How To Remove Worms (PC-Windows)

Worms are quickly spreading virus transmitted through uncertain systems, email connections, programming downloads, and web-based social networking links.Worms essentially influence PCs, yet Mac clients can unwittingly spread them all through the Internet. And keeping in mind that infections don't influence Android or iOS, they can fall prey to other malware. Figure out how to expel a worm from your Windows PC with an infection evacuation instrument, expel malware from Macs and cell phones, and how to best shield yourself from malware later on.


1.) Download a virus removal tool like Microsoft's Malicious Software Removal Tool. 
     If you think you have a worm virus, download a dedicated virus removal tool to scan for and remove viruses. Do this even if you already have antivirus software, as the software on your computer may be infected. Once you’ve chosen a virus removal tool, download it to your desktop.

• Most companies that sell antivirus software also offer free virus removal tools. Some options besides Microsoft’s own are Kaspersky Free Virus Scan and Sophos Virus Removal Tool.
• If you can’t use a web browser on the infected computer, use a different computer to download a virus removal tool, then burn it to a CD or DVD. Insert the burned disc into the infected machine, press ⊞ Win+E to launch File Explorer, then double-click your DVD-ROM drive to find the tool. 

2.)  Press ⊞ Win+S to open Search, type “restore”, then click “Create a restore point” in the search results. 
      Worms and other malware can hide in the System Restore files, which may hide them from virus removal tools. You should turn off System Restore before running the removal tool to prevent this from happening.

• Windows 7 and Vista users should type “protection” into the search box instead, then click “System protection.”

3.)  Click “Configure” on the dialog, then check “Disable System Protection.”

      This works on any Windows version. 

4.)  Disable your third-party antivirus program if you have one. 

      If you have a separate antivirus program like McAfee or Kaspersky, open it and find the “settings” or “options” area, then find an option for “disable” or “turn off.”

• Once the program is disabled, you’ll probably see a message that says your computer is at risk. You can ignore it for now as you’ll be restoring it soon.

5.) Restart the computer to the login screen, then hold ⇧ Shift as you click “Power,” then “Restart”. 

     The computer will then reboot into the Chose an Option screen. This begins the process of booting into Safe Mode on a Windows 8 or 10 computer.

• To access Safe Mode on Windows 7 or Vista: Reboot the computer and tap the F8 key repeatedly as it restarts until you arrive at the Boot Options screen.

6.) If you are using Windows 10 or Windows 8, click “Troubleshoot,” then “Advanced Options.”

• In Windows 7, use the arrow keys to select “Safe Mode with Networking,” then press ↵ Enter to boot into that mode. You are now in safe mode and can skip the next few steps intended for Windows 10/8 users.

7.) If you are using Windows 10 or Windows 8, click “Startup settings,” then “Restart.”

     The computer will reboot a second time. 

8.)  If you are using Windows 10 or Windows 8, press F5 or 5 at the Boot Options screen to enter Safe Mode with Networking.

9.) Now that you are in Safe Mode, double-click the virus removal tool on your desktop. 

     Or, if you inserted a CD/DVD that contains the tool, double-click the tool to open it.  

10.) Click “Start scan”(or something similar). 

       The scan will take at least several minutes to complete. Depending on the computer, software, and infection level, this may take over an hour.  

11.) Quarantine worms and other malware. Once the virus scan is complete, the antivirus tool will report its results. If you see prompts to “quarantine” (another term for safely removing the malware from your PC), follow them so that the files are properly destroyed.

• Some programs, such as Microsoft’s Malicious Software Removal Tool, will remove the malware/worms without your intervention.
• If nothing is found, it’s very likely that you don't have a worm virus. If you still think you may be infected, try one of the other virus-removal tools.

12.) Click “Power” in the Start menu, then select “Restart.”

       The computer will reboot normally, without a worm infection. 

13.)  Re-enable System Restore. 

