Hardware and Software Troubleshooting Tips | Virus Removal Tips | Best Anti-virus | Speeding Up Windows XP/Windows Vista/Windows 7 | Networking Tips | UNIX and LINUX Usability | Installation Procedure Of Various Operating Systems | computer repair | computer problems.
Tips to remove new folder exe or regsvr exe or autorun inf
Manual Process of removal
I prefer manual process simply because it gives me option to learn new things in the process.
So let’s start the process off reclaiming the turf that virus took over from us.
1. Cut The Supply Line
1. Search for autorun.inf file. It is a read only file so you will have to change it to normal by right clicking the file , selecting the properties and un-check the read only option
2. Open the file in notepad and delete everything and save the file.
3. Now change the file status back to read only mode so that the virus could not get access again.
4.
5 Click start->run and type msconfig and click ok
6 Go to startup tab look for regsvr and uncheck the option click OK.
7 Click on Exit without Restart, cause there are still few things we need to do before we can restart the PC.
8 Now go to control panel -> scheduled tasks, and delete the At1 task listed their.
2. Open The Gates Of Castle
1. Click on start -> run and type gpedit.msc and click Ok.
2.
3. If you are Windows XP Home Edition user you might not have gpedit.msc in that case download and install it from Windows XP Home Edition: gpedit.msc and then follow these steps.
4. Go to users configuration->Administrative templates->system
5. Find “prevent access to registry editing tools” and change the option to disable.
6. Opening the gate of castle: Group Edit Policies
7. Once you do this you have registry access back.
3. Launch The Attack At Heart Of Castle
1. Click on start->run and type regedit and click ok
2. Go to edit->find and start the search for regsvr.exe,
3. Launch the attack in the heart of castle: registry search
4. Delete all the occurrence of regsvr.exe; remember to take a backup before deleting. KEEP IN MIND regsvr32.exe is not to be deleted. Delete regsvr.exe occurrences only.
5. At one ore two places you will find it after explorer.exe in theses cases only delete the regsvr.exe part and not the whole part. E.g. Shell = “Explorer.exe regsvr.exe” the just delete the regsvr.exe and leave the explorer.exe
4. Seek And Destroy the enemy soldiers, no one should be left behind
1. Click on start->search->for files and folders.
2. Their click all files and folders
3. Type “*.exe” as filename to search for
4. Click on ‘when was it modified ‘ option and select the specify date option
5. Type from date as 1/31/2008 and also type To date as 1/31/2008
6. Seek and destroy enemy soldiers: the search option
7. Now hit search and wait for all the exe’s to show up.
8. Once search is over select all the exe files and shift+delete the files, caution must be taken so that you don’t delete the legitimate exe file that you have installed on 31st January.
9. Also selecting lot of files together might make your computer unresponsive so delete them in small bunches.
10. Also find and delete regsvr.exe, svchost .exe( notice an extra space between the svchost and .exe)
5. Time For Celebrations
1. Now do a cold reboot (ie press the reboot button instead) and you are done.
UPDATE : Avast Boot Time Scheduling
Avast Boot Time Scan
Check out How to stop regedit, task manager and msconfig from closing automatically if your regedit or msconfig closes automatically.
Tips to buy an used laptops
You can even go cheaper if you opt for last year’s models or even those older than that. Some laptops are, after all, built tough, and still have decent capabilities a few years down the line. You won’t probably need a Core 2 Duo laptop if all you do is send five emails a day and visit your favorite news sites and blogs a couple of hours coming home after work.
What’s great is that you can usually even purchase old models from the manufacturers or dealers themselves–whether these are refurbished units, unsold stock, or leased units already returned, you can still get good deals. If you do decide to purchase or bid online, be sure to ask for photos and specifications from the seller (or the dealer). Of course, with used units, I would prefer to be able to manually inspect the computer myself.
All right, what do I need to know?
* Chassis - The condition of the chassis–meaning the laptop’s frame and body–would tell you about how well the laptop has aged. There will be indications if the computer has been maintained well, or if it had been misused. If you’re lucky, you’ll even chance upon a laptop that’s rarely been used. The Dude advises to look for irregularities outside of usual wear and tear, such as loose hinges, warping, lid alignment, and even missing parts like screws, port lids (where applicable) and the like.
* Screen - The LCD screen is one of the most expensive parts of the laptop. When buying a used unit, you probably won’t enjoy the warranty that comes with brand new. And if something goes wrong with the LCD, you’ll have to spend quite an amount on a replacement. Make sure the screen is still properly aligned and that the lid sits well on the hinge, opened or closed. Also, it’s best if you can have the laptop turned on to see if the screen has dead or damaged pixels.
