Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone!

CCleaner

I still cannot say enough about CCleaner. In my opinion it should be installed on every Windows system.

It is still free, but be forewarned  that the company, Piriform, now offers two versions that come at a cost. I do not use either of the fee-based programs - I should say YET! In some cases when I have downloaded the latest version I am reminded of, and encouraged to buy, one of the fee versions. To date I have not succumbed to the temptation!

This program used to be called "Crap Cleaner" until they gave it a less offensive name of CCleaner. That is what it dies, it cleans the crap from your system, and that is good. It is small and very fast. If you run it once a week it will probably take 30 seconds (after your initial run which will likely be longer) . 

I encourage all Windows users to get CCleaner. I can only recommend the free version because I have no experience with the fee versions.

You can download the free version here: http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner or on my favorite web site for downloading stuff:  http://www.filehippo.com/.

If you do not use this tool and if you do download it and have any problems or questions, write me at pcdoc@our4sons.com.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Windows 10 - Again

I finally figured out how to get the "Get Windows 10 APP", visible to the PC user by the icon in the system tray, on my desktop. These icons started to appear on our systems back in (about) June or July 2015. However, it did not appear on my desktop PC. It did appear on our two laptops, and W10 was subsequently successfully installed.

So this week, after puzzling over this for many moons, I did a manual Windows Update and selected an Optional update to install Internet Explorer 11. I restarted my system afterwards, and the Get Windows 10 App icon immediately appeared in my system tray! Very strange I thought.

Anyway, I went ahead and installed W10 replacing the W7 installation already there.

The installation of W10 went very well and without any hitches.

I really do like W10, and that is why I decided to leave the older systems behind.

I recommend W10 wholeheartedly and without hesitation for most users. I would say that IMHO you should have 8 GB of RAM. This is not required, but based on my experience I would not recommend W10 until/unless you have at least 8 GB of RAM.

I worked on a customer's machine that had upgraded to W10 but had only 4 GB of RAM. It works. It doesn't complain, but I believe W10 will be much happier with a minimum of 8 GB of RAM.

BTW, my PC Doc e-mail address has changed, and it is pcdoc @ our4sons.com (drop the 2 spaces).

Malwarebytes Premium

I received this renewal notice from Malwarebytes this morning. I wrote herein a year ago that I had bought their Premium version. It covered 3 systems (what we have) and was only $23 at the time. I thought it was a good investment. I still do, but I think I will take a pass on renewing. It's not the $24, it's the idea. I have always hated paying for software and avoided it with very few exceptions.

I will let the current version stay installed and see what happens when it expires. I do expect several more notes pleading for my renewal, but I shan't renew. I expect they will turn off the realtime monitoring but hope they will continue providing me the updates free of charge. If not, I will uninstall and download the free version if it is still available. If it is not I will rely on good old Super Antispyware which is still, I hope, free.

Happy Thanksgiving all.

Your old PC Doc

Hi Tom,
Your Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Premium order, Reference # 82752772, is set to automatically renew itself on December 19, 2015, for $24.95.

Thank you for your support. Just a reminder that Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Premium protects you against zero-day malware, ransomware and other threats 24/7/365. Automatically and without hassle.

We look forward to continuing to crush malware on your behalf.
If you would like to manage your subscription, click here. To update your payment, click here.
 
Cheers,

- The Malwarebytes Team

P.S. Questions? Need help? Head over to our Help Section.

SOS Online Backup

I continue to use and favor SOS Online Backup. All of my priceless family photos and videos, along with documents important to me, are reviewed weekly by SOS and if there are new files that have been added since last week or files that have been changed, they all get backed up to the SOS servers.

I have been a customer for maybe 5 years now and have never had a problem. Occasionally I will select a file on the SOS servers and download it just to make sure all is well. Having an SOS Online Backup account is like having a safe deposit box for all of my computer files. I hold the key and can go there anytime I wish to doubecheck that everything is as I expect it to be.

I have set up my account to run weekly  backups automatically, and the system works like a well-oiled machine. I started out having these auto runs on a daily basis, but as my confidence grew with SOS I have found weekly runs are just fine. Each week I get an e-mail reporting the weekly activity, so I know things are working smoothly.

