Oscar from Beavercreek inquired about computing resources for blind users. Here are some suggestions we received:
Technology Resource Center in Dayton, 937-222-5222
Ohio Technology Access Project, 937-222-2755
Zoom Text, a screen reader
Job Accommodation Network, 1-800-526-7234
Microsoft accessibility project
Tuesday, February 24, 2004
Blaster/Lovesan (8/12/03)
Help Desk dealt with the rapidly-spreading worm variously known as Blaster or Lovesan, which exploits a vulnerability in the Microsoft operating systems first announced in July 2003. Here is a link to one of Microsoft's recommendations, and here is another.
URLs from Tuesday, February 24, 2004
Acrobat Acrobat document when web browsing the web causes an External Window Manager error. Adobe has a support document about this.
Bob from Cincinnati enquired about Popups. Here is a site about them. CAUTION: you will probably see a pop-up when you go here.
This may fix the Shell32 linked to a missing export file.
Bob from Cincinnati enquired about Popups. Here is a site about them. CAUTION: you will probably see a pop-up when you go here.
This may fix the Shell32 linked to a missing export file.
Windows Messenger Service vulnerability (10/31/03)
Windows Messenger Service (not to be confused with the popular Microsoft Messenger or MSN Messenger services) is a little-known feature of some Windows versions which is subject to security vulnerabilities. Help Desk recommends that you turn it off.
You don't need to worry about Windows Messenger Service if have a Mac, a Unix box, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 98SE, or Windows ME. But if you have Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows 2003, you should turn it off.
You can manually disable the Windows Messenger Service if you want. The University of Virginia's Information Technology and Communications department shows you how to disable it. Or you can use Steve Gibson's free Shoot the Messenger program.
(Information from Internet Tourbus).
You don't need to worry about Windows Messenger Service if have a Mac, a Unix box, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 98SE, or Windows ME. But if you have Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows 2003, you should turn it off.
You can manually disable the Windows Messenger Service if you want. The University of Virginia's Information Technology and Communications department shows you how to disable it. Or you can use Steve Gibson's free Shoot the Messenger program.
(Information from Internet Tourbus).
URL Spoofing vulnerability (12/19/03)
Patrick Crispen's invaluable Internet Tourbus warns that "If you use Internet Explorer, Microsoft Outlook Express, or Microsoft Outlook, you're vulnerable to something called "URL Spoofing." Is this earth-shattering? No. Should you lose sleep over it? No. Should you at least know a little about it in order to protect your personal information should something strange happen? ABSOLUTELY!"
According to Microsoft, "a malicious user could create a link to a deceptive (spoofed) Web site that displays the address, or URL, to a legitimate Web site in the Status bar, Address bar, and Title bar."
Why is this a bad thing? Well, InformationWeek warns that "This flaw would make it appear to Internet users that they're visiting a banking Web site, for example, when that site is actually a front for fraudsters attempting to collect sensitive financial information..."
How can you tell if you're vulnerable? Just hop on over to Patrick's URL Spoofing site and take his simple test. You might be startled, as you humble editor was.
According to Microsoft, "a malicious user could create a link to a deceptive (spoofed) Web site that displays the address, or URL, to a legitimate Web site in the Status bar, Address bar, and Title bar."
Why is this a bad thing? Well, InformationWeek warns that "This flaw would make it appear to Internet users that they're visiting a banking Web site, for example, when that site is actually a front for fraudsters attempting to collect sensitive financial information..."
How can you tell if you're vulnerable? Just hop on over to Patrick's URL Spoofing site and take his simple test. You might be startled, as you humble editor was.
MyDoom worm (2/1/04)
MyDoom worm spreading rapidly
Posted February 1, 2004
On Sunday Feburary 1 the MyDoom.B worm crippled the Utah-based software firm SCO. According to the Emergency Email and Wireless Network, the Department of Homeland Security warns:
"Mydoom.B is a new variant of the Mydoom worm ... [that] attempts to perform a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack against Microsoft.com. Details regarding this new worm are still emerging, but it has been validated as spreading in the wild ... To spread over the KaZaA P2P network, Mydoom.B creates copies of itself in the KaZaA shared directory with randomized filenames."
As always, Help Desk advises all users to have installed recent versions of anti-viral software and keep their definitions up to date. Do NOT open attachments sent to you, even from friendly email addresses, unless you can verify that the sender specifically meant to send the attachment to you. Even then you are at risk. This is not the only nasty critter out there, and there are likely to be more virulent strains soon. And more after that. "Let's be careful out there," as Sgt. Phil Esterhaus used to say.
For more information visit the Emergency Email and Wireless Network site.
Posted February 1, 2004
On Sunday Feburary 1 the MyDoom.B worm crippled the Utah-based software firm SCO. According to the Emergency Email and Wireless Network, the Department of Homeland Security warns:
"Mydoom.B is a new variant of the Mydoom worm ... [that] attempts to perform a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack against Microsoft.com. Details regarding this new worm are still emerging, but it has been validated as spreading in the wild ... To spread over the KaZaA P2P network, Mydoom.B creates copies of itself in the KaZaA shared directory with randomized filenames."
