https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QB9oLsJAW-dgEUfkmsrFZAg1dB0AG_ZmgbQbB5yldcU/edit?hl=en_US&authkey=CPefo5MH

This article is designed for someone who has purchased a new computer or is looking to secure an existing one. All of the apps I will mention are FREE to download and install. There are several very good PAY solutions, but I personally use the free ones and have had no problems (and believe me folks, I’m doing a lot more with my computer than you are).

First, to prepare a computer (either new or used) you will have to remove any existing antivirus, spyware protection, or other programs or trials. The steps I will describe are for Windows 7, but are very similar for Windows Vista or XP. If you do have specific questions, feel free to post in the comments below.

Click on the START button and go to CONTROL PANEL. The VIEW at the top right should say CATEGORY. Look at the lower left, under PROGRAMS and click on UNINSTALL A PROGRAM. Scroll through the list. You will want to remove any antivirus or anti-malware trial programs, such as Norton, McAfee, Kapersky, or any others. While you are at it, you should remove any other unused programs or trials that you do not need. After uninstalling, restart your computer.

Next, you will want to download and install the following programs.

MICROSOFT SECURITY ESSENTIALS — This is a good, free antivirus software. It is light on system resources (will not slow down your computer) and has all the important features. Download it HERE.

MALWAREBYTES ANTIMALWARE — Here we have an excellent antispyware solution. Available as a free download HERE.

CCLEANER — Think about this one as Disk Cleanup on steroids. This will find and remove all the crud from your system. An important thing to note is that LOTS of malware install themselves to temporary directories, which this program cleans up — so it is an important part of keeping your computer safe. This is also a free download, which you can find HERE.

SMART DEFRAG 2 — Note that if your computer is running a Solid State Drive you SHOULD NOT install or use this or any other defrag program. What is a defrag program? Basically, when files are stored on your computer, sometimes they are not saved in an optimal manner. This program will sort and organize your files for the best possible performance. You can download this for free HERE.

WINDOWS UPDATE — This is installed on your computer, but most people do not worry about downloading or installing updates. This is one of the most important things you can do to help protect your computer!! Sometimes there are lots of updates to download, so you might want to do this at a time when you don’t need your computer (like overnight or before going to work).

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Now, for a plan of action. Just installing these programs is NOT enough. You will need to run them from time to time to ensure nothing is missed. Generally, what I do is to create a folder on the desktop called Admin Tools, and put shortcuts to these programs in that folder. My recommendation is to run each program once per month. The antivirus and defrag programs will run in the background, but you should still run full scans with them as well. If Windows Update prompts to install downloads, don’t wait though — install those right away and restart your computer.

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Having this protection suite set up and following a monthly maintenance plan is an important part of protecting your computer, but there are some things you should keep in mind to stay safe as well.

Most importantly, DO NOT download or install file sharing programs, such as Limewire. There are TONS of virus files floating around on these sharing tools disguised as songs, videos or other files. Almost every computer I have to repair has some form of file sharing installed.

You should also practice safe web surfing habits. Use a modern web browser such as Firefox, Chrome, or Internet Explorer 9. These browsers have security features built in that will help protect you while on the web. You should also stay away from risky sites (such as porn). If you get a pop-up warning that you have a virus infection, you should IMMEDIATELY close your web browser, restart your computer, and run the programs in your protection suite. Many times, websites will try to fool you into thinking you have a virus, making you click on a link to install a program to “remove” it (often times, what you are downloading IS the virus).

Email is another way malware infections find their way to your computer. You should NEVER click a link in an email from someone you don’t know, and you should be careful about clicking links in emails coming from your friends that look suspicious. (Often if someone’s computer becomes infected, it will send out emails to everyone in that person’s address book with a link to a website that will infect the computer). Be very careful about email attachments as well — if you are in doubt, right-click on the file and select “Scan With Microsoft Security Essentials” before trying to open it.

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You should also keep programs installed on your computer up to date. There are a few services that will help do this for you.

CNET TECH TRACKER — There is a free and paid version of this program, available HERE.

FILE HIPPO UPDATE CHECKER — A great, free program, available HERE.

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The most important part of keeping your computer safe is YOU. Remember to practice the safe web habits described here. Follow a good maintenance plan, such as I have described. Make sure to keep two copies of your data. You should back up all important files (such as those family photos or financial data) to DVD media (sometimes, those external hard drives or thumb drives DO fail!).

If you do have a computer problem you can’t fix, or want professional help, remember GEEKS DOWN THE STREET is here to help! Email me at stephen.dye@geeksdownthestreet.com if you need more info.

Windows XP / Vista / 7 users, here are some great programs to install on your new or reloaded system!

Adobe: Reader, Flash Player, Shockwave, and Air. All available at the Adobe Website for free.

Java Runtime, available for free here.

Antivirus. I recommend either Microsoft Security Essentials or AVG Free Antivirus.

Malwarebytes Antimalware. This is the only anti-spyware tool I’ve been using for awhile. Free version is good enough for most, available here.

