Malware - Detailed sites about viruses, adware, spyware.
Malware/Spyware, etc. - What is my risk for infection?
Virus, Spam, Malware, Spyware - What is the difference?
Internet Explorer keeps opening to a page I didn't set up, or loads pop-up ads or suffers from other abnormal behavior.
My computer is acting strangely but my anti-virus software doesn't find anything.
Should I turn my PC off at night?
4 Ways to Speed Up Your Computer
What is email?
What does the @ mean in an email address?
How should I write an email address? Can I use CAPITAL LETTERS?
What are the country code top-level domains?
What does WWW mean?
What is the difference between the Internet, WWW and email?
What is a domain name?
What is the Internet?
What are the generic top-level domains?
What is a top-level domain?
Windows won't let me delete a folder/file
Q: Malware - Detailed sites about viruses, adware, spyware.
Malware - viruses, worms, spyware, adware - in particular it's prevention, is a subject close to the heart of any Windows PC user. While there are thousands of reputable sites out there that provide valuable information on the subject, we recommend a few that have proven themselves as conduits of relaible, up-to-date information:
A:
Doxdesk One of the original sites about malware, Doxdesk provides the reader with a valuable grounding in the topic of malware.
Spyware Warrior An exhaustive source of information on all aspects of modern malware.
Castle Cops Forum A meeting place frequented by talented volunteers who will help you to resolve malware oriented PC issues.
Q: Malware/Spyware, etc. - What is my risk for infection?
How serious a threat is Malware (spyware, viruses, adware)? Am I at risk, and how can I lower the potential threat level to my system?
A:
Your vulnerability to infection by Viruses, Spyware and Adware depends on several factors.
Your Platform
If you are using a PC running Windows, then you are at risk. (Macintosh computers and PCs running a non-Windows operating system do not have malware problems, primarily because their market share is low enough that it's not worth the effort to write malware for them.)
Exactly how at risk you are depends on two things: how secure your PC is, and your browsing habits. You can minimize the risk by adopting a few healthy computing habits:
Maintain up-to-date software
Ensure you have working, up-to-date firewall and virus software installed. Regularly update both the virus definitions as well as the actual sofware programs. In addition, make sure you regularly update your Windows software via Microsoft Update. Turn on the auto-update features of these programs (recommeded) or perform regular manual updates.
Practice healthy browsing habits
One of the easiest ways to let your system get infected is to download or run something dangerous. Any time you are running new software on your PC, it could be installing something you don't want.
Be aware of software sources
First, do not download or run software from unknown sources. This includes web links or programs sent to you in email or over instant messaging. Even people you trust may be sending you malware, if their own computer is infected; many viruses and worms use buddy lists and address books to send themselves to friends of the original victim.
Do some research before you install
Check into any software you are thinking about installing. Many otherwise 'safe' software can have bundled with it adware or other types of malware. (this can be by design, or via infection after the software is made available on the internet by the author.
Installer beware!
Read the End-User Agreements you are answering YES to when you install a new program. It may actually warn you that it will be installing software beyond what you are expecting (albeit in very small fonts and confusing terminology). Don't install anything that forces you to install another program in order to obtain the functionality you desire.
Consider Internet Explorer alternatives
Internet Explorer (IE) is the most popular browser for Windows because it's built in. This makes it a very popular target for attackers. IE has a history of critical, dangerous security bugs that more easily allow websites install malware onto your PC just by browsing to them.
And third, because Internet Explorer has a feature which lets websites install software, this makes bugs relating to that feature extremely dangerous. It also means that user error can have dire consequences.
It is strongly recommended that users of Windows switch to an alternate browser, such as Firefox or Opera. While these browsers also have security bugs found in them on a regular basis, they are still more secure because these bugs are not as dangerous as the ones in Internet Explorer, and they are addressed and repaired more quickly than IE.
Q: Virus, Spam, Malware, Spyware - What is the difference?