As always, Help Desk advises all users to have installed recent versions of anti-viral software and keep their definitions up to date. Do NOT open attachments sent to you, even from friendly email addresses, unless you can verify that the sender specifically meant to send the attachment to you. Even then you are at risk. This is not the only nasty critter out there, and there are likely to be more virulent strains soon. And more after that. "Let's be careful out there," as Sgt. Phil Esterhaus used to say.
For more information visit the Emergency Email and Wireless Network site.
Tuesday, February 17, 2004
Beagle.B worm
This worm struck machines at Miami University during the time we were on the air with Help Desk, Tuesday morning 2/17/2004. The rapidity of its spread was remarkable and gave headaches to tech support people all over the country, but it does not appear to be as dangerous as some and can be contained easily. A reminder from your pals at the Help Desk: Don't open attachments, guys. Use virus software such as Symantec or McAfee, and keep your virus definitions up to date.
And stand up straight, and wash behind your ears!
And stand up straight, and wash behind your ears!
Removing MS Office plugin for Norton
A caller had problems with Microsof Excel constantly trying to scan files for virus. Here's how to remove the Office plugin for the Norton Anti-virus.
--an emailer to the show suggested going to the Excel preferences and lowering the level in the Security option to do the same thing.
--an emailer to the show suggested going to the Excel preferences and lowering the level in the Security option to do the same thing.
Spyware and pop-up blockers
To block annoying browser pop-ups and spyware (software that secretly reports your computer activity), recently we have recommended Ad-Aware from LavaSoftUSA. Bryan Powell also recommends SpyBot Search and Destroy.
Help Desk Guycam
We're running a camera for the show of February 17, 2004. We call it the Guycam, though Guy Moore is not always the one in the crosshairs.
Tuesday, February 10, 2004
Amazon.com spoof
I recently made an Amazon order and received 3 or 4 messages that purported to be from "ship-confirm@amazon.com" with the subject line "Your amazon.com order #310-419-1500 has shipped" (the number was different for each one).
These were spoofs, or illegitimate emails sent by someone who hijacked information about my order. They were ads for Microsoft products at ridiculously low prices. Clicking on a link took me to http://www.oem-expert.biz/?id. It seems to be phony. Googling oem-expert I found a thread about this at http://www.dshield.org/pipermail/list/2004-January/014143.php
This has disturbing implications. We will discuss on Help Desk Tuesday February 10, 2004.
These were spoofs, or illegitimate emails sent by someone who hijacked information about my order. They were ads for Microsoft products at ridiculously low prices. Clicking on a link took me to http://www.oem-expert.biz/?id. It seems to be phony. Googling oem-expert I found a thread about this at http://www.dshield.org/pipermail/list/2004-January/014143.php
This has disturbing implications. We will discuss on Help Desk Tuesday February 10, 2004.
Tuesday, June 10, 2003
Resources for print-handicapped users
Oscar from Beavercreek inquired about computing resources for blind users. Here are some suggestions we received:
Technology Resource Center in Dayton, 937-222-5222
Ohio Technology Access Project, 937-222-2755
Zoom Text, a screen reader
Job Accommodation Network, 1-800-526-7234
Microsoft accessibility project
Technology Resource Center in Dayton, 937-222-5222
Ohio Technology Access Project, 937-222-2755
Zoom Text, a screen reader
Job Accommodation Network, 1-800-526-7234
Microsoft accessibility project
Friday, February 07, 2003
Using the MSCONFIG Utility
Procedure for using MSCONFIG to remove Windows programs loaded at startup -- by Ted Beerman
Using MSCONFIG Utility.
This utility is available with Windows 98 and ME (Millenium Edition). It can be used to speed up the performance of the PC as well as diagnosed problem programs. [Note from Bryan Powell 2/10/04: this should work for Windows 2000 and XP also].
Check system free resources
Right click My Computer and then Properties
Click on the tab "performance."
Note that resources should be 80% or higher
This can be improved by reducing items in the startup
Start - Run
Type msconfig [enter key]
click on startup tab
uncheck unnecessay items
click "apply" then close and reboot
After reboot, check system free resources again.
Note: It is not necessary for ANY items to be in the startup; however, some are advisable. Following are examples.
Retain:
Any item pertaining to Anti Virus software and Firewall
Palm Pilot syncronization
Special printer initialization programs
Definite omissions:
Easy CD Creator and Direct CD (program loads automatically when a blank cd is inserted)
Anything named "reminder" (program to remind you to register software)
Items can be re-activated anytime by re-placing a check mark next to the item and rebooting.
1/7/03: Also, Patrick Douglas Crispen’s Internet Tourbus has information on MSCONFIG. Patrick also recommends Paul "Pacman" Collins' Start-Up Applications page, which has a massive list of W98 start-up files and what they do.
Using MSCONFIG Utility.
This utility is available with Windows 98 and ME (Millenium Edition). It can be used to speed up the performance of the PC as well as diagnosed problem programs. [Note from Bryan Powell 2/10/04: this should work for Windows 2000 and XP also].
Check system free resources
Right click My Computer and then Properties
Click on the tab "performance."