If you have computer files you would rather not lose, you should be backing them up.

I use and recommend SOS Online Backup.

I did it again

I installed W10 on my wife's laptop last night. It is so satisfying to me to have now installed W10 twice without a single problem. Microsoft has done it right!

I started the install just before I went to bed last night. When I got up this morning, it had finished. I have no idea how long it took, and I don;t know what sort of magic they have included,but it sure worked like magic.

Windows 10 & the MVPS HOSTS File

I have to say that I really like W10 so far. I am only using it as a staight replacement for W8.1 so far, and it performs flawlessly.

I also just installed the August 2015 MVPS HOSTS file. It went in with no problem at all.

Don't be shy people. I think you will like W10.

I did it and it was easy!

I am now running Windows 10. It was a very easy transition. I am able to easily do the things I have been doing, and there is so much new stuff to explore.

The upgrade from 8.1 to 10 was flawless. No problems at all. I can't really say how long it took because I started it and left the house for a few hours and it was done when I returned.

When can I upgrade to Windows 10?

I received this as an e-mail from Microsoft this morning.

Learn about upgrading, Windows 10 features, and more Home | Upgrade FAQ's | Windows 10 | Latest Devices

	When can I upgrade to Windows 10? We want to give every customer a great upgrade experience, so we’re rolling it out in an organized way to manage high demand and to make sure that the upgrade is right for your device. After July 29, when Windows 10 is ready for your device, it will download in the background. You’ll then get a notification to schedule your upgrade right away or at another time that’s convenient for you. Here are some common questions about the upgrade process. Click on the links for answers.      How long does it take to install the upgrade?      What if I have more than one Windows device – can I upgrade them all?      What edition of Windows will I get as part of this free upgrade?      Will my PC or tablet be compatible with Windows 10? Should you need any help or have any additional questions after upgrading, a Microsoft Answer Tech will be available to assist you.

Independence Day 2015

Irony alert: Password-storing company is hacked

"No one's safe from hackers -- not even LastPass, a company that stores people's passwords."

It's true. Putting all of one's eggs in one basket may not be the prudent thing to do.

Story here 

The secret behind why Windows 10 is so good

"Microsoft listened to you. More than anything else, that's why Windows 10 won't be another Windows 8 or Vista."

In conversations with CNNMoney, top decision makers at Dell, Hewlett-Packard (HPQ, Tech30) and Toshiba noted that Microsoft requested their input throughout the process of creating Windows 10. They said Microsoft listened to their feedback -- and, vicariously, PC customers' feedback -- and made a better operating system as a result.

Responding to customer demands. The PC makers said that process was vastly improved from the way that Microsoft (MSFT, Tech30) conducted its business ahead of the Windows 8 launch. They said Windows 8 felt forced on them while Windows 10 felt like more of a conversation.

"It's pretty cool how responsive Microsoft has been to feedback," said Mike Nash, HP's head of product strategy. "We were right there in the room planning Windows 10 with them from very beginning."

"There's a new dawn at Microsoft," said Allison Dew, Dell's marketing chief (and a former Microsoft employee). "What we've seen in terms of development and cooperation with Microsoft this time around is unlike what we've seen in past years."

Windows is good again. The result, they say is a much more refined operating system that customers will get excited about. That's a very different experience from Windows 8, which literally had customers calling their PC companies in droves wondering how to get to the desktop or turn their PCs off.

"We're more excited about this launch than we have been in a really long time," said Dew. "I've been through amazing windows launches and some that weren't quite as amazing. This has the feel of something amazing."

"Windows 8 was a difficult out-of-the-box adjustment to consumers," said Jeff Barney, head of Toshiba's U.S. PC business. "Windows 10 has good features and is generating some buzz -- that's enough to get people back to the PC market.

Whole article including video here

MVPS HOSTS File for June available now

Okay, I sound like a broken record, but this is important!

The MVPS HOSTS file should be an integral part of your Windows security. It will keep you, or anyone using your machine, from going to known problem web sites. A new version comes out once a month and I always try to make sure I have the latest. Did I mention it is FREE?