        Don't skip this step! To allow Windows to create automatic restore points for emergency use, return to the System Restore (called "System Protection" in Windows Vista and 7) dialog and check “Turn on system protection”. 

14.) Set your antivirus program to monitor your PC in real-time. 

       If you previously disabled your antivirus software, turn it back on now. 

15.) Enable Windows Defender if you don’t presently have other antivirus protection. 

       Windows Defender is an antivirus/anti-malware suite built into Windows. Most PC manufacturers install free trial versions of antivirus software suites, which disable Defender by default. Enabling Defender is a great (and free!) way to keep your computer safe from worms.

• Press S to launch search, then type “defender”. Click “Windows Defender” in the search results, then (in Windows 8, 10) click “Settings,” and flip the following switches to the “On” position: Real-time protection, Cloud-based protection, and Automatic sample submission.
• In Windows Vista and 7, click “Tools,” then “Options,” and then “Administrator.” Select “Use this program,” then click “Save”.

 ©wikiHow 

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PCSX4

PCSX4 is a PlayStation 4 & PlayStation 4 Pro emulator which allows you to play PS4 games on your PC. It requires your PS4 console to grab “play-station device identifier” (PDIX) and original PS4 games. To avoid illegal activities and misuse of source code, PCSX4 is made semi open source. Only 64bit Windows 7, 8.1, 10 is supported with .net framework 3.5 and VC++2015. Windows 7 users need to install directx 11.1 platform update KB2670838-x64 if it’s not already installed. Support for macOS and Linux may be added in future when OpenGL libraries are ready.

PCSX4 is optimized to use up to 8 cores of a processor but requires at least 4 core processor with SSE-4.2 and AVX.
Intel: Core-i5 3xxx and later is supported.
AMD: FX-41xx and later is supported.
CPU performance and stability with PCSX4 differs drastically and it is difficult to tell which processor works perfectly. Some mobile based i5 and i7 processors may cause performance glitches due to lower clock rates.

PCSX4 requires a GPU to support at least Direct 3D 11.1 and Pixel shader model 5.0.
Nvidia: GeForce GTX 660 or higher is required.
AMD: AMD Radeon 7870 or higher is required.
To run every game smoothly @60FPS with 1080p resolution, GeForce GTX 970 or Radeon R9-290X can be recommended. PCSX4 does support 4K resolution but it is very difficult to reach 60FPS even with dual high-end GPU’s. 4GB is a minimum requirement for PCSX4 but 6GB or more is recommended. RAM with higher clock rates may increase game loading times when used together with the SSD as game cache disk. A PlayStation device identifier (.pdix) is a file generated and extracted from a PS4 console which contains encrypted identifiers info which is unique for every device. PDIX must be linked to your PCSX4 account in order to play games. PDIX is extracted using userland code execution method. (thanks to CTurt) To extract PDIX, navigate to https://pcsx4.com/extract-pdix on your PS4 web browser. There is no way you can run pirated games, PCSX4 game cache/install is encrypted with 256-bit header with .pdix hash which is linked to your PCSX4 account. We have a strict policy about piracy, please buy original games and support their developers.
PCSX4 account stores unique Machine-id and PDIX for each account, if our system detects any illegal activity, your account and ip-address will be permanently banned from our servers.

©PCSX4 
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How-to Remove Trojan

The good thing about Trojan Horses: It's not that difficult to remove them. But the bad thing is that Trojan Viruses are quite difficult to find.
Although they will not corrupt files or delete things on your hard disk, using them allows hackers to detect your credit card number, your social security number or some other private data. And of course, this is 1000 times worse.

