Strange Clicking Sounds

For Windows 9.xx to Windows XP/Vista & MAC Tip # 0015

Perhaps when you are tapping away on your keyboard you have heard strange clicking sounds emanating from your tower or laptop. Hopefully not, but if you are now hearing this clicking noise, then it is time to take some preventative measures. Why? Well, this particular noise usually indicates that your computer’s Hard Drive (HD) is about to fail.
Like human failure, you can always learn from it, and success is usually built on failure. In this case, you can learn without failing. Sort of a pre-emptive kind of success.
If you have never had a hard drive failure, I am pleased for you. If you have, you know what I am going to suggest. To wit, Back Up All your data, information and files onto another drive. I suggest you do it now.
The easiest way to do this is by transferring (backing up by another name) you data to either CD or DVD disks. If your machine has the capability to write on DVD (most late model Windows XP, Vista and Apple machines have DVD burners) then I suggest using this medium. If not, not to worry, your CD burner will do fine, it will just take you a bit longer and require more CD disks.
For windows users what I suggest is the following:
Click on your Windows Start button (that button on the left side of your window) it will open your Windows Menu. Unless you have a customised button, there will be on the right side of the menu a heading that says: “Computer”
Click on Computer and a pop-up screen will show you the various drives that you have on your machine. Most likely your hard drive will be labelled “C:”
Right click on the “C:” drive and choose “Properties”. You will see a display that provide you with a diagram and information on a pie chart which will tell you how much used space you have and how much free space you have. Write down this information on a piece of paper.
I am sure some of our loyal Bulldog readers may be wondering why the computer Guy is suggesting paper. Well, it is simple. When it comes to important or essential information, tech aficionados will tell you the two most essential pieces of equipment are a piece of paper and a pen or pencil. So, you will be sure to have this essential information in case of need.
Now depending on whether you will be ‘burning’ or ‘ripping’ (creating a copy on a CD or DVD of files) on CD or DVD will determine your next step.
For CD’s: divide the number you wrote down for ‘Used Space” and divide by 700. It should come out to about 14 disks per 10 Gb (gigabit).
For DVD’s: divide the number for “Used Space” by 4 (or if you have a dual burner 8).

Line up the required number of disks, for example 14 and write Disk 1, Disk 2, Disk 3 etc.
Then place disk 1 in your CD Burner or DVD Burner. In most case it will be the place where you put DVD’s or CD’s when you play them.
Return to the pop-up menu (“C: Properties) and chose the tools and choose the Back Up file and click where it says: “Now”.
Follow this procedure until the required numbers of disks are ‘written’ to (transferred) and that will be that.
Now even if your computer ‘dies’ ,‘crashes’ or a combination thereof you will have all you data, safe and sound.
What I suggest is that if you do not already have a backup set of your data, do this now even if you don’t hear anything clicking. It is always an essential part of digital hygiene to have a good and recent back-up of your information and data.
Label your disks (you can use a magic marker for this) “Full Backup” of my computer (or Jim’s machine –whatever you wish). Write this on each copy and then put these disks in a safe place.
Now when your hard drive ‘dies’ it will only be a minor inconvenience instead of a major disaster. I guarantee it.
In fact, let me suggest that even if you do not hear a clicking noise, and do not have a regular back-up system, either with a separate Hard Drive or disks, this is a good time to make a Full Back Up. Sooner or later you will be very glad you did. You can buy the disks for CD’s and DVD’s for about 10 bucks wherever electronics are sold. A separate external Hard Drive will set you back around $80 to $100 bucks.
Depending on your budget, it will be inexpensive and relatively easy. If you do not already have a back-up plan (say once a week on Sunday) I strongly recommend you make a plan now and stick to it.
You will be glad you did.
So, as always, should you have any questions or problems, feel free to eMail me @: guygriscom@gmail.com.

Is That eMail Attachment Infected?

