Mike on Tech

2010-03-08T18:29:00.001-08:00

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Moving the Blog

2010-03-07T17:01:00.000-08:00

So...being into technology, I have to continually try out new things. So, for now, i will be blogging at mikewittmer.tumblr.com. I like the interface and features a little better than here at google's blogspot. Come see me on tumbr!

How To Install Windows XP NTBackup on Windows Vista

2010-02-18T10:42:00.001-08:00

Great article found here: http://bit.ly/IqTye

Open Screen Project - 10 Leading CEOs discuss Open Screen Project & Flash | Adobe TV

2010-02-17T09:46:00.000-08:00

Interesting video on Adobe Flash integration initiative with several smartphone manufacturers: Open Screen Project - 10 Leading CEOs discuss Open Screen Project & Flash Adobe TV

How To Manually Update Norton Antivirus/Internet Security 2010 Definitions

2010-02-10T06:51:00.000-08:00

Current virus definitions are critical for security. Your antivirus program uses “definitions” to locate/detect viruses on your PC. So your antivirus program is only as good as the definitions installed. The more current your virus definitions, the more protection you have. This is why most AntiVirus applications have an automated process that updates the definitions in the background.

If you have Norton Antivirus 2010 or Norton Internet Security 2010 installed on your PC, use the steps below to manually download and install the latest and greatest virus definitions. This process will not work if your subscription period has expired or you do not have a one of the above products installed.

Step 1. Open your internet browser and navigate to http://bit.ly/9FGKqa. This will take you to the Symantec official download page.

Step 2. Choose your Norton product from the list and download the associated exe file. For simplicity, I recommend saving this file to your Windows Desktop.

Step 3. Double click the update file to install it. Follow the instructions as prompted, and your antivirus definitions will be updated to the latest and greatest.

This sums up how to install the latest virus definitions. If your system has issues updating definitions automatically, that is an important issue which you should have that checked out by a reputable computer technician. You may have a corrupted update file or possibly a virus on your system.

Important Microsoft Patches Released

2010-02-10T05:27:00.000-08:00

Microsoft released 13 security bulletins this Patch Tuesday (February 9) - five are considered critical, so make sure you download and install these puppies. Microsoft also has issued Security Advisory 980088 that warns of vulnerability in Internet Explorer that can allow the disclosure of information. Microsoft recommends setting the Internet and Local Intranet security zones to "high". Get your patches here: http://bit.ly/14DW1h

How To Update Yada Yada

2010-02-05T08:44:00.000-08:00

Here's where I will post a list of resources explaining how to update or apply patches to specific programs or operating systems. This is a living list and will be updated periodically. Also, I will be creating more intuitive How-To's for the complete novice. These will be published in the near future here.

Click on the link for the program you wish to update or patch.

Microsoft Windows XP
Microsoft Windows Vista
Microsoft Windows 7
Norton Antivirus/Internet Security 2010
Malwarebyte's Antimalware
...more to come

Improve Windows Vista Boot Time

2010-01-24T15:21:00.000-08:00

No guarantees but you can try the following to improve the time it takes for Windows Vista to boot to the Desktop. It has worked for me every time.

1. Run MSConfig

2. Click Services tab -> hide all microsoft services -> uncheck these if they exist: xaudio, vongo, stllsvr,roxmediad89, installdriver table manager, cyberlink background, cyberlink task

3. Click on the Boot tab ->advanced options

4. Change number of processors to “2” and check “maximum memory.”

If your company is located in the Greater Houston Area and needs a reputable IT Support firm, give The PC Paramedics, Inc. a call at (281) 412-7183 or visit us online at http://thepcparamedics.com/

A general note about Virus Protection

2010-01-24T13:22:00.000-08:00

Many clients ask how they became infected with a virus while pointing out that they have current antivirus software installed. Unfortunately, protecting your computer from infection is an ongoing process. I have found the following multi-tiered approach the most effective in protecting against infections:

1. Email - Be paranoid when opening email attachments. Infected Email attachments can appear to be sent by sources you know and trust.

2. Operating System - Make sure your Windows software is fully patched with the latest security updates (Windows Critical Updates)

3. Current & Reputable Antivirus - Make sure your antivirus software is current and fully patched. Do not let your antivirus software get too old before upgrading and make sure the virus definitions are up to date. For a current list of reputable antivirus programs, click HERE.

4. Malware Protection - Periodically run a decent malware scan. You should run a malware scan at least once per month. For a current list of reputable Anti-Malware programs, click HERE.

5. Firewall - Have a software firewall enabled and in place (i.e. Windows Firewall).

6. Surfing Habits - When surfing the web, try to stick to reputable websites as much as possible. A virus infection can occur simply by visiting an infected website. So the more you venture out into the dark corners of the internet, the more likely bad things can happen. Stay in the well-lit areas as much as possible.

7. Internet Browser - Use a third party internet browser, such as Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, or Safari.

Reputable Malware Scanners

2010-01-24T13:16:00.000-08:00

To say there are many anti-malware and anti-spyware applications in existance is an understatement. Unfortunately, in addition to the numurous legitimate products, there are many viruses that disguize themselves as anit-malware products. And, to complicate things even more, what worked yesterday, often is not the most effective today. We currently recommend the following product(s) for malware scanning and removal:

Malwarebytes' Anti-malware (http://malwarebytes.org/)
Spybot Search & Destroy (http://safer-networking.org/)

The above list will be modified periodically to reflect what is working in the current environment.

