Dos-Boot Computer Services Blog

Viruses* are a huge problem on a Windows PC. Nearly half of our work is virus removal, often times repeat customers will be reinfected. I’m often asked where they come from and how to prevent them. I’ll attempt to answer the best I can, though this post is by no means comprehensive.

So, where do viruses come from?

Well, a lot of places.  Social Media sites like Facebook or Twitter can easily spread links to infected sites.  Legitimate sites can unknowingly have banner ads with an infected script or a link to a malicious site.  Downloads from peer-to-peer services or an untrusted site can be infected.  File formats, pdfs for example, can also introduce infections to your system.  Some take advantage of exploits in Windows or your programs and can ‘let themselves’ in, so to speak.  Additionally, the old answer of “e-mail” or “from an infected disk/flash drive” are still applicable.

So, what do you do to prevent a virus infection?

The old stand-by answer that nearly any computer tech will say is “be smart about what you click”.  Honestly, that advice is still true, but it’s outdated.   As I said, a perfectly legitimate site can be infected with a script to install a virus.  These days you don’t even have to click and you’re infected.  The advice does apply to e-mails, downloads and sites, though.  Beware of music downloaded via p2p services, don’t follow links sent to you by Nigerian princes, and disregard e-mails from your bank telling you that they lost your account info and that they need you to log in.
Along the same lines, keep Windows and other software up to date to help avoid exploits.  Older versions of programs like Flash or Adobe Reader are known to have serious exploits that can easily infect Windows.

A strong antivirus program is a must, even better is a full internet security package.  I recommend Kaspersky Internet Security.   A full featured firewall will protect you from network attacks.  A strong antivirus will catch files that you download.  Antispam and antiphishing will help sort out the bad e-mails.  And a link scanner will help keep you from visiting negative sites.

The next key is using good software.  Internet Explorer comes on every Windows computer, but speaking strictly in terms of security, it’s a terrible browser.  I recommend Google Chrome.   Not only is a good, fast browser (You’ve seen the commercials, right?) it has some great security features other browsers don’t, like sandboxing.  I’ll talk more about that in a bit.
Chrome, as well as other browsers, will typically warn if you’re about to visit a known bad site.   For a second opinion about sites, plugins like Web Of Trust will warn of malicious sites and even give you a rating of the link before you click.  If you want to prevent automatic scripts, you can use the NoScript plugin in Chrome or Firefox.  Additionally, AdBlock lets you set up a black list of advertisements or banner ads.
In addition to using the good software, avoid the bad.  Avoid programs like Lime/Frost/Spark Wire or Bearshare.  Choose wisely whose toolbar you want to install, and ask yourself if you really need a little dancing koala as your mouse cursor.

I mentioned sandboxing earlier.  Sandboxing, is essentially giving a program its own little space;  A “sandbox to play in.”   A program in a sandbox only has access to its own functions and settings, it can’t make changes to Windows or your files unless you explicitly allow it.   Both Kasperksy and Chrome have a sandboxing feature.  Kaspersky can sandbox any program, through the “Safe Run” feature.  If a virus makes a change to the program, you just close it and no harm is done.    Chrome has sandboxing built in as part of the browser.  A malicious script is generally unable to get outside of Chrome’s sandbox to make changes to Windows or any other part of your system.
There are also free sandboxing applications available to use.  Comodo Internet Security is free to home users and has a sandbox feature for any application.  Additionally, Sandboxie is a stand alone sandbox utility that can be used with any security software.
I recommend sandboxing your web browser and IM clients.  Other online applications (such as Outlook) can also be sandboxed, but may not work correctly without some tinkering.

I also like webmail, as a security measure.  Not everyone may agree, or even like web based e-mail.  Webmail does give a few safeguards, though.  First, you only have to download attachments that you want.  Outlook and other e-mail clients allow this, too…but it’s an obscure setting that I’ve never seen used.  Secondly, almost all webmail services implement their own antivirus scanning engine now.  You know before you download if the file is infected.  Generally, files that can be infected aren’t allowed to be sent through services like Gmail.

Finally, I also like to recommend OpenDNS or Norton DNS as part of the equation.  A DNS service is something like a phone book for your computer.  You type in www.google.com, a DNS server tells your computer that you want to look at information at 72.14.204.104 and sends you to Google’s Web Page.  OpenDNS and NortonDNS allow you to filter that information a little.  Both DNS services allow you to block categories of information, such as pornography, gambling, chat sites, etc.  They also automatically block out some malicious sites, helping to keep you from visiting a known infected site.

Unfortunately, nothing is 100% foolproof when it comes to preventing viruses.  Having said that, if you follow all of the advice above, you will be fairly safe while online.   If you’re in Columbus, Ohio, and would like help setting any of this up, give us a call!

This past weekend I had a call from an unhappy customer. The call ended badly, in part because she had expected (or wanted) me to install Microsoft Word for her, after her hard drive failed. Typically, not a problem, we’ll gladly reinstall any software provided to us; Only in this case she didn’t have her product key, only the disc. Without a valid product key, the software won’t work.

