Tab l e o o f C Co n t en t s Glossary
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Implementing preventive measures on PC Components
Introduction . . Mouse . . . Keyboard . . Drives Floppy drive . CD-ROM drive Hard Disk drive Monitor . . Printer . . . Review Questions .
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How to keep computers safe from the humidity
Introduction . Some basic tips Review Questions
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Basic Hardware Troubleshooting
Introduction . . Typical Hardware Problems Mouse . . Keyboard . Floppy disk drive Hard disk drive Monitor . Review Questions . User accounts and security
Introduction . . . . . . The two different types of accounts . . . User Accounts Creating user accounts . . . . Deleting User Accounts . . . Exercises . . . . . Review Questions . . . . Passwords and User Accounts Introduction . . . . . Creating a passwords . . . . Exercises . . . . . Review Questions . . . . Creating a Password Policy and an Account Lockout Policy Introduction . . . . . Creating a password policy . . . Creating an account lockout policy . . -1-
Our recommendations . Exercises . . Review Questions .
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Introduction . . . . . . . Types of Storage Media . . . . . General advice . . . . . . . Backing Up and Restoring the Windows XP Registry Introduction . . . . . . Using the Windows backup program for system state . Exercises . . . . . . Review Questions . . . . . Using Windows Backup to backup data Backing up your data . . . . . Restoring your data . . . . . Exercises . . . . . . Review Questions . . . . .
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Backups
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Windows XP System restore functions
Introduction . . . . Windows XP System Restore . . Enabling System Restore . . Manually Creating Restore Points . Restoring Windows XP to a previous state Deleting Restore Points . . Conclusion . . . . Exercises . . . . Review Questions . . .
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Service Pack 2 for Windows XP update section Introduction . . . . How to check what service pack is installed Installing Windows XP service pack 2 . Exercises . . . . Review Questions . . .
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Performing a manual Windows XP update Introduction . . . . How to find Windows updates . . How to find updates for MS Office programs Exercises . . . . Review Questions . . .
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Automatic Update for Windows Windows XP Introduction . . . Setting up Automatic Updates .
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Operating System Updates
Introduction
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Exercises . Review Questions
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Disk Cleanup Utility Introduction . . . . Starting Disk Cleanup . . . File Categories in Disk Cleanup Utility More Options Tab . . . Exercises . . . . Review Questions . . .
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Disk Defragmenter Utility Introduction . . Using Disk Defragmenter Exercises . . Review Questions .
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Introduction . . . . . Why do people write viruses? . . . All about Viruses . . . . How to Protect Yourself . . . Installing and using anti-virus software Introduction . . . . How to install AVG anti-virus software Exercises . . . . Review Questions . . . Macro virus security in Word/Excel Introduction . . . . Setting macro security levels . . Exercises . . . . Review Questions . . . Further Resources . . . .
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Removing unwanted Programs
Introduction . . . How to remove unwanted programs Exercises . . . Review Questions . . Disk Management
Introduction
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Check Disk Utility (CHKDSK) Introduction . . Using the Check Disk Utility Exercises . . Review Questions .
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Viruses
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Spyware/Malware
Introduction . . . Checking for Spyware and Adware Installing and Using – AdAware Introduction . . Installing on your computer Exercises . .
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Introduction . . . . . . What a firewall does . . . . . Types of firewalls – hardware and software . . Review Questions . . . . . The Windows XP Internet Connection Firewall (ICF) Introduction . . . . . Turning on ICF . . . . Exercises . . . . . Review Questions . . . . Third-party options Zone Lab – ZoneAlarm . . . Exercises . . . . . Review Questions . . . . Checking the effectiveness of your Firewall Introduction . . . . . Testing using shields-up . . . Exercises . . . . . Review Questions . . . .
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Firewalls
File Security
Introduction . . . Setting Security for WinZip files Exercises . . Review Questions . Setting Security for Word/Excel files Exercises . . Review Questions . Setting Security for PDF files . Exercises . . Review Questions .
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Browser and Internet Security
Introduction . . . . . How to set your Internet Explorer Security options Exercises . . . . Review Questions . . . Blocking pop-up windows in Internet Explorer Exercises . . . . Review Questions . . .
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Advanced Topics
Introduction
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Computer and program freezes Introduction . . Starting the Task Manager Using the Task Manager Exercises . .
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Blue Screens Introduction . . . Definition . . . What is the Blue Screen of Death? What do I do after one occurs? Conclusion . . . Exercises . . . Review Questions . . What to do when Windows XP won’t start Introduction . . . What to do Method 1 . . Method 2 . . Method 3 . . Method 4 . . The Windows XP Recovery Console Check List
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Gl o s s ar y Adware - Typically a separate program that is installed at the same time as a shareware or similar program, adware generates advertising, and will often cause pop-up windows advertising a website or product, even when you are not on the internet. Automatic Updates - Updates from Microsoft Update can include those for Windows itself, Office, SQL Server, and sometimes hardware drivers as well. These updates are primarily security and bug-related fixes, although they occasionally contain new features. Bandwidth - A measure of the capacity of a communications channel – like the telephone line or your ADSL Internet connection. The higher a channel's bandwidth, the more information it can carry or the faster your connection is. BIOS - Basic Input/Output System - The BIOS is built-in software that determines what a computer can do without accessing programs from a disk. On PCs, the BIOS contains all the code required to control the keyboard, display screen, disk drives, serial communications, and a number of other functions. Blue Screen Of Death (BSOD) - The blue screen of death is a rather frightening display image containing white text on a blue background that is generated by Windows operating systems when the system has suddenly terminated with an error. Boot - To start up or turn on your computer. Boot Sector - The very first sector on a hard drive. It contains the codes necessary for the computer to start up. It also contains the ‘partition table’, which describes how the hard drive is organised. Also called the ‘Master Boot Record’. Cache - A memory area where frequently accessed data can be stored for rapid access, the location where visited web pages are stored, enabling t hem to be displayed more rapidly at the next visit. Clean install – When an operating system such as Windows XP is installed on a computer as a new operating system instead of upgrading an old operating system. Command prompt - A screen symbol such as C:> that requests user input. Also called the MSDOS prompt / a symbol that appears on the computer screen to indicate that the computer is ready to receive a command. Cookie – A small text file of information that certain Web sites attach to a user's hard drive while the user is browsing the Web site. A Cookie can contain information such as user ID, user preferences, shopping cart information, etc. Cookies can contain Personally Identifiable Information. Critical update - A critical update is a broadly released fix for a specific problem that addresses a very important fix for either the operating system or program on your computer. Dialog box - a window that 'pops up' to gather additional information or to allow you to change settings.
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Dial-up Connection - A type of Internet connection that is made by connecting a normal telephone line to the phone jack at the back of a computer which, in turn connects to the internal modem of the computer, and allows the user to dial a phone number of an Internet Service Provider (ISP) and connect to the Internet. Driver – A program that contains instructions that allows the computer to communicate with its peripheral devices (eg. printers, digital cameras, scanners etc). Emergency boot floppy - A floppy disk which can be used to boot the system if the hard disk has suffered damage on its file system. File infector: A type of virus that attaches itself to another program file. They infect your computer when the program is launched. Firewall - Computer hardware and/or software that limits access to a computer over a network or from an outside source like the Internet. Hard drive - A computer's internal disk drive. The hard drive stores all the computer's information and retains the information when the computer is turned off. Hardware - The physical components of a computer system. Reference is often made to "hardware" and "software"; in that context, "hardware" consists of t he computer itself, input and output devices and other peripheral equipment (printers, scanners etc). Hoax – A hoax is designed to trick you - an untrue, invalid, or outdated email message written to convince the recipient to send the message to others. Install – “Installing a program” means putting a new program onto a computer. Internet Explorer – Also known as ‘IE’ – this is a computer program made by Microsoft that you use to look at websites, or ‘browse’ the Internet. Internet Service Provider (ISP) – A company that you usually have to pay to give you access to the internet (like Csloxinfo, TOT etc) IP address - Each machine connected to the Internet has an address known as an Internet Protocol address (IP address). The IP address takes the form of four numbers separated by dots, for example: 123.45.67.890 Master boot record - The first logical sector on a disk, this is (usually) where the BIOS looks to load a small program that will boot the computer. Metadata - "data about data." Contrast the actual data that the file contains, which is referred to as "user data". Network – Is concerned with communication between computers. The computers can be separated by a few meters (e.g. via Bluetooth) or thousands of kilometres (e.g. via the Internet). Operating System – An operating system (OS) is the program that, after being initially loaded into the computer by a boot program, manages all the other programs in a computer. For example Windows XP, Windows 98 & Linux are Operating Systems. Partition – A division of the hard drive.
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Ports - a port is like a invisible ‘doorway’ into and out of your computer. A place where information goes into or out of a computer. Proxy - Server placed between a user's machine and the Internet. I t can act as a firewall to provide protection and as a cache area to speed up Web page display. Recovery Console - The Recovery Console is a Windows XP feature that helps you restore your operating system when you cannot start your computer. Remote Desktop utility – A utility built into Windows XP that allows you to remotely connect to another computer on your local network, and you will see the other computer’s desktop on your computer. Restore point – By creating a restore point, you can save the state of the operating system and your data so that if future changes cause a problem, you can restore the system and your data to the way it was before the changes were made. Scan - To search backward and forward at high speed. Service Pack - Service Packs offer convenient, all-in-one access to the most up-to-date drivers, tools, security enhancements, and other critical updates. Software - Programs that run on a computer (eg Microsoft Word, Excel, Photoshop etc). Also known as ‘Applications’. Spyware - Any software that secretly gathers user information through the user's Internet connection without his or her knowledge, usually for advertising purposes. Stop error - Stop Errors are errors that result in the Blue Screens of Death (BSOD) you get with Windows XP & Windows 2000 often occurring when you start your computer. Trojan horse - A virus that disguises itself as something else – often something desirable. They usually don't replicate, but if they are launched (by opening a program file or executing some other action to trigger it), they wreak havoc on your computer by destroying files or changing data. They usually come in the form of e-mail. UPS - Uninterruptible Power Supply – something the allows your computers to stay on when the power in the building goes off. It is a device that plugs into your power outlets and you then plug your computer, monitor, and other components into. It uses a battery to make sure that the computer will stay on even if there is a power outage. Utility – A software program that aids in system management or performs a useful job for the users Virus – a software program capable of reproducing itself and often capable of causing great harm to files or other programs on the same computer Voltage - The driving force behind the flow of electricity somewhat like pressure is in a water pipe. Electrical force, or pressure, that causes current to flow in a circuit. Windows Component - One element of a larger system. A reusable program that performs a specific function and is designed to work with other components and programs.
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Windows Security Centre (WSC) - Part of Windows XP (introduced with service pack 2) that is used to monitor essential security elements of the system. Windows XP Automatic Updates – See ‘Automatic Updates’ Wizard – A pop-up window that will let you do something on a computer using simple, stepby-step instructions. Worm - A computer worm is a self-replicating computer program, similar to a computer virus. A virus attaches itself to, and becomes part of, another program; however, a worm is selfcontained and does not need to be part of another program to propagate itself. Zip file - A file or group of files that have been compressed in order to take up less space on a hard drive or download faster over the Internet.
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Im p l em en t i n g p p r ev en t i v e m m eas u r es o o n P PC Co m p o n en t s Introduction
For smooth functioning of a computer, all the components of a computer need preventive maintenance. Examples of these components are: • • •
Mouse Keyboard Drives Floppy drive CD ROM drive Hard Disk drive Monitor Printer
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All these components require regular maintenance. However, the methods and procedures to clean and maintain these components vary. Mouse
If you are using a mechanical mouse, the mouse ball or rollers easily collect dirt even if you cover the mouse when you do not use it. This affects the cursor movement. To avoid this, you need to clean the mouse ball and rollers. To clean the mouse, follow these steps: 1. Switch off the PC. 2. Disconnect the mouse from the computer. 3. Locate the cover at the back of the mouse. Open the cover 4. Remove the ball from the bottom of the mouse. 5. Wash the ball in a soapy water to remove the dirt. 6. Clean the rollers with a cotton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol. 7. Dry the ball and rollers with a lint-free cloth. 8. Put the ball and cover back in place. 9. Connect the mouse to the computer. Keyboard
Keyboard also accumulates dirt. This affects the working of the keyboard and causes the keys to stick with the dust particles on being pressed. The dust particles can also cause short-circuit, which results in incorrect characters being displayed on the screen. Liquids such as tea or coffee spilled on the keyboard can also cause a short-circuit. To avoid this, cover the keyboard when not in use. - 10 -
To clean the keyboard, follow these steps: 1. Switch off the computer. 2. Disconnect the keyboard from the computer. 3. Remove the key tops from the keyboard. 4. Blow the dust using a vacuum cleaner. 5. Clean the key tops with a cotton swab dipped in denatured alcohol. 6. Dry the key tops with a lint-free cloth. 7. Put the key tops back in place 8. Connect the keyboard to the computer Drives
Standard PC(s) consists of a floppy drive(s), a CD-Rom/CD-writer/DVD drive, and a hard disk drive(s). These drives are fixed inside the system; however, these drives accumulate dust with time. Floppy Drive(s): A floppy may not be accessible if dirt has accumulated in the floppy drive. Dirt can also cause a floppy to get corrupted. To avoid this, clean the floppy drive head using a floppy drive cleaning kit. The kit contains a cleaning disk and a bottle of isopropyl alcohol.
The steps to clean the floppy drive are as follows: 1. Put a few drops of isopropyl alcohol in the access hole of the cleaning disk. 2. Insert the cleaning disk in the floppy drive. When the disk spins over the head, it cleans the head. CD-ROM/CD-writer/DVD Drive: To clean the CD-ROM/CD-writer/DVD drive, you need a CD lens cleaner, which is similar to a CD but has a tiny brush on track zero.
The steps are as follows: 1. Insert the CD lens cleaner in the CD-Rom drive. 2. Access the drive. When the CD lens cleaner rotates, the brush cleans the CD lens. Hard Disk Drive: The hard disk is a sealed unit and therefore it needs less maintenance. As a preventive measure, you must check the following issues: Heat: A new hard disk generates lot of heat while running. To control the heat, ensure that the interior case has sufficient cooling and ventilation. Avoid placing the hard disk between other hot components and prevent it from excessive dust. Vibration: A new hard disk vibrates more when it runs at high speed. If a hard disk begins to vibrate more over time than it did before, it indicates some problem. Shock: Many people prefer carrying hard disk drives from one place to another, though it is not recommended by the manufacturer. Hard disks are prone to permanent damages when moved out of a computer while t he disks inside are still spinning •
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Monitor
Monitors consist of two types, Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) and flat panel Liquid Crystal Device (LCD). Monitors gather dust quickly due to static charge generation. Therefore, the outer case and screen require regular cleaning. The correct way to clean the monitor depends on the type of monitor: CRTs: Use a cloth dampened with water or a mild window cleaning solution to wipe the glass screen and clean the monitor case. Alternatively, you can use moistened paper towels to clean them. Do not spray any liquid directly on the screen. Never open the monitor case which contains electric voltage that can cause a shock. LCDs: Use a soft, dry cotton cloth or a small amount of isopropyl alcohol with dampened cloth to remove finger prints and smudges from an LCD screen. To avoid any damage, do not use paper towels, sharp objects, and strong cleaners such as ammonia to clean an LCD screen. •
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Printer
A printer can gather dust while printing. Bits of paper can also gather inside the printer. The dust particles and bits of paper produce electrical charge that is harmful for the components of the printer. The dust particles are also responsible for mechanical wear and tear of the components of the printer. To avoid this, insert papers with clean edges and stack them evenly in the printer tray. Remove bits of paper that are stuck in the printer using tweezers. If you open the printer for repair, clean it using a vacuum cleaner.