Smart Defrag. Great, light tool, especially for Vista / 7 which does not have a graphical defrag tool. I always choose the “Deep Optimize” when running. Grab it for free here.

VLC Media Player. This little wonder will play just about any video file sans installing all those codec packs. Free download here.

iTunes 10. Even if you are not an iPod/ iPhone user, this is an excellent music management suite. The new interface enhancements really make this one shine. Download here.

Google Earth. Besides its obvious usefulness, I love using this program to show off high quality screens. Download here.

Google Picasa. Excellent free photo management tool. Too many features to list here, but my most favorite is how it integrates with your Google account, and allows you to post photos online to share with your friends and family. Download here.

Mozilla Firefox. My personal favorite web browser. Free download here. I also install Personas and Adblock Plus.

7-Zip. Download this program to allow you to deal with virtually any type of compressed files.

CCleaner. Think of this one as “Disk Cleanup” on steroids. Excellent tool, which you can grab here.

Other things to install.

It goes without saying that you should download and install all Microsoft Windows operating system updates. Many people skip this step as it is often time consuming, but it is very, very important.

Microsoft Office. The current version is 2010, and you can download a trial copy here. If you are a student, your school should have this available for you. If you work at a larger company, there is often an employee program, or a nice IT person who will be willing to install for you. Alternatively, you could purchase a copy. If this is not acceptable, you can try the great, free program Open Office.

A quick way to install many of these programs is to use the free website Ninite. I generally avoid this, as it installs all software with default settings (I like to “tune” a computer and programs). If you are just looking to get a system up and running quickly though, this is a great time saver.

If you have any software suggestions, be sure to leave them in the comments!!

I’m getting ready for a business trip to Houston and was going through my laptop bag, making sure I had everything I needed. I’m a big reader of LifeHacker and often they have posts of what people carry in their laptop bags. I am always intrigued by this, as there are often many great ideas gained by seeing what others are doing.

So, for your viewing pleasure, here is currently what I am carrying in my laptop bag.

The bag itself is a used Timbuktu messenger I inherited from Gerald (thx bro!). A great bag; if you are ever looking for bags or cases, check with Gerald, he is the Jedi master.

Apple MBP 13″, best laptop in the world, IMHO, and charger.

Grey case is actually a pencil case, I keep several FireWire/ USB cables, plus MiniPort monitor adapters in there.

Apple earbuds for my iPhone, wrapped on a cool “fish” holder.

Various SD and flash drives.

Stanley screwdriver with changeable bits.

Sharpie and inkpen.

My iPad 1.0 (hehe).

Plastic document envelope, used for all the loose papers that end up in my bag.

Apple Magic Mouse. I use the cloth case that came with one of the Western Digital external drives to keep it in.

Western Digital My Passport Studio 320GB, I like these because of the FireWire 800 (goes great with the MBP).

Yes folks that’s right. The long awaited Windows 7 operating system from Microsoft is officially launching today. I for one am very excited. Working with all three major OS choices (Microsoft, Apple, and Linux) I can say it has been a little while since I got this worked up! The release of Apple’s Snow Leopard (10.6) while awesome, was not a dramatic change on the outside. This version of Windows, though, is.

Here are a few quick links to help you get the most out of Windows 7.

LifeHacker: Prep your PC for Windows 7

Microsoft: Deploying Windows 7 free eBook

Download FREE Windows 7 Recovery Discs

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If you are doing an install today, you should remember to install antivirus!! Of course, security was in the forefront of the Microsoft developers’ minds when designing Windows 7, but when you have such a popular, widespread operating system, black hats are bound to find and exploit vulnerabilities. Help keep yourself protected by installing either the new AVG Antivirus 9 or Microsoft Security Essentials:

AVG Antivirus 9 Free

Microsoft Security Essentials

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To celebrate the release of Windows 7, I will be hosting a “Windows 7 Launch Party.” I was selected to do this and sent an event kit by Microsoft, so if you are looking for some Windows 7 Goodness, be sure to stop by today! I was going to host this at my home tonight, but due to unforseen circumstances, will be having an all-day event at my office.

Stephen’s Windows 7 HouseParty Launch Event

I have several machines set up with the Windows 7 RC, so if you are curious to see what the fuss is all about, stop by to take a sneek peek at Microsoft’s newest operating system.

UPDATE (7:53am): I will have 10 copies of my “Windows Starter Kit” cd available for free! This includes the latest freeware such as AVG Antivirus 9, OpenOffice, and many more great programs to help get you going.

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What good is a shiny new operating system without some great software? Here is a guide put together by the great folks over at CNet for a Windows Starter Kit:

Windows Starter Kit by CNet

CNet also put together a Windows Security Kit. Check it out here:

Windows Security Kit by CNet

And don’t forget to keep all that great software up to date! Here is an excellent utility from FileHippo:

FileHippo Update Checker

Happy Windows 7 Launch Day!!

This is just a simple hack I have developed and its been working well for me so I decided to share. Often when working on PCs, I notice the amount of dust inside the cabinet. This buildup of dust is NEVER good for the computer, so one thing that is important is to clean out the inside of the case from time to time. Generally, I recommend doing this at least once every three months.

