*Capzles (Free - Upload your photos, for flash presentations, etc.) *Zamzar - Free online file conversion (Nuff Said ...) *bug.gd - Humanity's Only Hope (Free Help For Those D@#N Error Messages!) *AppSnap - Get Your Apps In A Snap (Free - Detects latest installed versions of supported apps on
your PC & More.) *Soundsnap.com: Find & Share, Free Sound Effects and Loops *WinMatrix.com - Windows Desktop Customization Community. *RealWorld Cursor Editor - Animated Cursor Maker *RocketDock (Free - A smoothly animated, alpha blended app launcher.) *AlfaClock (Free - Full Featured Atomic Talking Clock, That Replaces
The Boring One In Your Systray.) *iTunes Sync: Binary Fortress Software (Free - Sync Your MP3 Player With
iTunes!) * ILLEGAL OPERATIONS?! The first thing you'll need in order to fix "Illegal Operations," (AKA; General
Protection Faults, or GPFs) is to know what the heck they are, Right? All of us Windows veterans have seen this error message
popup on occasion; "This program has performed an illegal operation and will be shut down." I'll never forget the
first time I saw that on MY Win 98 machine ... I thought the guys with the sunglasses and wires hanging out their ears would
be at my door at any minute, Bummer right? We've ALL gone through this at one time or another. XP users don't experience this
type of message ... No, we get a more polite version; "Windows Explorer has encountered a problem and must now close,
we are sorry for any inconvenience." Though rare for XP users, the reasons are basically the same for all versions of
Microsoft Operating Systems. These are the GPFs or General Protection errors, (Program Error Messages are the same as GPFs).
Nine times out of ten, you'll need to reboot your puter ... Sometimes at the tower, (yikes)! If you're running Windows 95,
98, ME, 2K or XP, (No-one's exempt) then you should visit this informative website, to glean the knowledge necessary on how
to deal with such problems. NOTE: Mostly a shareware site. However, there's some pretty cool Freeware available there as well.
GRC's
Steve Gibson and TechTV's Leo Laporte, take 30 to 90 minutes near the end of each week,
to discuss important issues of personal computer security.
Sometimes they'll discuss something that just happened.
Sometimes they'll talk about long-standing problems, concerns, or solutions.
Either way, every week they endeavor
to produce something interesting and important for every PC user!
~
TECH NEWS FOR YOU! ~
“MUST-HAVE”SOFTWARE FOR EVERY HOME COMPUTER USER!
FREE FIREWALLs For Your Home Computer!
ZONE ALARM(Zone Labs) A tour DE force of FIREWALL software! There's two versions of this software
... one that's free, and one that's not. The FREE program keeps "Black & Gray-hat" hacker types from accessing
your Personal Confuser! Before you download the software, they recommend that you perform a free scan, that instantly will
find spyware, keyloggers, cookies, Adware, browser help objects and other pests, at no cost to you ... Then get the option
to remove spyware and download ZoneAlarm after the scan is complete. If I were you, and I were running a broadband (DSL or
Cable) connection? I'd buy the "PRO" version... (but that's just me.) NOTE: They (Zone Labs) have this odd habit, of making it difficult to locate the free version link ...
Here's the current one, (For Now - LOL) {=0 )>)
http://www.zonealarm.com/security/en-us/zonealarm-pc-security-free-firewall.htm
COMODO(Comodo™ Free Firewall Software Download) This free firewall received top ratings for stopping unwanted outbound connections.
(It's Running on MY Puter, Right Now!) ZoneAlarm (free) may be extremely popular, but that doesn't necessarily
mean that it's the best free firewall you can find on the net. Many people, (myself included) believe that Comodo Firewall
Pro takes that prize, largely because it was rated as the top firewall by the independent testing site Matousec. Matousec found that it offered the highest level of "anti-leak" protection -- in essence, a measurement
of a firewall's effectiveness. Again, There's two versions
of this software ... one that's free, and one that's not. Comodo offers
true two-way firewall protection, is extremely configurable, and unlike most other firewalls, gives you a great view into
your system and Internet connection as well ... BEST OF ALL, YOU CAN GET IT FOR FREE!
{=0 )> ) Go HERE, to Grab It!
AVG Anti-virus Protection From Grisoft (For
Windows 95/98/98SE/ME/XP/Vista/Widows 7)
How AVG's Internet Security (Paid for version) Protects Your PC: AVG Internet Security Gives You a FULL YEAR of PROTECTION, (Including
Updates and Support)ALL For $54.99 Get It HERE!
(Scroll
Down, For FREE AVG Anti-Virus)
Viruses & Spyware: Protects you from everyday threats -- viruses
& spyware. Efficient automated protection & Low use of system resources, while keeping your PC fully protected.