Review Q Questions Question 1: Which of the following computer components require maintenance? Mouse Keyboard Printer All of the above Question 2: What problems can you can face if keyboard is not maintained properly? The keys might stick with the dust particles. Incorrect characters display on the screen. Liquids spilled on the keyboard can cause an electrical short circuit. All of the above. Question 3: To clean the CD-ROM drive, you use: CD lens cleaner Tiny brush Cotton swab dipped in cleaning alcohol
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None of the above
Question 4: You should only perform maintenance on your computer components when something goes wrong. True – handling computer components too much can cause damage. False – performing regular maintenance may stop problems happening in the first place.
Ho w tto k k eep c c o m p u t er s s s af e f f r o m tth e e ef f ec t s o f h h eat a an d h humidity Introduction
It's not just people that suffer in the hot weather. Hot temperatures can create problems for hard drives, and computers can suffer big problems due to lightning strikes and flooding in storms. Storms hold dangers for hardware too — power surges, floods and lightning strikes can all cause problems for computers and even completely destroy them. Some basic tips:
Here are some tips to keep your computers running happily through the heat and humidity. 1. Keep computers in a cool, dry area to prevent them from overheating (getting too hot). 2. Don't have too many computers running off one power supply or power board. If the power socket is affected by a power surge, then all the machines could suffer damage. 3. Install a surge protector between the power socket and the computer's power cable. Some brands offer guaranteed lightning protection. 4. Organisations with networks should get surge protectors to stop power spikes which can be transmitted through network cables. 5. At least once per year users should inspect power protection devices to make sure they are functioning properly. 6. Ensure computer equipment has its own power circuit, so it isn't sharing the power with air conditioners, fans and/or other devices. 7. Turn off and disconnect the power cord during an electrical storm. 8. Turn off power during a blackout. When power is restored after a blackout, the electricity supply can initially be inconsistent, which can cause damage. 9. High voltages can enter the computer through a phone line connected to the modem. To protect your computer during electrical storms, unplug the telephone line from the modem jack or use a telephone line surge suppressor. 10. Organisations with network servers should invest in some form of uninterruptible power supply (commonly referred to as a UPS).
Review Q Questions Question 1: High voltages (too much electricity) can enter the computer through which of the following? A phone line connected to the modem. The power cable.
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A network cable attached to the computer. A wireless (wi-fi) connection. All of the above.
Question 2: It is better to place computers in a cool and dry area. True – It will help stop the computer from overheating. False – The computer will not overheat as it has its own fan.
B as i c H Har d w ar e T Tr o u b l es h o o t i n g Introduction
In this section we will describe some of the more common hardware problems that may occur with your computers. Please note that there are many problems that can occur with computers so we will only cover the main components as discussed in the previous section.
Typical H Har dwar e P Pr oblems Mouse problems
A mouse is a hardware device which allows the user to control a cursor to control data without complicated commands. 1. Problem: Mouse acting unevenly and/or is not moving properly. Cause: This issue can occur because of one of the possibilities below. These may vary depending upon the type of mouse you have connected to the computer. • •
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Mouse is not clean. Optical portion of mouse is blocked. Moisture or other material on finger.
Solution: Mouse is not clean:
Users who have a mechanical mouse (most common mouse for desktop computers) are likely experiencing strange behaviour because the mouse is not clean or is dirty. Clean the mouse as described in the section earlier in the workbook. Optical portion of mouse is blocked:
Users who have an optical mouse are likely experiencing strange behaviour because a portion of the optical eye is blocked. Most commonly this is caused by a hair. - 14 -
Moisture or other material on finger:
Users who are using a touchpad (as found on a laptop) may experience strange behaviour because of moisture or other material on the finger such as lotion. Keyboard problems 1. Problem: Keyboard error when starting computer. Cause: An error with the keyboard can be caused by any of the below possibilities. • • • •
Keyboard is not connected properly. Stuck key. Faulty keyboard. Faulty connection port on the keyboard.
Solution: Keyboard is not connected properly
Verify that the keyboard is connected properly to the computer by disconnecting and reconnecting the keyboard to the computer. Stuck key
Ensure that there are no stuck keys on the keyboard. If all keys appear to be ok and you have a standard desktop computer with keyboard, attempt to turn keyboard over and gently hit the back of the keyboard to loosen any dirt or hair that may be stuck in the keyboard. Faulty keyboard
Try another keyboard on the computer to verify that the keyboard has not become faulty. Faulty connection port on the computer
If all of the above solutions are not able to resolve your issue it is likely that the port on the back of the computer may be faulty. You will need to take the computer to a technician to fix this problem. 2. Problem: Not all keys on keyboard work. Cause: This issue is generally caused by a bad keyboard or software preventing these keys to be pressed. Solution:
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Make sure that the key is not working in another program. It is possible that some keys may not be used in all programs. This generally always applies to the Function keys F1 through F12. If not all keys are working in all programs try running a simple program like [Notepad] and check to see if the key is working in that program. If it appears that a substance has been spilt into the keyboard, please refer to the section earlier in the workbook about cleaning a keyboard. If all the above suggestions have been completed it is likely that the keyboard and/or keys are faulty and it is recommended that the keyboard be replaced with a new one. Floppy drive problems 1. Problem: Unable to read floppy disk. Cause: This issue could be caused by one of the below possibilities. • •
Faulty floppy disk. Faulty floppy disk drive.
Solution: Faulty floppy or error with disk
This issue is most often caused by a faulty floppy disk. Try other floppy disks in the computer. If other disks are able to be read in your computer it is likely to be a faulty disk. If the disk contains valuable information or information that is only able to be found on this disk, try reading the disk in another computer. If the disk works in the other computer it is still likely errors exist with the disk; copy the contents of the disk to the computer and try using another floppy disk to transfer the information. Faulty floppy disk drive
If no floppy disk can be read in the computer, but other computers read the disk, refer to the issue discussed below for floppy disk drive troubleshooting. 2. Problem: Basic floppy disk drive troubleshooting. Cause: A floppy drive may not work because of one or more of the below reasons. • •
Faulty floppy disk. Faulty hardware.
Solution: Faulty floppy disk.
Make sure that the floppy disk that you are attempting to read from is not write protected or faulty. Verify that the - 16 -
disk is not write protected by sliding the tab into the position not allowing light to shine through it. If you do not have a tab, place tape over this hole. Because of the technology of floppy disk drives, it is very easy for a floppy disk to become faulty. If other floppies work it is likely that you may have a faulty floppy disk. Faulty hardware.
If you continue to have problems after following the above steps it is likely that hardware within the computer is faulty. You can try to clean the floppy drive by following the steps in the first section or take the computer to a technician. Hard Drive problems 1. Problem: Sector not found error Cause: This issue occurs when the hard drive is faulty or starting to fail. Solution:
Unfortunately this error usually means that the drive is faulty and starting to fail and therefore must be replaced. You may be able to resolve this issue by running a checkdisk (chkdsk – refer to section later in this workbook) and having the checkdisk utility mark the sectors as bad. However, it is recommended that the drive be replaced as eventually it will completely fail. 2. Problem: Fixed disk failure. Additional Information: You may get one of the following errors when you first turn on your computer. • • • •
Fixed disk 0 failure Fixed disk 1 failure Fixed disk C failure Fixed disk D failure
Cause: This issue is probably caused by a hard disk drive that has failed. Solution: Bad hard disk drive
Most of the steps required to determine if a hard drive has completely failed are fairly technical (and not covered in this course). Your best option is to have a technician look at the computer for you. - 17 -
Monitor problems 1. Problem: No display on monitor. Cause: This issue can be caused by any of the below possibilities. • • • •
Connections not connected properly. Monitor settings are not correct. No Post. Hardware issue.
Solution: Connections not connected properly
Make sure that you are connecting the monitor to the back of the computer in the 15 pin or older computer 9 pin connection. If the computer is properly plugged in, ensure that the computer monitor is getting power. If you are not receiving power from a known working wall outlet and if the power cord is removable, replace it with the one connected to the computer and attempt to turn on the monitor again. If the monitor still does not get power or the power cable is not removable, it is recommended that the monitor be replaced or serviced at a computer repair shop. If the monitor is receiving power, check the status light. If the light is orange or flashing ensure that the monitor is not in a suspend mode by moving the mouse or pressing a key on the keyboard. If the computer does not get a display by moving the mouse or touching the keyboard, turn off the computer and monitor and reconnect the data cable from the back of the computer, and if removable, the back of the monitor. Turn the computer back on; if you still encounter the same issue, continue reading through the other possibilities. Monitor settings are not correct
Ensure that the brightness and contrast is turned up or attempt to change the brightness and contrast. If changing the brightness or contrast has no affect on the monitor continue reading through the other possibilities.
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No Post
Does the computer beep when it is first turned on and/or does it appear that the computer is doing anything? If the computer does not beep or beeps strangely it is possible that the computer itself has a hardware problem or in technical terms - is exhibiting a ‘No Post’. Hardware Issue
If you have followed the above recommendations and are still encountering the same issue, it is likely that the computer may have either a bad video card or monitor. The best method of determining this is to do one or both of the following: •
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Disconnect your monitor and attempt to connect it to another computer. This can be a friend or family's computer and/or it can be taken to a service centre. Borrow a computer monitor and connect it to your computer. This will not harm the other computer monitor in any way.
If your monitor works on another computer it is safe to assume that the video card on your computer is bad. If another monitor works on your computer it is safe to assume that your monitor is bad. 2. Problem: Monitor colours are strange. Cause: This issue can be caused by one of the below reasons. • •
Monitor cable is defective. Monitor is bad.
Solution: Monitor cable is defective
Disconnect the monitor from the back of the computer and verify that there are no bent, burnt or broken pins on the cable connection. If the end of the cable appears to be fine, reattach the cable and ensure it is firmly connected to the back of the computer. If you continue to experience the same issue, continue reading through the other possibilities. Monitor is faulty
If you have verified that the cable is not defective and is firmly connected to the back of the computer, unfortunately, it is likely that the cable connected to the monitor or the actual monitor is faulty. It is recommended that it be taken to a computer technician. 3. Problem: Monitor clicks, pops, or makes other noises (CRT monitors only. Cause: This issue could be caused by any of the below possibilities:
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• • • •
Monitor degaussing. Monitor changing resolution. Monitor syncing with the video card. Monitor warming up.
Solution: Noise when turned on or off
It is normal for standard computer monitors to make a click, pop, crackle, hum, buzz, or other type of noises when they are first turned on or turned off. Noise when monitor goes into standby mode
When the monitor enters a "standby mode" or "power savings mode" this is similar to the monitor being turned off. It is completely normal for the monitor to make a noise when the monitor enters this mode. Noise when opening Microsoft Windows or other operating system or when opening a game
When a computer opens its operating system, for example, a computer opening Microsoft Windows or when a user runs a computer game it is very common that the monitor will need to switch its resolution of the operating system or game. When switching resolutions it is normal for the computer monitor to make some type of noise and/or for the computer monitor to flick or flash. Noise during normal operation
If the computer monitor click, pops, or flashes while it is being used this is not normal operation. It is very likely that the monitor may be failing or a component within the monitor has already failed and could also potentially catch on fire. We highly recommend that the monitor be repaired, replaced, and/or looked at by a computer technician.
Review Q Questions Question 1: If you turn on the computer and it displays an error message saying ‘Fixed disk C failure’, it is quite likely a serious problem that needs a technician to fix. True False Question 2: If your monitor isn’t working, and you unplug it and connect it to another computer and it still isn’t working, the problem is likely to be: Your computer’s video card is bad. Your monitor is bad. Both computers have a problem. None of the above.
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Us er a ac c o u n t s a an d s s ec u r i t y Introduction - Why Set Up Separate User Accounts?
Windows XP allows you to establish separate accounts for each person who uses your computer. But if the only people who use your computer are family, why would you est ablish separate accounts for each person? Setting up separate accounts for each person who uses your computer provides the following benefits: • •
•
•
•
Users can change the way Windows and the desktop looks just for themselves. Users can have their own list of Favourites and recently visited websites in Internet Explorer or other browsers. Users can keep their files in a separate My Documents folder and password protect their files. Users can place files in a shared document folder if they want other users to be able to read or modify them. Administrators can protect important computer settings.
Two different account types – Administrator and Limited
Windows XP provides two different types of user accounts: limited and administrator. Administrator accounts have unlimited access to the computer, while limited accounts have some restrictions. One significant difference between limited and administrator accounts is the ease with which both types of users can download and install programs. Since it's easy for you to download and install programs while using an administrator account, it's also easier for attackers to download and install programs to your computer without your knowledge. If an attacker entices you to visit their Web site and you're using an administrator account, the attacker may be able to put programs on your computer that could delete your files, spy on your activity, use your computer to attack others, and more. In contrast, if you're using a limited account when you visit an attacker's Web site, it is less likely the attacker will be able to download and install the program or file that's necessary to infect your computer. As a result, using limited accounts in Windows XP for daily use can reduce your risk of being the victim of a computer attack.
How to Create a New Windows XP User
1. To start, click on [Control Panel] in the [Start] menu. 2. Click on the [User Accounts] icon. Please note: If your Control Panel looks different from the one pictured below, switch to [Category View].
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3. Under [Pick a Task], click on [Create a new account]. 4. Enter a name for the new account and click [Next] as shown below.
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5. Select the type of account you wish to create. In most cases, you probably want to create a [Limited] account.
6. Click [Create Account] to create the account. Deleting User Accounts
1. From the [Start] menu, click on [Control Panel]. 2. Click on the [User Accounts] icon. Note: If your Control Panel looks different from the one pictured below make sure you select [Switch to Category View]. 3. Click on the account that you want to delete.
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4. Click on [Delete the account]. Windows prompts you to decide if you want Windows to save some of the user's files and settings. If you want Windows to keep the files, click [Keep Files]. Otherwise, select [Delete Files].
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5. Windows prompts you to ensure you want to delete the account. Click [Delete Account] to permanently delete the account.
Exer cises Exercise 1: Create 3 new user accounts as described below on your computer using the instructions above. User name – ‘your name’ with account type - Administrator. User name – ‘User 2’ with account type – Limited. User name – ‘User 3’ with account type – Limited. • • •
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Exercise 2: Log off from the current account and log on as ‘User 2’. Exercise 3: Create a word document and save a copy in your ‘my documents’ folder and another copy in the ‘shared documents’ folder. Exercise 4: Check to see if you can see other users documents using ‘my computer’. Exercise 5: Log off and log in using your newly created admin account under your own name. Exercise 6: Try and find both copies of the file you created using ‘my computer’. Exercise 7: Delete the user account for ‘User 2’ including all of their files using the instructions above.
