Is Someone Spying on my computer?
Written on 29 January 2008 by Richard Abelson
At Get Some Computer Help we get this question asked a lot. In this article we will discuss how to detect if someone is spying
on your computer.
Many people are concerned that someone could be spying on their computer and they should be. Users today keep all kinds of critical information on their computers such as bank statements, passwords, e-mail, accounting data, and much more.
Many times users report suspicious behavior such as being automatically kicked out of programs, mouse moving by itself, and other random computer behavior. Although this behavior is cause for alarm, it does not necessarily mean someone is spying on your computer.
So how can you be sure no one is spying on your computer? Well you can follow a few simple steps to inspect your computer for any strange programs that may be set up to spy on your computer.
Windows XP and Windows Vista both have a built-in feature called “Remote Desktop”. This feature as the name implies, allows someone to remotely connect to your desktop from the internet and use your computer. This is a great tool for people who want to use their home computer while they are at the office or traveling. It can also be a great tool for administrators to help with issues on users computers without having to be physically at the computer they are helping with.
The good news is that if someone were to logon to your computer using the Windows built in “Remote Desktop” feature you would know it. Windows would instantly kick you out to your logon screen and notify you who was connected to your computer.
This is useful information due to the fact for someone to connect to your computer WITHOUT you knowing it, they would have to use some third-party program referred to as remote control software. So what we need to do is detect if any remote control software is loaded on your computer.
Follow these steps to ensure no programs are currently spying on your computer:
First check your programs. Go to “Start Menu” and “All Programs” and look to see if programs such as VNC, RealVNC, TightVNC, UltraVNC, LogMeIn, GoToMyPC, etc is installed. If any of these programs are installed then someone may be able to connect to you computer without you knowing.
Next, Check your taskbar. If any of the above programs are currently installed they need to be constantly running for them to work. If they are currently running there will be an icon in your taskbar. Look over all the programs in the taskbar, if there are programs that you are unsure about, google them to find out what exactly they do.
If at this point you have not found anything, you will need to dig a little deeper. Remote control software can hide itself in many places, but it still has to create an open connection to the internet. This connection is very hard to hide and can be detected using special utility tools.
The best utility I have found to look at all the open connections on your computer is TCPView by Sysinternals. When you run this program it will give you all kinds of useful information. It will list all the open connections on your computer along with what program is associated with each open connection.
Your next step will be to run TCPView and look at all the programs associated with the open connections on your computer. I understand that many of these programs may be foreign to you. That is why I suggest you use an online tool such as ProcessLibrary. Just enter in any program you are unsure about into ProcessLibrary and it will let you know what the program is for and if it is safe to have on your computer.
If you have not found anything suspicious after following these steps you can be rest assured no one is spying on your computer. If you have any questions on the different programs you find while using this article, feel free to start a Live Chat or e-mail us via our Contact Page the programs you are unsure about, and one of our qualified techs will be happy to assist you.
Get Some Computer Help also has a unique Virus and Spyware removal service. We will remove all your spyware and viruses as well as secure your computer against programs spying on your computer. More Information >>>
Surf Like a Madman! Increase your FireFox Surfing Speed
Written on 24 January 2008 by Richard Abelson
FireFox looks to be the browser of choice for most bloggers. It runs circles around Internet Explorer and to me is just much easier to use.
If you haven’t switched to FireFox I strongly suggest you take it for a spin.
FireFox is great as you can use multiple tabs and surf like mad all within the comfort of one window.
It has a sweet Session Restore feature that is great when your computer bugs out on you, you can just restart FireFox and it will bring up all the last
pages you were viewing, no need to retrace your steps to figure out what you were looking at last. Very convenient!
And now, to add to all that, there are some sweet tweaks you can perform that will increase your FireFox surfing speeds up to %20!
FireFox is installed with default settings for a dial-up connection.. Why is this? Who knows, but with the majority of internet users now using high-speed broadband connections, you need to optimize FireFox to take advantage of this extra bandwidth.
