Disregard last Post

From: Pete Q (anonymous_at_discussions.microsoft.com)
Date: 09/05/04 

Date: Sun, 5 Sep 2004 10:06:29 -0700

Shenan,

Please disregard the last post I sent you. I see that you
responded to the "Spyware" portion of my question under
the other post I had made. Thanks.

I did post back some additional questions for you on the
Spyware reply under the "Basics" category. Thanks for all
your help!

Pete

>-----Original Message-----
>
>Shenan--
>
>Thanks for the response to the first part of my question
>regarding whether virus software should be disabled.
>
>Do you have any input on the 2nd question related to
>spyware?
>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>Answers inline
>>
>>Pete Q wrote:
>>> I had a few questions regarding the process to be
>>> followed when installing programs or updates from
>>> Microsoft, either from a CD or the internet
>>>
>>> 1) Should I disable my anti-virus and spyware
>>> applications prior to installing these applications
or
>is
>>> it better to download these to my desktop in order to
>>> scan them for viruses and then disable the virs and
>>> spyware applications before the actual install on my
>stem?
>>
>>No. In most cases this is unnecessary and not
>recommended. Although it can
>>be true, I install updates/patches/etc on a daily basis
>on many machines and
>>have only once in so many years ever found it necessary
>to disable the
>>antivirus application in order to get an install to
work
>correctly.
>>
>>
>>> I have heard some different comments from folks as to
>>> whether this is needed. The reason I had originally
>heard
>>> to disable the virus and spyware apps is that some of
>>> these items may impact the installation process.
>>>
>>> 2) My second question isn't so much related to
>downloads
>>> as so much spyware files. Yesterday I finally
installed
>>> Lavasoft Ad-aware on my system. Of course once I ran
it
>>> quite a few files were identified as potential spyware
>>> files (somehwere around 600)! The problem is I am
>pretty
>>> much a novice when it comes to spyware and have no
idea
>>> as to whether I should be deleting the files. Some of
>>> them are identified as Temp Internet files which I am
>>> assuming I can go ahead and delete. Some others files
>>> look like this:
>>>
>>> obj[1]=Process : C:\Program Files\Common
>>> files\WinTools\WToolsS.exe
>>>
>>> obj[67]=Regkey :
>>>
>software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\uninstall\winto
o
>>> ls
>>> obj[68]=Regkey : system\controlset001
>\services\wintoolssvc
>>> obj[69]=Regkey : system\controlset002
>\services\wintoolssvc
>>> obj[70]=Regkey :
>>> system\currentcontrolset\services\wintoolssvc
>>>
>>>
>>> obj[15]=RegValue :
>>> Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
>>>
>>>
>>> I got nervous when I started seeing things with "Reg
>Key"
>>> and "Reg Value". I ended up putting all the files in
>>> Quarantine but I was hoping to get some advice for
>>> the "novice user" as to some general guidelines as to
>how
>>> to know which files that are identified should be
>deleted
>>> without potentially impacting your opereating system.
>>>
>>> Thanks! (and sorry about this being so long)
>>>
>>>
>>> Pete Q
>>
>>WTOOLS is the WORST - I doubt AdAware alone will get
rid
>of it. Both
>>AdAware and Spybot Search and Destroy have features
that
>protect you from
>>messing up - you can quarantine. But I would, in
>general, say if it is
>>found by AdAware or Spybot Search and Destroy - KILL
>IT! It's bad.
>>
>>Having said that - I have further advice and will
>increase the size of this
>>thread GREATLY. In here you will find a section on
>SPYWARE that you might
>>find very useful - not that you won't find the rest
>enlightnening as well...
>>
>>*WARNING* This is a LONG spill, all in plain text and
>simplified so that
>>even non-techs should be able to understand it.
>Hopefully this will
>>assist some people in not only repairing their systems,
>but in making
>>them faster and more stable tools for them to use. It
>contains advice
>>on many things, many considered "common knowledge"
>to 'IT' people
>>everywhere. It is split into major sections, hopefully
>this will make
>>it easier to navigate. *WARNING*
>>
>>If you don't wish to follow all of the advice
>immediately, just want to
>>get rid of your current dilemma, then you are welcome
to
>scroll down to
>>the section titled
>>"SPYWARE/ADWARE/POPUPS/HIJACKS", where your problem as
>>stated should be resolved by the applications and
>suggestions found in
>>that section. If this helps solve your problem then I
>again HIGHLY
>>suggest you follow the rest of the advice below (matter
>of fact, I
>>suggest it either way.)