The whole weekend, I’ve been thinking about the call. Regretting part of it, but mostly thinking about why these situations come up. Mainly, it comes down to the fact that too many people don’t maintain good backups of their data (or computer), in general. An almost alarming number of people tell me that they don’t have a backup in place, even though their data is valuable. Programs, like Word, are no exception…if they’re important to you, you should have some form of backup.

There are several great solutions for backing up your entire computer, as it is this very second.
If you own a Mac computer, running OS X 10.5 or above, I highly suggest using Time Machine. It’s a built in program that makes an exact copy of your computer’s programs, data and settings automatically. It’s extremely easy to use and only requires an external hard drive to get started.
On a Windows PC, there are a number of applications to choose from. Acronis TrueImage and Norton Ghost are two paid applications that will make full backups of your computer. If you’re a home user, Macrium Reflect is a free application to do the same thing. All three can be scheduled to backup automatically, or run on demand to make a backup when you need it. Again, you’ll need an external hard drive.

The great thing about the solutions above: If your computer’s hard drive fails, you get a virus and your system won’t start, or you lost your product key for a program, you can restore your system to exactly how it was at your last backup. There’s no need to reinstall all of your programs or get your settings just how you like them. It’s all saved for you.

This December 1st, we’re debuting an exciting new service here at Dos-Boot: High-Speed wireless Internet service provided by Clear.  We’ve just received our dealer equipment and have been using it all weekend.  Basically, you use a device to connect to Clear’s 4G network here in Columbus and use the Internet from it.  The ones we have are called the Clear Spot, which act like a little wireless router that you can carry in your pocket.  Anywhere you’ve got 4G signal, you’ve got Internet access for up to 8 different devices!

Clear offers a number of other devices and services, including a modem for home use (similar to your cable or DSL modem at home, only using Clear’s network to connect) and VoIP phone service.  If you’re interested, shoot us an email or call us at 614-453-5049 for more information, but remember, the service doesn’t  go on sale until December 1st!

For years there have been advertisements on TV for services that can vastly improve the speed of your computer by running a simple tool.
I saw one of these ads myself in the past couple of days. I was a little surprised that they’re still around and making enough money for a national TV spot.

A few of these sites are FinallyFast, DoubleMySpeed and CleanPC. I won’t link to them here, because they’re nothing more than scams. With names like “DoubleMySpeed”, they’re certainly tempting but there is no software available that will do what the name implies.

As a test, I went to all three sites listed above on a newly reloaded computer. Nothing other than Windows Vista was installed on the computer, so there were no viruses or spyware or really anything else to slow the system down. In short, it was running perfectly.
All three sites said that there were between 75 and 200 errors on the computer and to fix them it’d cost money.

Each site is installing rogue security software. The software that tells you that your computer has a problem (even if it doesn’t) and the only way to fix it is to pay them money. This is, unfortunately, the new way viruses and malware work. It’s all business, and their business must be paying off.

If you truly want to speed up your PC, and were considering one of these sites, do yourself a favor; Avoid the site and have the RAM in your system upgraded. It’s far more effective, trust me!

One of the biggest dangers to your computer is overheating. Excessive heat can cause the system to malfunction, your hard drive to crash or even damage internal components. Since we’re coming up on the dog days of summer, here are a few tips to keep your computer cool.

The first thing to check is that your computer’s fans are spinning and able to effectively cool the system. In laptops especially, the fans and heatsinks can get clogged by dust preventing the system from cooling itself, often causing it to shut down while you’re using it. Some laptops have removable panels allowing you to clean the fans, others do not. To clean, or to help keep clean, the fans use a can of pressurized air from an office supply store to blow out the vents on the sides and bottom of your computer. If your laptop hasn’t been cleaned for a while, you may want to have it professionally cleaned to prevent problems later on. You might be surprised how much dust it can pick up!

When using your laptop, make sure it’s on a flat surface and the vents aren’t obstructed. Move your computer to a cooler room or to a cooler place in the room if you don’t have air conditioning. Avoid leaving your computer in the direct sunlight, especially while it’s on.

Finally, remember that your computer is generating its own heat and raising the ambient temperature of the room. You can keep your room a little cooler by putting the computer to sleep or turning it off while you’re not using it.

Hello, all!

A quick heads-up: We will be closed Saturday May 29 through Monday May 31 for Memorial Day. We’ll be back on Tuesday, June 1 at 10:00am.

I was recently interviewed by NBC4 about my thoughts on extended warranties and “optimization” services at the big stores. Here are a few thoughts that didn’t make it into the story:

When thinking about extended warranties, you really have to consider two things, how you’ll use the system and how long you want to keep it. If you’re buying a laptop that you’ll carry around with you and use as your primary computer, I think that a warranty with accidental damage is a good idea. We see a lot of systems that have had a liquid spill, been dropped or have a few types of damage that aren’t covered by a normal manufacturer’s warranty. If you’re buying a system that won’t ever leave your desk, accidental damage is unlikely to ever be used.

I was asked about my thoughts on the price of a warranty, compared to the price of a computer. It was briefly touched on, but when you buy a more expensive computer, the repair parts are usually more expensive as well. A 17″ LCD screen usually costs a bit more than a 13″ LCD. A $1500 laptop has a more expensive motherboard than does a $500 laptop. I think this is a good thing to consider when you look at the cost of the warranties.

