Over time, whether they?re a relic we still rely upon or a recently purchased powerhouse replete with cutting edge technology, our computers are home to needless software ? rubbish, essentially ? that would be best disposed of. Those old computers collect outdated software through the years, while brand new systems are often filled with trial software that most people end up ignoring upon use.
Aiding in the cleanup effort is a helpful utility that quickly removes unnecessary junk from your computer, freeing you from the task of uninstalling them individually.
Called PC Decrapifier, this program requires no installation, commencing with its task once you run the executable.
Once you?ve moved past the end user agreement, the program will alert you to its inability to distinguish between trial software and the full version of the same application. You should be mindful of what you?re selecting, which will save you the headache that?ll surely arise when you realize that you?ve removed an application that you use often.
You?re then asked to specify if the computer you?re ?decrapifying? is old or new.
It then offers you a chance to create a restore point, which will return your computer to a previously saved state should the removal of certain programs result in the occurrence of certain errors. Doing this is critical, as the removal of any program brings with it the removal of ancillary files ? drivers, libraries, etc. ? that may be used by other applications. However, you should know that the creation of a restore point will guarantee the recovery of any programs you remove.
After you?ve done that, the clean-up begins.
Although there?s a possibility the program will not detect any programs that need to be removed, which can happen on computers owned by those who are more pro-active in monitoring what?s installed, it does provide you an opportunity to select all of the programs you?d like to dispose of.
Once you?ve selected the programs, PC Decrapifier commences with its job, eliminating all of the programs you?ve checked as unnecessary. Doing this frees up your hard drive and may remove programs that impair your system?s performance with unnecessary processes running in the background.
For those of you who want to get a head start on spring cleaning, PC Decrapifier is certainly up to the task.
For all the praise it receives for its ground-breaking services and the advances they?ve introduced to our use of the internet, Google has also been viewed as a pioneer of dubious intentions, an increasingly vocal chorus of criticism rallying around what some denounce as the company?s tendency to overstep its bounds where privacy is concerned.
While there?s no denying that Google?s products have ushered in a considerable shift in how we take advantage of the ever-evolving internet, concerns have been raised about what many perceive to be intrusions on their privacy. No matter which Google service you?re using ? search engine, email, blogs, news, videos, shopping ? the company logs your activity, collecting data about every action you take.
For many of these, Google requires your permission to exact that information, but the sheer number of services makes it difficult for the average user to keep track of what?s being collected.
To assist in that effort, Google has unveiled the Google Dashboard, a helpful tracker that sums up every bit of information Google has collected about your profile from the moment of use. This includes everything from the latest blog you?ve read to the number of emails contained within your Gmail account, giving you a compilation of your ongoing activity while using Google?s services.
For those concerned about security, this is not contained on a server, restricting this information to just your web browser.
This tool can be used only for those Google products which require your login information.
The information Google Dashboard will sum up for you includes:
Web history
email
Calendar
Youtube
iGoogle
Latitude
Reader
Shopping
Voice
Contacts
Finance
Friend Connect
Tasks
Picasa
Mobile sync
Orkut
Blogs
Docs
Account and profile
Alerts
Search engine
At this time, despite the persistent questions about how Google uses the information they collect, we feel that you should not be overly concerned with your use of their products. If you have any questions about your use of a Google service, give one of our technicians a call.
Installed on more than 450 million computers, Adobe Shockwave is a multimedia player that allows users to view animations and play games on any computer that has the Adobe Shockwave plug-in installed. Whether you’re watching a recently released cartoon or playing the latest online game,? Shockwave cultivates the kind of creative energy that can only be realized with software of its kind, making your internet experience all the more lively and interactive.
Used primarily to enable users to participate in the exploding online gaming scene, Adobe Shockwave is installed on over 50% of the world?s internet-enabled computers.
Just this week,? a company that specializes in providing solutions for improved security on our computers has identified numerous ways for people to use Adobe Shockwave to harm your computer. What they uncovered are backdoor exploits that leave unsuspecting users susceptible to the malicious aims of hackers looking to take advantage of their unprotected system from a remote location.
All of these vulnerabilities — they have identified four, so far — can be exploited for the purpose of deceiving a user into visiting a website that has been created with the express intent of harming their system.
These vulnerabilities affect those users who have a version of Adobe Shockwave that’s older than latest one, which was just released days ago.
If you think you have an outdated version of Adobe Shockwave, we strongly suggest that you upgrade to the latest release.
Though these were just reported, there?s no telling how many websites have been created to take advantage of the vulnerabilities that exist. As we?ve always advised Computer Geeks users, it’s important to stay vigilant and remain aware of where your travels on the internet take you.
If you mistakenly find yourself on a website you?re unfamiliar with, close the web browser. If the web browser refuses to close, press the following key combination:? CTRL - ALT - DELETE.? Doing so will bring up your Task Manager. From there, you will be able to select the process associated with your web browser. For a more in-depth look at how beneficial Task Manager is, particularly when dealing with a stubborn web browser, visit this link.
