How To Protect Your PC From Becoming A Zombie Without Your Knowledge

Written on November 19, 2009 by Kay

Zombie PCs: Botnets

Google Search is so entrenched in today’s society that it has become a verb meaning “I’m going to look that up, as in I’m going to Google that”. That’s when you know that you’ve arrived. The instant information at our fingertips is made possible via complicated search algorithms that Google employs; the amazing speed at which such search results are returned is made possible by clustering multitudes of computers together, teaming them all up into one harmonious big brain that crunches through data like nobody’s business.

The same cluster computing that makes Google so great can also be used for the dark side of computing. One home PC isn’t as powerful as thousands of home PCs, working together under the radar. What can such a host of compromised PCs accomplish (a botnet) when teamed over a network? Everybody’s beloved spam, for instance, can be blasted out to recipients faster and cover more ground when souped-up via a botnet. Think of a single zombie PC as a quaint garden hose; now think of a botnet of PCs as a firetruck hose, the ones that need like 5 firemen just to tame it, and you’ll get the idea.

There are many ways for your PC to become infected with bot malware. A bot can ride in from a malicious website if your browser and malware scanner aren’t equipped to handle it. A bot program can even take over your computer by traditional means if you run an infected executable program. Unfortunately, the glut of bots out there in the wild is too much for most anti-malware companies to keep up with; as a result, some bots can slip through the cracks of today’s malware detection software. The best defense is to only surf reputable website if you can help it, always keep your browser (Firefox, Internet Explorer, et al.) up-to-date, update your anti-malware software’s definitions to defend against the latest threats, and use Windows Update liberally.

Microsoft’s Malicious Software Removal Tool

It’s a good idea to let Windows Update do its thing automatically, so you don’t forget. Microsoft’s Malicious Software Removal Tool does a good job at seeking and destroying malware (bot software, for example) that may have crawled into your system. One version of the malware removal tool is updated monthly. This particular version vigilantly runs in the background on the second Tuesday of each month, and sends out a report to Microsoft detailing which infections (if any) it has found and removed. If you suddenly notice a change in your PC’s behavior (router bandwidth lights flashing continuously, sluggish computer, web page redirecting) then it’s a good idea to run the Malicious Software Removal Tool.

BotHunter, a free anti-malware program, can also be used to take a proactive stance against infections. Not only does BotHunter run on Windows but also on UNIX, Linux, and Mac OSX. BotHunter keeps its finger on the pulse of your computer’s network data exchanges, flagging any known patterns that may indicate a zombie computer. BotHunter is credited for first identifying the Conflicker malware patterns back in November ‘08.

Cellphone Bots

Bots not only invade computers but cellphones too. Smart-phones equipped with the Symbian OS are known to become infected with the Sexy View SMS bot. A zombie cellphone may behave differently than a zombie PC, so you may not even be aware of your cellphone’s botlike intentions. As a whole, botnets probably aren’t going to be completely eradicated any time soon, so the best defense is to keep your PC clean and bot-free.

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How to Remove Your Windows 7 Partition

Written on November 19, 2009 by Kay

If you are like most PC users who could not wait to try the new, highly anticipated Windows 7, you are likely running a pre-release beta version. You may be doing so with a duel boot configuration. Now that Windows 7 has been released and is now on store shelves, you want to remove these pre-releases and install the full product.

• Note: Not only can you follow these steps to remove your beta and pre-release Windows 7 editions, but you can also follow these same steps to remove your old Vista or XP operating system. Now that you have had time to test out Windows 7 and liked what you saw, it is time to say goodbye to your old operating system.

Since you are deleting the partition used with Windows, it is important to backup all your files. This includes any important documents, pictures, videos, music, and more. Create a backup disk right now if you haven’t done so already.

How to Remove Windows 7 from Windows Vista

Built-in tools for Vista can be used to manipulate and modify your hard drive partitions. It is recommended that you have your Vista DVD on hand incase any complications arise. To get started:

• Boot Vista
• Click the Start Menu
• Enter “diskmgmt.msc” in the search bar

At this time, a window named “Disk Management” open and it will contain the basic information about your PC drives.

• Right-click on the partition you created for Windows 7
• Select “Delete Volume”

At this time, you should see unallocated hard drive space; this is where Windows 7 once was.

• Right click the original partition
• Select “Extend Volume”
• Enter in the full amount of unallocated space

At this time, you may be unable to boot into Windows Vista because you may have damaged your boot loader, but do not worry. It is time to use the Vista DVD, boot from it, and wait until the loading process is complete. You will then want to select the “Repair Your Computer” option. Now, you will be asked to decide on a recovery tool to utilize; you want to select “Startup Repair.”

In just a few minutes, your computer will solve the issues at hand and your computer should be able to reboot has normal. Now, just remove the DVD from your optical drive. And, remember you can do these same steps to remove Windows Vista once you have the full version of Windows 7 installed.