The problem about deleting Trojan Horses is that since they have a variety of forms, there is no single method to delete them. Normally, using some antivirus software will help detecting and removing the Trojan Horses hiding on your hard disk. You can also try to clear the temporary internet files and delete them manually. Otherwise try this:

1) Open the System Information Utility (msinfo32.exe). You will find it at:
(C:programfiles\common\microsoftshared\msinfo). This program shows you all the processes running on any windows system, even those that are hidden from the task list that you normally use to look up the running processes on your PC. Now look for task listings which you do not recognize. Check the filenames and paths. Open your virus scanner and run the executable or .dll through it.
2) Open your antivirus software (If you don't have one, download AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 7.5. It's pretty good and free). Run a virus scan. After the scan delete the value that was detected from the registry (first back up the registry!):
2.A) Click Start > Run
2.B) Type regedit
2.C) Click OK
2.D) Go to the subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRunServices
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServices E)
Now delete any value in the right pane that was detected during the scan F) Exit the Registry Editor

3) If the steps 1) and 2) did help, download the free Trojan Horse remover HijackThis.
Its one of the best Trojan Horse removing tools out there.

Does pulling out USB device instead of safely ejecting it cause any problems?

Does it really spell doom for the USB drive if you just pull it out?


Your computer will often display a scary warning if you fail to safely eject the drive. But do you actually still need to do this? What happens if you don’t?

Is there any harm to be incurred by just pulling a flash drive out?
Why do we need safe removal at all?

We have all been guilty of ripping our USB drives out of our computers instead of ejecting them properly, only to receive the judgemental pop up telling us we really shouldn’t have done that.
But when everything on the USB works fine next time you plug it in, you can’t help but doubt: does it actually do anything when you safely eject your disk before removing it?
Well, we’ve done a little background study, and it turns out that it does. In fact, waiting those extra 30 seconds to safely eject could help to properly save your data and software.
Previously, operating systems treat disks as items that can be trusted not to change state unexpectedly. When reading or writing files, the OS expects the files to remain available and not suddenly vanish in mid-read or mid-write.

If a file is open, a program reading the file expects to be able to return to it and continue reading. Similarly, write orders may be dispatched to a writing subroutine and forgotten by the main program. If a drive disappears between the times the subroutine is called and the data is written to disk, that data is lost eternally.
In the olden days, there were official processes to physically “mount” and “unmount” storage media, and the physical act of mounting a tape or a disk pack triggered some mechanical switch to identify the presence or absence of media. Once the mechanism was engaged, the software could start to use the media (a “soft mount.”). Some media even had mechanical interlock to avoid media from being expelled or removed until the software processes using the media free the lock.

As Phillip Remaker explains over at Quora that our operating systems have been programmed to treat our external drives like USB sticks – like they’ll always be there. It expects the files on it to remain reachable indefinitely and these changes the way it interacts with a flash drive.

This means if a program on your computer is just reading a file and not actually saving any information to the drive, it’s probably not going mess things up too much for the files on your USB stick if you suddenly pull it out. But you do risk confusing your computer, says Remaker. “Symptoms could include: Lost data, corrupted file systems, crashing programs, or hanging computers requiring a reboot.”
The Macintosh floppy and optical disk provide more current examples of an interlocked physical and soft mount. One could only eject media through a software command, but that command might fail if some program was holding a file open on the medium. Enter USB connected storage. There is no mechanical interlock in a USB connection to coordinate the hard and soft mount. The user can decide to rip the disk out from under the operating system at any time, and endure all manner of programs freaking out about the sudden loss of media. “Hey! I was using that!”

A safe removal does a few things like it flushes all active writes to disk, alerts all programs (that know how to be alerted) that the disk is going away, and to take suitable action and it alerts the user when programs have failed to take action, and still are holding files open.
You can remove a disk at any time, but you are at the pity of how well programs using the disk manage with the sudden disappearance of that disk.

In the new computer, many steps have been taken to protect against the unpredictable and casual removal of media. For example, Windows even introduced a feature called “Optimize for Quick Removal” that makes sure data is written quickly instead of batched up and written professionally. It is very hard to get people to change habits. If you are doing exclusively reads on a media, safe removal is perhaps not needed. If you are doing writes, you are probably OK to skip safe removal if you haven’t written recently and you aren’t doing something silly like indexing that disk.
As a good friend of mine once said: Life is too small to safely eject the disk.

