Express Inbox (or whatever folder) and paste them into the new mail message. Outlook Express will add all the files as attachments.

3) Choose File, then Save As, find a folder for the file and click Save.

4) now close the new message window 'cause you don't need it anymore.


You can now open the archive message by browsing to the archived message (it's icon should look like an envelope), opening the message and and selecting the individual archived message to read, or you can restore them to a folder by simply selecting the attachments and dragging to a folder.
Hijacked home page
I've received three messages like this, in the last four months :
"Help!!! I've got this thing showing on the bottom of my screen, and my start page in Internet explorer has been changed to : http://www.gohip.com/. No matter how many times I change it, it comes back."

Well, chances are you either watched a REAL movie (2 hours or more) from their site, or you joined one of their chat rooms. All is not lost. You can get rid of all the GoHip "Enhancement", piece by piece by changing settings in your browser and Outlook Express, but as you found out, chances are they will come back. GoHip has an "Enhancement" tool that will remove all of their crap from your system. Go to : http://www.gohip.com/remove_browser_enhancement.html and follow the instructions. Save it to your desktop, and when ready, right click on the icon. You will have to reboot your system, but then you'll not be hip anymore and everything should go back to normal.

Slow Computer
I get a lot of questions about why peoples computers start running MUCH slower than they used to. There are many reasons why a computer can run slower, but most of them can be checked very simply, and can be repaired with slight effort and a bit of knowledge on how your computer likes to do things.
#1 Ram Cram - Have you loaded new software recently (especially upgrades of existing software) that require more memory? Your old software or operating system might have run perfectly fine on 16 or 32 megs of ram, but your new version might require more of the ram "overhead". Adding more ram is the best solution but you can also install ram compression software.

#2 Hard Drive Bloat - Running out of space? Windows REQUIRES approximately 100 to 150 megs of contiguous free hard drive space to use as virtual memory (computer old timers call it a swap file). Right click on "My Computer", pick "Properties", then "Performance", and finally "Virtual Memory". Make sure that "Let windows manage my virtual memory settings" is selected and that in the grayed out box below that it shows at least 100 MB is free.

#3 System Resources - A combination of free ram, hard drive space, video ram, cache, unused bus speed and other assorted goodies. It may surprise you, but Windows 95 and 98 need at least 70% of the system resources just to run properly. Anything above that 70% is available for you and your applications to run. Again, go to "My Computer", right click on "Properties" then "Performance". Under "Performance status" it will list what your percentage of free system resources is - more is better. My system runs normally between 90% and 98%, although when I'm running it hard it has gotten down to 70% (lots of open running applications). Some of the things that can cause abnormal use of system resources are hardware and software driver incompatibility, excessive use of the Start Up folder (do really need every application you have on your system to load up when you turn on your computer?), use of Quick Launch toolbars, and duplicate or incorrect entries in system files (win.ini, system.ini, autoexec.bat, msdos.sys, and config.sys). Cleaning up entries in these system files will usually cause a dramatic speed increase, as well as better "overhead" use of system resources.

#4 Compatibility Mode - In Windows 9X you should be running in 32 bit mode for both file system and virtual memory. Check by going to "My Computer", right click then select "Properties" and pick "Performance". Check the tab, if either is listed as running in MS Dos compatibility mode, you probably have a corrupted or missing Atapi or Eide controller driver, and installing the correct (or even a generic) driver for the problem device usually clears this up.

#5 Fragmented Drive - In simple words, jumbled data. It's like taking the entire contents of a well organized file cabinet and spreading it all over the city. Even if you keep a map (called a File Allocation Table or simply FAT) showing where everything is, it takes a while to get the pieces you need. Run Defrag regularly to optimize the way your data is stored on your hard drive. By keeping all the parts of an application together on your hard drive rather than spread out, you can immensely speed up application launches (that applies as well to the Operating System). To run Defrag, go to the "Start" button on the task bar, then "Programs", "Accessories", "System Tools", and finally "Disk Defragmenter". Pick the drive you want to work on then press "OK". The first time you run it may take QUITE A WHILE! Also turn off any screen savers or running applications while trying to run Defrag.

# 6 Hard Drive Errors - Sometimes a Boot or FAT record on your drive can become damaged or lost, run Scandisk regularly (about once a week should be fine) to find and correct these errors.