* Input devices - These are the most abused parts of any computer, and with laptops, you’ll have to watch out for irregular wear and tear on the keyboard and touchpad (or trackpoint). It’s not as easy to replace them as on a desktop computer, after all. Again, it would be best if you can turn the computer on to test, so you can see if all the keys are working and if the pointing device is functioning smoothly.
These are mostly things to look for at first-glance. Usually, when checking out used machines, the first thing I look for is wear and tear. If a computer seems older than it’s supposed to be, then that means the original user might have not taken care of it properly. Or, it could mean that that particular model (or even brand) was poorly built by the manufacturer, and should be avoided.
What’s next?
Let me add to The Dude’s suggestions in determining whether a laptop still has a few years of serviceability life. After inspecting the build quality and physical characteristics, do look under the hood. Here are things I would look for.
* Processor - While old computers still do work, I won’t go with any technology older than five years. For this reason, I would probably not go below anything lower than a Pentium III or the more modern PowerPC G3s. These can still run today’s modern OSes (such as Windows XP service pack 2, Mac OS X Tiger, or your choice of Linux flavor) pretty well. Do consider what you plan to do with the laptop. A P-III should be able to handle wireless Internet and the usual Web surfing, email, IM and VoIP pretty well. Movie playing and MP3s are also handled decently. Don’t plan on playing around with multimedia manipulation, though. You’ll need raw processing power for that.
Also, I would personally advise against buying a Pentium-4 based laptop, as the P-4 chip (even the mobile version) isn’t designed to be truly portable. These often get really hot and tend to come in bulky packages. P-4 machines are good for gaming, though, since they offer sheer processing power and usually come with large screens.
* Memory - RAM is usually cheap these days. Whether it’s SDRAM or DDR SDRAM, you’re sure to find laptop memory selling for cheap. Do check how much RAM the laptop already has, and whether it can upgraded easily. Most laptops have slots at the bottom or underneath the keyboard that are easily accessible and user-upgradeable. Some laptops, however, have only one slot for RAM, while most have two. I would suggest putting in at least 512 megabytes of RAM, regardless of your OS. Having more RAM would speed up operations, regardless of your processor’s speed.
* Storage - New laptops come with at least 40 GB of hard disc space, and this is the barest minimum today. The standard is in the 60 to 80 GB range. Older laptops, though, might come with 20, 10, or even 6 GB drives. These are easily upgradeable, but you might have to spend about $100 for a decent 80 to 100 GB drive for storing all your MP3s, photos and videos. Regardless of capacity, though, do check the drive for strange sounds like clicking or abnormal screeching sounds. These are signs that the drive is bound to fail soon. Also, try to check the hard disc’s model (usually under the OS’s device manager) for the speed. Standard is 5200 RPM. You can usually enhance performance by going for drives with higher speeds rather than the lower ones (like the 4200 RPM drives that come with low-end laptops today). This is especially so for OSes that are fond of swapping to virtual memory constantly, such as OS X and Windows XP.
* Battery - Used laptops almost always come with dead or weak batteries. This is because Li-Ion cells have a life of about three years, whether it’s on the shelf or in constant use. Thus, you should consider whether you’ll be needing a good battery for your used equipment or not. A new battery will cost you–OEM batteries can cost up to 1/3 the price of a new laptop. Aftermarket solutions would cost about $100 to $150, depending on the model. You can also have your battery set repacked for a fraction of the cost of buying a new one (you can even have higher-capacity cells installed for longer operating life). Just make sure you buy or get services from reputable dealers or service centers. After all, batteries do burn and can cause explosions if improperly used or installed. If the used laptop will mostly spend its life on a desk at granny’s home as a desktop replacement, then you probably won’t be needing a good battery.
* Feel - Lastly, ask yourself how you feel about the laptop. Is it the right choice? Should you buy a new, more expensive, unit? Does it look like it will still last a couple of years? A while back, I wrote about things to consider when buying a new laptop. These are still very much applicable when buying a used unit. Again, a laptop is as personal as a computer can get, and even with used devices, I think you should have the power to choose what fits you well.
How to Speed up the Computer
2. Shutdown Unnecessary programs: By using this path Start > Run > Msconfig > Startup, you can close all unwanted programs at the Windows startup and this will automatically increase the windows loading time and speed of the computer will also be increased.