>>
>>Suggestions on what you can do to secure/clean your
PC.
>Every attempt
>>has been made to be general and an assumption of
>a "Windows" operating
>>system is made here as well - although in some ways,
>this could be
>>adapted to any OS.
>>
>>
>>GENERAL UPKEEP AND CLEANUP
>>--------------------------
>>
>>You should periodically defragment your hard drives as
>well as check them
>>for errors.
>>
>> How to Defragment your hard drives
>> http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=314848
>>
>> How to scan your disks for errors
>> http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=315265
>>
>> How to use Disk Cleanup
>> http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=310312
>>
>>You should also empty your Internet Explorer Temporary
>Internet
>>Files and make sure the maximum size for this is small
>enough not to cause
>>trouble in the future. Empty your Temporary Internet
>Files and shrink the
>>size it stores to a size between 120MB and 480MB..
>>
>>- Open ONE copy of Internet Explorer.
>>- Select TOOLS -> Internet Options.
>>- Under the General tab in the "Temporary Internet
>Files" section, do the
>> following:
>> - Click on "Delete Cookies" (click OK)
>> - Click on "Settings" and change the "Amount of disk
>space to use:" to
>> something between 120MB and 480MB. (Betting it is
>MUCH larger right
>> now.)
>> - Click OK.
>> - Click on "Delete Files" and select to "Delete all
>offline contents"
>> (the checkbox) and click OK. (If you had a LOT, this
>could take 2-10
>> minutes or more.)
>>- Once it is done, click OK, close Internet Explorer,
re-
>open Internet
>> Explorer.
>>
>>Uninstall any software you no longer use or cannot
>remember installing
>>(ask if it is a multi-user PC) - but only if you are
>sure you do not
>>need it and/or you have the installation media around
to
>reinstall if
>>you need to. http://snipurl.com/8v6b may help you
>accomplish this.
>>
>>If things are running a bit slow or you have an older
>system
>>(1.5GHz or less and 256MB RAM or less) then you may
want
>to look into
>>tweaking the performance a bit by turning off some of
>the memory
>>using Windows XP "prettifications". The fastest method
>is:
>>
>>Control Panel --> System --> Advanced tab -->
>Performance section,
>>Settings button. Then choose "adjust for best
>performance" and you
>>now have a Windows 2000/98 look which turned off many
of
>the annoying
>>"prettifications" in one swift action. You can play
with
>the last
>>three checkboxes to get more of an XP look without many
>of the
>>other annoyances. You could also grab and install/mess
>with one
>>(or more) of the Microsoft Powertoys - TweakUI in
>particular:
>>
>>http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/x
p
>powertoys.mspx
>>
>>You should also verify that your System Restore feature
>is enabled and
>>working properly. Unfortunately, if seems to have
>issues on occasion,
>>ones that can easily be avoided by turning off/on the
>system restore and
>>make a manual restoration point as one of your periodic
>maintenance tasks.
>>This is particularly important right before installing
>something major
>>(or even minor if you are unsure what it might do to
>your system.)
>>
>> Turn off System Restore.
>> http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=310405
>>
>> Reboot.
>>
>> Turn on System Restore.
>> http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=310405
>>
>> Make a Manual Restoration Point.
>> http://snipurl.com/68nx
>>
>>(That, of course, will erase the previous restore point
>you have.)
>>
>>Also, you should look into backing up your valuable
>files and folders.
>>http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=308422
>>
>>And keep your original installation media (CDs, disks)
>safe with their
>>CD keys and such. Make backups of these installation
>media sets as
>>well and always use strong passwords. Good passwords
>are those that
>>meet these general rules (mileage may vary):
>>
>> Passwords should contain at least six characters, and
>the character
>> string should contain at least three of these four
>character types:
>> - uppercase letters
>> - lowercase letters
>> - numerals
>> - nonalphanumeric characters (e.g., *, %, &, !)
>>
>> Passwords should not contain your name/logon name.
>>
>>
>>UPDATES and PATCHES
>>-------------------
>>
>>** Side Note: *IF* you are about to install Service
Pack
>2 (SP2) for
>> Windows XP, I suggest you clean up your system
>first. Uninstall any
>> applications you do not use. Update any that you
>do. Download the
>> latest drivers for your hardware devices.
Defragment
>and run a full
>> CHKDSK on your hard drives. Scan your system and
>clean it of any
>> Spyware/Adware/Malware and for Viruses and Trojans.