Creating a Group in Outlook Express
This months "How do I do that...?" is about creating group lists in Outlook Express/Address Book to simplify emailing out all that funny stuff you find on the web to all your email buds. Group lists save time and typing errors when your sending the same thing to multiple addresses. Its simply a way of automating a repetitive task ('cause you know you'll send something else to the same people soon). Group lists will show as a single contact in your Address Book but will automatically send your mail to every address in the Selected List. One thing to remember is that you have to add addresses to the group from addresses that are already present.
First open your Address Book, then click New, then New Group. Then in the box for group name type Funny List - Work. Click Select Members, then you do just that, select the individual members you would like to be on the new group list. Remember to click on each contact, then click Select. When you've added all of them click OK.

Now all you do is Email out to your group list rather than one person and CC: or BCC: all the others.

About BCC
After running that article about internet newbies, I got a few comments from several people.

Most wanted to know what BCC: was and how do they go about using it. Well here goes. BCC stands for blind carbon copy (CC: stands for, you guessed it ; carbon copy). When you go to send an e-mail to several people, you pick one to send it to by clicking on the TO: button even though it doesn't look like a button, (send a copy to yourself if you don't want any of your recipients to know about each other). Then pick the BCC option instead of CC.

What BCC does basically is to hide the e-mail information in the encoding of the e-mail that is sent. That way Spammers can't use a packet sniffer to read the header information and get all those lovely e-mail addresses to add to their lists. That helps keep your inbox free so I can send you this newsletter.

Now, if you e-mail regularly to the same group of people you might want to create a "group" in your e-mail program that you can treat as a single e-mail address. In Outlook express you can follow the prompts in the help section. I can't remember if Eudora has the same feature or not... Anyone know? The procedure in outlook '97 and '98 is pretty much the same as in OE. Just check in the help section on "How to add a new group".

BCC combined with Address Group option can save you from a lot of typing, as well as mis-sent e-mails.

Newbies on the NET
 For this month's "How do I do that?" I've just reprinted an article that may be of some use to some of you...

EMAIL FACTS OF LIFE
FOR NET-NEWBIES AND
LESS-SOPHISTICATED USERS

Original Author Unknown

1. Big companies don't do business with email chain letters. Bill Gates/Microsoft is not giving away $1,000 and Disney is not giving away a free vacation to anyone on a chain-email list.

2. There is no baby food company issuing class-action cheques. You can now relax! There is no need to pass it on "just in case it's true." Furthermore, even if someone did say in the message, four generations back, that "we checked it out and it's legit", does not actually make it any more true.

3. There is no kidney theft ring in New Orleans. No one is waking up in a bathtub full of ice, even if a friend of a friend swears it happened to their cousin. If you insist on believing the kidney-theft ring stories, please see: http://urbanlegends.tqn.com/library/weekly/aa062997.htm A quote: "The National Kidney Foundation has repeatedly issued requests for actual victims of organ thieves to come forward to tell their stories. None have." That's "NONE", as in "ZERO". Not even your friend of a friend's cousin came forward.

4. Neiman Marcus doesn't really sell a $200 cookie recipe. You can get a copy of the rumor recipe at: http://www.bl.net/forwards/cookie.html Then, if you make the recipe and decide the cookies are truly awesome, feel free to pass the recipe on (but I hear they stink).

5. We all know ALL 500 ways to drive your roommates crazy, irritate co-workers, gross-out bathroom stall neighbors, and creep out people on an elevator. We also know exactly how many engineers, college students, Usenet posters, and people from each and every world ethnicity it takes to change a light bulb.

6. Even if the latest NASA rocket disaster (s) DID contain plutonium that went to particulation over the eastern seaboard, do you REALLY think this information would reach the public ONLY by way of an AOL chain-letter?

7. There is no "Good Times" virus. In fact, you should never, ever, ever forward any email containing any virus warning unless you first confirm it at an actual site of an actual company that actually deals with viruses. Instead, try: http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/hoax.html [ And even then, don't forward it. ]

8. If your CC: list is regularly longer than the actual content of your message, you're probably going to be punished eternally. (Ever heard of BCC:? If not, LOOK IT UP!!) Every CC: list winds up as a SPAM list sooner or later.