However, Safe Removal does a number of essential things and is, in fact, the only assuredly secure way to remove a disk. You probably don’t need it most of the time, but it is a good habit to have since data loss sucks.

Microsoft's new web browser is up to 112% faster than Google Chrome?

Google’s Chrome web browser is the most popular web browser in the world right now,according to StatCounter but Microsoft’s new web browser for Windows 10, called Edge, might prove to be superior.In a Windows blog post on Wednesday, Gabe Aul, Microsoft’s head of the Windows Insider program, announced a new set of benchmarks for Microsoft Edge, the company’s new web browser made for Windows 10.

Microsoft Edge showed significant performance gains over Google Chrome, but what’s most impressive is that Microsoft used benchmarks created by Apple and Google: Edge was tested using Google Octane, Apple JetStream, and WebKit Sunspider. That last one is actually a benchmark created by Apple’s WebKit development team that’s intended for the iOS, Mac, and Windows versions of Safari, Apple’s web browser.

According to the benchmark results, Microsoft Edge was 112% faster than Google Chrome on WebKit Sunspider, 11% faster on Google Octane, and 37% faster on Apple JetStream.

“We’re really pleased with those performance gains and we hope that you’ll enjoy faster browsing with Microsoft Edge along with the many great features we’ve added over the last several builds,” Aul said.

If these results are accurate, Microsoft Edge could soon be the web browser of choice for Windows users, considering its power and efficiency. At the very least, these kinds of performance improvements could spur other web browsers like Chrome to innovate and improve their own products. But as it stands right now, this looks like a great reason to try Windows 10 when it launches later this year.
Windows 10 will be a free download for Windows 7 and Windows 8 users.

KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS and more...

Keyboard Shortcuts (Microsoft Windows)

1. CTRL+C (Copy)
2. CTRL+X (Cut)
3. CTRL+V (Paste)
4. CTRL+Z (Undo)
5. DELETE (Delete)
6. SHIFT+DELETE (Delete the selected item permanently without placing the item in the Recycle Bin)
7. CTRL while dragging an item (Copy the selected item)
8. CTRL+SHIFT while dragging an item (Create a shortcut to the selected item)
9. F2 key (Rename the selected item)
10. CTRL+RIGHT ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next word)
11. CTRL+LEFT ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous word)
12. CTRL+DOWN ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the next paragraph)
13. CTRL+UP ARROW (Move the insertion point to the beginning of the previous paragraph)
14. CTRL+SHIFT with any of the arrow keys (Highlight a block of text)
SHIFT with any of the arrow keys (Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text in a document)
15. CTRL+A (Select all)
16. F3 key (Search for a file or a folder)
17. ALT+ENTER (View the properties for the selected item)
18. ALT+F4 (Close the active item, or quit the active program)
19. ALT+ENTER (Display the properties of the selected object)
20. ALT+SPACEBAR (Open the shortcut menu for the active window)
21. CTRL+F4 (Close the active document in programs that enable you to have multiple documents open simultaneously)
22. ALT+TAB (Switch between the open items)
23. ALT+ESC (Cycle through items in the order that they had been opened)
24. F6 key (Cycle through the screen elements in a window or on the desktop)
25. F4 key (Display the Address bar list in My Computer or Windows Explorer)
26. SHIFT+F10 (Display the shortcut menu for the selected item)
27. ALT+SPACEBAR (Display the System menu for the active window)
28. CTRL+ESC (Display the Start menu)
29. ALT+Underlined letter in a menu name (Display the corresponding menu) Underlined letter in a command name on an open menu (Perform the corresponding command)
30. F10 key (Activate the menu bar in the active program)
31. RIGHT ARROW (Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu)
32. LEFT ARROW (Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu)
33. F5 key (Update the active window)
34. BACKSPACE (View the folder one level up in My Computer or Windows Explorer)
35. ESC (Cancel the current task)
36. SHIFT when you insert a CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive (Prevent the CD-ROM from automatically playing)
Dialog Box - Keyboard Shortcuts
1. CTRL+TAB (Move forward through the tabs)
2. CTRL+SHIFT+TAB (Move backward through the tabs)
3. TAB (Move forward through the options)
4. SHIFT+TAB (Move backward through the options)
5. ALT+Underlined letter (Perform the corresponding command or select the corresponding option)
6. ENTER (Perform the command for the active option or button)
7. SPACEBAR (Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box)
8. Arrow keys (Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons)
9. F1 key (Display Help)
10. F4 key (Display the items in the active list)
11. BACKSPACE (Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box)

