Is it true that we can buy a bran new computer with internet connection? On 12/29/10, Waseem <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi all, > excuse me for the long message, I tried to divide it > but actually all the introduced concepts are > intermingled in a way that's too difficult for me to > post each separately. > > > > A few steps immediately after you get your new computer can save you a lot > of time, effort and loss of data later. I'll review my recommendations > > Congratulations! You've received a new computer! > > There are some things you'll want to do to it before you start using it. > > These are things that, later, when all heck breaks lose and the machine > dies, the software crashes or you get a massive malware infection, will save > you lots and lots of grief. > > Every day people lose data, precious memories and valuable time because they > didn't take a few simple steps along the way to prepare. > > And by far the best time to prepare is at the very beginning. > > Disconnect From the Internet > I know you've already connected; you just couldn't help yourself I'm sure. > > I'm the same way. > > But until we've made sure of a couple of safety items, let's pull off the > road for a moment and prepare. > > "Installation disks contain a full copy of Windows that can be installed > from scratch." > > Save the Installation Media > First, collect up all the CDs and DVDs that may have come with your machine, > and put them in a safe place. If you don't, then someday, maybe years from > now, you'll desperately need one and be unable to find it. > > This is also a great time to ensure that you have installation disks, not > just recovery disks. Installation disks contain a full copy of Windows that > can be installed from scratch. Recovery disks do not, and often rely on > information saved on the hard drive - which is fine until the hard drive > itself dies and takes all that information with it. > > If you don't have installation disks, now's the time to get in touch with > the vendor and insist on them - even if they cost a little extra. > > Make a System/Image Backup > Using a tool like Acronis True Image, DriveImageXML or similar, take an > image backup, also sometimes called a full system backup, of your entire > machine. Make sure that this is a backup tool that supports what's called a > "bare metal" restore - the ability to restore to a machine that will not > boot because the hard drive is empty. Usually this requires that you also > create "bootable rescue media" to be used by that software. > > This step is particularly important if you were not given actual > installation media as I mentioned above, and can serve as an alternative > should you not be able to get the installation media. > > The reasoning here is simple: this backup is an image of your machine as you > got it. Should you ever need to start over and reformat/reinstall the > machine, this image backup can be restored to the machine instead to return > it to the exact condition that it's in right now. > > Setup Regular Backups > While you've got your backup software out, take the time now to set up a > regularly scheduled backup. > > Exactly what that looks like will depend on your needs and how you use your > computer, but in general setting up something that backs up your machine > daily is good practice. > > Enable The Firewall & Connect to the Internet > Now that we've got our backup in case anything goes wrong, it's almost time > to connect. > > First, however, make sure that you have a firewall and that it's enabled. > > In most cases if you're connecting through a router, you're done. That > router acts as a perfectly adequate firewall and protects you from random > things that would otherwise attack your machine the moment you connect to > the internet. > > If you don't have a router, simply make sure that the Windows Firewall is > enabled. It should be, by default, but it's well worth checking. > > Once you've confirmed a firewall of some sort - connect. > > Install Security Software > Your computer may well already have come with security software > preinstalled, but you don't have to use it. > > Quite often the pre-installed solutions aren't always the best. Sometimes > they're just fine, other times not so much. Do a little research and decide. > > Then either make sure that the preinstalled security software is configured > and enabled properly, scanning and updating itself automatically, or > download alternatives that you choose and set them up instead. > > If you're unsure, I do have > > The Short-Short Version > Here's my current recommendation for most home and small business users who > don't want to think about it too much: > > · Get a router which will be your firewall, even if you have only > one computer. > > · Install Microsoft Security Essentials as your anti-virus, > anti-spyware and malware scanner. > > · Turn on Windows Automatic Update. > > · Turn on the Windows Firewall when you travel. > > That's it. Good, basic protection in four steps with only one download. > > Microsoft Security Essentials > In the past, I've strongly disrecommended all-in-one solutions. By > "all-in-one" I mean a single program or "security suite" that claims to do > it all: firewall, anti-spyware, anti-virus and often much more all in > package. What I see in reports and questions coming in to Ask! is simply > this: these types of suites typically have or cause more problems than other > alternatives. > > "Microsoft Security Essentials isn't trying to compete against other > products' long feature list - and as a result it wins." > > That strong disrecommendation continues - I've not changed my mind. > > With one exception: Microsoft Security Essentials. > > In a sense, it's not an all-in-one solution like the others. True, it has > anti-virus and anti-spyware but where it differs is that it's not trying to > shovel in all sorts of other features that a) you don't need and b) often > only serve to destabilize your computer. > > Other Good Alternatives > Microsoft Security Essentials might not be the right solution for everyone. > No