Hacker Attacks: AVG’s advanced firewall protects you from Hacker attacks. Intrusion attempts are blocked immediately & ALL unauthorized access to your PC is denied.
Infected Downloads: Transferring and swapping files over the net is
a common method of infection. AVG's Web Shield prevents you from downloading infected files, or exchanging infected files
over IM.
NOTE: If You’re Happy To Continue Manually Monitoring Your Online Security and You've Created
Your Own “Layered Security” Approach, (Like I Have) Go HERE, To Add AVG FREE To Your Security Mix ...
ALSO FROM AVG ...
A Cool FREE Tool, For Repairing Seriously Infected PCs
“AVG Rescue CD: A Powerful Toolset, For Rescue
& Repair of Infected Machines.”
(For Windows XP, Vista and 7)
Every PC user has to deal with malware at some point. Quality security programs are the first line of defense.
And they can block or remove nearly any infection. But no system is perfect. Occasionally, a really bad piece of malware comes
along. It could wreak serious havoc. If it's bad enough, even starting the computer might be impossible. If you can't start
your computer, how do you fix it? Most people will never run into something like this ... But It DOES Happen! Fixing
it requires a different kind of tool. That's what 'AVG Rescue CD' is for. It contains various antivirus and anti-spyware tools.
You can burn it to a CD. Or you can install it on a thumb drive. Then, instead of booting into Windows, you boot from your
CD or thumb drive. The anti-malware tools can be used to recover your system. You can clean out everything, and then get back
to Windows. (NOTE: This
is NOT a program you run from within Windows ... It must be burned to a CD, or installed on a USB drive.
You can then boot your computer into the program. For detailed instructions on how to use it, visit this AVG page.)
You can download the AVG Rescue CD
from the download section for free. There are two files you can download - ISO file and RAR/ZIP archive. The ISO image can be used to burn a CD or DVD. The archive can be extracted on USB drive.
(Click HERE, To Discover All The Cool Stuff This FREE Utility Is Capable of!) The BEST (FREE) PC Optimization Tool I've EVER Used -- PERIOD! This is a system cleaner that removes unused and temporary files
from your system. It has a fully featured registry cleaner that uses advanced algorithms to check the Registry for
problems and inconsistencies, then allows you to do a backup before you repair your Registry. CCleaner will make Windows
run faster, more efficiently, while giving you back lost Hard Disk space. This Program Contains NO Spyware or, Adware! The best part is, that it's Small, Fast & FREE!
(You Can Thank
Me Later ...) Ccleaner Comes To You In Three Flavors: *Standard Build - WithYahooToolbar (1,459KB) Download now!
* 5 Star Support Need help
with your puter? This popular site offers free computer technical support and advice. Here, you'll also find computer tips,
tricks, tutorials, free downloads, and more.
* MC MCSE This site offers a treasure trove
of free learning resources for Microsoft, Cisco, CompTIA and CIW certifications. The content here includes study guides, online
practice exams, forums, news and more. MC MCSE also features a good roundup of other free certification sites.
*
MCSE Directory If you're studying for the MCSE (Microsoft
Certification Exam), then this new directory is a must-visit. Here, you'll find a comprehensive roundup of free MCSE resources
on the Web, including practice tests, study guides, free books and brain dumps (sites that offer free online training).
* Tech Tutorials This site offers the biggest roundup we've seen yet
of free tutorials, aimed at computer and networking professional. There are many topics here, including applications, DOS,
databases, Linux, Macs, OS2, Windows and more.
* Free Computer Tutorials This site offers free online computer tutorials that cover Microsoft Office, Site Build It (SBI) and other
major Windows applications. The courses here are available in four proficiency levels: basic, intermediate, advanced and expert.
* PC Pitstop Are you looking to get your computer
in tip-top shape? This marvelous free online resource lets you easily test and diagnose your computer, hard drive, Net connection,
and more! PC Pitstop can check your computer for viruses and it also offers tips for improving your PC's performance.
* Task List Programs Have you ever been baffled by the various (often-cryptic) task list programs
running on your PC? This handy free reference describes hundreds of task list programs and includes detailed explanations
of each program and what its purpose is.
* Suggest a Fix Looking for free tech support? This popular, well-organized site offers support on many topics, from Windows
to computer hardware issues. The technologically savvy volunteers who staff the forums here can answer your questions in plain
English.
* Protonic.com Having you having technical support problems with your computer? This handy free service,
which is staffed by a community of over 1,110 volunteers, aims to help users with any tech problems they might have, from
error messages to HTML help.
Since
a lot of folks seem to be experiencing the dreaded 'BSOD,' (as of late) I thought I'd address the issue
...
