An OUNCE of prevention is worth a POUND of cure. If you don't know what "Virtual Machines, and "Sandboxes" are I suggest you look them up. Returnil is an elite sandbox application that deletes EVERY CHANGE MADE TO YOUR COMPUTER and contains changes within a sandbox. However it's a PARTIAL pay application i.e. there is a free version and a paid version. The free version is fine though.
Next up Sandboxie. You can use it while you browse the world wide web.
If you want a virtual machine that you don't have to pay for use VirtualBox.
If you don't already know VirtualBox is a virtual PC that runs on your current operating system. If you are running on Windows you can install VirtualBox and run any other operating system in a window as if it were any other application running in Windows. The OS running in VirtualBox is called a guest OS and your main OS is called your host OS. Basically the guest OS thinks it is running on it's own PC when it is in fact just running off of a file on your hard drive. Any files you save on your guest OS will be stored in a file on your hard drive.
Download an operating system, I recommend a Linux distribution such as Ubuntu: http://www.ubuntu.com
Here's the deal. You'll need a firewall installed, if you're on Windows the Windows Firewall will work fine. Setup all of your firewall profiles to block all inbound and outbound connections that do not match a rule specifically setup to allow the connection. If you're using Windows Firewall a few rules are already setup to allow certain connections, go into the advanced settings and disable all rules except for those related to core networking. This will block all applications from accessing the internet, including internet explorer or any web browsers you have installed. Now setup an inbound and outbound rule to allow only VirtualBox access to the internet.
Startup your VirtualBox system and do all of your web browsing and internet activity through your guest OS. Any spyware, malware, virii downloaded will think that is has infected your system, but it has actually only infected one file on your hard drive, it will not be able to spread to your host OS because it does not even know there is a host OS.
I forgot to mention that VirtualBox allows you to setup a 'network' folder with your host OS so you can transfer files between the two. I recommend NOT setting up networking between your host and guest operating systems, this would allow any software or hacker access to your host OS through your guest OS. If you need to transfer files between the two use a USB disk or something of the like.
Trustware.com has a sandboxing software called BufferZone Pro. In a nutshell, you install it, then reboot. Anything that comes into your computer from the browser, Limewire, Media Player, or whatever (custom programs) can be undone with six mouse clicks. In six clicks everything will be back as it was when you first installed the program. This WILL include anything you want to keep also, so you have to learn to use it and move things in/out of the bufferzone as you see fit. You can use it on your PC to protect against flash drive infections, where it buffers then entire drive when I plug it in. I just have to be sure to move everything out of the zone that I want to have saved on the drive.
Calibre
Official Site - http://calibre-ebook.com/
Calibre is a free and open source e-book library management application developed by users of e-books for users of e-books. It has a cornucopia of features divided into the following main categories:
Library Management
E-book conversion
Syncing to e-book reader devices
Downloading news from the web and converting it into e-book form
Comprehensive e-book viewer
Content server for online access to your book collection
If you like reading ebooks Calibre is almost all that you need to read and convert ebooks.
Calibre supports the conversion of many input formats to many output formats. It can convert every input format in the following list, to every output format.
1. Always opt for CUSTOM INSTALLATION so you can opt out of installing foistware like toolbars, search engines, and trial utilities.
2. As no single antimalware/antivirus program is 100% effective consider Malwarebytes Antimalware Free Edition for weekly second opinion on-demand scanning and to assist with security updates consider using Secunia PSI. CCleaner is often suggested as more convenience than anything but avoid the temptation to use the registry function, besides if you have Revo there enough cleanup tools included.
3. Always install any anti-virus, anti-malware and firewalls first, then fully update Windows. Only after that should you download anything (hell, you shouldn't even be connected to the Internet while you install your anti-virus/firewall programs, since unpatched Windows, regardless of the version, is simply BEGGING to be invaded).
4. Only download programs from known safe sources like CNet, Majorgeeks and the official websites of the software you are interested in.
5. The best defense is a layered defense plus common sense.
Someone in My Computer Headaches Yahoogroup asked how he could speed up the task of finding duplicate files in his voluminous collection of photos. We suggested this (FDFF):
Fast Duplicate File Finder Helps You Weed Out Extra Files--For Free
By Preston Gralla, PCWorld
Feb 20, 2010
With photos, videos, and music files clogging up your hard disk, it's harder than ever to keep it clean, trim, and free of duplicates. Use freebie Fast Duplicate File Finder, though, and you'll be able to find duplicate files with ease, and keep your hard disk in tip-top shape.
