Welcome to my tech page!! I thought I would put some links here to some of my favorite diagnostic web sites. These are sites and software programs that I use to help diagnose a problem with a PC. As you know if you read my about me page, I am a computer repair/ internet tech support technician. A big technical title that just means I fix 'pewters'.

 

Unless otherwise specified, the links below are for free software.

 

Virus and Spyware

  1. Do you think you have a virus? Go to http://www.trendmicro.com and run a free virus scan.
  2. Do you get a lot of pop ups or does your home page keep changing? You have spyware on your computer. Spyware is not a virus, but can act just the same way. More importantly, it can really screw up your computer. Go to http://www.grisoft.com and download their free version of Ad Aware. Or you can go to http://www.microsoft.com and download "Windows Anti Spyware" for free. After you run the program and if you still have problems, go back to http://www.download.com and download "hijack this". Just follow the instructions carefully on how to run this program.
  3. Do you need a device driver for a video card, modem, or sound card?  Go to http://www.driverguide.com

 

Email-Outlook Express

  1. Are you on dial up and keep getting disconnected after your mail downloads? Click on tools, options, and the connection tab. Take the check mark off of "hang up after send and receive".
  2. Did you download the latest Internet Explorer and now you can't view attachments in outlook express? Click on tools, options, and the security tab. Take the check mark off of the option that doesn't allow you to view attachments. Also take the check mark off of "block images....".
  3. Does your email get stuck on a certain number while downloading your mail? For example "Downloading 4 out of 10 messages" and it just hangs there. That can usually mean that either someone has sent you a very large email and it is taking a while to come in, or you have a corrupt email stuck on the server. If you wait 10 min and the email still doesn't download, you probably need to call your ISP and have them delete that email. Or if you have access to your email from the web, cancel the email download and get to the web site where you can check your mail. Go in and delete the mail yourself off of the server, then open outlook express back up and check your mail.

Internet Explorer

 

  1. Still on dial up? Not seeing web pages? You probably have spyware, see link above to download and run a spyware check.
  2. Does your home page keep changing to something else? You have spyware, see above .
  3. Can't read the text on a web page? Click on view, text size and select a larger view.
  4. Want to print a certain thing off of a web site but not the entire page? highlight what you want to print. Once highlighted, right click on it and select print. Now when the print window comes up, click the bubble next to "selection". Now click print. It should only print the text or area you highlighted. If the text is being chopped off on the right hand side, trying printing in "landscape".

FUN STUFF

 

How about some neat wallpapers, screensavers, games, free software? Go to http://www.download.com and type what you are looking for in the search engine.

 

Tracy's Tips

 

  1. Anytime you see a window pop up and tell you you have spyware and you need to "click here", DON'T DO IT. Unless it is a program you are familiar with that you have downloaded on your computer. Most of the time the thing telling you you have spyware IS SPYWARE.
  2. Stay away from "Free cursor" web sites like "Comet cursor". These sites usually load so much spyware on your computer it is unbelievable.
  3. The first time you see a pop up add or see that your home page has changed, run Ad-Aware, Spybot, or HiJack-This.
  4. Buy and keep a antivirus program on your computer. Keep it updated weekly, and renew your subscription yearly. Why? Because the program itself cannot protect you from viruses unless it updates and "knows" what new viruses are out there. New viruses are created every day. A once a week update should help combat the bastards! LOL. When your program tells you that you have "30 days to renew your subscription" don't put it off. Don't think you don't need it, because you do.
  5. Do your windows updates. What is that you say? Well open internet explorer and click on "tools". You will see "windows updates" click on it and it will take you to microsofts update page. You only have to download the critical updates. Don't worry about the others unless you know what you are doing.

 

 

 

I will add more sections here eventually. If you have any suggestions please email me at tracy@tracyslapband.com .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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