Registry Defrag Utility - Free

Free Registry Defrag/Compact Version 2.32

During the normal operation of a Windows system, registry
data is constantly being written to and removed from the
registry.

Over time this data becomes scattered within the
registry file and when information is deleted from the
registry holes are left which fragment the data within the
registry.

Registry compacting optimizes your registry by
removing gaps and wasted space, thus improves the whole
system performance.
 
This program is freeware and completely free to use.

Just enjoy it.

System Requirement: Windows XP, Vista, 2000, ME, 98,
Windows 2003, Windows XP Pro x64 edition, Windows 2003
Server x64 Edition, Windows Vista x64 edition.

Get you free download here:
http://www.registry-clean.net/free-registry-defrag.htm

Clearing Your Browser’s Cache

Clearing Your Browser’s Cache
Often referred to as the cache, the Temporary Internet
Files folder contains a kind of travel record of the items
you have seen, heard, or downloaded from the Web, including
images, sounds, Web pages, even cookies. Typically these
items are stored in the Temporary Internet Files folder.

Storing these files in your cache can make browsing the
Web faster because it usually takes your computer less time
to display a Web page when it can call up some of the
page’s elements or even the entire page from your local
Temporary Internet Files folder.

Your browser’s cache stores the contents of all the Web
pages that you have visited during a session. To safeguard
your information and prevent another user from viewing what
you have entered, you should clear the cache memory after
you have completed the application. To clear your browser’s
cache, follow the instructions below:

All those files stored in your cache take up space, so
from time to time, you may want to clear out the files
stored in your cache to free up some space on your
computer. This is called clearing the cache.

You can adjust your Internet Explorer 6 settings to
automatically clear the cache whenever you close Internet
Explorer 6. Go to the Tools menu, and click Internet
Options. Click the Advanced tab. In the “Settings” box,
scroll down to the section labeled “Security,” and click to
check the box next to the “Empty Temporary Internet Files
folder when browser is closed” option. Click OK to finish.
This option does not delete cookies, but it will clear your
cache of other files when you close your browser.

If you tend to go online a lot and have ample space on
your computer, you might want to increase the size of your
Temporary Internet Files folder. Why? Because Internet
Explorer 6 will read already-viewed files from the cache
first rather than take the time to download the same page
from the Web, thus saving you time and money.

Adjusting How Often to Update
While it’s true that the more files you can load from your
hard disk, the faster your browsing speed, it’s also true
that those pages on the Web might have changed since being
stored on your computer. You might not want to miss fresh
content just to save a little time. Fortunately, in
addition to the size of the cache, you can also customize
how often Internet Explorer 6 checks the Web for updated
content.

First you will need to go to the Internet Explorer 6
Settings box:

1.
 On the Tools menu, click Internet Options. The Internet
Options box should open to the General tab.
 
2.
 On the General tab, in the Temporary Internet Files
section, click the Settings button. This will open the
Settings box.
 
3.
 In the Settings box, there are four ways to check for
newer versions of pages that are stored in the Temporary
Internet Files folder:

• Every visit to the page: You’re assured of the most
current content, but it’s slower to browse previously
viewed pages.
 
• Every time you start Internet Explorer 6: On your first
visit to a page, Internet Explorer 6 will check for new
information, but not on subsequent visits in the same
browsing session.
 
• Automatically: Internet Explorer 6 will check
automatically for any new content.
 
• Never: This option is fastest, but you could be viewing
old content from the cache. To refresh the page, press the
F5 button on your keyboard—this will connect you to the
page on the Web and download new information to the
Temporary Internet files folder. 
 

Try several combinations of these options and cache size
to find the best fit for your needs. You may need to use
the settings for a few days to fully gauge how they are
working.
Netscape 6.x, 7.x and 8.x users:

Select Edit, then Preferences.
Select Advanced from the Category listing.
Select Cache.
Select the Clear Disk Cache button then the Clear Memory
Cache buttons.
Select OK.
Internet Explorer 7.x:

Select Tools, then Internet Options.
Select the General tab at the top.
Under Browsing History, select the Delete button.
Select the Delete Files buttons next to Temporary Internet
Files.
Internet Explorer 5.x and 6.x users:

Select Tools, then Internet Options.
Select the General tab at the top.
Select the Clear History button.
Select Yes to confirm.
Select Delete Files.
Select OK.
Select OK to close the Internet Options Screen.
AOL 9.0:

Select Settings.
Select the Essentials tab.
Select the Internet (Web) option.
Select the General tab.
In the Temporary Internet Files area, select the Delete
Files button, and select OK.
AOL 8.0:

Select Settings.
Select Preferences.
Select the Properties option.
In the Temporary Internet Files area, select the Delete
Files button, and select OK.
AOL 5.0-7.0 and AOL Explorer 1.2 users:

Select System Information.
Select the Utilities tab.
Select the Clear Browser Cache.
Mozilla Firefox 2.0 users:

Select Tools.
Select Options.
Select the Advanced option.
Select the Network tab.
Select the Clear Now button.
Mozilla Firefox 1.5 users:

Select Tools, then Clear Private Data.
Select the Browsing History, Saved Form Information,
Cache, and Authenticated Sessions options.
Select the Clear Private Data Now button.

