OK, so I know I beat this issue to death - but it is what it is.

My last article was about having all of the applications required to protect your pc from attacks, and it just so happens that my kids pc got hit…hard!

On the Saturday before Christmas, my dog Toby (a lab/border collie mix) died.  If you have a pet, you know just how distressing this event is.  Our pets are part of the family.  So I was in the process of handling all of the details of the aftermath of Toby’s passing, and when I got home from all of that I was a bit sullen.  My youngest daughter (10 yrs old) came to me complaining about her computer not working right, so I told her that I would get around to it later when I had some time.  I still had Christmas gifts to wrap, and I just wasn’t in the mood to sit in front of a computer.

So later that afternoon, I found my daughter and asked her what the computer was doing.  She gave me a list of the symptoms, and it sounded like she was hit by a virus - but that was strange because that pc was fully protected…or so I thought!

Come to find out, my oldest daughter had been running some video editing software and had TURNED OFF the virus protection because it was causing problems with her ability to finish the project she was running.  She failed to restart the software.

Later that day, my youngest daughter got on to do some stuff, googled something and followed the trail and BAM she got hit.  It was a nasty one too!

It was one of those YOU HAVE SPYWARE ON YOUR COMPUTER pop-ups that install all kinds of nasty stuff on your pc.  It had the VUNDO virus, a ROOTKIT (which is very bad), some TROJANS and removed any ability to load or install programs.

Well, the VUNDO (I pronounce it VeeUndo) virus was tricky, but I was able to take care of that and the trojan.  But the RootKit is forcing me to wipe the hard drive clean, and start completely over.  That was after about 20 hours of working on the pc.

There are vicious threats all over the web.  Hackers are out in force, trying to steal your information and your identity.  It is up to you to know what the threats are, and how to protect yourself. 

I still use free anti-virus software and all of the other protection apps I use are free too.  You can download them at the PowersZone.

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)

Here is what I run on my PC!

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.

What’s a blog? 

About 5 or 6 years ago, the Blog Explosion hit the web.  Everybody and their sister had a blog.  There were plenty of sites that would host your blog for you for free, and people just went crazy…for a while.

But there was a small problem, all of a sudden there were too many blogs to read, and people got tired, frustrated, and confused.  There were a lot of interesting blogs to read, but the reader had to go and find that blog site everytime they wanted to read it.  A vacation here, a case of the flu there…and all of a sudden you weren’t reading their blog any more.  But then you remembered that blog 6 months later so you go out to read it and it hasn’t been updated for 4 months because everyone stopped reading it and the blogger just gave up…because no one was reading.

It happened to me, plenty of times.  We all have good intentions, but life just get’s in the way.

So along comes Web 2.0.  The whole concept behind Web 2.0 and New Media is for you the reader/consumer to consume the writers content ON YOUR TERMS! 

How?  RSS (Sound Familiar)  But this is kinda cool, you can actually have all of the blog posts of just about ANY BLOG on the web come to ONE PLACE - FOR YOU!

RSS

And Here is the video on how to use the Reader that I use - Google Reader!

This definitely changes things.  Now you can read cool blogs on Quilting, your favorite NASCAR driver/team, your Faith, anything.  You just have to find the blog that you want to read, and click the little RSS button, and you’re set!

The New Thing is called Micro-Blogging.  And the biggest site for it right now is Twitter!

Another video to explain something pretty difficult in plain english (Thank You so much Lee!)

Twitter is pretty cool! You can setup a free account at http://www.twitter.com .  You only get updates from people that you FOLLOW! I am on it EVERYDAY, so if you want - you can Follow Me by Clicking Here!

There is a lot more Web 2.0 around the corner!  New technologies are coming on the scene EVERY WEEK! 

If this is new to you, there is a LOT of INFORMATION to take in!  Here is what you should do:

• If you don’t have an RSS Reader, go here to Google’s site (here is the link) and setup your Google reader.
• Then find the SUBSCRIBES menu on my blog, and look for the Add to Google button.  Click on it, and have it added to your Google reader!
• If you have an iGoogle portal (also Free), you can add the PowersZone blog to it as well!
• Then go out and find some other blogs, and start subscribing to them as well.

HEY (Late addition)  If you just want the blog posts sent to your email address, just fill in the Subscribe by Email form on the right!

