The Computer Thread

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The Computer Thread

October 25, 2011 by hoff2

Anything computer related, post it here.

Posted in Uncategorized | 20 Comments

20 Responses

on October 25, 2011 at 1:30 pm | Reply Barney

I may as well start this thread. Thanks Hoff.

First, some basic security advice and links to FREE software that I know to be safe and reliable. Always remember though that things are changing all the time, and I no longer use Windoze, so my knowledge is gradually becoming out-of-date.

At least I know the links are still valid. I’ve just checked them.

The first essential is protection against viruses. If you aren’t already protected, click on this link.

AVG Anti-Virus

Download and install the free version of AVG. The “default” settings (the ones you get if you don’t change anything) are best for most users, but if you see an option to “use heuristics”, make sure it’s enabled.

I don’t know the origin or precise meaning of the term “heuristics”, but apparently it means the program will detect “virus-like” activity, so even if you get a new virus that AVG doesn’t yet know about, it will pick up on any “virus-like” behaviour.

Update AVG and run a full scan. This will take some time, about an hour as I remember, though it could be more, depending on your computer and set up. If you can’t spare the time, I believe there’s an option to have AVG shut the computer down when it’s finished, in which case you can start the scan and go to bed (though I could be wrong about that).

Let AVG delete everything it doesn’t like. Don’t “quarantine” anything. Get rid of it.

Now download and install Ad-Aware.

Ad-Aware Spyware Scanner

Again, update it, run a full scan and get rid of everything it finds.

Once that’s done, download, but do not install Spybot.

Spybot Search and Destroy

Now there’s a bit of work to do, but it won’t take long and it’s not really as frightening as it might seem.

If you really don’t like this next bit, ignore it and install Spybot anyway. You may get a problem, but if you do, just uninstall Spybot. It’s very well-behaved and will uninstall cleanly.

——————————

This is the part that can be skipped, though I’d advise against it.

Disconnect from the internet. This can probably be done from within the operating system, but you also need to physically unplug the ‘phone line.

Now click on Start (at the bottom left of your screen) and then on Run.

In the box that appears, type

msconfig

(that’s M S C O N F I G )

and press Enter (or click on ok).

Click on the Startup tab. You should see some “radio buttons”, in which case, click on the one that says “diagnostic startup” (or something like that). If it isn’t there, just untick all the boxes.

Don’t worry. You won’t do any damage.

Click on “ok” (or whatever translates to that on your version of msconfig) and allow it to reboot the computer.

Once it’s rebooted, you’ll get a message about being in “troubleshooting mode”. Click on Cancel. If you click on ok, you’ll find yourself back in msconfig, and that’s not what you want.

Don’t panic. If that does happen, just click on whatever translates to “don’t reboot”.

Install Spybot.

The one thing I’d advise against is allowing Spybot to use the “tea timer”. I don’t know why it’s called that, but in my experience it can cause problems. Apart from that, the default settings are best for most people.

Once it’s installed, and before updating it, click again on Start, and then on Run. If msconfig isn’t already showing in the box, type it in as before and press Enter (or click on ok).

On the Startup tab, click on “Normal Startup” (or tick all the boxes if you don’t see that option).

Click on ok and you’ll be prompted to reboot, but first you need to reconnect the ‘phone line.

The reason for doing it this way is that Spybot can sometimes cause problems if your Anti-Virus software is running while Spybot is being installed (but only then).

——————————

If you did decide to skip that part, I’ll repeat here that you don’t want the “tea timer” enabled in Spybot. Apart from that, the default settings are best for most people.

Now update Spybot and run a full scan, letting it get rid of everything it doesn’t like.

By now you should have a nice clean computer.

Another thing you need is a firewall to keep intruders out. The earlier Windoze (XP) firewall wasn’t very good, but I believe they’ve improved it since then. I used Zone Alarm (which does report back to Tel Aviv, but can be prevented from doing so).

If you’ve got Zone Alarm, see this.

Is your firewall spying on you?

The article explains how to prevent Zone Alarm “phoning home”, but ask if you need a more detailed explanation of how to do it.

I’ve checked today, and the free version of Zone Alarm doesn’t seem to be available any more, so you’ll probably have to rely on the Windoze firewall, or there may be another free one available, but I can’t vouch for something I don’t know.

Now I’ll “cheat” by copying and pasting something from my defunct website (with a bit of editing).

——————————

Now it’s time to take it easy for a couple of weeks, but it’s not a holiday. This is the time when you have to monitor what’s happening to be absolutely sure you don’t have any malware, and to get advice if you have any doubts.

Whether you use AVG or another virus scanner, it’s important to check for updates every day and to run a full scan whenever you can spare the time.

