We ran a study recently via some short survey’s to find out what you ran on your computer to protect it.  Here is what we found out:

• 61.1% KNOW that they are running Anti-Virus Software on their computer.
  • of those:
  • 68% are using the software that came with the computer
  • 12.6% don’t know what software they use.
  • 66.2% Are not sure OR know that they ARE NOT UPDATING the software
  • 14.9% don’t know if the software works or not.
• 27.8% are backing up their pc data in some fashion
• 63.7% do not run any Anti-Spyware software
• 44.4% do not even know what spyware is!
• 88.6% Assume that Anti-Virus software is all they need to keep their computer safe.

Now I must clarify that the people surveyed range from very computer literate to scared to death of pc’s.

What does this mean?

If you have a HOME COMPUTER running either Windows XP or Windows Vista, you need to be running more than just an anti-virus program!  If this is GREEK to you, or you would like a clear explaination of this – We recommend that you watch the FREE VIDEO that explains all this technical mumbo-jumbo in a straight forward manner!

There are entirely TOO MANY THREATS to your pc that Anti-Virus software just isn’t capable of handling successfully.  Many of these software companies will reassure you that you will be fine running their applications, but take it from me – you typically are not safe with just AV software.  If you have Anti-Virus software, it is CRUCIAL to make sure that you are UPDATING the software DAILY! One app that I use updates itself every 4 hours!

What Software do you need to run?

• Anti-Virus software
• Anti-Spyware software (preferably more than one)
• Anti-Trojan software
• Firewall software (comes with XP/Vista)

NOTE:  MOST OF THE SOFTWARE THAT I PROTECT MY PC WITH IS FREE!

Please Comment Below if you have a QUESTION about what is running or needs to run on your computer – OR if you want us to evaluate or recommend software for you.

I am a Dad.

That is a simple statement that brings a lot of responsibility with it. So I understand the concern when parents ask me what they can to do when it comes to their kids and the web.  I can see it in their face.  The knee-jerk reaction is always to “stifle” or “prevent” kids from surfing the web, but that is not what I do with our kids, and that is not the advice I give other parents.

Now I am a Christian, but I make it a point not to be a moralist.  What that means is that I don’t force my moral values upon other people, but that being said I do allow my moral compass to direct me in all aspects of my life including the advice that I give.  I won’t get into OUR “style” of parenting, but I can say that we are Parents to our children, not their friend.

Kids get curious.

Whether it’s the web, cutting class, alcohol, or drugs, etc., they get curious.  We did it as kids, why would we expect anything different from our kids?  When I talked to my kids about it, I told them 2 things:

• I explain to my two girls that there is good stuff and bad stuff on the web.
• In that discussion, I let them know that I can see EVERYTHING that they do on the computer.

Once those two statements are drilled into their mushy little skulls, I tell them that they may come across bad or scary stuff on the internet – and if so, they need to tell Mom or Dad.  If it happens, it happens…just tell us.  The circumstances of not telling us are NOT GOOD!  I want them to feel free to explore, but I don’t want them HIDING anything from me.

Now little kids (4-10yrs) are easy, typically you can just setup a shortcut to Disney.com or Cartoon Network.com and that will keep them pretty happy.  Those sites are very “kid-centric” and I consider them pretty safe.  Older kids (starting around 9 or 10 years old) like to EXPLORE the web.  They like to get into chat rooms or social sites like Facebook and MySpace and interact with their friends and meet new friends.  They also like to download music and videos regardless of whether it’s free or stolen.  (Note: This is how computers get completely screwed up with viruses, etc.  Click here to learn how to protect your computer from bad stuff)  Now we have RULES that we impose, and they are NON-NEGOTIABLE with our kids. You may need to modify these depending on your kids and your parenting style.

Here are the RULES that I recommend:

1. Search the kids surfing history.  KNOW how to search the history on the computer.  It’s easy, it only takes a little time to learn, and once your kid see’s that you know how to check…it firms up their belief that they can’t just surf without accountability.
   • “I don’t know anything about computers…” DO NOT USE THIS EXCUSE!!! This isn’t Voodoo! Take a little time to learn!  It’s all on the web.  Go to GOOGLE, search for “How To Find Windows History” and start reading.
   • Try this link for starters http://www.webwisekids.org/
2. If your child joins a site like Facebook, you need to join it as well and make them add you as a friend.  THIS IS NOT A LICENSE TO SNOOP! Your job as a parent is PROTECTION, not digging in your kids privacy.  If your child feels like you are, they will just open another account that you don’t know about and keep you out of the loop.
3. I set designated times for the kids to be on the computer/internet.  Any other access must go through me or my wife.

My kids understand the consequences for not following the rules.  It is important to hold your kids accountable!

