Pensacola Computer Help Technoblog

The past few weeks, I have noticed an alarming increase in email spam that contains links to viruses. Some of the most common ones are “Update for Microsoft Outlook” (contains a link that appears to come from microsoft), “Worldpay CARD transaction confirmation (with a virus attachment), and of course the common “You have received an eCard” (with a link to a virus exe file). For those who don’t know, you should NEVER EVER click on a link in an email. If you are tempted to visit a link sent in an email, manually type the link in your browser, and then only do so if you are sure of the site the link points to. Even if the email came from Mom, or a family member or friend, it doesn’t mean that they actually sent the email. The latest swarm of email worms infects computers then sends emails using the infected computers email accounts to every email address the worm can find on the infected computer.

Email scammers are tricky and will hide the real link inside the link that you normally see in the email. If you are using an email client like Outlook, hover your mouse over the link and you will see a pop-up which shows the real link you will go to if you click it. For example, in an email I recently got, the link started out:  update.microsoft.com/microsoftofficeupdate… when in reality, the actual link was pointing to update.microsoft.com.1ikij.net. If you are using a web based email client like hotmail or yahoo, you can right click on the link (be careful not to actually click the link to open it), then select copy shortcut. You can then paste that link into a document, or address bar to see where it really goes (once again, be careful to not actually go to the link if you paste it into the address bar).

There are some real nasty viruses out there, but honestly, most of the time people only get infected by allowing the virus to infect their machines by doing something like running an .exe file attached to an email, or visiting sites by clicking on unknown links - the link trick can be done even on a Facebook or MySpace page, so be careful of clicking links there as well1

Apple can be pretty sneaky when it comes to hiding things about their computers. While they constantly tout how good they are, how much ‘better’ they are than PC’s, things do slip out, and they should know better than try to shift blame on some things.

Yesterday, MacBook Pro users read that the great Apple was releasing a firmware update that could double the throughput on the SATA interface for their hard drives. This surely must be a good thing <sar> oh wait, hold on a sec, could this be the bait and switch type move ?  Yes, we will double the throughput, that is after we have first cut it in half. Yes Mac Fans, Apple did the okey dokey on you. As reported by macrumors last week, Apple quietly downgraded the SATA interface from 3.0 to 1.5Gbit in some of the new MacBook Pros released last week. Pretty sneaky.

But wait, more information reported on Beta News that Apple has now (after being caught) issued a firmware update that allows users to use drives at faster than the 1.5Gbps transfer rate. Oh, but wait, they also released a tricky disclaimer that reads “This update allows drives to use transfer rates greater than 1.5 Gbps, however Apple has not qualified or offered these drives for Mac portable computers, and their use remains unsupported. All previous and current Apple portables with a SATA drive interface include a SATA 1.5 Gbps hard drive.”

SATA 1.5 Gbps drives are OLD technology as 3.0 Gbps have been around for quite a while and are the standard for most mid to upper range PC’s. So that top of the line technology that you thought you were paying all that money for when you bought your Mac turns out to be less that top of the line.

As if that wasn’t enough, Techtree reported today that MacBook Pro’s are still facing a display distortion issue that has plagued the aluminum unibody MacBook Pros, and is still evident in the newest releases. While Apple blamed these issues on nVidia drivers, they still remained after the driver fix, and Apple has apparently released a firmware update to address the issue , although Techtree reports that even after the firmware update, the issue still remains. Yet another high quality product Apple, way to go <more sarcasm>.

Photos from Techtree showing display distortion.

If you get an email that appears to be inviting you to Twitter, beware! There is a batch of fake Twitter email invitations bombarding email accounts that carries a mass-mailing worm in an attached zip file. Once a user unzips the file the worm activates, searches the infected computer for email addresses, then sends out emails with copies of the worm to the addresses it finds. It also searches for pre-programmed websites which contain instructions to download more malware to the infected machine.

The header on the email invite reads:
From: invitations@twitter.com
Subject: Your friend invited you to twitter!

The worm has been identified as Ackantta.B

I have been working on computers for many years, and in my experience, those who know IT and computers stay away from Norton’s security products. Back in the day, Norton’s had some good products (and by back in the day, I mean like Windows 3.1), but over the years, their products have not only become overbloated so much that they really slow systems down, but they have also become a target for virus and malware writers. I can’t tell you how many machines I have run across that were running a Norton’s security product that indicated the system was fine, that in fact was seriously infected with all manners of malware and viruses.

The real scary thing is computer companies that actually recommend or sell customers this product, knowing full well of it’s vulnerabilities. While it isn’t the worst product out there, and it can protect peoples systems from some things, because of the fact that Symantec (which makes Norton’s) has deals with most computer manufacturers to put a trial of their product on a majority of new computers, virus and malware writers target it specifically with code written to disable it, work around it, or just blow right through it.

