There are several ways to prevent damage to your computer. Electrostatic discharge, or ESD, is the transfer of electric current from one component to another. In the blink of an eye you can destroy a component of your computer by touching your computer after having built up an electric charge by something as simple as walking across carpet. It is one of the most harmful things that can happen to a computer, and it is always the user’s fault! Good news though; it is just as easily preventable. Before handling computer parts, just touch your computer case or something metal and safe to release the charge.

Another way to prevent damage to your hardware is to simply handle it with care. Do not open the hardware’s package until you are ready to install it. This is will prevent accidental drops. After you are ready to install, if you need to set it down, place it on a flat and even surface to prevent bent pins. If the you can see damages like bent pins when you open the package you should return it as soon as possible and get a new one. It is not worth it to keep a possibly damaged piece of equipment just because you are lazy or want to save some time.

Compatibility is also a factor when determining whether you have a broken computer or not. If the hardware does not match the software it will not work no matter how high-tech or fast it claims to be. Make sure you look at those factors when buying to avoid getting all the pieces together only to find out they do not play nice.

Software must also be handled correctly but not so delicately. Deleting the wrong files can kill your computer, but you would just have to reinstall your OS. You would lose unsaved information, but ultimately it would only cost you time and time spent in the past on lost articles. Virus and spyware also affect the stability and efficiency of your computer and can cause a really nice computer to run like a piece of trash. Pick up a free antivirus trial online; there are so many floating around these days. It is worth it to have anti-virus software to prevent malicious content from getting into your computer.

source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Ways-to-Prevent-A-Broken-Computer&id=5687349

When an individual’s computer starts to run slow a person can start to experience great frustration. That is heightened by the fact that many an application that is depended on ends up not working as it should. Data is then lost that should not be. Many then wonder what cause a computer to be slow.

A common reason for a computer to run at a slower speed is that it has become infected with a virus. As a result of that infection many problems may occur including a full system crash. Fortunately there is help out there in the form of a program that can protect one’s system from attack. Thus one should go out and find one that comes fully equipped with regular updates to be installed on their machine.

Spyware and adware are another annoyance that can cause a machine to slow down. They sneak onto a system through the web sites a user visits. Thus one can have one of those awful programs downloaded unknowingly onto their machine. There are still other pages on the web that use cookies as a way to track what sites a user visits. Therefore way to ensure privacy must be employed in the form of a cleaner that can rid one’s machine of these unwanted guests.

The registry needing to be optimized is another reason for loss of speed in a system. Errors find their way into a machine’s operating system through actions like the deletion of programs and files. Fortunately there exist programs out there that can fix what is wrong.

Many of the registry cleaners out there are offered for free via various web sites. Unfortunately though there are a few that do just the opposite. They install unwanted programs rather than get rid of them. Thus greatly reducing operating speed.

Unwanted programs being installed on a hard drive is what cause a computer to be slow. Cleaners and other applications exist to get rid of viruses, adware, spyware, and to fix the registry. I personally managed to clean up my computer by downloading high quality registry cleaner software.

source: http://ezinearticles.com/?What-Cause-a-Computer-to-Be-Slow?&id=5752034

When you have a computer, you start to accumulate important things. Photos, documents, files, and programs are all important components. You maybe have a music collection, a lot of important information and things that if lost, would cause a lot of heartache and misery. Sometimes people keep their entire school portfolio of work online or conduct businesses and work documents are protected on peoples’ personal computers. That is why a virus can be a really devastating thing when it takes over the system of a computer. It can cause serious damage and cause you to lose all of your work.

Sometimes when a virus gets really out of hand and causes all of your applications to quit functioning, you might have to do a system recovery, which will cause you to roll back all your settings to factory settings and you will lose everything you have downloaded, saved, done, and added to your computer. Often when a virus gets that bad, it is impossible to even use your computer normally to save your work or send it to yourself or anything because the virus has taken hold and made ordinary operations almost impossible.