Ad-Aware and Spybot should ideally be run every day or two to ensure that your system remains free from spyware, but it’s normally only necessary to check for updates once a week, and even then there may not always be an update available.

Continue to use the internet as normal, but be on the alert for anything unusual, especially pop-ups. Many legitimate sites use these, but if you seem to be getting too many, if they tell you your computer is infected with something nasty or if you’re getting them when you’re off-line, you almost certainly have picked up something nasty.

Whatever you do, never respond to these pop-ups or you’ll probably end up with something even worse.

Rely on your own software (AVG, Ad-Aware and Spybot) to tell you whether anything’s wrong. Ignore any messages “from the internet” telling you your computer is infected. Close your browser immediately you get one of those messages and scan your computer with everything you’ve got (only one application at a time though, not all at once). If you’re getting messages like that, you probably have got an infection of some kind, but their “solution” would be even worse.

When you’re absolutely sure everything’s as it should be, it’s time to take a few steps to keep it that way.

Open Spybot and click on Immunise.

On the next screen, wait for the animation to finish and then click again on Immunise.

To remain fully protected, you’ll need to repeat this after every update.

You should see a large green tick beside the message “Browser Helper to block bad downloads is installed”.

Check that there is a tick beside “Enable permanent blocking of bad addresses in Internet Explorer”.

Beneath this you should see “Block all bad pages silently”.

Close Spybot.

Finally, the best protection of all is your own common sense.

Check the Windows Update site every week or so and install the critical updates if nothing else.

Never open any e-mail attachment without first scanning it for viruses, even if it seems to come from a friend. It may be that your friend’s computer is infected and that the virus is mailing itself to you. That’s how most viruses spread, so always be on your guard, and if you get an attachment you weren’t expecting from somebody you’ve never heard of, delete it immediately. Don’t even think about it. It is a virus.

Nobody is going to pay you for allowing your bank account to be used for what amounts to money-laundering, something which would be illegal if it were true. They just want your authorisation to help themselves to every penny you’ve got. This is generally known as the “Nigerian scam”, though not all such messages come from Nigeria.

If something seems too good to be true, delete it. You’re not going to get something for nothing, and even if they were genuine, most of these scams would involve you in criminal acts, such as stealing government funds or fraudulently claiming to be the last surviving relative of some dead person in order to steal the contents of his bank account.

You can’t win the lottery without buying a ticket, so if an e-mail arrives saying you’ve won some foreign lottery or competion you’ve never heard of, delete it. If you didn’t enter, you haven’t won, and neither is it true that Microsoft or any other orgnisation gives money away for forwarding messages or for no reason at all. Don’t even think “What if it’s true?” It isn’t.

Banks will never send e-mails asking you to confirm your account details. PayPal may ask you to update your credit card details when a new card is issued, but they will always address you by your real name, never as “PayPal customer” or anything similar. Even if the message seems genuine, be careful. Never click on a link in one of these e-mails, but log on to the site in your usual way. If they really do want you to update your details in any way, this is where the message will be. If there’s no such message there, you’ll know the e-mail DID NOT come from them. Remember this advice. It’s the only safe way of eliminating those worrying doubts.

If, whether intentionally or otherwise, you find yourself in the “darker reaches” of the internet, be aware of the dangers. Never click on anything that says you’ve won a prize (you haven’t) or that asks whether you’re stupid (yes, some scams do start by insulting you). Never click on anything that says your computer is infected with malware. Never give your credit card details to “prove your age”. This is a well known scam that can result in very large bills. Never accept any diallers or other software, and be sure to scan your computer for malware immediately afterwards.

On the subject of the internet’s “darker reaches”, watch out for “mousetraps”, where closing one page causes two more to open. This process will go on until your computer crashes due to overwork. If you do visit such sites, be sure to have a pop-up stopper, this being the only way to prevent moustrapping.

Here’s a good (free) one, though I believe all Windoze versions from XP on have their own pop-up blocker, which will probably be as good.

Pop-Up Stopper
on October 25, 2011 at 2:24 pm | Reply Barney

Looks like I’m stuck in Spamblinka Hoff. Too many links?
on October 26, 2011 at 12:00 pm | Reply Barney

One more thing. Too many applications create temporary files and then “forget” to delete them when they’re finished with. Over time your Temp folder can accumulate hundreds of these files, probably slowing your computer down.

There should be nothing in the Temp folder. You don’t need any of those files, but it can sometimes be difficult to delete them manually, so I always used a handy little (free) utility called “Clean Temp”, which runs at startup, deletes all these unwanted files and then goes back to sleep, so it won’t slow your computer down.

