The Conficker virus has been in the news alot lately. I found a website that gives you a fast visual Conficker test to let you know if the PC you are using may be infected.
I've taken the liberty of republishing the images for the Conficker test here. If you suspect that you are infected, I recommend a visit to Temerc's forum (free registration) to get some great advice on removing Conficker and any other malwares you may have. For those of you who prefer a do-it-yourself approach, here's an article offering advice on how to defeat Conficker.
If any of the three images below are missing, you may be infected with Conficker.
I found this information at CNET. Below is a snippet from the Download Blog.
A friend here in Celina called me in for a PC rescue last August. He has two teen-aged boys and they have a computer that they use for school and games. Naturally, it gets infected occasionally despite taking normal precautions.
The infection they had was the wildly popular trojan "fake alert", which pops up at websites and fools you into installing it because you are "infected". It's ironic that most folks only become infected after they install this rogue anti-malware application. A good sign that you've been caught by ScareWare like this one is that you will have an application called AntiSpyware 2009 or AdwareAlert installed on your PC.
A good practice is to never click OK or Yes to any popup that's asking you to try something you aren't familiar with.
The first thing I did was to run a HiJackThis scan and post it in Temerc's security forum. Tom, the admin there, recommended the MalwareBytes scanner and remover (new version out this month) as the first scan and removal program. When dealing with infections, I always consult an expert. Tom may not claim to be an expert but he's the best I know and a long time friend as well. I recommend that you follow the same steps and consult an expert when you get into trouble.
Tom asked me to follow up with a couple of other scans, but MalwareBytes cleared up the majority of the infection and I'm even using it on my PC now. I found out this week that Tom (admin at Temerc.com) is now working as a remote Support Technician at MalwareBytes. The fact that they were bright enough to co-opt Tom is another reason that MalwareBytes is now my favorite anti-malware remover.
The Malware Bytes Anti-Malware app is free, but in case you need live protection, they also have a paid version. I think it works great in the free version but I won't try to stop you from buying the full version.
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Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware is considered to be the next step in the detection and removal of malware. We compiled a number of new technologies that are designed to quickly detect, destroy, and prevent malware. Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware can detect and remove malware that even the most well-known Anti-Virus and Anti-Malware applications on the market today cannot. Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware monitors every process and stops malicious processes before they even start. The Realtime Protection Module uses our advanced heuristic scanning technology which monitors your system to keep it safe and secure. In addition, we have implemented a threats center which will allow you to keep up to date with the latest malware threats.
This week, I was searching for a good portable version of Gom Player. I never did find a good one. There are some stand-alone versions available on the net but I've noticed that the Portable Freeware site says that they leave registry entries behind. So I more or less gave up on it.
While I was searching, I found out that Gom has a great encoder tool and they claim that any video you can play in the Gom Player can be converted using their Encoder. Super!
I downloaded and installed it. No problems there. However, the very first video I tried to convert didn't work. I wanted to convert a SWF file into AVI. I can play the SWF file in GOM, but the encoder couldn't convert it. Big FAIL, unless I did something wrong. I also noted that they embed a small Gom Encoder logo into the first few seconds of the video. That's fine with me, but I'm sure there are a few people who'd object to it.
On the up side, I had no problem converting other file types and you can see the results of one conversion here:
I can very much recommend Gom Encoder for it's ease of use and it's the perfect companion for the Gom Player which has been recommended to me many times by some of the readers here.
GOM Encoder Features
Convert any video files that can be played with GOM Player
Embed subtitles to the video (you can see subtitles on the resulting video even if your device doesn’t support subtitle)
Encode just once to convert your video files into MP4/3GP/SKM format playable on your mobile phone, PSP and iPod
Convert video files to AVI format playable on PMP and DivX players
Convert video files to WMV format for your homepage or blog
Convert video files to OGM/AVI for your PDA
Convert video files to Flash format (FLV)
Stable encoding
Fast encoding (even faster on Dual Core or Hyper-Threading CPUs)
Convert only parts of a video
Adjust playback speed on the resulting video file
Supports 2Pass encoding, resulting in higher quality video output
You can convert any movie files that are playable on GOM Player to AVI, MP4, WMV/ASF, OGM, 3GP, FLV, SWF, MP3 and etc.
