1. Never delete files that you did not create.
2. If you can't trace the origin of the file, leave it alone. 
3. If the file sports one of the generic looking 'windows' icons (see picture), do not delete it (again unless you created it). 
4. Do not delete files that exist in the Windows directory, unless you created it.
5. Instead of willy nilly deleting files, use the Disk Cleanup tool

Use these rules when deleting programs or applications:

Over the next few weeks, the weekly tip will focus on the creation of email filters with the various email packages. See last month's tip for a general description of email filters.

This week's tip describes email filters using Outlook Express and its rules based system:

1. Create mail folders for Jokes, Spam Saved mail, etc by RIGHT clicking on Local Folders from the folder list, then clicking on New Folder. Creating folders will give you a chance to really organize and sort email with this rules technique
2. Click on Tools --> Message Rules --> Mail
3. In the first box, choose a parameter like "where the subject contains specific words" (you can choose more than one parameter) OR where an email address appears in the To or CC
4. In the second box, choose an action like "delete it" or "move to specified folder"
5. In the third box, click on any underlined words to set the parameter (ex: specified words = spam or viagra)
6. In box four, name your rule something descriptive
7. Click OK
8. Click New and repeat the steps to add new rules

Preventing your computer from becoming infected is infinitely easier and less stressful than cleaning up after an infection. Search my site for tons of information on setting up your computer for security and techniques to avoid scams. However, if you are already bit by one of the most recent nasty forms of software, Antivirus 2008 or Antivirus 2009 (software I call extortionware that installs itself on your computer and then poses as legitimate software you have to pay for to get rid of the problems. Problems they caused), follow the steps at this site to get back up and running and then come back here and learn how to prevent it from happening again.

Two other links that will be helpful in cleaning this and related malware off of your computer are ComboFix and Malwarebytes.org. Some of the first actions these rougue software products accomplish when on your computer is disabling your antivirus, windows updates, and system restore. They also prevent you from visiting legitimate web sites like I have linked in this article to make it harder for you to remove the pests. You are probably best served visiting my site on a non-infected computer, download the two products, change the original file names (this is important because the rouge software will also disable known products from running at all), copy the two tools to a flash drive and then take them to the sick computer and run them. I suggest running the CombFix first and then run full scans with your antivirus software and malwarebytes.org's product as well.

I'm linking to BleepingComputer.com's article because they do a good job of giving you a safe download site and thorough instructions on how to delete Antivirus 2009 or 2008. Even if you aren't infected, it's worth visiting the site to see what kind of work is required if you do get infected. It might motivate you to read my site more often and follow the advice I give to keep you safe and productive with your computer.

Photo by Jim Grandy

1. Turn off your printer using its power switch
2. Immediately watch for a message by your clock that has anything to do with your printer
3. Click the little bubble message (if you see it)
4. If you don't see the options in steps 2 & 3, then:
1. Click Start --> Control Panel
2. Double-click Printers
3. Double-click your printer
5. When the printer queue dialog box appears, click one time on the document you want to delete
6. Click Document from the menus, then Cancel (If you have multiple documents, click Printer --> Cancel all documents from the menus)
7. Once the documents disappear (should be just a few moments), you can close all open windows and turn your printer on again.

I have a few more little tips and you can see this technique in action by watching the video below (2 1/2 minutes):

In order to really grasp how beneficial Google Alerts can be, you need to try it out for yourself. There are no limits to how many alerts you can create.  Here's how:

1. Click here to visit the Google Alerts page
2. Type a search term or terms in the first box. Remember to spell your terms correctly and describe your search completely so your alerts are more accurate
3. In the Type box, click and choose whether you want to get alert items from news stories only, blogs, videos, web in general (non-news), discussion groups, or comprehensive (which covers it all).
4. Choose how often you want the emails in the third box. Your choices are daily, weekly, or as the news happens.
5. Lastly, fill in your email and click the Create Alert button

Within a few hours, you will start to receive your email alerts. The email will be from Google Alerts with the subject Google Alert - Your Search Terms. The email will contain a list of the matches it found with the link to the story and where it is from and the first two lines of the story itself. You can delete or edit an alert at any time by going back to the Google Alerts web page and clicking the Manage your alerts link.

Curbside recycling involves hauling your old hardware out to the curb and just leaving it there. In most moderately busy neighborhoods (HOA's rules aside), a piece of technology on the street will be snapped by a collector or hobbyist in less than 48 hours and often much quicker. The item gets reused or put to work in someway, you didn't have to fret about where to take it and haul it long distances, and the device more than likely won't end up in a land fill...a win-win-win situation.

1. In Firefox, RIGHT click on a blank part of the toolbar (or Click View --> Toolbars --> Customize from the menus)
2. Click and drag the buttons you want to the toolbar (you can also drag buttons you don't need back into the customize box to delete them)
3. Click Done

To see this tip in action, watch the short demo below!