By default, it only cleans the Temp folder on the first boot of the day, so it won’t interfere with installations that require a reboot, though it’s probably better not to install anything new at midnight.

That reads like a joke, but it’s not intended that way. If an application has files in the Temp folder that are needed to complete the installation, it’s possible that Clean Temp will delete those files if you run into a new “day” (at midnight), in which case you’d have to start again. Apart from that, it’s very well-behaved and shouldn’t cause any problems. Install it and forget it.

Clean Temp

Sometimes Clean Temp will ask for confirmation before deleting a lot of files, but there’s nothing there that you want to keep, so just let it delete everything.
on October 28, 2011 at 11:15 pm | Reply Barney

Anyone thinking of installing Linux should watch this thread. I’m planning to install Ubuntu on a ten-year-old machine some time next week (because this one’s going in for repair the following week), and assuming the installation goes according to plan, I’ll write a detailed “how to do it”.

The only way it might fail is if the computer is too old for the version of Ubuntu I’m planning to install. It’s only got 256MB of RAM, compared to 6GB (6,000MB) on my present machine, but they do say Linux is a good way of putting new life in an old computer, so this will be a test of that.
on October 30, 2011 at 7:15 am | Reply Flanders

Hoff, Thanks for doing a separate thread for computer related materials. It’s helpful and needed.

Barney, I’m looking forward to your report on Linux on an older machine. I haven’t brought myself to try it on this one, but I might if I had an older one. I am wondering if T-bone is doing alright since his system restore. Has anyone heard from him?
on November 2, 2011 at 2:07 am | Reply Barney

Flanders – I’ve started the write-up, and I’m hoping to get round to installing Linux on the old machine tomorrow, but if you’ve got enough hard drive capacity you could install Linux and still keep Windoze.

If things go according to plan, I should be able to post detailed instructions tomorrow or Thursday.
on November 2, 2011 at 9:32 pm | Reply Barney

Installing Linux (Ubuntu 10.04).

Here’s my promised “how to” for anyone wanting to install (or try) Linux. Sorry it’s so long, but I wanted to make it easy to understand. If there’s anything you don’t understand, just ask me. You won’t make yourself look stupid for asking a question. The stupid thing would be not asking when I’m available and willing to clarify anything, so ask as many questions as you like. Nobody can know everything, and I’m prepared to use whatever knowledge I have to help others.

Linux is FREE. Download it. Copy it. Install it on as many machines as you like. Share it. Do whatever you like with it, even modify it to create your own version. There are NO restrictions, and there is NO unique validation code to type in during installation (no “Certificate of Authenticity”). You don’t even have to register or give an e-mail address.

The only version (or “distro”, short for “distribution”) of Linux I know anything about is Ubuntu, available (free) from the official download site here.

http://www.ubuntu.com/download/ubuntu/download

Read the entire page to be sure you’re getting the right version for your computer and your preferred method of installation.

Unless you know your computer is capable of handling a 64-bit installation (most can’t), go for the 32-bit version. If that doesn’t mean anything to you, you do want the 32-bit version.

To slightly elaborate on that, a 64-bit machine will happily run a 32-bit version of Ubuntu (or any other operating system), but you can’t run a 64-bit installation on a 32-bit machine, so if in doubt, choose the 32-bit download.

For those who like to keep fully up-to-date, two new versions are released each year, but you don’t have to use the latest version if you don’t want to.

If you’re not sure your computer can handle the latest version, older versions are available here

http://old-releases.ubuntu.com/releases/

You’ll see each version has a name as well as a number, indicating that the developers have a sense of humour. I’m using version 10.10 (=October 2010), also known as “Maverick Meerkat”. Version 11.04 (=April 2011) was “Natty Narwhal” and the latest version, 11.10, is known as “Oneiric Ocelot”. Presumably the next version, 12.04 (=April 2012), will be some kind of Penguin, after “Tux” the Linux mascot.

Download the .iso file (the setup file) and burn it to a CD-R, DVD-R or DVD+R (it will fit on a CD). You’re creating a data disc, which has an exact copy of the downloaded file, and you don’t want to leave the session “open”.

Ubuntu can also be installed from a memory stick (flash drive), but I don’t know how to go about booting from one of those, so I’ll concentrate on installing from a CD.

The CD (or DVD) you’ve just created gives three options

1 – To try Ubuntu without installing (running it from the CD).
2 – To install it as a dual-boot so you can choose to boot into Ubuntu or Windows.
3 – To install it as your sole operating system, which will delete everything else on your hard drive.

You’ll also have the option to partition your hard drive during installation (or afterwards), but I don’t know enough to advise on that.

