the Help Desk Blog: 08/01/2005

Tuesday, August 30, 2005

PC speed test

The InternetFrog PC speed test will give you a graphical snapshot of your computer's upload and download speeds.

Monday, August 29, 2005

URLs from 8/30/05

InternetFrog PC speed test

Elite Toolbar -- this is Spyware. See Symantec's article

Two more Elite Toolbar removal tools: Peeniewallie and from Softpedia.com

Friday, August 26, 2005

SPYWARE UPDATE 8/26/05: Some users have posted their recommendations in the form of comments to our Sypware article. While some or all of these may be perfectly fine, the Help Desk gang (the Dukes of URL) has NOT reviewed these products and cannot certify them as acceptable. Some insidious spyware actually masquerades as anti-spyware tools. Frankly, the language on some of the web pages recommended by our commentators below is a little suspect, especially when they are trying to sell you software. Caveal emptor ("let the buyer beware"). We stand by our recommendations to use AdAware, Spybot Search & Destroy, and Microsoft's anti-spyware tool (now called Windows Defender) and urge caution on anything else. See the full article elsewhere in this blog.

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

URLs from 8/23/05

Egdaccess_1058.dll is, it seems, part of a spyware program called ShopAtHomeSelect Adware
How to remove ShopAtHomeSelect Adware

Preparing an hard drive so that you can give it away without your data being recovered:
http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/win/38075
http://www.versiontracker.com/php/search.php?str=secure+erase&plt%5B%5D=windows&mode=basic&action=search
http://dban.sourceforge.net/
CounterSpy - Erases files to DOD standards

How to build your own computer:
http://www.pcmech.com/build.htm
http://www.tomshardware.com/index.html
http://www6.tomshardware.com/howto/20020904/
http://www.mysuperpc.com/
http://www.basichardware.com/building_your_own.html
http://www.pcworld.com/howto/article/0,aid,116993,00.asp

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

Pretty neat Google stuff

You may not want Google to know your cell number, but if that doesn't bother you, here are some Google text message tricks:

Send a text message to 46645 (that's GOOGL). In the body type (for example)

pizza 12345

where 12345 is your ZIP code. Google will call you back with information about 3 or 4 pizza places in your ZIP.

You could also type

lastname 12345

where 'lastname' is one you're trying to find. Google will call you back with a directory listing for that name.

Google maps. Close in on a segment you want (say your street) at 1 inch = 2000 feet, and click the HYBRID button in the upper right. You'll see a street map, with names, over the satellite image. Can you find your house?