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1/26/2010Recently, PC Magazine reviewed and ranked antivirus software. Here are the current Top Five:
1. G-Data AntiVirus 2010
2. Symantec Norton AntiVirus 2010
3. Kaspersy Anti-Virus 2010
4. BitDefender Antivirus 2010
5. Panda Antivirus Pro 2010
It is worth noting that AVG and McAfee are not currently listed in the top 5.
To say there are many anti-malware and anti-spyware applications in existance is an understatement. Unfortunately, in addition to the numurous legitimate products, there are many viruses that disguize themselves as anit-malware products. And, to complicate things even more, what worked yesterday, often is not the most effective today. We currently recommend the following product(s) for malware scanning and removal:
The above list will be modified periodically to reflect what is working in the current environment. No guarantees but you can try the following to improve the time it takes for Windows Vista to boot to the Desktop. It has worked for me every time.
1. Run MSConfig
2. Click Services tab -> hide all Microsoft services -> uncheck these if they exist: xaudio, vongo, stllsvr,roxmediad89, installdriver table manager, cyberlink background, cyberlink task
3. Click on the Boot tab ->advanced options
4. Change number of processors to "2" and check "maximum memory."
If your company is located in the Greater Houston Area and needs a reputable IT Support firm, give The PC Paramedics, Inc. a call at (281) 412-7183 or visit us online at http://thepcparamedics.com/ 1/24/2010
Many clients ask how they became infected with a virus while pointing out that they have current antivirus software installed. Unfortunately, protecting your computer from infection is an ongoing process. I have found the following multi-tiered approach the most effective in protecting against infections:
1. Email - Be paranoid when opening email attachments. Infected Email attachments can appear to be sent by sources you know and trust.
2. Operating System - Make sure your Windows software is fully patched with the latest security updates (Windows Critical Updates)
3. Current & Reputable Antivirus - Make sure your Antivirus is current and fully patched. Do not let you antivirus software get too old before upgrading and make sure the virus definitions are up to date. For a current list of reputable AntiVirus programs, click HERE.
4. Malware Protection - Periodically run a decent malware scan. You should run a malware scan at least once per month. For a current list of reputable Anti-Malware programs, click HERE.
5. Firewall - Have a software firewall enabled and in place (i.e. Windows Firewall).
6. Surfing Habits - When surfing the web, try to stick to reputable websites as much as possible. A virus infection can occur simply by visiting an infected website. So the more you venture out into the dark corners of the internet, the more likely bad things will happen. Stay in the well-lit areas as much as possible.
7. Internet Browser - Use a third party internet browser, such as Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, or Safari. 1/14/2010
I've been getting a bunch of inquiries on Office 2010 recently, so I decided it was time to blog on what I currently know about the status of the project.
According to several rumors, Microsoft Office 2010 will be released in June of this year. Microsoft has a history of pushing back release dates but has stayed pretty close to schedule on its last few major releases.
The new Office suite includes updates to all of Microsoft's major productivity apps - including Word 2010, Excel 2010, Outlook 2010, PowerPoint 2010, OneNote 2010, Access 2010, Publisher 2010, InfoPath 2010 - and will be available in 32bit and 64 bit versions.
An excellent source for learning more about Office 2010 enhancements can be found on Microsoft’s site HERE. The company released a test version of Office Professional Plus 2010 a couple of months ago, and has yet to reveal the expiration date of the trial period.
The updated Office will be available in two separate formats: a traditional PC-based edition and a completely web-based version.
Office Web Apps includes lightweight versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint and will be made available to millions free of charge.
People who participate in the Office 2010 beta program can try out the public preview of Office Web Apps by using a Windows Live account to create, edit, store and retrieve documents online.
Office Web Apps require Internet Explorer 7 (IE7) or later on Windows; Firefox 3.5 or later on Windows, Mac and Linux; or Safari 4.0 or later on the Mac.
This article contains the following links:
http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/reviews/index.cfm?ReviewID=118363
http://www.microsoft.com/office/2010/en/default.aspx
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2009/sep09/09-17officewebapps.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/office/2010/en/default.aspx
1/10/2010
Unless you've been hiding under a rock for the last year or so, you have probably heard about The Cloud, or Cloud Computing.
"A cloud is a workload optimized service management platform enabling new consumption and delivery models." -current IBM Commercial
I thought I'd take a few minutes and explain what the "Cloud" really is for those computer users out there that don't have a CS degree. The truth is the cloud concept is awesome but is not exactly new. Sure, there are innovations every day and the ability and methods of accessing, sharing and aggregating on-line data are continually evolving. But, accessing, sharing and aggregating online data is certainly nothing new.
