Do you keep having intermittent performance issues or are worried about having such?  

I’ve been seeing lots of comments and posts on computer helps sites where users have spent hours, days, weeks and often times lost important data, while costing themselves enormous amounts of money all because they weren’t keeping their Windows Operating Systems’s  (OS’s)”up-to-date”, aren’t maintaining backups, and have forgotten all about general system maintenance.  I’m not sure why this is occurring so much but it appears that many users are fearful of losing data or messing up their current configurations.  Even though we might be computer professionals or maybe not?, everyone needs a reminder ever so often about the basic activities which keeps our systems moving.

So, lets go through how to maintain your Windows OS’s by downloading the latest high-priority updates using Windows Update tool, general maintenance / cleaning up of your system,  plus one of many ways to keep your data backed-up;  so that you don’t need to worry about data loss or configuration issues when downloading updates.  This will help keep you out of trouble – It has saved me many times!

Lets go over how you turn on and use Automatic Updates:

1.  Turn on Automatic Updates:

Click Start, click Run, then you will type sysdm.cpl, and then press ENTER.

Click the Automatic Updates tab.  Then click to select one of the following options:  

1.   Automatic (recommended) – Automatically download    recommended updates for my computer and install them option.  

2.  Download updates for me, but let me choose when to install them option.

3.  Notify me but don’t automatically download or install them option.

2.          Obtain Updates from the Microsoft Web Site:

If you don’t choose the option to “Turn on Automatic Updates and install them when they become available” then you should plan on visiting the Microsoft Web Site often and check for updates. Visit the Microsoft Windows OS update Web Site at: http://www.update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate/v6/default.aspx?ln=en-us

3.          Do you have any Microsoft Office software installed?  You know, you should keep those applications updated as well.  Here are some examples of the Microsoft Windows Office Applications you should keep updated:  Excel, Outlook, Word, and PowerPoint.  In addition, don’t forget to keep your Internet Explorer (IE) current.

http://office.microsoft.com/search/redir.aspx?AssetID=ES790020331033&Origin=HH101730061033&CTT=5

4.    While we are at it, lets also remember to keep your antivirus and spyware programs up to date.  Since there are so many of them, I’m not able to list the install, update and maintenance instructions for each of them.  If you do not have any antivirus and spyware programs installed, it is HIGHLY recommended that you do such.

5.      Just like doing regular maintenance on your car is invaluable, so it performing maintenance on your computer.

When files are created, deleted, or modified it’s almost a certainty they will become fragmented. Fragmented means that the files on the drive / disc having been divided; or the unity has been destroyed.  This means that a single file no longer stored in one place, in it entirety, on the disk.  Or, what is called contiguous in technical terms.  If the parts of the files are not located together, then they must be scattered and that is exactly the term used to described noncontiguous or fragmented data on a drive. As you can guess, the more fragmented files there are on a drive, the more performance and reliability suffers as the drive heads have to search for all the to be connected or joined pieces in different locations across the drive. What the disk defragmenter tool does for the drive is to reorganize the drive so noncontiguous files are put into contiguous files and then actually optimized for performance. 

A)  How do I get to the Windows XP Disk Defragmenter? 

There are 3 common ways to get to the disk defragmenter tool:

1)     Click Start, Click All Programs, Click Accessories, Click System Tools, Click Disk Defragmenter

2)    Click Start, Click Run, Type dfrg.msc, Click OK

3)    Click Start, Click Administrative Tools, Click Computer Management, Click Storage, Click Disk Defragmenter

B)  How do I get to the Disk Cleanup tool?

