Mr. Bill Gates and his company offer a variety of updates for your software. This is a necessary part of computer maintenance and must be done.

If you have only dial up on your computer, set up an appointment to get your computer updated at (805) 409-4716. Doing windows update over a dial up will take hours and is often error prone. With the cost of DSL down to under 20 bucks a month, just get it!

Now back to windows updates.

• Start -> Programs -> Windows Updates
• Install the setup for the windows updates (if needed)
• Reboot liberally (it seems to be needed a lot)
• Continue to install updates and reboot till you get to the screen that says EXPRESS Install or CUSTOM Install
• Select Custom Install
• Install all Critical updates and reboot
• Continue to Select Custom install  and then reboot until all critical updates are installed
• Now repeat the process with Custom Install until all optional updates are installed
• Now repeat the process for all Driver updates are installed
• Remember reboot each time you are recommended
• Now after all the Custom Updates are installed
• You can now install Service Pack two if requested. If you do this It is a huge update.
• Following the install of service pack two you must now go back through the custom install process until all updates are installed.
• Please continue to do custom install updates until it comes back with zero critical, zero optional and zero driver updates. Often  installing an update qualifies you for another update and you must repeat the process until all updates are installed

This is a bunch of work the first time. If you are uncomfortable with this please call for an appointment to get this stuff installed. (805) 409-4716

A Short Note on the General Virus Issue

There seem to be an endless string of problems these days on your computer! I get the call regularly where someone says I have a virus, I have spyware, or My computer is so SLOW... Wel lets address these problems and see what you can do to keep your computer running well and responding promptly!

 Whether it is a virus or not, calling it a virus seems to be the simplest way to get down to the process of fixing things.

First - Remember it is not the end of the world. This is just a computer -  a hunk of metal, plastic, wire, and glass. In most cases a cure is available and can be worked through. Often I get descriptions of all the things that led up to the current configuration and the things that people have tried and usually with great emotion about how frustrated they are. Please take a deep breath and remember it is just a computer.

Virus Software Recommendations

I often get the question of what software to purchase for Virus Detection. I currently recommend the Symantec Virus Software. The two top players in the virus software are McAfee and Symantec. I call them the Ford and Chevy of virus software. I choose the Symantec because the activation process is simple and works every time. The McAffee is convoluted and often fails causing long phone calls that waste more time than the software was worth. If you ever get stuck in this loop, cut your losses and move on to Symantec. I suggest buying the boxed software with a CD. The Yellow as I call it. There may be others on the market, this is the recommendation.

• Install your virus software.
• Activate your virus software
• Run Live Update to get the latest virus definitions
• Reboot
• Run Live Update again and again until the software reports that all of your products are up to date.
• Reboot
• Do a full system scan

More on the details of how to interpret virus results is coming

Call your questions in to (805) 409-4716 or email charley@thewebgame.com

SPYBOT

I have noticed that when people have a problem they often think the way to solve it is to start throwing money at the problem. They will go to the store and buy the software that the guy recommended (who is trying to sell software) and install it to try to clear the problem. Often I will come to machines where several cleaners from various sources are all loaded on the system to clean something.

I recommend SPYBOT. It is a free down load. Currently at version 1.4. You can obtain it at www.download.com and type spybot into the search area. When I checked today it was downloaded over 60 million times last week alone! WOW!

• Download the program and install it!
• Search for all available updates.
• Install All Available updates
• Immunize you system
• Scan for Problems
• Fix all problems located
• If SPYBOT does not like it I do not like it!

If you have a previous version of SPYBOT on your system please go to your control panel, add or remove programs, and remove the earlier version before installing the later version.

Please send a note about your successes to charley@thewebgame.com

I have noticed that when people have a problem they often think the way to solve it is to start throwing money at the problem. They will go to the store and buy the software that the guy recommended (who is trying to sell software) and install it to try to clear the problem. Often I will come to machines where several cleaners from various sources are all loaded on the system to clean something.

I recommend SPYBOT. It is a free down load. Currently at version 1.4. You can obtain it at www.download.com and type spybot into the search area. When I checked today it was downloaded over 60 million times last week alone! WOW!

• Download the program and install it!
• Search for all available updates.
• Install All Available updates
• Immunize you system
• Scan for Problems
• Fix all problems located
• If SPYBOT does not like it I do not like it!

If you have a previous version of SPYBOT on your system please go to your control panel, add or remove programs, and remove the earlier version before installing the later version.

Please send a note about your successes to charley@thewebgame.com

Pop Up Problems