Tech Tip: How to fix DNS errors

Description: Sometimes a computer will inform the user that it is having a DNS error and can't connect to the internet. Flushing the DNS can often fix this:

1. Hold down the Windows key and select the R key once to open the Run window.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Type cmd into the space there and select OK. This will open the Command Prompt window.
   
   
   
   
3. In that window, type ipconfig /flushdns and select the Enter key.
   
   
   
   
4. Once that's done, type ipconfig /release and select the Enter key.
   
   
   
   
5. Then type ipconfig /renew and select the Enter key.
   
   
   
   
6. Then type exit and tap Enter. You have now reset the DNS.
   

For more assistance contact Technical Support here.

How to Network Windows 7 and Windows XP

Description: Networking a Windows 7 computer to a Windows XP system

1. Make sure they are both on the same Network ­ that is connected through the same router and have the same IP address range (on the same subnet).
   • If you only have one router this will happen automatically
   • If you have more than one router or are not sure, you can check this by going to Start, All Programs, Accessories, Command prompt
   • Type IPCONFIG and press enter
   • Write down the IP address. It will look like 192.168.0.101 or 10.0.0.104
   • Both computers should have the same numbers up to the last set, for example one may have 192.168.0.101 and the other 192.168.0.104
2. Make sure they are both on the same work group – normally called WORKGROUP
   • In Windows 7
   • You can find the workgroup and computer name settings by clicking on the Start button, move your mouse over Computer and right click, choose Properties from the menu
   • In the open screen move to the section at the bottom and you will see the section for Computer name and Workgroup. In the example below, the workgroup is called support. Click on Change Settings
     
     
   
   
   • You will see the following box, click the Change button.
     
     
   
   
   • This will bring you to a box where you can change the workgroup name if necessary.
     
     
   
   
   • If you need to change the computer name click the ‘more’ button in the same box.
     
     
   
   
   • Then go to Control panel, Category view (upper right corner), Network and internet, Network and Sharing Center, on the left column (blue) choose Change advanced sharing settings. You will want to make sure those settings are set like the following:
     
     
   
   
   • In order to allow any user to access the public shared files, you can turn off the password protection as well (which is down more on the page).
     
     
   
   
   
   • If you want to keep the password protection, you will need to create a login account on your Windows 7 pc for the users of the Win XP computer to be able to log in.
   • Finally, you will need to make sure your Win 7 user account is password enabled.
     1. Go to Start, Control Panel, (in category view) choose User Accounts and Family Safety, then under User Account click on the blue text - Change your Windows Password.
        
        
     
     
     2. Click on Create Password for your account and enter a password twice. Write down this password for safe keeping.

• In Windows XP
  • You can find the workgroup settings in the system settings in Control Panel, System and Maintenance, System.
  • Look for the Computer Name domain and workgroup settings
  • Click on the Computer Name tab and then click the change button.
  • The following box will open. You will want to make sure the computer has a unique name and then click on the radio button below for workgroup.
    
    
  
  
  • Make sure the Windows XP has a password for the user account.

3. Make sure that sharing has been set for the folders or printers you want to use.
   • Printers
     
     • On Windows 7 you can share a printer by going to Start, Devices and Printer, and then right click on your Printer
     1. Choose Printer Properties
     2. Choose the Sharing tab
     3. In this tab check the boxes "Share this Printer" and "Render print jobs on client computers"
     4. Give the printer a share name if you want to use a different name than the default.
     5. Click "Apply" button in the lower right.
   • Additional Drivers
     
     • If your Windows XP is an X86 version you can install Additional Drivers on the Windows 7 computer so that they are automatically installed when the XP computer connects to the shared printer.
     • After clicking the button, put a check on each of the versions of Windows you want to make this available for.
   • Folders
     
     • Documents placed in the Public folders will be available for anyone on the network now.
     • Other folders can be shared by right clicking, going to the share option and then choosing to share with a specific user or with your homegroup.

For more assistance contact Technical Support here.

Troubleshooting no wireless activity on a Dell Inspiron 15r series

This article will provide some initial steps to troubleshoot the problem of not being able to get online wirelessly on a Dell Inspiron 15r series notebook.

Problem: Your new Dell 15r notebook computer is not able to connect to a wireless network. You get an error stating that the wireless card is not active or installed.