There are 2 common ways to get to the disk defragmenter tool:

1)     Click Start, Click All Programs, Click Accessories, Click System Tools, Click Disk Cleanup

2)    Click Start, Click Run, Type cleanmgr, Click OK

About:Blank is one of the most frustrating Browser Hijackers to stay around as long as it has and continue to do damage to systems. If you are hit you will totally be frustrated until you realize you have to do something.  What you see that tells you your system has been hijacked by the About:Blank Hijacker is that each time you open a new browser window, you receive a blank window with “About:Blank” on the address bar.  What causes this is that this Hijacker has corrupted Lucky users, after repeatedly entering URLs can occasionally obtain access to web sites but most often, all users see is a blank white, empty page. Trying and retrying to get a working page is typical for most techies and geeks and so this Browser Hijacker can linger before you do something about it. The intermittent good browsers that behaves normally is good enough to let us not worry about it for a while, until it responds poorly again – which, in this case will be shortly, usually in one or two window openings.

This Hijacker has been around for 5 or 6 years and infects computers by displaying a false directory webpage whenever the browser is opened and shows About: Blank in the title and address window.  One of the most frustrating things about this Hijacker is that is will not let you change your browser’s default homepage and if you do figure out a way to change it, it will change it back.  This Hijacker may also add new websites to your IE favorites, install an adware toolbar to your settings, and of course, hit you with tons and tons of pop-up ads, over-riding all of your settings.

Here is the real killer to all of this; the developers of this Hijacker earn incomes from the advertisements that are displayed on all of the infected machines. Each time you click the links on the directory or search result pages, you are earning money for the Hijacker developers. 

Then, we also have to wonder if the fixes to these aren’t also part of the whole Hijacking mess.  And, here is why: there are ways posted on the web to try to help you fix this but guess what, you cannot totally remove this problem without going out and purchasing a tool.  You can use free tools to scan and identify the infected and damaged files but in order to completely fix the problem and have a clean machine you end up forking out some bucks. I have had this particular Hijacker hit one of my machines that was protected with Norton, Avg, Avast, and a couple more.  Ended up having to add another to my protection suite.

Avg and Avast have proved to be good tools for me.  Both are free.  Both work well.  I have just added XoftSpySE and so far so good. It was the only app that cleaned up and removed the files that were infected.  The others only identified and quarantined.  Not sure why. PC Tools, SpyWare Doctor, Regcure are just a few that you may want to try.   But, don’t purchase before you run a scan and see how many infected files that tool locates. 

Here is the download link for the XoftSpySE tool:

http://www.paretologic.com/download/xoftspyse/revenuewire/?uid=pnh24

Now, there are always those sophisticated users that want to try to clean their systems without the help of a tool.  If you are one of those, you can use the REGISTRY EDITOR to attempt and I do mean attempt to remove about: blank.  First step, backup all of your files. 

If you do not have a backup program, then you can use the Windows Backup Tool:

Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Backup to start the wizard.  Choose which files you want to backup and where.  I would recommend making a copy that you can store “off-site” away from your machine just in case of emergency. 

Before we go over the steps to try to manually remove the About:Blank components, let me preface with a general word of advice:  manual removal of malware, adware, spyware, or viruses can damage important components of your computer. As a result of an improper removal, the computer may not function properly or it may not function at all. Consider the acquisition of an effective and safe anti-spyware program for the safety and security of your computer.

Moving on, the following steps outline the process that you can follow to attempt a removal of About:Blank from your computer:

Click Start, Click Run, Type ‘regedit’

Click ok to open the registry editor

Remove the following registry values:

06abaa2d-34ab-4902-a326-409bd9b9a7a5

b664647f-efd5-4837-a810-a807139107e5

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\microsoft\windows\ currentversion\runnetworkservice

ce6a1268-9cc9-4ba3-8657-fe1132906cc4

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\microsoft\windows\ currentversion\runnetworkservice

In addition, the following About:Blank processes also need to be removed:

phafxfa.exe

svhost.exe

smbdins.exe

sethcd.exe

tsmsetup.exe

You will also need to delete or remove any and all of the following directories and their files if they are present on your computer:

phafxfa.exe

svhost.exe

smbdins.exe

sethcd.exe

tsmsetup.exe

wdm.dll

achpjba.dll

cbme.dll

se.dll

iesp1.dll

The following DLL files will need to be unregistered:

wdm.dll

achpjba.dll

cbme.dll

se.dll

iesp1.dll

The above lists are representative of the directories, files, and folders that may be found on your computer if About:Blank has been installed. Variations can exist due to the fact that these programs are constantly making new versions in to outwit savvy computer users. About:Blank has also been known as About Blank Hijack, About Blank Trojan, About Blank Homepage Hijacker, About:Blank Search Hijacker, CWS.Aboutblank, About Blank Spyware, and About Blank Virus.

