Category: Tips & Info

Tips & Info Category

Benefit Concert for Hurricane Sandy Victims

If you’ve been watching the coverage of Hurricane Sandy and wondering how to help, you’ll have a chance to pitch in on Friday.

“Hurricane Sandy: Coming Together,” a benefit concert to aid victims of the storm that devastated the Northeast, will air at 8 p.m. ET on the networks of NBC Universal.

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Jon Bon Jovi, Sting, Christina Aguilera and Billy Joel will perform in the show, which will be hosted by TODAY’s Matt Lauer. Brian Williams and Jimmy Fallon will make appearances, too.

Money collected will be donated to the American Red Cross relief efforts. The special will air Friday at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, USA Network, SyFy, MSNBC, CNBC, Bravo, E!, Style Network, G4 and more. It will also be live streamed on NBC.com.

The American Red Cross is providing shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance to those affected by disasters like Hurricane Sandy. To donate, visit RedCross.org, call 1-800-RED-CROSS or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

Save Your Place In Word With Macros

Save your place in word a document using macros!

Takeaway: Use these two simple Word macros to temporarily bookmark a spot you want to return to later.

Large documents offer a few navigating challenges, especially when you need to jump back and forth between two areas. You could split the document, but that splits the screen and that might not be the right solution for you. Or, you could use any of the normal navigation tools and shortcuts, but it’s easy to get lost that way. Using VBA, you can insert a bookmark that acts as a placeholder. Then, when you’re ready to return, a single quick click is all that’s required.

This technique requires two quick macros, which follow:

Public Sub InsertBookmark ()

‘Insert bookmark for srz.

Call Bookmarks.Add(“srz”, Selection.Range)

End Sub

Public Sub ReturnToBookmark ()

‘Return to previously inserted bookmark.

ActiveDocument. Bookmarks(“srz”).Range.Select

End Sub

To add the macros, press [Alt]+[F11] to launch the Visual Basic Editor (VBE). In the Project Explorer, find ThisDocument for the current document. Then, enter the two sub procedures shown above.

Next, return to the document and add the macros to the Quick Access Toolbar (QAT), as follows:

From the QAT dropdown, choose More Commands.
From the Choose Commands From dropdown, choose Macros.
In the list on the left, find InsertBookmark.
Click Add to add the macro to the list of commands on the right.
With the macro still selected, click Modify.
In the resulting dialog, enter Mark in the Display Name control, and click OK. You could also change the macro’s display icon.
Repeat steps 3 through 6 to add ReturnToBookmark to the list on the right and add the display name, Return.
Click OK.

In Word 2003, drag the macros to the toolbar as follows:

Launch the Customize dialog box by double-clicking a toolbar or menu or by choosing Customize from the Tools menu.
Click the Commands tab.
Choose Macros from the Categories list.
Find InsertBookmark in the Commands list and drag it to the toolbar.
Find Return ToBookmark and drag it to the toolbar.
Click Close.

Using the macros is simple.

South Jersey Techies A High Quality VOIP Provider

South Jersey Techies

South Jersey Techies is a high quality VOIP provider.

Our VOIP Solutions let you combine voice and data into a single, easy to manage service and helps you focus on your business, not your network and phone systems.

You can control how your calls are routed from a simple, web based portal accessible from any browser in the world. Use the Find-me/Follow-me feature to make sure you never miss another important call, no matter where you are. With this premium level feature, you get to decide which business calls get through to you at your desk, your cell phone or even at home if you like. You also get to decide which callers go directly to voice mail without even ringing your line.

South Jersey Techies offers a wide range of VOIP Phone Services. We also offer cheaper, simpler plans that include both local and nationwide long distance calling.

With our hosted VoIP solution there is no expensive PBX equipment in your office to go down, fail or get damaged during a storm. Only your IP phone handsets reside in your office, and those can be easily taken out and moved at any time.

“Go VOIP – Go Green – it has a good ring to it don’t you think”

South Jersey Techies VoIP systems are more energy efficient and help reduce the need for work related travel and car usage. Our VOIP Solutions also help reduce paper usage. A great example of this is the fax to e-mail system enabling your company to save on paper usage as the fax no longer has to be printed out, and this applies to both incoming and outgoing faxes.

South Jersey Techies VOIP Advantages:

Lower Costs: Save money by combining your phone and data networks
Greater Functionality
Less maintenance
Excellent Voice Clarity and Call quality
Free calling features with optional advanced features
Mobility: The ability to use your smartphone as an extension of the office phone system, including the ability to have business calls automatically directed to your cell phone and make outbound calls from your smartphone as your office number.
Portability: The ability to use any computer or office phone as your personal extension.
Flexibility: The ability to redesign your phone system on the fly by simply logging into your VoIP provider’s dashboard.

For more information please visit out websites below, we look forward to serving you:

http://southjerseytechies.net/voip.php

http://www.sjtechies.com/voip-phone-services/

Warm Laptop on your legs can cause skin damage!

CHICAGO — Have you ever worked on your laptop computer with it sitting on your lap, heating up your legs? If so, you might want to rethink that habit.

Doing it a lot can lead to “toasted skin syndrome,” an unusual-looking mottled skin condition caused by long-term heat exposure, according to medical reports.

In one recent case, a 12-year-old boy developed a sponge-patterned skin discoloration on his left thigh after playing computer games a few hours every day for several months.

“He recognized that the laptop got hot on the left side; however, regardless of that, he did not change its position,” Swiss researchers reported in an article published Monday in the journal Pediatrics.