Resolution: This is a problem when the wireless card in the Dell 15r series notebook is disabled or not powered on. To resolve this problem we will be activating the wireless card through the function keys on the notebook.

1. Make sure the notebook computer is on and computer is at the windows desktop.
2. Hold down Fn and press F2. This toggles the power on/off for the wireless network card on the notebook. Each time the F2 is pressed, it will cycle on/off for the wireless network card.

Two status icons will appear on the screen when the function keys are pressed:

When the wireless is enabled:



When the wireless is disabled:



For more assistance contact Technical Support here.

Media Streaming: You can take it with you...

For several years, I have been playing around with different ways to access and stream media from a TV tuner or home PC. Usually, it's just an experiment to see how much I can do with a Windows Media Center system, or to show off the capabilities of various devices, like my Windows-based PDA phone...

There are several ways to do this by using a PC or with stand-alone hardware such as a Slingbox or similar device to transmit the audio or video, and using a network-enabled PDA, phone, notebook or PC to control and receive the streaming media. You can also stream media directly from a PC to another web-enabled device with nothing much more than some software designed for the purpose, such as "orb" which can stream to any device that support Windows Media Player or RealPlayer. Another popular streaming format on many sites is Apple's QuickTime, which like Media Player can playback streaming media as it is received, or load and play audio or video files already on your system.

What is Streaming Media?
Streaming media differs from downloading and playback in that you can be viewing (or listening) to the media as the packets of data are being sent over the network. Streaming media files are generally not saved to the local computer's drive, but are "buffered" in a temporary file that contains only the immediate data required to playback the media for the next short period of time. The size of the buffer may be something you can set in the player's preferences, or be limited by the speed of the data transfer itself.

Streaming allows one to view "Live TV" remotely and on devices that have no TV tuner, just a network connection. Streaming data is transmitted by a remote "server" and played back in near real time by the receiving device. Audio or video playback can begin as soon as enough data has been received and stored in the client's buffer.

Some well known examples of streaming media that you may already be using includes video steaming such as youtube.com and hulu.com and steaming audio such as pandora.com. Streaming media may be in the form of audio or video podcasts, movie trailers,
commercials, as well as real-time applications such as educational lectures (e-learning), web meeting, Voice over IP telephone and video conferencing, and the list goes on.

Check out your local radio station websites, many offer live streaming-audio of the over-the-air broadcast. TV stations, including many broadcast or cable network site now offer clips, previews, or even the current episodes for viewing.

Streaming has been available for years, but typically required having a dedicated media server that would compress and transmit the packets of media data over the network to the remote clients. The capability became more widespread as manufacturers added streaming media functions to software used to control the TV tuner adapter along with recording and direct playback features.

Companies such as ATI offered applications bundled with their TV Tuners that could stream live TV or recorded shows to remote systems running a special streaming media client.

When Microsoft introduced their Media Center version of Windows, it included the capability for Media Extenders to remotely access, control, and view TV and other media available on the Media Center PC. These Media Extenders could be a stand-alone network device, or something like an Xbox 360. Generally, Media Center systems and Media Extenders are designed to be used on "private" networks, and don't give you much, if any, capability to access your media across the Internet.

The quality of the playback is directly tied to the data transfer speed. With dial-up-networking (remember those telephone modems?), streaming is possible, but will only support very small player resolutions, and even then, it may be "choppy" or encounter delays if you have any noise or loss of signal. Although slightly better, 802.11b wireless networking has similar limitations.

To use a Windows Media Center Extender to view live TV or video playback, Microsoft originally recommended having at least an 802.11bg or 802.11abg connection. With wired networking, the higher data transfer speeds make even remote viewing of High Definition TV possible. Again, the quality of the playback and the player resolution will be limited by the actual transfer speeds between your devices. This means that the uplink speed of your media "server" may be the limiting factor, and if you are connecting across the Internet, you may also have occasional issues with slowdowns between the various service providers.

Sling Media's Slingbox products were one of the first stand-alone devices that allow you to stream audio or video over the Internet or just across your home network. A Slingbox is designed to connect directly to your cable or satellite source, although you can attach any compatible device. The Slingbox Pro-HD not only supports High Definition signals (both incoming and streaming them to you), but also incorporates analog and HD digital (ATSC) tuners allowing you to stream your video without changing the channel on your big screen TV.