You can enjoy the files you've converted on your cell phone, MP3 player, iPod, PSP/PS3, PMP, navigation or other multimedia devices.
I'm not known to complain about life when things don't go my way, but I've never been challenged like Nick Vujicic (below) has. I'd like to think that we could all succeed if we'd take responsibility for ourselves and display the same attitudes that Nick has. I found this truly inspirational video at Dave's Computer Tips. Thanks for sharing Dave.
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It is a great privilege to welcome you to the Life Without Limbs.org website. My name is Nick Vujicic and I'm 25 years old. I was born without arms or legs and given no medical reason for this condition. Faced with countless challenges and obstacles, God has given me the strength to surmount what others might call impossible. Along with that, the Lord has placed within me an unquenchable passion to share this same hope and genuine love that I’ve personally experienced with more than two million people all over the globe.
If you didn't know me better, you might think I was born in Missouri, commonly known as the "Show me" state. We have all been raised to believe certain things and in most cases it's good. However, it's also good to occasionally examine those beliefs and to examine the "unquestioned" information that we are asked to swallow without looking by those who might call themselves experts or pundits.
I am a skeptic at heart. I don't believe everything I see and hear on the news or on the web. A little skepticism is needed if you want to surf the web and retain your sanity at the same time. That's why I was pleased to see that the Leo Notenboom at ask-leo.com is also a professed skeptic. Here's what he has to say and I agree with him 100%. He has said it better than I can.
I am a skeptic.
For many people, that implies that I believe nothing (not so), believe in nothing (also wrong), and that I somehow take delight in pointing out the flawed thinking of others (wrong again).
I view healthy skepticism as simply understanding the difference between belief and knowledge, not promoting belief as knowledge and understanding that knowledge is backed by independently verifiable facts. Ultimately, skepticism is about discovering what is true.
TheSkepticweb siteis a great source of information for those wanting to understand and gain better tools to help cut through so much of the misinformation in the world, and on the internet.
If you want to keep from being hornswoggled by those Nigerian emails, or find out if your polititions are telling the whole truth for once, then the Skeptic website will give you a heathy dose of skepticism.
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The Skeptics Society is a scientific and educational organization of scholars, scientists, historians, magicians, professors and teachers, and anyone curious about controversial ideas, extraordinary claims, revolutionary ideas, and the promotion of science. Our mission is to serve as an educational tool for those seeking clarification and viewpoints on those controversial ideas and claims.
Under the direction of Dr. Michael Shermer, the Society engages in scientific investigation and journalistic research to investigate claims made by scientists, historians, and controversial figures on a wide range of subjects. The Society also engages in discussions with leading experts in our areas of exploration. It is our hope that our efforts go a long way in promoting critical thinking and lifelong inquisitiveness in all individuals.
Curious how much a gallon of gas cost in 1960? Wonder no more: It was 31 cents a gallon. Here's a fascinating site to educate and entertain you at the same time. With many different categories to choose from, just click on whatever you're interested in to find out how much it costs, plus everything else you want to know about it:
What It Costs is an online leader in providing information on the costs associated with a wide variety of services and concepts. Whether you want to know the price range of practical activities -- such as removing a tree stump from your yard, having your teeth whitened or joining a gym – or are interested in our more unusual articles – such as the cost of climbing the Seven Summits, being cryogenically frozen or cleaning up a murder scene – you will find all this and more on our website.
Anyone who's never owned a pig as a pet has missed out on one of life's greatest pleasures. Contrary to the rumors about pigs, they are very affectionate, highly trainable, playful, loving and surprisingly, absolutely fastidious! Just as you would train a cat, simply place the pig in a clean litterbox first thing in the morning and after eating. Pigs are incredibly intelligent; they learn very quickly, and can be trained to do almost anything. Far from being the dirty animals people think they are, they are actually the complete opposite. Just like cats and dogs, they make great house pets, will happily sleep in your bed (if you allow your pets to share your bed) and love bubblebaths!