Another case involved a Virginia law student who sought treatment for the mottled discoloration on her leg.

Dr. Kimberley Salkey, who treated the young woman, was stumped until she learned the student spent about six hours a day working with her computer propped on her lap. The temperature underneath registered 125 degrees.

That case, from 2007, is one of 10 laptop-related cases reported in medical journals in the past six years.

The condition also can be caused by overuse of heating pads and other heat sources that usually aren’t hot enough to cause burns. It’s generally harmless but can cause permanent skin darkening. In very rare cases, it can cause damage leading to skin cancers, said the Swiss researchers, Drs. Andreas Arnold and Peter Itin from University Hospital Basel. They do not cite any skin cancer cases linked to laptop use, but suggest, to be safe, placing a carrying case or other heat shield under the laptop if you have to hold it in your lap.

Salkey, an assistant dermatology professor at Eastern Virginia Medical School, said that under the microscope, the affected skin resembles skin damaged by long-term sun exposure.

Major manufacturers including Apple, Hewlett Packard and Dell warn in user manuals against placing laptops on laps or exposed skin for extended periods of time because of the risk for burns.

View full sizeAP Photo/HO via PediatricsA 12-year-old boy with evidence of “toasted skin syndrome” on his left leg caused by exposure to high temperatures while spending a great deal of time playing video games with a laptop resting on his legs.

A medical report several years ago found that men who used laptops on their laps had elevated scrotum temperatures. If prolonged, that kind of heat can decrease sperm production, which can potentially lead to infertility. Whether laptop use itself can cause that kind of harm hasn’t been confirmed.

In the past, “toasted skin syndrome” has occurred in workers whose jobs require being close to a heat source, including bakers and glass blowers, and, before central heating, in people who huddled near potbellied stoves to stay warm.

Dr. Anthony J. Mancini, dermatology chief at Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago, said he’d treated a boy who developed the condition from using a heating pad “hours at a time” to soothe a thigh injured in soccer. Mancini said he’d also seen a case caused by a hot water bottle.

He noted that chronic, prolonged skin inflammation can potentially increase chances for squamous cell skin cancer, which is more aggressive than the most common skin cancer. But Mancini said it’s unlikely computer use would lead to cancer since it’s so easy to avoid prolonged close skin contact with laptops.

To view the full article Click Here

How to Clean Common Computer Parts and Devices

From dusty computer fans to fingerprints on compact discs, computer parts and devices can get awfully dirty from normal everyday use or when left sitting unused. The best way to have any computer component cleaned is to have it professionally serviced, but if you no longer have a service warranty, or if you picked up a second-hand item and want to clean it to see if it even works, here are some tips on how to clean some common items.
General Precautions

When working around electronics there are some precautions you should always take when cleaning:

* The best way to clean any computer component or device is to follow the manufacturer’s instructions in your user manual.
* Always power off the system first
* Always use anti-static wristband or other professional grounding devices
* Never work on carpeted surfaces
* Never spray cleaning fluids directly onto computer components. Always spray the cleaner onto a cloth then wipe
* Do not allow any cleaner to run or drip near circuit boards, or near seams on device casings.
* Never allow circuits or electronics to become damp or wet.
* Some cleaning solvents can damage components. In most cases, water will work just as well.
* Cleaning electronics and circuit boards requires experience, knowledge and special electronics cleaners. This type of cleaning is best left to professionals.

General Cleaning Tricks & Tips

* If compressed air is too strong for little dust jobs, try using a plastic liquid medicine plunger style dispenser. Pull the plunger all the way back to fill it with air and then push it forward quickly for a quick output of air to blow away dust in small places such as USB ports or SD memory card slots. The small ends of these dispensers enable you to reach a more concentrated area with the air then you could get with just blowing our air yourself (from your mouth).
* When using compressed air, always release in short blasts. Longer blasts can actually result in condensation.
* Anti-static cloths are great for attracting dust and are safe to use around computer equipment.
* The cleaner you keep your work space, the cleaner your equipment will be
* Be sure to hang on to your user manuals as they provide you with the best cleaning methods for that particular device.

How Do I Clean That?

A Digital Camera
The lens on a digital camera should never be touched and should be cleaned only when absolutely necessary, so be sure to put that lens cap to good use. For basic dust removal, you can buy a soft lens brush or plastic air blowers which remove dust and particles without anything touching the lens that could damage it.

For cleansing stubborn dirt, invest in a microfiber cleaning cloth for gently wiping off the lens. It’s very important to use a brush or blower first, then use a cloth to remove particles. For more stubborn dirt, you should use only a special fluid designed for lens cleaning. Never use paper towel or similar paper products to clean the lens as it may result in scratching. If you are using a fluid lens cleaner, be sure to put a drop onto proper lens tissues to clean — never put the fluid directly on the lens itself. Cannon also recommends that in place of a lens cleaner you can blow gently on the lens so that moisture condenses on its surface. Use gentle lifting motions (not rubbing motions) to clean and do not press hard. Use a clean lens tissue each time you move over the surface. This will prevent any dirt that is clinging to the tissue from scratching the lens.

The outside of the camera can be wiped down using a lint-free cotton cloth, and you can also use the soft brush and blower for cleaning dust from the battery, memory card, power adapter and USB adapter slots.