So use these following steps to juice up your FireFox browser, and surf like a madman!
1. Type “about:config” into the address bar and hit return.
Type “network.http” in the filter field, and change the following settings (double-click on them to change them):
2. Set “network.http.pipelining” to “true”
3. Set “network.http.proxy.pipelining” to “true”
4. Set “network.http.pipelining.maxrequests” to 30. This will allow it to make 30 requests at one time. Originally I tried 100 here and it didn’t seem to help. When I went with
30 I noticed an improvement. ** Update 8 is actually recommended by Firefox **
5. Right-click anywhere and select New-> Integer. Name it “nglayout.initialpaint.delay” and set its value to “0″. This value is the amount of time the browser waits before it
acts on information it receives.
Leave a comment and let me know how much of a speed improvement you get, I am curious to see if it is the same for everyone of if it depends on other factors. With these tweaks, I had a marked 20% increase in surf speed.
If you have any trouble setting this up, no worries, just leave a comment and I will step you through the process. By the way, thats what GetSomeComputerHelp is all about. Getting you Help when you need it… Get Some!
Why is my Computer So slow?
Written on 23 January 2008 by Richard AbelsonCuring a slow computer part 2 - Resource Hungry Programs love eating your memory!
Surfing the Internet got you down? Does it take you minutes instead of seconds to accomplish all but the simplest tasks with your computer? Does your computer like to take a break when you don’t need one? Do you find yourself asking Google Why your computer is so slow?
Well look no further, this is the second lesson in a 4 part series taking an in-depth look at why computers over time become slow, as well as, the necessary methods to revive your slow computer back to life!
If you haven’t already, we recommend you take a look at part 1. of this series. You can find it here. It has all the background information about why computers become slow over time and will give you a better understanding of the material we will go over in this article.
Just to recap, in the previous lesson we talked about the 3 main areas that cause a slow computer:
1. Resource hungry programs
2. Spy-ware, Viruses and other malicious programs
3. Physical Hardware Limitations
We are taking each one of these areas and discussing them in a separate lesson. In this article we will be focusing on the Resource Hungry programs that love to hang out in the dark corners of your computer and suck up all your free memory.
So the first step in curing a slow computer will be to identify what programs are eating up your memory and removing them. Here we go..
Over time as you install programs on your computer they begin to slowly bog down your computer. With or without your knowledge many of these programs like to take it upon themselves to decide for you that they need to be loaded in memory every time your computer starts!
You can look at it like this… As programs are loaded into your memory your processor has to give a small amount of time to each program. After awhile there are more programs then what the processor can reasonably handle and thats when your slow computer decides to go on a lunch break and leave you hanging.
The good news is that you can tell many of these programs to only load into memory when you want them to. The way it should be right?
Many of you, if you look right now may already be able to see signs of all those wonderful useless programs lurking on your slow computer without even having to look too far.
The first area that you can look is your system tray.
Windows’ system tray is on the far right end of your task bar. It holds shortcuts to programs that load or install when your PC boots. The first image below shows what a typical system tray looks like.
For most computers 2-4 icons in your system tray is normal.
Here is what your slow computer system tray may look like…
As you can, see this is a quick indicator if you have too many programs loaded in memory. Keep in mind though, you can still have many programs loaded in memory and they will not show up in your system tray!
So how do you remove these programs from loading themselves in memory?
The best program I have found to accomplish this task is: Autoruns for Windows .
Download Autoruns for Windows now and run the program, we will be going through how to use it in the next section.
When you first open the Autoruns click on the “Logon” tab at the top of the program. The Autoruns program will now give you a listing of all the items that are set to load themselves in memory on startup.
Just uncheck the items you don’t want loading into memory on start-up. Keep in mind, unchecking items DOES NOT delete the programs from your system. This is only disables them from loading themselves automatically into your memory. This will have the effect of freeing up memory and making your slow computer a more responsive system.