The Slingbox Solo does not have integrated tuners, meaning you need a way to control your cable or satellite TV tuner box to view a particular show. Like the original Slingbox, both the Solo and Pro-HD have what is called a "data blaster", which is nothing more then a pair of Infrared LEDs that can transmit the necessary remote-control signals to your tuner device, turning it on and off, changing channels, etc. remotely, using the SlingPlayer application. (To compare the features, check out http://www.slingbox.com/go/slingbox-prohd-help-me-choose)

[caption id="attachment_329" align="aligncenter" width="205" caption="The Slingbox Solo supports pass-through of composite, S-video, and component video signals."][/caption]

I had opportunity to play around with a Slingbox Solo, and experimented with some different sources and remote players. The Slingbox Solo has three different audio/video inputs; Component Video such as from a High Definition Player or HD converter box, Composite Video and S-video. The Slingbox solo does not steam HD, it just has a compatible signal input, if you want to stream 720 or 1080 HD signals, you need the Pro-HD version of the Slingbox.

Coming up with some input signals for the Solo was becoming a challenge, since I only have cable-ready devices, and don't use anything with a component video output. I do have an S-VHS camera, but to test the signal, I simply connected an S-video cable from one of my computer video cards to the Slingbox and toggled the display to include the S-video out. When I brought up the SlingPlayer software, and selected the source as S-video, I had a blurry, but recognizable view of a Windows desktop. Although S-video is crisper than a composite video signal, it's still in the 640x480 resolution range. Squishing a 1024x768 display image down to the much lower analog TV resolution signal doesn't do much for the viewing experience if you were trying to use the system normally.

Viewing a full-screen video or other media on the computer would be no worse then a normal analog TV broadcast. For a composite video test, I connected a DVD player and started a movie; selecting the composite video source in the SlingPlayer application showed the player output, although it had no support for IR remote control of the portable player.

[caption id="attachment_331" align="aligncenter" width="201" caption="Playback of a DVD through the Slingbox Solo using composite video."][/caption]

Of course, since analog TV is essentially no longer available (maybe some low-power local stations), people with old analog devices need to use a digital-to-analog converter box to view over-the-air broadcasts. I dug out one of my converter boxes and connected the composite and audio from the converter to the Slingbox Solo inputs and attached the IR data blasters near the pick-up sensor and an old rabbit ear antenna was connected to the converter.

Using the SlingPlayer to view the output, I manually configured the converter box to scan for HD channels. Once configured to display the local stations, I was able to capture some sample video using both the SlingPlayer and through the web browser access via the sling.com web site. When I tried to view this remotely, I found a problem - the converter box has a time-out feature that turns it off if you don't change channels or otherwise provide some periodic activity.

The converter box is not one of the devices immediately supported by the Sling software; information on customizing a remote control is described in the Sling User Forums, and many custom device files have been created by users with hardware necessary to "capture" the IR remote control code sequences in a usable data format. Locating a custom driver file from the manufacturer of the converter box took some searching, and was not for my specific model. Once I got it properly installed however, it works fine and allows me to turn the box on and off, change channels, etc. through the Sling applications.

[caption id="attachment_333" align="aligncenter" width="252" caption="The browser add-in application allows you to control and view your media over the Internet, by logging into the sling.com web site."][/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_332" align="aligncenter" width="205" caption="The SlingPlayer is designed for configuring and local area network access to your Slingbox."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_334" align="aligncenter" width="240" caption="On the Macintosh side, the SlingPlayer allows the user to setup and view streaming media over your local network."][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_335" align="aligncenter" width="240" caption="The browser add-in does have one OS limitation, requiring OS X 10.5 or higher to run."][/caption]

 



[caption id="attachment_338" align="aligncenter" width="220" caption="Sling Media also has mobile phone applications for iPhone, iPod touch, Windows Mobile, Blackberry, Symbian, and classic Palm OS devices. You can try the application free for the first 30 days, after that, you must purchase a registration code for $29.99 to continue using the player."][/caption]

A software-only solution can be found at www.orb.com. Orb installs a client on your home XP or Vista Media Center system (that's necessary for the live TV feature) and then, like sling.com, uses a browser login to their site to link you with your home system over the Internet. In addition to live TV, you can access media already stored on the home system, including, pictures, documents, audio files, video, etc. There is even a file browser feature that lets you explore drives and folders and download files to your remote.