CD & DVD Discs
Dirty media can cause errors or make the media not work at all. You can remove fingerprints and dirt by lightly rubbing with a clean lint-free cloth. Cotton is the best material to use. You need to wipe starting at the middle of the disc and work your way to the outer edge. Never wipe in the direction of the tracks (the lines running around the disc). If the dirt is harder to remove, like dried on liquids for example, use water or a spot of rubbing alcohol on a cotton swab to clean it. You can also purchase disc cleaning kits. Never use a general all-purpose cleaner on a disc.

Dust Inside The Case
If you want to clean the build-up of dust from inside your computer case, you must shut the system down first, and make sure you are not working on carpet or any surface which is a electricity conductor. It is recommended you ground yourself (using an electronics wristband or other professional grounding equipment and follow the procedure for your equipment). To clean dust from the components inside you will need compressed air, an anti-static cloth, a small (child size) soft paint brush, and a cleaning fluid made specifically for electronics.

Inside the case you will want to use the compressed air to clean around the fans, power supply and areas where the dust is building up. Be careful not to aim the air directly towards any circuit board or electronic components in the case. Use short blasts and arm movement to direct the falling dust outside of the case. You can use the small brush to dislodge dust in areas where the compressed air did not remove the build-up (such as the edges of fan blades). You can also use the brush to wipe dust away from the inside case walls and the wires. If you find dust has fallen down to the bottom of your case, dampen the anti-static cloth with the electronics cleaner and wipe along the bottom of the case to remove it. You can also use the damp cloth to wipe all around the metal case of your tower and the cover.

A CRT Monitor
Monitors that are made of glass and do not have any special coatings can be cleaned using a basic glass cleaner, or water (preferred). Do not spray directly on the monitor as the liquid could run down into seams and into the electronics. Using a soft lint-free cloth cloth such as cotton, spray the cleaner onto the cloth to moisten it and gently wipe the viewable surface. You can use a computer vacuum or compressed air to remove dust from the monitor housing, paying special attention to the vents, to make sure they are free of dust. Cleaners may damage the plastic casing of your monitor, so avoid this. Use a cloth slightly moistened with water if you need on the case.

An LCD Display
LCD monitors require a different cleaning than a CRT does. LCDs are not made of glass and will have special coating on them for anti-glare. Following your manufacturer’s recommendations is the best method for cleaning an LCD. If you can’t obtained this information, here are a few general tips: Never use paper towel on an LCD as it can cause scratching. Instead be sure to use a soft cotton cloth. You can also purchase microfiber cleaning cloths that are designed for LCD and camera lens cleaning. If a dry cloth cannot remove the prints, you can use a special LCD cleaning liquid. Always slightly dampen the cloth and wipe, do not put any liquid directly onto the display.

A Keyboard
Keyboards that are dirty can cause some keys to stick when pressed or other malfunctions. Dirt and dust can easily be cleaned from your keyboard by periodically holding it upside down and shaking it, or blasting it with compressed air. If the keys are dirty, once you have powered off the system, you can use a damp lint-free cloth to wipe the top facings of the keys. Never spray cleaner directly onto the keys as it may drip down into the circuitry beneath.

If you spill a liquid on the keyboard, you should immediately shut down the computer (or if using a plug-and-play keyboard, unplug it from the computer). Turn the keyboard over onto a towel or cloth to prevent as much liquid from getting into the circuits as possible. You can use a small lint-free cloth to help clean the liquid out from between the keys, but do so with the keyboard still upside down. Leave the keyboard upside down for a day to help ensure as much of the liquid dries out as possible. A large amount of liquid spilled into the keyboard will usually result in the keyboard needing to be replaced, regardless of how well you try to clean it.

If you just want to freshen up the look of the keyboard (e.g. not clean due from problems or spilling of liquid) a cloth that has been moistened with warm water and a gentle soap will work quite well.

A PDA, Smartphone, Cellphone, & Similar Displays
Many of these devices do not contain glass, and glass cleaner and paper towel should never be used. For these devices, use the same procedure for cleaning the display area as listed for LCD monitors. Use a slightly moistened (water and gently soap) soft cotton cloth to wipe the external casing on these types of devices.

Non-optical Mouse
A trackball and roller mouse will need regular cleaning. When you begin to notice delays or jerkiness in cursor movement on the screen chances are your mouse needs a a good cleaning. To clean the mouse you will need to have a few supplies in easy reach such as cotton swabs, rubbing alcohol and a soft lint-free cloth.

With the mouse disconnected from the computer, you turn the mouse over and unlock the cover ring that holds the trackball inside. When you turn the mouse back over, both should fall out easily (be sure to catch them with your hand — don’t drop the trackball onto your desk or other surface). Both the trackball and ring can be cleaned using a soft lint-free cloth. Set the ring down and place the trackball on top of the ring to securely hold it while cleaning the rest of the mouse.

Start by blowing into the trackball holder area of the mouse to get rid of dust and loose particles. Inside you will see the rollers that hold the trackball in place. Chances are you will also see strands of dirt all the way around the rollers. Use a drop of alcohol on the cotton swap (just enough to dampen it) and use the swab to push against the dirt buildup on the roller to free it. Keep the tip of the swab against the dirt and rotate the rollers. You usually will see the dirt come off in a long piece (or several small if it breaks). You can also use your fingernail to pull the strip off instead of the cotton swab, once it has been loosened. Don’t use anything sharp that could damage the rollers. Make sure you pull the gunk out of the trackball hole when it comes off the roller. You will need to repeat the process on each of the rollers inside. Leave the mouse opened to the air to ensure any wetness from the alcohol has completely dried up before replacing the trackball and cover ring.