3. Increase RAM: By increasing the RAM in your system you can get exceptional fast speed of your computer.
4. Disk Cleanup: By using the disk clean up utility Start > Programs > Accessories > System tools > Disk clean up utility, you can delete unwanted programs and files from your computer and this will be helpful in increasing the speed.
5. Empty Recycle Bin: When you delete a file or a folder form your computer it first goes to the recycle bin and it covers the disk area of your C drive. It is imperative, to delete all the files and folders from the recycle bin and you will get the space of C drive for reusability.
6. Delete Temporary Files: Delete the temporary files and cookies from your computer to get the better speed. You can do this like Internet explorer > Tools > Internet options > Generals > Settings > View files > here you can delete all the temporary internet files.
Steps to Scan and Remove Malicious Viruses
1. Run the Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool.
2. Run the McAfee Stinger Tool (optional)
3. Make sure you are using Updated Anti-Virus Software.
4. Make sure Windows Updates are turned on.
5. Get Notified for Microsoft Security Alerts.
We aren’t talking about regular viruses… your anti-virus software can handle those. We’re talking about the terrible viruses that will crash your computer, steal your information, delete the pictures of your kids – and cause your computer to be remotely controlled by a spammer. Bad stuff, but they can usually be prevented.
Run the Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool
The first step in detecting and removing horrible viruses and worms from your computer is to run Microsoft’s own Malicious Software Removal Tool – it’s not a replacement for anti-virus, but it’s the best way to get rid of some of the worst offenders, like the current Conficker worm.
To run the tool, you simply need to download the file from Microsoft and run it. There’s no installer required.
Malicious Software Removal
If you were affected, the tool would remove the virus and alert you. Since we’re thankfully safe, we got the friendly message that no malicious software was detected. You can click the “View detailed results of the scan” to see more information.
No malicious software detected
By scrolling down in the list, you can find the current threat and make sure that you are not infected.
Scan results
The tool should be updated automatically through Windows Update, but you can always just download it directly as well. This is an important tool to keep around.
Download the Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool from microsoft.com
Run the McAfee Stinger Tool (optional)
An alternative tool is the McAfee Stinger tool, which is a freeware tool that removes only the worst viruses from your computer. You can check to make sure that Stinger can remove the current virus problem by checking the List Viruses dialog… make sure you have the latest version of Stinger before you use it.
List of viruses Stinger can detect
Simply hit the Scan Now button to do a full scan of your computer, but be warned that this will take a long while.
McAfee Stinger
Once it’s done, you should get a report with the number of clean files.
Stinger Results
It’s a simple and rather ugly tool, but it does the job. It’s still not a replacement for real anti-virus though.
Download McAfee Avert Stinger from vil.nai.com
Make sure you are using Updated Anti-Virus Software
This is one of the most important steps in keeping yourself safe. You need to make sure that your anti-virus software is enabled and properly working! Here’s a quick list of what you should do:
1. Make sure your virus definition updates are automatically updated.
2. Make sure that real-time scanning is enabled.
3. Run a full scan (optional but useful)
ClamWin Update
If you aren’t sure what anti-virus software to use and don’t have money to spend, you can try out AVG Free edition, or you can take a look at the big list of anti-virus software we tested with Windows 7.
Note: We don’t necessarily recommend ClamWin for regular users, because it has no real-time protection. It’s just what I have installed on this computer and I needed a screenshot.
Make sure Windows Updates are turned on
Now we arrive at the most important step: making sure that Windows is fully patched and Windows Updates is enabled. You can’t protect yourself against worms and hackers if you are running a woefully out-of-date version of Windows that isn’t patched. It just won’t work.
Open up Windows Updates, make sure to click “Check for updates” and install every security patch they recommend. Then click the Change settings link…
And make sure you have it set to check for updates automatically, and installing updates automatically isn’t a bad option. Just remember, if you are running an un-patched system, you are leaving yourself open for all sorts of bad things.
Note: Please pardon the alarmist nature of this point, but patching is the #1 key to keeping safe against internet worms.
Get Notified for Microsoft Security Alerts
If you really want to make sure you are secure, you can sign up for alerts from Microsoft whenever there is an important patch that needs to be installed. You can also check the current security bulletins at any time by visiting their security bulletin home page.
Subscribe to Microsoft Security Alerts by Email or RSS
Latest Microsoft Security Bulletin Home Page
How Do I Make Sure the Patch is Installed?
So now we get right down to it… how do you know if you are vulnerable to one of the security holes? As an example, we’ll look at the security hole that leaves you vulnerable to the Conficker worm: Vulnerability in Server Service Could Allow Remote Code Execution. If you look through the list of downloads, you’ll see the particular patch for your system.