True to its name, Fast Duplicate File Finder quickly finds duplicate files.
Fast Duplicate File Finder doesn't merely compare file names or file sizes; it does a file comparison at the binary level. This is particularly important when looking for music, video, and other media files, because you may have files with two different names, which are otherwise identical. It's got plenty of nice-to-have features, such as determining whether to delete duplicates or move them to the Recycle Bin or a custom folder; the ability to preview files before deleting them; and support for removable media such as USB drives.
Fast Duplicate File finder is simple to use, goes about its work quickly, and it's free. It's this simple: If you're looking to trim your hard disk by deleting duplicate files, it won't lead you wrong.
There is a PRO version available that is a more fully featured if you like the experience with the FREE version. With the FREE version we like the option it has for saving search results and projects so you can more quickly rerun checks for hard drive maintenance when necessary. This program also prevents system files and folders from showing up in the search fields as a safety net for disk corruption. I'm sure you will find several other SIMILAR dupe-finding utilities but it is very important to first find out that they won't include system files since there are a few of these files that really are duplicates of the originals. However, there is a purpose for that. If you delete those system file duplicates you might end up reinstalling Windows or having more serious problems. It also features two specialty searches: graphics and music. However, these functions are now limited in the free version. FDFF also shows a preview of image files it finds, and offers some helpful filters you can apply to make copying or deleting the newest or oldest copies, for instance, very simple.
Q: Is there a preferred order of doing things to secure a newly reformatted computer? I have already formatted the drive and reinstalled the OS (Windows XP Professional) and am wondering what to do next. What I am asking is what do I do to expose my unprotected PC to the internet for as little time as possible? The reason I am asking is that I have a couple of teenage stepsons and with their computer use, I feel like I should probably be familiar with reformatting and what goes with it.
A: Having teens using your computer is a good reason to install programs in your computer that will minimize damage to your system caused by careless online practices by less knowledgeable users. By all means protect and secure your system to the max with software. I mostly use freeware on my Vista machine which includes an antivirus, several anti-malware, a firewall, a HIPS program (not a freeware) and several utility programs. Here are some of them:
Ad-Aware
Many computer owners use this anti-malware. However my recommendation: Skip this one. It is taxing to your system resources. Read reviews of users here:
This tool is so fast and worthy that support people from other antivirus vendors will even suggest a check with Malwarebytes. Stick with the free version, as PCMag's tests of the Pro version indicate the "real-time protection" it offers isn't worth the money.
This is not just an install and forget it program. It has to be updated regularly. You have to activate the immunization features too everytime you update it. You have to configure it for maximum protection. Read up on how to use it using Google. If you're still in the dark on how to use Spybot, let me know.
You can close this program after you update & configure it. It doesn't have to be running to give you protection. It is a silent protector. After you update it, click the "Enable Protection for All Unprotected Items". Then close it. It will protect your system in the background by immunizing it with kill bits.
Extends the reach of CCleaner by expanding its database of programs and the digital debris they leave behind. It adds support for more than 500 new programs to CCleaner.
I use the Firefox extensions Adblock Plus, Better JTV, Video DownloadHelper and a few others. Better JTV makes chatting in Justin TV a better experience. If you do not go to Justin TV, then there's really no need for Better JTV. There are a couple of versions of Better JTV:
This is an alternative to the Firefox extension Video DownloadHelper which is used to download embedded videos in any website like YouTube. When you install it it adds a toolbar to both Firefox and Internet Explorer. You have to first watch the video you are interested in before you can download it. To learn more on how to use Freecorder proceed to http://applian.com/freecorder4/help.php#youtube. Freecorder is very easy to use.
Firewall
Every version of Windows after XP SP2 has a software firewall. If you like to use a third-party firewall, you can try Comodo Personal Firewall.
Comodo Internet Security combines the well-regarded Comodo Firewall with their antivirus and anti-spyware programs and a system monitor to create a comprehensive and free Internet security solution. The Comodo Firewall remains the strongest part of the package, and it beats all comers in the most demanding testing we found. The rest of the suite draws mixed reactions. If you only want the Comodo Firewall, you can choose to install that on its own. Select the "Firewall only" configuration during installation. Make sure to enable rule creation in 'firewall behavior settings' (so you can modify program rules later).