Now looking at all those programs you may wonder what the heck some of them are and if you need them or not. A great tool to give you more information about a particular program is http://www.processlibrary.com/.
Conduct a search for any item or program you are not sure about and it will give you in-depth information on that program. This will assist you in deciding if you want to keep the program loaded in memory or not.
After you have unchecked all the programs you don’t want loading into memory, restart your computer.
At this point your slow computer should be a little bit more responsive. If it is not, do not fear, we have much more to cover in curing your slow computer in the next lessons.
This article was a bit longer than I intended. We will cover the rest of removing Resource Hungry Programs in the next article. I hope you enjoyed this article and check back tomorrow for the second part of this lesson.
Living with a slow computer? You don’t have to…
Written on 21 January 2008 by Richard Abelson
Just about every home computer deals with the problem of a slow computer at some time or another.
You know how it goes… Your trying to send an e-mail or check out a new web site you heard about, and you can’t because your slow computer has 10-20 programs running in the background that you have no idea what they are or how they got installed on your computer.
Almost every computer today has numerous programs and items running in the background taking precious processing power away from what you want to be doing.
This article will shed light on all the background processes that happen in your computer so that you can better understand exactly what factors contribute to a slow computer.
We will discuss how to eliminate these unused programs and background processes as well as show you how to tweak various system settings to revive your slow computer to the fast sleek machine it once was.
Basically, there are 3 main areas that are the cause of a slow computer. We will discuss each area briefly, in later articles we will get into the details of repairing each of these areas.
The 3 main areas to look at when diagnosing the root of a slow computer are:
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Resource hungry programs
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Spy-ware, Viruses and other malicious programs
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Physical Hardware Limitations
Resource hungry programs
Many times the root of a slow computer can be found by looking at what programs are running on your computer. Many new computers come with what are called trial-ware programs. Trial-ware are programs that are installed on your computer from the factory. Many times these pre-packaged programs are useless, they do nothing more than to hog the precious resources on your computer. I have seen cases of clients where the trial-ware pre-installed on computers was consuming up to 30% of resources of the computer! These computers were running slow from the factory, it is in these types of cases where the computer will actually run faster than what the client remembers it to be due to the fact that we free up this used memory so the overall performance of the computer is increased!
The second biggest resource hungry programs are Virus Scanners.
In today’s world you must have some sort of virus protection if you want to be protected on the Internet. Unfortunately many of these virus programs create more of a headache than the viruses they are meant to protect us from.
Most virus scanners do more to create a slow computer than most other items due to the following factors.
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Active Scanning – Virus scanners scan all activities of your computer in the background (File access, e-mail messages, Internet traffic, system services, etc etc.)
All this scanning has the overall effect of creating a slow computer.
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Many Virus programs themselves are large programs that load In memory and take up valuable resources that your computer could be using more efficiently.
We will discuss in later articles what to look for in choosing the right virus scanner as well as configuring it to be effective without the side effect of eating up all the resources of your computer.
So the first step in curing a slow computer is identifying what programs you do not use and removing them from your startup. You also need to identify what active virus scanners are in memory and optimize them so that they do not eat up all your computers resources.
Spy-ware, Viruses and other malicious programs
Most everyone has had a run in at one time or another with a virus or pop-up while surfing the Internet. It starts innocently enough, you get a pop-up on your screen asking you to sign up for a free vacation and the next thing you know you have a slow computer, tons of garbage e-mail, and more pop-ups than you know what to do with.
Spy-ware and Viruses have been the root of more slow computers than anything else. These programs consume valuable resources, cause random errors, and basically make you hate your computer.
Physical Hardware Limitations
The hardware in your computer is of course a concern when looking at the root of a slow computer. Although many times you can upgrade your hardware to fix a slow computer, if you haven’t addressed the previous issues, the programs that reside in you memory will eventually consume the new resources and you will be left with a slow computer again. I look at it this way, if your computer was a fast machine to begin with, there is no reason that it can’t be again.