Review Q Questions Question 1: Why is it a good idea to set user accounts to ‘Limited’ type accounts? If your computer gets a virus, it is possible that not as much damage will be done. It makes it harder for someone to install harmful programs on your computer. It can help stop users from accidentally making changes to programs when they shouldn’t. All of the above. Question 2: When deleting an account, if you choose to delete the files when asked, it will remove the following. ‘My Documents’ folder. Web page favourites. Desktop settings. Any shared documents they created. All of the above. None of the above.
Passwor ds a and U User A Accounts Introduction
During Windows XP installation you are asked to enter a password for the Administrator account. When installation completes you are asked to create additional user accounts. These user accounts are separate and apart from the Administrator account as evidenced if you try and use “Administrator” as a choice during installation. XP will deny its use and require you to enter a different user name. After these user names (at least one) have been entered XP continues to load. By default, these additional user accounts are not password protected. After the process is completed, you have the option of password protecting these additional accounts. Creating passwords
To set passwords for these additional user accounts follow these steps: 1. Click on [Start] and then select the [Control Panel] and then [User Accounts]. The following screen will be displayed. - 26 -
2. Select the user you wish to password protect. In this case, we have chosen the account for [Mae Sot User]. The following screen will open.
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3. To create the password for the “Mae Sot User” account in the example above, select the [Create A Password] option. The screen below will open.
4. Read the warning about losing certain stored items at the top, then complete the password entry and confirmation fields. Passwords are case sensitive. If you want to add a password hint, enter it in the last box and then click [Create Password]. When you select the user account at the logon screen a prompt for the password will appear. If you have forgotten the password, click the question mark [?] and the password hint you entered will appear. Type the password (case sensitive) and you will be logged into XP. The [User Account] screen shown above can also be used to change or remove passwords.
Exer cises Exercise 1: Create a new password for the ‘User 1’ account you created in the previous section. Exercise 2: Add a password hint for the ‘User 1’ account. Exercise 3: Log off and then log back on using the ‘User 1’ account. Can you view the password hint? How do you view it?
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Review Q Questions Question 1: When you first create a new user, Windows XP sets a default password automatically for you. True False Question 2: If you add a password hint when creating a password for a user, the user will see the hint when: They click on the ? on the login screen. If they try their password 3 times incorrectly. None of the above. Question 3: A user can create any password that they want. True False Question 4: You can choose to have a blank password if you want. True False Question 5: Creating a short and easy password is good because: It makes it easy to remember. There is less chance that you will make a typing mistake. None of the above. All of the above. Question 6: How many times can you try to guess your password? 1 time. 3 times. As many times as you want.
Cr eating a a P Passwor d P Policy a and a an Account L Lockout P Policy Introduction
A Password Policy will help you to apply and maintain strong passwords, and having an Account Lockout Policy in place will limit the number of repeatedly failed log on attempts to your computer. To create a Password Policy:
1. Go to the [Control Panel] and then select [Administrative Tools] and then [Local Security Policy]. 2. In the [Security Settings] tree, click [Account Policies] and then the [Password Policy] folder as shown below.
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3. To change the options to meet your needs, double click any of the options listed in the right pane and adjust the properties as appropriate. Notes on the available options: •
Enforce password history: This setting makes sure that a password can not just be re-used. Set this policy to force a wider variety of passwords and make sure that the same password is not re-used over and over again. In other words, if you set this value to 3, then the user must use at least 3 different passwords each time they change it before they can use one of their previous passwords.
You can assign any number between 0 and 24. Setting the policy at 0 means that password history is not enforced. Any other number assigns the number of passwords that will be saved. •
Maximum password age: This setting basically sets an expiry date for user passwords. The policy can be set for anything between 0 and 42 days. Setting the policy at 0 is the same as setting the passwords to never expire.
It is recommended that this policy be set for 30 or less to ensure user passwords are changed on at least once a month. •
•
Minimum password age: This policy sets the minimum number of days that must pass before the password is allowed to be changed again. This policy, in combination with the Enforce password history policy, can be used to make sure that users don't just keep resetting their password until they can use the same one again. If the Enforce password history policy is enabled, this policy should be set for at least 3 days. Minimum password length: Generally speaking the longer a password is, the harder it is for someone to work out the password and are therefore more secure.
With this policy setting, you can assign a minimum number of characters for passwords. The number can be anything from 0 to 14. It is generally recommended that passwords be a minimum of 7 or 8 characters to make them sufficiently secure. - 30 -
•
Password must meet complexity requirements : Having a password of 8 characters is generally more secure than a password of 6 characters. However, if the 8-character password is "password" and the 6-character password is "p@swRd", the 6-character password will be much more difficult to guess.
Enabling this policy forces users to include different characters into their passwords which will make them harder to guess. The complexity requirements are: o
o o
Password must not contain significant portions of the user's account name or full name Password must be at least six characters in length Password must contain characters from at least three of the following categories: Uppercase characters (A through Z) Lowercase characters (a through z) Numbers (0 through 9) Special characters (for example, &, $, #, %)
•
Store Password Using Reverse Encryption For All Users In The Domain : Enabling this policy actually makes the overall password security less secure. Using reversible encryption is essentially the same as storing the passwords in plain-text, or not using any encryption at all and it is recommended that you don’t turn this option on.
To create an Account Lockout Policy
1. In the [Security Settings] tree, click [Account Policies] and then the [Account Lockout Policy] folder as shown below.
2. To change the options to meet your needs, double click any of the options listed in the right pane and adjust the properties as required.
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Notes on the available options: •
•
•
Account lockout duration: This policy allows you to specify a time period after which the account will automatically unlock and resume normal operation. If you specify 0 the account will be locked out indefinitely until an administrator manually unlocks it. Account lockout threshold: This policy determines the number of failed login attempts allowed before the account is locked out. If the threshold is set at 3 for example, the account will be locked out after a user enters incorrect login information 3 times within a specified timeframe. Reset account lockout counter after: This policy defines a time period for counting the incorrect login attempts. If the policy is set for 1 hour and the Account Lockout Threshold is set for 3 attempts a user can enter the incorrect login information 3 times within 1 hour. If they enter the incorrect information twice, but get it correct the third time the counter will reset after 1 hour has elapsed (from the first incorrect entry) so that future failed attempts will again start counting at 1.
Our recommendations
Remember when changing these settings that sometimes people do make normal sorts of mistakes and so you don’t want to make your policy settings so difficult that it becomes annoying for your users. For example, it is quite common for someone to type there password wrongly maybe 1 or 2 times so you wouldn’t want to lock them out for just making a simple mistake. For standard computers we would recommend: •
•
•
Account Lockout Threshold: A number between 3 and 5 should be ok to allow for honest mistakes and typing errors. Reset Account Lockout Counter After: Using a time period between 30 and 60 minutes should be enough to deter automated attacks as well as manual attempts by an attacker to guess a password. Account Lockout Duration: A lockout duration of 1 hour to 90 minutes should work well here.
Exer cises Exercise 1: Create a password policy for your computer so that the minimum password length is 6 characters. Exercise 2: Change the password for the ‘User 1’ account. Is your new password policy being enforced?
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Review Q Questions Question 1: By creating a password policy on your computer, you can stop users from creating very short and simple passwords. True False Question 2: By using a password policy and an account lockout policy on your computer, it will make it harder for someone to break into your computer. True False Question 3: Is it possible to make your policies too difficult for the users of your computer? Yes No Question 4: It is recommended that you make the users of your computer choose a password that is at least 4 characters in length. True False Question 5: It is recommended that you make the users of your computer change the password at least once a month. True False
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B ac k u p s Introduction
In the field of computers, a backup refers to the copying of data so that these additional copies may be restored after a data loss event. Backups are useful for two main reasons: 1. To restore a computer to an operational state following a disaster (called disaster recovery). 2. To restore small numbers of files after they have been accidentally deleted or corrupted. Types of Storage media
Data has to be stored on some data storage medium somewhere. There are a large number of storage media to choose from including: •
Magnetic tape
Magnetic tape has long been the most commonly used medium for large amounts of data storage. Tape has typically had a much better capacity/price ratio when compared to hard disks, but recently this ratio has become a lot closer. Tape is a sequential access medium, so even though access times may be poor, the rate of continuously writing or reading data can actually be very fast. Some new tape drives are even faster than modern hard disks. •
Hard disk
The capacity/price ratio of hard disk has been rapidly improving for many years. This is making it more competitive with magnetic tape for storing large amounts of data. The main advantages of hard disk storage are the high capacity and speed. •
Optical disk
A CD-R can be used as a backup device. One advantage of CDs is that they can hold 650/700 MB of data on a 12 cm (4.75") reflective optical disc. (This is equivalent to 12,000 images or 200,000 pages of text.) They can also be restored on any machine with a CD-ROM drive. CDs may all look the same, but there are different file formats for different applications. Another common format is DVD-R. •
Floppy disk
During the period 1975–95, most personal/home computer users associated backup mostly with copying floppy disks. The low data capacity of floppy disks make it an unpopular choice in 2006.
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•
Solid state storage
Also known as flash memory, thumb drives, USB keys, compact flash, smart media, memory stick, Secure Digital cards, etc., these devices are relatively expensive for the amount of data that they can store, but they offer excellent portability and ease-of-use. •
Remote backup
As broadband internet access becomes more widespread, network and remote backup/online backups are gaining in popularity. Backing up online via the internet to a remote location can eliminate some worse case scenarios, such as someone's office burning down to the ground along with the computer, its hard drive, and any on-site backup disks. A problem with this type of backup is the speed of an internet connection is usually much slower than the speed of local data storage devices, so this can be a problem for people with large amounts of data. It also has the risk of losing control over personal or sensitive data. Some General Advice on Backups •
•
•
•
The more important the data that is stored in the computer the greater the need for backing up these data. A backup is only as useful as its associated restore strategy. Storing the copy near the original is unwise, since many disasters such as fire, flood and electrical surges are likely to cause damage to the backup at the same time. Automated backup should be considered, as manual backups are affected by human error.
Backing U Up a and R Restor ing tthe W Windows X XP R Registr y Introduction
The Windows XP registry is the database that contains settings for all the hardware and software in the computer. The Registry can be edited directly, but that is usually only done for very technical reasons or as a last resort. A computer that has many applications and has been used for a while can easily have a hundred thousand or more Registry entries. There are two ways of backing up the registry; software based (refer to the next section in the workbook) and direct access. The software based method is generally considered to be safer (and easier), although a badly behaved piece of software that causes errors in the registry can make you doubt the wisdom of this statement. Directly accessing the registry is far more dangerous. For this reason, we will only use the software method to make a backup of the registry.
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Using W Windows B Backup tto B Backup tthe W Windows X XP R Registr y Introduction
Here we will look at the software method using the standard Windows XP Backup utility. Using the Windows Backup program
1. To start the backup program, go to [Start] then select [All Programs] and then [Accessories], followed by [System Tools] then finally [Backup]. 2. When you first start the backup program you will see the Backup or Restore Wizard. Start by clicking [Next] as shown below.
3. Click [Next] making sure that the backup option is selected as shown below.
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4. The next screen displayed gives you a number of options. To make a backup of the registry, you need to select [Let me choose what to back up] . Select that option and click [Next].
5. Select [System State] which will backup all applicable system information.
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Notes on System State Data:
With Backup, you can back up and restore the following system components to back up the System State: Name of Component
Registry COM+ Class Registration database Boot files, including the system files Certificate Services database Active Directory directory service SYSVOL directory Cluster service information IIS Metadirectory System files that are under Windows File Protection
When this component is included in System State? Always Always Always If it is a Certificate Services server If it is a domain Only if it is a domain controller If it is within a cluster If it is installed Always
Backup refers to these system components as the System State data. The exact system components that make up your computer's System State data depend on the computer's operating system and configuration. 6. Once you have selected the [System State], click [Next].
7. Choose the location you wish to backup to. Click [Next].
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8. Click on the [Advanced] button if you wish to select additional options.
9. Here you can select your backup type.
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Note: The backup types available are as follows:
Normal is the default and backups up daily normally. The other options changes the type of backup, eg. a differential type of backup, backs up data that has changed from one backup to another. Leave it as [Normal] and click [Next]. 10. On the [How to Back Up] screen, we're going to add the [Verify data after backup] selection so we can make sure the backup is good. Click [Next].
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11. You can append the backup to an existing backup – adding to the data already present – or you can replace the existing backup – remove those files. By appending, your disk space will be quickly eaten up. Click [Next].
12. You can set a schedule for the backup to run at or just run it now. Click [Next].
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13. Click [Finish] to complete the wizard.
14. The system will now begin backing up data.
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15. Once it is complete, click [Close]. You have now backed up the folders you selected.
Exer cises Exercise 1: Backup the registry on your computer using the Windows backup program as described above.
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Review Q Questions Question 1: The Windows XP registry can be backed up using the standard Windows backup program. True False Question 2: You can select to just backup the registry and none of the other system files when using the Windows backup program. True False Question 3: Once you have created a backup of your computers ‘System State’, a good place to store the backup is on the desktop so that it is easy to find. True False
Using W Windows B Backup f f or data f f iles Backing u up Y Your Data Introduction
Though Microsoft has now included a “System Restore” functionality within Windows XP, it does not replace the need for regular backups of your system and your data. System Restore is designed primarily to offer unattended system file backups to prevent a new software install becoming corrupt and destroying your computer. By performing regular system file backups, Microsoft gives the option of quickly restoring your system to working order if something bad happens. This does not, however, backup any user data nor does it provide a complete system backup. To perform these functions, Microsoft includes its own backup utility in Windows which you should become familiar with. Using the Windows Backup program
1. To start the backup program, go to [Start] then select [All Programs] and then [Accessories], followed by [System Tools] then finally [Backup]. 2. When you first start the backup program you will see the Backup or Restore Wizard. Start by clicking [Next] as shown below.
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3. Click [Next] making sure that the backup option is selected as shown below.
4. The next screen displayed gives you a number of options. The most flexible option is to select [Let me choose what to back up]. Select that option and click [Next].
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5. Select the folders you wish to backup. You can go several folders deep and select one if you do not want the whole root directory. In addition, you can select [System State] as we did in the previous section which will backup system information such as the Registry in addition to the data that you select. Once you have selected your folders, click [Next].
6. Choose the location you wish to backup to. Click [Next]. - 46 -
7. Click on the [Advanced] button if you wish to select additional options.
8. Here you can select your backup type.
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Note: The backup types available are as follows:
Normal is the default and backups up daily normally. The other options changes the type of backup, eg. a differential type of backup, backs up data that has changed from one backup to another. Leave it as [Normal] and click [Next]. 9. On the [How to Back Up] screen, we're going to add the [Verify data after backup] selection so we can make sure the backup is good. Click [Next].
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10. You can append the backup to an existing backup – adding to the data already present – or you can replace the existing backup – remove those files. By appending, your disk space will be quickly eaten up. Click [Next].
11. You can set a schedule for the backup to run at or just run it now. Click [Next].
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12. Click [Finish] to complete the wizard.
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13. The system will now begin backing up data.
14. Once it is complete, click [Close]. You have now backed up the folders you selected.
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Restor ing y your data 1. To start the backup program, go to [Start] then select [All Programs] and then [Accessories], followed by [System Tools] then finally [Backup]. 2. When you first start the backup program you will see the Backup or Restore Wizard. Start by clicking [Next] as shown below.