9. If you're using Outlook, IE, or Netscape to write email, TURN OFF "HTML encoding." It sends both TEXT and HTML and can triple the size of any message you send. Only newbies have HTML in messages (Or Newsletter writers! -Mark). The rest of us get "mailbox full" because of them. Also: Those on Unix shells can't read it and won't care enough to save the attachment or view it with a web browser since you're likely just forwarding a copy of the Cookie Recipe anyway.

10. If you still absolutely MUST forward that 10th-generation message from a friend of a friend of a friend, at least have the decency to trim the eight miles of headers showing everyone else who's received it over the last 6 months. Spammers love to receive all those new addresses... and, it sure wouldn't hurt to get rid of those">>>" thingies that begin each line. ALSO, if something has gone around THAT many times, we've probably already seen it too often. It's usually only new to newbies.

This is pretty old but I've checked and the links still work, the information in this article is a pretty good primer on netiquette (net etiquette). It should allow you to communicate with your friends and family better.

About Chatting on the Net
Most people think the Internet is all about Chat rooms, downloading MP3's, or on-line gaming. Chat rooms are just like trying to talk to a stranger in a crowded bar except that you normally don't get to see what they look like. Why anyone over 18 would want to do that, I can't understand. Now Private Chat is much cooler, and is simpler and faster than sending an email. Basically it is a two-way real time email conversation.

There are lots of Chat and Instant messaging services out there. Major players include ICQ, Yahoo, AOL, MSN and plenty of "branded" clones.

ICQ is very fast, but needlessly complex. "Geek" factor is very high though as it has ALL the bells and whistles.

Yahoo Messenger is much simpler, but they've been having a lot of outages on their messenger server. If they can consistently keep it running it would be great.

AOL Messenger (included in the new AOL) has some interesting features, but uses the controversial Virtual Private Networking (VPN) protocols that has some MASSIVE system and security holes in it. See http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2000/2000-12-07.htm for more information.

MSN Messenger is one of the last ones out of the gate, but I consider it to be the best. Microsoft used the same production formula that made Internet Explorer (IE) the browser of choice for most of the computing world. MSN Messenger allows private chat, "invited chat" (more than two people), and Emoticon use (graphic smilies and such). It also allows file sharing, Email notification via a Hot Mail account, free long distant calling from your PC to any phone in North America, and the ability to instantly turn contacts in your windows address book into online contacts.

All these features are available in a clean neat interface with minimal "clutter" and complexity. As you've probably guessed by now, MSN is MY instant messenger service choice. Why don't we step through the installation' before you get completely bored.

Go to: http://messenger.msn.com/ and click download MSN Messenger service. You will need a Microsoft passport or Hotmail account, if you click "No. Not yet" a window will pop up for you to sign up for a Hotmail account. If you do not want another email account click the link that says "Try this instead", then follow the prompts. When you're done getting a passport you should be sent to the download page. Click the start download button and pay special attention to the "run this program from its current location" popup box. Accept the Certification and install. You will be required to restart your computer. You should have no problem using it. 9 yr. olds can use it right away (but their spelling is almost as bad as mine - Hi Whitney!).

Playing an MP3 from a tape deck
Our question for this issue is: How do take that great MP3 you just down loaded with you if you didn't get one of those great mp3 players for Christmas?

The easiest way to carry around you MP3's is to record them onto CD-R or tape. Since not everybody has a rewriter, we'll assume that everyone is going to use a tape as his or her medium of choice. To record your MP3's you will need: 1) A soundcard in your computer (Duh!). 2) A tape deck that will record via an input (or Mic.) jack. 3) A patch cord to connect the tape deck to your computer (it may need to have mini-stereo plug (s) or RCA plug (s) depending on your sound card and tape deck). 4) A high quality 60 minute tape. 5) A MP3 (or WMA) file on your computer to transfer (Double Duh!).

Basically all we are going to do is play the MP3 on the computer and record it simultaneously on the tape deck. Those of you who remember taping your vinyl LPs onto cassette should be able to jump ahead and do it. While those of you who tried to do it with eight-track should back away from the computer slowly... (18 and under crowd, eight-tracks were output only mediums, but some people tried REPEATEDLY to tape ONTO them).

Open your sound player software, load the song, Set and pause tape deck to record, ensure patch cords connect sound card speaker (or line out) jack (s) with tape deck's input jack, start recording on the tape deck, then start playing the MP3 file on your computer.