I’d suggest that most people try Ubuntu first, running it from the CD to see what it looks like, how it works on your machine and to judge whether you think you can get used to it. If you do this, nothing will be written to your hard drive.

Linux is different to Windows. For a start, it’s much more secure, and everything is free and tested. No more Googling for software, no more risk of dodgy downloads, and no more expense ever again. It’s currently got 34,745 applications available for download in just a couple of mouse clicks, and uninstalling is just as easy.

Software for Linux is kept in special “repositories”, where you can know it’s free from malware (mal-icious soft-ware). No viruses, no spyware and tested to be sure it works.

To benefit from that though, you’ll need to install Ubuntu. Another disadvantage in running it from the CD is that you won’t be able to play most sound and video files. Have a look at it though, and see what you think, then install it if it’s right for you.

In my (limited) experience, running Ubuntu from a CD is quite a slow process, but don’t let that put you off. Once it’s installed, you’ll find it’s a lot faster than anything you’ve used before, and unlike Windows, people say it doesn’t slow down as it gets older.

There are other differences between Ubuntu and Windows. The screen layout is different. The “menus” are at the top left of the screen (and fully customisable), and you’ll need to click on the symbol at the extreme top right to shut down, reboot or switch to another “user account”.

I’ve just installed Ubuntu 10.04 (“Lucid Lynx”) on quite an old machine (about ten years old) made by “Tiny”, with a Pentium 4 processor, a 60GB hard drive and only 256MB of RAM.

Before you start, you may be interested in a free e-book (165 pages) available here.

http://ubuntu-manual.org/downloads

Here’s a visual introduction to Lucid Lynx, if you can keep your eyes off her cleavage (or just run the video twice 😉 ).

One thing she doesn’t mention is that you can use your own photos, drawings or just about anything else as desktop wallpaper. Also, the default e-mail client is Evolution. There were quite a few things I didn’t like about that, so I installed Mozilla’s Thunderbird, which has more in common with Outlook Express.

——————————-

Time to start the installation.

You really do need a broadband connection to install Linux. The updates alone amounted to about 320 MB in my case, which would be impossible to get on a dial-up connection.

With the computer running, put the CD (or DVD) you’ve just made into the drive and re-boot.

(If this doesn’t work, you may need to change the boot sequence in the BIOS, but that’s not really a job for a beginner. Make a mistake in the BIOS and you’ll probably have to get someone in to fix it.)

After a short delay, you should see a purple screen with the word Ubuntu in the middle.

The first screen invites you to choose your preferred language and asks whether you want to try Ubuntu or install it.

I’d suggest you try it first, in which case you’ll have the option to install it while it’s running from the CD, but for present purposes I’ll assume you’ve chosen install.

Next you’ll be asked for your time zone. If you’ve got a “live” internet connection, it will have set this up for you, but you can change it if you need to.

Next you’ll be asked about your keyboard. Again the details will be filled in, but you can change it if it’s wrong, and you can type a few characters if you want to be sure.

Next you’ll be asked whether you want to create a dual-boot system by installing Ubuntu and keeping your existing system, or allowing Ubuntu to replace the existing setup.

If you choose the dual-boot option, I believe you’ll be able to decide how much of the hard drive is allocated to each system, but I haven’t done it that way because I wanted a Linux-only machine.

At some point during the next few screens you may be given the option to download updates, and also “restricted extras”, during the installation. Don’t worry if you don’t see this option, but if you do, I’d suggest that you don’t download the updates yet because it will slow things down a lot, and some people say they don’t always install properly like that anyway.

You do want the “restricted extras” though, or you won’t be able to play most audio or video formats. It’s better to do it as part of the installation if you get that option. If not, you can get them later, but it’s a bit more complicated.

They aren’t “restricted” in the way most people would understand the word. It’s just that, though free, they aren’t “open source”, and in general they’re copyrighted.

You’ll be invited to enter your name, and as you type it in, you’ll see it being copied into the “User Name” box. Be careful if you decide to use a different user-name. If the setup file doesn’t like it, you won’t be allowed to continue, so it’s easier to keep to what it suggests for now. You can always change it later if you want to.

You’ll have to choose a password, and it will tell you whether it’s weak, ok or good. Type it again in the next box, and it will check that you’ve copied it correctly.

A “Computer Name” will be chosen for you. This too can be changed, but again, if it doesn’t like it, you won’t be allowed to continue. No capitals, and (I think) no spaces.

For this particular machine, which will probably be given away at some point, I chose Computer as “my” name, “computer” as both the user-name and computer-name and “password” for my (weak) password, but I’d suggest you choose something a bit less obvious for your own computer.

Finally for this screen, you’ll be invited to tick the boxes for “auto log-in” or “request password”, and whether you want your “home” folder encrypted.