3. Click [Next] making sure that the restore option is selected as shown below.
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4. Select the files you want to restore from the backup that you made earlier and then click [Next]. You can select either a single file, multiple files or select folders to restore.
5. Click on [Finish] to start the restore process.
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6. If you want to change any of the advanced options, select the [Advanced] button. The first advanced option allows you to restore the different location to the one that it was backed up in. Make your selection and click [Next] to continue.
7. The next option determines what happens if the file you are restoring already exists. Choose the appropriate option and click [Next] to continue.
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8. The next option determines determines whether the security settings are restored restored and whether to restore special system files. The default options can be selected here. Click [Next] to continue.
9. Click [Finish] to start the restore process.
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Exer cises of the [My Documents] folder using the instructions above. Exercise 1: Make a backup of Exercise 2: Delete a file from your [My Documents] folder (make sure that it’s not something important just in case this exercise doesn’t work!!). Now try and restore just the single file that you deleted using the restore function as described above. Were you able to restore your file?
Review Q Questions your data files, you cannot backup backup the system information at the Question 1: When backing up your same time. True False Windows Backup program to make backups of your data Question 2: You can only use the Windows files. True False scheduled backups using the Windows Windows Backup program. Question 3: You can create scheduled True False
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Wi n d o w s X XP S Sy s t em R Res t o r e F Fu n c t i o n Introduction
With new programs being installed, viruses viruses infecting, and spyware lurking in your browsers it is not uncommon for your computer to suddenly stop behaving correctly. In fact, it is almost guaranteed that at some point your computer will just not do what you expect it to. This is not because your a lousy computer user or even a bad person, this is just the life as we know it when working with computers. Luckily for us, Microsoft includes an application called ‘System Restore’ into Windows XP to help solve this problem. This section will cover what System Restore is, how it works, and how you can use it to t o protect your computer. System Restore
System Restore is a feature of Windows XP that allows you to restore your computer to a previous known working state in the event of a problem. This is done without loss of personal files or data such as word processing documents, spreadsheets, music, images, etc. This feature is turned on by default and runs in the background making backups after certain events happen on your computer. System restore functions are only available to an administrator of the computer, therefore if you are not logged on as the administrator, you will not be able to follow this tutorial. System Restore protects your computer by creating backups of vital system configurations and files. These backups are known as ‘restore points’. These restore points are are created before certain events take place in order to give you a recourse in case something s omething bad happens during that event. These events are as follows: • •
•
• • •
•
If you install a new program then a new restore point will be created. Installation of Microsoft security and operating system updates will trigger a Restore Point creation. If you choose to use system restore to restore to a previous restore point, system restore will create a new restore point point prior to restoring a previous previous state in case something goes wrong. Before a Microsoft Backup Utility Recovery operation. By manually creating a new restore point. By default at a 24 hour interval a new restore point will be made. This restore point will only be made if the system is in an idle state. If system restore is disabled and then reenabled a new restore point will be made.
These restore points contain configuration and settings and files that are are necessary for your computer to run correctly.
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What System Restore does not store in a Restore Point include: •
• •
•
Windows XP passwords and hints are not restored. This is done so that you do not by accident restore an old password and then lock yourself out of the computer.. Microsoft Internet Explorer passwords and hints are not restored. Any file types not monitored by System Restore like personal data files eg. Word documents, pictures, power-point presentations etc… User-created data stored in the user profile
Enabling System Restore NOTE: You need to be logged in as an Administrator to use System Restore. If you are not logged in as an administrator you will not be able to follow these steps.
To enable system restore you should follow these steps. 1. By default system restore is enabled on Windows XP machines, so there is a good chance that it is already enabled if this is your first time working with system restore. 2. You should first go into the [Control Panel] and then double click on the [System] icon. Note: If you are in the control panel and do not see the System icon, then click on the link that says [Switch to classic view] in the upper left hand side of the window.
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3. Now you should be able to see the [System] icon. After you double click on it you should then click on the [System Restore] tab. If system restore is turned off you will see an image like Figure 2 below.
4. If you see in the [Status] section that it is Monitoring a partition, then system restore is already enabled and you do not have to do anything further. 5. If it is showing that it is turned off as shown above, then you should uncheck the checkbox labelled [Turn off System Restore], and then adjust how much disk space you want to allow system restore to use, which is by default 12 percent of your entire disk space. 6. When you are done with making your settings, you should click on the [Apply] button. Note: Since you are turning system restore back on, a new restore point will automatically be made. After the new restore point is made, you should see in the status section that system restore is monitoring the partition; which means it is enabled. Manually Creating Restore Points
It is possible to manually make restore points when you wish by using the System Restore utility. Common reasons to do this are because you feel have your computer set up perfectly and would like to save that state in case something goes wrong in the future. To create a manual restore point, follow these steps: 1. To open the utility, click on [Start], [All Programs], [Accessories], [System Tools] then select [System Restore]. You will be presented with a screen similar to that shown below.
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2. To create a manual restore point select the radio dial labelled [Create a restore point] and press the [Next] button. You will then be presented with a screen similar to that shown below.
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3. At this point you should type the name you would like this restore point to be referred to in the [Restore point description] field. The current date and time will automatically be appended to the name you choose. 4. When you are done, press the [Create] button. System restore will create the restore point and give you a confirmation screen with information as shown below.
5. At this point you can press the [Close] button to close the System Restore utility.
Restoring Windows XP to a previous State
To restore Windows XP to a previous restore point you need to open the System Restore Utility. - 61 -
1. To open the utility, click on [Start], [All Programs], [Accessories], [System Tools] then select [System Restore]. You will be presented with a screen similar to that shown below.
2. You should select the radio button that is labelled [Restore my computer to an earlier time]. When that is selected press the [Next] button. You will then be presented with a screen similar to that shown below.
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3. At this point you should select a restore point that you would like to restore. If a particular day has any restore points created on it the date will be in bold. You can then select the restore point by clicking once on its name and then pressing the [Next] button. 4. At this point you will be prompted with a confirmation as to whether or not you want to continue. If you do want to continue, you should press the [Next] button again, otherwise press [cancel]. 5. System restore will then shut down all open applications and reboot the computer. 6. After the computer is rebooted you will see a screen that contains information as shown below confirming that the restoration to the restore point is complete.
7. If there are any problems with your computer since you restored to this restore point, you can revert back to your previous settings by going back into the System Restore Utility and selecting the [Undo my last restoration] radio button and pressing the [Next] button as shown below. - 63 -
Deleting Restore Points
There are three safe ways to delete restore points stored on your computer. These ways are described below: Disk Cleanup - Launch the Disk Cleanup tool and then select the more options tab. On this tab you will find a section for System Restore. If you press the Clean Up button for that section, Windows will delete all restore points except for the most recent one. Turn off System Restore - Just by turning off System Restore all your restore points will be deleted. Unless you want this to happen, be careful that you don't mistakenly delete all your restore points by disabling system restore. System Restore runs out of storage space - If system restore runs out of the storage space that has been allocated towards its use, it will delete the oldest restore point in order to create space for the new restore point. Conclusion
The System Restore application is a powerful tool for keeping your Windows Installation running smoothly and safely. If you use this feature you will be guaranteed to have a valid restore point to revert to if any issues arise in the future.
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Exer cises Exercise 1: We will demonstrate this as a group exercise in class.
Revision Q Questions Question 1: If you restore your system back to a previous date, all your word documents that you have created since will be lost. True False Question 2: You need to be logged in as an Administrator to use System Restore. True False Question 3: The system restore function is turned on by default if you are running Windows XP. True False Question 4: Why would you create a manual restore point? Because Windows XP won’t do it for you automatically. You know you are going to make a lot of changes to your computer and want a safe restore point. Creating a manual restore point should be part of your maintenance routine. None of the above.
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Op er at i n g S Sy s t em U Up d at es Introduction
Computers are becoming remarkably capable and advanced. The trouble is, so are the hackers, viruses, and worms that threaten them. That's why Microsoft is helping users like you take a proactive approach to protecting your PC, information, and privacy by providing you with updates to your computer software.
Ser vice P Pack 2 2 f f or Windows X XP Introduction
Service Packs offer easy, packaged together updates for drivers, tools, security enhancements, and other critical updates. The advantage of this full download is that it can be used on any computer - plus it doesn't require an Internet connection to install once you have the service pack. You can download SP2, burn it to CD and use it on multiple computers. The latest service pack for Windows XP—Service Pack 2 (SP2)—is all about security improvements, and it's one of the most important service packs ever released. Therefore it is very important to make sure that your computer is running the latest service pack. How to check what service pack is installed
So how do you know what is the latest service pack that is installed on your computer? 1. Locate the [My Computer] on your desktop and right-mouse click on it. From the menu select [Properties]. 2. You should then be shown a screen similar to the one below.
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3. As you can see from the screen shot above, this computer has Service Pack 2 installed. If your computer says Service Pack 1 then you need to upgrade to service pack 2. If there is no mention of any service pack on this screen then you have no service packs installed on your computer and you definitely need to install the latest service pack. Note: If you have no service packs installed on your computer, it is not necessary to install service pack 1 before installing service pack 2. It is perfectly ok to install service pack 2 only. Installing Windows XP Service Pack 2
If, after you have checked what service pack is installed on your computer, you need to install service pack 2 on your computer, following these instructions to do so. 1. Service pack 2 for Windows XP can be downloaded from the Microsoft website but it is a very large file and will take a long time! You can also find it on your training CD under the [Windows XP SP2] folder. 2. Once you have the service pack, double click on the program icon to start the installation process and follow the wizard process. 3. Once the installation is complete, the computer will restart and you will be shown the following screen. You can either choose to turn on the [Automatic Updates] feature now or do it later (refer to the section on Automatic updates in this workbook for full details on how this works). - 67 -
4. Once the service pack has finished installing, you can confirm that it has worked ok by right-mouse click on [My Computer] and choosing [Properties]. You now should see [Service Pack 2] mentioned as shown below.
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Exer cises Exercise 1: Use the instructions above to work out what service pack is installed on your computer. Is it the latest version? Exercise 2: Only do this exercise if you don’t have the latest service pack installed on your computer. Install service pack 2 using the file found on the training CD.
Review Q Questions Question 1: What is the latest service pack available for Windows XP? Service Pack 1 Service Pack 2 Service Pack 3 None of the above Question 2: It is very important to have the latest service pack installed on your computer as service packs include updates that can solve a lot of security problems with Windows XP. True False
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Per f a m manual W Windows X XP u update fo r ming a Introduction
Windows Update is website where you can find the most recent updates for your operating system, software programs, and hardware. Windows Update scans your computer and lists the updates needed on your computer. Then you can choose whether to download and install them. How to find Windows Update
1. Start by running Microsoft Internet Explorer. 2. Select the [Tools] menu then click [Windows Update].
3. Click [Review your update history] to view a complete list of completed updates and when they were installed on your computer.
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To find available updates:
1. Open Windows Update. 2. Click either [Express] or [Custom] button to find out about recent releases for your computer. Note: It is highly recommended that you select the [Custom] option as this allows you to review what updates are available and provides further information before allowing you to selectively choose which updates you want to download and install.
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3. Select [Review and install updates] if there are updates available for your computer. If you click on an update, you will be provided with further information about that particular update including download size and the estimated time to download.
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Notes: •
• •
The first time you go to the Windows Update Web site, click [Yes] when prompted to install any required software or controls. To use Windows Update, you need to establish a connection to the Internet. You might need to be logged on as an administrator or a member of the Administrators group in order to perform some tasks.
To find available updates for Microsoft Office programs Introduction
Just as it is important to make sure you have the latest security patches and updates for Windows XP, it is important that your Microsoft Office programs also have the latest security patches and updates installed on your computer to help protect against any security threats. Finding the updates
1. Open the [Windows Update] webpage as described in the previous section.
2. Click on the [Office Family] link at the top of the page and the following page will appear.
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3. Click the [Check for Updates] link to scan your computer to find Office updates you need for your computer. 4. The Office update site will then give you a list of updates that are available for your computer as shown below.
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5. Select the updates you want to download and install from the list and then click the [Agree and Install] button. The updates will then be downloaded to your computer and installed as shown below.
Note: Some of these updates can be very large! They may take a long time to download, especially if you have a slow connection to the internet.
6. Hopefully everything went ok and you will then get the following screen. Click on [Finish] to complete the installation wizard.
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7. You may need to restart your computer for the new updates to be installed properly as shown below. You can either choose to restart now or do it later.
Exer cises Exercise 1: Using the instructions above, go to the Microsoft update site and see if there are any updates available for your computer. Are there? Are there any critical updates required?
Select a small update (an update that is quick to download), and go through the process of downloading and installing on your computer. How can you check to see if the update has been installed correctly? Exercise 2: Using the instructions above, check to see if there are any Microsoft Office updates available for your computer. Are there?
Select a small update (an update that is quick to download), and go through the process of downloading and installing on your computer.
Review Q Questions Question 1: The Windows update website allows you to download updates for your operating system and all of your Microsoft Office applications such as Word and Excel. True False Question 2: It is better to use the ‘Custom’ option rather than the ‘Express’ option when using the update site so that you can see what updates the site is recommending for your computer. True False Question 3: It is a good idea to be logged on to your computer as the ‘Administrator’ when performing updates. True False
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Automatic U Updates f f or Windows X XP Introduction
The most reliable way to get updates from Microsoft is to have the updates delivered automatically to your computer using Automatic Updates. Once you determine how often and what time of day or night you want Automatic Updates to connect to the Internet and scan your computer for updates, Automatic Updates automatically keeps your computer up-to-date with the latest bug fixes and security patches. Automatic Updates is a good way to defend your computer from various security threats. Instead of giving you a list of updates for your computer, Automatic Updates can also download and install them at your convenience. Setting up Automatic Updates
Following the instructions below will allow you to s et up Automatic Updates in Windows XP. 1. Click the [Start] button and then select [Control Panel]. 2. Select the [Performance and Maintenance] icon as shown below. Note: Make sure that you are viewing the control panel in Category view. If not, click on the [Switch to Category View] link in the top left section of the window so that your control panel looks like the one shown below.
3. Select the [System] icon as shown below.
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4. The System Properties Property Sheet will open. 5. Click the [Automatic Updates] tab and you will see a screen as shown below.
There are four options available for Automatic Updates. Below we tell you what we think about each option and why we would or wouldn't use it on our computers. •
•
Automatic (recommended) Option - There is no way we would ever allow this option. Just because a security update, service pack or critical update is issued by Microsoft, it doesn't mean it's absolutely necessary for every computer. Giving any application or utility the right to download and install something automatically on your computer is just asking for trouble. Some of the updates issued by Microsoft can be quite large and if you are connected to the internet by a slow connection, it can take a long time to download all the updates. Download Updates for Me, But Let Me Choose When to Install Them Option This is a better choice than the first option but still not ideal. On the plus side, you are at
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least told about when (or if) the downloaded updates will be installed. The bad part of this option is that your internet connection speed and hard drive space are wasted if an update is downloaded that you don't need and will never be installed. •
•
Notify Me But Don't Automatically Download or Install Them Option - This is the best option. It let’s you know when there is an update available. From there you can go to Windows Update or look it up on the Microsoft site to get more information and work out if it's necessary for your computer and how it is used. Even if the update is required, you may want to wait before downloading and installing until a later stage. Turn Off Automatic Updates Option - There are certain situations where you really don't want any updates at all. It may be because you like to scan for your own updates using the manual method. The option is available if needed, but it will likely be a very small percentage of users that should select this option.