If you have any questions, or just want to say “Hey”, leave a COMMENT below!  It would be much appreciated!

Take Luck!

Mike

I get a lot of email from people asking me what I run on my pc’s.  It’s a very good question, and it’s one that i would probably ask - but you need to be careful because people in my line of work that use and work with computers for a living tend to lose sight of the fact that this ALL NEW to someone, and in some cases that someone is you.

Here are some thoughts before I get started:

• Just because it’s FREE doesn’t mean it’s EASY To USE - Typically it is often the other way around
• Sometimes it’s better to BUY software than to struggle with Free versions - Especially if you value your time.
• DON’T DO ANYTHING WITHOUT A GOOD BACKUP!!!
• You need to make sure you update your software regularly - Very Important
• You need to AUDIT your software regularly. - I will give you more info on this in a later post!
• If you start reading the text below and it doesn’t make any sense - You should WATCH THIS VIDEO on Taking Control of your PC!  It’s FREE when you sign up for the Newsletter!

OK, OK, OK - What do I run on my PC?

I will break down the crucial software that I run and WHY?

You can download all of these apps using this link.

1. AntiVirus Software - Avira AntiVirus Software (Free Version) - Avira Link
I have gone back and forth between Avira, AVG FREE, and CA eTrust. Avira does a nice job (as do most of the others), but it doesn’t seem to slow my computer down like the others apps do. This is imporant because what good is an antivirus program when it consumes all of the computers resources and slows down your computer?
I typically will review this every 6-8 months, and if there some BUZZ on a new app or upgrade - then I’ll at least take a look at it.
Note: Rarely will I ever use a FIRST VERSION of a virus software under normal circumstances.

2. AntiSpyware Software - SuperAntiSpyware, Spybot Search and Destroy, & AntiMalwareBytes
Why Three? Well, I don’t run them all at the same time, and each one has it’s own set of benefits. Spyware is such a HUGE BEAST to deal with, that I personally don’t trust cleaning it up to only one app. Now I go through Spyware apps like my kids go through Hershey bars! I change these very often, and I typically have 5 or 6 installed and only run 2-3 on a periodic basis. Some others that I use are Ad-Aware, and A-squared trojan remover has a built in spyware remover as well.

3. Trojan Software - A-Squared
I think that A-squared is the only software that I have some sort of allegience to. I really do love this app! It is easy to update, simple to run, and it does everything I want it to. I have run into more problems in the past with Trojans that with viruses and spyware combined, and A-squared has been superb in finding those problems and removing them.
This is the #1 app in my arsenal and I use it very often.

4. Firewall - Comodo
What is a Firewall? A firewall in simple terms is a protective “wall” between your computer and the internet. Now Firewalls do a lot of different things, and much of it is way too technical. Here is an example of why you need a firewall.

My daughter went looking on the web for a song that she wanted. She finally found it on some obscure website. When she got to the site, her Comodo firewall started BLOCKING some unidentified app that was already installed on her computer from trying to get internet access. What? Yeah, the seemingly innocent song site actually had a viral program that was instantaneously installed on her computer without her knowledge and then tried to contact another computer/spammer/hacker to let them know it was there. The firewall stopped it from transmitting that information! A quick run of the virus software found the culprit and it was removed. Had she not been running the firewall software, she would have been infected with a couple of viruses, a few trojans, and a serious case of “Daddy fix this!”.
Firewalls are great if you have kids that like to “wander” around on the web, or if you like to do that.

Now I used to use Zone Alarm firewall software, and I still like it, but I ran into some snags with the software conflicting with some other apps and I had to switch.

That is sometimes the case when dealing with these software packages.  I have talked about this in earlier posts as well as on the videos that some of these applications MAY NOT WORK CORRECTLY on your pc for one reason or another.  It doesn’t necessarily mean that they are crappy, it just means that you have something on your computer that conflicts with the software.  This is why you always get the FREE VERSION of the software and TRY IT BEFORE YOU BUY IT!

What’s the FIRST STEP - Make sure you have a good backup because it anything can happen that will force you to loose that data FOREVER.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Bruce

Just recently, my daughter and I were conversing about school, friends, etc., and she started telling me about a discussion she had with a friend.  Apparently this friend of hers is the same age as my daughter, and she and her family had found out there was a sexual preditor living just a few houses down from them.  My daughter told me about how it was “gross”, and used words like “sicko” and “perv”!