>Below you will
>> find advice and links to applications that will help
>you do all of
>> this. If this advice helps you, please - pass it
>on. Print it,
>> email it, forward it to anyone you think it might
>help. A little
>> knowledge might help prevent lots of trouble.
>>
>>This one is the most obvious. There is no perfect
>product and any company
>>worth their salt will try to meet/exceed the needs of
>their customers and
>>fix any problems they find along the way. I am not
>going to say Microsoft
>>is the best company in the world about this but they do
>have an option
>>available for you to use to keep your machine updated
>and patched from
>>the problems and vulnerabilities (as well as product
>improvements in some
>>cases) - and it's free to you.
>>
>> Windows Update
>> http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/
>>
>>Go there and scan your machine for updates. Always get
>the critical ones as
>>you see them. Write down the KB###### or Q###### you
>see when
>>selecting the updates and if you have trouble over the
>next few days,
>>go into your control panel (Add/Remove Programs), match
>up the latest
>>numbers you downloaded recently (since you started
>noticing an issue) and
>>uninstall them. If there was more than one (usually
>is), install them back
>>one by one - with a few hours of use in between, to see
>if the problem
>>returns. Yes - the process is not perfect (updating)
>and can cause trouble
>>like I mentioned - but as you can see, the solution
>isn't that bad - and is
>>MUCH better than the alternatives.
>>
>>Windows is not the only product you likely have on your
>PC. The
>>manufacturers of the other products usually have
updates
>as well. New
>>versions of almost everything come out all the time -
>some are free, some
>>are pay - some you can only download if you are
>registered - but it is best
>>to check. Just go to their web pages and look under
>their support and
>>download sections. For example, for Microsoft Office
>update, you should
>>visit:
>>
>> Microsoft Office Updates
>> http://office.microsoft.com/
>> (and select "downloads")
>>
>>You also have hardware on your machine that requires
>drivers to interface
>>with the operating system. You have a video card that
>allows you to see on
>>your screen, a sound card that allows you to hear your
>PCs sound output and
>>so on. Visit those manufacturer web sites for the
>latest downloadable
>>drivers for your hardware/operating system. Always
>(IMO) get the
>>manufacturers hardware driver over any Microsoft
>offers. On the Windows
>>Update site I mentioned earlier, I suggest NOT getting
>their hardware
>>drivers - no matter how tempting. First - how do you
>know what hardware
>>you have in your computer? Invoice or if it is up and
>working now - take
>>inventory:
>>
>> Belarc Advisor
>> http://belarc.com/free_download.html
>>
>>Once you know what you have, what next? Go get the
>latest driver for your
>>hardware/OS from the manufacturer's web page. For
>example, let's say you
>>have an NVidia chipset video card or ATI video card,
>perhaps a Creative
>>Labs sound card or C-Media chipset sound card...
>>
>> NVidia Video Card Drivers
>> http://www.nvidia.com/content/drivers/drivers.asp
>>
>> ATI Video Card Drivers
>> http://www.atitech.com/support/driver.html
>>
>> Creative Labs Sound Device
>> http://us.creative.com/support/downloads/
>>
>> C-Media Sound Device
>> http://www.cmedia.com.tw/e_download_01.htm
>>
>>As for Service Pack 2 (SP2) for Windows XP, Microsoft
>has made this
>>particular patch available in a number of ways. First,
>there is the
>>Windows Update web page above. Then there is a direct
>download site
>>and finally, you can order the FREE CD from Microsoft.
>>
>> Direct Download of Service Pack 2 (SP2) for Windows XP
>> http://snipurl.com/8bqy
>>
>> Order the Free Windows XP SP2 CD
>> http://snipurl.com/8umo
>>
>>Microsoft also have a bunch of suggestions, some
similar
>to these,
>>on how to better protect your Windows system:
>>
>> Protect your PC
>> http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/
>>
>>
>>FIREWALL
>>--------
>>
>>Let's say you are up-to-date on the OS (operating
>system) and you have
>>Windows XP.. You should at least turn on the built in
>firewall. That will
>>do a lot to "hide" you from the random bad things
flying
>around the
>>Internet. Things like Sasser/Blaster enjoy just
sitting
>out there in
>>Cyberspace looking for an unprotected Windows Operating
>System and jumping
>>on it, doing great damage in the process and then using
>that Unprotected OS
>>to continue its dirty work of infecting others. If you
>have the Windows XP
>>FW turned on - default configuration - then they cannot
>see you! Think of
>>it as Internet Stealth Mode at this point. It has
other
>advantages, like
>>actually locking the doors you didn't even (likely)
know
>you had. Doing
>>this is simple, some helpful tips for the SP2 enabled
>firewall can be found
>>here:
>>
>>
>http://www.microsoft.com/technet/community/columns/cableg
u
>y/cg0204.mspx
>>
>>If you read through that and look through the pages
that
>are linked from it
>>throughout - I think you should have a firm grasp on
the
>basics of the
>>Windows XP Firewall as it is today. One thing to note
>RIGHT NOW - if you
>>have AOL, you cannot use this nice firewall that came
>with your system.
