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Virus Problems


More Virus Fun

We've been seeing tons (read hundreds) of viruses coming in lately. Most of them are the "Klez" virus. This is from the same nasty family as the "Elkern" virus.

This one likes to share your confidential information with everyone it can find on your computer (address book, ICQ, local e-mail files). As an added bonus, it can disable your anti-virus software if it gets executed.

It spreads via e-mail, the subject line and attachment name varies. If you're in a networked environment and someone runs this attachment, it can (and probably will) infect the entire network.

If you have your virus definitions up to date that will stop this one before you can execute it. However, if you are not up to date and accidentally run this, it can disable your anti-virus protection and open you up for even more problems.

So, bottom line, get your anti-virus up to date. In Norton Anti-virus, open the program and click the "live update" button.

Don't wait to do this. I can't remember the last time we seen this many people infected with viruses. Just the other day we were talking to someone with eight computers in their company. They got hit with this and it took out six of those computers for a week. It cost them lots of time, they had to hire someone to come out and fix the mess, plus they lost TONS of money over it.

Don't let this happen to you. If you don't already have anti-virus software, now's the time to get some. We have our personal favorite, Norton Anti-Virus 2002, on sale for only $18.97 (CD Only - all documentation is one the CD). Shipping is free if you live in the US.

It took us awhile to find a supplier with it available (it's been selling fast).

Don't skip on AV protection. Without it, you can cause yourself and your friends all kinds of time, money, hassles, and headaches. For $18.97, is it worth taking a chance??

Computers 101

Q:
What does it mean to "boot" your computer?

A:
Booting a computer is a simple procedure that's preformed when it acts up. Let's say it's the 20th time in an hour that Windows has locked up. You simply lift the computer up at about chest-high level and drop kick it. It doesn't always fix the problem, but it does tend to make you feel a little better.

The term originated from the old west cowboys. Their computers (running Win 1870) would often cause them no end of grief and would be riddled with thousands of triangular dents produced from the tips of those boots they wore.

JUST KIDDING - sorry, couldn't resist.

When you start (or re-start) your computer, that's called "booting". If you want to get all technical, when you power on your computer, it's a "cold boot". Restarting it is a "warm boot".

Tossing it out the window is just giving it "da boot".

Tip of the Day

Computer Cowboy

Have you ever noticed that you can make little "boxes" on your desktop by holding down your left mouse button and dragging diagonally? Although it can be an entertaining distraction when you're on a boring phone call, it actually has a purpose.

Here I am, lassoing icons:

You can use the technique on your desktop to make multiple selections by "lassoing" icons. Hit the Enter key and you'll launch all those lassoed programs at once. Be careful though. If you lasso too many programs it can take forever for your computer to get them all loaded (trust me :-)

In addition, this little trick works in both My Computer and Explorer for lassoing files. Handy if you need to open or delete multiple files.

Just one quick hint - make sure you lasso OUTSIDE of (next to) the icons. It doesn't work if your mouse click starts ON the icon.