This short video will give you new insight into these funny, loveable little creatures. Living with one is a delightful experience that will definitely bring more fun and happiness to your life than you can imagine. Let's all give pigs the respect they deserve!
When I first saw this video, I was reminded of the novel by Philp K. Dick, titled "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?". Being a SCI-FI buff, I also know that this story was the basis for the awesome movie "Blade Runner", one of my all time favorites.
I have heard that some people think this video was faked. I've looked it over and it looks to me like all it took was a lot of hard work by some bored sheepherders and their dogs. I saw nothing that looked like it needed to be faked.
Gary at Internet Fixes continues to amaze me with hundreds and thousands of tips for your PC. Whatever your operating system, or how you use it, a visit to Gary's site will soon have you saying "So that's how you do it!".
If you have just spent an hour going over your PC cleaning up the garbage that can accumulate from surfing the web along with the programs you use that are not even connected to the web make sure you finish by Cleaning your tracks!
Be sure to delete your electronic trail of temporary files, cookies, and surfing history. If you're using Internet Explorer, click on Tools | Internet Options. On the General
You Can Block Some Spam But It Seems You Can Never Stop It All!
If you have an e-mail address, you have more than likely found spam in your inbox at some point in time. Spam is what you would refer to as unwanted e-mail and there are a few ways in which you can try and keep it out of your inbox.
In Outlook Express, one of the ways in which you can prevent spam is to use the block senders feature. You have the option of blocking individual
Install The Handwriting Recognition Engine In Windows XP!
If you recently purchased a new computer, the Microsoft handwriting recognition engine might have been installed by the computer manufacturer. No further installation is necessary. If you installed Microsoft Office XP, or if you purchased a new computer with it installed, the handwriting recognition engine is included but might not be installed. Follow the instructions below to install it.
If you're using Windows XP or Windows 2000 and connect directly to the Internet, you can fall victim to Windows Messenger Service pop-ups. This is not related to any instant messaging app, but to an arcane network utility called Net Send.
We All Like A Little Of Our Own Personality In Our Surroundings!
We all like a little of our own personality in our surroundings, at home and at work. Microsoft Windows XP makes it easy to personalize your computer. Add color, patterns, pictures, and even sounds to enhance your screen's appearance. Customize your mouse to make it easier to control. Set up your computer to load favorite programs automatically so they're ready when you are. And more. Personalizing your PC is one of the fun things you can do with your computer. You'll also increase your work efficiency and enjoy computing more!
Here's an easy way to start: Customize your desktop's
It's easy to change the look of other desktop elements such as text boxes, title bars, and other selected items. Windows XP contains a range of color-coordinated themes. Or customize each element individually.
The title bar of Internet Explorer displays the text "Microsoft Internet Explorer," along with the title of the page you're visiting. If you're tired of constantly being assaulted with images and words from Big Red up in Redmond, you can change that text to anything that you want - including "My Other Computer Runs Linux":
Customize The CPU Cycles Given To Programs And Processes!
XP assigns every program and process running on your PC a priority which determines the relative amount of CPU power that it gets compared to other programs. The priorities that XP assigns are: Low, Below Normal, Normal, Above Normal, High and Realtime. Most programs are assigned the Normal priority, but using the Task Manager, you can change the priorities assigned to any process or program. If you've got a lot of applications running, but want one - like a 3D shooter to get most of the processor's attention, this can really speed it up. To change the priority of a running program or process:
One monitor serves as the primary monitor, and this monitor displays the Logon dialog box when you start your computer. In addition, most programs will display windows on the primary monitor when you initially open them. You can select different screen resolutions and different color quality settings for each monitor. Multiple monitors can be connected to individual video adapters or to a single video adapter that supports multiple outputs. To configure the arrangement of multiple monitors:
System File Checker checks that all Windows files are where they should be and that they're uncorrupted. If you've done all your virus and spyware checking, error checking and defragging, and Windows is still doing strange things, then SFC can avoid a reinstall.