Use a “wipe” utility program, which overwrites the entire
hard drive and makes the files unrecoverable.  Use Ccleaner
available for free at
http://www.filehippo.com/download_ccleaner/ and when
installed select ‘Options’ then select ‘Settings.  Under
the heading ‘Secure Deletion’ click the ‘Secure file
deletion (Slower)’ radio button and change the setting to
NSA (7 passes).

To your safety and security online
cotojo

AVG Anti-Virus Installation Guide

This video tutorial will show you how to install AVG Anti-Virus.
If you have Norton or McAfee I personally wouldn’t pay their
fees especially when you can have this protection for free.
If you have any other Anti-Virus and intend to install AVG,
please uninstall any other Anti-Virus program that you may
have.
AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition is one of the most popular
solutions to provide basic security protection on home and
non-commercial PCs and is used by millions of people worldwide.

Important

Create a backup of your system or a restore Point before making any changes

Can also be viewed in Windows Media Player by clicking:
AVG Installation

Fighting off Viruses

Advancements in Antivirus Software Suites

Protecting your computer from a virus is getting harder
and harder each day.  While it may border on the paranoid,
it goes without saying that you can’t leave your guard down
for one second.  Even corporate giant Microsoft has found
its own systems compromised on more than one occasion. 

Remember the “good old days”, before the advent of the
Internet and downloadable programs?  Life was simple then
in terms of computer viruses.  With the primary way in
which a virus could be transmitted being limited to floppy
disks, the ability to catch and eradicate the virus was a
lot easier.    By today’s standards, it used to take quite
a while before a virus was able to infect a computer and
slow down the system.  The antivirus software of that time
was typically able to identify and eradicate viruses before
they caused too much damage.  Additionally, computer users
were pretty savvy on how to protect themselves in terms of
scanning all floppy disks before copying them to our
desktop. 

The Internet helped change all that.  The Internet
provided a conduit by which viruses could move from host to
host with lightening speed.  No longer could a computer
user just worry about floppy disks as points of entry, but
they now had to worry about email, email attachments, peer-
to-peer file sharing, instant messaging, and software
downloads.  Today’s viruses can attack through multiple
entry points, spread without human intervention, and take
full advantage of vulnerabilities within a system or
program.  With technology advancing everyday, and the
convergence of computers with other mobile devices, the
potential of new types of threats also increase. 

Protecting Your Computer
Luckily, the advancement of antivirus software has kept
pace with current virus threats.   Antivirus software is
essential to a computer’s ability to fend off viruses and
other malicious programs.  These products are designed to
protect against the ability of a virus to enter a computer
through email, web browsers, file servers and desktops.
Additionally, these programs offer a centralized control
feature that handle deployment, configuration and updating.
A computer user should remain diligent and follow a few
simple steps to protect against the threat of a virus:

1. Evaluate your current computer security system.
With the threat of a new generation of viruses able to
attack in a multitude of ways, the approach of having just
one antivirus software version has become outdated.  You
need to be confident that you have protected all aspects of
your computer system from the desktop to the network, and
from the gateway to the server.  Consider a more
comprehensive security system which includes several
features including antivirus, firewall, content filtering,
and intrusion detection.  This type of system will make it
more difficult for the virus to penetrate your system.

2. Only install antivirus software created by a well-
known, reputable company. 
Because new viruses erupt daily, it is important that you
regularly update your anti-virus software.  Become familiar
with the software’s real-time scan feature and configure it
to start automatically each time you boot your computer.
This will protect your system by automatically checking
your computer each time it is powered up. 

3. Make it a habit to always scan all new programs or
files no matter from where they originate.

4. Exercise caution when opening binary, Word, or Excel
documents of unknown sources especially if they were
received during an online chat or as an attachment  to an
email. 

5. Perform regular backups in case your system is
corrupted.  It may be the only way to recover your data if
infected.

Recommended Antivirus Software
There are numerous applications available to consumers.
With a little research, you can pick the program that is
right for you.  Many programs provide a trial version,
which allows you to download the program and test its
abilities.  However, be aware that some anti-virus programs
can be difficult to uninstall.  As a precaution make sure
to set up a System Restore point before installing. 

Here are a few programs, which typically receive high
marks in terms of cost, effectiveness, ease of use, and
customer service.

The Shield Pro 2005™ provides virus protection and hacker
security through ongoing support and updates. When a virus
breaks out, The Shield Pro 2005™ promises to provide a
patch within 2-3 hours and a fix for the virus within 5
hours. You can set your computer to update viruses weekly
and run a complete virus scan.