If you have a data-blaster device integrated in your Media Center system or as an option to your tuner card, then you would have the same remote control capability as a Slingbox. In many cases (not all) Orb can control your Media Center tuner directly, allowing you to view live TV or remotely schedule or start the system recording a show.

If Media Center is running, Orb can give you the ability to terminate the application to take control of the tuner. Control and playback is managed through an Internet browser connection and then launches and streams media directly to Windows Media Player or Real Player. Orb recently added iPhone to the supported device list with the OrbLive today application ($9.99 in the App Store).

[caption id="attachment_341" align="aligncenter" width="157" caption="Orb allows you to navigate your media through a browser window, and then view live TV or play media remotely through a supported player on the device."][/caption]

Windows 7 File Sharing Essentials

You can share files and folders in several different ways. Windows provides two methods for sharing files from your computer, you can share files from any folder on your computer, or from the Public folder. Which method you use depends on where you want to store the shared folders, who you want to share them with, and how much control you want to have over the files. Either method allows you to share files or folders with someone using your computer or another computer on the same network.

Which sharing method to use
There are several factors to consider when deciding whether to share files from any folder or from the Public folder.

Use any folder for sharing if:

• You prefer to share folders directly from the location where they are stored (typically in your Documents, Pictures, or Music folders) and want to avoid storing them in your Public folder.


• You want to be able to able to set sharing permissions for individuals rather than everyone on your network, giving some people more or less access (or no access at all).


• You share a lot of digital pictures, music, or other large files that would be cumbersome to copy to a separate shared folder. You might not want these files taking up space in two different locations on your computer.


• You frequently create new files or update files that you want to share and don't want to bother copying them to your Public folder.

Use the Public folder for sharing if:

• You prefer the simplicity of sharing your files and folders from a single location on your computer.


• You want to be able to quickly see everything you have shared with others, just by looking in your Public folder.


• You want everything you are sharing kept separate from your own Documents, Music, and Pictures folders.


• You want to set sharing permissions for everyone on your network and don't need to set sharing permissions for
  individuals.


• You want all users of your computer to have access to the files without getting involved in network settings.

Share files from any folder on your computer
Follow these steps to share files from their current location without copying them to another location. Using this method, you can choose the people with whom you want to share files, regardless of whether they use this computer or another computer on the network.

Locate the folder with the files you want to share.

Click one or more files or folders that you want to share, and then, on the toolbar, click Share.

In the File Sharing dialog box, do one of the following:

• Type the name of the person you want to share files with, and then click Add.


• Click the arrow to the right of the text box, click the person's name in the list, and then click Add.


• If you don't see the name of the person you want to share files with in the list, click the arrow to the right of the text box, and then click "Create a new user" to create a new user account so that you can share files with the person using this account.

The name of the person or group that you selected appears in the list of people you want to share files with.

• Note: If password protection is turned on for your computer, the person you are sharing with must have a user account and password on your computer in order to access the files and folders you are sharing. You can turn password protection on or off in the Network and Sharing Center.

Under Permission Level, click the arrow next to each person or group and select sharing permissions:

• A Reader can view shared files, but not add, alter, or delete them.


• A Contributor can view or add shared files, but can only alter or delete files he or she has contributed.


• A Co-owner can view, add, alter or delete any shared file.


• Note: If you are sharing a file instead of a folder, there is no option to set the permission level to Contributor.

When you are finished choosing the people or groups you want to share files with, click Share. If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

After you receive confirmation that your folder is shared, you should send a link to your shared files to the people you are sharing them with, so they know the files are shared and how to access them. Do one of the following:

• Click e-mail to automatically open a Windows Mail e-mail message containing the link to your shared files.


• Click copy to automatically copy the link displayed on this screen to the Windows Clipboard. Then open a new e-mail message and paste the link into the message.


• Manually copy and paste the link displayed on this screen into an e-mail message. Right-click the link and click Copy Link. Then open a new e-mail message and paste the link into the message. You might want to do this if you don't use Windows Mail as your e-mail program.


• Note: If you change the name of a file or folder after you have shared it with someone, the previous link you sent them will not work. You should send them a link to the new location instead. An easy way to get this link is to share the file or folder by following the preceding steps.

If you don't want to send an e-mail message to the person you are sharing files with, click Done. They won't be able to find the shared files, however, until you give them the network location of the files.

