‘Home Networks’ Archives
Q&A Monday: Upgrade vs Fresh Install
Question: Hi Jim, I am a new System Administrator, and the first thing that is assigned to me was to plan our upgrading our operating systems to Windows 7. Our environment is a mix of Windows Vista and Windows XP, and I’m not sure if we should just use the upgrade option or complete a clean install. I’m not sure what the [...]
WARNING: Facebook Malware Attack
A Facebook phishing attack is on the loose this weekend. The attack attempts to steal your Facebook login credentials, install malware on your computer, and even get your home address. The attack is spread via a “hilarious video” posted to Facebook walls, via a report on WebSense, when the wall post is clicked, a form appears [...]
Microsoft Security Updates: May 25th 2010
On Tuesday May 25th Microsoft released a round of minor updates for the Windows Operating System. Here’s what they are and what they do: SECURITY UPDATES: Update: KB982632-Windows 7/KB981793-XP Type: Recommended Affected Systems: 2000, 2003, XP, Vista, 7, NT What it does: Install this update to resolve issues caused by revised daylight [...]
Q&A Monday: Remotely Turn on Computer?
Question: I constantly turn off my home office computer when I am not using it to save energy. I don’t think this is possible, but I thought there would be no harm in asking you the question anyway. Is there a way for me to remotely turn on my computer when I am not in the office? I find that, a few times a month, that when I am not in [...]
Microsoft Patch Tuesday: May 11th 2010
On Tuesday May 11th Microsoft released another round of updates for the Windows Operating System. Here’s what they are and what they do: SECURITY UPDATES: Update: MS10-030/KB978542 Type: Critical Affected Systems: XP, 7, 2003, 3008, 2008 R2, Outlook Express 5.5 and 6.0 for 2000 What it does: Outlook Express, Windows Mail, and Windows Live [...]
AVG Free vs Microsoft Security Essentials
For the longest time when asked about a free anti-virus/anti-spyware software that I would use and recommend, usually top of the list would be AVG Free and I think that many of the techs that I worked with would agree with it. Infact another tech originally turned me on to the software and it became part of my virus/spyware removal [...]
Q&A Monday: Test your Security
Question: Hi, I'm not a computer expert, but I just switched internet providers and I want to make sure that my home network is secure by seeings what "ports" are open? -Leah J. Hemby, Stockbridge, GA Answer: There is a website that I've used and recommended to other to use to self test their own network. The website is hosted by GRC and the [...]
Exchange and iCal Problems
Recently I got a call, that a user was having problem with a program callediCal, I had seen and briefly used the software, but wasn't an expert on it. I did some research I verified that it was Apple's built in e-mail client. The user didn't always have this problem, it occured one day while he was attempting to delete stuff from the [...]
Q&A Monday:How can I display computer information on my desktop?
Question: I was visiting another data center and while given a glimpse of their servers, I saw on the desktops of their server had their server information. I've seen this at other companies, and with the large amount of physical and virtual servers I have in my data center, it would help me keep the server information viewable just by [...]
Q&A Monday: Move Files to New Computer
Question: Hi, I have an XP SP3 setup that I've tweaked to perfection (for me at least) and would like to maintain those files and settings when I get a new PC. Both machines have ASUS motherboards, the old with Intel Core 2 Duo E8400, the new with Intel i5. I have done some research into sysprep but it seems able to be used in a number of [...]