Exer cises Exercise 1: Using the instructions above, work out whether automatic updates are turned on for your computer. Are they? What option is currently selected?
Review Q Questions Question 1: You don’t need to be connected to the internet to be notified of updates. True. False. Question 2: You can turn off Automatic updates and check your computer yourself on the internet if you want to. True. False. Question 3: The best option to choose for ‘Automatic Updates’ is the ‘Notify Me Before Downloading Any Updates and Notify Me Again Before Installing Them On My Computer’ option. True False
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Rem o v i n g u u n w an t ed P Pr o g r am s Introduction - Why should I remove unwanted/unused programs?
Removing programs that you no longer use can free up space on your computer. It can also reduce clutter in your Start menu, making it easier to find the program you want to use. How to remove unwanted programs
1. In the [Start] menu, click on the [Control Panel] icon. 2. After the Control Panel opens, double-click on the [Add or Remove Programs] icon. Please note: If your Control Panel looks different from the one pictured below – make sure you select [Switch to Classic View].
3. From the list of currently installed programs, click on the program you want to remove. 4. Click on the [Remove] or [Change/Remove] button. 5. Follow the instructions on the screen to finish removing the program.
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Exer cises Exercise 1: Remove a program from your computer (you will be instructed in class which program to remove) using the instructions above.
Review Q Questions Question 1: You should only remove programs that you haven’t used for more than 1 year. True False Question 2: You can also remove programs by just deleting the program folder using the standard Windows Explorer. True False
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Di s k M Man ag em en t Introduction
Disk management is all about maintaining the disk drives in your computer and the data that they store to make sure that they perform as best as possible and reduce the chances of any problems occurring which may result in lost information. In this section we will discuss a number of programs that are part of Windows XP which allow us to make sure the disk drives are performing well.
Check D Disk P Pr ogr am ((CHKDSK) Introduction Chkdsk is a program which makes sure that all the files on your computer and all the information about these files is stored correctly. If the program finds a problem with any of your file system information, it will perform the necessary actions to repair the file system information.
The equivalent utility in earlier versions of Windows was called ScanDisk. Using the Check Disk Program
The following describes how to perform error-checking of a hard drive under Windows XP. 1. Launch disk error checking by double-clicking [My Computer], right-clicking the hard disk drive you want to have checked, clicking [Properties] and selecting the [Tools] tab. You should now see the following screen as shown below.
2. Click [Check Now] to start the utility. - 82 -
A dialogue box showing the Check disk options is displayed. 3. Select the options as appropriate and click [Start].
If either of the Check disk options are selected, you will be notified that the check cannot be performed immediately, and offered the opportunity to schedule this to occur the next time your system is booted.
4. Click [Yes] to schedule the disk check. The next time you start your computer, the chkdsk program will be run prior to Windows being loaded, examining all the metadata on the volume in five separate phases. The phases are as follows: • • • • •
Phase 1: Verifying file data Phase 2: Verifying security descriptors Phase 3: Verifying indexes Phase 4: Verifying files Phase 5: Verifying free space.
5. When the utility finishes, Windows will continue to load as per a normal system start-up.
Exer cises Exercise 1: Scan your hard drive for problems using the instructions above.
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Review Q Questions Question 1: The check disk program will tell you if it finds a virus on your computer. True False Question 2: If there are faulty storage areas on your hard drive, the check disk program can mark these as ‘bad’ so that Windows XP will not try and use them when writing data to the hard drive. True False
Disk C Cleanup P Pr ogr am Introduction
To keep a PC running smoothly, regular maintenance is critical. Many users shy away from maintenance tasks, thinking it is a long, drawn out manual affair, but the Disk Cleanup Utility can easily determine which files on a hard drive may no longer be needed and delete those files. In addition to freeing up potentially significant amounts of hard drive space, using Disk Cleanup on a regular basis can significantly improve system performance. Starting Disk Cleanup
1. Disk Cleanup is available on both Home and Professional versions of Windows XP. The utility can be accessed using any of the methods listed below. •
•
Option 1: Click on [Start] then select [All Programs]. Select [Accessories] then [System Tools] then click on [Disk Cleanup]. Option 2: In [Windows Explorer] or [My Computer], right-click the disk in which you want to free up space, choose [Properties], click the [General] tab, and then click [Disk Cleanup].
2. Use the drop down menu arrow to select the drive you want to clean as shown below.
3. Click on [OK] and Disk Cleanup will analyse the selected drive to determine the amount of space that can be freed.
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Please Note: Be patient. Analysing the drive can be a lengthy process depending on the drive size and how much data is on the drive.
4. Once the drive analysis is complete a list of file categories will be presented for your selection (an example is shown below).
Instead of automatically proceeding with cleanup once the drive analysis is complete, Disk Cleanup allows you to review the categories of files that can be deleted. 5. Click on any of the categories to display more information about that category in the [Description] section of the window. If you're unsure if you want to delete the files in a category from the description, use the [View Files] button. A complete list of files scheduled for deletion will be displayed in Windows Explorer. Use drag and drop to move any files you want to save to a safe location and leave the category selected. If all the files are to be saved, close the window and then remove the checkmark from the file category so it will not be included in the disk cleanup.
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6. After all the categories have been reviewed, click [OK] to begin the disk cleanup process. File Categories in Disk Cleanup Utility
There are a number of different types of file categories that Disk Cleanup targets when it performs the initial disk analysis. Depending on the individual system, you may or may not have all the categories below. An excellent example of this would be Backup Files from a Previous Operating System. If a clean install of XP was performed then this category will not exist. It pays to click on each of the categories and note that the [View Files] button can change depending on the category selected. •
Downloaded Program Files
These are web programs that are automatically downloaded from some web sites that are temporarily stored in the Downloaded Program Files folder. It's not program files or zip files that you have downloaded from other locations. •
Temporary Internet Files
This refers to Internet Explorer's cache of Web pages that are stored on the hard drive for quicker viewing. None of your personal web settings are affected by selecting this category, nor does it delete any of your cookie files. •
Recycle Bin
The main thing to be aware of in this category is that it only refers to the Recycle Bin for the selected hard drive or partition. This is important since XP uses an individual Recycle Bin for each drive and partition, not just one as is the case in some earlier Windows versions. •
Temporary Remote Desktop Files
These files are the result of using the Remote Desktop utility. If you repeatedly use Remote Desktop on the same computer or group of computers, leaving these files intact will maintain the speed of future connections. Deleting them will necessitate downloading the remote systems icons and wallpaper the next time a connection is established. •
Setup Log Files
These are really pretty useless unless you have a specific reason to go back and see what happened when Windows XP was first installed on your computer. •
Backup Files For Previous Operating System
As mentioned earlier, this is a category you may not have, but if you did upgrade from a previous Windows version and selected the option to be able to uninstall XP, it may well exist. It takes up a lot of hard drive space to copy all the files necessary to back up a previous system's core files, drivers, etc… This entry can range anywhere from a few hundred megabytes up to a gigabyte, so unless you are still considering removing Windows XP, this is a good category to select for deletion. •
Offline Files - 86 -
Users with slower dialup connections and those using laptops frequently make websites they use often available offline. Depending on how many levels deep you save the sites, they can use up gigabytes of hard drive space very quickly. Worse than taking up space, the sites often contain outdated information and are a good candidate for deletion. •
Compress Old Files
Unlike the other categories, Compress Old Files doesn't delete any files from the drive. It compresses files that Windows hasn't accessed for a specified period of time. The files are still available, but there will be a slight increase in access times because the files will be decompressed the next time they are accessed. Note that when Compress Old Files is highlighted an Options button appears. Clicking it will allow you to set the number of days to wait before an unaccessed file is compressed. There may be other categories that appear in your Disk Cleanup window, but in all cases, highlighting the item will display an explanation of the category in the Description area. More Options Tab
In addition to the categories that appear on the [Disk Cleanup] tab, the [More Options] tab offers additional opportunities for freeing up hard drive space. There is nothing on this tab that cannot be accessed elsewhere within XP, but having them grouped here does serve as a convenient reminder.
In Windows XP there are three choices available on the More Options tab: Windows Components, Installed Programs, and System Restore.
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•
Windows Components
The Cleanup button in the Windows Components section launches the Windows Components Wizard. Select a general category of components and click the [Details] button to locate the desired Windows component. •
Installed Programs
The Cleanup button in the Installed Programs section opens the Add/Remove Programs dialog box. All installed programs can be removed by selecting the individual program and clicking the Change/Remove button. You cannot remove several programs at the same time. Each program must be removed one at a time. •
System Restore
Clicking the Cleanup button in the System Restore section opens a dialog box where it asks if you are sure you want to delete all but the most recent restore point. The difference between using this option and going directly to System Restore is that you have no option to selectively delete restore points with this method. It's "all but most recent" or nothing when accessed via Disk Cleanup. Click [Yes] or [No] depending on your choice.
Exer cises Exercise 1: Use the disk cleanup program to remove all the temporary internet files and setup log files that are on your computer. Did you have any on your computer? Were they removed after you ran the program? How do you know if they are gone?
Review Q Questions Question 1: The Disk Cleanup utility will automatically remove the following for you: Unused Windows XP programs. Installed programs that haven’t been used for a long time. Data files that haven’t been accessed for more than the specified time. All of the above. None of the above. Question 2: If you choose to remove your temporary internet files, the Disk Cleanup utility will remove all your web cookies. True. False.
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Disk D Def r ra gmenter Utility Introduction
As advanced as hard drives have become, one thing they are not very good at is managing how data is stored on the drive. When files are created, deleted, or modified it's almost a certainty they will become fragmented. Fragmented simply means the file is not stored in one place in full. Different parts of the file end up scattered across the hard disk in separate pieces. The more fragmented files there are on a drive, the more performance and reliability suffer as the drive heads have to search for all the pieces in different locations. The Disk Defragmenter Utility is designed to reorganise fragmented files back into continuous files and optimise the placement on the hard drive for increased reliability and performance. Using Disk Defragmenter
1. Disk Defragmenter can be opened a number of different ways. The most common methods are listed below. •
•
•
Option 1: Click on [Start] then select [All Programs]. Navigate to [Accessories] then [System Tools] and finally select [Disk Defragmenter]. Option 2: Click on [Start] and select [Run]. In the text field type [dfrg.msc] and click [OK]. Option 3: Click on [Start] and select the [Control Panel]. Select [Administrative Tools] and then [Computer Management]. Expand [Storage] and select [Disk Defragmenter].
2. The first two methods take you to a single window containing Disk Defragmenter. The last method opens the Microsoft Management Console and displays Disk Defragmenter in the list. In all cases, a window similar to the one below will be displayed.
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3. When Disk Defragmenter first opens you will see a list of the hard drives displayed at the top of the screen. The [Estimated Disk Usage Before Defragmentation] and [Estimated Disk Usage After Defragmentation] will be blank until a drive is selected and the [Analyse] button is clicked. In the screen shot above, we have already analysed the drives as shown in the [Session Status] column which shows it as [Analysed] and the Estimated Disk Usage Before Defragmentation area containing a graphical representation of the disk fragmentation.
4. After the [Analyse] button has been clicked and the process completes the window shown above opens with a brief recommendation of what action Disk Defragmenter thinks should be taken regarding the drive. It's important to note that this is just a recommendation based on the percentage of fragmented files to total f iles and doesn't prevent the drive from being defragmented if you feel it needs to be done and might improve system performance. If you want to go ahead and defragment without more information, click the [Defragment] button. If you're in agreement with their recommendation and don't want to defragment, click the [Close] button. Click the [View Report] button to view a more detailed drive analysis.
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5. An [Analysis Report] as shown above contains quite a bit of additional information about the selected drive. The report shown above details the File Fragmentation status of drive C. The top pane provides Volume information, and as you can see there are 7,805 fragmented files. It also shows that 18% of the total drive space is currently unused. Look at the [Average Fragments Per File] number 1.23. Experience shows that when this number reaches 1.05 the message in the quick analysis window will recommend defragmenting the drive. 6. In the bottom pane, [Most Fragmented Files], lists the files in descending order that are the most fragmented. 7. In spite of the recommendation not to defragment this particular disk, we went ahead and clicked the [Defragment] button. The results of that choice are shown below in the [Estimated Disk Usage After Defragmentation] section. The graphical representation clearly shows that not only have the red sections depicting fragmented files been eliminated, many of the contiguous files indicated by the blue have been repositioned toward the beginning of the drive, reducing the amount of searching the drive heads have to do to locate a file.
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8. After the defragmentation process completes, clicking the [View Report] button will bring up the Defragmentation Report. It takes the exact same form as the Analysis Report but shows the post defragmentation results. The [Total Files] and [Average File Size] remain identical, but note that [Total Fragmented Files] and [Total Excess Fragments] have been reduced to zero (0) and the [Average Fragments Per File] is now 1.00, indicating most or all of the files are contiguous. In addition, there are files listed that did not defragment.
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Exer cises Exercise 1: Run the defragmenter program to organise the files on your hard drive using the instructions above. What is the [Average Fragments per file] on your hard drive before you ran the program? What is it after the program has finished?
Review Q Questions Question 1: When files are created, deleted, or modified they will NOT become fragmented because the hard drive makes sure that they are stored in order on the drive. True False Question 2: The Disk Defragmenter Utility is designed to reorganise non-contiguous files into contiguous files and optimize the placement on the hard drive for increased reliability and performance. True False Question 3: The Disk Defragmenter Utility can take a long time to reorganise the files on your hard drive. True False
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Vi r u s es Intr oduction tto V Vir uses We'll discuss what they are, give you some history, discuss protection from viruses, and mention some of the characteristics of a virus hoax. Keep in mind that not everything that goes wrong with a computer is caused by a computer virus or worm. Both hardware and software failure are still a leading cause of computer problems. Here is some general facts about viruses: •
• • • • •
•
• •
The normal virus behaviour is to infect a computer and then do something bad. There are lots and lots of viruses out there. There are lots of virus names and they are not always easy or standardised. Viruses should be considered as a serious threat. There is no such thing as a good virus. There are many reasons why people write viruses, one of them is money (refer below for more information). Viruses are not the only things that can cause damage to your computer. It is possible that your computer has either a hardware or other software problem. Viruses use a variety of ways to hide themselves. On some defined cause, some viruses will then activate. Some viruses will not do something straight away, they may wait for a certain o amount of time or for a particular program to run on your computer before they activate. Not all viruses activate, but all viruses use up computer power and memory and o they often have mistakes (bugs) that might do destructive things.
