Brent's Computer Cheat Sheet

April 5, 2004

As my family's "computer person," I've created this little cheat sheet to (1) help direct my family members to helpful and trustworthy information for resolving simple problems; and (2) help reduce their dependence on me.

Here we go!

First, if you are not internet-savvy, I recommend software such as EarthLink ScamBlocker or WebRoot Phish Net. Either of these products will warn you if you visit an unscrupulous website that will try to scam you.

Now, if your computer was working and is now misbehaving, try

http://www.pcpitstop.com/ This is a free website that performs diagnostics on your windows system. It also has discussion forums and other information.

If you are getting lots of pop-ups and other ads, your computer seems to be going very slowly, etc..., here are some resources:

Spybot Search and Destroy . This is a mirror site...the real website has been under attack and so the best way to get the software is from other sites that graciously "mirror" the downloadable software.
http://www.safer-networking.org/ The "real" Spybot Search and Destroy site, in case you're interested.
AdAware. Like Spybot Search and Destroy, this application removes software that predatory companies try to install on your system without your knowledge or permission.
http://pcsupport.about.com/. This site contains links to other sites and articles, but since many of the links point to commercial interests, you may get misleading information from parties attempting to sell you snake oil.

Lastly, if you've gotten emails asking you to pass the word on about a new virus or any other malady, it's probably not true! Try looking it up on one of the following pages before acting on any information you've received.

McAfee hoax page.
Symantec hoax page. I don't think it's quite as good as McAfee's.
Snopes.com. Other myths, chain letters, etc.
internet-101 hoax page. Recommended reading! Learn that pretty much anyone who asks you to do anything via the internet is, at best, a waste of time and, at worst, a scam.

Tools to know about...

msconfig - see and adjust what starts up automatically on your computer