Share files from the Public folder
When you share files from the Public folder, you don't share them with specific people. Anyone with a user account on this computer can access the Public folder, but you decide whether to allow access to people on your network. You can only grant access to everyone or no one on the network.

You can also turn on password-protected sharing. This limits network access to the Public folder to only those people with a user account and password on your computer. By default, network access to the Public folder is turned off unless you enable it.

To share files from the public folder:

• Copy or move whichever files you want to share to the Public folder or one of its subfolders, such as Public Documents or Public Music.

Your files in the Public folder are now shared with anyone who has access to the Public folder.

What are permissions?

Permissions are rules associated with objects on a computer or network, such as files and folders. Permissions determine if you can access an object and what you can do with it. For example, you might have access to a document on a shared folder on a network but only be able to read the document and not make changes to it. System administrators and users with administrator accounts on computers can assign permissions to individual users or groups.

The following table lists the permission levels that are typically available for files and folders.

Permission level:	Description:
Full control	Users can see the contents of a file or folder, change existing files and folders, create new files and folders, and run programs in a folder.
Modify	Users can change existing files and folders but cannot create new ones.
Read & execute	Users can see the contents of existing files and folders and can run programs in a folder.
Read	Users can see the contents of a folder and open files and folders.
Write	Users can create new files and folders and make changes to existing files and folders.

Notes:

• You can't restrict access to some individual files and folders within the Public Folder but allow access to other files and folders there. If users have access to the Public folder, they will have access to everything in it.


• Security permissions can only be viewed or set from Safe Mode under Windows XP Home.


• You may need to disable "Simple File Sharing" in the file options to access security from the file properties menus.


• When you share files and folders with people using other computers, they can open and view those files and folders just as if they were stored on their own computers. Any changes you allow them to make to a shared file or folder will change the file or folder on your computer. However, you can restrict people to just viewing your shared files, without the ability to change them.

How to Configure Port Forwarding

Port forwarding can help in getting network-enabled applications, such as online games or chat services that would be otherwise inoperable, up and running. This document contains information specific to Linksys routers but the steps are largely the same. If you have questions that are not answered in this document, we recommend you look in the manual that came with your router.

This article will show you how to set up port forwarding on your router.

Before you begin:

You will need to know the port number required by the application. To get this information, contact the application vendor or look at the documentation included with the program.

You will need to know the IP Address of the computer to forward the port to. To find this, first power on the computer you will use and go to Start » All Programs » Accessories » Command Prompt. When it opens, type in "ipconfig" and use the IP Address or IPv4 Address.

Here's how to set up Port Forwarding:

1. Click on the Start button and choose All Programs.
2. Locate and open the Internet Explorer application from the All Programs menu.
3. In the address bar located at the top of the screen, erase whatever address is in the bar and replace it with "192.168.1.1" without the quotes. Note that some routers use the address "192.168.0.1", so if it does not work right away, try the second option. Consult your router documentation.
   
   
   
   
   
4. When prompted for a username and password, enter "admin" without the quotes for both the username and the password.
   
   Note that some routers differ in their default username and password, check the manual that came with your router for more information on the default username and password.
5. Once logged in, choose the Applications & Gaming tab seen highlighted in the figure below.
   Note that some routers may have these settings on the Firewall or Port Forwarding tab.
   
   
   
   
   
6. Enter the name of the application into the Application field. This is the program for which you want to forward the ports.
7. Enter the Start and End port range for the program. This information should come from the program's documentation.
8. Choose the protocol that should be used for the application; TCP, UDP, or Both. Most of the time Both is fine. Consult the application documentation for more details.
9. Enter the IP Address for the PC that is running the application. You can find this information in the Network Settings for your PC.
   
   
   
   
   
10. Place a check in the box to Enable the forwarding. This gives you the ability to set up several applications and turn them on and off without having to reenter the settings all over again.
11. Click on Save Settings or Apply along the bottom.

That's it! Your ports are now forwarded and you will be able to use the respective applications as normal.

How to Change your Router Password

It's important to keep your computer and your network secure. When connecting to the Internet through a router, one of the steps you can take is replacing the default router username and password with one that is unique to you. This helps to prevent unauthorized changes to your network, and creates an added layer of security. This document contains information specific to Linksys routers but the steps are largely the same. If you have questions that are not answered in this document, we recommend you look in the manual that came with your router.

