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Thread: Keeping your PC safe

  1. #21
    Pirate King ChaosK's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by drims
    I got one Deadfire. You know what I could do so my computers usage doesnt get so high from playing online game "starcraft".
    If your computer dies from playing starcraft, its time to get a new computer....


    LaZie made this...a long time ago.

    "It was a very depressing time in my life, since I had no money I was unable to screw the rules" -Kaiba

  2. #22
    Student skindred's Avatar
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    I'm glad there's a topic like this here, I've got a question which has been bothering me. I was using windows 2k pro before and I encountered a software called Registry Cleaner. I am just wondering how the window's registry could affect a pc in general, and everytime those registries get fixed, the next time I use my pc there are again alot of registry errors although I haven't found anything wrong with my pc since.

  3. #23
    If I could change my name
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    Quote Originally Posted by skindred
    I'm glad there's a topic like this here, I've got a question which has been bothering me. I was using windows 2k pro before and I encountered a software called Registry Cleaner. I am just wondering how the window's registry could affect a pc in general, and everytime those registries get fixed, the next time I use my pc there are again alot of registry errors although I haven't found anything wrong with my pc since.
    The Windows registry is a database of all configuration settings in Microsoft Windows operating systems.It contains information and settings for all the hardware, software, users, and preferences of the PC. As any change you do to Windows is stored in the registry

    To in turn it can have a major effect on everything about windows, however not really the hardware.So to answer, registry errors don't mean anything is wrong with the hardware, just windows it's self
    Last edited by Deadfire; Thu, 09-07-2006 at 03:23 PM.
    image fail!

  4. #24
    Student skindred's Avatar
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    @Deadfire

    So that'd mean only the performance of windows is affected then? Well I do have observed that softwares and other informations are stored in the registry so is it also important to prevent the registry from getting errors?

  5. #25
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    As a user, there's not much you can do to maintain your system's registry.

    Well, there is, but you wouldn't like it. Basically, the best way to do it is to live in a limited-user account, and never be admin. Never install software, except for windows updates and updates to well-known and trustworthy applications. Stuff like that.

    Windows itself doesn't corrupt its own registry. If things happen to it that cause problems, it's usually the fault of badly-written third-party applications trying to do things they shouldn't.

    That said, if you're a "good" user (ie: use safer software, don't trust unknown apps, etc), even living in admin you should be able to get 3 years or so out of the life of a windows xp install. And by three years from now, you'll probably be shopping for a new computer anyway, and your hard drive will probably be on its way out <_<

    As far as what's stored in the registry: everything that isn't stored in your user profile directory. Metadata about everything. System configs (like keyboard, display settings), drivers to load, startup applications, filetype associations, CLSID entries and application mappings for them, local user account info, MIME types, system variables, install paths and application infos, service configs ... it goes on and on. EVERYTHING in your system uses the registry (and if you don't believe it, check out sysinternals regmon.exe and watch what's accessing the registry and how often).
    Last edited by complich8; Fri, 09-08-2006 at 05:42 AM.

  6. #26
    Student skindred's Avatar
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    @ complich8

    I guess I can't survive with that kind of method. Based on your explanation I could say I'm just an average user and I'm into gaming ( mostly pc games since I can't afford to buy expensive consoles like xbox,ps2, GC and the newest ones ) and I do know the risks of using unknown apps so that method is difficult for me hehehe.

    Well I haven't survived a single installation of my OS for at least a yr because if I have problems that I can't fix, my last resort is to format and install again a fresh copy of it. It's tiring but it's the most probable way of fixing errors of an OS, well for me that is.

    You're right about me buying a new pc although that'd be 2 yrs from now, I still have 2 yrs left until I graduate. Thanks to both of you for answering and helping me. I guess I learned something new

  7. #27
    Quote Originally Posted by DragonOutlaw
    A surprising amount of people I spoke to didn't even know the basics to keeping your computer secure. But I'm pretty sure most of you guys know all this already but after all this is still for the uninformed.

