Terry's Computer Tips - Newsletter
August 3, 2008

Terry's Computer Tips Newsletter
http://www.terryscomputertips.com
A computer tips newsletter for users of PC's.

Volume 4, Number 8 — Sunday, August 3, 2008

IN THIS ON-LINE ISSUE:

   1.   Another Look at Optimize 2.0 - Five Months Later
   2.   What if Scotty Barks - Has WinPatrol Found Something?
   3.   My Computer Security Software Recommendations
   4.   Making Word, Excel and Powerpoint Documents Open in Microsoft Office
   5.   Recommend my Terry's Computer Tips Newsletter to Your Friends

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Welcome to the on-line edition of my Terry's Computer Tips newsletter.

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1.  Another Look at Optimize 2.0 - Five Months Later

Back in February, 2008, I bought a license for Optimize 2.0 and was very impressed with its cleanup and speedup changes it made on my computer. I reviewed it in my newsletter and have subsequently posted the review on my web site as http://www.terryscomputertips.com/computers/a-look-inside-pcpitstop-optimize-2-0.php.

Now, five months later, is it still a worthwhile tool?

As I ran the program on Friday night, it had been several weeks since I had used it to check the optimization and for cleanup. My trigger to do the cleanup was that I had just uninstalled McAfee SiteAdvisor. Not only did McAfee SiteAdvisor's uninstall routine require that I reboot so it could delete some of its files that were in use, I had something that still tried to start SiteAdvisor and gave an error message that it could not find the file.

The first two images below on the left and right show the initial report of Optimize 2.0 as it did its work. It scanned a lot of stuff, found 160 temporary files to delete (freeing 11MB), tested download speed on a small file (0.3 MB at 7,085 kilobits per second) and a large file (9 MB at 8,772 kilobits per second).

(click on the image for a larger version)

(click on the image for a larger version)

The image on the left below shows the junk files that it found that it could delete, of which the temporary files were only a part.

This report indicates the extreme friendliness of the PC Pitstop people. There's enough information here that you can fix the problems yourself, if you want, instead of having to buy the program. Most programs of this type don't give enough details to allow you to make the changes by yourself — you have to buy the program.

The image on the right shows the recommended changes to the Internet Settings to optimize my connection to my Internet Service Provider. Again, I could make the changes myself. Of course, since I licensed the program ($30), it will do the fixes for me.

(click on the image for a larger version)

(click on the image for a larger version)

The next images shows that I have my startup files under control (I use WinPatrol to control them — I allow programs to install the startup programs, and then use WinPatrol to disable their auto-start).

That's followed by (in the right image) the listing of Windows Registry fixes that Optimize 2.0 has identified as necessary. Note that, in these and the earlier images, there are checkboxes for each item. If I don't want some recommended fix to be made, all I have to do is uncheck that box.

(click on the image for a larger version)

(click on the image for a larger version)

Almost finished! Optimize 2.0 didn't find any more performance tweaks (I've run the program a number of times since February, so I'd be surprised if it found any general tweaks to be made.)

I didn't display the next image — it was the one in which Optimize 2.0 gave me the Optimize button so that I could have it make the changes

The final image shows the "I'm finished" screen. Optimize 2.0 gives a summary of all the things it has just fixed.

(click on the image for a larger version)

(click on the image for a larger version)

So, what do I think about Optimize 2.0 now? In this test, it gave me the kinds of things that I expected to see — cleanup of a lot of McAfee leftover garbage after the removal of McAfee SiteAdvisor and several changes to optimize the performance of my Internet connection.

I like Optimize 2.0. In fact, it's now my number 1 choice for Windows Registry repair. All the other extras — like optimizing my Internet connection speed, make it even nicer. Way to go, PC Pitstop!

You can learn more about Optimize 2.0 and download Optimize 2.0 for free to scan your computer.

This week, reader Jack Carmena wrote to ask about the WinPatrol system-monitoring and control program that I use and recommend. WinPatrol is free to download and use. There is also a paid version called WinPatrol Plus that adds some more features and gives access to their information database about auto-starting programs and services on your computer. WinPatrol and WinPatrol Plus are available at www.winpatrol.com.

When I have left my speakers turned on, and I could be doing a variety of tasks either on the Internet or email, Scotty the WinPatrol dog barks in the background. I mute the speakers and it goes away.
Is that something I should be concerned with or when it is a real problem, A pop up window will tell me what to do?
jnc

If Scotty barks, he found something — WinPatrol will give you a popup window at that point ASKING what you want to do.