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Simplify Computing With Free Downloads

Written on November 15, 2009 by Kay

It’s the little things that add up that can make all the difference. Evolution, for example, is uncanny at producing tiny improvements that, added up over time, produces a great white shark or a human being from the primordial ooze. Software can have the same effect on your computer and the way you work with it. The Linux operating system, as another example, takes its roots from the UNIX mindset, which builds software by teaming up and combing a multitude of simpler, smaller programs until you have a behemoth of an operating system at your disposal. The same goes for the Windows side: Small utilities when used together can greatly improve your computing experience and make it more enjoyable.

MouseExtender: App Launch Anywhere With A Click

Sometimes having too many options can be a burden. For instance, Windows gives you so many ways to launch an application, that sometimes the abundance of launch options confuse more than they help. Of course, there’s the Start Menu, then there’s Quick Launch, and don’t forget the Desktop icons. But any of those methods forces you to divert your attention from what you were doing (web surfing, Word processing, composing e-mail, etc.) and you must navigate your mouse’s pointer to the shortcut you need. There’s a better, more efficient way.

MouseExtender makes launching programs from anywhere a snap. The beauty of MouseExtender is its relationship with your mouse’s middle button. From anywhere, middling-clicking will fire up MouseExtender’s shortcut dock, where you’ll be able to run programs that you’ve placed inside of it. I was excited when I first heard about this utility and couldn’t wait to try it, but I had one misgiving: I use my mouse’s middle-button to quickly scroll in Firefox. My fears were put to bed upon discovering that you can disable MouseExtender when using different applications. When Firefox is active, MouseExtender doesn’t interfere, allowing Firefox to use the middle-mouse button. Oh, and another thing that might interest you about this handy little utility: It’s free!

Organize Chaotic Desktop Icons

I like my desktop icons organized a certain way. I even disable “Align to Grid” so that I can get pinpoint accuracy when arranging them. I like that. What I don’t like is when a game changes the display’s resolution, resulting in Desktop icon scatter. Logging in and out of my Windows account will sometimes move around my shortcuts, too. Why don’t they just stay put!?

If you’re frustrated with Windows touching your Desktop icons, give a program called Fences a try. The idea is so simple and useful that it’s surprising that this feature wasn’t built into, let’s say Windows 95 on to the present incarnation, from the get-go. Here’s how it works. Fences fundamentally “fences” off your desktop shortcuts by placing them into their own window with a translucent background. You can create as many fence windows as you want, giving you powerful organizational options. You can even re-size a fence window as if it were an ordinary windowed app. The key thing here is that your icons will stay put in their groups on your desktop. Hiding and showing your Fence groups involves doubling clicking your desktop. Once you’ve used Fence, it’s hard to imagine doing without it.

Save Ink, Be Happy

Printers are one of the last devices hooked up with today’s computers that still involve actual mechanical parts. This is why printers can be such a pain. Paper jams, paper cling, low or no ink: The list goes on and on. Fortunately, you can ration out your precious ink during print jobs, reducing ink consumption by 20%. One way to do this is to use a different font. For instance, Ecofont is a typeface that looks like the ubiquitous Arial font, but the letters of this particular font are produced with tiny holes punched out of it. The result: less ink to form a letter, which adds up in ink savings when printing out an essay or Moby Dick. Ecofont is easy on the eyes and is a great way to not squander your ink cartridges away.

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How To Live With Windows 7 And XP or Vista At The Same Time

Written on November 11, 2009 by Kay

How to Dual Boot Windows 7 with either XP or Vista with 3 Easy Steps

Even though Windows 7 was just recently released, it is already proving to be a successful improvement from Vista. In fact, even a few XP users who would not touch Vista with a ten-foot pole are gearing up for the upgrade. Due to all the concerns, complaints, and problems Windows Vista had, you might be a bit unsure about relying so heavily on Windows 7 (despite the positive reviews so far). In that case, you want to opt for a dual boot.

A dual boot gives you the opportunity to test out Windows 7 without having to delete Vista or XP as your operating system just yet. The good news is that setting up a duel boot is easy. If you want to get started, please continue reading on for the three steps you must take.

Step #1: Create or Obtain a Windows 7 Installation Disk

While many motherboards enable you to boot from a USB flash drive, this process is a lot for most average PC users to handle. You either purchased a Windows 7 DVD or have acquired as ISO file. If you have that ISO file, you can skip to step number 2. To get started with creating a Windows 7 disc, put a blank DVD into your burner and burn an image file with the different apps that can handle an ISO. A few of your options include ImgBurn, CDBurnerXP, and the Ashampoo Burning Studio Free.

Step #2: New Partition Creation

Before implementing this step, it is important to backup your computer’s files. If you follow these steps properly, you should not experience a corruption of data; however, there is always the risk. Right now, it is time to create unallocated disk space; you can do this by resizing the partition on your hard drive and then creating a new partition with space for Windows 7 to operate on. Most PC users only have one existing partition, which is dedicated to the Windows operating system you are using right now.