My mind immediately started racing.  Where in town does this girl live?  Is it near us?  We need to check? (My hand was hovering over the preverbial panic button)

So I tried to ask my daughter in a very cautious manner (so I wouldn’t alarm her) where her friend lived.  Her answer:

Toronto, Canada!

Aparently her friend was on one her social networks, and they clicked because they had the same likes, dislikes, etc and they were near the same age!  Of Course, Social Networking!

Now Social Networking has been around basically since the inception of the web, so it’s not really new at all - but it has expanded with the advent of Web 2.0.  Now there are sites where you share a lot more about yourself, and you can choose who can be your friend and vice versa!

Now for the cool videos!  The folks at The CommonCraft show created these videos that absolutely knock it out of the park!

Social Networking

Some Social Networking sites include:

• MySpace
• FaceBook
• Linked In (Great for Business Networking)

Social Media

Social Bookmarking

Here are some Social Media and Bookmarking sites:

• StumbleUpon
• Delicious
• Furl
• Digg
• Reddit

Here’s what cool about social bookmarking, most blogs and web 2.0 sites have the little links (like the one’s formed in a row below this post under the words “Share and Enjoy“) so all you have to do is click on the appropriate link (like the Delicious icon) and it takes you directly to the site with the link and you just have to “tag” it and you’re all set.  You can go back to it later, or you can share that with your friends!

There is a lot to take in.  My suggestion is to start very small and work your way into it.

If you have questions, concerns, or comments - please feel free to leave them below!

Mike

I don’t know about you, but I typically don’t have time to hit every website and blog that I want to see.  Now up until about 5 years ago, I would have to go to each website/blog that I wanted to read/review.  I would start out wanting to read 20-30 different blogs, but would typically pair it down to 2-3 because I didn’t have the time.  I would also play “catch-up” games and usually missed out on something cool when I did.

Well an interesting thing happened in the past couple of years.  Web 2.0!

Web 2.0 is basically a universal catch-phrase that covers a lot of different technologies and web culture changes - but it basically means that the web has grown up a bit.  The basic idea (according to some gurus out there) is that Web 2.0 allows YOU to consume whatever web content you like - Blog Content, Videos, Social Networks, etc., and you consume it on YOUR TERMS!

What does that mean?  Well, if I want to watch YouTube videos, I can now watch it on my smartphone, my pc, my iPod, or even on my PSP (Playstation Portable), Xbox360 or on my Wii!   It’s my choice!  Not like the old days when I would have to go to a website to read it.

Even though I still typically do go to websites to browse and review, once I find content that I really like - I SUBSCRIBE to it!  That is what gives me options.

Our friends Lee LeFever and his wife Sashi run the CommonCraft Show and you can find their great videos on YouTube and on their site!  Watch their video below! 

If you want to subscribe to the Powers Zone blog, you simply have to click on one of the little icons (There is one for Google Reader) on the right in the Subscribe Box.  Then follow the simple directions!  I put most of mine right on my iGoogle, MSN, & My Yahoo site.

Now technically these are called RSS Feeds, and that’s what it does - it “feeds” the content to you wherever you want to read it.  There are also sites that do a good job of managing your feeds for you (a bunch of them are in the subscribe area on the right!).  iTunes and Zune are both very popular and are used for Video and Music feeds. 

The first step is Awareness.  There is a whole lot more to Web 2.0, but this will keep you busy for a little while!

Take Luck - Mike

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.  KNOWhow 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 have been getting a lot of emails lately asking me if it is SAFE to use Free AntiVirus Software.

Now my first reaction is “of course it is”, the as I read all of these emails, there was some real concern there.  So I decided that I would speak about it via the blog.  But first, a story…

I was at Best Buy last week just looking around at stuff.  I always love walking around Best Buy because I like to touch and feel new products (because I am a gadget geek), and I also love it because Best Buy does a great job of training their staff about the products (well they do in my area anyway). 

Now I never buy software at any brick and mortar store, never.  I can read and compare the info online, and I make a decision based upon all the software, not just the one’s “at the store”.