I would not recommend it. Early users are getting BSOD.
You can improve protection by using a hardware "firewall" (such as a router) and a software firewall in conjunction. Modern routers usually have a built-in firewall; consult your router documentation for more details.
This player plays just about every video format. VLC is a free and open source cross-platform multimedia player and framework that plays most multimedia files as well as DVD, Audio CD, VCD, and various streaming protocols.
TeraCopy is a compact program designed to copy and move files at the maximum possible speed, providing the user with a lot of features.
Foobar2000
This is an advanced free audio player. The days of Winamp are long past. For audiophiles with massive music libraries, foobar2000 is the chosen alternative to the memory-intensive iTunes organizer. Created by a former Winamp developer, foobar2000 has won the hearts and minds of savvy album collectors with its highly customizable interface, comprehensive audio format support (including OGG, Flac, and AAC), and gapless playback. There's even a rich SDK for third party coders to tinker with to add more functionality. Sure beats sorting through all your music in long playlist.
Go to the link above USING EACH of your INTERNET BROWSER. IOW, if you have Google Chrome, go to the link above and install the player. Then close it. Next, go to the link above using Internet Explorer then install the player. ETC...
If you have older versions of JAVA, uninstall ALL of THEM (you might have multiple versions installed). Then download the latest version and install it.
What makes this an unusual free program is it's an ANTI-FRUSTRATION software. It can speed up system boot & fix system slowdowns. It monitors your PC to find the things that are likely most annoying to users. For example, it tracks down printing problems, crashy apps, resource hogs — all the good stuff. That alone is interesting. But more interesting is that it offers up solutions for how you can fix your computer issues. And the data they’re (anonymously) collecting about PC problems should be useful across a range of industries and services.
Recuva is an excellent software to recover deleted files. Why do you need it now? That's because there's a lot of deleting and uninstalling happening with CCleaner, Revo Uninstaller, PC Decrapifier and all. If you suddenly delete something that you shouldn't, and then want to recover it, you would have this tool to fall back on. From start to finish, Recuva holds your hand through the process of getting your data back with a user-friendly Wizard. The first prompt asks what type of files you're looking for (pictures, music, documents, video, or all files), followed by where you want Recuva to look. If you don't know, select 'I'm not sure' and Recuva will rummage through your entire computer. Alternately, you can limit searches to the Recycle Bin, My Documents, a media card, or any other specific location you specify. This tutorial on using Recuva will provide more information on using this tool:
EASEUS partition manager is a nifty tool to create and manage disk partitions on Windows systems. Even if you created partitions during the setup process, and know how to use the disk management console to create partitions, I'd recommend you download and keep this tool. That's because it offers some amazing features like resize, merge or split partitions, convert FAT to NTFS, convert primary partition to logical and vice versa, and much more.
Most of the branded laptops and desktops come bloated with proprietary (and useless) software which you should get rid of if you want your computer to function properly in the long run. Hence the old and trusted PC Decrapifier becomes a must-install software for new Windows computer owners to weed out junk software and make space for better stuff. Here's a guide on cleaning up a new PC with PC Decrapifier:
Windows backup & restore center may not be available in all editions of Windows. A worthy, and more powerful alternative is Macrium Reflect. Use it to create an initial system image, and for other such tasks as you start using your new PC. Here's a guide on how to use this program:
Ninite will cover the "how to install" part when installing new stuff on your PC. This all-in-one installer lets you pick software and install them at one go. Ninite currently includes 58 freeware and shareware applications in 12 categories. Select which programs you'd like then just Click Get Installer and Ninite will package all the software installers in a single installer and install them all automatically. Here's a guide on batch-installing programs with Ninite:
Every geek knows to make sure that the OS and browser is updated but what about the version of Flash, Java or QuickTime that you're running? Not to mention the dozens of other applications that you have installed. Secunia.com's Personal Software Inspector tracks a massive amount of security exploits in applications and will monitor your PC for known exploits. If one is found, it will point you to any known patch. Even among our paranoid members we have yet to find a machine that PSI didn't find something with an exploit.