One of the advantages of the "Plus" version (the paid version) is that you can click on its Info button. This will open your default web browser (IE, Firefox, Opera, etc) and automatically look up the item in WinPatrol's web database.

The web database is only available with the paid version. It will tell you what it knows about the program it found, whether it considers it safe or not, and whether or not you should block or uninstall that item.

Scotty also watches over things like your IE home page and the WIndows "Hosts" file, which is used to pre-define domains to IP addressses. For example, you could enter the line in the Hosts file:

Then, whenever you typed www.microsoft.com in your web browser (or tried to access it any other way), Windows would actually try to contact the computer at 127.0.0.1. Since that number really means "localhost" — which is another way of referring tto the computer on which you are currently working — you'd never be able to contact www.microsoft.com.

Obviously that example is not something you'd want to do. But, the bad guys sometimes try to add entries to the Hosts file to redirect a well-known financial site to their own fake site, in order to steal userID's and passwords. Just like a phishing email that tries to fool you into going to the wrong place, if they can fool Windows into taking you there, they've got you.

By the way, that protection is free in WinPatrol. Many anti-spyware programs also monitor for changes in the Hosts file and will warn you that something changed.

WinPatrol is free. WinPatrol Plus is the same program with a purchased license that gives you a few more functions the program and, more importantly, gives you access to their online database. One WinPatrol Plus license covers all your home computers.

3.  My Computer Security Software Recommendations

Anti-Virus

I'm often asked about several other popular anti-virus or anti-virus combination packages. Yes, I realize that they are not in my recommendation list. "Enough said..."

My personal choice is the ESET's small, fast NOD32 anti-virus program, which offers a FREE 30-day evaluation license. I consider NOD32 to be the cream of the crop in anti-virus protection. Unlike some of the others, ESET offers multiple-year licenses also, including updates to the program in the multiple-year license.

Many antivirus programs will offer you an anti-virus signature subscription renewal when your subscription renews. I strongly recommend against this option — buy the full program or make sure you get program updates with the subscription renewal (like NOD32 does). Vendors routinely improve the capabilities and speed of the programs, too.

If you update only the signatures, you miss any program improvements. Fortunately, NOD32's subscriptions include both program updates and signature updates.

Read more about anti-virus programs on my web site.

Related articles:

• Anti-Virus Programs and Online Scanners
• Free Online Antivirus Scan
• NOD32 Anti-Virus Review - A Look at NOD32

Firewall Software

While the Windows XP firewall is much better than no firewall at all, don't count on the Windows XP firewall to meet your needs. You need a two-way firewall, which the Windows XP firewall is not!. Microsoft woke up and supplied a two-way firewall with Windows Vista.

The Windows XP firewall does not control outbound communications originating from your computer — and you should want to have control if adware/trojans/spyware or even commercial products want to talk to the Internet. Whether they are calling home or spewing spam, you want to be able to control your computer.

Do you want Windows Media Player to call home every time you play something? It does! Do you use the Search function in Windows Explorer to find things on your hard drive? Did you know that every time you search, Windows Explorer talks to Microsoft?

I didn't know that when I ran ZoneAlarm, but the Sunbelt Personal Firewall flags that to me, and I can stop it or allow it to happen. Many other programs try to call home when you run them, too.

I recommend my choice for a firewall program, which is Sunbelt Personal Firewall.

You can try the full-featured "paid version" of Sunbelt Personal Firewall free for 30 days — after that, you can register it or, if you're using it on a home non-business computer, you can let it revert to the free, lesser-function license.

Sunbelt Personal Firewall is regularly $19.95 (with discounts for multiple computers and/or multiple years!) for a non-expiring license for the program and includes one year of their updates subscription.

Related articles:

• The Internet Versus You
• Do I Need a Firewall Program?
• Sunbelt Personal Firewall Review

Anti-Spyware / Anti-Adware Software

CounterSpy, from Sunbelt Software, has received many kudos from the computer press for its always-running and periodic full system scans. It is also my personal choice for my PC's and my family's PC's.

Sunbelt released their CounterSpy v2 in February 2007 and I promptly updated my computers to it. Version 2 greatly improved CounterSpy's performance and reduced its load on the computer when it was scanning.