While the companies that sell Norton’s will provide customers with all kinds of fancy detection rates, and articles on how good Norton’s is, all I can say is that when I work on a machine that has Norton’s, and it’s programs indicate that everything is fine, and then I remove Norton’s and install some free antivirus and antispyware products and find over 2000 infection signatures, that indicates a real problem with Norton’s ability to protect a computer. This isn’t something that I have run into just once, but rather many times, and the sad thing is how much people have paid to protect their computers only to find out that they have been severly compromised.

It seriously irks me that computer shops actually sell Norton’s to their customers when they know darn well that it is inadequate protection. Some even offer guarantees, but no guarantee is worth squat once your data and computer has been compromised - sure, they might clean your computer for free, but what about the cost of your credit card numbers being stolen, your computer being in an unusable state for a period of time?

I actually had to laugh at some advice I saw on how to make sure your computer system doesn’t get infected. While some of the advice was good, it was incomplete and more of a scare tactic. One thing it said was to never ever go to any ‘adult’ sites. While it is true that many ‘adult’ oriented sites can harbor malware, the real truth today is that sites such as Facebook and MySpace are much more dangerous in terms of the risk of getting your computer infected with malware.

It should be noted that this is my opinion based upon my own experiences, and while I’m sure that some will disagree and swear by Norton’s, I am not one of them (I often swear because of Norton’s, but not for it

Microsoft has officially announced that Windows 7 will hit retail markets on October 22nd. In addition they will shortly be announcing the final details regarding a Windows 7 upgrade option for people buying new computers between the end of June and October. Right now it looks like anyone who purchases a new computer that has Vista Home Premium, Vista Business, or Vista Ultimate after the end of June will recieve a free or deeply discounted copy of Windows 7 when it is released. Hopefully Microsoft will open up on the exact details soon. One thing to note though - don’t expect any free or discounted upgrades on netbooks as most are currently running Windows XP which will not be part of the upgrade promotion (however, Windows 7 will certainly run, and run well on most netbooks currently on the market).

I have been running Windows 7 for many months now and must say that it is very stable, seems quicker than Vista in many tasks, and is definitely more secure than XP and even Vista. It has quite a few new features, and while some people seem to always resist change, the changes in Windows 7 seem really to help productivity and ease many common tasks.

Netbooks, the latest craze in laptop computers are everywhere it seems. The low prices and small form factor are big selling points, and many retailers are jumping on the bandwagon by promoting these inexpensive computers, and selling a boatload of them. But wait, before you rush out to buy one, there are some things you should know, and perhaps hold off for a while before purchasing one. First, the hardware they run on is definitely low end - hence the low prices. These machines only run Windows XP or Linux, most have low end Celeron or Atom processors, 1 GB of RAM, and various sized harddrives. Most do not come with CD/DVD drives, although most will accept USB flash drives and have SD type card slots. Some even have nice extras like web cams and most have built in wireless. Some also come with the latest SSD hard drives (these are solid state hard drives which have no moving parts, are much better at handling shocks like acccidental drops and have a long life expectancy).

So why wait? Well for one, Windows 7 is just around the corner, and most of these machines should run quite well on it. Vista is a bit too demanding for them, hence the outdated Windows XP which is on most of them. While XP is certainly a good operating system, it is almost 9 years old and just doesn’t have a lot of the newer features which you really need on a computer these days (sure, lots of people will argue that XP works just fine for them, however the computing world and the internet are both changing rapidly, and having a new OS will certainly help adapt to upcoming changes).  I recently purchased an EEE netbook with a Celeron processor, 1 GB of RAM and a 16GB SSD drive, and I can pleasantly report that Windows 7 Ultimate edtion runs fantastic on it. In many respects it runs better on Windows 7 than the XP version that it came with, and while I wouldn’t recommend it for serious multitasking or gaming, for a netbook it does everything it is supposed to. Windows 7 offers a much better level of security, as well as a host of new features such as much improved networking as well as integration with the new features found in Server 2008 which many business users will be able to take advantage of.

Hopefully we will begin to see netbooks with Windows 7 pre-installed by the 4th quarter of this year, so it might be prudent to wait until then if you are considering one. If you must get one now, be aware that the Atom processors are actually slower in real time speed than a number of their Celeron counterparts (even if their numbers appear higher).

While I normally just write about the geek stuff, I though I would write about a great experience I had at a new Verizon wireless store here in Pensacola on Navy Blvd (right next to Blockbuster and Walmart).  I have always had to travel to the malls or down to 9 mile road to get stuff for my Verizon service, and I was pleasantly surprised to find a new Verizon store so close to home. Unlike the mall stores, this is a franchise store and I must say the people that run this one are friendly and are a shining example of what good customer service is.