Every time you move this type of mouse across a mouse pad it picks up dirt and dust. To help cut down on the amount of dirt buildup in the mouse, you should ensure that the surface of your mouse pad is clean and dry. Wash it frequently making sure you give it lots of drying time before using the mouse on it again.
Optical or Laser Mouse

An optical or laser mouse usually won’t malfunction like a mechanical trackball mouse will, but you can still clean them for optimal performance. Wipe the bottom surface of the mouse with a clean lint-free cloth. For dust and particles over the lens area, you can use compressed air to blow it away. If you don’t have compressed air you can also try just blowing air (from your mouth) in a couple quick strong spurts. If this doesn’t clear the lens, you can also try a cotton swab to clean it without scratching.

USB Connectors and Ports
With USB powering so many devices, these ports get a lot of usage. Some front USB ports come with covers, which many people actually leave open because they are used so frequently. Thumb drives get left laying on desks, without the caps on and so on. Digital camera cords pick up dust then get transferred when plugged into the USB port. The list goes on. For the most part you can clean around the USB connector to remove dust and particles, simply by using compressed air or blowing inside of it. You can also wipe the plastic case area near the USB port every so often with an anti-static wipe which helps to repel dust.

Battery Contacts
There are professional battery contact cleaners available. If there is only a small buildup but enough to cause problems with enabling the battery to get a good contact you can clean the contact by rubbing them gently with a cotton swab that has been slightly dampened with alcohol. If it is a heavier buildup, you can also try rubbing gently with a pencil eraser. Just remember not to apply too much pressure when rubbing as you could damage the contacts

To view the original article in it’s entirety Click Here

South Jersey Biz: Best of Biz 2011

South Jersey Techies is proud to announce that we have been selected as one of South Jersey Biz’s “Best of Biz” companies for 2011. We would like to thank those that may have voted or submitted our company for this honor. SJT looks forward to continuing to provide award winning services!

Click Here to see all of the business honored this year.

How To Remove Windows 7 Antispyware

Remove Windows 7 Antispyware 2012, Vista Antivirus 2012, and XP Security 2012 (See Uninstall Guide Below)

Win 7 Antispyware 2012, Vista Antivirus 2012, and XP Security 2012 are all names for the same rogue anti-spyware program. This family of rogues is promoted in two ways. The first is through the use of fake online antivirus scanners that state that your computer is infected and then prompt you to download a file that will install the infection. The other method are hacked web sites that attempt to exploit vulnerabilities in programs that you are running on your computer to install the infection without your knowledge or permission. Regardless of how it is installed, once it is running on your computer it will install itself as a variety of different program names and graphical user interfaces depending on the version of Windows that is running. Regardless of the name, though, they are all ultimately the same program with just a different skin on it. This rogue goes by different program names, which I have listed below based upon the version of Windows that it is installed on:

Windows XP Rogue Name	Windows Vista Rogue Name	Windows 7 Rogue Name
XP Antispyware 2012	Vista Antispyware 2012	Win 7 Antispyware 2012
XP Antivirus 2012	Vista Antivirus 2012	Win 7 Antivirus 2012
XP Security 2012	Vista Security 2012	Win 7 Security 2012
XP Home Security 2012	Vista Home Security 2012	Win 7 Home Security 2012
XP Internet Security 2012	Vista Internet Security 2012	Win 7 Internet Security 2012

When installed, this rogue pretends to be a security update for Windows installed via Automatic Updates. It will then install itself as a single executable that has a random consisting of three characters, such as kdn.exe, that uses very aggressive techniques to make it so that you cannot remove it. First, it makes it so that if you launch any executable it instead launches Vista Home Security 2012, XP Internet Security 2012, Win 7 Security 2012, or any of the other names it goes under. If the original program that you wanted to launch is deemed safe by the rogue, it will then launch it as well. This allows the rogue to determine what executables it wants to allow you to run in order to protect itself. It will also modify certain keys so that when you launch FireFox or Internet Explorer from the Window Start Menu it will launch the rogue instead and display a fake firewall warning stating that the program is infected.

Win 7 Antispyware 2012 Screen shot

Once started, the rogue itself, like all other rogues, will scan your computer and state that there are numerous infections on it. If you attempt to use the program to remove any of these infections, though, it will state that you need to purchase the program first. In reality, though, the infections that the rogues states are on your computer are all legitimate files that if deleted could cause Windows to not operate correctly. Therefore, please do not manually delete any files based upon the results from this rogue’s scan.

While running, XP Internet Security 2012, Win 7 Antivirus 2012, and Vista Security 2012 will also display fake security alerts on the infected computer. The text of some of these alerts are:

XP Home Security 2012 Firewall Alert
XP Home Security 2012 has blocked a program from accessing the internet
Internet Explorer is infected with Trojan-BNK.Win32.Keylogger.gen
Private data can be stolen by third parties, including credit card details and passwords.

Malware Intrusion
Sensitive areas of your system were found to be under attack. Spy software attack or virus infection possible. Prevent further damage or your private data will get stolen. Run an anti-spyware scan now. Click here to start.

System danger!
Your system security is in danger. Privacy threats detected. Spyware, keyloggers or Trojans may be working the background right now. Perform an in-depth scan and removal now, click here.

System Hijack!
System security threat was detected. Viruses and/or spyware may be damaging your system now. Prevent infection and data loss or stealing by running a free security scan.

Privacy threat!
Spyware intrusion detected. Your system is infected. System integrity is at risk. Private data can be stolen by third parties, including credit card details and passwords. Click here to perform a security repair.

