DIY Computer Maintenance/Repair

[Pawn Power]

Given that computers have become essential educational centers and organizing tools it is important that we keep them up to speed. Post tips, tricks, guides, and links for free software to assist fellow users in fixing their computers.

[Pawn Power]

I’ll go first.

Here is some free anti-spyware software which finds and removes spyware and adware which are frequent culprits of slow browsing.

Ad-Aware SE Personal (http://www.download.com/Ad-Aware-2007-Free/3000-8022_4-10045910.html?part=dl-ad-aware&subj=dl&tag=top5)

Spybot- Search & Destroy (http://www.download.com/3000-2144-10122137.html)

[Rollo]

I find that spybot picks up on keyloggers like ardamax where as ad aware SE does not. I wouldn't be surprised if someone packed them both into the same .exe

Another essential is avast anti-virus which is also free and open source, really handy and useful.

Canned air is a must for cleaning your hardware, just remember not to inhale it too much.

[ZeroPain]

I think this (http://www.ubuntu.com/) should do the trick...
:rolleyes:

[Pawn Power]

What do ya'll recomend to do if one does the spyware scans and the same spyware/adware recurrently is found after previous deletion?

[krakatoan]

http://www.openoffice.org/

microsoft office-like software

its free and works pretty well

[eXacto]

Originally posted by Pawn [email protected] 18, 2007 12:14 am
What do ya'll recomend to do if one does the spyware scans and the same spyware/adware recurrently is found after previous deletion?
It probably is spyware that can be deleted with a simple trick. If you cn't get it removed , but you know where it is (path : c:/documents/...etc) than you just have to reboot your PC , press F8 when you see the list of numbers (black and white/grey) and keep it dwn. then you'll see a list with recovery mode , etc... you just pick safe mode , go to the path where the spyware is located and remove it. There should be no prob doing this ...

[Anatta]

I completely agree with ZeroPain. Linux is the most popular of the open source operating systems, and, considering it a) has almost no virus/spyware/etc. problems (perfect for this thread) and b) has no role in sustaining the capitalist economy (it's free and mostly community-developed), I would think it would be very popular with the left.

It's not hard to install and certainly not hard to use---definitely less frustrating, since there are almost no crashes.

For a nice starter distribution, I'd use Ubuntu (http://www.ubuntu.com). For more information on open source, check the FSF (http://www.fsf.org/) or OSI (http://www.opensource.org).

[The Advent of Anarchy]

I have a question. How do you make a DIY computer that can have access to the internets and all that stuff out of house hold appliances? I don't know, but it probably involves a lunch box. O_o

[ZeroPain]

You don't...

:huh:

[The Advent of Anarchy]

Ooo! A technocrat! You should know! =3 jk, jk.

[Mujer Libre]

Originally posted by Pawn [email protected] 18, 2007 12:14 am
What do ya'll recomend to do if one does the spyware scans and the same spyware/adware recurrently is found after previous deletion?
You should be able to select an option in the preferences for your software that says "delete files at restart if they couldn't be deleted during scan" or something similar. Otherwise you might have to schedule a boot-time scan.

[Coprolal1an]

I could sit here all day preaching that everyone should switch to linux (hell, linus torvalds was a communist wasn't he?) or freebsd/openbsd/netbsd or any number of free and open source operating systems, but I know most people don't want to hear that...

Anyway, here are a few tips

* NEVER run as an administrator unless you absolutely need to, to installan application from a company/organization you absolutely trust.

* ALWAYS make sure that your administrator account has a good, complex password.

* NEVER go on installation sprees. This means that if you need to, for instance, convert video, rip dvds, etc, don't go and install 20 different shareware programs trying to find the one with the smallest advert.

* NEVER enable activeX controls on anything other than a website that you *absolutely* trust.. e.g. windows update, a school/work site, etc.

* NEVER install eyecandy apps like those obscure 3rd party chat apps/smilie pack apps, screensaver packs, cursor programs, etc.

* NEVER run skiddie tools, unless you know and trust who wrote them, and you are sure nothing has happened to it since compile time.

* ALWAYS run your anti virus/spyware/adware programs at least once a week

* ALWAYS keep your computer up-to-date with windows update

Here are some applications (many of which are open source) that can be very useful:
* Office Suites/apps
* * OpenOffice (http://openoffice.org/), Windows, Open Source
* * Abiword (http://abisource.com/), Windows, Open Source

* Graphic Editors
* * Gimp (http://gimp.org/), Windows/linux/unix/etc, Open Source
* * Inkscape (http://inkscape.org/), Windows/linux/unix/etc, Open Source
* * Pant.NET (http://getpaint.net/index2.html), Windows, Open Source

* Browsers:
* * Firefox (http://getfirefox.com/), Windows/linux/unix/etc, Open Source
* * Opera (http://opera.com/), Windows/linux/unix/etc, Proprietary?
* * Flock (http://flock.com), Windows/linux/unix/etc, Proprietary?

* Anti Virus:
* * ClamWin (http://clamwin.com/), Windows, Open Source
* * ClamAV (http://www.clamav.net/), unix?, Open Source

* Anti Spyware/Adware
* * Adaware (http://www.download.com/Ad-Aware-SE-Personal-Edition/3000-8022_4-10045910.html), Windows, Proprietary
* * Windows Defender (http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx), Windows, Proprietary?

[Pawn Power]

But then I would have to reformat my computer for Linux. No?

[ZeroPain]

Originally posted by Pawn [email protected] 04, 2007 08:33 pm
But then I would have to reformat my computer for Linux. No?
You can keep Windows and still dual boot to Ubuntu without messing with partition tables if you use Wubi.

http://wubi-installer.org/

Try it out...
;)

[Pawn Power]

Originally posted by ZeroPain+July 04, 2007 09:08 pm--> (ZeroPain @ July 04, 2007 09:08 pm)
Pawn [email protected] 04, 2007 08:33 pm
But then I would have to reformat my computer for Linux. No?
You can keep Windows and still dual boot to Ubuntu without messing with partition tables if you use Wubi.

http://wubi-installer.org/

Try it out...
;) [/b]
That was my plan- to partition the hd into two or maybe three parts, though it is only 60 gigs.

[samdahil]

I would like to point out that changing operating systems is a lot like moving house, painful, frustrating, and part way down the line you're gonna regret it.
If you are thinking about switching to linux, or another open source operating system, I would recomend joining a forum specifically for that distribution, the communities built around these open source projects are rock solid and offer helpful advice, or if you have any furher questions feel fee to PM me

[ZeroPain]

If your a Windows power user then you will have no problem becoming a basic Linux user.
;)

[samdahil]

A windows power user???? :o :lol:

[carlosgdh]

i support piracy :) so i use only software that i can for free (and i like to use software that are for free too) so for antivirus, i use AVG Antivirus, for the nasty spyware Ad-Aware, i always like to have some registry cleaner too, i dont got one in particular, i just look around for the best one and that is possible to use a fake key at lol, and i defrag my computer once every week, it keeps it running pretty much faster than before. and to delete the temp files, i use the ATF cleaning tool, and some other stuff i use for my computer i cant rememebr (im a nerd so i might remember later xD)

peace