Enable Shadow Copy On Home Editions / XP

From time to time Vista creates ’snapshot’ copies of your files with a service called “Shadow Copy”.  This allows you to retrieve older versions of files you accidentally delete or alter.

To go back to a prior version of your file/document, you simply right-click on the file and select “Restore previous versions”, which can get you out of some nasty jams. (For more on recovering deleted files, click here.)

Shadow Copy is enabled on all versions  of Vista, but Microsoft grants user access to these copies only in the Ultimate, Business, and Enterprise editions. (Clearly as a method to try to sell more copies of the pricier Ultimate Edition.)

Tip of the day: Users of the “Home” editions of Vista can use Shadow Copy too.
The odds are pretty good that if you bought a new computer, and it came with Vista, it came with Vista Home Premium. I say that because if you walk into a store selling computers, I dare you to find the one that has Ultimate Edition on it. It seems to me that they all come with Home Premium!

Remember how I said Shadow Copy was “enabled” on all versions? Yes? Well, for owners of Vista Home Premium and Vista Home Basic, the service is running, but you need a way to “interface” with it (sometimes called a “front end”). To do that, download and install ShadowExplorer, and gain some of Ultimate Edition’s functionality. This cool piece of software is free, but donations are accepted.

Today’s free link: People who are using Windows 2000 or XP can get an almost identical file functionality with FileHamster from Mogware. This program is designed for people whose talents lie in the Creative Arts, so you don’t ave to be a geek to use it. There’s helpful user forums, too.

Please note: This ability is by no means a substitute for regular system backups. This is for small “oopsies”, not recovery/restoration.

Copyright 2007-8 © Tech Paul. All rights reserved. post to jaanix

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Securing Cyberspace for the 44th President

Folks, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (a "think-tank" which advises Presidents on issues of national security) has released its final report, "Securing Cyberspace for the 44th Presidency." The Commission’s three major findings are:

1. Cybersecurity is now one of the major national security problems facing the United States;
2. Decisions and actions must respect American values related to privacy and civil liberties; and
3. Only a comprehensive national security strategy that embraces both the domestic and international aspects of cybersecurity will improve the situation.

The report is available as a PDF, here.

It's nice to have such high-powered folks confirm what I've been saying, and maybe there's hope that the next President will realize that no economy can be bleed of $10 - $105 billion dollars a year.. (estimates vary, as so much is unreported.) I wonder how long it will take to implement a comprehensive international policy?
(And, a old saw about horses and barn doors comes to mind..)

Today's free link: Do you think your computer is clean? Don't be part of the problem, please read Our Modern Nightmare - Zombie Attack and note the Top 10 Things You Can Do To Your Computer link (towards the bottom).

Copyright 2007-8 © Tech Paul. All rights reserved. post to jaanix

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StopSign and FinallyFast and P.T. Barnum

Television Ads Promise Faster Downloads and Problem Free Computing

This week I saw - for the first time - the television commercials for two different *wonder* products that promise to solve all my computer frustrations, and dramatically improve my Internet speed. I was expecting these commercials. Friends on the East Coast had told me of them.

These ads featured "before people", unhappily watching a slow download "progress" bar, installing the *wonder* product and becoming "after people". Once they were "after people" they were all smiles and their download progress bars were zippy-fast. Lots of frowning "before's" and smiling "after's".

These commercials are professionally done, and I must say, very convincing. I had to admit, that if I wasn't educated in IT, I would be mighty tempted to try these products. (And try them you can; both offer free scans.) I mean.. who doesn't want a blazingly fast Internet?

But, I am educated in how TCP/IP and the Internet works; how computers work (I am a Support Tech); I am studying for a major Certificate in Information Security; and, I have been a Geek since before Windows 95 was launched.. So I know (and.. if you think about it, you should too) that there is one, and only one, way to get faster Internet- pay for more bandwidth (bits-per-second).

But.. there's a sucker born every minute, and if it is on TV it must be true.

Real FACTS:
Both StopSign (from eAcceleration) and FinallyFast (from Ascentive¹) say that their product will "optimize" your computer, scan and clean the Registry, scan and clean malware infections, which will remove the "build up" and things that slow down computers.. and basically make it like new again. Oh! Yes.. and "optimize" your Internet "settings".
Okay. Fine. Sounds good.

1) Optimize your computer by - once a week - running the Disk Cleanup Tool and defrag once a month (see Rejuvenate your PC). You don't need to install more programs to do this! Much less, pay.

2) Average people should leave the Windows Registry alone; and, there is much debate in the geek community as to whether or not real, legitimate Registry cleaners/defraggers even do any good -- usually they cause more problems than they solve (particularly on machines with multiple User Accounts).
Neither StopSign nor FinallyFast have a real, legitimate Registry Optimizer, and when you Google the user forums about these products, you will find the complaints of broken machines.
If you install/uninstall lots of programs, or have recently repaired a malware infection, and want to scan your Registry, use the free CCleaner, or purchase Registry Mechanic from PC Tools.. they at least won't break anything.

3) Malware infections (viruses, worms, trojans, etc.) can most definitely slow down your machine. You - most definitely - want malware protection and removal scanners on your machine (that includes you, Mac fans). Both products have these scanners, but neither StopSign nor FinallyFast have real, legitimate ones (and by that I mean they are not on anyone's Top 10 lists)
(to see my list of free [real, and legit] anti-malware programs, click here.)