Very often About:Blank is actually seen on the Add/Remove Programs.  So, you should check and make sure that it has been completely removed from your computer. Open the Add/Remove Programs in the control panel to see if About:Blank is listed.  If it is there, you most likely have not removed it all and will need to continue your manual search for other infected files.  Or, realize that you need to use a Scan Tool from a 3^rd party vendor to locate the infected files.

Nothing like taking a 13 MacBook or 15 /17 inch MacBook Pro and connecting to a 50” or 60” flat screen!!!  From experience, let me tell you how awesome it is!!!!

Are you one of those that has been trying to piece together cables so that your MacBook or MacBook Pro would work with your HDTV or other HDMI compatible device and doing so without much luck, only to find out, after lots of research that others are struggling too and there really isn’t a sound solution available?  Well, I’ve got some good news for you but first, lets me remind you that there are solutions available.  You can put together a solution that does work and that does allow you to use your laptop (MacBooks) on your flat screen TV’s.  Some may ask why – but, think about this……..sitting in your  favorite couch potato chair, in front of your Panasonic 50”  or 60” flat screen TV and deciding that you want to do some research on-line so you plug in your Mini-Display port to DVI cable that is connected to a mini-dvi to dvi adapter.  Then you have a DVI to HDMI cable connected to your flat screen TV and walla; there you have it – the Internet as big as life!  Check that configuration out if you have a flat screen in your bedroom – it is awesome to work or research while hanging out in bed or in your other favorite chair. 

So, where do you get the cables and which cables do you get?  Well, of course you can get them from Apple on-line and they are actually cheaper there than most places I’ve found – plus, the quality is pretty good:  www.store.apple.com/us

Now, let me explain something that may help.  There are three kinds of DVI cables. “DVI-I” stands for “DVI-Integrated” and supports both digital and analog transfers, so it works with both digital and analog Visual Display Units. “DVI-D” stands for “DVI-Digital” and supports digital transfers only. “DVI-A” stands for “DVI-Analog and supports analog transfers only.  One tidbit that may be useful is that DVI does NOT transfer audio, only video. 

One of the hardest problems users have is recognizing the DVI cables.  Here is a quick help as well as a reproduction from datapro on how to differentiate between the cables:

There are two variables in every DVI connector, and each represents one characteristic.

The flat pin on one side denotes whether the cable is digital or analog:

                  A flat pin with four surrounding pins is either DVI-I or DVI-A

                  A flat pin alone denotes DVI-D

The pinsets vary depending on whether the cable is single-link, dual-link, or analog:

                  Two separated 9-pin sets (rows of 6) for a single-link cable

                  A solid 24-pin set (rows of 8) for a dual-link cable

A separated 8-pin and 4-pin set is for DVI-A.

If you head to www.datapro.com they offer pictures of the cables that can help you determine what you need. 

The DVI stated signal distance is 16 feet but you can find places that carry 25 foot cables and then if you have extra cash, you may want to pick  up a a signal booster.  But, I haven’t talked with anyone that has ever needed a signal booster for their DVI cable system. But, on the other hand, I’ve never tried going over 12 feet and my research has shown that users going over 16 feet and using the 25 foot cables are not experiencing degradation.  So most likely you wouldn’t need a booster.