Microsoft Natural Keyboard Shortcuts

1. Windows Logo (Display or hide the Start menu)
2. Windows Logo+BREAK (Display the System Properties dialog box)
3. Windows Logo+D (Display the desktop)
4. Windows Logo+M (Minimize all of the windows)
5. Windows Logo+SHIFT+M (Restore the minimized windows)
6. Windows Logo+E (Open My Computer)
7. Windows Logo+F (Search for a file or a folder)
8. CTRL+Windows Logo+F (Search for computers)
9. Windows Logo+F1 (Display Windows Help)
10. Windows Logo+ L (Lock the keyboard)
11. Windows Logo+R (Open the Run dialog box)
12. Windows Logo+U (Open Utility Manager)
13. Accessibility Keyboard Shortcuts
14. Right SHIFT for eight seconds (Switch FilterKeys either on or off)
15. Left ALT+left SHIFT+PRINT SCREEN (Switch High Contrast either on or off)
16. Left ALT+left SHIFT+NUM LOCK (Switch the MouseKeys either on or off)
17. SHIFT five times (Switch the StickyKeys either on or off)
18. NUM LOCK for five seconds (Switch the ToggleKeys either on or off)
19. Windows Logo +U (Open Utility Manager)
20. Windows Explorer Keyboard Shortcuts
21. END (Display the bottom of the active window)
22. HOME (Display the top of the active window)
23. NUM LOCK+Asterisk sign (*) (Display all of the sub folders that are under the selected folder)
24. NUM LOCK+Plus sign (+) (Display the contents of the selected folder)
25. NUM LOCK+Minus sign (-) (Collapse the selected folder)
26. LEFT ARROW (Collapse the current selection if it is expanded, or select the parent folder)
27. RIGHT ARROW (Display the current selection if it is collapsed, or select the first subfolder)




Shortcut Keys for Character Map

After you double-click a character on the grid of characters, you can move through the grid by using the keyboard shortcuts:

1. RIGHT ARROW (Move to the right or to the beginning of the next line)
2. LEFT ARROW (Move to the left or to the end of the previous line)
3. UP ARROW (Move up one row)
4. DOWN ARROW (Move down one row)
5. PAGE UP (Move up one screen at a time)
6. PAGE DOWN (Move down one screen at a time)
7. HOME (Move to the beginning of the line)
8. END (Move to the end of the line)
9. CTRL+HOME (Move to the first character)
10. CTRL+END (Move to the last character)
11. SPACEBAR (Switch between Enlarged and Normal mode when a character is selected)


Microsoft Management Console (MMC)

Main Window Keyboard Shortcuts

1. CTRL+O (Open a saved console)
2. CTRL+N (Open a new console)
3. CTRL+S (Save the open console)
4. CTRL+M (Add or remove a console item)
5. CTRL+W (Open a new window)
6. F5 key (Update the content of all console windows)
7. ALT+SPACEBAR (Display the MMC window menu)
8. ALT+F4 (Close the console)
9. ALT+A (Display the Action menu)
10. ALT+V (Display the View menu)
11. ALT+F (Display the File menu)
12. ALT+O (Display the Favorites menu)