PC World Reputable Antivirus Software List

2010-01-24T13:05:00.000-08:00

Recently, PC Magazine reviewed and ranked antivirus software. Here are the current Top Five:

1. G-Data AntiVirus 2010
2. Symantec Norton AntiVirus 2010
3. Kaspersy Anti-Virus 2010
4. BitDefender Antivirus 2010
5. Panda Antivirus Pro 2010

It is worth noting that AVG and McAfee are not currently listed in the top 5.

Office 2010 News

2010-01-14T06:48:00.000-08:00

I've been getting a bunch of inquiries on Office 2010 recently, so I decided it was time to blog on what I currently know about the status of the project.

According to several rumors, Microsoft Office 2010 will be released in June of this year. Microsoft has a history of pushing back release dates but has stayed pretty close to schedule on its last few major releases.

The new Office suite includes updates to all of Microsoft's major productivity apps - including Word 2010, Excel 2010, Outlook 2010, PowerPoint 2010, OneNote 2010, Access 2010, Publisher 2010, InfoPath 2010 - and will be available in 32bit and 64 bit versions.

An excellent source for learning more about Office 2010 enhancements can be found on Microsoft’s site HERE. The company released a test version of Office Professional Plus 2010 a couple of months ago, and has yet to reveal the expiration date of the trial period.

The updated Office will be available in two separate formats: a traditional PC-based edition and a completely web-based version.

Office Web Apps includes lightweight versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint and will be made available to millions free of charge.

People who participate in the Office 2010 beta program can try out the public preview of Office Web Apps by using a Windows Live account to create, edit, store and retrieve documents online.

Office Web Apps require Internet Explorer 7 (IE7) or later on Windows; Firefox 3.5 or later on Windows, Mac and Linux; or Safari 4.0 or later on the Mac.

If you need personalized Microsoft Office training, and are located in the Greater Houston area, please feel free to contact The PC Paramedics, Inc. (281) 412-7183 or email us at info@thepcparamedics.com.

Wrap Your Head Around The Cloud!

2010-01-10T11:45:00.000-08:00

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the last year or so, you have probably heard about The Cloud, or Cloud Computing.

“A cloud is a workload optimized service management platform enabling new consumption and delivery models.” -current IBM Commercial

I thought I'd take a few minutes and explain what the "Cloud" really is for those computer users out there that don't have a CS degree. The truth is the cloud concept is awesome but is not exactly new. Sure, there are innovations every day and the ability and methods of accessing, sharing and aggregating on-line data are continually evolving. But, accessing, sharing and aggregating online data is certainly nothing new.

In simple terms, if you store any data on the internet and pull that data down to your workstations using a browser, email client, customized software, etc., you are using the “Cloud.” If your website has a database connected to it, that database is essentially “in the Cloud.” If you use email, you use the Cloud – your email server. If you have a SharePoint site, other CMS, or shared on-line calendar, you are working in the Cloud. The Cloud is essentially another term for “Web Service.”

But, be careful not to confuse the term “Web Service” with “Internet Service Provider.” Some common Internet Service Provider (ISP) are AT&T, Comcast, C-Beyond, etc. Web Service, as defined by Wikidedia and the W3C is "a software system designed to support interoperable machine-to-machine interaction over a network.” In simple terms, a server on the internet providing something of use to other servers or workstations also connected to the internet is “in the Cloud.”

If your company is located in the Greater Houston Area and needs Professional IT Support and Service, give The PC Paramedics, Inc. a call at (281) 412-7183 or visit us online at http://thepcparamedics.com/.

For help developing or maintaining cloud computing solutions or CMS, contact WITTMER Group at (832) 303-WTMR or visit http://wittmergroup.com.

Popular Online Backup Software May Not Work On Your Server

2010-01-06T17:49:00.000-08:00

On the website of popular on-line backup service company, Carbonite, you can find this blurb:

"While we did not specifically develop for nor test Carbonite on Windows Server operating systems in-house (such as Windows Server 2003 & 2008), some of our customers have used Carbonite successfully on these operating systems. Because Windows Server configurations vary, our best recommendation for Windows Server is to install a free Carbonite trial on your Windows Server machine, back up some data, and do a test restore of the files you backed up to make sure Carbornite will work in your Windows Server environment."

Here's where the original post lives: http://bit.ly/8TJxDY

Just for the record, I like Carbonite. And this is really no big deal for the home user, but for the commercial user, in my opinion, this is a game changer. Generally, an IT Professional should not endorse the use of a backup product that has not been tested on the target platform. And to clarify, I'm talking about endorsing the use in a production environment. Even if it "may work just fine," I find this check and see suggestion to be a little irresponsible.

I like where they say, "Because some Windows Server configurations vary..." as if consumer PC configurations don't vary. They don't need to give another reason for us to tread lightly. Telling the consumer they didn't test their product should be enough.

If your company is located in the Greater Houston Area and needs an online backup solution, give The PC Paramedics, Inc. a call at (281) 412-7183 or visit us online at http://thepcparamedics.com/

Use Outlook to Convert .OST File to .PST Files

2009-12-22T05:26:00.000-08:00

Here's a link:

Http://wittmergroup.com/lists/posts/post.aspx?ID=34

Introduction

2009-12-19T17:15:00.000-08:00

So, here we go again. Starting another blog. This one is special to me because I plan on using it to create content for a monthly newsletter. If you have any requests for topics, please leave a comment. I'm thinking of starting a series on "how to hide your technological weakness" which would be an assortment of tricks and tips to help novices look like they know what they are doing in the technology realm.