BitDefender 9 Standard provides antivirus protection, as
well as Peer-2-Peer Applications protection, full email
protection, and heuristics in a virtual environment.  This
provides a new security layer that keeps the operating
system safe from unknown viruses by detecting malicious
pieces of code for which signatures have not been released
yet.

Kaspersky Anti-Virus Personal 5.0  program is simple to
install and use. The user only needs to choose from three
levels of protection.  It allows updates as frequently as
every hour while promising not to disrupt your computer.
The program also offers a two-tier email protection feature
and round-the-clock technical support.

PC-cillin Internet Security  combines antivirus security
and a personal firewall-for comprehensive protection
against viruses, worms, Trojans, and hackers. It also
detects and removes spyware and blocks spam. It even guards
against identity theft by blocking phishing and pharming
attacks.

AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition is a free downloadable
antivirus program that has received high marks for its
reliability.  In the past, free downloadable antivirus
programs have been viewed skeptically because of issues
relating to its reliability.  However, AVG from Grisoft,
remains one of the best-known free anti-virus programs
available.  While AVG cannot be installed on a server
operating system and there is no technical support, it
still makes a good choice for many home computer users.
The best part is that since it is free, you can try it with
no further obligation necessary.

Protect Yourself From Identity Theft

Identity theft is an very real problem and you need to actively protect yourself from it!
 
If your identity is ever stolen, it can be used in Fraudulent or Criminal activities, to obtain a job where you end up liable for the taxes, to make purchases of products and services that you WILL end up having to pay for, can completely devastate and destroy your credit, and take literally many years for you get it all straightened out.
 
Never give out personal information on the phone, through Postal Services, through e-mail or over the Internet in any other way, unless you’ve initiated the contact and you are sure you know who you’re dealing with.
 
Identity thieves can be skilled liars, and may pose as representatives of banks, government agencies, owners of a company, and yes, they can even pose as Internet service providers (ISPs) to get you to reveal identifying information. Before you divulge any personal information, confirm that you’re dealing with a legitimate representative of a legitimate organization. Double check by calling customer service using the number on your account statement, listed in the telephone book, or obtained via a Telephone Operator.
 
Your computer can be a goldmine of personal information to an identity thief. Here are some points on how you can safeguard your computer and the personal information it stores:

· Update your virus protection software regularly. Computer viruses can have damaging effects, including introducing program code that causes your computer to send out files or other stored information.
 
· Regularly check for security repairs and patches you can download from your operating system’s Web site.
 
· Don’t download files from strangers or click on hyperlinks from people you don’t know, especially when it comes to e-mail where the e-mail contains an attachment. Clicking a link or opening a file could expose your system to a computer virus or a program that could hijack your modem like a Trojan.
 
· Use a firewall, especially if you have a high-speed or “always on” connection to the Internet. A firewall allows you to limit uninvited access to your computer. Without a firewall, hackers can enter your computer remotely from anywhere in the world and even take over your computer and access sensitive information without you even knowing it.
I recommend the use of ZoneAlarm free firewall which can be found at  http://www.zonealarm.com/store/content/company/products/znalm/freeDownload.jsp

· To guard the safety of your online transactions always be sure the Web site you are on uses a secure browser software that encrypts or scrambles information you send over the Internet. When you’re submitting information, the address of the Web page should start with “https://” (apposed to the normal surfing address of http://), and also look for the “lock” icon on the status bar. It’s a symbol that your information is secure during transmission.
 
· Try not to store financial information on your PC or laptop unless absolutely necessary. If you do, use a “strong” password that is a combination of letters (upper and lower case) and numbers.
 
· Avoid using an automatic login feature that saves your user name and password; and always log off when you’re finished working in a password protected entry area. If your PC or laptop ever gets stolen, the thief will have a hard time accessing sensitive information if they need to enter usernames and passwords to access something.
 
· Delete any personal information stored on your computer before you dispose of it. Use a “wipe” utility program, which overwrites the entire hard drive and makes the files unrecoverable.  Use Ccleaner available for free at http://www.filehippo.com/download_ccleaner/ and when installed select ‘Options’ then select ‘Settings.  Under the heading ‘Secure Deletion’ click the ‘Secure file deletion (Slower)’ radio button and change the setting to NSA (7 passes).
 
· Read Web site privacy policies. They should answer questions about the access to and accuracy, security, and control of personal information the site collects, as well as how sensitive information will be used, and whether it will be provided to third parties.
 
· Never provide personally identifiable information like a username and password, a government issued number that identifies you, financial details, e-mail addresses, phone numbers, or your home address in areas like chat rooms, forums, instant messengers, e-mail, or any other area over the Internet that gives others access to the information.

Remember, always back-up your system before making any changes.  If using ccleaner make sure you know your passwords.  I suggest you open a spreadheet or word processor, enter the site url, username and password and save it to floppy.  Do NOT save this information on your hard drive.

To your privacy and safer surfing

cotojo