For Windows 9.xx to Windows XP/Vista & MAC Tip # 0014

An eMail arrives with an attachment. With all the cautions and warnings you have received, you are aware that perhaps that eMail with an attachment you just received might contain a virus or spy-ware. What do you do? Well, the standard suggestion is just delete anything from anyone you don’t know. That is not always necessary or even a good idea.
And sometimes a virus can arrive from someone you do know. If you have a good deal of traffic as I do, I also receive mails from people who I might not know but in fact the attachment is something that may be useful, of interest, even important. Is there any way to scan an eMail attachment before you open it?
The answer I am pleased to report is Yes. In fact there is an easy way to find out if it is safe or not.
Here is a simple way to scan any attachment (limit 10MB) and insure it will not do any harm to your computer:
1. Forward that email message with the file attachment intact to scan@virustotal.com
2. Write SCAN in the Subject field of the forwarded message and delete the full body of the message. Now, hit “Send”.
3. You should receive a virus report in your in-box very shortly.
Within a few minutes you will receive a report from the nice people at Virustotal.com and it will tell you whether there is any virus or Trojan hiding in the attachment. In my tests it took less than 5 minutes with the usual response time being around 2 minutes.
As long as the report comes back with “nothing found” from each service, you can now open the attachment without concern.
One nifty aspect of the service is it passes your attachment through most all of the best anti-virus programmes including AVG, F-Secure, Norton, McAfee, Panda, Avast and Microsoft to name a few.
This is a handy effective tool. It is particularly useful if you are using dial-up.
Suppose though, you have already downloaded a file to your hard drive which you are not sure about. Not a problem. Simply go to the following URL: http://www.virustotal.com/.
You will see their main page and in the middle you will see “Upload a file”. Below you will see “Browse”. Click on browse and chose the file from the location on your hard drive. The Virus Total programme with then upload your programme to their site. You will be notified how many people are in front of you and an approximate time you will have to wait. Then your file will be filtered through 32 individual virus and Trojan detectors. Keep your browser open until the programme is finished.
[Note: this can take a while. Even with broadband it can take 10 through 15 minutes. I suggest if you are using dial up, you send the file (under 10 MB) as an eMail attachment.]
When the programme is finished you can see on the Virus Total page the status of your file. It will tell you if any of the programmes detected a problem. If not you will have a degree of certainty that all is well with this particular file. Remember there is no such thing as absolute security and there is always a remote chance that a new and undetected virus or Trojan may be present, but after this multiple scan I would say the chances are very remote. Personally I would be very comfortable opening a file after this scrutiny.
If one of more programmes does detect a virus or Trojan, then I suggest you immediately run a full virus scan using the anti-virus programme of your choice.
Of course the use of either or both of these utilities comes at my favourite price, nothing, zilch, nada, zippp; it is free.
Now, dear Bulldog readers, you may have heard the news. This will be the last print edition of the Daily Bulldog. Sad I know. The great news is The Daily Bulldog will be available from here on out on the web at: http://dailybulldog.com/.
I will still be writing my monthly column which will be available in the on-line version of the Daily Bulldog. It will also be available at the following site: http://bulldogtipstricks.blogspot.com/.
If you have not already done so, I suggest you use the ‘Favourites’ selection in Microsoft’s Internet Explorer or the “Bookmarks” selection in Firefox and save both The Daily Bulldog’s URL and the Tips and Tricks URL so they will both be readily and easily assessable.
I would like to thank all my readers over the past year or so, and especially the readers who have written to me either to thank me or with a computer problem. It has been a wonderful experience for me. Your questions and comments are important to me so I hope I shall be hearing more from you all in the coming year. It has been a privilege and a lot of fun serving you in print and I look forward to continuing to serve you on line.
In addition to my monthly column, I will be posting articles, virus warnings and tech suggestions as they come up. If there is anything tech you would like to know more about send me your suggestions.
See you on the web.
As always you can reach me at: guygriscom@gmail.com

The OMG Moment- I Deleted Something Important

For Windows 9.xx to Windows XP/Vista Tip # 0013

We have all done it. We back up and make backups of backups, but sooner or later anyone who uses a computer will inadvertently delete a file they didn’t mean to.
What I refer to as an ‘Oh My God!’ moment. The instant we realise something of use was by accident, or stroke of the wrong key – sometimes without even realising it – something was deleted that you’d like to undelete. The moment when you silently – in my case sometimes not so silently – say to yourself, “I can’t believe I did that.” This is one of those cases though that our misery does not want company; we want our file back. Now!
The first and most obvious solution of course is to open your Recycle Bin – by default located on your Windows desktop. This is where all deleted items go on the way to eventual digital oblivion. Many times something that was deleted is still in the trash. And it may not yet have been permanently deleted. If this is the case, the fix is simple. Open up your Recycle Bin and highlight the item you would like to restore, and right click choose Restore. The problem is resolved.
More often though, the items was disposed of and was cleaned out during a regular cleaning. This is a bit trickier. But it is not the end of your options.
There is a great freeware programme aptly called Restoration. It was created for just this eventuality. It is simple and well written and I have found it works remarkably well.
It can be downloaded as a zip file from the following location: http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_download/fid,23108-page,1-c,filemanagement/download.html
A long URL, I know. I suggest you go to the on-line version of Tip and Tricks, located here:
http://bulldogtipstricks.blogspot.com/.
This is a zip file which is geek-speak for a compressed file. If you don’t already have a Zip File extractor, you can download a version of WinZip at: http://www.winzip.com/downwz.htm. I know they seem to be trying to sell it to you, but you can download it and install it for free. It will work just fine. Don’t be alarmed by the price-tag, just download and install. Don’t register it or do any further follow-up. If you get to a place where they ask for billing or credit card information, just close out the browser and go back. You only need to download it and run it. Ignore all other requests.
All right, back to Restoration. This is a fast download (even with dial-up). Save it to your Hard Drive in your downloaded files – and then right click to extract it.
Once extracted, open the file titled Restoration.exe. Right click or double click to run the programme. Almost instantly Restoration will pop up. It has a simple interface. Restoration will locate your main hard drive location and list it on the top right corner of the programme. Usually it will be C:.
Now it is time to search for your missing file. The more precise you are with the name, the better you chances are.
Take a moment and try to remember, was it Letter to Auntie B or Aunt B letter?
Whatever your best guess is, enter it in the space that says, All of Part of The File. Now, Click on Search Deleted Files. Restoration will try its very best to find your deleted file. If successful, it will list it to the left with details. You may find there is more than one. Use the Restore by Copying button. That is it. Your deleted file will now be restored.
If you get no result the first time, go back and put in your best guess for the file name and below the Search Deleted Files, you will see a check box for include even if the file size is zero. Check it, and hit the Search button.
I cannot guarantee your missing file will be found, but this is a terrific programme and if it is easily retrievable, your file will be back in no time.
Restoration is a handy utility. I suggest you keep a copy around. It is easy to copy to a floppy, CD or thumb drive. It is simple, easy to use and of course it is free.
This will resolve many of your OMG moments, I hope.
Restoration has not been updated in quite a while but I checked it on the various Windows platform from Win98 to Vista. It worked well for me on all versions.
Sooner or later, I can almost guarantee you will find this programme useful and for some it will seem to be a godsend.
As always, dear Bulldog readers, let me know if this helped or if you have any questions.
You can reach me at: guygriscom@gmail.com