Planning on recording your own podcast (and who isn't, these days?) or creating a customized ringtone from your favorite dance song? You'll need Audacity, the best free audio editor on the internet. Audacity lets you drop in audio files of any format (or record from any hardware source) to cut, copy, and add to an unlimited number of tracks to mix. Built-in effects and pitch adjustment let you manipulate your samples, and you can output your compositions at up to 96kHz.
The installer will attempt to install the ASK toolbar by default; to avoid installing this requires a manual double opt-out during installation: unchecking option box #2 first, then option box #1 (simply unchecking #1 still allows #2 changes to your search). Here's a video on how to use Glary Utilities:
Gizmo's Freeware lists alternative to Glary Utilities here:
Instead of using the builtin Windows defragger, install this freeware from Glary. After using this freeware to defrag your hard drive, use this same software to Optimize (click the drop-down menu). This program is very fast. I have tried several defragging tools and so far this is the fastest one I tested.
Have you ever sorted a folder by file size, hoping to track down a hard disk hog, only to be frustrated by the fact that Windows doesn't let you see the size of nested folders' contents?
WinDirStat is an application which analyzes the composition of your hard drive, allowing you to identify which files are eating up your disk space. It presents this information in a size-ordered directory view, or as a colorful treemap, making it a snap to see exactly what is using up your hard drive space. Once you've figured out which files are taking up more than their fair share of your drive, you can get rid of them with WinDirStat's built-in cleanup operations. Here's a screenshot of its interface:
Acrobat Reader, as a program and browser plugin, is notoriously cumbersome and drains not only your time but gobs of memory as well. That's why I prefer Foxit Reader, a free lightweight application that weights in only at 3MB. The program launches with the speediness of a roadrunner, and gives you access to welcome features like text extraction and comment annotation. Just be careful when you install Foxit to uncheck the Ask.com toolbar and eBay icon options.
When it comes to image manipulation, there's really only two options right now: Photoshop and GIMP. GIMP doesn't quite capture the usability and polish of Adobe's offering, but where it does beat Photoshop is in price—totally free and open source is a whole lot easier on the pocketbook than the $700 or so that a legal copy of Photoshop will run you. And even if it's not totally perfect, GIMP is full-featured enough for almost any photo manipulation needs you might have.
Video Card & Motherboard Drivers
Install the video card drivers (normally comes in an installation CD) and the motherboard drivers (chipset - all mobo drivers usually come in one installation CD...choose everything that applies to your motherboard).
Ripping Blu-ray and HD-DVD discs used to be a perplexing affair, requiring multiple applications and hours upon hours of ripping, demuxing, transcoding, and remuxing before finally, often as not, you ended up with a file that was broken somehow. RipBot264 has made the high-def ripping game much, much easier. Install the application, as well as the three helper apps it requires, and you'll be up and ripping your Blu-ray collection in no time flat. While it's not as easy to use as Handbrake, we've found you typically get better results because the app uses a more recent version of the X264 codec than Handbrake does. While it's definitely not perfect (RipBot264 lacks an easy way to convert on-disc subtitles to a format that works with ripped video), but it's the easiest Blu-ray ripping app we've tested. Here's a guide on how to rip blu-ray discs:
Need to capture or process raw video from your digital camcorder? Virtualdub is the go-to application for converting AVI files into a large number of encoded formats and container packages. You won't be able to mix or significantly edit video files like you can with Adobe Premiere or even Windows Movie Maker, but for quick capture and encoding of your family vacation, look no further than Virtualdub.
Firefox already offers built-in spellcheck for text windows and forms, but what about every other Windows app? TinySpell is a free spell checker that monitors your text input in any program (including any words copied to the clipboard), and gives you replacement suggestions from its database of 110,000 words. The free version, unfortunately, doesn't give you a visual indicator of your typos (like a red underline). Instead, your mistakes are pointed out with an audio cue, which we eventually found to be a bit too annoying to keep on all the time. Maybe it's training us to be better spellers.
This saves time spent on repetitive typing, prevents typos & makes logging into sites a breeze.
KeyScrambler
Official Site - http://www.qfxsoftware.com/ KeyScrambler is an anti-keylogging program that encrypts user keystrokes at the keyboard driver level, deep in the operating system. The scrambled keys are indecipherable while they travel to the destination app so that no keylogger can steal your passwords or other crucial information.
