Computer Virus Removal Process That Works

Computer Virus Removal Process That Works
By Marsha Christy

This process will remove all major viruses that you might have downloaded onto your Windows computer.

Step 1 - Downloading & Install

There are two excellent and FREE computer virus removal programs we use. Download and install these programs to your desktop.

* Malwarebytes

* CCleaner

You should not have to pay for these - there is no need to upgrade from the free version that is offered.

Step 2 - Safe Mode

Reboot your computer into safe mode.

For most Windows based systems, you can use F8 to access the Safe Mode menu when you reboot.

How: Go to the start button, select restart. Once the computer/laptop turns off and back on, immediately hit the F8 key over and over again even if the computer starts beeping at you keep pushing the F8 key. It should bring up the menu to ask you if you would like to boot into safe mode.

If this does not work, you can always do a hard reboot - pull power while your computer is on. If you are using a laptop, make sure you pull power and the battery while it is on. This should force you to the Safe Mode menu.

Step 3 - Run Programs & Reboot

Once in Safe Mode, run Malwarebytes and CCleaner. One right after another. If one program doesn't catch the virus, the other program will.

After both programs run in safe mode, reboot your computer and your virus should be removed. It is really that simple - 3 steps!

Now we recommend you remove these programs once your virus is gone. You will always need to download the newest version from the website if you get a virus again.

*Bonus - Free Anti-Virus Program

You can use AVG for a free anti-virus program to hopefully stop you from downloading another virus in the future. It is extremely important you keep your anti-virus program updated often as thousands of new viruses are created each day.

*Tip

You can always create a Guest user account and that will not allow a virus to download on your computer without your permission.

You are the best defense against a virus. Spam emails will not harm you as long as you do not open the link in the emails. Keep your anti-virus software updated often as thousands of new viruses are released daily. Once you have removed your virus with this process, we recommend you delete your virus removal programs and download new ones if you ever need to use this process again.

For more information on tech tips - check out our Tech Tutors website. Remember - your education is the best defense against hackers!

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9 Tips to Prevent Phishing Attacks
By Tiffany Tucker

In addition to having the right tools in place, a company must understand the role their employees play in information security. Employees possess credentials and overall knowledge that is critical to the success of a breach of the company's security. One of the ways in which an intruder obtains this protected information is through phishing.

The purpose of phishing is to collect sensitive information with the intention of using that information to gain access to otherwise protected data, networks, etc. An attackers success is contingent upon establishing trust with its victims. We live in a digital age, and gathering information has become much easier as we are well beyond the dumpster diving days.
There are various phishing techniques used by attackers that can negatively affect an organization and its employees. Common phishing techniques include:

• Embedding a link in an email that redirects an employee to an unsecure website that requests sensitive information.
• Installing a Trojan via a malicious email attachment or advertisement, allowing the intruder to exploit loopholes and obtain sensitive information.
• Spoofing the sender address in an email to appear as a reputable source and request sensitive information.
• Attempting to obtain company information over the phone by impersonating a known company vendor or IT department.

In order to protect itself against phishing attacks, a company can take the following steps:

1. Educate employees and conduct training sessions with mock phishing scenarios.
2. Deploy a Spam filter that detects viruses, blank senders, etc.
3. Keep all systems current with the latest security patches and updates.
4. Install an antivirus solution, schedule signature updates, and monitor the antivirus status on all equipment.
5. Develop a security policy that includes, but is not limited to, password expiration and complexity.
6. Deploy a web filter to block malicious websites.
7. Encrypt all sensitive company information.
8. Convert HTML email into Text Only email messages or disable HTML email messages.
9. Require encryption for employees that are telecommuting.

Companies can implement multiple measures to protect themselves against phishing attacks that threaten the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of their data. They must keep a pulse on the current phishing strategies and confirm that their current security policies and solutions can eliminate threats as they evolve. It is equally as important to make sure that employees understand the types of attacks they may face, the risks associated with these attacks, and how to address them. Informed employees and properly secured systems are key when protecting your company from phishing attacks.
Is your business in need of IT security solutions? Contact Chelsea Technologies to learn how we can help. Our security offerings act jointly to secure your data while detecting and preventing vulnerabilities that threaten your organization's information security. Visit http://www.chelsea-tech.com to learn more.
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Virus Removal, Spyware and Malware Removal Service

Harmful items (malware, spyware & viruses) can affect your device and Internet performance, slowing down connections which are affecting the usability of your system. They also cause a risk to consumer privacy. Private documents like passwords can be stolen, providing cyber-crime like access to online bank accounts, social media accounts, and other personal data. If your computer is infected with a virus & you want to remove it quickly. F€'Secure Online Scanner is a medium to help to get clear of viruses and spyware from your PC and it works even if you have other security software installed on your computer.