That is why, throughout your computer use, even when it is in perfect health, it is important to make sure that you take precautions as though a virus attack could occur at any moment. If you have very important data, you need to make sure that you back up your files and keep them safe. Back up your photos, documents, programs, and information on a hard drive or some other kind of disk so that they will stay safe and out of harm’s way. You can even make a back up for your back if the material is extremely important. But regardless, keep your back up updated so that if anything ever does happen to your system, you will not lose anything.

Also, when you draft a document, make it a habit to email it to yourself so you will always have a record of it accessible somewhere. Using something like Google Documents is a great way to keep your documents stored somewhere safe so that no matter what happens to your personal system, you will be able to access your important work from any computer. Upload your photos to photo sites like Flickr or Photobucket and keep them there in addition to where they are stored on your system. That way, even if your system crashes, you will still have your photos and important materials somewhere where you can access them. Basically, make sure that everything on your system is somewhere else, too, and can be accessed. You never want to have to cringe when a virus attacks your system and you have to lose all of your important data and work.

Keeping your computer safe with routine virus scans can be a great way to keep this kind of thing from happening and also updating your virus protection software and making sure that it is top of the line can also greatly assist in this adventure, as well.

source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Tips-To-Keep-Your-Computer-Safe-From-Attack&id=5753943

Computers have become such an important part of our lives – for accessing information, keeping in touch with friends and family, shopping, working, and other activities – that it’s easy to overlook the risks of using them. We rely on computers so much that many of us neglect the importance of PC security to keep our passwords, credit card numbers, and other personal information safe from identity thieves.

To help keep your computer and information safe, we’ve compiled a list of seven computer security tips to follow that can reduce your chances of being an identity theft victim by enhancing your PC’s security:

1. Never open unsolicited e-mail.

Always delete unsolicited e-mail, and never, ever, click on a link in an e-mail from someone you don’t know. Doing so could infect your computer with a virus.

2. Use strong passwords that are impossible for a thief to guess.

Use a different password for each login, and make sure that each password is a combination of upper- and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. People who use the same passwords for everything make it easy for thieves to steal their identities.

3. Install antivirus software and keep it updated.

There are many good antivirus programs online that people can download free or for a donation. Download at least three, run them at least once a week, and keep them updated.

4. Protect your computer with a firewall.

A computer firewall creates a virtual wall between your computer and thieves who want to access your personal information. Hardware and software firewalls help keep your computer safe when you’re online.

5. Don’t share your personal information online.

Social networks are fun and great for connecting with friends, but thieves use them to trick people into providing their personal information. You wouldn’t share your private information with a stranger on the street, so don’t share it with a stranger online, either, no matter how long you’ve “known” them.

6. Keep your operating system updated.

When your computer operating system tells you an update is available, update it as soon as possible, and get in the habit of keeping it updated at all times to thwart identity thieves.

7. Be wary of fake antivirus notifications and other scareware.

Antivirus viruses, also known as scareware, trick users into thinking that they have a computer virus in order to frighten them into providing their credit card information to download an “antivirus program” that will remove it. If you have scareware installed on your machine, disconnect your computer from the Internet, call a computer tech to remove it, and remember to never provide any personal information in the pop-ups that appear on your screen.

source: http://ezinearticles.com/?7-Tips-to-Secure-Your-Home-Computer&id=5471419

Common sense and vigilance are all it takes to have a safe internet experience. We all have heard about the thousands viruses affecting computers. This is no new news for everyone. Viruses have existed since the start of the computer era. Here are some effective tips that may be of help when it comes to avoiding computer viruses.

First, make use of a good and reliable spyware, malware or adware aside from your resident shield. Aside from you antivirus software, having additional programs like anti-adware, anti-spam, anti-spyware and the like can significantly boost the security of your computer. Be sure to run these programs every time you start your computer, or better yet put them on automatic mode where they will be the ones who will block all the pop ups, ads, spam, etc that would come out when you surf the net. Do not forget to update your security software. One common mistake of people is forgetting to regularly update their anti-virus. Having security software that is no updated is as useless as having no antivirus at all.