You can download it from here: http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.htm

The current version became available on June 4. On the above page, right click on hosts.zip and select Save Link As and download it (I recommend downloading to your Desktop because you will use this file and delete it after you install the current version). Once downloaded to your desktop, right click on the zipped folder and select Extract All. This will create another folder named HOSTS. Open up that folder by double-clicking on it and then right click on the file MVPS.bat, and select "run as administrator". The new HOSTS file will then be installed, replacing our old HOSTS file (yes, you will always have one, even on a new machine, since an empty and useless HOSTS file already exists on your system). The blue window that next appears will inform you that the new file has been installed.

Lastly delete both of the HOSTS folders on your desktop. They have served their purpose and are no longer needed..

IRS Using 13-Yr. Old Microsoft Software

Oops! This is hard to believe.

By Gerri Willis

Published June 01, 2015

FOXBusiness

 

From foxbusiness.com:

"IRS computers are still running the 13-year old Microsoft (MSFT) Windows XP operating software which Microsoft stopped supporting a year ago with security updates. Even the agency’s fraud-catching software is two decades old. The outdated software may have played a role in the breach the IRS announced last week in which thieves hacked into the agency’s online service and gained access to more than 100,000 taxpayer accounts.

The criminals used personal data obtained from other sources, including Social Security numbers, street addresses and dates of birth to get into the IRS’ “Get Transcript” service. The service was subsequently shut down. The thieves gained access to tax returns and other tax information on file with the IRS.

During an IRS budget hearing in April before the House Financial Services and General Government Committee, the chairman, Rep. Ander Crenshaw, questioned why the agency had been so slow to upgrade to Windows 7. “Now we find out that you’ve been struggling to come up with $30 million to finish migrating to Windows 7, even though Microsoft announced in 2008 that it would stop supporting Windows XP past 2014,” the Congressman said. “I know you probably wish you’d already done that.”

IRS Commissioner John Koskinen has said budget cuts have kept the service from upgrading, telling Congressional members that “we still have applications that were running when John F. Kennedy was president.”

The news comes as cold comfort to the tens of thousands of Americans who have had their identity stolen as a result of filing their taxes. And, the breaches can be no surprise to the IRS itself which has been warned repeatedly by the Government Accountability Office over limited  security controls. In the most recent report, the GAO found 69 potential problems, including weak employee passwords.

The tax reporting agency is embroiled in several scandals. The agency used its powers to delay or deny non-profit status applications by groups with “tea party” and “patriot” in their names, an overreach of power that has led to a criminal investigation by the agency’s inspector general.  Further, its aggressive hounding of small businesses, including seizing bank accounts of businesses the agency suspects of involvement in criminal activity was halted because of complaints late last year."

Windows 10

Here we go! Starting down the road to Windows 10. I reserved my free upgrade.

MVPS HOSTS file for May available now

The MVPS HOSTS file should be an integral part of your Windows security. It will keep you, or anyone using your machine, from going to known problem web sites. A new version comes out once a month and I always try to make sure I have the latest. Did I mention it is FREE?

You can download it from here: http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.htm

The current version became available on May 5. On the above page, right click on hosts.zip and select Save Link As and download it (I recommend downloading to your Desktop because you will use this file and delete it after you install the current version). Once downloaded to your desktop, right click on the zipped folder and select Extract All. This will create another folder named HOSTS. Open up that folder by double-clicking on it and then right click on the file MVPS.bat, and select "run as administrator". The new HOSTS file will then be installed, replacing our old HOSTS file (yes, you will always have one, even on a new machine, since an empty and useless HOSTS file already exists on your system). The blue window that next appears will inform you that the new file has been installed.

Lastly delete both of the HOSTS folders on your desktop. They have served their purpose and are no longer needed..

New fast-spreading virus destroys PCs

Okay, it's true: I get a lot from the Kim Komando web site, and you should too. Visit it every day at komando.com.

Today's post here:

"There's dangerous new malware out there called Rombertik that could steal your personal information and destroy your PC. If you try to get rid of it, the malware could trap your computer in an endless reboot cycle.