~ How To Fix Your
“Crashing” Computer ~
We've come to accept it as a fact of modern life: a computer WILL eventually CRASH ... PCs crash for a variety of
reasons, from faulty drivers to conflicting software, from memory problems, to dust-bunnys clogging up the machine. Try as
we might to avoid a crash, sometimes it's just as important to know what to do, after the crash occurs.
Crashes come in all shapes and sizes.
There's the freeze, of course, where everything just stops. And then there's everyone's favorite, the infamous “Blue
Screen of Death,” (or “BSOD”) where the screen goes blue and displays all sorts of mysterious instructions.
Once you see that ... You Just KNOW You're Screwed.
The first and most obvious response to
a system crash, is to restart your computer. If your machine manages to reboot successfully, that's a positive sign.
However, the crash may have left behind errors within the PC's registry.
The registry provides directions
for every program on a Windows computer, telling your PC what to do next. If there's an error in your registry, your computer
might not know what to do. It's probably not a great idea to try fixing the registry on your own. There is software out there, that
can do this for you ... Do a search for a free registry cleaner ... Personally, I use Ccleaner, by Piriform -- This tool dumps all of those 'pesky' temp files, while cleaning your system
and registry, (You can find tutorials for this cool utility, HERE and on YouTube HERE - 7min-33sec).
If your computer won't restart, your next move is to try rebooting your
machine in Safe Mode. Sometimes faulty drivers are the root cause of a crash -- rebooting
the computer in Safe Mode disables most of those drivers, in the hopes of getting the machine restarted, and perhaps recovering
any lost data.
To reboot in Safe Mode, rapidly continue to press the F8 key
while restarting -- the Windows Advanced Options menu appears, providing choices in the Boot menu. Newer versions of Windows provide several Safe Mode options to choose from -- use the arrow
keys (not your mouse) to make a selection, and press Enter.
Bear in mind that when the computer restarts
in Safe Mode, it will look, feel and function differently than you're used to -- for example, it will display using fewer
colors in a smaller screen resolution, and certain components won't work, because the system is started in such a way,
that only the programs needed for the system to function for diagnosic purposes are loaded. In other words, you won't
want to use the computer in Safe Mode for very long. Once you've successfully restarted in Safe Mode, work quickly to restore
and back up any lost data, make any changes to your system setup and then reboot again normally.
While in Safe Mode, you can attempt to determine the cause of the crash to either disable or uninstall the culprit and avoid
future trouble. Windows keeps track of the programs you're using in the Event Viewer -- this
is a good place to look for the cause of a crash. Click Start, go to the Control
Panel, and click on Administrative Tools. From there, double-click on the Event
Viewer and choose the System section. Error symbols will be marked with a red exclamation
point, suggesting which program(s) may have caused the crash.
Another guilty party, could be the drivers that tell your computer's devices how to operate. To check your drivers for errors,
click Start and then Control Panel. Click System
and then the Hardware Tab. Select the Device Manager to bring up
a full list of your drivers; right-click on any one and select Properties.
Errors will appear with a yellow "X" or an exclamation point, helping identify the cause of the crash.
If crashes continue to occur, your computer may have problems that require more than a “do-it-yourself”
diagnosis and repair. In that case, I Recommend Contacting Me, and tell me what the “STOP ERROR” located towards the bottom of the
“BSOD” Screen Looks Like, (For Example) Look For an Error Message similar to the one below:
Write in down, (carefully) then contact me, and I'll do
what I can to help you out, OK?
EasySteps To ImproveYOUR PC's Performance! Unless your computer is fresh
out of the box, it's probably not running as fast as it used to. Our PCs fill up with all sorts of good stuff -- documents,
music, videos, programs, games, downloads -- and bad stuff like viruses and spyware, as well. Over time they CAN get
'bogged down.' Much like oil changes for your car, a little periodic 'preventive' maintenance can actually help
extend your computer's lifespan. And in this tight economy, it's smart to take a few simple easy steps, to help
keep your PC running like new, (instead of going out, and having to buy a new one).
I've collected
a series of tips and tricks to help your computer run more smoothly and broaden its useful life. They are easy enough that
anyone, even a novice, can run them -- but they can all help bring that “new car smell” back to your computer.
“DISK CHECK” YOUR MACHINE:Computers with Windows XP and newer operating systems come with
several simple utilities to check, clean and de-clutter your hard drive. Doing so, will free it up to access your programs
and files more quickly. 'Disk Check' identifies and removes hard disk errors caused by crashes or power failures. It's
a good idea to run it every few months, to make sure the drive itself is functioning properly.
• Click on My Computer • Right click on C drive • Choose “Properties” • Select the Tools Tab • Click the "Check Now" button under "Error Checking" •
Check all the boxes • Click Start
“DISK CLEANUP” YOUR MACHINE:Disk Cleanup removes temporary files and unnecessary detritus
from your hard drive, (HDD) freeing up space on the disk. For example: when you're browsing the Web, your computer
collects thousands of temporary files to help Websites load more quickly. But over time, these files create clutter, so it's
a good idea to clean them out. I recommend running this utility around once a month ... Bare minimum, every two months.
