PC Tweaks, Twiddles, Security, Software Part 1.
There are almost an infinite amount of configurations you can assign to your PC so there are almost an infinite amout of problems that can occur. There are also an increasing number of security problems that leaves our PC's open to atttack every day. Mix that with those of us that struggle to keep up with the technology or are yet to have developed PC skills then there is a recipe for disaster.
I have now been bumbling along since 1993 and am on my 6th notebook. Through the years I have had my share of heartaches, don't you worry about that. So I've got a bit from the school of experience.
What follows here are some things that you may find useful.
Software Must Have's and Must Do's:
1. If you are running Windows then keep it up-to-date. Micro$oft has what it calls Patch Tuesday that occurs every 2nd Tuesday (obviously) of the month. Run an update every month.
2. An alternate browser to Internet Explorer and and alternate E-mail client to Outlook Express. I run Firefox and Thunderbird from Mozilla Organization because I believe they are the safest and the best. I also believe in Open Source Software. Mozilla are serious about security, so should you.
3. A Firewall. I use Zone Alarm Pro from Zonelabs and it has been good to me over the last 5 years. They have a good free version. There are also many others out there but do the research before you chose. When you do then make sure that you do not create a conflict by running more than one Firewall at once. Windows XP also has one. I reckon you are better off using a 3rd party and disabling the XP one.
4. Antispyware. It is absolutely not enough to run one single antispyware program. I use Ad-Aware, Spybot Search & Destroy, Micro$soft Antispyware, CWShredder, Spyware Blaster and Trojan Defence Suite. Then I have HijackThis installed so I can see what the hell is going on. Before you use these programs do an update before scanning your PC.
5. Sick of how awkward Windows Explorer is? Do yourself a favour and get Total Commander. It is simply a great utility for managing your drives, folders and files. Launch an application by just double clicking directly on the particular file. This program has been around for years.
6. Want more than Task Manager (loads by Ctrl, Alt, Del)? Then Process Explorer is for you. Detailed memory statistics, etc, on your running applications.
7. An Antivirus program. This probably should have been the first item to mention but, anyway, here it is. I don't thing I need to say more; you MUST have one. I run Norton Antivirus but you can get a pretty good freebie called AVG Anti-Virus from Grisoft
Look, that's about it for now but note that everything that I have mentioned above has a free version of software that is generally adequate.
The wife is giving me a hard time so it's tchau for now. Part 2 will come soon.
Albyxx
3 comments:
Let me share some knowledge (10 IT professional).
1) Windows Xp with Service Pack 2 has a firewall better than Zone Alarm. In fact be sure to uninstall zone alarm before upgrading to sp 2. Zone alram can conflict with other programs in odd ways.
2) MS AntiSpyware is the only tool you need for anti spyware. After running a scan you need to, and the best part of this tool, go to the system explorers under advanced tools and look at downloaded active x, start up programs and IE BHO. Here yo can disable every program that starts up automatically which is ALL SPYWARE. I find MS AntiSpyware a better scanner than spyboy and adaware. Again the key thing is to go to advanced tools-> system explorers
3) Norton Antivirus has a well deserved bad repuation. The program has a hsitory of interfering with legitimate programs and they are always a day late with their anti virus updates, the bigger the outbreak the longer the delay it seems. do not know anything about the free ware you mention but I can say McAfee is by far a superior tool to Norton. It is light weight and all the McAfee company does is security.
4) Yes alternative browsers can be safer than IE but only because they are nopt as big of targets as IE. Xp with Service Pack 2 has built in pop-up blocker. Along with the above mention built in firewall and the MS anti-spyware you will have a clean machine that is highly compatible (the other browsers you mentioned do not always support active x).
No I do not work for MS and I have a healthy dislike for them. But the fact of the matter is they have done a lot in the past year to tighten up their workstation security hence (assuming you run XP) a lot of your suggestions are out dated.
Oh by the way MS AntiSpyware deals with all the hijakced browser issues a swell udner the system exploer (which adaware and spybot do not even have).
Thanks Joe G. Good feedback :-)
And, yes, I run XP Pro.
As everyone has already gathered I'm not a big MS fan so I do try to live with the bare minimum MS influence that I practically can. I don't want to put all my eggs in one basket for reasons such as:
1. Micro$soft control our computers, therefore our lives and wallets, sufficiently thanks.
2. To rely on Micro$oft for everthing such as the operating system, browser, email, office documents, scheduling, finance, antispyware, firewall, web searching, etc, etc can only be a dangerous combination because you will be hacked if you are not very, very careful. I hear what you say that MS has done a lot of work over the last 12 months but I don't think it will ever be enough. Better to use a mix of suppliers than just one time bomb.
3. Free and Open Soucre Software is the way to go for obvious reasons. More and more big business, such as IBM and Google, are starting to realize this. Why do you think they support projects such as Firefox.
I could ramble on here for thousands of words but will not. Bottom line is that this post is aimed at trying to help those who don't know how to help themselves.
I hope it does!!!
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