Castellini on Computers - Computer help for beginners » spyware

5 Simple Rules to avoid SCD (Slow Computer Disease)

Rick — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 02:48:43 +0000

I've written about this before, but it bears repeating on occasion with new visitors to our site and long time visitors who haven't learned yet. The advice is simple: DO NOT DOWNLOAD FREE SCREENSAVERS, EMAIL PROGRAMS (Incredimail, etc), GAMES from the Internet. Unless you are WELL versed in the origin of these items, they can easily destroy your computer's ability to compute. The most common computer ailment (for Windows users) searched on the Internet is "slow computers". Sadly, "slow computer disease", SCD*, does not have to be the pandemic it is because it is 100% preventable. Here are my 5 simple rules to prevent SCD: 1. Install and keep Internet security software current. Recommendations: AVG Anti-virus, a software or hardware firewall and a good anti-spwyare program or two. Check our Links & Resources section for recommendations. 2. DO NOT DOWNLOAD FREE CRAP FROM THE INTERNET UNLESS YOU KNOW ITS ORIGIN AND SAFETY. 3. Use Mozilla Firefox or Opera as your primary Internet browser instead of Internet Explorer, MSN, or AOL. This tip alone can save your computer. 4. If you have teenagers or young adults who use your computer, forbid the downloading of free music through services like Limewire or any other shady site (refer to #2) 5. If you do suspect SCD, get it looked at immediately. Waiting for it to cure itself will only make SCD worse. BONUS TIP: If your computer suffers from SCD, Defrag will NOT help it. No matter how many times you Defrag your computer, it will NOT help SCD. © *SCD is a copyrighted term of Castellini on Computers, HelpMeRick.com and Rick Castellini. Use of the term SCD is strictly prohibited without the express written consent of Rick Castellini or administrators of HelpMeRick.com

The Castellini Approach to Internet Security

Rick — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:18:44 +0000

The Castellini Approach to Internet Security

This past week I saw way too many people who aren't taking advantage of the free information we give out on the show and the web site. Their computers were suffocating from a preventable disease...viruses and spyware. Yes, preventable, almost 100%. And fighting the war on our home computer security front does not have to be costly or time consuming.

We talk about this subject quite a bit on the program and the web site because of its rapid growth worldwide. In today's tip, I am providing you with links to information that we have on this site that has been up for months to years that contain the essential information about protecting your computer.

2 laptop suggestions for college students

Rick — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 22:46:12 +0000

Millions of new college students will be leaving for their respective campuses (campii?) soon. These students will more than likely go to college with a computer...probably a laptop. I would like to suggest two possible laptops ideas for these students.

Both of my ideas involve good systems that will allow college kids to word process, chat, email, listen to music, watch DVD's, browse the web wirelessly(for school research of course), create presentations, spreadsheets, download and edit photos and much more. Neither involve Windows and thus don't require a degree in computer security and maintenance. One of the computers costs between $1200-1800 and the other costs less than $700.

Practice smarter browsing to avoid malware – Video Tip

Rick — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 03:33:22 +0000

It seems that spyware, adware and other malware that doesn’t quite fall in the category of a virus grows by the day. Unfortunately, even the best protected computers and computer users can get hit by these sneaky destruction machines by tricking us (social engineering) to thinking we are either using, viewing or downloading something other [...]

Another plea for you to use Mozilla Firefox

Rick — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 02:43:17 +0000

Over the past six months, the spyware problems infiltrating both Windows XP and Vista has become almost mythical. Spyware is the junk that gets into your computer and slows it down, prevents antivirus software from doing its job, halts Windows updates, can disable your CDROM and/or USB drives, and much more. The vast majority of [...]

Reunion spam makes a comeback

Rick — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 21:40:06 +0000

Social engineering strikes again. Last spring, a spam posing as a reunion invitation made its rounds around the Internet. The spam/virus gets spread by an unsuspecting and less than alert computer user opens an email supposedly from a class mate inviting them to a reunion. Once the email is opened, a root-kit (hard to detect spyware/virus hybrid) gets deployed on the person's computer and begins to spread itself from there. This scenario repeats itself hundreds of thousands times over a couple of days and eventually infects millions of computers around the world. A variant of the very same ploy started to make its rounds again this year coming to a crescendo over the past couple of weeks with millions more people duped.

Rick’s Answers his email Videocast – 025

Rick — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 14:17:13 +0000

Questions this week ranged from anti-spyware recommendations all the to a strange singing Christmas card that played even after the computer was shut down. This week's questions brought to you by Dave, Kristina, USSRover, AmaLia, Dave, Mary, Jessica, Bob, Mike, Gloria, and Kent.

Correcting some spyware infections with an often overlooked tool

Rick — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 22:35:15 +0000

Some of the nastiest spyware infections can be dealt with easier than previously thought if you try the following steps immediately after becoming infected:

Shut off your high speed modem OR simply unplug the Ethernet cable connecting your computer to the modem or router
Restart the computer in Safe Mode and attempt to run a disk cleanup from the Accessories --> System Tools menu or use the CCleaner or Cleanup program if you have them installed.
Then go to the accessories menu and run System Restore. Choose a date at least two weeks prior to the infection and restore the computer.
After the computer restarts, IF the restore was successful (and it will tell you so), run a full disk scan with your antivirus software and any anti-spyware software you have loaded
Restart your computer again, and this time connect back to the Internet
Update your antivirus and antispyware products and run another full scan

I have had good success with this routine if the infection is caught quick enough (usually within a day or so).

Acer Aspire One Netbook

Rick — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 21:45:26 +0000

Today, I had my first opportunity to get some hands-on time with Acer's entry into the netbook craze, the Acer Aspire One. The young lady I helped bought a blue Aspire One on Black Friday for just over $300. Sporting a 120GB hard drive, an extremely nice 8.9" screen, 1 GB of RAM, and Windows XP, this little unit was very impressive to look at and use. After some discussion with me, she decided that she didn't want to leave the Windows XP on it and have to maintain security updates, anti-spyware software, anti-virus software, etc. She planned on using the netbook for traveling mostly and some email, Internet, and downloading her digital photos from time to time on it.

I decided to try installing Ubuntu's new Netbook Remix (UNR) operating system for her. After doing some research, I discovered that before

Rick’s guide to trouble free computing

Rick — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 03:37:54 +0000

In January, this web site and my business will turn 13 years old. In that time, I have worked on thousands of computers ranging from the oldest DOS machines to the newest gaming and Mac monsters. My youngest client in that time has been 5 years old and my oldest was a 94 year old author writing a book for the first time on a PC. When your work in any field for a certain period of time, you start to spot patterns and consistencies.

After incubating the idea in my head for about six months, I want to share with you (and anyone you forward this article to) my opinion of how to use computer technology with the bare minimum of issues and cash. The following would be my advice to a computer user who truly wanted to follow my advice, no questions asked, based on my knowledge and experience.

Buy a mid-range laptop costing no more than $600. Immediately install Ubuntu Linux on the laptop and allow Ubuntu to completely erase the drive's contents (Windows and a ton of trial ware) as it installs. Ubuntu will provide you a top notch Office productivity package (word processor, spreadsheet, presentation manager, etc), tons of games, CD/DVD burning, secure, fast Internet browsing with Firefox, photo management and editing software, and more for no cost. Ubuntu also does not require