Secure Online Scanner is easy to use, just download it and run it. Sometimes a virus can be removed manually. This can become a technical process that you should only manage if you have knowledge of the Windows registry and know how to view and delete system and program files in Windows. There are other ways also to check these viruses by online scanner, such as the Microsoft Safety Scanner. The scanner is a free online service that helps you, to know the kind of virus and remove it, clean up your hard disk, and mostly upgrade your computer's performance. First, identify the virus by name to run your antivirus program. If you don't have an antivirus program or if your program doesn't recognize the virus, still you will be able to identify it by looking the pointer that how it behaves. Write down the words in any messages and check if it present or, if you received the virus in email, write down the subject line or name of the file attached to the message. Then search an antivirus vendor's website for referral to what you wrote down to try to find the name of the virus and command for how to remove it.

A Norton Power Eraser is a free virus removal tool that destroys threats from your computer. Please note that the Virus Removal Tool only consider as a computers that have existing virus and does not provide any ongoing protection from virus. You can use McAfee's FREE tools & malware removal tools to remove it from your system and help repair the damage which is done in your computer. The Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool is an anti-malware that checks computers running Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP*, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2003 for virus by specific, prevalent malicious software including Blaster, Sasser, and Mydoom which helps to remove malware and any other virus which will be found in your system. When the detection and malware removal process is complete, then the tool displays a complete report with description, including if any, malware was detected and removed. Keep life simple. Protect All the PCs, systems, Smartphones and tablets with a single subscription to McAfee All Access. Another one is Bitdefender, QuickScan, which uses in the scanning technology to detect active malware on your system in a minute. Because it concentrate on active threats, the product uses just a fraction of the system capital needed by a regular virus scan and take seconds to consuming virus signature updates.

About the Author

This article is written by Madhav Sharma. He is an Engineer cum MBA professional having varied sets of work experience across sectors It Support. For more information about It Support, Document scanning. please visit our website http://www.itondemandinc.com

How To Clean Up Your Computer Registry Effortlessly

Are you having issues with the performance of your computer? Is your computer running slow, are applications that you are trying to open making the computer freeze up? One of the most likely reasons is that your Windows registry is cluttered with too many junk files, temp files or DLL files.

Simply cleaning up the registry could solve your problems. But, the majority of computer users do not have a firm grasp of the registry. If you are looking for ways how to clean up your computer registry, then you have come to the right place.

This article will help guide you through what needs to be done to clean up your computer registry..

Some Words of Caution

The Windows registry can be compared to a large file cabinet. If you want to run a program, the operating system will refer to a specific file in the registry to execute your commands. If the registry is clogged up with old dead files or used temp files, your main operating system will have a hard time locating the correct files to load a program. Causing your computer to run slow or freeze up.

To fix the problem, you have to clean up the registry file cabinet of all those dead files or old broken link files. Having a clean registry makes your computer run cleaner, smoother and cooler. But cleaning up the registry however requires deleting unwanted files. Now, this is the tricky part that makes most people run and go hide.

If you accidentally delete a good registry file, then one or more of your programs may fail to open. In worst case scenario, your entire operating system will crash and you may get the blue screen of death. You will not lose all the data stored on your hard drive but it may take you reloading the operating system back on your computer. So if you do not want to damage your system, you must not attempt to clean it manually. This is particularly true if you do not know how to properly delete unwanted registry files.

The Safest Way to Clean Up the Registry

The big question now is how to clean up your computer registry effortlessly without running the risk of crashing your system? The answer is, use a registry cleaning software. This is the safest and the most effective approach to fix the mess in your Windows registry.

Using a free registry cleaning software is easy and it can produce faster and better results of your computer system. Even if you are a person that is computer illiterate, you will never experience any problem with registry cleaning software.

The thing you need to do is install a computer registry program. The one that I use is called Ccleaner. I have used this program for many years and have never had any sort of issue with it. I install this program on ever computer that I repair. Some nice features about this software is that it is totally free. It will clean your computer of unwanted temp files, cookies and etc.

