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This is an assortment of links to sites on the web that have useful troubleshooting
capabilities. Their authors have generously made them available for us, the lowly
surfers, to use. Most of these I know from word of mouth and have used and found
very useful. I hope they work as well for you. If you have any I should add to the list,
drop me an email: you can never have too many good cleanup utilities. Most of these
are free licenses for home users (non-commercial use). The rules of use listed at
their respective sites.
capabilities. Their authors have generously made them available for us, the lowly
surfers, to use. Most of these I know from word of mouth and have used and found
very useful. I hope they work as well for you. If you have any I should add to the list,
drop me an email: you can never have too many good cleanup utilities. Most of these
are free licenses for home users (non-commercial use). The rules of use listed at
their respective sites.
Spyware & Adware:
Spybot - Search & Destroy : Free, but the author does accept donations. Well worth it, if we all chip in a buck or two here
and there hopefully authors will keep making programs like this available for free. This includes an "immunize" feature too
to keep you protected from known hazards.
I run these two one after the other. They compliment each other well. I do always get an entry called DSO from Spybot, but
that doesn't appear to be anything harmful and I know others get it too. Be sure if you have remove something to reboot
immediately after and scan again.
Utilities:
Belarc Advisor: One word says it all. Cool. It tells you what's under the hood without cracking the case. Thank you to
Sherri's sister Cindy for the heads up on this one.
PC Pitstop: Here you can run a full system scan and that gives you recommendations on improving performance. You can
log in anonymously or register for free. It's worth registering because your results are stored so you can compare results
on future scans. You also get a report on how your system compares to like models so you know how your computer is
supposed to be performing.
Google Toolbar: I find this effective at blocking most pop-ups and it's the search engine I usually start with so the features
are worth it to me. You be the judge for yourself.
A note on toolbars, if you are accumulating a collection, uninstall the ones you don't want. Close all the browser windows
and go to Control Panel -> Add/Remove Programs then select the one you want to uninstall and remove it. Reputable ones
will disappear. Less desirable ones linger and you have a job in front of you to clean it up. Start looking for infections and
removal tools.
www.LogMeIn.Com: A newer favorite. It's a very cool utility for accessing your system remotely. I recommend having this in
place before you need it. A broadband connection is needed however. I hope to add Log Me In Rescue services in the
near future. When you contact me I provide you with a six digit passkey that you enter at a website assuming you have an
Internet connection still. I am then able to get in to your computer to troubleshoot your system remotely. This will save time
(and therefore money) as well as allow for even more complete customer service.
Self Help Sites:
MajorGeeks.com: This site contains many, many tools, files and utilities you can use to fix your computer yourself. The
home page explains a lot about the site. Don't be overwhelmed - there is a search box on the bottom of the left hand
column.
Parts: These are just suggestions of where to start looking. Another idea is Ebay.
Ipod Batteries
LCD Screens
Manufacturer Sites: Many have Live Chat available for free even out of warranty. I find these to be more concise
resolutions and without the difficulty of language barriers often encountered on phone support.
HP & Compaq
Dell
Sony
Toshiba
Gateway
Emachines
Canon
Linksys
Netgear
Comcast
AT&T DSL
Spybot - Search & Destroy : Free, but the author does accept donations. Well worth it, if we all chip in a buck or two here
and there hopefully authors will keep making programs like this available for free. This includes an "immunize" feature too
to keep you protected from known hazards.
I run these two one after the other. They compliment each other well. I do always get an entry called DSO from Spybot, but
that doesn't appear to be anything harmful and I know others get it too. Be sure if you have remove something to reboot
immediately after and scan again.
Utilities:
Belarc Advisor: One word says it all. Cool. It tells you what's under the hood without cracking the case. Thank you to
Sherri's sister Cindy for the heads up on this one.
PC Pitstop: Here you can run a full system scan and that gives you recommendations on improving performance. You can
log in anonymously or register for free. It's worth registering because your results are stored so you can compare results
on future scans. You also get a report on how your system compares to like models so you know how your computer is
supposed to be performing.
Google Toolbar: I find this effective at blocking most pop-ups and it's the search engine I usually start with so the features
are worth it to me. You be the judge for yourself.
A note on toolbars, if you are accumulating a collection, uninstall the ones you don't want. Close all the browser windows
and go to Control Panel -> Add/Remove Programs then select the one you want to uninstall and remove it. Reputable ones
will disappear. Less desirable ones linger and you have a job in front of you to clean it up. Start looking for infections and
removal tools.
www.LogMeIn.Com: A newer favorite. It's a very cool utility for accessing your system remotely. I recommend having this in
place before you need it. A broadband connection is needed however. I hope to add Log Me In Rescue services in the
near future. When you contact me I provide you with a six digit passkey that you enter at a website assuming you have an
Internet connection still. I am then able to get in to your computer to troubleshoot your system remotely. This will save time
(and therefore money) as well as allow for even more complete customer service.
Self Help Sites:
MajorGeeks.com: This site contains many, many tools, files and utilities you can use to fix your computer yourself. The
home page explains a lot about the site. Don't be overwhelmed - there is a search box on the bottom of the left hand
column.
Parts: These are just suggestions of where to start looking. Another idea is Ebay.
Ipod Batteries
LCD Screens
Manufacturer Sites: Many have Live Chat available for free even out of warranty. I find these to be more concise
resolutions and without the difficulty of language barriers often encountered on phone support.
HP & Compaq
Dell
Sony
Toshiba
Gateway
Emachines
Canon
Linksys
Netgear
Comcast
AT&T DSL
Useful Links
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