4) Anything that claims to improve your download speeds by a percentage larger than 10% is lying. There are such a thing as download managers, which use various tricks to maximize your speed but the primary reason to use them is in case of interruptions. The Firefox browser has one built-in.
If you are on dial-up, you are going to get dial-up speed.. period.

Do you really think that there's some 'hacker's trick' that will triple your Internet speed and cheat your ISP? Or.. $30 program?

If you simply must attempt to "tweak" your TCP/IP settings and see what kinds of gains are possible, use Dr.TCP from DSLReports.

But.. there's a sucker born every minute, and if it is on TV it must be true.

¹ You've seen Ascentive before in scam alerts, "Have Your PC Running Like New" — Not! And Internet Security blogger Bill Mullins' excellent Finally Fast.com - Fast Scam! Free Alternative Software

In case you haven't guessed already, what I'm saying about these televised products is don't waste your money.

Copyright 2007-8 © Tech Paul. All rights reserved. post to jaanix

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A must read

Folks, a quick Recommended Reading link. I agree with the premise, but I also believe in the "layered defense" offered by an Internet security suite.

Following two simple rules will make your home computer much safer. Roger Grimes lays out the facts on computer security for home and business computing.

Click here, The only two things you need to know about home computer security

A Brief History - Holiday Edition

Over the 500+ articles I have written, I have tried to help educate people about the dangers we face in this era of ‘always-on’ Internet connections — such as hackers, cyber-criminals, phishing, and malware — and offered advice on how to get protected.
Yesterday, and continuing on into today, I have been assisting a client in trying to rid their machine of malware (trojans, worms, etc.) infections and to do so short of wiping their drive and starting over. Part of this person’s problem was they were tricked (scared may be a better word) into installing a rogue anti-spyware program.. which in fact infected their machine. So I have decided that I will re-post my article on such applications, in case you missed it the first time. Originally titled “25 years since the first virus”, it appeared 9/12/07–

Time marches on.. twenty five years ago a High School freshman wrote the first “true” virus, and distributed it to his friends (via floppy disk) as a practical joke. That the “Elk Cloner” virus was harmless, and the young man went on to become a heavyweight in the computing industry, allows us to bear him no ill will. If it hadn’t have been him, it would’ve been someone else; there were “experimental” viruses written before his.

Those of you who have been around for a while may remember the evolution of viruses: from a harmless prank to system destroyers to profit-centric spyware. Security experts generally agree to the important historical malware events as being as follows: Elk Cloner, 1982; Brain, 1986; Morris, 1988; Melissa, 1999; Love Bug, 2000 (aka ILOVEYOU); Code Red, 2001; Blaster, 2003; and Sasser, 2004. (For a much more complete history of viruses, worms, and trojans, click here.) (Today, we have the Storm worm in the news.)

Today, the business of keeping data and communications safe from viruses and other malware is a $38 billion dollar industry.. and growing. Yes, a lot has changed in twenty five years: I have gray in my hair now, for one.

Tip of the day: Beware of “rogue” anti-spyware programs (aka "scareware"). There is so much money to be made off of stealing corporate data, identities, and sending spam that the malware writers (hackers) have created spyware that claims to prevent spyware. You think you’re installing a spyware remover, but you’re not. You are actually installing their malware.
Some claim to give you an anti-spyware scan for free, and they “discover” a critical infection (again bogus) which, if you buy the “Professional” version, they’ll clean up for you. Please, Dear Reader, never fall for this.

There are, literally, hundreds of these  rogues, and they're designed to appear as legit products in every way.They have websites, and "user reviews", etc. The quality anti-spyware programs are well-known and are routinely rated and compared by reputable sources like PC World and PC Magazine and C/Net.
[Note: there is an excellent list of know rogue anti-spyware apps posted on Spyware Warrior.]

One such program is currently sending a few people my way for assistance, named Spy Shredder. There is plenty about this nasty on the Internet. Most reputable anti-spyware utilities will detect and remove this (see today’s free link as well) item. The people infected with it (who contacted me) had no protections except an antivirus, and it was kind of hard to feel sorry for them. There is no excuse, in this day and age, to not be running Internet Security programs. Full Internet Security Suites are easy to find that are free after rebate, after all.

For those of you looking here to find out how to remove Spy Shredder, I suggest you click on the word “anti-spyware” in my Tag Cloud, download and run the anti-spyware programs I have suggested in the “Today’s free links” area (always at the bottom of Tech-for Everyone articles), as well as today’s — do not try the manual removal methods found at other websites unless you’re a skilled and experienced Registry editor.

[Update 4/5/08: Bill Mullins has just posted a wonderful article on rogue anti-spyware programs which includes a list of known villains, and a tool useful for removing them (prevention is better, but..). http://billmullins.wordpress.com/2008/04/05/don%e2%80%99t-download-antispywaremaster-%e2%80%93-rogue-security-software/. I also recommend looking at his How Fake/Rogue Software Affects Real People]

Today’s free link: SpyCatcher Express from Tenebril. From website:

Allows novice PC users to remove aggressive spyware

Stops next-generation, mutating spyware

Blocks reinstallation of aggressive spyware

Removes spyware safely and automatically 

Copyright 2007-8 © Tech Paul. All rights reserved. post to jaanix

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