This article was just an introduction to the basics of what is behind a slow computer. In later articles we will show you how to remove and repair the bottlenecks in your computer. You may live with a slow computer now, but by the time we are done, you won’t have to!
Who Invented the First Computer Printer?
Written on 19 January 2008 by Richard AbelsonToday I thought I would take a break and share with you a little trivia information on who invented the first computer printer.
I know that this is a serious question that you may have been asking your self recently.
If not, I understand, whoever invented the first computer printer isn’t exactly on my top lists of things I would like to know either.
So on to the answer to the the million dollar question… Who invented the first computer printer?
In 1953, the first high-speed printer was developed by Remington-Rand for use on the Univac computer.
Although Remington Ran invented the first computer printer, it wouldn’t have been possible if it were not for another man. This man invented the process for which all modern laser printers are based.
In 1938, Chester Carlson invented a dry printing process called electrophotography commonly called a Xerox, the foundation technology for laser printers to come.
So though Remington Ran invented the first computer printer. The real credit goes to Mr. Chester Carlson for inventing the first computer printer for his work in electrophotography.
So ladies and gents, I hope this little detour wasn’t too painful, and I hoped you learned some valuable information. Well not exactly valuable, but hey, least you now know who invented the first computer printer and you can share this knowledge with your friends at cocktail parties.
I know this information wasn’t too great, but have a look at our Knowledge Base for more computer help and information.
Leave It On? Or Turn it Off? Life’s Greatest Mystery…
Written on 8 January 2008 by Richard AbelsonOne of our most popular questions from our customers is whether to leave their computers on all the time or shut them off everytime they are done using them.
There are reasons to do both, but we will discuss the main issues to be aware of in both situations.
Leave your computer on:
The electronic components within the computer tend to last longer if they aren’t constantly cooling off and warming back up. Additionally, you don’t get any kind of initial “spike” in power when your machine is first turned on (not a big problem if you have an ATX type motherboard—most newer computers do). Finally, it’s much more convenient to just plop down in front of your computer and start working than to sit through a lengthy boot-up.
Turn your computer off:
Your hard drive may last longer, especially if your computer doesn’t put the drive on “standby” after a certain amount of idle time. The constant spinning of your hard drive motor can wear out the internal bearings. I personally don’t think this a big deal. Newer hard drives will probably be in good service longer than the computer they live in.
Another “turn it off” argument is that you’ll save on your electric bill. Depending on your machine, it uses the same power as one or more 100 watt light bulbs.
Finally, you’re going to pull more dust into your computer if it’s running all the time. More dust = more heat. More heat = short lived computers, unless you clean it out regularly.
The main thing to keep in mind is that if you leave your computer on you will stress the components of your computer less. But as with everything there is good and bad with every answer. If you plan on leaving it on you may draw excess dust into your computer creating more heat. With more heat = more stress to components = lower lifespan of computer.
Another thing to keep in mind when keeping your computer on all the time is the cpu heat. Most of the cpu’s in today’s computers run very hot and must have large cpu fan’s or coolers to keep them from overheating. These fans are for the most part reliable until dust begins to build up. Once dust begins to build up, you run the risk of them slowing down, becoming less effecient, or stopping altogether. Once that happens its only seconds before the cpu is toast.
Honestly though, the aformentioned things to keep in mind when leaving your computer on all the time are typically small and not serious risks as most new computers have built in safety measures to shut down the computer when any hardware is acting abnormally.
We recommend to our customers to have the best of both worlds. Keep your Computer on when you know you will be using it, just turn your screen off to save power. Then when you know you will not be using it for some time turn it off, such as at night, vacations.. etc..
So now you can rest knowing you have one of life’s greatest mysteries solved.
Viruses, Spyware, Adware, and Pop-Ups — What are they and How did they get on my Computer? Part. 2
Written on 8 October 2007 by Richard AbelsonBefore we get into the nitty gritty of removing these buggers it will be good for you to know just what each of these pieces of Malware do to your computer, as well as the symptoms of their horseplay and what to avoid so they do not get on your computer in the future.