Stealth intrusion!
Infection detected in the background. Your computer is now attacked by spyware and rogue software. Eliminate the infection safely, perform a security scan and deletion now.

XP Antispyware 2012 Alert
Security Hole Detected!
A program is trying to exploit Windows security holes! Passwords and sensitive data may be stolen. Do you want to block this attack?

Just like the scan results, these security warnings and alerts are all fake and should be ignored.

While running, Win 7 Home Security 2012, XP Antivirus 2012, and Vista Antivirus 2012 will also hijack Internet Explorer so that you cannot visit certain sites. It does this so that you cannot receive help or information at sites like BleepingComputer.com on how to remove this infection. When you attempt to visit these sites you will instead be shown a fake alert stating that the site you are visiting is dangerous and that the rogue is blocking it for your protection. The message that you will see is:

Vista Security 2012 Alert
Internet Explorer alert. Visiting this site may pose a security threat to your system!
Possible reasons include:
– Dangerous code found in this site’s pages which installed unwanted software into your system.
– Suspicious and potentially unsafe network activity detected.
– Spyware infections in your system
– Complaints from other users about this site.
– Port and system scans performed by the site being visited.

Things you can do:
– Get a copy of Vista Security 2012 to safeguard your PC while surfing the web (RECOMMENDED)
– Run a spyware, virus and malware scan
– Continue surfing without any security measures (DANGEROUS)

Just like the fake security alerts, the browser hijack is just another attempt to make you think that your computer has a security problem so that you will then purchase the program.

Without a doubt, this rogue is designed to scam you out of your money by hijacking your computer and trying to trick you into thinking you are infected. Therefore, please do not purchase this program , and if you have, please contact your credit card company and dispute the charges stating that the program is a computer infection. Finally, to remove Win 7 Antispyware 2012, Vista Antivirus 2012, and XP Security 2012 please use the guide below, which only contains programs that are free to use.

Tools Needed for this fix:

Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware

Automated Removal Instructions for Win 7 Antispyware 2012 & Vista Antivirus 2012 using Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware:

Print out these instructions as we will need to close every window that is open later in the fix.

It is possible that the infection you are trying to remove will not allow you to download files on the infected computer. If this is the case, then you will need to download the files requested in this guide on another computer and then transfer them to the infected computer. You can transfer the files via a CD/DVD, external drive, or USB flash drive.

This infection changes settings on your computer so that when you launch an executable, a file ending with .exe, it will instead launch the infection rather than the desired program. To fix this we must first download a Registry file that will fix these changes. From a clean computer, please download the following file and save it to a removable media such as a CD/DVD, external Drive, or USB flash drive. FixNCR.reg. Once that file is downloaded and saved on a removable devices, insert the removable device into the infected computer and open the folder the drive letter associated with it. You should now see the FixNCR.reg file that you had downloaded onto it. Double-click on the FixNCR.regfile to fix the Registry on your infected computer. You should now be able to run your normal executable programs and can proceed to the next step.If you do not have any removable media or another clean computer that you can download the FixNCR.reg file onto, you can try and download it to your infected computer using another method. On the infected computer, right click on the Internet Explorer’s icon, or any other browser’s icon, and select Run As or Run as Administrator. If you are using Windows XP, you will be prompted to select a user and enter its password. It is suggested that you attempt to login as the Administratoruser. For Windows 7 or Windows Vista, you will be prompted to enter your Administrator account password.Once you enter the password, your browser will start and you can download the above FixNCR.reg file. When saving it, make sure you save it to a folder that can be accessed by your normal account. Remember, that you will be launching the browser as another user, so if you save it to a My Documents folder, it will not be your normal My Documents folder that it is downloaded into. Instead it will be the My Documents folder that belongs to the user you ran the browser as. Once the download has finished, close your browser and find the FixNCR.reg file that you downloaded. Now double-click on it and allow the data to be merged. You should now be able to run your normal executable programs and can proceed to the next step.

Now we must first end the processes that belong to Win 7 Antispyware 2012 & Vista Antivirus 2012 and clean up some Registry settings so they do not interfere with the cleaning procedure. To do this, please download RKill to your desktop from the following link.RKill Download Link. When at the download page, click on the Download Now button labeled iExplore.exe download link . When you are prompted where to save it, please save it on your desktop.

Once it is downloaded, double-click on the iExplore.exe icon in order to automatically attempt to stop any processes associated with Win 7 Antispyware 2012 & Vista Antivirus 2012 and other Rogue programs. Please be patient while the program looks for various malware programs and ends them. When it has finished, the black window will automatically close and you can continue with the next step. If you get a message that RKill is an infection, do not be concerned. This message is just a fake warning given by Win 7 Antispyware 2012 & Vista Antivirus 2012 when it terminates programs that may potentially remove it. If you run into these infections warnings that close RKill, a trick is to leave the warning on the screen and then run RKill again. By not closing the warning, this typically will allow you to bypass the malware trying to protect itself so that rkill can terminate Win 7 Antispyware 2012 & Vista Antivirus 2012 . So, please try running RKill until the malware is no longer running. You will then be able to proceed with the rest of the guide. If you continue having problems running RKill, you can download the other renamed versions of RKill from the rkill download page. All of the files are renamed copies of RKill, which you can try instead. Please note that the download page will open in a new browser window or tab.Do not reboot your computer after running RKill as the malware programs will start again.