Next the software will go through your complete registry cabinet and take out all the broken links, corrupted files, and bad file extensions that slow down your computer. Before it totally eliminates these files it will ask if you would like to back them up just in case something does not work correctly. I would highly recommend that you do the back up. I have never had to use the backup, but it does give you peace of mind.

10 Valuable Computer Tips for New Users

10 Valuable Computer Tips for New Users
By Valeria Stephens

Using your computer the right way is the best way to ensure that it continues to operate reliably, safely, and efficiently for as long as you own it. By following the ten tips provided here and also searching out your own resources, you can get the most out of your computer and keep it functioning at peak performance at the same time.
Despite the benefits and advantages of having and using a computer, you do need to be mindful of the activities you engage in, especially online, that could leave you vulnerable to data thieves, spyware, or viruses. Also, your computer does require some TLC occasionally to keep it operating at a peak level. Here are several tips for new computer users to protect yourself, your data, and your computer when you are using it on or off the internet.

1. Back-up important data to prevent loss in case you experience a hard drive failure.


2. Protect your computer with a surge protector (very helpful in the event of an electrical outage).


3. Update the core programs on your computer regularly, either through automatic or manual updating, to keep the software up-to-date.


4. Make sure you have anti-virus software installed. You can also use anti-spyware programs or other malware detection software to decrease your exposure to harmful attacks.


5. Do not click on YES, ACCEPT, or OK for any window that pops up on your computer until you've thoroughly read the accompanying message and understand what you are allowing or agreeing to.


6. Use system maintenance options regularly, such as disk defrag and ScanDisk. These programs reallocate data where it needs to be, remove unused or unnecessary data, and keep your computer's performance optimized.


7. Don't pay for something you can get for free. Many programs that people use like word processors, anti-virus, and others, have free alternatives that work just as well as their costly counterparts.


8. Use the help files to understand the various features and functions of your computer.


9. Install only the programs and software that you really need or will use frequently. One of the most common causes of poor computer performance is when the hard drive gets so overloaded with software that it creates a data traffic jam and slows down operations.


10. Restart your computer on a regular basis to clear any temporary files, data caches, and other data storage locations. Often an issue with computer performance can be traced back to the fact that the user did not reboot after installing a new program.

If you want to learn more about using your computer and don't have hours to spend searching for information on the internet that may or may not be helpful, consider taking computer courses. You can often find basic computer use classes available at a variety of places such as a library, community center, or computer college, and they are usually fairly inexpensive.

Visit Oulton College for more information on other career paths like web design courses.

Valeria Stephens is a Copywriter at Higher Education Marketing, a leading Web marketing firm specializing in Google Analytics, Education Lead Generation, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Mobile SMS Alerts, Social Media Marketing and Pay Per Click Marketing, among other web marketing services and tools.
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Do We Really Need Surge Protection in Our Homes?

Do We Really Need Surge Protection in Our Homes?
By David W Christie

Is surge protection really a necessity in our homes and small businesses, or is it merely hype by manufacturers to sell their products? Some of us have probably never used any surge suppression products in our homes and never had any problems with damaged electronics equipment, and of course there are those that have. I personally think it is worth the small investment with 4 and 6 way economy surge strips retailing at $5-15.00. If you can find power strips without surge protection they probably wouldn't cost much less.

If you have expensive audio and video equipment permanently connected to the mains power supply then you might want to invest a little more money on better quality surge protection equipment, after all you may have invested many hundreds or thousands in the audio and video equipment, so a small investment to protect that equipment is surely worth it.
What are we actually protecting against? Well, nothing is perfect in this World and your electricity supply is no exception. With the best will in the world your electricity supplier cannot guarantee a perfectly smooth power supply and the system is very complicated. So we do get short voltage spikes from time to time, which are a momentary increase in voltage which sometimes can be significant. It is not just protection against surges in voltage but also reduction in voltage or a short dropout of the supply, which we refer to as brownouts. These could cause equipment to fail, or maybe even data to be lost, particularly on computer systems that don't have any kind of battery backup like most desktop computers. Fortunately most notebook computers do have a battery backup and the battery will immediately continue to supply power during brownouts and even longer periods of power loss. This will however not protect against potentially damaging voltage spikes. This is where surge limiting or surge protection devices come into their own.

So what does the surge protector actually do? The device is normally placed in the line between the electricity wall outlet and the electronic device it is designed to protect. It is even possible to protect such things as telephone or data lines with some of the devices simultaneously. Many things can be a cause of electrical fluctuation including Short Circuits, Complete power outages, Lightning strikes, tripping circuit breakers and unexpected fluctuations in the supply from your electricity supplier.