Virus, Spam, Malware, Spyware - These terms are bandied about a great deal these days. But what is the difference between them? Is there a difference?
A:
There are many terms for software and scripts, usually downloaded from the internet without your knowledge, that an wreak havoc on your computer.
Malware is probably the most generic of these terms, and describes any software/script that adversely effects your PC. Malware includes viruses, worms, adware, or spyware.
Viruses and Worms are the most destructive types of malware. Designed by their creator with two objectives: create damage to the end user's computer, and to propogate themselves - i.e., make copies of themselves onto as many host computers as possible. (These programs mimic biological viruses in that propogation is a primary function.)
Spyware Designed to monitor what you do on your computer - this can lead to credit card or identity theft.
Adware shows you unwanted advertising - this typically shows up as pop-up ads or an unwanted homepage.
While designed for different purposes, the end result of infection by any of these programs is the same - they all detrimentally impact the efficiency of your computer, and leave you vulnerable to further infection and problems. Because of this, the root cause of your problem may be difficult to diagnose, as any infiltration potentially 'opens the door' to infection by other unrelated malware.
Q: Internet Explorer keeps opening to a page I didn't set up, or loads pop-up ads or suffers from other abnormal behavior.
A common practice of spammers is to 'hijack' your web browser such as Internet Eplorer - downloading hidden instructions to your PC that overwrite the settings you have set up. This might include forcing the browser to open to a different home page, defaulting to a 'biased' search engine other than your preferred engine, or bypassing the security restrictions you have enabled on your system.
These methods can cause your PC to begin to act strangely: displaying an inordinate number of pop-ups, jumping to web pages for no apparent reason, or more extreme symptoms caused by poor coding on the part of the spammer, such as freezing or rebooting or even severe data loss.
A:
Warning - These instructions are targeted for the more advanced user. Read the instructions carefully before proceeding. If you are uncomfortable performing the steps outlined, DO NOT continue and contact us for assistance!
There are several freeware programs that are targeted specifically towards identifying and removing malware and spyware. Particularly useful are:
SpyBot-Search & Destroy - SpyBot-S&D searches your hard drive for so-called spy- or adbots; little modules that are responsible for the ads many programs display. Many of these modules also transmit information about your surfing behaviour and more to the net.
HijackThis examines certain key areas of the Registry and Hard Drive and lists their contents. These are areas which are used by both legitimate programmers and hijackers. It's up to you to decide what should be removed. Some items are perfectly fine. You should not remove them. Never remove everything. Doing that could leave you with missing items needed to run legitimate programs and add-ins.
There are several on-line forums (TomCoyote Forums, CastleCops Forum) that are frequented by talented volunteers who will help you to decipher your hijack log and assist you in removing unwanted pests.
This program will help you work with the Experts to clean up your system. Again, these forums expect you to have at least a basic understanding of Windows processes, editing the registry and other advanced topics. Do not continue if you are not comfortable with these topics!
Q: My computer is acting strangely but my anti-virus software doesn't find anything.
My computer is acting strangely: rebooting sporadically, freezing up or displaying the BSOD (Blue Screen of Death).
A:
These symptoms could be an indication of many potential problems - faulty or inadequate drivers, hard drive problems, or virus/spyware that has infiltrated your system.
To isolate the problem, run one of the many free virus checkers available online from a reputable source. Compare your results against those provided by your regular antivirus software. We recommend House Call by Trend-Micro. The test is easy to run, and takes roughly 1/2 to 1 hour to examine your entire system.
Q: Should I turn my PC off at night?
Is it better to leave my computer on all the time, or turn it off when I am done using it to save power?
A:
If you use your computer more than a few hours per day, the general consensus is that you NOT turn off your computer at the end of the day. Instead turn off only the monitor to save electricity. Daily power up and down makes the components exposed to high and low temperature cycles that are not good for the life-time of the components, particularly the critical ones such as hard drives, CPU, and memory. The temperature cycle would result in expansion-shrinking cycle for the components. The life-time of electronic components would be increased if they are run at constant temperature with adequate ventilation.