If Windows update says that you are up to date, you can check for a particular patch by clicking on “View update history” on the left-hand side.
Windows Update
This will take you to a long list of every update that has been installed. Look through the list, and you should see the update mentioned in the security bulletin… for me, it was KB958644 for x64-based systems, since I’m running 64-bit Vista.
View Update History
At the very least it’s a relief to know that you aren’t vulnerable… to the current worm, at least.
Conclusion
These steps are essential in protecting your computer from hackers, worms, and viruses, but they aren’t the only important keys to safety. You should still remain vigilant and use common sense: don’t download files from untrusted sources, use a firewall, and make sure your email provider scans for viruses before you open attachments.
Office 2007 Installation Fails: Fixes
Several users are experiencing problems installing the new Office 2007 Service Pack 2 (SP2) update, which was released earlier this week. Users are sometimes presented simply with the message “updates failed” or “The installation of this package has failed.”
Fixes
- Install the Microsoft Office System Update Download and install this file from Microsoft. It contains fixes for issues that can prevent the installation of Office 2007 updates. Next, re-attempt installation or move on the the following fixes.
- Try Windows Update If you manually downloaded the Office 2007 SP2 installation package initially, try downloading and installing the update through Windows Update instead.
- Re-download the installation file Microsoft’s servers have had issues delivering the Office 2007 SP2 installation package. When downloading Office 2007 SP2, ensure that the file size is 290MB. If it is smaller, you may have a corrupt, unusable file. Try re-downloading the file.
- Use the Windows XP or 2003 hotfix If you are running Windows XP or 2003, try using this hotfix from Microsoft that solves an issue with large installation files
Speed Up or Disable Windows Search Indexing in Vista
The new indexing service built into Windows Vista has been the subject of a lot of complaints, since it seems to kick in at strange times and thrash your hard drive. So what can we do to speed this up?
There’s two options: You can either trim down the amount of files that Windows Search is indexing, or you can disable it entirely if you never use the search.
Trim Down Indexing Locations
The best way to trim down the amount of processor time the indexing service uses is by trimming down the amount of files being indexed. For instance, if you don’t regularly search through your C: drive, there’s really no need to be indexing it.
Personally, I love the search function for Outlook and the Start Menu, but that’s the only places I care about indexing.
Type Indexing into the control panel search or the start menu search box, and you should see an item called Indexing Options.
All you have to do to remove a location from being indexed is uncheck the box. You might have to click the Show All Locations button to see some of the default locations.
If you wanted to remove the start menu indexing, you’ll need to click on Start Menu in the summary list at the bottom, and it’ll automatically navigate to the item in the tree.
The start menu indexing really doesn’t take much processing time though, so I wouldn’t bother removing that.
Completely Disable Indexing
If you’d prefer to completely disable the indexing service, you can disable it entirely by turning off the service.
Open up Services through control panel, or by typing services.msc into the start menu search box. Find “Windows Search” in the list of services and double-click on it to open it.
Change the Startup type of the service to Disabled, and then click the Stop button to stop the service.
At this point the Windows Search service is completely disabled.
Windows 7 Antivirus Compatible Software
Avast! (Most users have no problem)
Avira Antivir Personal Edition (No issues so far)
Eset Smart Security 3 and 4 (Working flawlessly with Windows 7)
Comodo
Eset Nod32 4 (some users reported having some issues)
Kaspersky 2009
Norton Internet Security 2009
Norton 360 version 2.0
Sophos v7.6
Bitdefender 2009
Windows7 Versions
Windows 7 Version | Starter | Home Basic | Home Premium | Professional | Enterprise | Ultimate |
Sales Channels | OEM (Global) | Developing | Retail and OEM (Global) | Volume License | Retail/OEM (Limited) | |
64-Bit Support | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Concurrent Applications | 3 | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Mobility Center | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Aero Features | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Home Groups | Join Only | Join Only | Create/Join | Create/Join | Create/Join | Create/Join |
Premium Games | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Windows Media Center | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Windows Touch | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Advanced Network Backup | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Domain Joining | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Encrypting File System | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Group Policy | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Location Aware Printing | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Offline Folders | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Presentation Mode | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Remote Desktop Host | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
AppLocker | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
BitLocker | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Branch Cache | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Direct Access | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Enterprise Search | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
MUI Language Packs | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Virtual Desktop Interface | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Virtual Hard Disk Booting | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Unspecified | No | No | No | No | No | Yes |