This guide will show you how to change the Username and Password used to log in to your router.

1. Make sure your computer is connected to the router via cable or wirelessly.
2. Open Internet Explorer.
3. In the address bar located at the top of the screen, erase whatever address is in the bar and replace it with "192.168.1.1" without the quotes. Note that some routers use the address "192.168.0.1" so if it does not work right away, try the second option.
   
   
   
   
   
4. When prompted for a username and password, enter "admin" without the quotes for both the username and the password. Note that some routers differ in their default username and password. If that fails, check the manual that came with your router.
5. Once logged in, choose the Administration tab on the top, seen selected in the figure below. Note that in some routers it may be on a "Setup" or "Configuration" screen. The example seen here is on a Linksys router.
   
   
   
   
   
6. Erase the existing Router Password and type in the new one. Re-Enter your password to Confirm. We recommend you write this information down and store it in a safe place.
7. Click the Save Settings or Apply button on the bottom to finalize.
That's it! The new username and password are entered. Test it out by restarting your computer and then following steps 1-3 and then entering your new username and password.

How to Setup a Home Network

A network can give you the ability to share files between computers, share hardware like printers, share a single Internet connection, or get your game console online without having to swap cables.

The most basic home network involves connecting two computers with an Ethernet cable. Using a router provides convenience, expansion, and easy maintenance should your network grow.

This guide will provide the basics to setting up a home network.

Depending on the type of network you are setting up, the connections the computers and devices make could be wired or wireless. Wireless routers are very convenient because you don't have to worry about running wires through walls or around rooms. Wired routers are usually faster and are not subject to interference from cordless phones or other items that create RF interference. No matter what type of router you have selected, it will require power and when it is powered on, various LEDs let you know devices are connected or the device is working.

Setting Up a Router:

1. Find a convenient location to start the process. It doesn't have to be the permanent location. You may need to move it around to accommodate cables or signal strength.

2. Connect the power and follow the instructions on powering the router.

3. Connect the router to your modem. This is usually a network cable that goes from a port labeled WAN, Internet, or Uplink on the router to a port on the modem.

4. Power cycle the modem (turn it off, then turn it on) to make sure the router recognizes the modem.

5. Connect one computer to the router. You only need to connect one at this point so you can configure the router settings.

6. Open Internet Explorer.

7. In the address bar located at the top of the screen, erase whatever address is in the bar and replace it with "192.168.1.1" without the quotes. Most routers use this address or "192.168.0.1". Consult your router documentation to determine the exact address for yours.

8. Using the username and password supplied in your router documentation, log in to the administration tool.

9. Make changes to the default configuration depending on your particular needs.


Here are some basic things to look for:

1. Connection type. Are you using DSL? Most DSL providers use PPPoE. It requires a Username and password supplied by your ISP. If you are on cable broadband there are generally no settings that need to be changed just leave it on Automatic, or DHCP.

2. If this is a wireless router, change the network name from the default setting. If it's a wired router, change the username and password to something unique to you.

3. Take advantage of any other security options the router may offer. Features like WPA or WiFi Protected Access on a wireless router, Port Filtering, and Firewalls, when enabled can help protect against unauthorized access to your router and your network.

Ok, so now the router is set up and you can get one computer on the Internet, what's next?
Well, one of the main advantages to using a router is it allows you to share resources with all the computers on your network. Getting those resources on the network just requires you to connect the devices to the router either by cable on a wired router or through the WiFi technology of a wireless router.

Some of the devices you can connect are:

• Notebook or Netbook computers
• Printers
• Game consoles

Just make sure the devices you want to connect work the same way as your router whether it's wired or not and consult the manufacturer's information for details specific to that device.

Virus ALERT: Palladium Pro and System Tool

The "Palladium Pro" and "System Tool" are the latest versions of more fake anti-virus programs similar to  "Security Tool". Both programs pretend to operate as a virus scan, but in effect, install a computer virus which takes over your system’s processes.

Palladium Pro Program

The Palladium Pro virus works by launching a bogus Microsoft Security Essentials alerts and stating that the system requires a virus scan. Once the virus scan is initiated, Palladium Pro installs the malware onto your system. To remove the Palladium virus, you will need to terminate the application’s process and install Malwarebytes to remove the program.