In the interview I said “There’s nothing you can really do to make a new computer faster.” Taken a face value, that’s not entirely true. A real optimization on a new computer would be four main things: 1. Load all windows updates. 2. Load the latest hardware drivers from the vendor. 3. Remove any and all trial software. and 4. Set up and properly configure an internet security program. All of those things will give a very small improvement in the way the system performs, but rarely enough to be noticeable.

Hello, everyone!

Just dropping a quick line to let you know that we will be closed Thursday the 24th through Sunday, January 3rd so that we can spend time with our families.  We will be back on Monday, January 4th at 10am.

Thank you to all of our customers who have made 2009 a great year at Dos-Boot!  Have a happy holiday and we will see you in 2010!

Ryan

Windows 7 is big news.  We’re getting lots of questions about it and people want to know if they should upgrade.   I’m going to try to answer a few common questions in this blog post.

Q.   What do you think of Windows 7?

A.  It’s functional.   It works.   It’s stable.    I’m not somebody that ever complained about Vista, and I think that Windows 7 is largely over-hyped.   Having said that, it definitely has some nice changes to the interface and there are some pretty nice little features here and there that make it a complete product out of the box.   I did miss a few features from the old versions, though.   It took me a while to get used to not having a quick launch bar, and pinning items to the task bar instead.   Complaints were minor, and I barely remember them.

Q.  Will my computer run it?

A.  If your computer runs Vista, almost certainly.  If you’re running XP, maybe.  Anything older, no.   If you want to be sure, you should run the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor.  Click the link, follow the directions.

Q.  Should I upgrade?

A.  The first part of my answer to this is “Only if you want to.”   The second half is “If everything you use will run.”   If you’re using your computer for work or in an office, you really need to check with all of your software vendors or your IT guys to make sure you can upgrade.   I’ve already heard of a few applications that work in Vista that will not yet work in Windows 7.  If you have no problems with your computer, no complaints, and everything works the way you want…don’t upgrade yet.   If you don’t like Vista, and you know why you don’t like it, and Windows 7 fixes your problems….then definitely upgrade.

Q.  Can I upgrade from XP?  From Vista?

A.  You are able to upgrade from XP and Vista, with some rules.   Upgrading from any version of XP requires what Microsoft calls a “custom install”.   That basically means that you need to backup all of your data, start the install process, and let it erase your hard drive and replace XP.  Programs and data need to be reinstalled or copied from backups.
Vista is a bit trickier to explain.   32-bit can upgrade “in-place” to equal or higher editions of 32-bit Windows 7…and 64-bit can upgrade “in-place” to equal or higher editions of 64-bit Windows 7.    If you’re moving to a lower edition of Windows 7 than your running edition of Vista….you will need to do a “custom install” mentioned above.   So, forgetting 32-bit or 64-bit for my example, you CAN “in-place” upgrade from Windows Vista Home Premium to Windows 7 Home Premium.  You CAN NOT upgrade from Windows Vista Ultimate to Windows 7 Home Premium.  If you’re confused, you’re not alone.   You can read a little more about upgrading here.

Q.  What problems have you had with Windows 7?

A.  I had trouble getting my sound to work on my Macbook, when I first installed.   The first couple of days using it, install programs seemed to take forever to open.   I have a bluetooth mouse that absolutely refuses to synch with a Windows 7 machine, even though it worked perfectly fine in Vista.   When I did an “in-place” upgrade to my Vista media center, several applications stopped working for no good reason.  While not a problem, exactly, the “in-place” upgrade on my media center took about four hours.
I can’t think of any problems I’ve had after the upgrades were completed.

Q.  Can I buy Windows 7 from you?   Will you install Windows 7 for me?

A.  Since we are not a retail shop, we don’t sell product without a workorder.  We are only selling copies of Windows 7 as part of a repair, if you’re having us install it on an existing computer, or if you’re having us build you a new system.   We will not sell the OS by itself and will instead refer you to Staples, Microcenter, Best Buy or the bigger stores that do retail.
If you have a copy and need us to install it, we can help.   As always, we’re happy to install any parts or software you provide.

Let me start by saying that I was never a fan of Microsoft’s Live OneCare,  their antivirus, firewall, internet security type software.  Some time ago, they pulled it from the market;  Maybe in part because it didn’t sell very well and  because it never really did its job very well, when compared to other products.   Microsoft has replaced OneCare with a free new security program called “Security Essentials”.

Security Essentials is designed to be a more light-weight, less invasive antivirus and anti-malware program.  It’s made with simplicity in mind;  You install it and forget it.  Unlike other free security software, it’ll never nag you to upgrade to a “full” version.
I’ve installed Security Essentials on my home PCs and it does deliver on being lightweight and almost completely non-invasive.  I don’t think that it’s been out long enough for anyone to really comment on how well it works, though some early reviews are saying that it “holds its own”.

If you need an antivirus software and would like to try Security Essentials, you can download it here:  http://www.microsoft.com/Security_essentials/