Turn off file sharing when connecting to wireless ...

Disable unprotected File Sharing on Windows XP Home If you use Windows XP Home Edition, then you should avoid sharing files over the campus network and make sure that file sharing is disabled on your computer. NOTE: File sharing is enabled by default when Windows XP Home is installed onto your computer. Since Windows XP Home does not support password-protected file sharing, any person or virus...

Remove or uninstall U3 Software from a flash drive

Many USB flash drives come pre-installed with software called U3. U3 is a small operating system that allows U3 enabled flash drives to run applications (like web browsers, email programs, password managers, and more) straight from the USB flash drive. The advantage is that you can use these applications on any computer with a USB port.  However, if you don't have a need to have these "portable" applications...

Microsoft Uninstaller Cleanup Utility

When you have a program that won't unstall, read through this page , install the program it links to and follow the directions. This program removes all of the install information from the Windows registry. From this point you should reinstall the program and then unstall it the normal way. ...

Windows Defender Startup Error

I have already received multiple emails and calls about a Windows Defender (Microsoft's anti-spyware program) error. The error looks something like this: "Application failed to materialize: 0x800106ba. A problem caused Windows Defender Service to stop.To start the service, restart computer or search Help & Support on how to tart service Manually." This is a result of the beta (still experimental) versions...

Moving to a new computer requires patience

I've helped many new people this fall move to a new computer. Like moving to a new house, it takes time and patience before everything gets just right on your new computer. It is important to know that you can't simply hook up a new computer and start using it. You need to uninstall any unwanted software, properly configure and update your security software, setup your Internet and email connections, and then most...

Things we say for our health

Today I visited a client who listens to the show regularly, or so she said. I was there because the computer was running very slow and locked up often. On her computer were three programs (or groups of programs). 1. AOL 2. AOL Security Center (AOL's antivirus, antispyware and popup blocker) 3. Norton System Works "I know you guys say not to use these programs but my son said I need them, he works for a big computer...

55 Minute Uninstall

Wow, it would have almost been faster to backup the data, reformat the hard drive, and reinstall everything from scratch. The long install was of the grossly over programmed Norton Internet Security Suite. Here's the breakdown of my appointment: 8:26am Arrive at customer's house. He tells me that his computer is running extremely slow. 8:32am I sit down and hit the power button on the computer. 8:36am Still...

Geek Squad is a comin’

Today I had lunch at a local burger place. I try to eat a hamburger a week just so I don't forget how bad they are for me. While I was eating six Geek Squad guys came and set down at the table next to me. For those who don't know, the Geek Squad is Best Buy's computer repair team. Essentially they are a bunch of kids with book learning but little real-world experience outside of the routine jobs that they do on a...

Norton causes problems…blah,blah,blah

This is going to be a short one because I have to get to the digital photography user group soon. I just wanted everyone to know that I saw two computers with exactly the same problem today. They were connected to the Internet, but couldn’t view the Internet. In other words, they could get windows updates and use programs like Yahoo! Messenger, but they couldn’t view web pages. Here’s what I did to fix the...

Fact: Palm is better than Windows Mobile

I had the pleasure of setting up a new Windows Mobile powered cell phone/PDA today. In the past, I have probably setup five similar devices and they have never gone smoothly. Today’s was the worst. I have setup dozens of Palm powered devices and I have never had a major problem with setup that wasn’t hardware related. As I setup the Windows Mobile device today I would go all the way through the install and then...

Oops…I hate it when I make mistakes

I’m always the first to admit when I make a mistake, but damn I  hate making them! Especially when the mistakes affect a customer I’m working with at the time. While uninstalling yet another copy of the bloated Norton Internet Security today, I ran into the Norton Password Manager. Unfortunately, some of my work (like anyone else involved in a business) becomes repetitive and robotic and that can lead to...

Security is Paramount

I’m posting from the road today as I sit waiting for my last customer. An earlier customer made a neat comment/observation. She said, "Geesh, I didn’t realize there was so much to setting up the security on a computer." She had an expired version of Norton that we uninstalled. Then I loaded AVG Antivirus, Zone Alarm Firewall, and Windows Defender. Security setup seems time consuming and tedious during...

Dude, where’s my shotgun?

Rick pointed out to me tonight that I haven’t put up any shotgun articles for a few days. It was at that exact moment that I realized that I hadn’t written any shotgun articles for a few days. I have some catching up to do so consider this article one of the most important articles I have written for several days. When I fix a computer I try to always approach the computer and the situation as if it were my own. I...

Use the Ethernet port for broadband

If you have broadband Internet and you had the company set it up for you, it is very likely they connected it using the USB cable instead of the Ethernet cable. The Ethernet cable has an end on it that looks like a giant phone jack and it is the most reliable way to connect your computer to your broadband cable or DSL modem. Scanners, printers, joysticks, mice, keyboards, and digital cameras are just a few of the dozens of...

Nothing is by the book

There are two things that make the businesses Rick and I run different from running a computer shop or working as the IT guy in a big company. 1. We see dozens of computers each week and no two of them are the same in any way. 2. Rarely is anything done by the book. Every person has their own preference for desktop wallpaper, word processing program, Windows version, printer, antivirus, digital camera, web browser, etc. It is...