North Dakota State University Extension Service - Burke County |
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Tips and Tricks For Your PC |
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January 9, 2004 The newsletter will be available is paper form through the mail or electronic form through email. If you would like to receive a copy, please email me at dfolske@ndsuext.nodak.edu or call the Burke County Extension Office at 701-377-2927. Windows: Critical Updates I set up Windows XP on my computer a the office this week. Upon completion of the installation, I activated the program through the internet and was then interrupted by a phone call. Less than 20 minutes later, I installed the critical updates. After that I installed McAfee Virus Scan, downloaded the latest virus definitions and did a complete system scan. In the 20 minutes between activation and installation of the critical updates, my computer was infected by a virus through the network that searches for computers without a particular update and enters the computer through a security flaw in Windows XP. It then sets itself up to use the new computer to search the internet for more computers using Windows XP without the critical updates installed. Checking for updates and installing them is easy. Open Internet Explorer (connect to the internet first), click on "Tools" then on "Windows Update". This will take you to the "Windows Update" website. Near the center of the page is a link which says "Scan for Updates". Click on it. If the site finds critical updates that are not installed on your computer, it will list them and provide a link which says "Review and Install Updates". Clicking on that link will install the updates. Installation usually requires you to restart you computer one or more times. Only the "Critical Updates" are absolutely necessary. Other updates to software and drivers may be left off if you don’t use the software they apply to or if you are short on hard drive space. Direct Computer Shutdown Creating an "Off" button : Right click on your desktop, go to "New", then to "Shortcut". Left click on "Shortcut". In the command line box enter: c:\windows\rundll32.exe user.exe, exitwindows (note: the only space should be between exe and user) Click next. Type in a name, "Off" or "Shutdown" or something similar then click finish. After you create this shortcut on your desktop you simply double click on it to shutdown your computer. Tip of the Week New Year’s Resolutions for My PC 2. Run a full-system virus scan once a week. Either set it to run automatically at some time of the day or night that you are sure you will not be using the computer, then make sure you leave the computer on or manually start it at a regular time. If you check your email before you get to work or just before going to be, that would be a good time. Then just let it run. 3. Use a firewall especially if you are on a highspeed internet connection like DSL. It can be either a software firewall you set up on your computer or a hardware firewall built into a DSL router or hub. 4. Back up your files, then back them up again and again. For most people a CDRW is a great backup method. Store a backup off-site. A backup doesn’t do much good if it’s destroyed in the same fire as your computer. Backup aren’t just for computer crashes! 5. Never forward an email that tells you to forward it to everyone you know. Most of these are hoaxes especially those that tell you about a "new virus" or a contest or survey. Some are simply outdated like one about an injured child in England, who wanted to receive as many emails as possible. Her broken leg healed over 7 years ago and that email is still being forwarded around the internet plugging up serves with excess and undeliverable email. 6. Never forward email as an attachment and never open attachments unless I’m expecting them. Most viruses spread through attachments. 7. Remove programs from my computer that I don’t use. They are just wasting hard drive space. 8. Run Disk Cleanup and Defrag at least once a month. 9. Embrace the philosophy "If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!" If my PC is working well, don’t add programs that claim they will make it work better. Have You Been Phished! Phishing is a practice used by con-artists on the internet to steal someone’s bank account or credit card number or other personal information. They accomplish this by sending fake emails which may claim to be from Ebay, Microsoft, your internet service provider, some other legitimate website, your bank or even a law enforcement agency. They may tell you they suspect someone other than you has been making purchases with your account or credit card and ask you to verify your account numbers and pin numbers or passwords by replying to the email or by clicking on a link that takes you to a website which has been designed to look like your banks website or an Ebay page but is actually just a place for them to collect your information. They may tell you to call a phone number they provide. Don’t do it! It’s very easy for anyone to answer the phone "Good morning, Dacotah Bank" or "FBI, Credit Card Fraud Division". Always verify these types of phone numbers by looking them up in your phone book or calling information. Remember, your bank already has your account numbers. Ebay and other online businesses you may deal with have your user id and password (otherwise how could they email them to you when you forget them). Dan Folske |
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