• Click on My Computer
• Right click on your C drive • Choose “Properties” • Select Disk Cleanup
NEXT ...
“DEFRAG” YOUR MACHINE:The Disk Defragmenterimproves
hard drive performance and speed by piecing together parts of files that have been broken apart. As you use your computer,
files are constantly added, changed and removed. Over time, these files and folders are broken into chunks of data, so when
you want to access the file your hard disk has to work harder and look in more places to find all of its contents. This is
known as fragmentation. The more full your hard drive becomes, the more likely it is your files will be fragmented. The Defragmenter
pieces those chunks of data back together, so your hard drive can load them more quickly. I recommend using this utility
at least once a month -- and it's best to run when you're finished using the computer for the day, as it can often take well
over an hour to complete.
• Click on My Computer • Right click on your C drive • Select
Properties • Choose the Tools tab • Click "Defragment Now" button under "Defragmentation"
“AUTOMATIC UPDATES”
FOR YOUR MACHINE:Windows
XP, (and higher) can automatically check to see if it needs to be updated. Microsoft often supplies patches, updates and security
fixes for Windows (as well as Office and other Microsoft programs) that should always be installed to keep your PC up-to-date.
The beauty of Automatic Updates is, that it checks with Microsoft on its own, and lets you know when you need to do something.
So just make sure that Automatic Updates are on:
• Click Start, and then click Control Panel • Click Automatic Updates • Choose Automatic (recommended)
EMPTY THE “RECYCLE BIN” ...
Though it sounds counterintuitive, dropping an unwanted
file in the Recycle Bin, doesn't actually remove it from your hard drive. To prevent accidental deletion, a file can remain
in the Recycle Bin and continue to take up space. Periodically emptying the Recycle Bin, helps free space for the files you
want to keep.
If running all these individual fixes doesn't sound like your cup of tea,
there's software available, that can 'optimize' your computer in a few simple steps -- Cleaning our your hard drive, speeding
startup and shutdown, and repairing errors. (See the list at the top of this webpage, for; “PROGRAMSThat I've INSTALLED on MY Machines.”
Finally, perhaps the most common causes of computer sluggishness are viruses and spyware. You may already have computer
security software installed on your computer, but with so many new threats created every day, it must have updated definition
files to be of any use. (Again, See Above, For Good FREE Anti-virus Software That's Available ...)
If you don't
already have security software on your PC, make sure you install it and KEEP IT UPDATED!
Extending Your Computer's Lifespan: The average lifespan of a desktop computer varies and is usualy only two-five years. How can
you make it last longer? Easy tips like clearing/vacuuming dust, from around the computer and its vent holes and keeping
an eye on its running temperature can help a lot ... Find out more ...
10 Ways to Protect Your Privacy Online: As you read e-mail, check your stock portfolio, post a status update on Facebook and consult whether sites
to keep an eye on that storm headed your way, you leave invisible tracks on the Internet. How can you protect your personal information from being misused? The Answer Is Simple ... Be
Smart!
Top 10 Passwords You Should NEVER Use: If you chose an easy-to-remember password, such as your user name or even the word "password," I
advise you to change it right away. Easily guessed passwords can compromise your personal identity, privacy and financial accounts.
The following
removal tools can be run one at a time, if you suspect you have one of these specific viruses, (or you're unable to get
your Anti-virus software to install properly) ... Remember, most viruses have 'agents' that prevent the installation of Anti-virus
software after infection. I hope this list will be of some help to you. (I will not be responsible for any consequences
that may arise from your use of any of the removal tools featured below -- Also, some links may no-longer
be available.)
THESE Are PROGRAMS That I INSTALL on MY Machines:
While in Safe Mode, you can attempt to determine the cause of the crash to either disable or uninstall the culprit and avoid
future trouble. Windows keeps track of the programs you're using in the Event Viewer -- this
is a good place to look for the cause of a crash. Click Start, go to the Control
Panel, and click on Administrative Tools. From there, double-click on the Event
Viewer and choose the System section. Error symbols will be marked with a red exclamation
point, suggesting which program(s) may have caused the crash. 
Another guilty party, could be the drivers that tell your computer's devices how to operate. To check your drivers for errors,
click Start and then Control Panel. Click System
and then the Hardware Tab. Select the Device Manager to bring up
a full list of your drivers; right-click on any one and select Properties.
Errors will appear with a yellow "X" or an exclamation point, helping identify the cause of the crash.
Easy Steps To Improve YOUR PC's Performance! 
Bare minimum, every two months.
