Digital Drake

Yesterday, a friend called me and asked me if I could look at his computer; that it was running mighty slow. (Once the word is out that you understand and can work on computers, friends, co-workers, and relatives will be like an umbilical cord that is difficult to severe. You become a source of free perpetual computer support) Really reluctant to work on anyone's computer - since I am usually very busy - I asked him if he was running updated antivirus and spyware applications. "What's that," he says. Oh! Oh! application.

Rather than have him disassemble his PC system I go over to his house to take a look. No, he wasn't running either an antivirus or antispyware. :(

He couldn't afford to purchase an antivirus or anti spyware applications so I directed him to download two free applications that should serve him well:

1. Avast Antivirus Home Edition 4.1
2. Spybot Search and Destroy

I had to first deal with the problem at hand: a very sluggish computer before installing anything.

Reasoning he probably has viruses and spyware imbeds on this computer, I went over to McAfee's Threat Center at http://vil.nai.com/VIL/stinger/ and downloaded a free application called Stinger.

Stinger is a stand-alone utility used to detect and remove specific viruses. It is not a substitute for full anti-virus protection, but rather a tool to assist you when dealing with an infected computer system.

Well, I ran Stinger and boy did he have infections! Hundreds of them! Stinger was able to remove 85% of the viruses on his computer. Making progress!

At this point I downloaded and installed Avast Antivirus Home Edition 4.1 and Spybot Search and Destroy. After first updating and running these two applications, I was able to remove all detected viruses and spyware on my friends machine. What a big difference that made in his PCs performance.

Next, I had to educate him: "Keep your antivirus and antispyware application definition files updated and use the applications at regular intervals and scan for and remove viruses and spyware." (Blank stare. He was probably thinking, "Why should I have to do these things, I have you?")

I was on a roll.

I told him about a cheap application I have used for years and run it on the computer networks I am reasonable for at work. The application is called Acronis Privacy Expert Suite 9.0. Every PC user should have this application installed. There is very good reasons to do so.

Windows 2000 Professional, Windows XP, and Windows Vista all have directories that are hidden to you by default. Some of these directories keep a record of all of your PC activity! Bet some of you didn't know that!

These directories accumulate files that reveal your Internet activity and surfing habits; what applications you opened on your computer system; what files you have been working on using the various Windows applications; and your PC activity.

Anyone - an employer, family member, someone with malicious intent towards you - could gain access to these directories an see what you have been doing. Additionally, these directories become very bloated, in time, and can slow down your computer and consume a lot of hard drive space if not regularly flushed out.

Acronis Privacy Expert Suite 9.0 is an integrated software suite that provides confidentiality and protects PCs connected to the Internet. It will safely remove spyware, malware, it will flush out the contents of those hidden directories, protect your Internet and computing activity privacy, completely remove all traces of your PC system activities, stops pop-ups when surfing the web, and increases PC performance. Acronis Privacy Expert Suite 9.0 does a whole lot more as the video I put together for you below shows.

Acronis Privacy Expert Suite