>> Thank AOL, not Microsoft. You HAVE to configure
>another one.. So we
>>continue with our session on Firewalls...
>>
>>But let's say you DON'T have Windows XP - you have some
>other OS like
>>Windows 95, 98, 98SE, ME, NT, 2000. Well, you don't
>have the nifty built in
>>firewall. My suggestion - upgrade. My next
suggestion -
> look through your
>>options. There are lots of free and pay firewalls out
>there for home users.
>>Yes - you will have to decide on your own which to
get.
>Yes, you will have
>>to learn (oh no!) to use these firewalls and configure
>them so they don't
>>interfere with what you want to do while continuing to
>provide the security
>>you desire. It's just like anything else you want to
>protect - you have to
>>do something to protect it. Here are some suggested
>applications. A lot of
>>people tout "ZoneAlarm" as being the best alternative
to
>just using the
>>Windows XP FW, but truthfully - any of these
>alternatives are much better
>>than the Windows XP FW at what they do - because that
is
>ALL they do.
>>
>> ZoneAlarm (Free and up)
>> http://snipurl.com/6ohg
>>
>> Kerio Personal Firewall (KPF) (Free and up)
>> http://www.kerio.com/kpf_download.html
>>
>> Outpost Firewall from Agnitum (Free and up)
>> http://www.agnitum.com/download/
>>
>> Sygate Personal Firewall (Free and up)
>> http://smb.sygate.com/buy/download_buy.htm
>>
>> Symantec's Norton Personal Firewall (~$25 and up)
>> http://www.symantec.com/sabu/nis/npf/
>>
>> BlackICE PC Protection ($39.95 and up)
>> http://blackice.iss.net/
>>
>> Tiny Personal Firewall (~$49.00 and up)
>> http://www.tinysoftware.com/
>>
>>That list is not complete, but they are good firewall
>options, every one of
>>them. Visit the web pages, read up, ask around if you
>like - make a
>>decision and go with some firewall, any firewall.
Also,
>maintain it.
>>Sometimes new holes are discovered in even the best of
>these products and
>>patches are released from the company to remedy this
>problem. However, if
>>you don't get the patches (check the manufacturer web
>page on occasion),
>>then you may never know you have the problem and/or are
>being used through
>>this weakness. Also, don't stack these things.
Running
>more than one
>>firewall will not make you safer - it would likely (in
>fact) negate some
>>protection you gleamed from one or the other firewalls
>you run.
>>
>>
>>ANTIVIRUS SOFTWARE
>>------------------
>>
>>That's not all. That's one facet of a secure PC, but
>firewalls don't do
>>everything. I saw one person posting on a newsgroup
>that "they had
>>never had a virus and they never run any anti-virus
>software." Yep - I used
>>to believe that way too - viruses were something
>everyone else seemed to
>>get, were they just careless? And for the average joe-
>user who is careful,
>>uses their one to three family computers carefully,
>never opening unknown
>>email attachments, always visiting the same family safe
>web sites, never
>>installing anything that did not come with their
>computer - maybe, just
>>maybe they will never witness a virus. I, however, am
a
>Network Systems
>>Administrator. I see that AntiVirus software is an
>absolute necessity given
>>how most people see their computer as a toy/tool and
not
>something
>>they should have to maintain and upkeep. After all,
>they were invented to
>>make life easier, right - not add another task to your
>day. You
>>can be as careful as you want - will the next person be
>as careful? Will
>>someone send you unknowingly the email that erases all
>the pictures of your
>>child/childhood? Possibly - why take the chance?
>ALWAYS RUN ANTIVIRUS
>>SOFTWARE and KEEP IT UP TO DATE! Antivirus software
>comes in so many
>>flavors, it's like walking into a Jelly Belly store -
>which one tastes like
>>what?! Well, here are a few choices for you. Some of
>these are free (isn't
>>that nice?) and some are not. Is one better than the
>other - MAYBE.