Encryption can be a pain unless you really are worried about someone getting at your files, and similarly it can be a pain having to type a password every time you start the computer. It’s your choice though.

Click on “Forward” (the Linux equivalent of “Next”) and then on “Install”.

In my case, with a slow machine, the installation – without updates and “restricted extras” – took about an hour and fifteen minutes, but if you’re new to Linux, it’s worth reading the messages that come up during the installation rather than going shopping.

Eventually you’ll be prompted to re-boot to complete the installation.

——————————-

The first thing old fossils like me have to do is change the screen resolution to 800×600 pixels, because at the default setting, everything’s too small for my old eyes.

At the top of the screen, click on System, then Preferences and Monitors. Choose the resolution that’s right for you and click on Apply, then OK and follow the prompts.

While you’re doing this, the Update Manager will appear. Ignore it.

Click again on System – Preferences and this time choose “Screensaver”. If you don’t disable the screensaver, the screen will go blank every few minutes and you’ll have to enter your password to get back in. Even once you’ve done this, it’s a good idea to move the mouse from time to time, just to be sure.

Now you can go to the Update Manager. You’ll have to enter your password because any installation, uninstallation or significant change to the system has to be authorised by you.

This is why I say a virus would have to ask for “permission” to install itself. It can be irritating at first, but it keeps you safe.

In the present case, the updates amounted to about 320 MB, and once they’re downloaded, they have to be installed. It all happens automatically once you’ve typed your password in, but it can take a long time on a slow computer. Unless you know what you’re doing, it’s better to let the Update Manager install everything it finds.

If you installed the “restricted extras” during installation, skip the next bit, between the dotted lines. You’re ready to start using Ubuntu.

——————————-

If you didn’t get the option to install the “restricted extras” during installation, That has to be your next job. Click on Applications, then on Ubuntu Software Center and type “restricted” in the search box.

You’ll see three results (plus a game that can be ignored for now).

Xubuntu
Kubuntu
Ubuntu

(That will make more sense when you see it.)

I can’t see any difference between the three, so I’d suggest installing the ones for Ubuntu. You can always go back for the others if you find you need them.

Click on “Ubuntu Restricted Extras” and then on Install. You’ll be prompted to enter your password, and Ubuntu will do the rest, though you’ll probably have to tick a box to accept the copyright restrictions on Microsoft fonts.

If you want to be able to play DVDs, you’ll also need to install something called “libdvdcss2”

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RestrictedFormats/PlayingDVDs

Don’t be frightened. It is quite scary using the “Terminal” for the first time, but follow my instructions exactly and you’ll be ok.

Click on Applications, Accessories and then on Terminal. A small black screen (the terminal) will appear with your computer name showing, followed by :~$ and a flashing cursor.

Copy this next line by selecting it (highlighting it) and pressing Ctrl while tapping the letter C.

sudo apt-get install libdvdread4

On the terminal window, click on Edit and then on Paste (keyboard shortcuts won’t work). Alternatively, you can type the line into the terminal.

It will ask for your password (you’re entering quite a powerful command), but when you type it, you’ll think nothing’s happening. When you type your password into the terminal, it doesn’t appear, even as a string of asterisks. Don’t worry. Just type the password and press Enter on the keyboard.

You’ll see a few lines of gibberish, and then it will stop with the same prompt as before.

Now copy and paste (or type) this next line into the terminal.

sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread4/install-css.sh

Press Enter, and again you’ll see some gibberish. Wait until it’s finished, and you’ll be back to the prompt.

That’s it. Done. Type “exit” and press Enter, and the terminal will disappear. If it doesn’t, you can click on the red X at the top left of the terminal window.

——————————-

You’ve got a lot to learn, but it isn’t really that different to other operating systems. You’ll find things have weird names like Evolution, Python, Empathy, Gnome, Nautilus and even Gwibber, but you don’t need to know what things are called to be able to use them.

For example, the Ubuntu equivalent of Windows Explorer is called Nautilus, but you don’t have to know that. Just click on Places, select a folder and Nautilus will open looking a lot like Windows Explorer, and even more so if you switch the left pane to “Tree” view.

One thing you probably will need occasionally is a little application called “Force Quit”. It does what it says. You won’t get many crashes in Linux, but it’s useful to be able to forcibly close an application that isn’t responding, rather than have to reboot.

Right click on an empty part of the top panel (the dark band across the top of the screen) and choose “Add to Panel”. Now scroll down until you find Force Quit, click on it and then on Add, then Close. Now you’ll have a new icon on the top panel. If you need to use it, click on the icon and then on the application that’s playing up.