Also remember to turn your computer’s firewall on. If you do not know how to turn it on, search the internet or go to the help section of your antivirus’ software. Firewalls are very important. They give you protection against hackers and people who might try to get access of your computer for their own purposes. When you receive or try to plug in an external hardware like a DVD, CD, floppy disk or flash drive, always scan them properly first. Viruses can also jump from one computer to another. Do not offer your flash drives into any computer because you cannot be sure about the safety precautions that other computers have. They might have a virus in their computer and it can attach to your flash drive.

When you suspect your computer to have been infected by a virus, do not panic. If you are in a middle of doing some project, save the project first and exit the program. Close all programs that you currently are running and try opening your antivirus software. Let it scan your whole computer to check if there is really a virus that has infected the computer. Some viruses can be healed by antivirus software and they will be stored in a virus vault. They can disinfect your whole system and may request you to turn it off after you do so. Just follow the instructions and you will have a successful removal of viruses.

If you have tried running your antivirus and no virus shows but your computer is still running slow. Have an expert check your computer. There are also different factors that might have caused the lag in your PC. If a virus was detected but cannot be removed, visit your computer programmer. They might reformat your computer so be ready to give them you back up. In case you have not made a back up of all your files, talk to the programmer and inform him your dilemma. They might be able to help you out.

source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Avoiding-Computer-Viruses&id=5704272

I often get asked what is a computer virus, how does it differ from a worm or Trojan and how do they get into my computer? Please find below my article, giving you a brief explanation of these terms and how easily they can infect your system.

What is a Computer Virus?

Computer viruses are annoying at best and can be extremely destructive at worst. A computer virus is a piece of code which can attach itself to one of your files or programs, enabling it to spread to other computers infecting as it goes. This causes damage to files, software and hardware.

Computer viruses can range in severity in the same way as an organic virus. With an organic virus, unless kept in complete isolation, it usually spreads through human interaction. The difference is, (other than the obvious) a computer virus needs human interaction to enable it to spread, such as sending an email or sharing a file.

What is a Worm?

Similar to a virus, a worm is designed to copy itself across computers, but the horror is that it does this automatically.

It does this by taking control of features on a computer that transport files and information. Once on your system they have the ability to replicate in great numbers, very quickly. One of the things that they are famous for, is sending out copies to everyone in your address book and if the recipient is unaware, it will do the same to theirs.

They have the potential to cause heavy traffic, clogging networks and in extreme cases slowing down the entire internet.

So if you are waiting twice as long for pages to load, this could well be a possible cause.

What is a Trojan?

As in the Trojan horse of Greek mythology, which appeared to be a gift, but actually contained soldiers, Trojans appear to be useful software. Unfortunately, they often arrive as an email attachment, usually appearing to be from a legitimate source, but when opened lead to a trail of destruction. They can also be present in free software that you may download, so beware!

What is Malware?

Malware is a term that is used to describe “malicious software” programs. The things that are included in this are spyware, adware, and cookies.

What is Spyware and Adware?

It has been estimated that 90% of all computers on the internet are infected with some type of spyware.

Spyware refers to programs that can use your internet connection to send information, normally without your permission or knowledge, to another computer. The information that it then gathers could be a record of your browsing habits. This can include things that you have downloaded and even personal information such as your name and address.

There are different types of spyware which perform different functions. Some may change your home page, producing pop up personal ads, even if you are not online, and may even high-jack your browser, taking you to an unexpected site. Spyware that serves you personalized ads is also known as adware.

Some free software or programs have spyware included. Some of the more legitimate programs mention in their terms and conditions, that they may gather information, although most people do not tend to read this. However, spyware does not have to come bundled in a program. It is most commonly installed surreptitiously, often in the form of a pop up, or asking you to install a plug in, to enable you to display the site correctly. Spyware can use the local resources of your computer, such as processor and memory power, as well as some of your internet bandwidth.

So if your computer:

* slows to a crawl
* if you click on a link to a site and you end up at another site, due to your browser having been hijacked,
* you enter a search and received an unexpected result
* you get pop up ads that address you by name from a site that you haven’t visited
* you click on your home page and it takes you to a new site and when you try and switch back the same site appears again,

Then you probably have been infected with some form of Malware.

source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Computer-Viruses-and-Malware—What-Are-They?&id=5237579

There are so many things you have to watch out for when you’re online, and one of the worst of those is the good old computer virus. Now that broadband Internet is almost everywhere it’s making things a lot easier for viruses to get to your computer quickly. This is why it’s very important to have a very good firewall on your computer, as well as a good antivirus program. It’s just as important to keep them updated on a regular basis – having out-of-date security software is pointless.

