Archive for July 2009
I Should Practice What I Preach
Just a few days after my post about ways to protect your computer from lightning, we take a direct hit and my motherboard gets fried! It was a fairly quick-moving storm that started around 5:00am. I heard some thunder and saw a few lightning flashes, but it didn't seem that bad. Then, in unison, we saw a flash, heard a loud pop and a HUGE clap of thunder. Read the rest of this entry »
Web of Trust (WOT) Teams with Panda Security
In an email only release, this morning, the folks at Web of Trust (WOT) announced that they've teamed with Panda Security, to offer co-branded versions of WOT's community-driven internet security browser add-ons (that's a mouthful). Their goal is to make surfing and shopping much safer experiences. Read the rest of this entry »
Did Microsoft and YAHOO! Strike a Deal?
Keep your ears open for an announcement that Microsoft and YAHOO! have come to an agreement over their joint search and advertising businesses. While both parties claim nothing has been signed, they also agree that negotiations are complete and paperwork is just a formality, at this point. The final deal is supposedly far less-sweeping than the original plans. Read the rest of this entry »
Windows 7 Shipping to Manufacturers
Microsoft’s newest operating system, Windows 7, has been released to computer makers. The official launch date is October 22nd, 2009.
I haven’t yet had the opportunity to load the RC onto a test machine. I may do that this week. I’ve already pre-ordered a retail copy, which I’m confident will ship some time before the official launch date.
Enjoy RUSH ®™ Radio for Free!
Apparently, Rush, one of the all-time greatest rock bands, is trying to achieve sainthood, because they're offering all (or most) of their songs for free! Of course, you can't download or otherwise distribute the music, but you can listen all you want! Read the rest of this entry »
Lightning and your Computer
San Angelo has recently been the victim of some pretty good lightning storms. Inevitably, customers are calling to report connection problems. So far, I've only had to replace a couple of NIC cards. Lightning damage can also manifest itself in just about any other computer component going bad, such as power supplies and motherboards. Read the rest of this entry »
Erin Andrews Video Clip May Infect Your PC
Thinking about searching for the video clip of ESPN's Erin Andrews undressing? Not so fast!
The recently-leaked video clip of ESPN reporter Erin Andrews undressing, filmed through a hotel room peephole, may be a cloaked attempt to infect your computer with a virus. Just a word of warning. Read the rest of this entry »
ZoneAlarm Validation Errors (Missing Root Certificate)
Yesterday, I was working remotely on my sister's machine. She complained that she was receiving constant "validation errors" with ZoneAlarm. More specifically, errors relating to zclient.exe, vsinit.dll and vsdata.dll., because of a missing or damaged root security certificate. Read the rest of this entry »
Scam Email: “An Emergency Please”
I received an email, yesterday, appearing to be from one of my customers, using a Yahoo! email account. The subject was "An Emergency Please". Here is the exact text of the email, spelling and grammar mistakes included: Read the rest of this entry »
How To Remove Ascentive PC SpeedScan Pro
This is just a quick update to a post I had originally published, just a few weeks back. This post is for people who need to know how to remove Ascentive PC SpeedScan Pro and all the garbage that comes with it. Read the rest of this entry »