>>
>> Symantec (Norton) AntiVirus (~$11 and up)
>> http://www.symantec.com/nav/nav_9xnt/
>>
>> Kaspersky Anti-Virus (~$49.95 and up)
>> http://www.kaspersky.com/products.html
>>
>> Panda Antivirus Titanium (~$39.95 and up)
>> http://www.pandasoftware.com/
>> (Free Online Scanner:
>http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan/)
>>
>> AVG 6.0 Anti-Virus System (Free and up)
>> http://www.grisoft.com/
>>
>> McAfee VirusScan (~$11 and up)
>> http://www.mcafee.com/
>>
>> AntiVir (Free and up)
>> http://www.free-av.com/
>>
>> avast! 4 (Free and up)
>> http://www.avast.com/
>>
>> Trend Micro (~$49.95 and up)
>> http://www.trendmicro.com/en/home/us/personal.htm
>> (Free Online Scanner:
>>
>http://housecall.trendmicro.com/housecall/start_corp.asp)
>>
>> RAV AntiVirus Online Virus Scan (Free!)
>> http://www.ravantivirus.com/scan/
>>
>>Did I mention you have to not only install this
>software, but also keep it
>>updated? You do. Some of them (most) have automatic
>services to help you
>>do this - I mean, it's not your job to keep up with the
>half-dozen or more
>>new threats that come out daily, is it? Be sure to
keep
>whichever one you
>>choose up to date!
>>
>>
>>SPYWARE/ADWARE/POPUPS/HIJACKS
>>-----------------------------
>>
>>So you must be thinking that the above two things got
>your back now - you
>>are covered, safe and secure in your little fox hole.
>Wrong! There are
>>more bad guys out there. There are annoyances out
there
>you can get without
>>trying. Your normal web surfing, maybe a wrong click
on
>a web page, maybe
>>just a momentary lack of judgment by installing some
>software packages
>>without doing the research.. And all of a sudden your
>screen starts filling
>>up with advertisements or your Internet seems much
>slower or your home page
>>won't stay what you set it and goes someplace
unfamiliar
>to you. This is
>>spyware. There are a whole SLEW of software packages
>out there to get rid
>>of this crud and help prevent reinfection. Some of the
>products already
>>mentioned might even have branched out into this
arena.
>However, there are
>>a few applications that seem to be the best at what
they
>do, which is
>>eradicating and immunizing your system from this crap.
>Strangely, the best
>>products I have found in this category ARE generally
>free. That is a trend
>>I like. I make donations to some of them, they deserve
>it!
>>
>>Two side-notes: Never think one of these can do the
>whole job.
>>Try the first 5 before coming back and saying "That did
>not work!"
>>Also, you can always visit:
>> http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
>>For more updated information.
>>
>> Spybot Search and Destroy (Free!)
>> http://www.safer-networking.net/en/download/index.html
>>
>> Lavasoft AdAware (Free and up)
>> http://www.lavasoft.de/support/download/
>>
>> CWShredder (Free!)
>> ** No longer updated as of July 29, 2004 - however,
>still a great
>> product and should still be ran **
>> http://www.softbasket.com/download/s_8114.shtml
>>
>> Hijack This! (Free)
>> http://mjc1.com/mirror/hjt/
>> ( Tutorial: http://hjt.wizardsofwebsites.com/ )
>>
>> SpywareBlaster (Free!)
>> http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/sbdownload.html
>>
>> IE-SPYAD (Free!)
>> https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/ehowes/www/resource.htm
>>
>> ToolbarCop (Free!)
>> http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/toolbarcop.htm
>>
>> Bazooka Adware and Spyware Scanner (Free!)
>> http://www.kephyr.com/spywarescanner/
>>
>> Browser Security Tests
>> http://www.jasons-toolbox.com/BrowserSecurity/
>>
>> Popup Tester
>> http://www.popuptest.com/
>>
>> The Cleaner (49.95 and up)
>> http://www.moosoft.com/
>>
>>That will clean up your machine of the spyware, given
>that you download and
>>install several of them, update them regularly and scan
>with them when you
>>update. Some (like SpywareBlaster and SpyBot Search
and
>Destroy and
>>IESPYAD)
>>have/are immunization utilities that will help you
>prevent your PC from
>>being
>>infected. Use these features!
>>
>>Unfortunately, although that will lessen your popups on
>the Internet/while
>>you are online, it won't eliminate them. I have looked
>at a lot of options,
>>seen a lot of them used in production with people who
>seem to attract popups
>>like a plague, and I only have one suggestion that end
>up serving double
>>duty (search engine and popup stopper in one):
>>
>> The Google Toolbar (Free!)