So lets begin!
Spyware by design — exploits infected computers for commercial gain. It is estimated that 9 out of 10 computers connected to the Internet are infected with Spyware. Why has it grown so tremendously these past few years? Well, as with most things in life, it is motivated by one thing: Money!
The basic purpose of Spyware is to monitor your activities on the Internet as well as collect various types of personal information to report to advertising agencies so they can be more effective at targeting products to your interests.
Spyware is typically installed on a users computer in deceptive ways.
Many times Spyware will come bundled with a piece of shareware or free software. When you install the free software Spyware will install itself in the background. Although the desirable software itself may do no harm, the bundled Spyware does. In some cases, Spyware authors have paid shareware authors to bundle Spyware with their software. In other cases, Spyware authors have repackaged desirable free software with installers that add Spyware.
Let me repeat: Spyware will piggyback on legitimate programs and install themselves in the background without the users knowledge.
Spyware will also use the Trojan horse method. A deceptive pop-up message is displayed disguising itself as a legitimate error message.
Many times these error messages mention something along the lines of:
These messages persuade you to click and install this piece of software. This software is usually a piece of Spyware that will download many of its friends creating an even bigger problem for you!
The installation of Spyware frequently involves Internet Explorer. Internet Explorer is tightly integrated with the Windows operating system and has many vulnerabilities that Spyware authors can exploit. These vulnerabilities allow Spyware to install Browser Helper Objects into Internet Explorer which add tool bars or redirect your browser traffic. Many of these vulnerabilities can be fixed by keeping your computer updated with the latest Windows updates or switching to an entirely different browser such as Firefox.
Spyware commonly interferes with your computer by:
- Redirecting web browser activity..
- Installing additional programs and tool bars in your Internet Explorer without your consent..
- Causing your computer to become unresponsive or perform sluggishly, making you want to toss your computer out the window.
I have tried to keep this information to a minimum and give you just the basics of Spyware. If you would like more information on Spyware, the Wikipedia on Spyware is a great source.
Now that you know what Spyware is and how it affects your system, where it comes from and what to look for, let’s move on to removing these parasites from your computer.
Examples of Fake Messages produced by Spyware
Written on 8 October 2007 by Richard AbelsonSpyware will use a variety of fake messages to get you thinking you have a Spyware infection. Don’t be fooled! Here are some of the more common examples.
Viruses, Spyware, Adware, and Pop-Ups — What are they and How did they get on my Computer? Part. 1
Written on 5 October 2007 by Richard AbelsonSpyware, Adware, Viruses and pop-ups plague just about every computer that isn’t adequately protected. Most of the time you are unaware of them, but when they become a problem, you know it. It is the most common problem that plagues computers, from sluggish response, to wonderful pop-ups offering you every conceivable gimmick or cool toy you can think of on this planet, to redirecting you to some strange place on the web you never intended to be. All this type of behavior is undoubtedly traced back to some sort of Spyware, Adware, or Virus running on your computer.
I compare these nuisances to the common cold. Every computer will have a problem with them at one time or another, so it is a good idea to know what they are and what you can do to stay free of them.
Well, in the next few days I will be posting a series on how to remove Spyware and Adware from your computer and take you on a little journey on the inner workings of your Windows system.
This knowledge will help you in the future to know when you have a virus or Spyware infection and to understand the source of the problem so that you can take the correct steps in fixing the issue yourself.
So be sure to check back in the coming days to enjoy this information. I look forward to hearing from you to what you think of this guide and any topics or areas you would like me to focus on in upcoming posts.
If you want to just get rid of your Spyware and Adware right now without the real substance of the matter just skip ahead to the nitty gritty. I will be posting a quick and dirty guide that will get your system cleaned of these nuisances. You will be up and running in record time!