What we all need to do is get them to develop the wireless DVI to HDMI.  Imagine a Mini-display port wireless card about and inch long and a quarter of an inch wide coming from the side of your Mac and then a small HDMI wireless connector on your TV.  Now, that is what I want.  There is good news on the development front, not on the wireless front but on the HDMI topic,  Monoprice has developed Mini-DisplayPort to HDMI adapter and was to have it to market in January 2009.  Unfortunately, they are having problems finding vendors that can produce the product for them. Stay tuned for an update, as this is a pretty, darn hot topic and lots of users are waiting for this solution.

http://www.macyourself.com/2008/12/11/macbook-owners-rejoice-mini-displayport-to-hdmi-adapter-soon/

So, bottom line, what you need is a mini-display port to dvi cable that you can get for $29.99 from Apple (http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB570Z/A).  Then,  you grab a dvi to HDMI cable / adapter from datapro that is anywhere from $16.95 to $45.oo depending on the length (http://www.datapro.net/products/dvi-to-hdmi-digital-video-cable.html).  At that point, you have a HDMI ready cable and you are set!  And, it is a beautiful thing when you get it all put together, which only takes about 5 minutes.

Why is it that my Linksys routers all use 192.168.1.1 as their default address? I had a Motorola WR850G router before this and it used 192.168.10.1. What is so special about the 192.168 prefix? Why doesn’t my router use my internet IP address?

The reason that your router uses the 192.168.x.x address range is simple: It’s reserved. Based on RFC1918 Address Allocation for Private Internets the 192.168 subnet has been reserved for private use. Most routers by default will ignore requests to the following IP blocks from the WAN (Internet) side:

10.0.0.0 – 10.255.255.255
172.16.0.0 – 172.31.255.255
192.168.0.0 – 192.168.255.255

The main benefit of the reserved address space is that it eliminates address conflicts between private networks. I, you, and your pet monkey can all be running the same IP address, say 192.168.1.50 on our computers and so long as we’re not connected to the same private network there won’t be a conflict.

The reason that we can both use the same IP address for each of our computers is because your router, well, ‘routes’ the information. Any request that you send to the internet goes through NAT (Network Address Translation). Basically, you send the request to your router, and the router sends the request to the internet for you. Once it gets a response from the internet the router then sends that response to the requesting machine.

This is why multiple computers all can use the router at once. Computer A requests Amazon.com and computer B requests Google. The router knows that it was computer A that requested Amazon, and so when Amazon’s servers respond to said request then the information is sent to the appropriate computer. That is, of course, a gross oversimplification of the process, but it explains the general concept.

You wouldn’t want your internal (LAN) address to correspond with your external (WAN) address because first, you want to avoid IP address conflicts. While your router should treat everything on the LAN as totally separate from the outside world, there is the possibility that routing table conflicts could arise. Second, any unsolicited requests that come to the router generally get ignored unless you’ve set up a DMZ host (a computer to where all of the unsolicited incoming traffic goes).

Your router offers your computer a great deal of protection due to the fact that it bears the brunt of the unsolicited internet traffic. You only get the packets that you request, so any random port-scanning malware won’t be able to connect to you.

So, don’t bother with the internal IP settings. There’s really no point unless you’re trying to set up a VPN; and that’s a whole other can of worms.

I have a brand new HP laptop, Vista, Windows IE. I have no clue how to get this error message to stop! Please help!

I am using Trend Micro 2008 and Webroot Spy Sweeper Software.

More than likely, your HTTP Error 400 is being caused by a malformed request by your computer to the web server. Most commonly this is because a software suite on your computer has privacy settings that are supposed to strip your browser requests of their referrer information, but occasionally end up stripping other vital information from the request as well.

Norton Internet Securities “Stealth Browsing Mode” causes this issue all the time.

So, the first step would be to disable your Trend Micro protection completely. Do the same with Webroot. Following this, you’ll need to check your security settings in Internet Explorer. To do this, click on Tools->Internet Options. Click on the Privacy tab, and set it to Default. Now click on the Security tab and select the Internet, Local intranet, Trusted sites, and Restricted sites icons, setting them to Default Level one at a time. Actually, since you’re running Vista which comes with IE7, you can simply click the Reset all zones to default level. That’ll be a hint quicker. Click Apply and then OK.