In July, 2007, Sunbelt released v2.5 of CounterSpy, which again both improved CounterSpy's performance against malware and reduced its impact on system resources and responsiveness when its scanning.

Sunbelt continues to release updated program versions. Nicely, they do NOT install the updated programs automatically. You have to use the Update process in the program, which means that you'll know that something significant has changed!

Related articles:

• Fighting Against Spyware & Malware
• CounterSpy Review

Anti-spam Software

In today's Internet world, the question is not "if" you will get spam, but "how much will you get?"

I use and now I recommend POPFile as my first choice for handling spam. POPFile sits on your computer, between your email program and your ISP mailbox, and handles emial as it downloads.

POPFile uses a different approach to handle spam than some other programs do — it does nothing to reduce spam. It is designed as an email classification tool — you train it to recognize spam and any other type of email that you want to classify. These classifications can help you sort your emails into appropriate folders in your email program.

Sunbelt Software, who makes the anti-spyware program CounterSpy (which I use and recommend) and the firewall that I use and recommend (Sunbelt Personal Firewall) also has a well-regarded, award-winning anti-spam program called iHateSpam for Outlook and Outlook Express. Since I don't use Outlook or Outlook Express for email, I haven't tried iHateSpam.

Mailwasher Pro is my first choice to handle spam before it ever gets into your computer's Inbox. Mailwasher Pro uses on-line Realtime Black Lists mail servers sending spam recently, "training" by you of what you think is spam, and your own "friends" and "blacklist" lists.

Mailwasher Pro can even bounce spam messages, as if your email address was not valid, although the usefulness and appropriateness of this is questionable. There is a free version called "Mailwasher," but it omits the functions that I consider critical for this purpose -- such as safely previewing the emails safely before they ever get to your email inbox.

Related articles:

• Spam Filtering
• Keeping spam out of your Inbox
• Getting Control of Your Inbox
• How Can I Prevent spam?

Cable/DSL Router

If you have a cable modem or a DSL modem, you need to have another layer of inexpensive protection between you and the Internet. A cable/DSL router isolates your computer from direct connection to the Internet. Your computer can easily request your email, web pages, etc. through the router. The responses come back to the router and are smoothly routed to your computer. But, someone on the Internet side of the router can not initiate a connection to your computer — they can only respond to your request.

Even if you only have one computer to connect to your cable or DSL modem, I recommend that you purchase and use a cable/DSL router because of the protection it can give you against attempts to attack through some flaws in Windows itself.

A router isolates your local network, whether it is only one computer or several, from the Internet by actually making it a separate network. The router gets the "public" IP address and handles all your outbound communications and the responses to them. But, it blocks computers on the Internet side from being able to initiate communications with your computer! This will prevent you from falling prey to many worms that try to attack security holes in Windows itself.

For a wireless router, I recommend the Linksys WRT54G wireless router. I'm using the relatively new version 6 of this router.

If you don't want wireless, I recommend the Linksys BEFSR41 wired router. Either way, based on my experience, I recommend Linksys routers for price, reliability and Linksys' habit of releasing updated firmware for their products..

See these related articles:

• Wireless Security
• Wi-Fi Hotspots and Computer Security
• Wireless Networking Problems & Wireless Networking Security

Subscriber Jack Carmena wrote to ask:

I loaded OPEN OFFICE and every time I get an email with an EXCEL or POWERPOINT attachment it opens it in OPEN OFFICE.
I would like for it to open in MICROSOFT.
How do I do accomplish that?
jnc

Ah, it sounds like you missed one of the install screens. When you install OpenOffice, if you have Microsoft Office already installed, it asks if you want OpenOffice to be the default application for opening .doc, .xls and .ppt files. It sounds like you said yes.

The easiest way is to use Windows Explorer to locate a Word file.

Then, right-click on the file and click on (or hover over) "Open With..."

A fly-out menu will show up and should give Microsoft Office Word as one of the options.

BUT, don't pick it...

You want to change the default, not just open it with Word this time.

Instead, select Choose Program...

That will open this dialog box:

(click on the image for a larger version)

In it, select Microsofft Office Word — and put a check in the checkbox below the choices — the one that says "Always use the selected program to open this kind of file" — then click OK.

Or, If you don't see Word in the list, you can use the Browse... button to go find it, select it, and then click OK.

Then, do the same for a spreadsheet .xls file and a powerpoint .ppt file.

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