Among the Realm

I got my Mom good today with an April Fools Joke!

I printed off a paper that I just turned in and wrote the grade “F” on it and showed it to her and told her the reason why I got an “F” was on the back of the paper.

She was mad…but at first at the professor because she thought he was playing an April Fools Joke on me by giving me an “F”!

My mom did attempt to get me, she told me as I was on my way out the door for school that something was wrong with the tire on my car. I think she used the same joke last year.

UPDATE ON CONFICKER – The Conficker worm has not made its attack today. Does that mean we are safe from it? Not entirely. There could be future attacks, and it defenitley won’t hurt to keep current with the latest tools on defending this virus.

5 Things you Should do to Protect Your Computer:

• Make sure to use Windows Update weekly, Tuesday is usually the day they release fixes. Make sure update MSO8-67 has been applied on your system.
• Update your anti-virus software regularly and run full scans.
• Make to sure to use strong passwords (Lifehacker’s guide to making strong passwords).
• Disable the autoplay feature on your cd/dvd-rom drive.
• Be sure to backup all your data (Lifehacker’s guide to windows backup tools).
• Use OpenDns. It is easy to setup and there are good instructions.

To read more about Conficker check out this article.

I am happy to report that I am passing all of my classes this semester. Success is good!

Now on to the bad…April 1st is the update for the malicious conficker worm.

Conficker, also known as Downup, Downadup and Kido, is a computer worm that surfaced in October 2008 and targets the Microsoft Windows operating system.The worm exploits a previously patched vulnerability in the Windows Server service used by Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7 Beta, and Windows Server 2008 R2 Beta. The worm has been unusually difficult for network operators and law enforcement to counter because of its combined use of advanced malware techniques. (Graphic and article is from wikipedia)

To read more about Conficker <– click here

There is specualtion if conficker is going to wreck its havoc on the internet on April 1st. Always better to err on the side of caution and update all your computers, make sure users have secure passwords, and update all anti-virus defenitions.

To read more about the speculation <– click here

Welcome to the 2nd part of Feed Your Technolust: Virus/Spyware Cleanups. The first part described about temp cleaners and how to use them effectively. In this edition the focus is on using Spybot Search and Destroy. So go get your pocket protectors cause its time to get your geek on.

Step 1

Go get Spybot Search and Destory <— click here to download.

Step 2

Install it to your computer like any other program.

The only thing you need to do when installing is to make sure system settings protection (tea timer) is unchecked. It will not hurt to install it but it is to obtrusive for me. I am not saying it is bad to use, here is a description from Spybot’s website. Once you read it then you can make a informed decision on using it or not.

The Resident TeaTimer is a tool of Spybot-S&D which perpetually monitors the processes called/initiated. It immediately detects known malicious processes wanting to start and terminates them giving you some options, how to deal with this process in the future. You can set TeaTimer to:

• be informed, when the process tries to start again
• automatically kill the process
• or generally allow the process to run

There is also an option to delete the file associated with this process.

In addition, TeaTimer detects when something wants to change some critical registry keys. TeaTimer can protect you against such changes again giving you an option: You can either Allow or Deny the change.

The TeaTimer is always running in the background.

Step 3

The first time Spybot runs you will get this pop-up. Check the “don’t show this message again” box and click ok. It might show this again after you update Spybot. **The first time Spybot runs a box will pop up in the left hand upper corner prompting you to perform different tasks. Click through without doing anything. I do everything from the actual program interface.

Step 4

This is what the main page looks like. The first thing to do is click the search for updates button.

Make sure you pick one that says USA and click continue.

This is what the update page looks like. F/P fixes will be unchecked so make sure you have it checked. Click download to start the update. Once it is finished click exit and Spybot should restart. **You will want to run updates before every scan**

Step 5

Click the immunize button on the left hand side and you will see that you are unprotected. Click immunize with the green plus sign and it will automatically go through and protect you from these threats. **each time you update you should run this, it will show you if your are unprotected**

This is how the immunize screen should look when you are finished with a scan and everything is protected. **notice that next to the unprotected section the value is at zero, this is want you want**

Step 6

To start your first scan click on Search & Destroy in the left hand column. Then on the main page click check for problems. Be patient the scan may take 15 to 30 minutes.

This is what you want to see. If Spybot finds threats it will list them in the box and click fix selected problems. In some cases Spybot will not fix every problem it finds and it will ask to run a scan on start up. Click yes and next time your computer restarts it will run a scan.

Step 7

If you don’t have a anti-virus program already installed you will need to use one as part of the clean up process. I recommend using AVG Anti-Virus<—click to download. Make sure to run all updates and run an in depth scan.

Once you have your computer cleaned it is a good idea to be running a anti-virus/spware program that will actively protect your computer. **This is very important, you can only run one anti-virus program on your computer but you can run multiple anti-spyware programs.**

Spybot is considered to be a anti-spyware program. You can continue using AVG Anti-Virus but I would recommend un-installing it after you clean up your system and use Norton Anti-Virus 2009<—click to download. It does cost money but I think its worth it. Norton does a better job of actively protecting your computer without you manually running a scan.

Advanced Tips

If you want to have a better result with these methods I suggest starting your computer in safe mode. Before you do that make sure that Spybot and both ccleaner and atf cleaner are all updated. We will be using safe mode without networking so you won’t be able to access the interenet.