If, like me, you use a fairly low screen resolution, you’ll find that some windows are too big and can’t be resized. When you get one of these, press and hold Alt and the number 7 while clicking and dragging with the mouse. It won’t resize the window, but you will at least be able to move it, so you can then click on the “Close” or “Apply” button, which is usually at the bottom of the window.

It’s unlikely that you’ll ever need to install hardware drivers. Whenever you get a new item of hardware, just plug it in and use it. No more installation CDs. Not everything will work properly, but most things will, and there are drivers available on line for a lot of the ones that don’t.

I’ve saved the most important thing for last. How do you shut a Linux computer down?

There’s a symbol in the extreme top right of the screen that some people will recognise as the international on/off symbol. Click on that, and you’ll get a drop-down list giving an assortment of options, including log-out, hibernate, suspend, restart and shut down.

Anyone who installs Linux for the first time will have plenty of questions, so if there’s anything you need to know, however trivial it may seem, you only have to ask. I’m still learning, but I’ll help as much as I can.
- on November 3, 2011 at 7:02 am | Reply Sen10L
  
  Thanks Barney
on November 8, 2011 at 6:02 pm | Reply Barney

Update. I’m using the old computer now while the main one’s away, and it boots in about 65 seconds. When I had XP Pro installed, it was taking about ten minutes.

Everything’s painfully slow with only 256MB or RAM, compared to 6GB, but that’s to be expected. The (single) processor is a lot slower too, especially as I’m used to an i7 processor with 8 cores and a much higher clock speed.

Linux is certainly an improvement though, and it would probably have been even better if I’d chosen an older version of Ubuntu rather than push this old machine to it’s limits the way I’m doing.
on November 15, 2011 at 10:10 pm | Reply Flanders

Hey Barney! I got your message. I’ll try to explain the circumstances.

I apologize but I don’t have the time right now to do it. I’ll be back later. Thanks.
on November 15, 2011 at 11:54 pm | Reply Barney

No problem Flanders. I check this thread a few times every day, just in case anyone needs a bit of help.

In case it helps, Hofflandia time is 2 hours later than GMT (Greenwich Time), so the time now where I am is just coming up to 10pm.
on November 17, 2011 at 2:40 am | Reply Barney

Now that I’ve been using the older machine for about a week, I realise I should have chosen an older version of Ubuntu. It’s a lot better than XP, and boots in only 65 seconds, but I’m pushing the old processor a bit too far, and it really needs more memory (RAM).

Imagine installing Windows 7 on a ten-year-old computer. It probably wouldn’t run at all, and if it did, you’d probably die of old age waiting for a page to load. At least Ubuntu isn’t like that (and it’s free).

Each version of Ubuntu has a number that indicates when it was first issued, the year first and then the month. For example, the version I’m using now is 10.04 ( also known as “Lucid Lynx”). That’s 2010 for the year and 04 for April.

If anyone’s installing Ubuntu on an older machine, I’d suggest choosing a year of issue that’s nearer the age of the computer – unless you’re able to get a memory upgrade. I couldn’t do that because this motherboard can only take 512MB, and the memory is of an obscure type, so I’m stuck with 256MB.

Overall though, I still think it was worth getting rid of XP and installing Ubuntu.
on November 30, 2011 at 3:54 pm | Reply Barney

WARNING – Phishing Alert.

I’ve recently had a couple of fake e-mails claiming to be from my ISP and threatening to cut me off if I don’t provide my log-in details within a certain time, which reminded me that not everyone is aware of the scam known as “phishing”.

Anyone can create a fake website with very little technical knowledge, and the same applies to “official-looking” e-mails.

To create a realistic copy of a bank’s website, all that’s needed is to copy the source code and graphics, then make a few minor changes so the victim’s log-in details go to the scammer instead of to the bank’s servers. Creating a fake e-mail is even easier.

If you get an e-mail claiming to be from your bank, your ISP (Internet Service Provider), PayPal or any other organisation you have dealings with, here’s what you need to know.

Banks and PayPal (plus most other organisations) will always address you by your real name, never as (for example) “PayPal customer”. If it isn’t addressed to you personally, it’s almost certainly a scam.

Reputable organisations will never ask you to confirm your details by e-mail.

Spelling and grammatical errors are common in “phishing” e-mails and scams in general, which is why I consider accurate spelling to be important. If the e-mail contains spelling mistakes, it’s a fake.

In dealing with any organisation, my response to bad spelling is “If they can’t even spell, what else can’t they do?”, and the same applies to anyone claiming to be an “expert” in any subject.

If they (your bank, your ISP, PayPal) ever do want you to update anything, they’ll send you an e-mail asking you to visit their main site, but even here you need to be careful. If the message is a fake, any links it contains will take you to a fake website.