The Best Free Anti-Virus Programme

For Windows 9.xx to Windows XP/Vista Tip # 0012

I have received a number of questions in the past few months about which anti-virus programmes are the best and most effective. Many people are familiar with Norton and McAfee which come pre-installed on many new computers, along with AOL and other less-than-useful programmes.
These anti-virus programmes usually come with a ‘free’ 30 or 45-day trial period before you must pay annual fees for their cumbersome security suites. For a variety of reasons, these anti-virus programmes that you must pay for are in many cases actually not as effective as some excellent and free anti-virus programmes.
So, here is my recommendation for the best free anti-virus programme. It is free for individuals and non-profit use. Like many other anti-virus programmes there are usually more than one offering, with at least one that is free. I use Grisoft’s AVG anti-virus programme.
You can find the free version at this link: http://free.grisoft.com/doc/2/. When you are on this download page, choose the version on the far right; ‘AVG Anti-Virus Free’. Click on the download on the bottom right. You will be re-directed to CNET’s download page for this programme. Click on the download option. Depending on your connection speed your download will be between 5minutes and 45minutes (for dial-up).
You will be asked whether you wish to ‘run’ or ‘save’ the programme. Chose ‘save’ and save it to your MyDownLoad file, I save it to MyDownloadFiles/AVG.
Once downloaded open the file and run and install the programme. It will then be installed on your machine. A four coloured icon will show up on the bottom right hand corner of your window. Right click on the icon and choose the bottom option ‘Check for Updates’. A pop-up will appear chose ‘Internet’. This will update your anti-virus protection to the latest version. You should check this at least once a week (more frequently is always best).
Now your machine will be protected and even your eMails will be scanned for malicious and uninvited programmes and malware. And dear Bulldog readers it comes at my favourite price, free.
The added benefit is your machine will not be overcome with intrusive and complicated programmes. Many people do not realise that when they buy a new machine with ‘included’ anti-virus programmes that they are good only for a short period of time and then must be switched to the ‘paid for’ versions. I see on a regular basis machines infected with a variety of viruses. People think (correctly so in my opinion) that since the machine came with an anti-virus programme their machines are indefinitely protected. Sadly this is not the case.
Another question I have heard raised recently concerns the related ‘spy-ware’ programmes. Many of my regular readers will recall my recommendation of “Spybot Search and Destroy” – tip number 006 – some months back. There is confusion about whether or not an anti-virus programme will protect you from spy-ware. The answer is no.
What I recommend is that you have both an anti-virus programme and a spy-ware detector like Spybot Search and Destroy. The anti-virus is by far the most important to keep regularly up-dated and up-to-date. Depending on how often you use your machine you should run the spy-ware programme about every two weeks or so. What I recommend is you chose a day – I do a thorough system check every Sunday night – to run a full anti-virus check. Then every two-weeks or so, run a thorough spy-ware check. This should protect you from all but the most malicious and devious virus and spyware. And your computing should be relatively problem free.
A special note. For Windows users, select and allow the automatic windows update programme. Microsoft generally releases new updates and security fixes on the first Tuesday of every month. For those of you running Windows XP and more importantly VISTA you will want these up-dates as they not only improve security but insure your machine will run well.
As always dear Bulldog readers let me know if you have any specific questions relating to this column or any of your computer questions. I can be reached at: guygriscom@gmail.com.
You can read older Tips and Tricks at: http://bulldogtipstricks.blogspot.com/.