Why d do p people w wr ite v vir uses? People create viruses. A person has to write the code, test it to make sure it spreads properly and then release the virus. A person also designs the virus's attack time, whether it's a silly message or destruction of a hard disk. So why do people do it? The first reason is the same thinking that drives vandals and arsonists. Some people enjoy the thrill of watching things blow up or watching things be destroyed. If these sort of people happen to know about computer programming, then they may use this kind of thinking to create programs that cause some sort of destruction. Another reason involves ‘bragging rights’ – being able to tell your friends all about it, or the thrill of doing it. Sort of like Mount Everest. The mountain is there, so someone is compelled to climb it. If you are a certain type of programmer and you see a security hole that could be broken, you might simply be compelled to exploit the hole yourself before someone else beats - 94 -
you to it. "Sure, I could TELL someone about the hole. But wouldn't it be better to SHOW them the hole???" That sort of logic leads to many viruses. Some people write viruses to try and obtain information from people’s computers which they could then possibly use to get money. It is similar to stealing a credit card or cheque from someone’s mailbox. Of course, most virus creators seem to miss the point that they cause real damage to real people with their creations. Destroying everything on a person's hard disk is real damage. Forcing the people inside a large organisation to waste thousands of hours cleaning up after a virus is real damage. Even a silly message is real damage because a person then has to waste time getting rid of it. For this reason, the legal system in some countries is getting much harsher in punishing the people who create viruses.
All a about V Vir uses So what exactly is a virus? A virus is described as a piece of code, usually written to do something bad, that attaches itself to a program or file under the disguise of something positive, and spreads to other files, program systems, or other people, without the knowing about it. You've probably heard of some of the following types of viruses, but aren't sure what they mean. 1. File infector: Parasites that attach themselves to program files, usually with the extensions .exe or .com. They infect your computer when the program is launched. 2. Trojan horses: Disguise themselves as something good. They usually don't replicate, but if they are launched (by opening a program file or executing some other action to trigger it), they wreak havoc on your computer by destroying files or changing data. They usually come in the form of e-mail. A Trojan horse is simply a computer program. The program claims to do one thing (it may claim to be a game) but instead does damage when you run it (it may erase your hard disk). Trojan horses have no way to replicate automatically. 3. Worms: These are probably the ones that you've heard of the most. You might remember the "I Love You" worm. Like the latter, worms come via e-mail, and if opened, they copy themselves, take up space in your hard drive and send themselves to everyone in your address book. It's not fun explaining to all your friends in your address book that you're responsible for the virus they just received. A worm is a small piece of software that uses computer networks and security holes to replicate itself. A copy of the worm scans the network for another machine that has a specific security hole. It copies itself to the new machine using the security hole, and then starts replicating from there, as well.
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4. Macro Viruses: A macro virus is a computer virus that ‘infects’ a Microsoft Word or other Microsoft Office program. Macro viruses are extremely common due to the large number of people who use the Office programs and also that macro viruses are considered to be relatively simple to create.
How tto P Pr otect Y Your self Stay alert
Viruses can attach themselves to files that you download off the Internet, so make sure you know what you're downloading, and whether it's from a trustworthy website. A lso, make sure you know where a floppy disk or USB key has been before you put into your computer and make sure you trust whoever is sending you the e-mail and attachments. Be cautious of e-mail
Most common computer viruses these days travel by email. The easiest defence against viruses that are spread using e-mail is simply to use a Yahoo or Hotmail account for your e-mail, instead of using Microsoft's email programs such as MS Outlook or MS Outlook Express. Yahoo, Hotmail and some other free web-based e-mail services have virus-scanners built into their e-mail systems. Try to avoid opening attachments that end with .exe, .com, .vbt extensions, and always read the subject headers. Remember that a subject line "Congratulations From Me" may seem innocent, but it could be one of those Trojan horses referred to earlier. Be cautious if you don't know the sender, and even if you do know the sender, since they may not know that they sent you the e-mail (some viruses automatically send themselves to everyone in your address book). If you're unsure, you can always ask the sender to find out whether they meant to send you the e-mail you received. As long as you don't open the attachment itself, you are generally considered safe. Therefore, choose an e-mail program that has a preview pane, which allows you to read the e-mail without actually opening it. If it looks suspicious, delete it from your inbox and permanently delete it from your "Deleted Messages" folder. You don't want any viruses remaining in your e-mail account. Remember the most basic rule : Don't open file attachments unless you have some way of knowing that they are real.
Here are some examples: •
•
If someone sends you a program, and the sender didn't write it himself, don't run it! If someone sends you a "fun" program or screensaver that t hey "found" somewhere, do not open it. It doesn't matter whether they tried it or not -- these things can contain "time bombs" so that they appear to work as advertised for a while before doing their damage, so testing it cannot prove that it is safe. If the file attachment comes from a stranger, you cannot know that it is genuine, so don't open it. - 96 -
•
•
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If it appears to be from someone you know, but there's nothing to prove that it is really from him, then you can't know that it is genuine, so don't open it. Worms/viruses often use fake details, so most computer worms and viruses that you will receive will appear to be from someone you know. On the other hand, if your friend told you on the phone, "I'll send you the JPEG picture this afternoon," and, as promised, it shows up, it is pretty safe. (But avoid Word .doc files and Excel .xls files if possible, since they occasionally contain macro viruses – refer to the section later in this workbook for more information on macro viruses). Or if the e-mail contains identifying information that could not have been written by a stranger (eg. if it is signed, "your little brother, Frank"), it is probably safe.
How else can you avoid viruses? Install antivirus software
Antivirus software can recognise if your computer has been infected, and clean up a virus if you happen to let a virus slide past your watchful eye. The two most popular software brands are McAfee and Symantec (the maker of Norton AntiVirus). If you use either of these, always make sure to visit their websites to make sure you have the most current versions of the software. Antivirus software allows you to scan disks and email attachments to make sure they are virusfree, and quarantines and cleans the virus if you have been infected, preventing it from spreading through your computer. Stay informed
Part of protecting yourself is knowing which viruses are going around. So visit the antivirus websites and other reputable computer websites to stay informed on the latest ones. Knowing about specific viruses makes your virus prevention that much easier (refer to the Further Resources section below for sites that you can visit online). Don't be fooled by hoaxes
"Virus warning" emails which ask you to forward them on to lots of other people are almost always hoaxes. Don't forward them. In fact, almost all emails which ask you to forward them on to lots of other people are untrue. Most are pure hoaxes, a few are partially true, and almost none are completely true. If you receive any message that asks you to forward it on to lots of other people, you can be almost certain that it is a hoax or a scam. They are all false. You can do whatever you like with your chain letters, but DON’T follow the directions that these types of e-mail offer, as they are probably hoaxes. So while it's very tempting to rearrange your hard drive thinking you're doing your computer a favour, you should never pay attention to these types of email; only follow the directions of reputable websites and newsletters. Usually, the easiest way to verify that email chain-letters are untrue is to look for them on one of the "hoax buster" web sites. Also, virus warning chain-letters can be checked on the usual virus information web sites. - 97 -
Here are some "hoax buster" web sites for checking suspected email hoaxes. We suggest bookmarking at least the first two of these links (if using Internet Explorer, add them to your "favourites" list): • • • • • • •
www.truthorfiction.com www.snopes.com/info/search UrbanLegends.MiningCo.com www.breakthechain.org hoaxbusters.ciac.org www.truthminers.com/truth www.hoax-slayer.com
Always back up
You can follow all the preventive measures to avoid receiving a computer virus, but you can never be 100% safe. That's why it's very important that you back up your operating systems and all important data, in case you do receive a nasty virus. If you back up everything, you'll lessen the damage done and will simply have to replace everything; it's frustrating, but not the end of the world. If you feel that your life is on your computer, then consider it your "baby"; it needs the necessary care to keep it healthy and virus-free, so make sure to be cautious, do your research and guard your computer against all those viruses.
Installing a and u using Anti-Vir us S Sof twar e Introduction
There are a large number of virus software programs available on the market today, both free and commercial products. For this course we are going to look at using the free version of the AVG Anti-virus program. How to install AVG Anti-virus program
There are a lot of steps involved in installing the AVG anti-virus program but they are all relatively simple! 1. Firstly you need to get the latest copy of the program from the AVG website. This can be found at free.grisoft.com. For this course you can also find it on the supplied CD. 2. Once the file has been downloaded, you should have a program named [avg75free_428a818.exe] or similar. Double-click on this program to start the install process. The first screen you will be shown should be similar to the welcome screen as seen below. Click on [Next] to go the next step.
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3. The next screen you will be presented with is the License Agreement. Agree to the terms by clicking on [Accept].
4. The program will now display a [Checking System Status] screen and if everything is OK will then ask you to select an installation type. The easiest method is to choose the [Standard Installation] as shown below and then click [Next].
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5. On the next screen enter in your [User Name] in the appropriate field. The [License Number] field will already be filled out for you using a free license key. Click on [Next] to continue.
6. You will then be presented with an [Installlation Summary]. If you are happy with all the details then click [Finish] to start the installation of the program.
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7. If you see a screen s creen as shown below, it means you have some programs running on your computer that need to be closed before the AVG anti-virus program can be installed. Make sure you close all other programs and then click [Next].
8. The program will now install install all the files it needs, and if everything works works OK, you will then be presented with the [Installation Complete!] screen as shown below.
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9. Click on the [OK] button and you will be be congratulated, yet again! Now the program will take you through the ‘First Run’ Wizard. Wizard. Click on [Next] to continue.
10. You 10. You will then be asked if you want to check for updates updates for the AVG anti-virus program. It is a good idea to that now, but if you aren’t connected to the internet and you don’t have an update on a CD or your computer, then you can do this step at a later stage. Click on [Check for Updates] to update the program now.
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11. If you choose to perform an update now, AVG A VG will ask you where it can find the updated files. You can select either either from the [Internet] or from a [Folder] on your computer if you have downloaded the updates directly from the website and saved them on your computer. It is recommended that you get the updates updates directly from the internet by clicking on the [Internet] button.
12. If there are any updates available for AVG anti-virus, they will be displayed to you in a box as shown below. below. Click on the update and and then click the [Update] button at the bottom of the screen.
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13. The updates will then be downloaded from the internet and installed on your computer. If everything has worked ok you will then see the screen as shown below. Click [OK] to finish the update process.
14. You will then be asked if you want to setup a daily scanning schedule. Accept the recommended defaults and click on [Next].
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15. Here you can choose whether you want to run a full scan of your computer now, to check whether you have any viruses. Running a full scan of your computer can take a long time so for now, just click on [Next] to continue.
16. You can choose to register the AVG anti-virus program if you wish. Click on [Next] to continue.
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17. Finally, the last step! Your computer is now protected. Click on [Continue] to finish the ‘first run’ wizard.
18. You will now be taken to the main AVG Test Center screen where you can perform a number of different functions including changing some of the options t hat you selected during the ‘wizard’ process. Now would be a good time to run a scan on your computer and see if you have any viruses.
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19. Once the scan has finished, you will be presented with a screen as shown below. It will tell you if there were any viruses found on your computer, and if it did, what they are called and whether they have been cleaned up.
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Exer cises Exercise 1: Install the AVG anti-virus software on your computer using the instructions above. Update the definitions and run a scan on your computer. What do the reports show? Did your computer have any viruses?
Review Q Questions Question 1: Is AVG anti-virus the only free anti-virus program available to install on your computer? Yes No Question 2: Free anti-virus programs aren’t as good as anti-virus programs that you have to pay money for. True False
Macr o V Vir us S Secur ity iin W Wor d/Excel Introduction
A macro virus is a computer virus that "infects" a Microsoft Word or other Microsoft Office program and causes a sequence of actions to be performed automatically when the program is started or something else triggers it. Macro viruses tend to be surprising but relatively harmless but this is not always the case. Sometimes they can be harmful to your computer. A typical effect is the undesired insertion of some comic text at certain points when writing some text for example. A macro virus is often spread as an e-mail virus. How to avoid getting a Macro Virus
One of the things you can do stop your computer getting infected with a macro virus is to use the macro security built into the Microsoft Office programs. Macro security is used to help control the activation of a virus that has been placed within a template, document, workbook, or power point presentation Setting macro security levels in Office programs
Macro security for Word, Excel, Outlook, Publisher, Access, PowerPoint, Project, and Visio can be set to High, Medium, or Low through the Security dialog box of the user interface. This dialog box can be found by the following steps: 1. Click on the [Tools] menu in the Office application. 2. Select [Macro], and then click on [Security] as shown below.
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3. The following screen will be displayed.
4. Select the appropriate [Security Level] and then press [OK]. Notes:
It is highly recommended that you select High and only select Medium if absolutely necessary to allow you to run a macro that you know is safe. Setting the security level to Low allows a macro or other program to run without the knowledge of the user. Setting macro security level to Very High is only recommended in cases where a user is - 109 -
expected to run a known set of macros and will never need to run macros from another source. When you set security levels to Very High, High, Medium, or Low, the following conditions apply: •
Very High security
Macros can run only if the Trust all installed add-ins and templates option is checked and the macros are stored in a specific trusted folder on the user's hard disk. •
High security
Macros must be signed by an acknowledged trusted source (certificate of trust) in order to run. Otherwise, all macros associated with, or embedded in, documents are automatically disabled without warning the user when the documents are opened. All Office applications are installed with macro security set to High by default. •
Medium security
Users are prompted to enable or disable macros in documents when the documents are opened. •
Low security
Macros are run without restrictions. This security level does not protect against malicious programs, does not allow for acceptance of certificates of trust, is considered generally insecure and, therefore, is not recommended.
Exer cises Exercise 1: What macro security is Microsoft Word set to on your computer? Is it the same as Microsoft Excel on your computer?
Review Q Questions Question 1: It is a good idea to set the Macro Security level in MS Word to high to stop any macro viruses from infecting your machine when opening documents from other people. True False Question 2: Macro viruses are not very common and it is unlikely that you will get one on your computer. True False
Fur ther Resour ces This is a list of websites that you might find useful to find more information on things such as what viruses are currently causing problems etc… - 110 -
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Good virus encyclopedia’s can be found at these sites which allow you to search for a virus name and find out more information about them. www3.ca.com/securityadvisor/virusinfo/browse.aspx www.symantec.com/enterprise/security_response/threatexplorer/threats.jsp www.viruslist.com/en/viruslist.html www.trendmicro.com/vinfo/virusencyclo/ www.pandasoftware.com/virus_info/encyclopedia/
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Some sites where you can find both free and commercial anti-virus software programs. www.avast.com www.mcafee.com www.grisoft.com www.symantec.com www.pandasoftware.com
Sp y w ar e/Mal w ar e A / Ad w ar e Introduction
Spyware and Malware refers to a large range of programs that are designed to capture information or take partial control of your computer without you knowing about it. Spyware is a type of program that watches what you do with your computer and then sends that information over the internet to someone else. Spyware can collect many different types of information about a user. More simpler programs can attempt to track what types of websites you visit and send this information to an advertisement agency for example. M ore dangerous versions can try to record what you type to try to intercept passwords or credit card numbers. Adware is a type of program that displays advertisements, normally when you are connected to the internet. Adware can produce a lot of pop-ups and other advertisements on websites that you visit.
Checking f f or Spywar e a and Adwar e Installing a and u using Ad Awar e Introduction
Lavasoft produces a program called AdAware, which is a program that you can use to detect and delete spyware and adware on your computer. A free version of this program can be downloaded from Lavasoft's website at www.lavasoft.com. For this course, you will find the program on your training CD in the AdAware folder.
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To install on your computer
1. After you have downloaded the software, double-click on the file to install it. Follow the instructions on the screen.