As a parent, you need to learn about SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES.  Learn how sites like Facebook, MySpace, etc. work.  Learn what the dangers are.  Make it your job to understand what your kid is getting into!  This is the toughest part, because there is always a new one out there.

The Key is to know the dangers to your children, and to take the necessary steps to prevent them.  No excuses.  If you care about your kids, take the time to learn and understand the threats that are out there and how to protect them.

From a Parent, to a parent.

I practially live in front of pc monitors all day long (3 on my desk, plus a Mac, and there’s always my trusty laptop!).  And sometimes I cannot leave my desk for long periods of time because processes are running, or something I am doing requires some attention.  But in those times when I don’t have to focus, I usually find something else to do!

I just wanted to share some of the websites that I go to for FUN or to pass the time.  I don’t realize sometimes how many people don’t realize these sites exist!

1.  Watch TV Shows on your PC – There are a few sites on the web that you can watch tv shows including CBS.com, NBC.com, etc.  My absolute favorite site is Hulu.com.  (Site)

Hulu.com is a great site for both HD TV and Movies.  There are hundreds of TV shows both current and not.  You can setup a profile and subscribe to your favorite shows, and Hulu will keep you advised when new episodes are available.  They also have a huge selection of movies. There are commercials, but they are short and not too invasive.

• Huge selection of shows
• Very EASY to NAVIGATE
• Very Clear
• Customizable to your likes and dislikes
• Very Current – Most shows are updated the day after they Air on TV.
• Great way to catch up on episodes (or even seasons) of shows that you missed

Joost.com (Site) is a close second in my opinion.  Another site that serves up TV shows and Movies.  It’s not as clean or user friendly as Hulu, but it fills in the blanks when you can’t find what you want.

2.  Shopping A Deal-a-Day sites – This is more of a pass-time than anything else, but if you’re not careful it can turn into a full-blown addiciton.

Woot.com (Site) is the one that started it all.  They host ONE and only one product for sale each day!  The sale ends at midnight, or when the product inventory has been deleted.  If you are looking for a GREAT BUY, Woot is the site for you!  Woot adds a flavor with a humorous blog entry each day that is worth the visit!

Woot and sites deal-a-day sites like woot typically have RSS feeds which means that you can have the deals sent right to your RSS reader (if you have one)!

There are sites that grab these deals from many sites and bring them to one place for your convienience.  DealSucker.com (Dealsucker) and Bargain Jack.com (now three sites in one)  are two sites that find one-day deals for you.

This is a fun pasttime, and I will say it again…I CAN GET VERY ADDICTING!  I almost ended up on the TV Show INTERVENTION!

3.  Online Games – Now I have game systems at home (PS1, PS2, PSP, Nintendo GameCube, Wii, Xbox, Xbox360, DS), and the Xbox360 is in my office.  But every once and a while I enjoy playing games online.  My wife and I both play games on POGO.com (Site) which offers free games and a paid membership option with some extra benefits.  It is very SOCIAL allowing light chat in the “rooms” as you play your games.  Great variety of online games.

If you have a Facebook (Site), there are games online there as well.  These are nice because you don’t have to commit to the game for a long time, and you can challenge friends and family to meet or beat your score.  Facebook is a Social Network, so the games are geared to generate some social activity.  Signup is free if you don’t have an account.

Now these sites are sites that I like to visit.  What do you like to do online in your spare time (keep it clean)?

Leave a comment and share!

I used to love those old Best Buy Geek Squad commercials.  But I never really liked Geek Squad!

I always here this from people when it comes to their pc:  ”…I am not really a computer person” or “I am not into computers”.  As if this is an excuse or something.  Comedian Greg Behrendt once said “saying that I’m not into computers these days is like saying, Yeah…I’m really not into the phone!”.  Everyone these days has or uses one, so no more excuses!

Many people that I run into believe that if they have a problem with their laptop/pc, their only choice is to take it to Geek Squad.  That is a myth that needs to be dispelled!

Now I am fortunate because I don’t have the need for a service like Geek Squad (nor does anyone I know), but there are many people that take their pc to Geek Squad everyday and they don’t have a clue.

Geek Squad is basically like an Auto Mechanic, if they realize that you don’t know what is wrong with your pc, or if they think they can charge you for extra services…THEY WILL.  I should also state that I have some very good friends that work for Best Buy in the technical services and they are good people.  That being said, let’s look at what we can do to prevent the need for Geek Squad.

• Fact:  Most people will take their pc to Geek Squad because of Virus, Spyware and Software issues.
• Fact:  These are the most COSTLY issues to resolve!
• Fact:  You can do almost ALL OF THIS at home with FREE SOFTWARE!!!

HOW?

