Information & How to

Just got a new laptop or desktop? Don’t check Facebook yet! Here’s what to do first.

 13 Essential Steps: Set Up Your New PC – ComputerShopper.com.

Laptops, netbooks, all-in-one PCs, and way more

 The Top 100 Tech Products Of 2009 – ComputerShopper.com.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/help/upgrading-from-windows-xp-to-windows-7

1. Microsoft Security Essentials – Microsoft Security Essentials provides real-time protection for your home PC that guards against viruses, spyware, and other malicious software.
2. Windows Live Essentials – One download, lots of great stuff. Now in one installation, Windows Live Essentials gives you instant messaging, e-mail, blogging, photos, and more.
3. SyncToy 2.1 – SyncToy 2.1 is a free application that synchronizes files and folders between locations. Typical uses include sharing files, such as photos, with other computers and creating backup copies of files and folders.
4. Microsoft Research WorldWide Telescope – WorldWide Telescope (WWT) enables your computer to function as a virtual telescope, bringing together imagery from the best ground and space-based telescopes in the world. Experience narrated guided tours from astronomers and educators featuring interesting places in the sky.
5. Windows Virtual PC (Windows 7) – Windows XP Mode and Windows Virtual PC, available on Windows 7 Professional and Windows 7 Ultimate, allow you to run multiple Windows environments, such as Windows XP Mode, from your Windows 7 desktop.
6. Virtual PC 2007 (Windows XP & Vista) – With Microsoft® Virtual PC 2007, you can create and run one or more virtual machines, each with its own operating system, on a single computer. This provides you with the flexibility to use different operating systems on one physical computer.
7. Windows SteadyState 2.5 (Windows XP & Vista) – Whether you manage computers in a school computer lab or an Internet cafe, a library, or even in your home, Windows SteadyState helps make it easy for you to keep your computers running the way you want them to, no matter who uses them.

Spread some holiday cheer, to someone.

For this year’s holidays, you can use Gmail to send one real postcards (snail mail) in the US only, for free!

To send a card, visit gmail.com/holidaycard. You’ll be able to send one card. You can enter a message of up to 255 characters long along with the recipient’s name and address, and then you can select on of the six postcard designs.

The best things in life often actually are free. Here, a list of 173 of the best things in life—free software, for launching apps, networking, backup, synchronization, entertainment, and more.

The Best Free Software of 2009.

Every computer needs protection. But what if you’ve got no money for security software? Don’t worry–there’s power security software and services that can keep you safe, for free.

Free Antivirus and Antispyware.

Black Screen woes could affect millions on Windows 7, Vista and XP.

1. Open a terminal window by going to Applications->Accessories->Terminal
2. Create a mount directory on your by
   sudo mkdir /media/remoteshare fstab
3. Create a Backup of your current fstab file
   sudo cp /etc/fstab /etc/fstab.backup

edit fstab
sudo nano /etc/fstab

add the following to the bottom but use your ip address username and password

#mount point on remote pc   Mount point on local   Username and password if required
//192.168.1.20/sharedfolder /media/remoteshare cifs user=username,pass=password

refresh the mounted drives
sudo mount -a

First download, install and run Spybot Search & Destroy and clean out what it finds.
(http://www.safer-networking.org/en/)

Next download, install and run Ad-Aware and clean out what it finds.
(http://lavasoft.com/)

Another good tool to download, install and run is HijackThis from Trend Micro.
Quick Start Guide (http://www.trendsecure.com/portal/en-US/tools/security_tools/hijackthis/qsg)

Make sure your Anti-Virus software is up to date. If you need Anti-Virus software download and install AVG.
(http://free.avg.com/)

Then go to our section on computer cleanup
(http://www.kuenzercomputers.com/wp/?p=5)