To Remove Palladium Pro:

1. Start the Windows Task Manager by clicking Ctrl, Alt, Delete together.
   
   
   
   
   
2. Click on the Processes tab.
3. Locate the Palladium program named “palladium.exe”.
4. Select the palladium.exe process and click End Process. This will suspend the Palladium Pro software.
5. In the Windows Task Manager, go to File » New Task.
6. Type in “explorer.exe” in the Open field, then click OK. This will open your Windows desktop.
7. Download a copy of Malwarebytes software here » http://www.malwarebytes.org
   
   
   
   
   
   
8. Follow the instructions to run a system scan and file removal.

System Tools Program

The System Tools program is associated with the same family of fake anti-virus programs as Security Tool. This software floods the system with false virus alerts and instructs the user to run the virus scan.

To Remove System Tools:

1. Start the Windows Task Manager by clicking Ctrl, Alt, Delete together.
2. Click on the Processes tab.
3. Locate the program file. It is usually represented by a set of random characters followed by the ".exe" extension.
4. Download a copy of Malwarebytes software here »http://www.malwarebytes.org
   If your computer prevents you from downloading the file, you can download Malwarebytes from another system and copy the file to your infected system to install. Or, you will need to update the Internet Options in Internet Explorer by modifying the default LAN settings to NOT use a proxy server for your LAN settings.
5. Follow the instructions given by Malwarebytes to run a system scan and file removal.

IMPORTANT: Never install any program or run a virus scan without verifying the source. If you suspect that your system is infected, use industry-approved programs such as ESET, McAfee, Symantec or Webroot. If you need further assistance, contact Micro Center Tech Support at www.mctsol.com.


Reference:
Bleepingcomputer.com. Palladium Pro Removal
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/virus-removal/remove-palladium-pro

Bleepingcomputer.com. System Tool Removal
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/virus-removal/remove-system-tool

Microsoft Support Forum. Palladium Removal.
http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en/msescan/thread/6e837554-4374-4709-8e51-e878ac8817e1

Microsoft Support. Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/890830

UPDATE: ESET Renewal Setup

This guide will walk through the first step in renewing the ESET NOD32 or ESET Smart Security program. First determining whether you have ESET NOD32 or ESET Smart Security, and then proceeding to purchase the renewal.

Determine the ESET Program Version:

1. Close all open windows and programs on your computer. Be sure to save any work in open documents or files.
2. Click on the Start button in the bottom left corner of your screen.
   
   
   
   
   
3. Open All Programs, located just above the start button.
4. Select the ESET folder and open up the ESET Antivirus program. Write down whether it says ‘ESET NOD32’ or ‘ESET Smart Security’, you will need this later.
   
   
   

Locate ESET Username or Serial Number:
Note that only one of the two is necessary. If you already have your “EAV” username or your ESET Serial Number, proceed to Step 3.

1. The ESET Serial Number located inside the ESET CD case, opposite the CD. If this information is not available, proceed to the next sub-step to find the username.
2. On the new ESET window, click Protection Status in the top left. A message will display detailing the expiration date and the ESET Username. Write down the case-sensitive ESET Username and include the dash when writing; this will be used later on.
   
   
   
   
   
3. The ESET Username begins with “EAV-“, followed by eight numbers.
4. If the “Your license will run out shortly” message does not appear and the Protection Status is green and on Maximum Protection, you do not need to renew your ESET program yet. The program will notify you when you are within 10 to 14 days of renewal.
5. Click on the link that says Click Here to Open the Purchase Page.

Choose Renewal Option:

1. On the new web page that appears, enter the ESET username in to the ‘Username’ field and click Submit.
   
   
   
   
2. If the username is not available, enter the Serial number. Do not enter both the username and the serial number.
   
   
   
   
   Note that the username and serial number in these examples are fictitious and will not work for renewal.
3. The next page contains renewal options for ESET NOD32 and ESET Smart Security, separated by program. Whether it is ESET NOD32 or ESET Smart Security depends on what you wrote down earlier.
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. Choose the license based on how many computers (listed as “Users”) the program will be used on and how many years the renewal will be good for. Example: If you want a one year license for three computers, get a 3 User, 1 Year item.
5. Once you pick the package, click Add to Cart for that item.

Buy Your Renewal:

1. On the Shopping Cart screen, click on Checkout on the right side.
2. Enter the information as with any online purchase.
3. Note that while it appears an item will be physically shipped, the digital download only copy of the ESET software does not ship a physical item.
4. Click the Accept button to finalize the order.