Most computer protection software will update on its own, however your firewall may stop your antivirus software from updating. You should make sure that you have your firewall is set to allow these updates to come through. If you have something like Zone Alarm, it will ask you if you would like to allow the software to access the Internet. You’ll see the same type of activity when a computer virus is trying to get onto your system. Your firewall and your computer virus software should both stop this type of activity, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t keep an eye on things.

Sometimes a computer virus can get onto your computer and can do damage very quickly, while other times the process is slow and you mightn’t know what is going on for quite a while. Sometimes a computer virus will be planted that does nothing but install other viruses secretly. This can be very confusing, and can lead to a lot of problems if your software is not up-to-date. At times you may get a virus that your antivirus software doesn’t recongize and cant’ stop. If you think this is the case, update your antivirus software immediately and run another full system scan.

With broadband Internet access you can surf the Internet much faster, but you can also pick up a computer virus much faster. Sadly, one nasty computer virus is all it takes to completely destroy every single file on your computer. There are people out there with nothing better to do than coming up with new and smarter computer viruses to give home computer users more headaches. Why do they do this? To prove that they can – the average computer virus “author” is an 18 – 30 year old male, single and usually lives alone/at home with parents. These guys literally have nothing better to do with their days. It’s kinda sad really.

So folks keep your anti-virus software updated and make sure you have a solid firewall installed too. Do everything you can to make life difficult for the cyber criminals out there.

source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Computer-Viruses—A-Major-Digital-Headache&id=4823338

The Run DLL Error

In the case of the RunDLL Error, a critical file (the rundll file) is missing or corrupted on your machine. Unfortunately, this is likely due to a virus or spyware. Fortunately, you can resolve the error by cleaning your computer and ridding yourself of the pesky malware causing the problem in the first place.

Step 1: Identify the problem.

Fortunately for those of us who can boast only moderate technical skills, Windows does a nice job telling us when something is wrong.

An error message telling you something can’t be loaded and that a.dll file is missing is your first clue. To confirm the problem, you can copy and paste the error message into Google to see the sort of issue you’re experiencing. If Google doesn’t show a direct link, you’ll probably see several websites that cater to identifying strange processes (.exe files) and.dll files.

Either way, the info you need is that part before the.dll. In the error message above, the offending program is called ctrlpan. It’s the control panel. For you, the particular program may be different.

Step 2: Reboot the machine.

The first choice of busy people everywhere, simply reboot the computer. Sometimes this is enough to cure what ails you. But sometimes it’s not. In which case there is a Step 3.

Step 3: Properly remove an offending program.

If you recently removed a program, it might have fragments lingering on your machine causing this problem. Visit the Control Panel and select Add or Remove Programs. Needless to say, some programs can’t be removed, like the control panel itself. But if there’s a problematic application at fault and it can go, let it go. Most programs can either be re-installed without much hassle or re-downloaded with ease.

Select the program you tried to remove from the list and select Remove. Once it is completely gone, restart your machine while crossing your fingers. If that doesn’t work, try Step 4.

Step 4: Stop the Program from Running on Startup

If three reboots and malware protection haven’t helped, you can go into the executable files of your computer and manually delete the offending file. Go to Start and select Run. When the box pops up, type msconfig.

A new window will open up and you’ll see tabs at the top. Click on the tab that says startup.

You’re not actually deleting a program here. You’re removing the RUN command associated with a program. This prevents Windows from trying to run that application on startup. Since it won’t try to run it, it won’t fail to find the missing.dll file and subsequently return an error. Again, disabling a STARTUP entry doesn’t delete a program; it doesn’t even affect the way it behaves. I just tells Windows to not launch it when the computer starts. Since only non-essential functions are listed in this STARTUP Tab, you can actually disable all of the startup entries without enacting any damage to your system.

When you’ve disabled the entry, restart the computer.