2. After AdAware has been installed, check the [Perform a Full System Scan now] box and click [Finish]. AdAware will begin to scan your system for adware.
3. If AdAware asks you to update your definitions, click [OK]. Keeping your definitions up to date is a very good idea and allows AdAware to scan for new adware programs.
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4. After you update your definitions, Adaware will begin scanning for spyware and adware that may be installed on your computer.
5. Once the scan is complete, Adaware lists the items that it considers a potential security threat. The default view, shown below, groups the potential threats by type. To learn more about an item listed, right click on the item and select the [Show TAC page] option. To remove the item, check the box next to each of the items and then click [Next].
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If you only want to remove the most critical objects that are found, click on the [Critical Objects] tab. Check the items that you want to remove, and then click [Next]. 6. AdAware will then ask you to confirm that you want to delete the items that you have selected. Click on [OK] to continue.
7. AdAware will then delete all of the items you have selected and then take you back to the main screen.
Exer cises Exercise 1: Install AdAware on to your computer using the instructions above. Make sure you update the definitions and then run a full scan on your computer. Did it find anything? Was it considered critical?
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Fi r ew al l s Introduction - The Basics
When you first connect to the internet via your Internet Service Provider (ISP) your computer is available to send and receive information. But we don't want to be exchanging information with anybody. This is where a Firewall can come in handy. Firewall's split all communications into two distinct category's. Incoming and Outgoing. Incoming
This is the most dangerous, so to speak. Information has to come in to your computer. What you don't is to allow just anyone to connect to your computer. Without a firewall your computer could accept connections from un-trusted sources and this could potentially cause problems. People who want to try to exploit your computer can scan for open ports on your computer. If they find one then they can potentially exploit your computer and gain access to all your information. A good Firewall will close most open ports and good firewall's will hide (stealth) your ports totally. Outgoing
Outgoing communication is a lot simpler than incoming. Out going communications are usually initiated by programs or services running on your computer. This gives you control over what you allow or disallow on your computer. However there are malicious programs and scripts (commonly known as Trojans) that are spread by Email usually. Once these programs get onto your computer they can open a port and just sit quietly until a hacker makes contact. This might not be the hacker that created the Trojan in the first place. The thing to remember is that one trojan can be used by any hacker. So be warned you need to do something to protect your computer. Again a firewall can help. A good firewall will control outgoing communications at the same time as protecting you from incoming communications. What a firewall does
A lot of people are under the impression that a firewall prevents viruses from entering the network/computer. A firewall, by definition, does nothing of the sort. Here's what a firewall does do. Put simply what a firewall does is to monitor communication into your computer and sometimes out of your computer and stop what it thinks shouldn't be allowed.
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When you are connected to the internet, you are plugged into a giant network of computers. Anyone on the internet can make requests to your computer to browse files, use printers, probe around for services with open security holes, etc. How a Firewall does this
The firewall sits between your computer and the Internet. When your computer is probed from the outside world it just ignores it. Thus making people think that the computer is not switched on.
If a potential attacker scans your computer (and they will) getting no answer is the best thing to make them move on. You might think that if a firewall blocks all access to the Internet then you won't be able to access the World Wide Web at all. Don't worry you can still remain safe and use the computer. Read on to find out how to allow access through your computer. Outgoing Program Control
When you first install a firewall it will normally configure its self to allow web browsing and some other features. When you first run a program that needs access to the internet the firewall will stop it. A popup will appear asking you if you wish this program to access the Internet. If you say YES then the program will be allowed to send and receive information from the World Wide Web. If you say NO the firewall will block all further attempts by this program to access the internet. Programs that will need Internet access are things like your web browser, E-mail program, FTP program, News reader, Google Toolbar, etc. Lots of programs use the Internet in some way so check every popup carefully. If a popup appears with a program name you don't recognise then say NO. You can always change the setting in your firewall's configuration. This feature sometimes refereed to as 'Outgoing Program Control' is great for stooping trojans from being abused.
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Remember. If you are unsure SAY NO You can always change your answer in the firewall's configuration software if you need to. After you have run a firewall for a few days check the log files created by the firewall. You might be surprised about the number of port scans and attempted break ins of your system. Types of Firewalls – Hardware and Software
Firewalls can be either hardware or software. •
Hardware Firewalls
Hardware firewalls can be purchased as a stand-alone product but more recently hardware firewalls are typically found in broadband routers, and should be considered an important part of your system and network set-up, especially for anyone on a broadband connection. Hardware firewalls can be effective with little or no configuration, and they can protect every machine on a local network. For example, the D-Link product pictured opposite has an ADSL modem, router, switch, wireless connectivity and firewall all built into the one product so that each of these components doesn’t have to bought separately. •
Software Firewalls
For individual home users, the most popular firewall choice is a software firewall. Software firewalls are installed on your computer (like any other software program) and you can customize it; allowing you some control over its function and protection features. A software firewall will protect your computer from outside attempts to control or gain access your computer, and, depending on your choice of s oftware firewall, it could also provide protection against the most common Trojan programs or e-mail worms. The downside to software firewalls is that they will only protect the computer they are installed on, not a network, so each computer will need to have a software firewall installed on it. The differences between a software and hardware firewall are vast, and the best protection for your computer and network is to use both, as each offers different but much-needed security features and benefits. Updating your firewall and your operating syst em is essential to maintaining optimal protection, as is testing your firewall to ensure it is connected and working correctly. Note: In this course we will only be looking at software based firewalls.
Review Q Questions Question 1: By using a firewall, it will make sure that you don’t receive any viruses. True False
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Question 2: Hardware firewalls are much better than software firewalls. True False
The W Windows X XP IInter net C Connection F Fir ewall Introduction
In Windows XP, Microsoft included Internet Connection Firewall (ICF) to supposedly keep your system safe while connected to the internet. The most important thing to understand about ICF is that it provides only inbound protection; information moving from the internet to your machine. There are other firewalls available which provide both inbound and outbound protection but understand that ICF does not fall into this category (refer to the next section on ZoneAlarm which does monitor both inbound and outbound information). Turn Internet Connection Firewall on
To verify if Internet Connection Firewall is enabled on your computer do the following: 1. Open the [Control Panel] and then select [Network Connections].
2. Right-mouse-click on the connection that you are trying to protect. If you are on a network, this will most likely be called [Local Area Connection]. If you are trying to protect an internet dial-up connection, then select the connection icon and choose [Properties]. A property sheet similar to the one below should open. If it doesn’t look similar, check the tabs at the top to be sure [Advanced] is selected. - 118 -
3. Click on the [Settings] button to set options for Internet Connection Firewall and the following screen will appear.
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4. This window contains 3 options: On, On with no exceptions, and Off. •
•
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[On] is the default setting. If you want to spend more time on more important things, you can select this option and return to this article or any firewall specifics later. [Off] turns the firewall off, usually when you need to quickly test something. It makes your computer more vulnerable and it’s recommended to use it in exceptional cases only or if you are using another third-party firewall solution (refer to section later in this workbook). [On] and [Don’t allow exceptions] restricts your online experience mostly to browsing web pages and sending emails. This option is recommended when your computer is connected to public networks and needs a higher level of protection. Please note that the [Exceptions] tab contains pre-added Files, Settings Transfer Wizard and File and Printer Sharing, which will be disabled if [Don’t allow exceptions] is checked.
5. We strongly suggest that after you have enabled Internet Connection Firewall you visit a site which allows testing to see if it is performing not only properly, but as you expected. Just because it is doing what Microsoft expected doesn’t mean it is doing what you expect from a firewall! - 120 -
The site we recommend for testing is Gibson Research, owned by Steve Gibson. The website can be found at www.grc.com. An outstanding feature of the site is ShieldsUp, a port scanner that will test your connection and provide analysis (see section later in this workbook). 6. When the default setting is selected, Windows Firewall will block most programs to prevent unsolicited requests and a window like this will be displayed:
7. If you decide to unblock it, this program will be added to Exceptions. Exceptions can be viewed with the [Exceptions] tab, which contains a list of allowed programs and ports. Here you can add the software that you use in addition to a browser and email client, your instant messenger or a game using Internet:
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One last note - A firewall is not a substitute for security patches or antivirus software. Check frequently to make sure your system has the latest updates installed and is running an up to date virus detection program.
Exer cises Exercise 1: Is the Windows XP Internet Connection Firewall turned on for your computer? How did you check it? Exercise 2: Turn off the Internet Connection Firewall. What happens? Do you get any warnings?
Review Q Questions Question 1: The Windows XP Internet Connection Firewall monitors all incoming and outgoing traffic when you are connected to the internet. True False
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Question 2: The Windows XP Internet Connection Firewall comes pre-installed with all versions of Windows such as 95, 98, ME, 2000 and XP. True False
Thir d-par ty o options Introduction to Zone Lab’s Zonealarm
Zone lab's Zonealarm software is probably the most popular of the free software firewall applications, and for good reason. It offers excellent basic firewall capabilities, plus the vital ability to monitor and block outgoing traffic as well as incoming data. This offers you the ability to see which programs are calling out to the Internet on a regular basis (you may be surprised) and detect malicious software like Trojan horse, viruses and spyware that may have been installed on your computer without your knowledge. You can download Zonealarm at www.zonelabs.com. It can also be found on the training CD under the [Zone Alarm] folder. Once you have the install file, install and run the program to activate the firewall. Be sure to select 'Zonealarm' and not its paid sister product 'Zonealarm Pro' during the install process, unless you want to pay for the extra features that the latter offers. The install process will now ask for permission to set Internet Explorer as a 'trusted' program so that you can use it to access the Internet immediately. To simplify things, answer 'yes' to the 'configure Internet access to allow web surfing' question, then restart your system when prompted. It's a good idea to go through the program guide that you are presented with when your computer restarts, as this will give you a basic grounding in how the program works. Otherwise, your computer is now adequately protected. Zonealarm's implementation differs from the XP firewall in t he way it handles how programs are allowed to send and receive data. Zone Lab's product keeps a database of the programs installed on your computer, and when one attempts to access the Internet, or attempts to set itself up as a server process so that other computers can access it from the Internet, the firewall halts the attempt and pops up a message box informing you of the program and its intentions. At this point you can grant the program permanent or temporary permission to use the Internet, or deny it completely. This type of program-based control is completely absent in the Windows XP firewall and in most low end hardware firewalls such as the ones found in home Internet sharing devices, and is the main reason why Zonealarm is so appealing as a home security choice.
Exer cises Exercise 1: Install ZoneAlarm onto your computer using the program found on the training CD. Open up your Internet Explorer and browse some websites on the internet. Do you notice anything different?
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Review Q Questions Question 1: Free firewall programs are not as good as firewall programs that you have to pay money for. True False
Checking tthe e ef f of your Fir ewall fe ctiveness o Introduction
As mentioned previously, one of the best ways to test how your firewall is working, is to use an external site such as the Gibson Research website found at www.grc.com. Using the Shields Up utility can give you a good idea as to what users on the internet can see on your computer. Testing your firewall using Shields Up
1. Go to the website www.grc.com and select the Shields Up utility. You will be displayed the following screen.
2. Scroll down to the section where you can choose what type of scan to run, and select the [Common Ports] option.
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3. Once you have run a scan, you will receive a report similar to the one below.
4. As you can see in the above example, there is a port that is considered to be [Open]. Unless you are hosting your own website or mail server, then it is not a good idea to have any ports open to the internet as people can take advantage of this to get access to your computer. By making changes to your system, it is possible to close this port so that it is not available to people on the internet if it is not required. 5. A further scan then reveals that our solution has worked!
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6. If you would like more information on what the port is used for, click on the port number and Shields Up will give you more information as to that port is commonly used for.
Exer cises Exercise 1: Use the Shields Up website using the instructions above to see if the firewall is working on your computer. Exercise 2: Turn your firewall off and then run the test again. Is there any difference?
Review Q Questions Question 1: Using the internet is the best way to test to see if your firewall is working. True False
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Fi l e S Sec u r i t y Introduction
Quite often you will have information on your computer that you don’t want everyone to be able to either read or change. File security and encryption techniques can become quite technical, but in this course we will look at some fairly simple ways of protecting some of your information using WinZip, Acrobat PDF and Word/Excel. Read on to learn how…
Setting S Secur ity o on W WinZip f f iles Introduction
WinZip uses the standard Zip 2.0 encryption format, a format that is also supported by most other Zip utilities. Password protecting files in a Zip file provides some protection against users who do not have the password and are trying to determine the contents of the files. However, the Zip 2.0 encryption format is known to be relatively weak, and cannot be expected to provide protection from individuals with access to specialized password recovery tools. You should not rely on WinZip password protection to provide strong security for your data. If you have important security requirements for your data, you should look into more stronger solutions. Using password security while using the Extract, Test, CheckOut, or Install features:
If you use the Extract, Test, CheckOut, or Install features on a password protected archive, you will automatically be prompted for the password. Using password security while adding or updating an archive:
To password protect files, it is important to specify the password AFTER opening or creating an archive and BEFORE adding the files. Follow these steps to password protect files in an archive: 1. Start the WinZip application by clicking on [Start] then [All Programs] then navigating to [WinZip] and then clicking on the WinZip application. The program will then start and you should be displayed a screen similar to the one below.
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2. Click on the [New] icon to create a new WinZip file. When presented with the [New Archive] box, give the WinZip file a name and select a location to save it to and then click on [OK].
3. In the [Add] dialog box, click the [Password] button, and type a password.
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4. Once you have typed in the password and confirmed it, you can then select the files to be added to the archive and then press the [Add] button.
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5. You will notice in the main WinZip window that files that are protected with a password will have a small plus (+) sign following the filename.
6. Once you have closed the archive, and you re-open it and double-click on the archived file to view it, you will now be prompted to enter a password as shown below. You will also be prompted for the password if you try and extract the file as well.
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Notes: •
•
In general, longer passwords (for example, passwords with 8 or more characters) are more secure than shorter passwords, and passwords t hat contain a mixture of alphabetic characters, numeric characters, and punctuation characters are more secure than passwords containing only alphabetic characters. Be sure to remember any passwords you use, so that you can extract your files, but don’t write the password down where someone could easily find it!
Exer cises Exercise 1: Create a new WinZip file and add some documents to it from your [My Documents] folder. Close then re-open the zip file. Can you view the files? Exercise 2: Create another WinZip file and add some documents to it from your [My Documents] folder but add a password to them using the instructions above. Close then reopen the zip file. Can you view the files now? Are you asked for a password to view them?
Review Q Questions Question 1: WinZip provides one of the strongest encryption methods available today and is highly recommended for securing important information. True False Question 2: In general, longer passwords (for example, passwords with 8 or more characters) are more secure than shorter passwords, and passwords that contain a mixture of alphabetic characters, numeric characters, and punctuation characters are more secure than passwords containing only alphabetic characters. True False
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Setting S Secur ity f f or Wor d a and E Excel f f iles Introduction
Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other Microsoft Office programs offer password protection ("File Protection") to help prevent unwanted access to your critical information. There are two password protection levels: •
•
Read-Only. Anyone can read the doc, but only those with the password can make changes to it. Password-Protected. Can only be opened by someone with the password.
To set read-only protection on a file follow these steps:
1. Open the file. 2. On the [Tools] menu, click [Options], and then click [Security]. The following screen will be displayed (may differ depending on what version of MS Office you are running).