In most cases, you can resolve what seem like MAJOR ISSUES with your pc just by running one or two cleansing apps.  You just need to know which ones!  That the SECRET!  Follow these steps

1. Back Up your Files! Read this post on Backing up your data! (it opens in a new window!) A good backup is always important!  EVEN IF YOU TAKE YOUR PC TO GEEK SQUAD.  Many times Geek Squad will resolve issues by WIPING THE HARD DRIVE CLEAN and replacing your operating system (XP/VISTA).  You lose your data, and you pay them for the effort!
2. Run your Virus Software.  Click here for options
3. Run AntiTrojan Software Click here for options
4. Run AntiSpyware Software! Click here for options

If this all seems TOO DIFFICULT or COMPLICATED TO UNDERSTAND, Watch My VIDEO!!!  Click Here!  Just sign up for my newsletter (name and email addy!).

Recently, a friend of mine told me that he paid over $550 last year getting his laptops “cleaned” by Geek Squad.  When I showed him how to do it for free, he was first very thankful and surprised – and then he got pretty mad.

I am sure he’s not the only one that will have that same reaction!

I tried all these steps but it doesn’t fix my problem!

Well, if you run through all of these steps and it doesn’t fix your problem, you just saved a lot of money.  When you take your pc in (to Geek Squad?), tell them that you ran these processes on your pc and you were still having a problem. BE SPECIFIC when explaining the problem with your pc.  There is a good chance that they will treat you a bit differently (like you’re not an idiot!), but they may still try to sell you the “Diagnostic Tests” which is basically what you just did.  If you get a good tech, they will walk you through what the problem may be.  Have them EXPLAIN:

• What they intend to do
• Tell you how long it will take
• How much will it cost.

Be certain to tell them to keep you informed of the process, and not to do anything “drastic” without consulting you first.

Hardware Problems?

Sometimes the problem is related to hardware like a dying harddrive, network card going out, or a power supply.  Hundreds of things can go bad.  My suggestion is use Google to search for solutions to your problem.  It is a great first step.  That is how I do it.

Now if you can’t/won’t deal with replacing computer components – I highly recommend finding a teenager, friend, or an associate that is very good at technical stuff that can handle replacing computer components, etc.  Typically people like this love to help, and they won’t typically charge you to fix your issue (but you should pay them anyway!!!)  This will save you loads of time, money, and the pain that comes with computer problems.  Geek Squad is not a bad alternative when it comes to hardware stuff, but you are going to pay through the nose for it.

I don’t want to deal with it…I just want it fixed!

If you just want the problem fixed, there are plenty of resources online that you can utilize to at least identify your problem.  There are also online pc technicians that can log onto your pc and fix the problem for a charge.  In my opinion, it typically is cheaper to use an online pc tech than disconnecting your pc and taking it to Geek Squad.

If you have a question, you can post a comment

Along with all the utility programs that I run to keep my pc protected, I like to manually clean out my Temp folder.  This builds up over time and will SLOW DOWN your computer if you don’t tend to it periodically.

Manually cleaning out the Temp folder in Window is often a necessary maintenance step when the third-party utilities fail to completely clean out the Temp folder.

Removing temporary files is a quick and easy task that can help save disk space and keep your PC clean of file clutter.  Just follow the step by step directions below to manually clean out the Temp folder:

1. Vista Users: Click on Start, type the following command in the search box, and then hit the Enter key.  XP USERS: You need to Click Start and then RUN… and type the following in the box.
   

   %temp%

   This command will open the folder that Windows has designated as the Temporary folder. These are folders and files that Windows needed at one time but are no longer useful. Everything in this folder is safe to delete.

2. To remove individual folders or files, hold down your Ctrl key while left-clicking on each item you want delete. Release the Ctrl key when you’re finished.
3. To delete these items, hit your Delete key or click the Organize button on the toolbar menu, followed by the Delete option.You will probably be prompted to confirm that you wish to Delete Multiple Items. Click on Yes to confirm.
4. If you’d instead like to remove everything inside the Temp folder, click on the Organize button and then choose Select All from the menu.Note: If you’re prompted that there are hidden files in this folder, just click on OK to bypass the message. A few hidden files hanging out in the Temp folder probably aren’t important enough to worry about.
5. Again, to delete these items, hit your Delete key or click the Organize button on the toolbar menu, followed by the Delete option.You will probably be prompted again to confirm that you wish to Delete Multiple Items. Click on Yes to confirm.
6. After all of the files have been deleted you can close the folder window and empty your Recycle Bin, permanently removing the files from your PC.

Tips:

1. VISTA – You may receive a Error Deleting File or Folder message while the files are being deleted. This just means that one of the files is in use by a program right now. Click OK, close all open programs, and repeat the steps above. If you still receive the message, try restarting your PC and repeating the process again.
2. XP – XP will not let you delete files that are being used by a program when you attempt to delete it.  I always sort the files BY DATE and typically don’t select files with TODAY’S DATE.

Please leave a COMMENT if you have any questions or problems.