In most computers that people buy, the power supply cables are just strewn about, and can cause some serious airflow problems. One thing I do to prevent this is to use plastic zip ties to neaten things up. This still allows dust to build up between all those wires, which is a pain to clean. So, I have come up with a way to help airflow, stop dust from building up in these wires, and make the entire inside of the computer look much cooler. Simply put, I use black electrical tape to wrap up the wires from the power supply. This gives a neat appearance to the case, clears the clutter for better airflow, and does not allow dust to build up in the wires themselves.

It is important to note that there is a risk of static damage to the computer while performing this task. For best results, I remove the power supply from the case to wrap the wires. This can safely be done with the power supply inside the case if you remove all the wires from the motherboard and accessories such as hard disks, optical drives, and video cards. Wrap the wires tightly with the electrical tape in a spiral fashion, covering as much of it as you can. I do not recommend wrapping groups of wires in this manner, as it will be difficult to remove if you ever need the additional connectors. Instead, wrap each wire individually and then use zip ties to neaten them up.

I was really sad to find out today that Mr. Edison Chouest has passed away. My most sincerest condolences go out to his family.

I’ll tell you the story of the first time I ever met Mr. Edison. I was working at Wal-Mart in the Sporting Goods department, and an old man came in to buy a fishing reel. The kind he wanted was a very nice one, but expensive and one that we didn’t carry. I called a manager over and they special ordered one for him. Eventually, they started carrying these reels in the store regularly. After the old man thanked me and left, the manager asked me if I had any idea who I had been serving. I really didn’t, and said so. Turns out it was Mr. Edison Chouest. He came back a few more times and taked with me, and he always came across as a very polite man. I was really sorry to hear that he had passed away today.

He lived a good life though, leaving behind some wonderful children, and making the bayou a much better place for everyone. I’m glad to have known him, even though it was just in passing.

This is the absolute first time in my life that I have ever evacuated from any hurricane (including Katrina). I took my Mom with me and we are staying with my girfriend’s family at a campground in Mississippi.

Timberlake Campground

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Yesterday I was out shopping with my wonderful girlfriend and her two nieces. They wanted to go to Circuit City to look at laptop computers for the one that is in college, and thought it would be a great idea to bring me (the “computer guy”) along. I said sure, why not, as it was a beautiful day and I was in a good mood.

We got in the store and looked around at all kinds of things, and then ended up next to the networking equipment. My girlfriend reminded me that I had promised to hook up a WiFi access point in her home for use with the new MacBook we got her. I had been putting it off because of finals this week, but they had one of the new Cisco/ Linksys Wireless N/ Gigabit routers. My plan was to replace my current router (a very old one, from about four years ago) with the newer model and run some Cat5 between the two (hooking it up to the LAN side, of course) to provide a stronger signal to the part of the house where she uses her MacBook the most. (Just as a side note, if you want to do this, make sure to turn off DHCP on the secondary unit, and give it a different IP address).

All was well until I got to the register. Or should I say the lack of a register, as the only thing with an employee was the service counter. Never mind the fact that FIVE employees asked me for help on the sales floor, now there was no one at the register. After awhile they opened up and began to check out the gentleman in front of me. Another employee asked the cashier to go look up a price, so instead of checking us out she walked off. Now don’t get me wrong, I was a bit upset at this point, but I worked in retail for almost 8 years before getting my first real tech job (full time, before I even got my Associate!), so I know how it can be working at a store. I am usually really easygoing with things like this and I try to be as polite as possible to the employees because “I’ve been in their shoes.” So, we waited patiently for the cashier to return.

She came back and began scanning our items, I presented my credit card, then she asked for my phone number and address. I used to be really naive about things like this, but with all the identity theft happening in the world I am becoming more (paranoid) cautious about giving out my personal information. I told her that I did not want to give out that personal information, and felt that it was unnecessary for the transaction. This brought everything to a standstill (just like those credit card commercials LOL) and she told me she could not proceed with the transaction without the information.

She called over a manager, who eventually came and tried to enter a fake address. Before completing the transaction, he walked off. The cashier told me that it still would not work. Basically, they could not sell me the items unless I provided them with my phone number and address. The manager stated that it was for in case I lost the receipt and to have my contact information on record to send me information about special offers. For one, I seriously doubt they would be willing to let me return something without a receipt. Also, I have no desire to receive any communications from them. I felt that I should not have to give them this personal information in order to make a purchase. I also feel that they should have a system in place in case someone does not want to give the information, instead of telling the customer “we can’t proceed with the transaction unless you give us your phone number and address.”

There are other stores I’ve shopped at that ask for things like my Zip code (such as Academy Sports) but when I tell them I don’t want to give the information it is never a problem. So why all the fuss with Circuit City? After thinking about all this for a moment, I told the cashier to cancel the transaction. I tried to talk again to the manager, but he shrugged me off, so I left. I ended up purchasing the router at another store, one that did not want my phone number or address.

So I guess I won’t be buying anything from Circuit City ever again.