These messages often contain a threat to close your account if you don’t comply. This is another warning sign. Legitimate organisations won’t do this unless you haven’t been paying your bills or you really have done something seriously wrong.

Here’s what to do if you get one of these e-mails.

NEVER click on a link in the e-mail itself, even if you think it could be genuine.

Log in to the organisation’s website in the usual way.

If they really do want you to update your details or anything else, this is where any legitimate messages will be. If there isn’t a message there, any e-mail you’ve received is a fake, but don’t delete it yet.

Somewhere on the site you’ll find a link to report scamming. It isn’t always easy to find, but it will be there somewhere. Click on the link and provide whatever details they ask for, but keep the offending message in case they want to see it. Probably they’ll ask you to send them the “header” or something like that. In Outlook Express, right click on the subject line and select “properties” (I think that’s right). You’ll see a page of what looks like gibberish. This is what they want.

To send this gibberish, click on the text, then press and hold Ctrl (on your keyboard) while you tap the letter A. The text should now be highlighted (it will have changed colour). Now again hold Ctrl, and this time tap the letter C to copy it to the clipboard.

Back on your bank’s website (or wherever the e-mail pretends to come from), click on the message area, hold Ctrl and tap the letter V. The text will appear.

Some keyboards have separate buttons for cut, copy and paste, but Ctrl+C (copy) and Ctrl+V (paste) will work with any keyboard and any setup, as will Ctrl+A (Select All).

If anyone doesn’t understand something I’ve said here, please ask. I want to be sure everyone knows what to do if they get a scam e-mail, so the clearer we can make it, the better.

I want YOU to have a good Christmas, not some horrible spotty-faced niglet in Nigeria (do niglets get spots?) or some thieving Chink (the two places most scams originate nowadays).

I once had my bank account cleared out by a thief who really was working for my bank (so not my fault), and it’s not a nice feeling. Don’t let it happen to you.
on November 30, 2011 at 6:36 pm | Reply Bailey

I do nothing sensitive on-line, i won’t even use paypal for e-bay purchases.
If a seller wont accept a postal money order it’s no deal, i even offer to spend a couple extra bucks for priority (second day) delivery.
So far i’ve had no refusals and have done hundreds of e-bay transactions.
I believe the day will come when people who do online banking and who use direct deposit as a form of payment will wake up one day to find they have nothing. I don’t even swipe my debit card anywhere except in my banks ATM.
People call me paranoid, i call it, never trust a jew with your money.
All the modern technology in place for our “convenience” and all the so called security measures is something i just don’t trust.
I would rather not even have a bank account but paying 2% at a check cashing outfit and then having to pay for money orders to cover each and every monthly obligation would not only be expensive but a hassle.
Also, those check cashing outfits are always loaded with niggers and spics and i know better than to put myself and a wallet full of money in such a danger zone.
on December 1, 2011 at 1:02 am | Reply Barney

Good points Bailey. I agree. I’d do the same myself if I could.

I have to have a bank account because that’s the only way I can get paid, and I’ve got a credit card and PayPal account for convenience online, but I’m aware of how risky it is. I always pay cash when I’m shopping “in the real world”, and I try to keep my bank balance as low as possible. I’d rather keep a couple of fivers under the mattress (not really, that’s too obvious, but there is somewhere a bit safer I can keep a few quid) than risk losing it when (not if) the banking system is taken down and our accounts are cleared out by ZOG.

(For our non-English friends, the word “quid” is slang for “pound”, but only in relation to money, not weight. A quid. A couple of quid. Fifty quid. Never quids.)

Even large purchases like my new computer last year (£1,800, which I think translates to about $2,500 US), are paid in cash, and if I haven’t got the cash I’ll wait until I have. That way I’m able to clear my credit card bill every month, and some months there’s nothing to pay because I haven’t used it.

I’m in a predominantly White area, a traditional retirement town with only a few nigs and muds so far, but I won’t use an outdoor cash machine if anyone’s lurking, and I always check that there isn’t a bit of plastic in the slot. When typing my PIN, I keep the keypad covered, so the main risk is during the short time after getting the money and before I get away.

I wouldn’t queue up at a cash machine. If it’s that busy I’ll do it later, and if I couldn’t wait I’d just have to use the credit card, but that hasn’t happened yet.

