To Stay Safe Read Me
Hi, to all our readers!
Time has moved on and this is the January 2008 edition. I hope it helps!
All of the software is available free (YES FREE) on the Internet. One good place to look is www.snapfiles.com or just use your search browsers and input the name and the word ‘download’. Be a little careful about where you get the software from as you don’t want bogus versions, you want the real things! I have now included Hyperlinks (the wonders of IT) to all the sites you need to get safe copies of the software from.
If you use a connection to the Internet get a friend to get the latest from the Internet for you and they can put it on a disk (CD). That is if you want a chance to stay anywhere near virus and spyware free:-
Well it’s a tall order and will take some time but let’s get started.
With your Internet Browser go to www.snapfiles.com or the home pages for each of the products and down load them into separate directories/folders. The folders need to be AVG, Zonealarm, Spybot, Adaware and RegSeeker.
Step1. In Windows Explorer go to the AVG_virus_guard directory/folder and run/open the file avg75free_476a1048.exe and input the Serial number AVG-1-3889173-AGK when asked. You can also get your own serial number for Free on the Internet via the AVG (girsoft) site. You will also be asked about updating now and creating a disk, Skip these 2 options. When it asks about running a full test say Yes/OK (go and make yourself a tea or coffee as it can take some time!).
You now have an antivirus system running on your computer and it’s Free!
NOTE. If you want to get a copy from the net, you will need an E-mail address for the serial number that will be sent to you! You can get up to date copies of all the software off the Internet.
Step2. Again use Windows Explorer to go to the Zonealarm directory/folder and run/open the file “zaSetup_en.exe” and follow the instructions. Get the latest and keep it up to date!
This software will reboot you system and when it returns you should see either a blue “Z” or two red and green bars as an Icon in your system tray (this is normally in the bottom right hand corner near the Time in Windows). If you can not see it then try and select the << arrows in the bottom right corner.
You now have a Working Firewall for use on the Internet, it’s also Free!
Now here comes the bad news. You have to administer the Zonealarm software. It puts pop-ups (good ones) on your screen. There are Alerts/Information etc about the Network traffic on your Internet/Network connections. Each Pop-up has a ‘More info’ button. Select this for ‘More info’ when on the Internet and it will tell you if the Alert is a good thing or bad thing (most programs like msn.exe are good). When you are happy that the Alert is benign select the little tick box on the left of the Box and select Yes/OK in the Alert/Information box! The number of Pop-ups will diminish over time as the system learns what software you use regularly.
Step3. To perform the following you need to login/connect to the Internet. After you have connected select (with the right Mouse button) the ZoneAlarm Icon (either blue “Z” or the two red and green bars) and choose the ‘Restore ZoneAlarm Control Centre’. This opens a screen, select on the Left the word ‘Overview’ and select along the top the ‘Preferences’ Tab. You should now be able to see a button marked ‘check for updates’ (it’s on the Far right so resize the screen or scroll to see it). Select this and ZoneAlarm will check for up dates. If it finds none then OK. If it finds one then let it open and run the new update (it may need to stop and restart your system).
We now have a firewall that’s up to date and is still Free!
NOTE. Remember to update the ZoneAlarm regularly as this is the first line of defence from attack.
Step4. To perform the following you need to login/connect to the Internet. After you have connected select (with the right Mouse button) the AVG icon in the bottom right of your screen (it’s the one with the 4 colours yellow, black, red and green in small squares in a larger square, you may need to select the << in the bottom right to see it) and choose the ‘Launch AVG Control Centre’. A screen will then appear, select the ‘Check for Updates’ button on the left. It may then ask you where to look for the updates, check the ‘Internet’ box and the ‘Don’t ask me again’ box and then proceed and it will search the Internet for updates. Follow the instructions and install as necessary.
We now have an up to date AntiVirus system on your computer and it’s still Free!
NOTE. Remember to update and run a complete test of the AVG regularly as it will protect you against the current list of viruses.
Step5. In Windows Explorer go to the directory/folder Spybot and run/open the file spybotsd14.exe and check for spy ware. This program will find Loads of Items but will only select the items it feels are necessary to delete.
NOTE. Run the Spybot check regularly to make sure you have got rid of the most common Spyware.
Step6. Update Spybot regularly by connecting/Login to the Internet and selecting ‘Search for updates’ in the ‘Spybot-S&D Easy’, start-up and select the ‘Check for updates Now’
Note. Update these and run the test regularly.
Step7. Install the Adaware software from the directory Adaware or the Lavasoft site. Download the Adaware SE Personal Free edition and install onto your system. After it has loaded chose the option to update the spyware database and run the checker. If it finds any Items they appear in the main window as a list. Highlight them with a right mouse button menu option “select all” then select the “Next” button at the bottom right. It then asks you if you want to delete/remove them, you DO want to!!!!
Note. Remember to update and run the test regularly.
Step8. Windows systems slow down if you add and remove item on the system. The problem is some of the uninstalls and temp items (spyware and viruses) will leave junk in the Windows registry. To combat this you can run the RegSeeker program that will clean out old and redundant entries. Go to regseeker (directory/folder or WEB site) and run the RegSeeker.exe. Select “Clean the Registry” and wait till it finishes. Now select the “select all” option at the bottom of the window and hit your delete key on your keyboard.
Now pat yourself on the back and Well Done!!!!!!
You will need a CD with a copy of the AVG software on it for this action!
With the CD in your CD/DVD drive select Start….Run… then select Browse and use the Browse Window to select your CD drive (you will have to select the ‘Look In’ window and pick ‘My Computer’ first). Then select the directory AVG and select the program avg6493fu_free.exe (this number may be a later one I Hope!) and Open. This sends you back to the Run window. Select OK and this will install AVG. When asked put in the Serial number AVG-1-3889173-AGK. When it asked for update ‘skip’ and when asked to create a disk ‘skip’. Do let it run a full test on your system (go and make yourself a tea or coffee as it can take some time). Now reboot your system and see if the Windows now open. If not then use the Start…Run…Browse option for all the above Steps instead of using the Windows Explorer, remembering to reboot between each step.
If you are having problems then you can get the latest virus news from http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/. This is also the place to get fixes for Blaster, Sasser, Beagle and Mydoom to name a few. You could also look up “Virus news” on your favourite search engine.