 MMC Console Window Keyboard Shortcuts

1. CTRL+P (Print the current page or active pane)
2. ALT+Minus sign (-) (Display the window menu for the active console window)
3. SHIFT+F10 (Display the Action shortcut menu for the selected item)
4. F1 key (Open the Help topic, if any, for the selected item)
5. F5 key (Update the content of all console windows)
6. CTRL+F10 (Maximize the active console window)
7. CTRL+F5 (Restore the active console window)
8. ALT+ENTER (Display the Properties dialog box, if any, for the selected item)
9. F2 key (Rename the selected item)
10. CTRL+F4 (Close the active console window. When a console has only one console window, this shortcut closes the console)

Remote Desktop Connection Navigation

1. CTRL+ALT+END (Open the Microsoft Windows NT Security dialog box)
2. ALT+PAGE UP (Switch between programs from left to right)
3. ALT+PAGE DOWN (Switch between programs from right to left)
4. ALT+INSERT (Cycle through the programs in most recently used order)
5. ALT+HOME (Display the Start menu)
6. CTRL+ALT+BREAK (Switch the client computer between a window and a full screen)
7. ALT+DELETE (Display the Windows menu)
8. CTRL+ALT+Minus sign (-) (Place a snapshot of the active window in the client on the Terminal server clipboard and provide the same functionality as pressing PRINT SCREEN on a local computer.)
9. CTRL+ALT+Plus sign (+) (Place a snapshot of the entire client window area on the Terminal server clipboard and provide the same functionality as pressing ALT+PRINT SCREEN on a local computer.)

11 tips to prevent viruses from your PC

It doesn't matter if you've been on the Internet for five minutes or five years, you've probably thought about ways in which you can prevent a computer virus from entering your machine. A virus can compromise your personal information and even destroy your computer completely. Luckily, there are many low cost things you can do to protect yourself and stay one step ahead of the hackers. Here are 11 things you can do to help prevent computer viruses from invading your computer.

1. Install a reliable anti virus program
From the first moment you turn your computer on, you should have a trusted anti virus program by your side. Even if you have a machine that isn't hooked up to the Internet, a reliable anti virus program is a low cost and common sense addition to any machine. There are even free anti virus programs you can download that work almost as well as industry giants like Norton and McAfee.


2. Install anti-spyware and anti-malware programs 
 As good as the best anti virus programs are, they sometimes need a little bit of help. Thankfully, many of the top anti-spyware programs are completely free. Spybot Search and Destroy and CCleaner are just two free programs that can help prevent computer viruses from doing any damage on your machine. As helpful as these programs are, however, you must update them and run them on a regular basis for them to do any good.

3. Avoid suspicious websites 
A good virus protection program will alert you when you visit a website that attempts to install or run a program on your computer. Many less than reputable adult websites do this, so if you get a warning, don't go back, you may end up with a bug you can't get rid of.

4. Never Open Email Attachments Without Scanning Them First 
The most common way viruses are spread throughout the Internet is still via email. Some attachments, like pictures, now display in emails and don't require an attachment to be manually opened, but other documents do. Make sure you use an email client that scans all email attachments before you are allowed to open them. This will help prevent computer viruses from getting a foothold on your machine.

5. Set up Automatic Scans 
Many of the top anti virus programs, as well as the best anti-spyware programs, now have settings that will let them automatically run during down times or in the middle of the night. Of course, your computer must be on for this to happen, but having daily scans run when nothing else is going on is a great way to prevent even the latest computer viruses from sticking around too long.


6. Watch Your Downloads 
 Part of the fun of the Internet is downloading music, movies and other items. However, since these downloads are so massive, it can be easy to sneak a virus along for the ride. Only download these files from trusted sites that you can count on, or, at the very least, scan them before you open them.


7. Updates, Updates, Updates 
There is a reason why Windows has a feature called Critical Updates. There is an entire branch of Microsoft dedicated to staying one step ahead of the hackers out there so when they manage to fix a possible security loophole, you need to download the patch right away. Help Microsoft help you prevent computer viruses from causing too much trouble.