There’s no “paper trail” with cash, which is a good thing in my opinion. That’s why the banks want to abolish it.
on December 1, 2011 at 8:03 am | Reply Sen10L

Hey Barney… HELP! I’ve got a problem and not sure extent of how severe. I get an e-mail from friend and when I opened it it was a medical hospital website. A few weeks later I got it again from same friend but I did not open it. I just sent it to spam folder as had it blocked. Can you tell me what I might do to fix that problem and how show I go about telling my friend I am getting e-mail from him that I know is not coming from him and should I not use the Windows Mail until I know there will be no more problems. Is there anything I can do to remedy this?
on December 1, 2011 at 1:32 pm | Reply Barney

Sen 10L – Don’t worry. First you need to run a virus scan, just to be sure your computer hasn’t been infected by whatever this is.

If you haven’t got any virus protection (slapped wrists all round 😉 ), You can get a good FREE one here.

http://free.avg.com/gb-en/free-downloads

Install it, update it and run a full scan. It will probably take some time, perhaps an hour or more, but it’s worth taking a bit of time to be sure you’re safe. Let AVG get rid of everything it doesn’t like.

If you have already got up-to-date virus protection, use that instead. You don’t need AVG as well. It shouldn’t do any harm, but having two will probably slow your computer down, and there’s a slight possibility that they might wrongly identify each other’s virus databases as actual viruses.

It seems your friend (probably) has an infection that needs to be dealt with in the same way, and if you’ve acquired the same infection, it’s possible that your computer is mailing viruses out to people in your address book, which is why you need to be sure your own computer is clean before doing anything else.

It’s worth running a spyware scan too. If you haven’t got spyware protection, I’d suggest Ad-Aware, but I believe the latest version is quite “bloated” compared to when I was using it regularly. That shouldn’t matter though, unless you’ve got an old computer or a dial-up internet connection.

You can get Ad-Aware here. It’s free.

http://www.lavasoft.com/

Install it, update it and scan your computer, letting it get rid of everything it doesn’t like. If you’re offered the option to have Ad-Aware start up when Windows starts, say “NO” (or un-tick the box). You don’t want it running all the time because it will slow your computer down.

Let me know if you can’t prevent it from starting when Windows does and I’ll tell you what to do about it, but there’s no point complicating things until we know there’s a problem.

If you haven’t already got a spyware scanner, it’s possible that Ad-Aware will find a lot of tracking cookies. You don’t want those things on your computer, so let it get rid of them. Don’t worry too much though. You’ll pick a few more up tomorrow, but most aren’t a serious threat.

Whenever you get an e-mail from this friend, right-click on the subject line and scan it with AVG or whatever virus protection you’ve got.

Once your own machine is clean, you need to get your friend to do the same.

Alternatively, it’s possible that these e-mails aren’t coming from your friend’s computer at all. I’ve had a couple recently that claimed to be from my ISP and asked for my log-in details (among other things). If I hadn’t realised they were fake, the scammer would now be able to log-in to my e-mail account and send spam that seems to come from me.

If the above doesn’t solve the problem, you’ll need to get in touch with your ISP, and I’d appreciate it if you could let me know as well by posting on this thread. I may be able to help, or someone else may benefit from our discussion.
- on December 1, 2011 at 8:07 pm | Reply Sen10L
  
  Appreciate that info. Barney. Doing a full scan and update now. I did that just a week ago. I’ll see if it makes a difference this time. If not I’ll reconfig using links you’ve provided.
  
  Thanks!
on December 2, 2011 at 1:27 am | Reply Barney

No problem, Sen 10L, I’m always willing to help a friend wherever possible. It’s what makes White People different to the other races.

If it turns out that the problem isn’t on your computer, you’ll need to ask your friend to do a scan, and if that still doesn’t solve the problem, it may be that his or her details (probably not yours) have become known to a scammer or a spammer, which will probably mean getting in touch with his or her ISP, who may want to see the e-mails you’ve received, so don’t be in too much of a hurry to delete them. (Don’t worry if you already have though. What’s done is done.)

I’ve explained a few posts above this one (November 30, 2011 at 3:54 pm) how to submit an e-mail’s “header”, but ask again if it’s not clear. I never mind explaining things again. It’s how everyone learns. It’s how I learned.
on December 15, 2011 at 4:32 pm | Reply Barney

I’ve just discovered what looks like a useful anti-censorship add-on for anyone using FireFox. I don’t fully understand it, but it claims to bypass internet censorship attempts by ZOG and other parasites.

As far as I can make out, if a domain name is taken down, the add-on bypasses the DNS and automatically redirects either to a mirror site or directly to an IP address.

We know the usurpers occupying what was once the British government are planning to censor any sites they don’t like, and the same is certain to be true in other countries, but it is claimed that this add-on will defeat all such attempts.

The add-on is called MAFIAAFire, and the FAQ page is at this link.

http://mafiaafire.ezee.se/wall-of-text.php

Anyone who doesn’t currently have FireFox, but wants to try it can download it at this link. It’s free of course.

http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/