Even surge protection would probably not save equipment connected directly to the power supply, but residual surges from nearby strikes would normally be protected against. Power surges cause by problems within the electricity suppliers network are often in the order of several hundred volts, which should be comfortably dealt with by a quality surge protection device.

You will normally see a rating on the packaging of any device designed to protect against voltage spikes. This rating is usually quoted in Joules, where a Joule is a unit of energy. It describes how much energy can be absorbed when the surge protection device is brought into operation.
better the protection and typical ratings for surge suppression devices designed for the home should have ratings in the order of 200-600 Joules. Any device should have a rating of at least several hundred Joules, if not several thousand.

It is worth noting that surge protectors have a limited lifespan depending on how many times they have had to deal with a voltage spike, the peak voltage and the duration of spikes. It is not easy to gauge how long this will be, it depends on how reliable your electricity supply is. There are some devices that have a visual indication in the form of an LED that lets you know that your consumer or business devices are still fully protected. If you fail to see this indication then it is time to replace the unit.

So, are you fully protected? Do you think you really need it? Are you willing to take a chance. I suggest you make sure you have at least the basic protection just for that eventuality that you may need the protection.
This article on Surge Suppression was written by David Christie, MD at NSTUK Ltd, Website http://www.ipexpress.co.uk.
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How to Turn an Old Internal Hard Drive Into an External Drive

How to Turn an Old Internal Hard Drive Into an External Drive
By Jim Hedgecoth

Old Internal Hard Drive Converted Into a Useful External Hard Drive?
Everyone needs more storage space sooner or later, whether it's an external or internal hard drive and you've probably replaced that hard drive inside your computer for a larger capacity drive. But, what do you do now with the old drive lying around collecting dust? You can easily turn that old tired hard drive into an external harddrive without spending very much money. This type of hard drive can be extremely useful for transporting large files, adding extra storage space, or can serve as a back-up drive for your important data. It can also be a great tool for IT professionals who require software and tools handy to troubleshoot computer problems out in the field.

Choosing the Right External Hard Drive Enclosure
Before we begin, we need to determine the type of external drive enclosure that we need. The most important factor is choosing an enclosure that works with your old hard drive. Is your drive an IDE drive, or is it a SATA drive? If you have an older hard drive, it will most likely be an IDE drive; however some of the newer drives have a SATA interface. Simply double-check your drive's interface before you make a purchase. The next step when looking for an external hard drive enclosure is what type of cable to use. Is your current hardware mostly USB or FireWire? Most PC users will have USB ports on the back of their computers. However, some Mac users maybe prefer to use their hard drive with a FireWire connection. And then there are some who would like the increased transfer speeds provided by the eSATA interface. Keep in mind that in order to use eSATA, your PC must have an external eSATA port.
Other factors to consider while choosing an external hard drive enclosure can be merely aesthetic reasons as opposed to users requiring more functional features. Some enclosures come built in with "back-up" buttons that can be used to automatically launch software, or extra LED lights that help indicate drive activity. Others come with fancy paint or body designs to give you some style. Some external enclosures are also made of aluminum to help dissipate heat. The possibilities are endless.

Connecting Your Newly Converted External Hard Drive
Connecting your old hard drive to your new external hard drive enclosure is pretty simple. You will most likely not need anything other than a screwdriver. If you have an IDE drive, check that the jumpers on the back of the drive are set to the correct master/slave/cable-select setting according to your new enclosure's instructions. From here, it's simply a matter of securing the drive to the chassis, plugging in the power cables, and connecting the interface cables. Now you can close up the enclosure.

Last Step - Connecting to your PC
Most external enclosures will come with an external power supply and a data cable. Simply hook up the power supply to your new external hard drive enclosure, and connect the provided data cable from the enclosure to an available port on your PC. If the enclosure requires drivers to be installed, you should insert the CD and install it at this point. Your computer should automatically detect your new drive and assign it a drive letter. Double check that the drive is functioning properly by transferring some sample files back and forth. If all is well, then you have successfully turned an old hard drive into an external drive.

Jim Hedgecoth is an expert computer hardware storage device writer and frequent contributor to I/O Magic Corporation. I/O Magic is a leading Internet retailer offering data storage solutions such as portable hard drives, external DVD drives and USB hard drives.

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