Q: 4 Ways to Speed Up Your Computer
Here are 4 ways you can ensure your computer works at it's top performance level. (Word/PDF Download)
A:
Word Format
PDF Format
Q: What is email?
What is email?
A:
Email is short for "electronic mail". It is a service for sending messages and files from one computer to another computer. The computers can be within one company or anywhere in the world. The messages travel almost instantaneously. Email is also sometimes spelt "e-mail".
Q: What does the @ mean in an email address?
What does the @ mean in an email address?
A:
The symbol @ in English means 'at'. (It is often used for prices: '5 pens @ $1' means '5 pens at a price of $1 each'.) So 'example@englishclub.com' means 'Example at EnglishClub.com'. The symbol @ is usually called the 'at sign' in English.
Q: How should I write an email address? Can I use CAPITAL LETTERS?
How should I write an email address? Can I use CAPITAL LETTERS?
A:
Yes. You can write an email address with CAPITAL LETTERS or with small letters, or with a mixture of the two. It doesn't matter whether you use small letters or capital letters. For example, if someone tells you to write to GoodExample@ENGLISHCLUB.COM, it's okay to write to goodexample@englishclub.com. You can use all the 26 letters of the alphabet, plus hyphens (-), underscore (_) and full stop (.), plus of course the at sign (@). For example, all the following are possible (but of course, you must be sure that the email address exists):
goodexample@englishclub.com
GoodExample@ENGLISHCLUB.COM
good-example@EnglishClub.com
good.example@englishclub.com
GOOD_EXAMPLE@ENGLISHCLUB.COM
Q: What are the country code top-level domains?
What are the country code top-level domains?
A:
There is a 2-letter top-level domain for each country (for example: .FR for France, or .JP for Japan). These are called country code top-level domains or ccTLDs.
Afghanistan AF
Albania AL
Algeria DZ
American Samoa AS
Andorra AD
Angola AO
Anguilla AI
Antarctica AQ
Antigua and Barbuda AG
Argentina AR
Armenia AM
Aruba AW
Australia AU
Austria AT
Azerbaijan AZ
Bahamas BS
Bahrain BH
Bangladesh BD
Barbados BB
Belarus BY
Belgium BE
Belize BZ
Benin BJ
Bermuda BM
Bhutan BT
Bolivia BO
Bosnia-Herzegovina BA
Botswana BW
Bouvet Island BV
Brazil BR
British Indian Ocean Territory IO
Brunei Darussalam BN
Bulgaria BG
Burkina Faso BF
Burundi BI
Cambodia KH
Cameroon CM
Canada CA
Cape Verde CV
Cayman Islands KY
Central African Republic CF
Chad TD
Chile CL
China CN
Christmas Island CX
Cocos (Keeling) Islands CC
Colombia CO
Comoros KM
Congo CG
Cook Islands CK
Costa Rica CR
Croatia (Hrvatska) HR
Cuba CU
Cyprus CY
Czech Republic CZ
Czechoslovakia CS
Denmark DK
Democratic Republic of Congo CD
Djibouti DJ
Dominica DM
Dominican Republic DO
East Timor TP
Ecuador EC
Egypt EG
El Salvador SV
Equatorial Guinea GQ
Estonia EE
Ethiopia ET
Falkland Islands (Malvinas) FK
Faroe Islands FO
Fiji FJ
Finland FI
France FR
France (European Territory) FX
French Guyana GF
French Polynesia PF
French Southern Territories TF