There have been reports of this infection being bundled with the TDSS rootkit infection. To be safe you should also run a program that can be used to scan for this infection. Please follow the steps in the following guide:

How to remove Google Redirects or the TDSS, TDL3, or Alureon rootkit using TDSSKiller

If after running TDSSKiller, you are still unable to update Malwarebytes’ Anti-malware or continue to have Google search result redirects, then you should post a virus removal request using the steps in the following topic rather than continuing with this guide:

Preparation Guide For Use Before Using Malware Removal Tools and Requesting Help Topic

If TDSSKiller requires you to reboot, please allow it to do so. After you reboot, reboot back into Safe Mode with Networking again.

Download Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware, also referred to as MBAM, from the following location and save it to your desktop:Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware Download Link (Download page will open in a new window)

Once downloaded, close all programs and Windows on your computer, including this one.

Double-click on the icon on your desktop named mbam-setup.exe. This will start the installation of MBAM onto your computer.

When the installation begins, keep following the prompts in order to continue with the installation process. Do not make any changes to default settings and when the program has finished installing, make sure you leave both the Update Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware and Launch Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware checked. Then click on the Finish button.

MBAM will now automatically start and you will see a message stating that you should update the program before performing a scan. As MBAM will automatically update itself after the install, you can press the OK button to close that box and you will now be at the main program as shown below.

On the Scanner tab, make sure the the Perform full scan option is selected and then click on the Scan button to start scanning your computer for Win 7 Antispyware 2012 & Vista Antivirus 2012 related files.

MBAM will now start scanning your computer for malware. This process can take quite a while, so we suggest you go and do something else and periodically check on the status of the scan. When MBAM is scanning it will look like the image below.

When the scan is finished a message box will appear as shown in the image below.

You should click on the OK button to close the message box and continue with the Vista AntiSpyware 2012 & Win 7 Home Security removal process.

You will now be back at the main Scanner screen. At this point you should click on the Show Results button.
A screen displaying all the malware that the program found will be shown as seen in the image below. Please note that the infections found may be different than what is shown in the image.

You should now click on the Remove Selected button to remove all the listed malware. MBAM will now delete all of the files and registry keys and add them to the programs quarantine. When removing the files, MBAM may require a reboot in order to remove some of them. If it displays a message stating that it needs to reboot, please allow it to do so. Once your computer has rebooted, and you are logged in, please continue with the rest of the steps.

When MBAM has finished removing the malware, it will open the scan log and display it in Notepad. Review the log as desired, and then close the Notepad window.

You can now exit the MBAM program.

As many rogues and other malware are installed through vulnerabilities found in out-dated and insecure programs, it is strongly suggested that you use Secunia PSI to scan for vulnerable programs on your computer. A tutorial on how to use Secunia PSI to scan for vulnerable programs can be found here:How to detect vulnerable and out-dated programs using Secunia Personal Software Inspector

Your computer should now be free of the Vista AntiSpyware 2012 & Win 7 Home Security program. If your current anti-virus solution let this infection through, you may want to consider purchasing the PRO version of Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware to protect against these types of threats in the future.

If you are still having problems with your computer after completing these instructions, then please follow the steps outlined in the topic linked below:

Preparation Guide For Use Before Using Malware Removal Tools and Requesting Help

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Speeding Up Your Home Internet: Tricks and Tips

Though we live in an age of nearly-ubiquitous broadband, it still seems like certain pages don’t load as quickly as one would like. After you’ve tried changing your ISP (Internet service provider), or ordering a T1 internet connection, consider that many problems can be solved with a series of tips and tricks, outlined below.

The first area to make changes is your browser. Microsoft’s Internet Explorer once held an overwhelmingly large market share, but that’s no longer the case. Browsers such as Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, and Safari from Apple have all become increasingly popular. They are free to install and render websites much more efficiently than Internet Explorer. Plus, they have two additional benefits, both of which can help keep your computer and internet running fast. First, these browsers are more secure, including precautions to prevent malware such as viruses from being installed, a common cause of computer slowness. Also, these browsers allow the user to install extensions, or programs designed to modify the browser’s functionality.
Extensions can be used to remedy another common cause of perceived Internet slowness. More and more websites include Flash and JavaScript. While neither is inherently bad, more content takes more time to load and render. Of you feel you can do without the bells and whistles, there are extensions designed to block this content from being downloaded and shown on your computer. AdBlock Plus just blocks advertising, but Flashblock blocks all Flash content. If you’re not ready to go that far, ClickToFlash is a great extension. It stops Flash content from being shown initially, but gives the user the option of clicking to display it.
If checking out your computer yields no positive results, your router might be to blame. The router’s function is to take a single Internet connection and split it so that every device in the house can make use. This is very handy, but if the router is wireless and the person installing it does not know better, it can open your network to attack. All routers should be password protected and secured using the strongest method supported by your devices. WPA2 authentication is currently the best. If the network remains unprotected, your connection may be slowed by neighbors leeching from your connection.

These are only a few of the most common causes of Internet slowness. Hopefully one of the solutions will work for you!

12 Tips to Save on Your Cell Phone Bill

Why pay more than you have to every month? These tips, tricks, and services can help you SAVE plenty of money on that monster cell phone bill.

See that cell phone next to you? Unfortunately, you’re paying too much money for it–every month. If overpaying for what you need sounds like a bad idea to you, stop doing it. We’ve assembled 12 simple actions that you can take to reduce your cell phone bill, so that some of the cash you now spend for service–maybe even half of it–remains in your possession. So check out our tips, and use one or more of them to save big bucks on your bill.

