May 24, 2007
Is your security system up to date?
WindowsSecrets.com maintains a WSN Security Baseline page to keep you current on the bare minimum you need to protect your home or small-business systems against malware. This list is based on our analysis of the reviews and editor's choices from leading PC publications and Web sites, including PC Magazine, PC World, CNET, and others. Read more »
Microsoft licenses OEM software for single users 
My story in the Apr. 26 newsletter reported on the sale of "OEM versions" of Windows, which can be purchased much more cheaply than even heavily discounted "educational" versions. Readers debated in the May 3 and May 10 issues the ethics of buying OEM versions of Windows, but there's clear evidence that Microsoft officially supports the sale of OEM licenses under certain conditions to any individual who's building a PC. Read more »
Make your own church marquee
Perhaps you've seen them while driving down the road — those backlit, block-letter signs in front of a church announcing the upcoming sermon or maybe just providing a thought for the day But why should religion get all the roadside fun? Now you can, too, with the online Church Sign Generator. Choose from five different designs, enter your text, and presto! — a photo of your custom sign appears. You can save the photo to your computer, or, for a few bucks, order magnets, stickers, and coffee mugs printed with your message. More info Read more »
More ways to avoid automatic credit-card charges
Tired of security firms, magazines, and other companies charging your credit card every time your subscription expires? Fortunately, Windows Secrets readers wrote in with many solutions to the dilemma presented in my May 15 story about this problem. Read more »
Make Vista load files 10 times faster!
Vista has a lot of new features you can take advantage of to improve its overall performance. This week, I'll tell you how to make Vista load files as much as 10 times faster, which in turn will make your entire system run faster. Read more »
What to do when Windows turns against you
The complexity of the Windows operating system makes it easier for bugs and flaws to creep in during its development. If you're not careful to protect yourself against this, your computer could be turned against you. Read more »
Internet Explorer patch is now a must-install
Even though Patch Tuesday has come and gone, we're finally getting the solutions for several issues that cropped up after the latest patch for Internet Explorer was released. The patch, MS07-027, is high-priority to install now, but you first need to know about two major problems. Read more »
May 17, 2007
Microsoft, McAfee, Symantec charge cards repeatedly
These days, most antivirus and other security products come with a subscription to update your virus definitions. Signing up usually means forced automatic subscription renewal, in which your credit card is charged every year, and it's not easy to opt out — but I'll show you how. Read more »
What code signing is and isn't good for
As I explained in my May 10 article, driver-signing requirements for the 64-bit version of Vista have slowed down developers, but not hackers. Readers wrote in, pointing out further complications, while cautioning that the practice of driver signing itself is still useful. Read more »
Practice your bunny-surgery skills online
If you've ever wanted be a surgeon, you've probably realized that your first attempts should be on something safe — for example, on a stuffed bunny. Now, you can do just that, without ever hurting the bunny! This Flash-based game is a demonstration of the services offered 10mg Interactive of Amsterdam. It lets you resuscitate a dead bunny, then shave and operate, saving its life — if you can. But, you may find surgery is harder than you thought. Even virtual surgery! Play the game Read more »
The reality of Microsoft's signed-drivers policy
Vista's 64-bit signed-driver debacle leads one reader to despair of Microsoft ever learning. Will customer protests of Redmond's approach lead the situation to be improved, or is this a case in which a mistake is set in stone? Read more »
Windows Home Server looks like a winner
As a card-carrying member of the 'Association of Windows Victims,' I never believe Microsoft's hype about software that's still sitting in the hopper. But I've been playing with the beta version of Windows Home Server for quite a while, and even though the final product isn't due out until the end of the year, I'm impressed. Read more »
Microsoft launches new security products
I attended Microsoft's ForeFront and Systems Center launch event on May 2 for the Redmond company's new security and management products. As you know, I work for a company that sells products in these areas, and I'm not performing a review, but I do want to present to you some of the information I gathered. Read more »
May 10, 2007
Driver signing is a failure for Vista
To back up its claims that Windows Vista is "the safest version of Windows ever," Microsoft requires developers to use digital signatures on all 64-bit drivers for Vista. This requirement, far from making the new operating system safer, actually does little to stop hackers but may be partially responsible for a shortage of drivers that are needed Vista users. Read more »
Readers' revelations on DEP and software discounts
Windows' Data Execution Prevention (DEP) feature provides important protection against malicious code, as I described in my May 3 article. But additional free tools reported our readers make the feature even more accessible to users of Windows XP. Read more »
The world's first IT professional
We tend to take our company's helpdesk, IT, and support personnel for granted — until something goes wrong. But do you know how far back this venerable profession goes? Have you ever wondered how IT pros of ancient days helped employees with the earliest word-processing systems? This side-splitting video, recently posted on YouTube, takes a stab at answering those questions with a short sketch about the first "operating system" — the book! Play the video Read more »
How to spot your enemies on the Internet
With the large number of malware and phishing sites on the Internet, how can you tell which sites are safe? This week, I'll tell you how to use specialized browser toolbars that can add a lot of security to your system. Read more »
Dangerous .doc files and phishing attacks
Microsoft patched a lot of vulnerabilities this month, but there are still a few issues with Internet Explorer that need our immediate attention. This week, I'll tell you how to protect yourself against dangerous .doc files and phishing attacks. Read more »
Critical patches for Exchange and your workstations
The month of May brings spring flowers to the northern hemisphere — and seven critical patches to the whole world. Three of the patches should be your priority, plus one DNS patch and a way to finally get rid of your svchost.exe issues. Read more »
May 3, 2007
How DEP can protect your PC
Newer processors, such as those from Intel and AMD, support a useful feature that Microsoft calls hardware Data Execution Prevention (DEP). Unfortunately, it's not enabled for all the software you may be running. Here's how to remedy that situation. Read more »
Readers contribute to the discount debate
Following last week's story on OEM software, readers raised legitimate concerns about OEM discounts and some crippled academic software. Other readers offered even more ways and places to get software with a whopping educational discount. Read more »
How many USB devices do you need?
Some days it seems like there's an invention for everything. A case in point: The Mouse Jiggler, a USB device that keeps your pointer in motion so your screen saver never kicks in when you wander away from your computer The device is being marketed to computer forensics experts and IT professionals who don't want a laptop to lock them out with a password-protected screen saver. There must be a lot of people out there who don't know how to disable password protection on their screen savers! Maybe you need yet another USB gizmo, but wouldn't it be a whole lot easier to just use the Display control panel? More info Read more »
Word 2000/XP flaw makes docs dangerous
Although some missing patches are more important than others, and some have lain undiscovered for years, none of them should be ignored. This week, flaws in MS Word and Internet Explorer could cause you trouble. Here's how to avoid system upset. Read more »
Fix for 'Svchost' is headed our way
Issues with Microsoft Update have been slowing down computers for the last several months. There are some things you can do now to help solve the problem, and a complete fix will be out soon. Read more »