If you are trying to tweak or modify your Vista system, you will run into a barrier when it comes to replacing or changing system files. You can take ownership of the file and then grant your username full control of the file. After you have made your changes and/or modifications, you can then remove the permissions.
First you will need to access an elevated command prompt, to do this:
Collaborate With A Co-worker With Windows Meeting Space.
Want an easy way to share files and applications with a colleague or customer—even when you may not be part of the same network? Windows Meeting Space is a new experience in Windows Vista that enables you to start an impromptu collaboration session with other Windows Vista users. Simply open Windows
Share A Folder Or File Directly From Your PC With Windows Vista.
Windows Vista improves on the Windows network folder sharing experience first introduced with Windows XP by giving you more flexibility in what you can share with other people and improving the setup process. With Windows Vista you can now share folders and individual
Enable Parental Controls On A Domain Computer Running Vista Ultimate.
If you are running Vista Ultimate on a domain, you will notice that Parental Controls is disabled by default. In order to utilize Parental Controls so you can limit access to the web, set hours that the account can access the computer, what games can be played and what applications can be run, you will need to enable this
Create A Complete Backup And Restore Image With Windows Vista.
Unlike Windows XP, Windows Vista does not have a repair install option. Well not in the sense of being able to re-install the operating system over the current version without damaging or altering software applications you have installed over and above the Windows operating system.
This is not to say that there are no repair options, because there are; they simply work differently.
Bitlocker Encryption is the latest encryption method available on Windows Vista Enterprise and Ultimate. Rather than simply encrypt a single file Bitlocker actually encrypts the whole hard drive/partition, thus making the system more secure.
To use Bitlocker Encryption you need one of two components - a TPM complaint
Unlike other versions of Windows Hibernation is part and parcel of the shutdown options of Vista. There are no options in Power options to actually disable it. If you don't use it then hibernation will be taking up valuable disk space, therefore it is easier to disable the option and reclaim the disk space allocated to the hiberfil.sys.
Have you ever thought how good it would be if you could preview any document without having to actually open it? Well now you can using the preview option in Windows Explorer.
• Freeware by Spacejock Software including yWriter allows you to break your novel into chapters and scenes within chapters. You can reorder scenes and drag & drop them between chapters:http://www.spacejock.com/
• New. AM-Notebook is a multi-featured personal information manager that provides an easy and reliable way to save notes, formula supported spreadsheets, to do lists, tasks and contacts within a light weight tray icon tool:http://www.aignes.com/notebook.htm
• New. Aviary. Edit images, create mind-blowing effects, design logos, find colors, collaborate, and more. All you need is a web browser:http://aviary.com/home
• New. DVD43 is a free DVD decrypter that runs in the background and decrypts DVDs on the fly:http://www.dvd43.com/
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COOLSITES is a list of safe, fun, useful, informative and just plain cool websites and programs that are FREE, FREE and FREE. All of the programs and websites I list are free. If I list anything that is so good but isn't free I will list the price with it.
Wow! Almost 1000 people and still growing! I invite all of you to record your locations on this map. You can include as little or as much information as you wish. I think you'll enjoy seeing yourself there.
Here's a small look at my frapper map.
Get Gmail! and Get Firefox!
You need a free 7 GB Gmail account to access many of the cool features at Google. After more than two years in beta testing Gmail is open to the public. Just go to http://gmail.com and sign up for an account.
I think Gmail works best in the awesome Firefox browser. It's free, easy to use, and it's way more secure than Internet Explorer. My favorite thing to do is to customize Firefox so that it does much more than IE ever could. You can select new button controls for your toolbars, install extensions to add new features, or change the look of your browser with themes - the way Firefox looks and works is under your control.
I get many of the reviews in the newsletter from the readers. You don't have to be a genius or computer guru. Just answer a few questions and send me a review. I'll probably put you in the newsletter.
Hi Everyone.
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