Gabon GA
Gambia GM
Georgia GE
Germany DE
Ghana GH
Gibraltar GI
Greece GR
Greenland GL
Grenada GD
Guadeloupe (French) GP
Guam (US) GU
Guatemala GT
Guinea GN
Guinea-Bissau GW
Guyana GY
Haiti HT
Heard and McDonald Islands HM
Honduras HN
Hong Kong HK
Hungary HU
Iceland IS
India IN
Indonesia ID
Islamic Republic of Iran IR
Iraq IQ
Ireland IE
Israel IL
Italy IT
Ivory Coast (Côte D'Ivoire) CI
Jamaica JM
Japan JP
Jordan JO
Kazakhstan KZ
Kenya KE
Kiribati KI
Kuwait KW
Kyrgyzstan KG
Laos (People's Democratic Republic) LA
Latvia LV
Lebanon LB
Lesotho LS
Liberia LR
Libya (Libyan Arab Jamahiriya) LY
Liechtenstein LI
Lithuania LT
Luxembourg LU
Macau MO
Macedonia MK
Madagascar MG
Malawi MW
Malaysia MY
Maldives MV
Mali ML
Malta MT
Marshall Islands MH
Martinique (French) MQ
Mauritania MR
Mauritius MU
Mexico MX
Micronesia FM
Moldavia MD
Monaco MC
Mongolia MN
Montserrat MS
Morocco MA
Mozambique MZ
Myanmar MM
Namibia NA
Nauru NR
Nepal NP
Netherland Antilles AN
Netherlands NL
Neutral Zone NT
New Caledonia (French) NC
New Zealand NZ
Nicaragua NI
Niger NE
Nigeria NG
Niue NU
Norfolk Island NF
North Korea KP
Northern Mariana Islands MP
Norway NO
Oman OM
Pakistan PK
Palau PW
Panama PA
Papua New Guinea PG
Paraguay PY
Peru PE
Philippines PH
Pitcairn PN
Poland PL
Polynesia (French) PF
Portugal PT
Puerto Rico (US) PR
Qatar QA
Reunion (French) RE
Romania RO
Russian Federation RU
Rwanda RW
Saint Helena SH
Saint Kitts Nevis Anguilla KN
Saint Lucia LC
Saint Pierre and Miquelon PM
Saint Tome and Principe ST
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines VC
Samoa WS
San Marino SM
Saudi Arabia SA
Senegal SN
Seychelles SC
Sierra Leone SL
Singapore SG
Slovak Republic (Slovakia) SK
Slovenia SI
Solomon Islands SB
Somalia SO
South Africa ZA
South Korea KR
Soviet Union SU
Spain ES
Sri Lanka LK
Sudan SD
Surinam SR
Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands SJ
Swaziland SZ
Sweden SE
Switzerland CH
Syria (Syrian Arab Republic) SY
Tajikistan TJ
Taiwan TW
Tanzania TZ
Thailand TH
Togo TG
Tokelau TK
Tonga TO
Trinidad and Tobago TT
Tunisia TN
Turkey TR
Turkmenistan TM
Turks and Caicos Islands TC
Tuvalu TV
Uganda UG
Ukraine UA
United Arab Emirates AE
United Kingdom UK
United States of America US
United States Minor Outlying Islands UM
Uruguay UY
Uzbekistan UZ
Vanuatu VU
Vatican City State VA
Venezuela VE
Vietnam VN
Virgin Islands (British) VG
Virgin Islands (US) VI
Wallis and Futuna Islands WF
Western Sahara EH
Yemen YE
Yugoslavia YU
Zambia ZM
Zimbabwe ZW
Q: What does WWW mean?
What does WWW mean?
A:
WWW are initials that stand for World Wide Web. A 'web' is a network of fibres or cables connecting different points. (Spiders make webs to catch flies.) The Web is one of the services available on the Internet. It lets you access millions of pages through a system of hyperlinks. Because it is 'world-wide', it was originally called the World Wide Web or WWW.
Q: What is the difference between the Internet, WWW and email?
What is the difference between the Internet, WWW and email?
