Recently, Microsoft released Security Essentials their free antivirus and antimalware software. It’s a simplistic program that will compete with the free offerings from AVG, Antivir and Avast. For those on a tight budget or those who run unprotected systems, this successor to Microsoft Live One...

Upgrading from Vista is relatively simply. The steps to upgrade XP are more complicated. You can easily move your program data to the new installation, but programs and their settings are a different matter. Some quick ideas: Get a new hard drive first. This may sound a bit radical, but it has a number...

Traditional antivirus programs block malicious programs. The majority of the crippled systems that we see are running antivirus programs, in some cases very good ones, that didn’t classify the web threat as a “virus.” They can come from legitimate sites too. The best way to deal with...

We spend a lot of time removing bloatware from new PCs. Most systems–even when marketed toward corporate users–include programs that net the PC vendor some cash at the expense of your new box’s performance. One of the first apps to go? Google Desktop. If you’re wondering why,...

Google’s recently started pushing its Chrome browser on its search page. More than an advertisement, it’s making PC users question whether they need it and what benefits it would offer versus Internet Explorer. There are four popular browsers that hold the majority of the web browser market:...

It’s a fairly boring issue, but your email may be at risk if your hard-drive fails or your laptop goes missing. If you download your mail to your local system and you don’t have a backup, you could end up with an accidental clean slate. Exchange Server and webmail folks are excluded from...

There has been a lot of media hype lately about the April 1st hatching of the Conficker.C virus. Doomsayers are warning of a Millennium bug-like meltdown. Judging by our site’s traffic, Mac and Linux users are worried as well. 60 Minutes ran a piece on it and that seemed to fuel the panic. Here...

Apparently, it’s half-true. InformationWeek is reporting that starting next week, a little extra cash up front will keep you more in control of your long-term commitment to AT&T. Given their terrible customer service and spotty 3G service, that might be a good thing. Problem is, you need to...

Outlook 2007 is a dog and there are lots of reasons for this, not all of them Microsoft’s fault. Unfortunately, you’re probably stuck with it. Even the most staunch Office 2003 users have been forced into upgrades. The issues are obvious. Outlook will slowly load and seem to hang more as...

If the Koobface news from last week wasn’t enough to start you updating your antivirus software, news that a new variant on the Conficker worm is rearing its head should. This map from Team Cymru shows its effects on the world’s PCs. There are two things you need to do: make sure that your...