Note that resources should be 80% or higher
This can be improved by reducing items in the startup
Start - Run
Type msconfig [enter key]
click on startup tab
uncheck unnecessay items
click "apply" then close and reboot
After reboot, check system free resources again.
Note: It is not necessary for ANY items to be in the startup; however, some are advisable. Following are examples.
Retain:
Any item pertaining to Anti Virus software and Firewall
Palm Pilot syncronization
Special printer initialization programs
Definite omissions:
Easy CD Creator and Direct CD (program loads automatically when a blank cd is inserted)
Anything named "reminder" (program to remind you to register software)
Items can be re-activated anytime by re-placing a check mark next to the item and rebooting.
1/7/03: Also, Patrick Douglas Crispen’s Internet Tourbus has information on MSCONFIG. Patrick also recommends Paul "Pacman" Collins' Start-Up Applications page, which has a massive list of W98 start-up files and what they do.
Tuesday, December 10, 2002
Using scanreg to repair damaged portions of registry
Use F8 key during boot to bring up Windows Startup Menu. Select Command
Prompt Only option. At the prompt:
scanreg /fix repairs damaged portions of registry and removes dead space);
other useful commands:
scanreg /backup (backs up the registry);
scanreg /restore (displays a list of available registry backups, the date and time created, and option to restore)
Prompt Only option. At the prompt:
scanreg /fix repairs damaged portions of registry and removes dead space);
other useful commands:
scanreg /backup (backs up the registry);
scanreg /restore (displays a list of available registry backups, the date and time created, and option to restore)
Tuesday, September 24, 2002
Starting your PC in Safe Mode
To start a PC in Safe Mode, restart the computer and hit the F8 key at the top of the keyboard. Repeat hitting the F8 key until a Windows Startup Menu appears. Select Safe Mode with the arrow keys and press ENTER key. Windows will start with minimal drivers and allow user to diagnose problems as well as maximize effectiveness of Defrag and Scandisk utilities. When work is complete, restart computer and it will start in Normal Mode.
Tuesday, March 26, 2002
Generating PDF documents
PDF documents are convenient because they are readable across several platforms and can be accessed via URLs. They preserve formatting characteristics of the original document.
For Mac and PC: The Acrobat Reader is a free download from Adobe.com. To create PDFs, you may purchase the full version of Adobe Acrobat. For PCs: Kulawat of Milford says print from any application “to file” and tag it “.ps”. This will create a PostScript document. Then use the free PostScript-to-PDF converter in Ghostscript .
For pre OS X Macs: use the freeware extension PrintToPDF.
PDF generation is part of the Print function in Mac OS X.
For Mac and PC: The Acrobat Reader is a free download from Adobe.com. To create PDFs, you may purchase the full version of Adobe Acrobat. For PCs: Kulawat of Milford says print from any application “to file” and tag it “.ps”. This will create a PostScript document. Then use the free PostScript-to-PDF converter in Ghostscript .
For pre OS X Macs: use the freeware extension PrintToPDF.
PDF generation is part of the Print function in Mac OS X.
Tuesday, March 12, 2002
Removing spyware
These are programs that seize your computer and attempt to put messages on your screen. Chris of Kettering: "Is the word you are looking for "Spyware?" I know that some of the music sharing programs that I download will attempt to install programs such as new.net, which is a vicious little program that infects deep within the bowels of your system. To the naked eye, an attempt to remove it via "Add/Remove" on your system often will not get rid of the program and will disable your internet connection." Ted: new.net is truly nasty. Randy from Oxford: "I think the "spyware" elimination program name you may be thinking of is AD-AWARE. I've used it for a couple of years ; it works well and its FREE."
--AdAware is available from LavaSoftUSA.com.
--AdAware is available from LavaSoftUSA.com.
Macintosh maintenance tips
OS X users: Repair Permissions should be run regularly.
Go to Applications>Utilities>Disk Utility. Select your disk and click on Repair Permissions.
Earlier OSs: Rebuilding the desktop is a good maintenance tip for all users. Many recommend this monthly, plus doing it after every install of new software. Re-start your Mac. While it is loading, hold down the Option and Command (Apple) keys simultaneously until you see the Rebuild prompt. Tell it OK and go get a cuppa coffee. Helps prevent crashes and out-of-memory messages.
Also useful:
--run Disk First Aid after a crash
--go to System Folder>Preferences and remove the Finder Preferences file, then restart
Go to Applications>Utilities>Disk Utility. Select your disk and click on Repair Permissions.
Earlier OSs: Rebuilding the desktop is a good maintenance tip for all users. Many recommend this monthly, plus doing it after every install of new software. Re-start your Mac. While it is loading, hold down the Option and Command (Apple) keys simultaneously until you see the Rebuild prompt. Tell it OK and go get a cuppa coffee. Helps prevent crashes and out-of-memory messages.
Also useful:
--run Disk First Aid after a crash
--go to System Folder>Preferences and remove the Finder Preferences file, then restart
Tuesday, February 26, 2002
Is there a free FTP server for Windows?
We found several freeware and shareware choices at tucows.com. Search in Windows for 'FTP server' (no quotes).
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