Upon entering the store I was greeted warmly and immediately felt comfortable - no high pressure stuff, but people who were willing to help me with whatever I wanted while not hovering over me (I hate those salespeople who just hover over you).  They even offered me a cup of coffee, which was a nice touch. I spoke for quite a while to both the people who were working there - the owner, and a very intelligent and friendly young lady who both answered all of my questions and really made me feel welcome in their store. The thing I liked the most was that these were people who believed in customer service, and talking with customers as people instead of just the ‘buy something now’ attitude you find in too many places today.

I love that they put their store here, and I encourage anyone who is already a Verizon customer as well as anyone looking for a new phone or cell service to visit them - you won’t be disappointed, and I think you be pleased with the excellent customer service. They have a full selection of phones and accessories, and unlike the chain providers, they specialize in just Verizon and are ready to help people in a warm and friendly atmosphere.

I recently had someone bring me their computer to fix that had installed one of those ‘Registry Cleaners’ that they believed would help speed up their computer. In fact, what it did was make their computer unusable. While it is possible that a registry cleaner could slighltly speed up a computer, in most cases anything it would do would not bring any perceptible performance increase, and more importantly, using it could totally FUBAR your computer.

A registry cleaner is designed to find error entries in the Windows Registry (the registry is a database that tells Windows where parts of programs are, basically a roadmap and index of what is installed on your computer, preferences, etc). Unfortunately, due to the nature of the registry, if you change or remove the wrong thing, you can totally screw up Windows. If you have ever read tech instructions on modifying the registry, you have probably seen the warnings that state: “WARNING: Modifying the registry can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. ” There is a reason for these warnings!

Generally, modifying the registry, whether it be manually or through the use of a so called ‘registry cleaner’ should only be done if you understand how the registry works, and the implications of making changes. Although you may run one of these cleaners, and it may tell you that there are hundreds or even thousands of errors - in all likelyhood, fixing them will not really speed up your system noticeably, and all it takes is one mistake removal by the software to totally scew up your system. In the end, it just isn’t worth the risk.

Microsoft has now officially released Windows 7 RC as a free download to the public. It is available here: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/download.aspx

The RC version is the final step towards the release version which should be available some time later this year. The RC expires on June 1, 2010, but begins the expiration process on March 1, 2010, so plan to either revert back to an earlier version of Windows, or install the release version by then.

Windows 7 offers quite a few new features, and if your computer runs Vista, it should have no driver/hardware issues with Windows 7. Be aware that this is a release candidate and does still have some minor bugs - but in my experience so far, it actually performs better than Vista, and is more stable despite a few minor annoyance bugs.

The download is only the Ultimate version, which comes with the ability to run a new feature called XP mode if your computer hardware has the correct virtualization features. More info on this feature is available here: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/download.aspx

Next week Microsoft will make available Windows 7 Release Candidate (otherwise known as buid 7100), this is the next step towards a final release which hopefully will happen before the end of the year. So, should you try it? If you like technology, are comfortable installing an Operating System, then by all means I think you should give it a shot. Not only will you be able to have a foot in the door once it is finally released, but in my experience testing so far, Windows 7 has proven incredibly stable and performs very well (better than Vista in many cases).

Of course you should have a Vista ready machine with current hardware and drivers (while you can upgrade a current Vista installation, a fresh installation is always preferred and recommended). If you have enough free hard drive space you can easily create a new partition and dual-boot both Vista and Windows 7. Microsoft has done things right this time, and they say that any hardware that will run on Vista will run on Windows 7, and in my experience so far, this is true. As a matter of fact, the out of box driver support is excellent for most common hardware (Windows 7 even auto installed my Brother Printer drivers!)

There are plenty of new features which are well worth taking a look at in Windows 7 including Library folders, a redesigned task bar, a new feature called jump lists which lets you pin things to the task bar. It also comes with Internet Explorer 8 (and even the ability to remove it from use). Media Center has undergone a pleasant facelift as well as Windows Explorer - even Word Pad and Paint now sport the ribbon interface seen in Microsoft Office 2007.

While there are still a few last minute bugs to be squashed, I haven’t seen anything critical that would stop someone from making this an every day operating system. For the uber-geeks, Windows 7 now also support multi-touch for touch screens which is very cool. There are also some great improvements in networking which make connecting to wireless, hotspots, and mobile broadband much easier - under the hood are also some very cool features like VPN Reconnect and great integration with Server 2008 R2 which will be released at the same time as Windows 7. In addition, the upper end versions (Pro, Ultimate, and Enterprise) will come with a very cool virtualization feature which will allow running older programs in an included fully licensed version of Windows XP Service Pack 3 which runs in a virtual machine (certain hardware requirements apply).

Microsoft has indicated that Windows 7 Release Candidate will be available to beta-testers, MSDN and Technet subscribers later this week, with the general public being able to get a hold of it starting May 5th. The release candidate supposedly has an expiration date of June of 2010, which should allow people to easily run it until the final version is released.