Step 5: Run your Antispyware program.

It’s time to get a bit more serious about fixing the error. The last line of general defense is running AntiSpyware or Anti-Virus software. If a RunDLL error persists even after you’ve disabled startup items, then it could be a component of malware. Odds are – if this is the case – the error won’t be produced by the spyware itself, but as a side-effect of the malicious program running in your system.

If you don’t already have an antispyware program on your machine, do a bit of quick research and download a free program or a free trial of a program to investigate your machine and root out the problem. When the program has removed all spyware and other malware and has finished running, do one more restart to fully correct the problem.

source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Top-5-Steps-in-Fixing-a-RunDLL-Error&id=4953811

Sometimes referred to as a multipartite virus, the hybrid virus is one of the more difficult types of computer virus to bring under control. Essentially, the hybrid virus will combine elements of other virus programs in a new combination that will often slip past protections that would stop the original component viruses. Generally, a hybrid virus is capable of infecting both system sectors and program files, making it especially difficult to locate and remove from a system.

In many cases, the hybrid virus will include elements of both file infectors and boot infectors. The idea behind this approach is to launch a two-pronged attack on the system. As the multi-part virus enters the system, elements settle into program files, while at the same time identifying and infiltrating various sections of the operating system. This means that each time the executable file  imbedded with the hybrid virus runs, the result is an activation sequence that helps the virus to proliferate.

At the same time, the hybrid virus normally works into the section of the hard drive that controls the start up procedures for the computer. As with the infected program files, the virus is activated each time the system is booted up. Over time, this will damage the operation of the system, and possibly shut it down altogether.

The dual nature of the hybrid virus makes it extremely difficult to remove once it is in place. Unless all elements of the virus are removed, any remaining presence will quickly regenerate and re-infect the entire system. For this reason, special care should be taken to clean the system thoroughly, and making sure to conduct a virus check immediately after the cleaning takes place.

Of course, the best way to deal with a hybrid virus is to not become infected in the first place. One way to minimize the chances for infection is to be extremely careful about opening attachments that are of a suspicious nature. Care should also be taken to keep anti-virus software updated, and to not download programs from any online source that is not familiar and trusted.

source: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-hybrid-virus.htm

A polymorphic virus is a computer virus which is capable of mutating itself when it replicates, making it more difficult to identify with ordinary antivirus software. To effectively find such viruses, antivirus software needs to have more complex algorithms available to help it identify distinctive patterns which can betray the presence of a virus even when the code behind the virus is not known to the software. Such software tends to be more expensive, reflecting the additional effort required during development and updates to make the software functional.

The first known polymorphic virus was developed in 1990, in the early days of the Internet, illustrating the fact that virus creators have always been ahead of the curve when it comes to developing malicious code. Polymorphic viruses operate with the assistance of an encryption engine which changes with each virus replication; this keeps the encrypted virus functional, while still hiding the polymorphic virus from the computer it infects and allowing the virus to slip through security systems which are designed to prevent malicious code from entering or exiting a network.

Essentially, the designers of polymorphic viruses have integrated a trait associated with viruses which infect humans into the design of their software, designed to infect computers. Human viruses are infamous for being able to mutate rapidly to avoid detection and prevent the buildup of immunities, and when a computer virus has a similar trait, the results can be unpleasant for computer users. It can be difficult to mount an adequate defense against a polymorphic virus, even with excellent antivirus software which has been designed to attempt to detect such viruses.

Polymorphic viruses can operate in different ways. Some mutate with each infection, making the virus extremely difficult to track. Others change with each generation. The speed of mutation is also highly variable. Some viruses mutate more slowly, which can make it easier to catch them, while others change very quickly. All of these variations, as a whole, make polymorphic viruses very diverse, which adds to the challenge of pinning them down.

Infection with a polymorphic computer virus can be a serious problem. While all computer viruses are designed to remain undetected for as long as possible, so that they can exact the maximum damage and increase their chances of infecting other computers, a polymorphic virus can linger undetected even on a system with antivirus software in place. People may also be lulled into thinking that their system is clean because they have such software and they update it regularly.

source: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-polymorphic-virus.htm