In simple terms, if you store any data on the internet and pull that data down to your workstations using a browser, email client, customized software, etc., you are using the "Cloud." If your website has a database connected to it, that database is essentially "in the Cloud." If you use email, you use the Cloud – you email server. If you have a SharePoint site, other CMS, or shared on-line calendar, you are working in the Cloud. The Cloud is essentially another term for "Web Service."
But, be careful not to confuse the term "Web Service" with "Internet Service Provider." Some common Internet Service Provider (ISP) are AT&T, Comcast, C-Beyond, etc. Web Service, as defined by Wikidedia and the W3C is "a software system designed to support interoperable machine-to-machine interaction over a network." In simple terms, a server on the internet providing something of use to other servers or workstations also connected to the internet is "in the Cloud."
12/22/2009
Here's how to do it:
Control Panel -> Mail -> E-Mail Accounts -> Add a new e-mail account
Microsoft Exchange Server
Server: 127.0.0.1
User Name: <The Username>
Click More Settings -> Cancel (on the login box)
When Started -> Manual Control -> Work Offline
Advanced -> Offline Folder File Settings -> Browse <Select> -> OK -> OK 10/29/2009
If you are in the Greater Houston Area and need a reputable IT firm for your Small to Mid-Size business, call The PC Paramedics, Inc. today! They are the best in town!
Office: (281) 412-7183
10/28/2009
Information Pulled from http://www.ntbackup.us/Articles/install-ntbackup-xp-home.htm
Microsoft originally planned to include Windows Backup in the Home Edition as well as the Professional Edition. Unfortunately they removed it, for reasons known to themselves, from the final version. However you may install the utility from your original XP Home Edition CD or from the SP2 installation files or you can download it here.
Simply insert the XP CD and run NTBACKUP.MSI (it might look like just "Ntbackup") program from the folder D:\Valueadd\msft\ntbackup where D: is the letter of your CD drive. This will launch the Windows Backup Utility Installation Wizard, which will install the utility automatically. When it is finished, click "Finish."
Now you can click Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> Backup, and the Backup Utility will start.
Microsoft approves this in KB Article Q302700.
Alternatively, you can install Windows Backup from Service Pack 2 (SP2). To do this, make sure that you have the full network install version of XP SP2 - "WindowsXP-KB835935-SP2-ENU.exe", size 272 MBytes. You can download this from :-
www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=049c9dbe-3b8e-4f30-8245-9e368d3cdb5a
Or it is available on CD and from a multitude of sources. The file that you need is NTBACKUP.EX_ which is the compressed version of NTBACKUP.EXE
The SP2 file is a self extracting ZIP file. So the easiest way to extract the NTBACKUP file is using a tool like WINZIP which can extract this file on its own. However if you do not have winzip or another zip tool, you can run the SP2 file which will self extract to a folder on your hard disk - usually under the C:\ folder. Before you cancel the SP2 Installation Wizard, extract the NTBACKUP.EXE file which is located in the "i386" sub-folder. To extract it, use the EXPAND command from a command prompt. The Expand command is included as a part of every windows operating system. Type:-
EXPAND NTBACKUP.EX_ NTBACKUP.EXE
Then copy the NTBACKUP.EXE program into the C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32 folder. You can create a shortcut to NTBACKUP.EXE on the desktop or under the START button as usual. But if you are using SoftSwift Enhanced Windows Backup, you will not need to run it directly anyway.
You should check your EULA to ensure that you are permitted to extract and use this or any other file from SP2 or to download from this website.
Download NTBackup. 10/20/2009
We received this communication in our inbox today and are re-posting here as an FYI…
Just leave it up to Google to come up with something like this!!!
Here's a number worth putting in your cell phone, or your home phone speed dial: 1-800-goog411 or 1-800-466-4411. This is an awesome service from Google, and it's free -- great when you are on the road. Don't waste your money on information calls and don't waste your time manually dialing the number. I am driving along in my car and I need to call the golf course and I don't know the number. I hit the speed dial for information that I have programmed (1-800-goog411). The voice at the other end says, "Say the name of the business and the City & State.." I say, "Firewheel Golf Course, Garland , Texas ..' He says, "Connecting," and Firewheel answers the phone. How great is that? This is nationwide and it is absolutely free! Works on cell and landline phones.
Click on the link below and watch the short clip for a quick demonstration.
http://www.google.com/goog411/ |
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