Rombertik usually infects computers using a malicious file attached to a phishing email. In some cases, this email is designed to look like a message from Microsoft. The malware can steal login credentials and other information you enter into websites.

Rombertik also checks to see if it's being analyzed or if other programs are trying to delete it. If it detects this kind of activity, it will try to delete a file called the Master Boot Record (MBR). This can cause your computer to go into an endless restart cycle when it is turned off and turned back on. The malware also has some other tricks up its sleeve.

One involves writing a byte of data to memory 960 million times to overwhelm analysis tools that try to spot malware by logging system activity.

Since it's extremely difficult to get rid of, the best way to protect yourself from Rombertik is to avoid it altogether. You can do that by knowing how to spot phishing emails so you don't open them. Click here to see a phishing email example and learn more about how to spot them.

And, remember, never open an email attachment from a sender you don't know. It's most likely filled with malicious software that can harm your computer.

If you're computer is infected by Rombertik, you'll likely lose valuable data. If the malware successfully deletes the MBR file on your computer, you will have to reinstall the Windows operating system."

Windows 7 still a safe alternative to Windows 8

I am not sure why anyone would shy away from Windows 8 at this point, but there is still the opportunity to buy a Windows 7 machine if that is your preference. I saw this article on USA Today.

Q. My Windows 7 desktop died; is it wise to buy a new model with Win 7 if I can find one? I'd rather not have to relearn software after switching to Windows 8.

A. Some two and a half years after Windows 8's arrival, Microsoft's earlier desktop operating system remains easy to find on new computers if you're flexible in your hardware choices.

HP's site, for example, lists eight desktop configurations available with Windows 7 vs. 35 with Windows 8; among laptops, 68 versions come with Win 8 against 31 with its predecessor. Those numbers obscure how the top computer vendor in the USA offers at least one model in most of its product lines — Envy, Pavilion, EliteBook and so on — with either Microsoft release.

At Dell, ranked second in market-research firm IDC's latest data, a similar pattern prevails with laptops. Although you have far more choices with Windows 8 than 7 — 101 choices on the menu compared with 29 — choosing the older software still gives you choices among Dell's major product lines.

With Dell desktops, opting for Windows 7 will exclude that manufacturer's all-in-one designs.

At Lenovo, fourth in IDC's ranking after Apple, specifying Windows 7 on a laptop also requires compromises. Not only does its site list only 19 laptops with Win 7 vs. 100 with Win 8, you have to forgo more advanced models such as its Yoga and Flex series.

This selection does not represent a huge shift from what I found in late 2012, not long after Windows 8's debut.

Microsoft's support of Windows 7 has changed since then, but it's not as big of a deal as it might seem. Although that 2009-vintage operating system exited "mainstream support" Jan. 13, all that means in practice is that Microsoft's updates to Windows 7 will consist only of security fixes, not new features. Those security patches will keep coming until Jan. 14, 2020, the scheduled end of "extended support" for Win 7.

That leaves potential Windows 7 shoppers few reasons to worry, Directions on Microsoft analyst Wes Miller wrote in an email.

"They can buy a Windows 7 Professional PC today and receive security fixes for almost four and a half years," he said. "I also don't expect vendors to drop support for Windows 7 anytime soon — it's extremely popular with consumers and business."

Microsoft's Internet Explorer will get left behind — the Redmond, Wash., firm is retiring that browser in favor of a new app called Microsoft Edge that will ship with the upcoming Windows 10. Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox can easily take IE's place. Since both still support Windows XP, you can expect Windows 7 to remain welcome at both browsers for years to come.

Don't rule out upgrading to Windows 10 from 7 when that ships this year. It should look much more like Windows as you've known it, including a streamlined version of the traditional Start menu. It will be a free upgrade from Win 7 as well as Win 8.

April HOSTS File Available Now

Your HOSTS file can provide you with an extra level of protection from the known bad guys. I download and install this every month (to get the latest updates). It takes just a minute, (start to finish) and is definitely worth the time. You can find the latest version here:

Download the latest MVPS HOSTS file here