8. Know What To Look For 
Even if you are just a casual computer user, you should have an idea of how your machine operates, what normal pop up windows look like and what popular viruses are out there, that way, when your computer begins exhibiting tell tale signs, you'll know. You can help prevent computer viruses by staying updated and educated.


9. Stay Away From Cracked Software 
It is so secret that you can download illegal, cracked versions of some programs online. As tempting as it may be, these files are almost always infested with advanced and difficult to detect bugs. Play it safe and get your software from the source.

10. Install a Firewall 
A firewall is a program that screens incoming Internet and network traffic. Along with your virus program, it can help prevent unauthorized access to your computer.

11. Be prepared to Lock Down 
If you hear of a virus that is spreading like wildfire through the Internet, make an extra effort to be careful. Don't open any suspicious emails or accept any downloads for a week or two until your virus protection program has been updated and you are, once again, safe.

15 Things Every PC User Should Know

Whether you're a tech veteran or a no0b, here are 15 essential facts and tricks that you ought to know.
Think you know tech? If you don't have a handle on every single one of these 15 tech facts, habits, and efficiency tricks, you're not living up to your potential..

1. Don't double-click everything.

Windows 101: Double-clicking is how you open items in Windows. It's not how you open links in your Web browser, click buttons in dialog boxes, or do pretty much anything else--and if you reflexively double-click, you might accidentally zip right past something important or submit a form twice. If you don't need this reminder yourself, chances are you know someone who does.

2. Use slashes and backslashes in the appropriate situations.

Let's get it straight: / is a slash (or forward slash, if you must), and \ is a backslash. Backslashes are conventionally used for Windows file paths (C:\Program Files\Whatever), while slashes are used for Internet addresses (http://nerdistunite.blogspot.com/).


3. Record the exact error message.

When your PC crashes, it'll usually try to tell you why it is doing so--albeit with a string of numbers and letters that you won't understand. Write the message down in its entirety (or take a screenshot, if possible) so you can later plug it into Google or give it to your tech support agent. If your PC didn't provide an error message, go to Action Center (in the Control Panel) and see if it shows up under 'View archived messages' or 'View problems to report'.

4. Bring deleted files back from the dead.

When you delete a file from your PC or memory card, you're not wiping it off the actual hard drive. Instead, you're simply removing the index information that tells your PC where the file is, at which point the PC is free to treat the part of your disk that contain that file as empty space that it can write something else to. If you've accidentally deleted something, undelete utilities such as Recuva can help you find those files again as long as you haven't already written over that file with something new.

5. Wipe your hard drive before getting rid of it.

Don't leave your personal data on your old PC's hard drive. Nuke it completely with Darik's Boot and Nuke.
Because your PC doesn't immediately get rid of the files you delete, you can't just reformat your hard drive before recycling or selling your old computer--because someone might be able to use an undelete app to recover your sensitive data. We have all kinds of tips for completely erasing an old drive, but the short version is: grab Darik's Boot and Nuke.

6. Uncheck the boxes before you install.

Want a totally worthless toolbar added to your browser? No? Then uncheck the box for that option before you install updates.

Lots of helpful apps out there give you the option of installing search toolbars and other add-ons--and some of them are so pushy about being helpful that their installers are configured to install the uninvited extras unless you check a box saying you don't want them. Not only is each add-on another thing that your PC needs to load, but you have no idea what kind of data it could be sending out. They come bundled with the app because they make money for the app developer, not because they're particularly useful. So take a close look at what you're installing before you click Install--and in return, the installer won't change your search engine or install apps you don't need.

7. Beware of viruses living in Office docs.

Experienced Microsoft Office users can take advantage of its built-in Visual Basic for Applications support to automate complex tasks with macros. However, malicious coders can use those same tools to design viruses that may interfere with your work and that of your colleagues. By default, Office is set to disable all macros and notify you when a doc you're reading contains them (to toggle this setting, in Word, select Word Options, Trust Center, Trust Center Settings, Macro Settings), so you should already be safe on this score.