How to Create a New Partition for Windows Vista

Luckily, you can use built-in tools to edit and modify your hard drives. There is also a third-party tool known as GParted that is best for XP users. If you are an XP user, you can skip this step and move to “How to Create a New Partition for Windows XP.”

Returning back to Windows Vista, click ‘Start’ and type “diskmgmt.msc” into your search bar. A new window will open and this should be titled “Disk Management;” it will contain the basic information about your PC and all attached drives.

You should right-click on the “Disk 0” partition and then choose the “Shrink Volume” option. This will give you information on the drive capacity and the option to shrink your partition by any amount. The recommended minimum partition is 16GB for Windows 7, so choose that or a larger figure.

Since you just resized your original partition, you should see unallocated space on your hard drive. Before taking the next step, it is advised that you redo your optical drives to the next letter down. Your new empty partition should have a letter that follows your first and main partition, which will likely end up being “D.”

Now, you want to right-click on the new unallocated space and select the “New Simple Volume” option, which will open a new screen. This screen is a wizard you want to follow. You will be asked to define a volume; you should let it occupy all unallocated space, name it the letter you just freed up, and format the volume using the default allocation unit size and a NTFS file system. The label can be anything, including just Windows 7. Now, move onto step number 3.

How to Create a New Partition for Windows XP

The steps to creating a new partition for Windows XP are pretty much the same as with Vista, but you aren’t using the Windows Disk Management utility. Instead, you will be using a third-party program and we recommend GParted. Get started by downloading the latest edition, and burn it to a disk.

Once your image of GParted has been downloaded, you can reboot your computer after placing the disk in your optical drive. After booting, you will need to select your language, screen resolution, and keymap.

Once the software has loaded, right-click on the partition you want to resize and select “Resize or Move.” This will provide you with information on the drive capacity; enter in the new size. As mentioned above, it is recommended that you have a minimum partition of at least 16GB for Windows 7.

Now, you will see unallocated space on your hard drive, click on that new unallocated space and select “New.” You will then be asked to request the free amount of space you like before and after the new partition, as well as its new size. Enter 0 for both; then, designate it a “Primary Partition” and begin formatting by using NFTS. You should now have a healthy partition with the free space you dedicated in the steps above.

Step #3: Install Windows 7

Place the Windows 7 DVD into your optical drive, reboot the system, and press any key when prompted to do so. You will get the installation wizard that is very easy and straightforward; follow the directions on your screen! Just ensure you choose the custom or advanced installation so that you can have the installation run on your new partition, as opposed to installing overtop of Windows XP or Vista.

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Windows 7 32-Bit or 64-Bit: Which Should You Install?

Written on November 8, 2009 by Kay

If you have made the decision to upgrade to Windows 7, you may have asked yourself a common question. Many new buyers are wondering if they should install the 32 (x86) bit version or the 64 (x67) bit version. So what should you do?

This question is one has been around for years, even before Windows 7 was in development. Intel and AMD users were always at odds when it came to the Athlon 64. Even when Windows Vista was released a few years ago, the software and drivers needed for a 64-bit setup were few and far in between.

Just like the shift from 16-bit to 32-bit, the jump to 64-bit has been a rather slow move. The x64 for Windows XP was never very popular, but it was popular when it came to Windows Vista. Many PC experts will tell you that the road has been a long, windy, and bumpy one, but we are now starting to see the positive effects of surviving that not-so perfect road. In recent years, many software developers and hardware manufacturers have adapted to the 64-bit computing trends.

Right now, everyone is pretty much on the same page. Most upgrades or alternations have already been made. For example, if your printer or video card hasn’t been upgraded to 64-bit drivers, they likely won’t be.

Now that you have some general information, you may be wondering why the switch? Why now? What benefits do 64-bit operating systems give you over the popular 32-bit systems? These are good questions. As for the answer, one of the main benefits is the extra memory. Most 32-bit systems have a memory limit of 4GB, giving you about 2.75 to 3.5 GB of RAM. On the other hand, a 64-bit system can address up to 16 exabytes of memory, giving you about 4 billion times more RAM space! Windows Vista tends to allow anywhere from 8 to 128 GB of memory accessed, but Windows 7 gives you up to 192 GB.

Another noteworthy benefit of opting for a 64-bit operating system is the enhanced security features. This security is done through hardware backed by DEP, a driver signing that is mandatory, and well as Kernel Patch Protection.

Once again, you have some more relevant information pertaining to the differences between a 32-bit and a 64-bit operating system, as well as the benefits of upgrading. However, you may still have that same question: should I or shouldn’t I install Windows x64?

In most cases the answer to this question will be yes. Unless you are running a PC that is very old and using outdated drivers because upgrading may be more of a hassle than you want to undertake. After all, driver support may be an issue you just want to completely avoid.

The good news is that you do not have to make a poor-informed decision. On their website, Microsoft has a number of tools that will scan your system. When doing so, they will closely examine all hardware, devices, and programs to ensure that you can comfortably make the switch to not only Windows 7, but the 64-bit version.

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