    1.) Stay off IE

    I can't stress how much IE sucks. Security advisors have found a large number of exploits that can be used to make Internet Explorer launch arbitrary programs or execute any kind of code with local user privileges; there are a whole lot of other security problems as well. Instead start using Firefox: http://www.mozilla.com/firefox/ Firefox is a great Internet browser mainly because it's open sourced and they have a very fast
    bug/security updating team.

    2.) Get a firewall

    Not having a firewall is like leaving your car unlocked with the keys in and the engine on. You're just asking for it. Sooner or later it'll catch up to you because hackers always look for that one unprotected computer to use for there bidding. Personally I use Zone Alarm:
    http://www.zonelabs.com/store/conten...=dbtopnav_zass



    3.) Stay Current


    Stay updated with window updates a patched system is a secure one. Windows has a Automatic Updates option that you can enable. This will keep your computer updated with all current released patches or you can visit there update site: http://update.microsoft.com/windowsu...&&thankspage=5

    4.) Get some antispyware/adware programs

    Spyware is software that gathers user information on the computer it infects. It can gather anything from email addresses, passwords and even credit card numbers as well as browsing habits. Spyware is similar to a Trojan horse because it attempts to run in the background processes of your computer. Not only can it eat up bandwith but also RAM.
    I find that Spybot S & D works great with spyware infections it can be found here: http://www.safer-networking.org/

    Adware is incredibly annoying because it can direct popups to your system and monitor your web useage. A great program to rid yourself of this nuisance is Adware: http://www.lavasoft.de/support/download/

    5.) Use common sense

    Become aware when your surfing the web. Don't click or run programs you have no knowledge of and then wonder why you got a virus.

    Be sure to virus scan. I found an awesome Online Virus Scan that works great http://housecall.trendmicro.com/

    This is pretty much all I could think of right now. All the programs that were listed are free and work great.
    The virse guard wont work
    When ever its on, the internet turns off.
    So I cant Register. What should i do?

  8. #28
    IRC ADMIN DO's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by tabo-trieu3
    The virse guard wont work
    When ever its on, the internet turns off.
    So I cant Register. What should i do?
    Do you mean firewall?


    I found an awesome site that'll really tell you how safe your computer is.
    http://www.pcflank.com/about.htm

    Check it out
    irc.gotwoot.net #gotwoot

    Kitkat makes great signatures!

  9. #29
    Check for vulnerabilities of your computer system to remote attacks:

    Trojan horse check:

    Your system successfully defended itself from this attack!

    Your computer is invisible to the others on the Internet!

    Thank goodness for hardware firewall. For anyone who needs a software firewall and/or doesn't have a hardware firewall, I recommend NOD32. You'll have to find a pirated copy because it was bought out by Symantec and is now discontinued.

  10. #30
    Genin
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    I'd say to not get a software firewall at all. Hardware firewall >> software firewall.

    For security's (and performance) sake, Opera>>Firefox

    Kaspersky AV was rated among the best and its AOL version is free (its essentially AV lite).

    Common sense is definitely key to remaining safe. Staying updated is part of common sense so log into a recognized compter-centric forum and look around every once in a while to make sure your PC is well equiped to defend against attacks.
    i saved a unicorn

  11. #31
    I'll be entirely honest, I haven't had a firewall set up since I last reinstalled Windows XP in September. I've had this computer since mid 2005 and haven't once been the target of any harmful viruses. Of course, a lot of the time I am running Linux and not XP.

    Still, with that said, I'll have the hackers all over me.

    master_me + dA = <3

  12. #32
    Awesome user with default custom title itadakimasu's Avatar
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    if you for some reason dont have a good anti virus / spyware running on your system... do not recklessly surf shady sites. pr0n, warez, serials... i dl some keygens but only from certain places (i like the music ^^)

    i was trying to find a serial for some program i dl'd this past year and i got some sort of nasty virus thing on my computer that would display this message saying i needed virus protection and it would link me to this kind of fake antivirus program... took me a good 2-3 hours of googling to finally find a fix.

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