8. Be skeptical of "cleaning" apps.

Apps that make vague claims about improving your PC's performance and clearing out its clutter (Registry cleaners, I'm looking at you) will generally do more harm than good (if they do anything at all). To clean up your system, simply run Disk Cleanup (to reach it, select Start Menu, All programs, Accessories, System Tools); it comes with every Windows installation and it won't mess up your PC.
Don't spend a bunch of money on dubious disk-cleaning software. Windows' built-in Disk Cleanup utility has all the cleaning power most users need.

9. Uninstall your old apps.

If you regularly download and install new apps from the Internet, you should get in the habit of pruning your collection every now and then. To do so, open the Programs and Features control panel, scroll through the list, and click Uninstall to ditch items you no longer want. You may need to take a trip into your C:/Program Files/ folder to hunt down a few additional unused apps. The less stuff you have on your PC, the less things are to go wrong.

10. Don't let a spilled drink ruin your laptop.

If you keep your cool when a spill occurs, you may be able to prevent your data from disappearing and your motherboard from frying. Instead of panicking, quickly but methodically unplug the power cord and yank out the battery--don't wait for Windows to power off. Next, detach anything connected to the PC (network cables, USB devices) and pull out any readily removable components such as an optical drive. Tilt the laptop to try to drain the liquid in the direction that it spilled onto your PC, but be careful--you don't want to tilt the laptop in a direction that would allow the liquid to seep even deeper in. If you see liquid on the surface of the laptop, dab it off with a towel. At this point, unless you're comfortable disassembling your PC and cleaning it with electronics cleaner, you'll probably want to take it to a tech.

11. Turn down UAC.

Both Windows 7 and Windows Vista include a security function called User Account Control, which dims the screen and flashes a dialog box whenever you install an app or change your system settings. Though this arrangement can be useful for catching sneaky apps that are trying to install or change things without your knowledge, it can also be annoying. If you use Vista, grab TweakUAC to make it less annoying without turning it off. If you use Windows 7, the default settings aren't too bad, but I recommend that you go into the User Accounts control panel, click User Account Control settings, and change the setting to the third notch down, so UAC will still warn you but it won't dim the screen.

12. Don't work in your admin account.

Many PC users are accustomed to doing their everyday work while logged in to their PC's administrator account--especially in Windows XP. Doing so can save you the hassle of having to log in and out when you want to install apps or make changes, but it also leaves you much more vulnerable to viruses and malware--so don't do it.

The Control Panel is far easier to navigate when you can see all the icons at a glance.

13. Keep your Control Panel in Icon View.

The Control Panel's Categories view can be useful if you're intimidated by the many different options available, but it can also make finding what you're looking for more difficult (especially if you're following detailed instructions that refer to the control panels by name). Click Classic view on the left (in Vista) or choose Large Icons from the View by drop down menu in the upper right (in Windows 7), and you'll have ready access to all of the control panels.

14. Clear your system tray.

Apps often park themselves in the system tray (the row of icons on the right side of your task bar) and stay open without your realizing it. Take the time to clear it out occasionally. Open the Notification Area Icons control panel, and check the box on the bottom that says Always show all icons and notifications on the task bar to get a sense of how cluttered your system tray is; then right-click each one you don't need and choose Close. Your RAM will thank you.

15. Manage your power settings.

If you're using a laptop, you'll want to know how to change your power settings so your PC doesn't waste battery when you need to conserve it, doesn't slow down when you need to go fast, and doesn't go to sleep at an inopportune moment. Open the Power Options control panel, and choose from among several presets containing different configurations for when you're plugged in and when you're mobile--or feel free to create your own. To access the advanced settings, click Change plan settings, Change advanced settings; there you'll find detailed options related to your battery, Wi-Fi radio, graphics card, and more.

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