>> http://toolbar.google.com/
>>
>>Yeah - it adds a bar to your Internet Explorer - but
its
>a useful one. You
>>can search from there anytime with one of the best
>search engines on the
>>planet (IMO.) And the fact it stops most popups - wow -
 
>BONUS! If you
>>don't like that suggestion, then I am just going to say
>you go to
>>www.google.com and search for other options. Please
>notice that Windows XP
>>SP2 does help stop popups as well. Another option is
to
>use an alternative
>>Web browser. I suggest "Mozilla Firefox", as it has
>some great features
>>and is very easy to use:
>>
>> Mozilla Firefox
>> http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/
>>
>>One more suggestion, although I will suggest this in a
>way later, is to
>>disable your Windows Messenger service. This service
is
>not used frequently
>>(if at all) by the normal home user and in cooperation
>with a good firewall,
>>is generally unnecessary. Microsoft has instructions
on
>how to do this for
>>Windows XP here:
>>
>>http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/howto/commu
n
>icate/stopspam.asp
>>
>>
>>SPAM EMAIL/JUNK MAIL
>>--------------------
>>
>>This one can get annoying, just like the rest. You get
>50 emails in one
>>sitting and 2 of them you wanted. NICE! (Not.) What
>can you do? Well,
>>although there are services out there to help you, some
>email
>>servers/services that actually do lower your spam with
>features built into
>>their servers - I still like the methods that let you
be
>the end-decision
>>maker on what is spam and what isn't. If these things
>worked perfectly, we
>>wouldn't need people and then there would be no spam
>anyway - vicious
>>circle, eh? Anyway - I have two products to suggest to
>you, look at them
>>and see if either of them suite your needs. Again, if
>they don't, Google is
>>free and available for your perusal.
>>
>> SpamBayes (Free!)
>> http://spambayes.sourceforge.net/
>>
>> Spamihilator (Free!)
>> http://www.spamihilator.com/
>>
>>As I said, those are not your only options, but are
>reliable ones I have
>>seen function for hundreds+ people.
>>
>>
>>DISABLE (Set to Manual) UNUSED SERVICE/STARTUP APPS
>>---------------------------------------------------
>>
>>I might get arguments on putting this one here, but
it's
>my spill. There are
>>lots of services on your PC that are probably turned on
>by default you don't
>>use. Why have them on? Check out these web pages to
>see what all of the
>>services you might find on your computer are and set
>them according to your
>>personal needs. Be CAREFUL what you set to manual, and
>take heed and write
>>down as you change things! Also, don't expect a large
>performance increase
>>or anything - especially on today's 2+ GHz machines,
>however - I look at
>>each
>>service you set to manual as one less service you have
>to worry about
>>someone exploiting. A year ago, I would have thought
>the Windows Messenger
>>service to be pretty safe, now I recommend (with
>addition of a firewall)
>>that most home users disable it! Yeah - this is
another
>one you have to
>>work for, but your computer may speed up and/or be more
>secure because you
>>took the time. And if you document what you do as you
>do it, next time, it
>>goes MUCH faster! (or if you have to go back and re-
>enable things..)
>>
>> Task List Programs
>>
>http://www.answersthatwork.com/Tasklist_pages/tasklist.ht
m
>>
>> Black Viper's Service List and Opinions (XP)
>> http://www.blackviper.com/WinXP/servicecfg.htm
>>
>> Processes in Windows NT/2000/XP
>> http://www.reger24.de/prozesse/
>>
>>There are also applications that AREN'T services that
>startup when you start
>>up the computer/logon. One of the better description
on
>how to handle these
>>I have found here:
>>
>> Startups
>> http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_content.php
>>
>>
>>That's it. A small booklet on how to keep your
computer
>secure, clean of
>>scum and more user friendly. I am SURE I missed
>something, almost as I am
>>sure you won't read all of it (anyone for that
matter.)
>However, I also
>>know that someone who followed all of the advice above
>would also have less
>>problems with their PC, less problems with viruses,
less
>problems with spam,
>>fewer problems with spyware and better performance than
>someone who didn't.
>>
>>Hope it helps.
>>
>>--
>><- Shenan ->
>>--
>>The information is provided "as is", it is suggested
you
>research for
>>yourself before you take any advice - you are the one
>ultimately
>>responsible for your actions/problems/solutions. Know
>what you are
>>getting into before you jump in with both feet.
>>
>>
>>.
>>
>.
>