When song has finished playing, rewind the tape and play it. You might have to adjust you system Mixer properties to get acceptable output, but it shouldn't take long for you to get the hang of it. (hint: if your mixer supports it, check "loudness" button in advanced properties and lower you volume out when playing the song to the tape deck... It will sound much better.)
Keyboard shortcuts and Back Ups
I'm going to start with some keyboard short cuts that were reported to me for Internet Explorer users who have not yet upgraded to a web savy mouse. They also are supposed to work with Netscape.

#1 - To scroll through the page - Press and hold CTRL + the arrow button of your choice. I've been trying it and on some web pages (those BIG ONES) and it's amazing how much less arm and shoulder strain you will have, but using your mouse directly on your Browser scroll bar is faster.

#2 - Press and hold ALT+ the left arrow key to return to the previous web page. Using the right key instead is like using your browsers forward button.

The next "How do I...?" is about running system maintance. I'll start with Backups. Most systems running Microsoft Windows (any flavor) have the option of installing some type of backup program from your install disk. If you do not have it installed, install it as soon as you've finished reading this newsletter!

PERSONAL NOTE : It's always a pain when you lose a file or a program that you frequently use, even if you have the original install disks. More and more, programs are being installed directly to our computers from the internet, and how many of us actually ported them over to some type of removable storage device? What about that cute little MP3 player you downloaded? Bet you saved it to your hard drive and clicked "open" when the download was complete so you could hurry up and install it, and even if you thought about it, you probably didn't get around to porting it because the install program first had to reboot your computer, then you set your personal options, you registered on the program's website to receive updates or personal "picks" of some kind, found a neat link to some page that had really off the wall content that you could download (only to try out the program, you understand), fooled around with it an hour and a half, told your wife when she asked five times - that you would be right up to bed, then you stretch and realize that your tired and shut everything off and try to go to bed (probably on the couch 'cause you've pissed off your wife). Average times 3 to 5 hours. Bet you didn't port it the next day either.

Most backup programs will want to do a complete back up on the first use. Do it. After that make sure all your backups are incremental or consecutive. This way any changes made to your system since since the complete backup will be saved (also these next backups will be smaller and take FAR less time then the first one). If you have to restore from your backups, you'll have to reinstall your operating system first (a bare install with no accessories except your backup program is ok), then restore the complete backup. now you have a useable system, but it's not quite the same as what you lost. Time for the incremental backups. install them in the order they were made up to the last one. your system should be restored to it's pre-amnesia state.

PLEASE NOTE: if you suspect that the last backup was made after you started having problems or might be corrupted or may be virally contaminated, DO NOT RESTORE IT! Contact a good IT support person. He or she will ask you some questions about how your system is currently setup, and what the previous behavior of your system was both before and after it started going sociopathic on you or started suffering from amnesia. He or she may also want to see copies of your back ups. If you don't have a support or service account with an IT dept. or company, contact me, and I'll give it a whack. Heck, I'm cheap. (but still "oh so cute and loveable!").

Now the next thing you have to do is decide how often, and when and where to back up. A good rule of thumb to figure out how often to back up is to play "How much can I afford to lose?" Start with figuring out what you do on the computer. Any financial records should be backed up immediately on exiting your banking or budgeting software (most of those programs prompt you to back up to a floppy disk when you click on the close button). If your software has this feature, USE IT! Normal home use that consists of making a couple garage sale flyers, or playing games, heck, try once a month. But if your writing letters to elected politicans or some silly thing that is fairly important that you must not lose, once a week is probably more reasonable. If you are using the computer for business (yours or sombody else's), back it up DAILY.
Ok. we've decided that you're going to back up your computer. Why you've even installed Microsoft Backup because it wasn't selected to be installed when your system was setup. Now you have to make that first complete back up. Don't plan on going anyware (especially if your using floppy disks). Yes, it can take up to a whole day. (the good news is that unless you run into problems, you wont have to do a complete backup again for quite awhile).

Now, all the rest of the back ups you make will be incremental, meaning you'll only back up what has changed since the last backup - you'll only be saving changes they are much smaller and take far less time. Now, another point to consider is whether to use verification (also called compare) when doing your backup. I would suggest always using verification, as there is nothing worse than religiously following a back up schedule, having a catastrophe, restoring your system and finding out something is missing or corrupted on your backups. It's much better to find out right a away, and fix the problem. Yes verification will increase the time it takes to make a backup. "There ain't no such thing as a free lunch".