Close Internet Explorer and reopen it. Try to navigate to the pages that were previously giving you problems. If the issue persists, you may need to reset your DNS data as well. Click Start->Run and type CMD then press enter. When the Command Prompt opens up type ipconfig /flushDNS (this may need to be run from within the Administrator account). You’ll also want to ensure that the sites in question aren’t added to your Restricted sites list.

If the issue is still there, you will want to manually shut down the privacy components of Trend Micro and Webroot. Some suites leave their privacy settings active even if the full package itself is set as ‘disabled’. I’m not sure where the settings are in either of these anti-malware suites so you’ll have to poke around.

Once you’ve got the sites displaying, activate your security software packages one at a time. First reactivate PC-cillin, test it, and if it works then re-enable Webroot Spy Sweeper. If it stops working after either one of those has been re-enabled then you may need to uninstall and reinstall them as the privacy profiles have likely become corrupted.

Hello, my family and I have just moved to a new neighborhood and are shopping around for a new ISP. Dial-Up is not an option because it’s too slow. Qwest offers DSL in our area and there is Comcast offering cable. I have heard bad things about both cable and DSL broadband and so I was hoping that you could shed a little light on the subject.

The type of connection that I recommend that you get is… Secret option C: A fiber optic line. Sadly, this is almost certainly not an option for you unless you just happen to live in Utah and are in one of the cities involved in the UTOPIA Project. If you do happen to live within it’s reach, then stop reading this article, because I hate you.

But, if you’re like the rest of us then you have to choose between just a couple of different services which are most likely mediocre at best.

While I usually lean towards cable as my main broadband connection of choice, the service that you choose is really dependent upon the area in which you live. The first consideration is bandwidth. What speeds are each of the companies offering you? With cable, assuming you’re in a metropolitan area, you should be able to get at least 6 Mbps out of it. With DSL you can expect about the same. This does not mean that Qwest or Comcast will necessarily offer you lines that fast, but it should be possible.

Also keep in mind that the speed you’re paying for is not always what its real-world performance turns out being. Depending on the quality of the lines in your area, how far you are away from the nearest CO in the case of DSL, the quality of the lines within your house, as well as the sheer number of people connected to the same subnet, your actual speed could be much lower than what your bill says you should be getting.

Be sure to check out what each offer has in regards to upstream bandwidth. Upstream bandwidth is just as important as downstream. While you shouldn’t need as much bandwidth up as you do down, you will need a decent amount. If any of your family members start uploading a bunch of data (using Bittorrent, uploading photos to MySpace, etc) and consume all of your outgoing bandwidth then nothing coming in will work either. When downloading a file or webpage your computer has to send out requests for additional data once the first requests are completed. Assuming all of the upstream is taken then those requests can’t be sent, which means that you’re not going to be downloading jack.

Before you make a decision I would ask your close neighbors what type of connection they have and how the service has been. The quality of service between DSL and cable can vary wildly from area to area. I had Charter cable in my previous town and it was not nearly as reliable as Comcast has been in my new place. DSL can be the same way.

One thing to watch out for with DSL would be hidden costs associated with it. It’s nice that they may be offering you a screamingly fast connection for $30 a month, but more than likely there are a bunch of other fees that go along with it. You’ll likely have to pay for the phone line itself each month, and then there’s regular service charges, they’ll probably try to tack on a regular voice phone line along with that. (Nearly everybody that I know uses cellphones almost exclusively. Personally I’ve not had a hardwired phone line since 2003) Before you know it your $30 internet is actually costing you $60 per month.

I suppose the gist of the article is this: Choose whichever service will be the most reliable in your area. It is well worth giving up a couple of Mbps for a steady, reliable connection.

Regarding dial-up, I completely agree. It’s 2008 now, not 1050 BC. I don’t hammer things into stone tablets to relay information. If you’re on dial-up and have another service available to you then it’s time to upgrade. You’re past due.