Once you’re finished here and you see the “Order Confirmation” page, keep that window open and go to the next part of the tutorial – ESET Renewal, Step 2.

Password Security

Passwords are essential for establishing security not only for a computer’s user account but also online access to bank accounts and shopping sites. With the increase in identity theft, it is critical that you use passwords that are unique and changed frequently to prevent someone from hacking into your accounts. Here are some basic Dos and Don’ts for creating and using passwords:

DO:

• Create a password using six or more characters.
• Use a mix of uppercase and lowercase characters.
• Include numbers or special characters (if allowed).
• Change all of your passwords frequently; at minimum every 60-90 days.
• Clean your browser history and cache everytime you use a password on a site.

DON’T:

• Leave your passwords on your desk or in plain sight (such as attached to your monitor).
  
• Have a master file containing all of your passwords on your computer’s desktop.
  
• Use passwords that are easy to decipher such as your birth date, middle name, home address, social security number, etc.
  
• Use passwords that are found in the dictionary or common expressions.
  
• Use passwords that are a sequence of numbers or letters (ex. 123456 or abcdef).
  
• Give your passwords to anyone – especially via email or phone.

Remember to use caution with your passwords. If you receive an email or phone call from someone claiming to be from your bank or a website, never give them your account number or password. Always call the company back to verify their identity. Some criminals use a technique called “social engineering” in which they take the identity of a company employee to gain access to restricted information.

In addition, hackers use another technique called “brute force” where they use a dictionary of common words or phrases in an attempt to decipher a password. Your personal information is easy to find on the Internet through phone directories and genealogical sites, so do not use your name or relatives’ names and addresses as passwords. For password security recommendations, go to Kaspersky.com or McAfee.com.

Reference:
Kaspersky. Recommendations how to create strong passwords.
http://bit.ly/eaDOrx

McAfee Blog. Password Policy – Length vs. Complexity.
http://bit.ly/gqvR1Q

ESET NOD32/Smart Security Protection Status

This article contains an explanation of the different colors of the protection status icons of the ESET NOD32/Smart Security antivirus software. If you have questions about what the icon color means for the protection of your system, use this article as a quick reference for interpreting the protection status icon.

1. Green (NOD32) Blue (Smart Security)
A green status icon (or blue for Smart Security) indicates that your computer is currently under the maximum amount of protection offered by the software. The production is updating correctly and the program is functioning optimally. In the main program window, reached by double clicking the protection status icon, you will see checkmarks next to the critical protection modules, they are:

• Antivirus protection
• Antispyware protection
• (Smart Security only, in addition to the two listed above) Personal firewall
• Antispam protection

2. Yellow
A yellow status icon with a white exclamation point (both NOD32 and Smart Security) indicates the program needs user attention and that the computer may not be ensured to maximum protection. The computer is still being protected, but one or more of the critical protection modules may be disabled which is putting the computer at risk. Some of the reasons for a yellow status are:

• Virus signature database is unable to update.
• The latest Windows updates are unable to update. (Note: Version 4 only.)
• The ESET license is within 15 days of expiring and will need to be renewed before protection can update.
• Document protection, Email client protection, and/or Web access protection is disabled.
• "Block all network traffic" on the ESET Personal firewall has been selected. The computer will not be at risk, but services, such as updates, will not be able to run.

Typically, the issues can be corrected these issues by following the actions that software recommends.

3. Red
A red status icon with a white exclamation point indicates that the computer is not ensured maximum protection and is vulnerable to threats. Usually, an alert message will explain why this status is active. One or more of the critical protection modules may have red exclamation points next to them. Reasons for a red status are:

• If the protection status icon turns red immediately after install, recheck the username and password associated with the product. A typo in those fields will keep the product from updating.
• One of the critical protection modules (antivirus protection, antispyware protection) is disabled.
• Real-time file system protection is disabled. This can be remedied by clicking Setup » Antivirus and antispyware protection » Real-time file system protection » Enable.
• The protection icon will turn red after the product license has expired.
• The personal firewall is disabled. This can be remedied by clicking Setup » Personal firewall » Network traffic filtering » Switch to filtering mode.

Reference:
ESET. Knowledge Base.
http://bit.ly/gZRcTo