Covering the Basics

1. Find the right plan for you: Carefully review how often and in what ways you use your phone. Ideally, you should do this before signing a cell phone contract, but of course it can be difficult to know exactly how you’ll use your phone until you spend time with it every day.

If you’re already using your phone, take a close look at your cell phone plan, examining the calling, messaging, and data plan options you’ve chosen. Then scrutinize your usage pattern. Check several months of phone bills to see whether you pay for more minutes and megabytes than you use, or whether you regularly exceed your usage limits.

How much can I save? Let’s use a Verizon Wireless plan as an example

Possible Savings on Monthly Cell Phone Voice Plan (One Example: Verizon Wireless)

USAGE LIMITS	Price per month	Overage fee (per minute)	Cost of using 750 minutes in one month	Savings	Advice
450 minutes per month	$39.99	$0.45	$135 over your $39.99 monthly fee	You don’t have any–and you’re paying much more than your monthly fee	Bump up the minutes on your voice plan if you consistently exceed your minutes limit.
900 minutes per month	$59.99	$0.45	$59.99	$135 versus the 450-minute plan with overage charges	Drop to a lower monthly rate if you would almost never exceed its lower minutes limit.

On the other hand, if where you exceed the 450-minutes-per-month maximum just once during the life of your two-year service plan–even if you exceed it by a lot that one time, you still come out ahead with the lower limit overall. Suppose that you incur $157.50 in overage fees one month but stay under the 450-minute limit during the other 23 months of the service contract. Then you’ve saved overall by opting for the $39.99-per-month contract instead of the $59.99-per-month contract, since paying $20 more each month for 24 months would cost you an extra $480. Suddenly, that one-time surcharge of $135 seems like a bargain.

2. Trim the fat: Examine your cell phone plan to see what services you’re paying for above and beyond your voice and data plan. Are you paying your carrier for mobile insurance? A GPS service? Roadside assistance? Visual voicemail? Then think about whether you need these extras. In the case of voicemail, for example, your call log shows you the name and number of incoming callers, anyway–and that’s free.

How much can I save? This time, let’s use AT&T as an example.

Monthly Costs of AT&T’s Extra Services

AT&T Navigator	$9.99
AT&T Family Map for iPhone	$9.99
AT&T Mobile Insurance	$6.99
Smart Limits for Wireless Parental Controls	$4.99
Enhanced Voicemail	$1.99
Detailed Billing	$1.99

Opting out of just half of these billing add-ons can save you anywhere from $7.97 to $26.97 each month.

Get the Details on Data

3. Go data-free: Kick it old-school style by dropping your data plan altogether. This option may not be available if you’ve purchased a smartphone that requires a data plan; but for some consumers it’s a sensible move.

And it is possible: When my iPhone 4 suffered a fatal fall recently, I went back to my elderly flip phone and relied on an iPod Touch for apps and Internet services. When I wanted to check email or browse the Web, it was Wi-Fi only.

My pockets were heavier, in part because I was carrying two devices around, but also because my pockets had more cash in them thanks to my lower monthly bill.

How much can I save? $15 to $50 a month, or more.

4. Go on a data plan diet: Not ready to opt out of a data plan completely? Try cutting back instead.
Opt for the lowest-tiered data plan that your carrier offers, and make sure that you stay within your limits. Visit WhatIsMyCap.org, a handy site that offers tips on avoiding overage charges, using your current data plan as an example.

Also, find out what apps are claiming most of your bandwidth; the culprits may be obvious ones like Pandora and Netflix, or sneaky ones like Google Maps that increase your data usage by serving up ads.

How much can I save? $15 to $35 a month, or more.

5. Compress, compress: Having trouble reducing your data usage? Check out Onavo’s free iPhone and Android app, called Onavo Extend, which claims to make your data usage up to five times more efficient.

How much can I save? $15 a month or more.

Shake Things Up

6. Switch carriers: AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless are the big four in cell phone service, but they’re hardly your only options.

Signing up with a smaller carrier, like Boost Mobile or US Cellular, can cut your monthly cost significantly

How much can I save? Boost Mobile offers an unlimited Android Plan for $55 per month, and an unlimited BlackBerry Plan for $60. (Both of these plans cover unlimited nationwide talk, text, Web access, 411 service, instant messaging, and email.)

In contrast, opting for a similar plan from Sprint, which is one of the only big carriers still offering an unlimited data plan option, will cost you $99.99 a month for unlimited voice, data, and messaging.

How much can I save? $40 to $45 per month.

7. Go contract free: It may seem counterintuitive, but one way to lower your monthly cell phone bill is to go contract-free. This isn’t the same as buying a prepaid cell phone (we’ll get to that next); here, you still pay your carrier month-to-month for cellular service, but you pay less. The trade-off is that you pay more for the phone itself up-front. But depending on the phone you choose, you could save big in the long run with this strategy.

How much can I save? You’ll pay T-Mobile $350 for its MyTouch Android phone, but you won’t sign a contract. A monthly service plan from T-Mobile with unlimited talk, text, and data costs $59.99 per month, so the cost of buying and using this phone (spread over two years) is about $1790.

That may sound like a lot, but consider this: It’s actually a savings of $180 over buying the phone with a two-year contract. In the latter case, T-Mobile subsidizes the cost of the phone, so the same myTouch device will cost you just $50, but the monthly service charge rises to $79.99 (or roughly $1920 over the life of the contract). So over two years, the total cost of the same phone and service comes to $1970–and you’re locked into a 24-month service contract.