So I am at Best Buy, and I see this guy staring intently at the antivirus software boxes lined up neatly on the shelf.  He had this puzzled look on his face, and he almost looks like he was in pain.  Now I know I shouldn’t do this, but I walked over, introduced myself and told him what I did for a living, and asked him if he had any questions.  He just said “…I have no idea what to do here.”.  So we talked for a while and he said that his Norton AV software had stopped working (again) and that he felt he needed something to replace it, but he had no idea what he needed.

So I talked to him a little about what kind of computer he needed it for, and what he used it for just to gauge what his needs were.  As we were talking, the Best Buy Blue Shirt showed up and asked if we had any questions.  I asked him what software he though my new friend should buy, and the blue shirt picked up a copy of Norton and said “This is our Best Seller”, and then was called away.  Well that didn’t help much at all, so I suggested to my friend that he wasn’t sure what to do that he might want to just get a FREE AntiVirus Software program for the time being until he knew what he needed.

He was amazed that there was FREE SOFTWARE available!  He got a little excited as I talked to him.  I explained that many VERY REPUTABLE AntiVirus Software companies GIVE AWAY a bare bones version of their software. 

This is good for you for THREE REASONS: 

1. You can get some AntiVirus Protection on your PC while you weigh the options for your needs without RUSHING into a Bad and/or Costly situation.
   • I HATE when I am forced to make snap decisions!  I always regret my decision, ALWAYS.
2. You can make sure that the software works on your computer without any conflicts.
   • I explained to my friend that every computer has basically the same Hardware (components, etc) but the software applicaiton are completely different.
   • These differences can cause your computer to not work well with other programs, and AntiVirus programs are notorious for “not playing well with others!”.
   • So it is always a good idea to *TEST* AntiVirus software on your computer before you Commit to it.  This is one reason why AntiVirus Software has one of the HIGHEST RATES of RETURN at the store!!!
   • A testing period of 4-6 weeks should give you a good idea if it will work for you.
3. It’s Absolutely Free and in most cases there is NO TIME LIMIT on FREE!
   • Some PAID versions of software may give you a 30 FREE TRIAL, but I explained to him that this software was absolutely FREE.
   • I have been running FREE software on my pcs/laptop for YEARS!

So is Free AntiVirus Safe?  Yes (and No!)

Any AntiVirus software is ONLY AS GOOD AS THE LATEST UPDATE.   What does that mean?  Well AntiVirus software uses what is called a “Definition File” which is basically a list of Known Viruses and instructions for the software on how to Cure the Virus.

New PC Viruses come out EVERY DAY!  So these software companies must react to these threats every day, and they create new versions of the “Definition File” every day - and in most cases they make new ones every few hours!

Now with that in mind, how effective your AntiVirus software is going to be is directly related to the version of the “Definition file” that you have.  If your file is 2 months old, your software is not going to be very safe.  Make sense.

Make sure you have the latest update!

I Don’t Know How - or - What is my First Step?

No worries, I have created step-by-step directions in VIDEO that you can easily follow.  If you have any problems, please contact me and I will see what I can do to help.

Click this Link to see the Video!

So what happened to the guy that you met at Best Buy?

Well he went home, followed the steps I just explained, and his computer is running just fine! 

If you have any questions or concerns, you can leave a comment below - or you can Email me directly.

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 was called into a clients office sometime last year to fix a database problem. Now in this situation, I had to disable a pc without shutting it down, so I just got a brown paper bag, wrote DO NOT USE on it and put it over the monitor. I thought it got the point across.

So I was repairing some database components when an employee walked right over, pulled the “do not use” bag off of the monitor, and started running a routine. Well needless to say, I had lost about 3 hours of work (that’s why I bill by the hour).

Because of the nature of the situation, the files that I needed were DELETED and WERE NOT in the Recycle Bin.

Rule #1: Never hit the panic button….NEVER!

Fortunately I had known about a free file recovery program called RECUVA! It’s made by the same folks that make CCLEANER, and it just as easy to use!

What it does is look in the deep recesses of Windows (XP, Vista) and finds the files that have been deleted. Now once you Delete a file and it’s not in the Recycle Bin, that file is typically LOST FOREVER, and Windows can choose to overwrite the data with other files. What RECUVA does is determine if the file you want to recover is able to be recovered.

Now there are other programs that do this, but they are either complicated or you have to pay for them.

This is one of those programs that you never want to have to use, but it’s always nice to know it’s there…so I strongly suggest that you download a copy of this program just for safekeeping!

Have a great day!