A:
The Internet is the physical system (computers, wires, connections etc). WWW (the World Wide Web) and email are services that you use when connected to the Internet. There are other services on the Internet, such as FTP (File Transfer Protocol) and News Groups.
Q: What is a domain name?
What is a domain name?
A:
A domain name is a unique name used to identify and locate computers on the Internet. A domain name provides an easy-to-remember Internet address, which computers translate into numeric IP (Internet Protocol) addresses used by the Internet. An IP address like 216.205.67.185 is good for computers but difficult for humans to remember. But humans can easily remember a domain name like englishclub.com in http://www.englishclub.com.
Q: What is the Internet?
What is the Internet?
A:
The word 'Internet' is made from the words 'inter-' + 'network'. A network is a collection of fibres or wires connecting various points. The Internet is an international network of millions of computers linked by cable, telephone lines and satellite. It is also sometimes called the 'Net'.
Q: What are the generic top-level domains?
What are the generic top-level domains?
A:
The multi-letter top-level domains (like .COM, .NET, .ORG etc) are called generic top-level domains (gTLDs). Click here for a long list.
Q: What is a top-level domain?
What is a top-level domain?
A:
A top-level domain is the last part of a domain name. In englishclub.com, ".com" is the top-level domain. In englishclub.org.uk, ".uk" is the top-level domain.
Q: Windows won't let me delete a folder/file
When I try to delete a file or folder, Windows refuses to comply; it gives me the error message "The system cannot find the file specified".
A:
There are a few tricks you can try to get Windows to delete a stubborn file or folder:
1. Are you logged in as Administrator? If not, log out and log in as Administrator and try and delete the file/folder.
If that fails:
2. Go to Start, Run, and type "cmd" (without the quotes) and press enter. A console window will open (like an old DOS window).
Navigate to the folder that contains the stubborn file. (use the CD command, i.e. "cd \myfiles\textfiles") If the path contains spaces, wrap everything you type after the CD command in quotes (").
Try a simple delete (DEL command) first. Type DEL filename.xxx (Again wrap the filename in quotes if it contains spaces). If it is a folder you want to remove, first navigate into that folder, delete everthing inside (del *.*). If it has subfolders, you must delete all files in them also - use "del *.* /s" or navigate into each one and repeat the del command. Then navigate back out of the folder you are deleting (cd .. will go up one level at a time). Then type RD foldername.
If no joy, try this:
3. Windows XP uses 2 names for each file/folder; the name you see in windows, and a name with 8 characters max and 3 characters max for an extension (like xxxxxxxx.xxx); to see that name, type this in the command window: dir /x. The system will list all files/folders with both the long and short name (the short name may have a ~ in it like file~01.abc). Repeat the DEL or RD command you used in the previous method (2.) using this short name.
4. If you are deleting a folder and still have problems, try the RD command using the /s flag like "rd /s foldername.
5. You can also try some freeware programs to remove the file/folder:
MoveOnBoot - A freeware program that will move/remove a file when you reboot your pc. Available at http://www.webattack.com/get/moveonboot.html.
ForceDelete - Will try to delete a file/folder immediately (to delete folders make sure you include a "\" at the end of the path you enter). Available at: http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/File-Management/ForceDelete.shtml
If these tricks fail, test for a damaged drive:
6. Windows may have problems seeing a file/folder if you have a corrupted disk (damaged clusters on your hard drive). Test and repair your drive using the tools included in Windows:
-Open Windows Explorer
-Right click on the drive where the questionable file/folder resides (i.e. C:\).
-Select Properties from the Menu that appears.
-Select the "Tools" tab
-Select "Check Now" button under Error Checking
-Select all the Check Boxes and press "Start"
-Windows will warn that it can't test drives that are in use. Answer yes to test/repair the drive at next reboot.
-Reboot your PC. Windows will run a full test and attempt to repair any problems it finds (May take from a few minutes to over an hour depending on the number of errors Windows finds). After the Windows desktop appears again, try and delete the file/folder again.
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