Thursday, October 28, 2004
Startup and Spyware
I haven't updated in a while, so I thought that I should add a little something.... or some things.
everybody has problems with spyware and startup programs which cause thier computers to operate poorly. Normally I put this kinda stuff on my tech blog, but I think that it's relevant for everyone.
Go to windowsstartup.com and download the startup inspector. Then install and run it while you're still online. It'll list everything that runs at startup with little checkboxes by each one. Click the "Consult" button and it'll check the online database for information about each item. Then you can read a description of each thing and decide if you want it running at startup. Most things you probably will not want to have running. I pretty much only let the "required" things run and some of these aren't really required (like if you don't care to use the "internet buttons" on your keyboard). So uncheck the stuff you don't want to have running, then click "Apply". Now you can close the inspector and restart the computer (it doesn't do it for you). If you had a lot of junk or some really nasty stuff in there, then you should notice the difference as soon as the computer restarts (you have to restart or all that junk will still be running). You should also notice that the system tray is less cluttered with useless icons.
Then go to lavasoft.de and download Ad-Aware SE Personal (the free one). Install and run this. Perform the smart scan. It'll find all spyware, adware, and such garbage infesting your computer. Select all of it for removal. You need to do this periodically as you collect this junk just by being on the internet. Ad-Aware also has an update feature because people are always designing new forms of spyware to annoy everyone.
I think that spyware should really be classified with viruses and declared illegal. Send the people who write it to jail just like the punks who write viruses - and they really are punks, not competent programmers - just some punks who've discovered some trick or other to mess up everyone's computers - it's really very easy to do - Microsoft should be ashamed to sell an operating system so vulnerable to this stuff.
You may find that you get less spyware if you never run Microsoft Internet Explorer. You can get a different browser like Mozilla Firefox which has a much nicer interface(once you get to know it) and more useful features. The pop-up blocking also works properly - allowing requested pop-ups and refusing nearly all unwanted pop-ups. Most spyware relies on Internet Explorer for pop-ups and if you have some running you may still get pop-ups in Internet Explorer windows even if you're using firefox for your browsing.
Both of these things are free and neither runs at startup or on any automatic schedule (It would slow your computer down if they did).
everybody has problems with spyware and startup programs which cause thier computers to operate poorly. Normally I put this kinda stuff on my tech blog, but I think that it's relevant for everyone.
Go to windowsstartup.com and download the startup inspector. Then install and run it while you're still online. It'll list everything that runs at startup with little checkboxes by each one. Click the "Consult" button and it'll check the online database for information about each item. Then you can read a description of each thing and decide if you want it running at startup. Most things you probably will not want to have running. I pretty much only let the "required" things run and some of these aren't really required (like if you don't care to use the "internet buttons" on your keyboard). So uncheck the stuff you don't want to have running, then click "Apply". Now you can close the inspector and restart the computer (it doesn't do it for you). If you had a lot of junk or some really nasty stuff in there, then you should notice the difference as soon as the computer restarts (you have to restart or all that junk will still be running). You should also notice that the system tray is less cluttered with useless icons.
Then go to lavasoft.de and download Ad-Aware SE Personal (the free one). Install and run this. Perform the smart scan. It'll find all spyware, adware, and such garbage infesting your computer. Select all of it for removal. You need to do this periodically as you collect this junk just by being on the internet. Ad-Aware also has an update feature because people are always designing new forms of spyware to annoy everyone.
I think that spyware should really be classified with viruses and declared illegal. Send the people who write it to jail just like the punks who write viruses - and they really are punks, not competent programmers - just some punks who've discovered some trick or other to mess up everyone's computers - it's really very easy to do - Microsoft should be ashamed to sell an operating system so vulnerable to this stuff.
You may find that you get less spyware if you never run Microsoft Internet Explorer. You can get a different browser like Mozilla Firefox which has a much nicer interface(once you get to know it) and more useful features. The pop-up blocking also works properly - allowing requested pop-ups and refusing nearly all unwanted pop-ups. Most spyware relies on Internet Explorer for pop-ups and if you have some running you may still get pop-ups in Internet Explorer windows even if you're using firefox for your browsing.
Both of these things are free and neither runs at startup or on any automatic schedule (It would slow your computer down if they did).