Even when visiting a website that you?re acquainted with, make sure to note anything that looks troubling, as these hackers are skilled in crafting mock websites that mirror those which are otherwise safe to visit.
Computer Geeks is a leader in providing solutions to the security challenges that confront you. If you have any questions about how to best protect your computer, feel free to call us.
With the release of Microsoft?s Windows 7 operating system, many of the performance issues present in past installments of this PC mainstay have been addressed, showing a measurable improvement in areas that were once headaches for even the most capable machines. Still, despite what would appear to be Microsoft?s welcome response to the chorus of complaints about XP and Vista, the onset of problems is to be expected for even the latest release. No operating system is immune from the kind of error that results from any number of issues: viruses, spyware, negligence, etc.
Despite how it?s presently running, tomorrow could usher in a set of unanticipated problems, which is to be expected with even new machines. ??Windows 7 (Vista, too) includes a robust set of tools ? all included within one easily accessible menu — that the frustrated user can utilize when attempting to diagnose the source of a problem.
Accessing these tools is as easy as entering a command in the search box that?s located in the Start menu. Once you?ve entered “performance info,” you?ll be greeted by a window from where you can select Advanced tools.
After those tools are available, it becomes apparent that you have at your disposal an impressive assortment of diagnostic options that will ? at the very least — aid you towards determining what lies at the source of your ailing system:
Clear all Windows Experience Index scores and re-rate system
View performance details in Event log
Open Performance Monitor
Open Resource Monitor
Open Task Manager
View advanced system details in System Information
Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows
Open Disk Defragmenter
Generate a system health report
One of the most informative tools you can use is Open Resource Monitor. Like Task Manager, Resource Monitor provides an overview of your system?s resources, allowing you to manage the available resources (RAM, storage, bandwidth) your system has to work with. Unlike Task Manager, which is somewhat vague in its detail, Resource Monitor works at the micro level ? meaning, you?re given a degree of specificity that illuminates how an individual process or application figures into the overall allocation of resources.
Another helpful aid is the Generate a system health report. Akin to having a physical at the physician?s office, this will assess your system?s health, generating an analysis that may enlighten you on what areas you should address when experiencing issues with your computer?s performance.Taking just a few moments, the system analysis will return a report that details every critical facet of your system. Using this diagnostic analysis, you will be left with a clearer picture of how your computer is faring. For example, if there is a driver that?s hindering your ability to listen to sound, this report will highlight that conflict.
These are just the tools that are fairly self-explanatory in their use and interpretation. The more advanced tools ? such as View performance details in Event log ? are just as beneficial, but they require a level of expertise that your average user may be without.
For even the most accomplished technician, the poor performance of a system will remain a problem that never permanently subsides. ?If you have questions about the use of these tools, or would like to know how to solve any problems they unearth, Computer Geeks Is always on hand to provide you that assistance.
Whether you?ve just encountered a catastrophic error that results in a system crash or find yourself upgrading to the latest operating system, reformatting your hard drive is an extreme measure that?s often unavoidable over the course of your computer?s life. ?When doing so, it?s of paramount concern that you?re able to retain the data stored on your computer.
While backing up certain data is as simple as transferring it to another form of storage, many of your applications will require re-installation, a process that can often be hindered by the sheer number of apps installed on your PC.
Mitigating this chore is a helpful website that keeps a tally of the applications installed on your computer, allowing you ? when ready ? to re-install those items with the click of your mouse.
For now, the only issue I?ve found is that it limits applications to those which are free, excluding commercial software (Microsoft Office applications, i.e.). While understandable, given copyright concerns, this does leave you to install those programs individually. Still, despite that omission, this site logs every other free application that?s installed on your computer.
To the surprise of many, I?m sure, our computers are host to dozens of free applications that we?ve installed over time. Many of these facilitate what are now mundane activities, such as Adobe Flash or AIM. By using this site, after having reformatted your hard drive, you?re immediately returned to the previous composition of your computer ? excluding, of course, those commercial applications.
The unavailability of commercial software aside, this is a novel idea that is long overdue.
Should you have any other questions related to preservation of data on your computer, especially you think your hard drive needs to be reformatted, we?re here to aid you.
When browsing the web, I?m sure you?ve encountered a website that?s little more than an a stream of pages connected by the ?NEXT? hyperlink. Especially when looking at a photo gallery.
While some people might have no problem subjecting themselves to the ritual of clicking ?NEXT,? ?over and over, others would gladly welcome another way that cleverly groups those pages in a near seamless fashion. Well never fear Computer Geeks is here! We have found an easy way to get rid of the vaunted procedure of clicking “NEXT” over and over again!
Making that clicking into the mere scroll of your mouse, PageZipper merges every page into just one, substituting the scrollbar for the endless hyperlinks.
Here’s a demo:
PageZipper can be used as either a Firefox extension or a bookmarklet (an application stored as a bookmark in your web browser).
Completely free and easy to use, PageZipper can be downloaded here.
Having issues downloading or setting up PageZipper? Contact us via email or call our friendly Geeks at 800-433-5435. We are here 7 days a week to help you.