single product is. > > In addition, even with a good, solid foundation you may also find yourself > needing additional tools at times. The unfortunate but very practical > reality is that no single tool or combination of tools can find all malware > all the time. As a result, you may sometimes need alternatives to bring in > to help out. > > Malwarebytes > by itself. It's not really an anti-virus tool, per se (in fact in their > forums you'll see the support staff regularly recommending anti-virus tools > to install alongside Malwarebytes), and I can't really call it an > anti-spyware tool either. > > But is currently has one of the best track records of removing troublesome > malware quickly and effectively. > > Hence anti-malware. > > Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware comes in two versions: free and pay. The free > version is a fully functional stand-alone manual scanner. The paid version > adds realtime scanning, and scheduled scanning and scheduled updates. > > Anti-Virus > AVG Free and Avira Free are two free solutions that I've come to recommend. > I ran AVG for some time on my primary machine. I have two concerns with > both: > > 1. When you visit their site and download the program, they both try > really, really had to up-sell you to the paid versions. Be persistent, be > careful, and make sure you get the free version - it's the free version that > I'm recommending here. > > 2. AVG Free includes a feature called "LinkScanner" that attempts to > check links on the pages of the sites you visit for phishing and other > malware. I've experienced and also had several reports of this feature > seriously impacting browser performance. I recommend turning it off > immediately. In fact, I recommend turning off any browser intrusive or email > intrusive features on any anti-malware program at the first sign of > problems. > > Anti-Spyware > Spybot Search and Destroy is one of the longest running and highly regarded > anti-spyware tools out there. I wouldn't hesitate to install and use it. > > Also one of the "old guard" is Lavasoft's Ad-Aware. It's had some issues in > years past but as I understand it it's a solid contender once again. My only > concern with Ad-Aware is that being a commercial product (though with a free > version) it does seem to be starting down the road of perhaps trying to do > too much. > > Firewall > For home & business use I recommend the use of any good NAT router as a > firewall. They don't have to be expensive at all, and are one of the > simplest approaches to keeping your computer safe from network-based > threats. If all the computers on the local network side of the router can be > trusted, then no additional software firewall is called for. > > When traveling, I recommend simply turning on the built-in Windows Firewall. > (There's often no harm in leaving it on at home, but it can occasionally get > in the way of some local machine-to-machine activities.) > > I understand that some people feel strongly that an additional software > firewall is still called for in certain circumstances, but in my opinion > those circumstances are infrequent. I do not have a specific product to > recommend, as all of the current software firewalls seem to cause issues, > often serious, from time to time. > > What Else? > I strongly recommend you backup, regularly. In fact, I can't stress this > enough. 99% of the disasters I hear about could be completely avoided simply > by having up to date backups. Acronis TrueImage is the backup software I use > and recommend. > > Keep your computer up to date. That means turning on Windows Update or > making sure to visit the Windows Update web site religiously. The vast > majority of computer infections we hear about are due to the operating > system simply not being kept up to date with the latest available patches. > > Update > Take the time now to update Windows, in particular, and if appropriate any > of the other applications and software installed on your machine. > > For Windows, at a minimum make sure that Automatic Updates is enabled. > > Keeping your software updated is an important part of keeping your machine > safe from viruses, spyware and other malware that exploit vulnerabilities > discovered in the software. > > Save the Product Keys > One more thing to save: the product keys or activation codes. > > On the outside of your machine, or in or on the box that the software came > in will be a product code that you may need to type in if you ever need to > reinstall that software. It's just as important that you keep this code in a > safe place as the discs you'd be using. > > One approach to getting the product keys for most of the software that's > preinstalled on your system is to download and run Belarc Advisor. This tool > will generate a report of many aspects of your machine, including the > Windows Product Key, and the product keys for many of the installed > applications. You can print this and save it, or simply record the > information elsewhere. > > Just remember to keep it in a safe place that when you need to reinstall - > perhaps a couple of years from now - you'll be able to find it. > > Enjoy! > Of course there's always more, but this is a good start putting in some > basic protection and setting up some safety nets that'll help protect your > investment, your data and your time. > > Warm Regards > MohammadWaseemKhan > Land: 01165154282 > Mob: 9213749272 > Emails > [email protected], > [email protected], > [email protected]. > MSN: [email protected] > Skype: sweetboy250 > To unsubscribe send a message to [email protected] with > the subject unsubscribe. > > To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please > visit the list home page at > http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in >
-- Madhav Chandra Das "Every action ends with a reaction" http://madhav-knowledgeresource.blogspot.com/ To unsubscribe send a message to [email protected] with the subject unsubscribe. To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please visit the list home page at http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in