When the computer starts hit F8 a bunch of times until a black screen comes up with a group of options to select. See image below.

Use the arrow keys to highlight safe mode. **You will not be able to access the Internet in this mode**

It will prompt you with a box saying you are using safe mode just click yes. Once you are in safe mode, follow the steps in Feed Your Technolust ver 1 and 1.2. **You probably will not see the programs on your desktop, you will be able to find ccleaner and spybot by going to start—>all programs—>and they will be listed there. To find atf cleaner you have to right click on my computer and find the search function. In the search box type atf cleaner and it will find it.**

As always I will answer any questions. Stay tuned for the next post in this series, where I will be discussing advanced methods for virus/spyware cleanups.

Welcome to a new series titled “Feed Your Technolust”. This series is to offer you a better computing experience no matter what computer you use. So grab your pocket protectors, calculator watches, and whatever other “nerd attire” you need to get your geek on.

If you are using a pc you are all to familiar with the virus/spyware issues that plague windows. This is a guide to help  your infected computer return to normal.

Step 1

Turn off system restore. The reason for this is that if you restore your computer to an earlier state you will also restore all the virus/spyware which you are about to clean up.

Right click on the my computer icon and click on properties.

After you click on properties this box will pop up. Click on the system restore tap at the top of the box. There is a little box that says turn off system restore. Click that box and hit apply. Be patient it may take a few minutes because it is deleting all your system restore files. Don’t worry this is ok. When it is finished hit ok to close the box.

Step 2

Before every virus/spyware scan you want to run temp cleaner tools. They clean out all your temp files which is where virus/spyware like to hide.

Download ccleaner <—click here to download

Once ccleaner downloads, click on the icon to start the install. The only option you do not want here is the “add ccleaner yahoo! toolbar and use ccleaner from your browser. Make sure the box is unchecked. Once that is unchecked click install.

Click run cleaner to start the cleaning process. This may take awhile depending on how many temp files you have.

It would not hurt to do a registry clean up to why you have ccleaner open. On the left hand side click on registry and hit scan for issues (see the cancel scan button, that is where the scan for issues button is, this image is during the actual scan). When the scan is finished click on fix selected issues.

This box will pop up once you hit fix selected issues. Click no.

Click fix all selected issues.

Click ok. Run this process until the search comes back clean, usually 3 or 4 times for a first time user.

Download atf cleaner <—click here (click save as to your computer)

Click run

This is what atf cleaner will look like when you open it up. You want all the check boxes checked and then click empty selected. This may take awhile depending on how many temp files you have. Let the program run, it may act like it is not responding, just let it do its thing.

If you run firefox to browse the Internet, click on the firefox tab and click select all.

When you click select all this box will pop up, click no and then click empty selected and wait for atf to do its thing.

If for some reason you are not using firefox, you should be. It is a much better and safer browsing experience. More on this later and all the add ons used to make it even better. Download Firefox <—click here to download.

That is enough for today, stay tuned for version 1.2 where I will show you how to use spybot search and destroy and other tips on virus/spyware cleanups. Feel free to ask any questions by leaving a comment. Hope this helps.

Everyone loves their big screen HDTV. If you don’t have one..you should buy one…prices are dropping especially this holiday season (more on this later).

Your HDTV no matter how good poor calibration can ruin your picture. Out of the box TV manufacturers have the settings way to high. They commonly call this “torch mode” where everything is really bright. So if you haven’t touched your settings since you purchased your TV follow these tips to do so.

1. Make sure to let your TV warm for 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Temperature: Use either the warm or low setting, this will produce the most natural looking colors.
3. Sharpness: This control can be bad in either direction so be careful. When it is set to high it adds artificial edges and extra shadows; too low and details appear fuzzy. Turn the sharpness all the way down and watch a crisp shot and inch it up if needed.
4. Brightness: This setting manages the overall black level of the picture. Adjust the picture so that the dark part of the pictures is a dark as it can be without losing detail. Play a DVD like 300, Batman, or I Am and Legend, and pause it during a scene that’s equal parts light and dark. Crank the brightness all the way up and then start backing it down. When the letterbox bars start turning from gray to black, you’re almost there. Continue lowering until details being to fade into the background. Finally, take it up a notch or two until those details reappear with distinguishable definition.
5. Contrast/Picture: This is the measure of white on the picture and is likely to be set too high out of the box. To adjust choose and image with dominant whites and turn the contrast all the way up – James Bond in a tuxedo is perfect – Now slowly bring it back down till details (like shirt buttons) appear clearly.
6. Color: This can be called saturation and it is the measure of color intensity. This was probably also set too high out of the box. For the most accurate color, pause a shot with someone with fair skin, turn the color all the way up (giving the subject a sunburned effect) and then back it down till the subject looks normal.

I love to play video games but sometimes I get a pixelated effect when the objects move too fast on the screen. On my TV there is a video game mode where it will help combat this. Also your TV may  have other helpful settings, just take a look through your menu and see what is available. Remember if you don’t like it you can always change it back. So that should leave you enough to get your TV looking beautiful, so sit down with family and friends to enjoy a movie on your brand new “looking” HDTV.

I consulted an article in Men’s Health when writing this.