8. Go prepaid: Paying for your phone service ahead of time is a sure-fire way to save money. After all, it guarantees that you pay only for minutes that you’ll use. And prepaid phones have come a long way in recent years, with carriers offering various cell phones and smartphones with prepaid plans.

How much can I save? With one of Virgin Mobile’s prepaid “PayLo” plans, you can spend as little as $20 per month for cell phone service. The lowest-cost plan includes 400 voice minutes.

charges messages (at 15 cents per message) and data (at $1.50 per megabyte of data used) on this plan against your $20 balance, and your credits are valid for 30 days. In one month, a light user could save as much as $40 off the price of a standard cell phone plan with messaging and data from a major carrier.

9. Dump the smartphone: Sure, your smartphone is cool. And you may think that you can’t live without it…but giving it up can be surprisingly easy. If you can’t bear to surrender access to the Web, email, and apps, try using a Wi-Fi-device, such as an iPod Touch, instead.

How much can I save? $15 to $50 a month–that’s how much you’re likely paying for the data plan on your smartphone.

Use the Web to Your Advantage

10. Go VoIP only: If you’re paying for a data plan on that smartphone, why not put it–and your phone’s Wi-Fi access–to good use?
Fring is one of a number of budget-friendly Voice-over-IP phone services.Dump your voice plan (if your contract permits you to, of course) and use a voice-over-IP service, such as Fring, Google Voice, or Skype, to make calls. A PCWorld writer took the plunge, and lived to tell the tale. Voice quality may not be perfect, but when was the last time your cell phone offered perfect voice quality?

How much can I save? $40 a month, or more–whatever the monthly cost of your voice plan is.

11. Get texting help: When it comes to texting, you probably think that you have to pay for a texting plan (at anywhere from $5 to $20 per month) or have to pay a per-message fee (of around 20 cents).

But you have a third alternative, and it’s free: Use an app to text at no charge. Free texting apps–which include Nimbuzz, WhatsApp,GroupMe, among many others–let you text and IM for free, using popular messaging networks such as Facebook and AIM.
You may have to get your friends or family to sign on in order to obtain completely free texting, but convincing them of the app’s merits is likely to be worth your while.

How much can I save? When you kiss your texting plan goodbye, you’ll be able to pocket an extra $5 to $20 per month.

12. Get outside help:Not sure which path will save you the most money? Get help at BillShrink.com. This very cool site analyzes your cell phone usage (you can grant it access to your account or enter the information manually), and points out plans that will save you money while meeting your needs.

How much can I save? BillShrink alerted me to a $30-per-month plan on T-Mobile that would save me about $50 per month.

And when I requested to keep using an iPhone, it alerted me to a $70-per-month plan on Sprint, which would save me $10 per month or more. (AT&T charges for data overages, while Sprint offers unlimited data.)

I think it’s time to make a change.

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The Microsoft Surface, Windows 8 Tablet From Microsoft

“It embodies hardware and software working together. People want to work and play,” Steve Ballmer said today amid much fanfare at Milk Studios in downtown Los Angeles. Microsoft has officially entered the ring with the Apple IPad. Microsoft views the Windows 8 Surface Tablet as a “stage for Windows 8.” It’s 9.3mm thin, has full size USB 2.0 ports, a massive kickstand and weighs only 1.5 lbs. The casing is made out of magnesium (specifically, a material Microsoft calls VaporMg) and screen is covered in the Gorilla Glass 2 and optically bonded, a feature for the Microsoft Windows 8 Surface Tablet brags was specifically made for the Surface Tablet. The Microsoft Windows 8 Surface Tablet is directly aimed at consumers, and with that, the iPad.

Windows 8 is at the core of Microsoft’s Surface Tablet. As such, it’s Metro device but also has access to all the Windows, not to mention Xbox features. Microsoft Surface Tablet is clearly the product Microsoft had in mind when it announced the Xbox SmartGlass feature at E3 earlier in the month.

Microsoft also announced several accessories for the Microsoft Surface Tablet including a clever 3mm thick cover that features a full (albeit super-slim) keyboard. Since it’s held on by magnets, it will likely be called a copy of the iPad’s SmartCover, too. The backside of the Surface even features a massive, unit-wide kickstand.

There will be two hardware options for Microsoft’s Surface Tablet, with both an ARM option and, for the full Windows experience, an Intel chip.

But like most hardware, it’s nothing without the right software. Ballmer was very clear at the beginning of the announcement event that the Microsoft Surface Tablet’s strength is the Windows ecosystem. This tablet runs Windows 8, and with that, both Metro and the traditional desktop environment. Every application that runs on Windows, save perhaps Skyrim and the like, should run on a x86 Surface.

Still, if Microsoft is attempting to take on Apple, it will need to court a new crop of developers. The iPad’s strength comes from its legions of small 3rd party devs that for the most part completely ignore all things Microsoft. Up until this product, there wasn’t another tablet platform with the same sort of penetration numbers as the iPad. But with the Surface Tablet, Microsoft is essentially giving developers a massive user base as the applications will hit both mobile and desktop units — and Metro’s dedication to the touchscreen makes the deal even sweeter.

The new Windows RT-powered Surface Tablet will sport either 32 or 64GB of storage depending on the purchaser’s preference, while the more traditional Intel variant will come with either 64 or 128GB. Microsoft declined to dive into specifics about their new tablet’s release, though they were quick to note that the Surface tablets would be priced “competitively” when they make it to market.

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