3. In the [Password to modify] box, type a password, and then click [OK].
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4. In the [Reenter password to modify] box, type the password again, and then click [OK].
To password protect a file:
1. Open the file. 2. On the [Tools] menu, click [Options], and then click [Security]. The following screen will be displayed (may differ depending on what version of MS Office you are running).
3. In the [Password to open] box, type a password, and then click [OK]. 4. In the [Reenter password to open] box, type the password again, and then click [OK].
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Exer cises document and make it read-only read-only using the instructions Exercise 1: Create a new MS Word document above. document and password protect the whole document document Exercise 2: Create a new MS Word document using the instructions above.
Review Q Questions Question 1: There are 2 password protection levels in Microsoft Office programs. They are: Cannot modify and Cannot open documents. Cannot modify and cannot print documents. Cannot open and cannot print documents. None of the above.
you set to open a document, document, the administrator of the Question 2: If you forget the password you computer can open the file for you. True False
Setting S Secur ity f f or P f iles PDF f Introduction
You can limit access to a PDF document document when you save it. When files have restricted access, any restricted tools and menu items are dimmed (greyed out) and cannot be selected. If you set any security options, you should also set an owner password. Otherwise, anyone who opens the file could remove the restrictions. A document with both open and owner passwords can be opened with either one. If opened with the owner password, the security settings are temporarily disabled and the document can be edited. Creating a password to open a PDF file
1. Open the pdf document in Adobe PDF Writer. 2. Select the [File] menu from the top menu, then select [Document Properties]. You should then be presented with a screen as shown below.
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3. Select [Security] on the left hand menu menu as has been done above. above. In the popup menu next next to [Security Method], select [Password Security]. You will then be presented with with the following screen.
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4. Check the box next to [Require a password to open the document] and then type in a password and click [OK]. Please note: It is not a good idea to make the Open Document password and the Permissions Password the same.
5. Reconfirm the password you entered when prompted and press [OK].
6. Take note that the password will not not be applied to the document document until you re-save your PDF document.
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7. Once you have saved the document, the next time you try and open it, you will be prompted to enter the password to view it.
Modifying the PDF document restrictions
1. Open the pdf document in Adobe PDF Writer. 2. Select the [File] menu from the top menu, then select [Document Properties]. You should then be presented with a screen as shown below.
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3. Select [Security] on the left hand menu as has been done above. In the popup menu next to [Security Method], select [Password Security]. You will then be presented with the following screen.
4. It is a good idea to set a [Permissions Password]. If you don’t, then anyone can turn off any of the restrictions that have set for the PDF docuemtn. 5. In the Permissions section you can select one or more items to prevent viewers from: • • •
•
Printing the document (in the Reader or the full Acrobat editor) Changing the Document (even if they have the Acrobat editor) Copying or Extracting content from the document (selecting also disables the accessibility features) Adding or Changing Comments and Form Fields (users will be able to enter information into fields but will not be able to save the changes if they are working in Acrobat editor).
6. The [Encryption Level] setting you select will depend on the version of Acrobat used by the people who will receive this file. If in doubt, select the lower level. 7. Click [OK] when finished. If you entered passwords, retype the passwords in the Confirmation dialog box and click [OK]. 8. Save the document. Note: You can change or remove a password after setting it by going back to the security settings. However, if you forget the password to a document, there is no way to recover it. - 138 -
It is a good idea to store the password in another secure location in case you forget it. Secured files cannot be viewed by Acrobat programs prior t o version 2.0.
Exer cises Exercise 1: Create a new pdf document and make it so that people can read it, but cannot print it? Exercise 2: Change the document security settings so that people are able to read it, cannot change it, cannot print it, but CAN copy text from the document.
Review Q Questions Question 1: You can password protect Adobe PDF documents so that people cannot open them at all. True False Question 2: Using Adobe PDF permissions security, it is possible to stop people from printing your PDF documents but they can still read the document. True False Question 3: Can you set document restrictions for your pdf document without having a permissions password? Yes No Question 4: How do you remove restrictions that have already been set in your pdf document? Delete the pdf document and recreate it. Set the document security method to ‘No security’. By changing the document password will reset the restrictions. None of the above. Question 5: If you send someone a pdf document and they cannot open it, what could be the problem? They don’t have the Acrobat Reader installed on their computer. Their computer isn’t compatible with pdf documents. Something happened to the document when emailing. All of the above. Question 6: Do you need the professional version of Adobe Acrobat to be able to read a pdf document? Yes No Question 7: Where can you find the Acrobat Reader program? You can buy it from a computer shop. It is available free on the internet. Don’t know.
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B r o w s er a an d IIn t er n et S Sec u r i t y How tto S Set Y Your Inter net E Explor er Secur ity a and P Pr ivacy Options Introduction
Internet Explorer contains many security and privacy settings to help users when surfing the Internet. With the big increase of Internet based worms and viruses, it is a great idea to understand the security settings on your own computer so you can protect yourself. This combined with a firewall and antivirus software will help protect you from all the viruses and bad programs that are out there. Internet Explorer supports many security “zones”, or areas you will be using Internet Explorer, and supports different security settings for each zone. You can customize the security in IE to support many different configurations or requirements. Making Internet Explorer more secure
1. Open [Internet Explorer]. Go to the [Tools] menu and select [Internet Options]. Click on the [Security] tab.
At the top, you see each zone in which security can be customized. The Internet zone affects sites on the Internet which you haven't placed in the Trusted or Restricted zones. - 140 -
At the bottom, you see the “Security level for this zone”, that is the security level which the Internet is currently configured at, Medium. There are five security levels you should be aware of: Low, Medium-low, Medium, High, and Custom. Low is designed with the minimum safeguards and prompts. Most content is run or downloaded without any prompts. Active content, such as scripting, runs without prompting you. This setting should probably never be used, it should only be used on sites which are completely trusted. Medium-low is the same as Medium but with less frequent prompts. It is appropriate for your local intranet sites or sites you completely trust. Medium is the default security level for the Internet. It is the most functional while preventing things like “unsigned ActiveX controls” from being downloaded. High is the security level for Restricted sites by default. It prevents most potentially harmful items from being downloaded and provides the least functionality. Custom is the security level when you have changed specific security settings in one of the prepackaged security levels.
2. Click on the [Custom Level] button to change specific settings within the framework of the current security level.
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4. Click on the [Privacy tab] of Internet Options. This section allows you to customize the handling of personally-identifiable information – such as website cookies. Years ago, cookies got a bad rap from websites which track their users, however, from a website perspective they are very easy to use to allow for a better experience for users. There are six different levels you can set your cookie handling from Block All Cookies to Accept All Cookies. In addition, you can change options manually in with the [Advanced] button and also [Edit] individual sites to manual tweak the cookie handling on your machine.
Security is a very important part of any operating system and understanding the security functions of Internet Explorer is essential to securing your machine.
Exer cises Exercise 1: Check the security settings of your browser. Are they set to ‘Standard’ for the different zones? Exercise 2: Are web cookies allowed to be written to your hard drive? How do you find out?
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Review Q Questions Question 1: When setting the security level for the Internet Zone, it is a good idea to set it to low so that your browser doesn’t block any information on websites. True False Question 2: It is a good idea to block all cookies using the Internet Explorer privacy settings. True False
Blocking p pop-up w windows iin IInter net E Explor er ? Introduction
Pop-ups are annoying! Wherever you find them, pop-up ads (new browser windows that appear out of nowhere, urging you to buy this product or that) are at best irritating and at worst a serious nuisance; they are fast becoming the scum of the internet, much like spam is to email. Chances are that if you use the internet, you've come across these at one time or another; these unrequested advertisements jump out at you and force you to dispense with them before you can continue your work. Even worse, some of them will open up new pop-ups when you try to close one of them, creating a never-ending loop that can create a rift in the very fabric of space-time itself. Wouldn't it be great if you could just prevent these little annoyances from appearing in the first place? Fortunately, unlike spam, pop-up ads are easy to block. Most browsers have this feature built-in: • •
Firefox - Blocks pop-ups by default. Internet Explorer - Blocks pop-ups by default (with Windows XP SP 2)
These browsers can block unrequested pop-up windows; however, note that Internet Explorer will only do so if you have Windows XP Service Pack 2 installed. If you cannot or do not want to install SP 2, there are add-on tools available online that can perform popup blocking and other helpful functions. For example, the Google Toolbar is a free Internet Explorer add-on that can block pop-ups, as well as provide other useful web browsing features. What about those few pop-ups that are actually necessary? For example, some sites use popup windows to request confirmation before showing content that may not be suitable for all ages; if your browser blocks all pop-up windows, the confirmation window won't appear and you may not be able to reach the site you want. No problem: most pop-up blockers allow you to specify exceptions -- websites that are allowed to open pop-up windows on their own. Important Note: If pop-up ads are appearing on your computer even when you're not browsing the internet, chances are you have some adware or s pyware installed on your computer (refer to the section on removing adware/spyware in this workbook).
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Turning On/Off the Pop-up Blocker
To turn on the pop-up blocker within Microsoft Internet Explorer, follow these steps: 1. Run [Internet Explorer] as per normal 2. Drop down the [Tools] menu at the top of the browser and select [Pop-up Blocker] menu, then select [Turn On Pop-up Blocker] as shown in the diagram below.
3. To turn off the pop-up blocker, follow the same steps as before, the only difference being that the menu selection will now say [Turn Off Pop-up Blocker]. Changing the Pop-up Block Settings…
1. From within Internet Explorer, select the [Tools] menu then select [Pop-up Blocker] and then select [Pop-up Blocker Settings].
Note 1: You can also select the pop-up blocker settings by navigating to [Tools], then [Internet Options…] then selecting the [Privacy] tab and then clicking on the [Settings] button.
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Note 2: If you do not have the [Pop-up Blocker] section in the menu, this is an indication that you do NOT have Service Pack 2 installed and therefore, cannot follow these instructions until it is installed. 2. In the [Address of Web site to allow] text box, type in the name of the website that you wish to allow and then click the [Add] button.
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3. Make sure there is a check in the box for [Show Information Bar when a pop-up is ensure that you you will get a small message showing in your browser browser blocked]. This will ensure when the pop-up block block stops a window from from opening. 4. Click the [Close] button when you have made all your changes. Modifying the Pop-Up Blocker Filter Level
1. Select the pop-up blocker settings as per previous section. 2. Drop down the menu under the [Filter Level] title as shown below. You are offered 3 options options to choose from: • • •
High: Block all pop-ups (Ctrl to override). Medium: Block most most automatic pop-ups. Low: Allow pop-ups pop-ups from secure sites.
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Exer cises on in your Internet Explorer? How do you check? Exercise 1: Is the pop-up blocker turned on www.azlyrics.com.. Exercise 2: Turn off the pop-up blocker. Go to the following website – www.azlyrics.com What happens when you you go to this site? block back on. Go back to the same website. What happens happens Exercise 3: Turn your pop-up block now?
Review Q Questions browsers have the pop-up blocking blocking feature built into them. Question 1: All Internet Explorer browsers been available. True – this feature has always been False – this feature is only available once service pack 2 for XP has been installed. Question 2: If pop-up ads are appearing on your computer even when you're not connected to the internet: properly. Your browser pop-up settings aren’t working properly. Your browser pop-up program has been turned turned off. Chances are you have some adware or spyware s pyware installed on your computer. It’s normal, don’t worry about it.
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Question 3: Pop-up blocking features are only available in the Microsoft I nternet Explorer browser and is not available in other browsers. True False
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A d v an c ed T To p i c s Introduction
The topics that are discussed in this section require a bit more computer knowledge and experience than topics in the previous sections. However, it is highly recommended that you attempt to at least get a basic understanding of the ideas and techniques that are presented in this section.
Co m p u t er /Pr o g r am F Fr eezes Introduction
What do you do if one of your programs stops responding and how do you keep track of all those programs running on your computer? Well Microsoft have given us a program called the Windows XP Task Manager. Starting the Task Manager
There are 2 ways to start the Task Manager: 1. Press these 3 buttons together: [Ctrl] + [Alt] + [Delete] 2. Right-mouse click on an empty part of the task bar and select [Task Manager] from the pop-up menu. Now you should have the Windows XP Task Manager on your screen as shown below.
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Using the Task Manager
The Task Manager can be used to perform the following functions: 1. Closing a program that has become stuck. 2. Closing a program in the Processes tab. 3. Checking out the CPU and memory usage. 4. Getting out of trouble by creating a new task. 5. Leave the Task Manager running in the system tray to monitor performance. Now lets look at these functions in some more detail: 1. Closing a program that has become stuck.
There are times when Windows XP will just stop responding when you are using a program. For instance you may be typing a document and MS Word just freezes. So how do you shut down the program when the mouse will not let you click the close button? Well open up the Windows XP Task Manager (as described in the section above) and select the [Applications] tab. Now look at the programs running and check the [Status]. In our example or MS Word freezing on you, you will more than likely see the Status for word as [Not Responding] instead of [Running].
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If this is the case then click MS Word in the list and then click the [End Task] button at the bottom of the window. The program that is Not Responding should now close. If not then repeat the process again. This is a very handy way of closing programs that are "frozen"! 2. Closing a program in the Processes tab.
The Processes tab is very useful as it tells us what programs are running on your computer and how much computing power and memory they are consuming.
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If you are trying to fix a program that has frozen and using the advice in the previous section has not helped then you can locate the program on the Processes tab and then click the [End Process] tab at the bottom of the window. However, please be careful on what programs you close in this section as it is possible to close something that will turn your computer into a complete mess! 3. Checking out the CPU and memory usage.
You can get a great idea of how things are performing on your computer by using Windows XP Task Manager. Start up the task manager and then select the [Performance] Tab. Now you will see a graphical representation of the CPU and Memory usage.
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This is useful if for instance your computer seems a little "sluggish" or slow. By looking at the information here you can see for instance how much of your memory is being used. Or perhaps the CPU is running at 100% constantly. If your CPU is running at 100% all the time, this is a good indication that there is a problem with a program that is currently in use. In this instance you can then look in the [Processes] tab and locate the program that is causing the problem (see previous section.) 4. Leave the Task Manager running in the system tray.
Sometimes it is useful to have the Windows XP Task Manager running in the system tray (the bottom right hand corner of your screen – see below).
You can to this if you are running a program and you want to see how much CPU it is using on starting up and for how long.
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When the CPU is busy you will see the icon change colour. By moving the mouse over the icon you will see the CPU percentage being used.
Exer cises Exercise 1: Start the task manager on your computer using the instructions above. How much memory is your computer using? How hard is your computer working? Exercise 2: Open up MS Word. How hard was your computer working while the program was starting?
B l u e S Sc r een s Introduction
It is important to understand that ‘blue screens’ usually indicate a serious problem and can be very complicated to solve. The reasons for getting a ‘blue screen’ can be many and varied. There is sometimes NO simple fix and can be quite confusing to solve, even for professional computer people. In this course we will look at a few simple things you can do to help solve the problem but there will be occasions where maybe you cannot solve the problem and will need to take your computer to a technician to fix. Definition
The Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) is an error that occurs in the Windows operating system. Although sounding humorous, the BSOD was given its name because after an error occurs, a blue screen will often appear (as shown below), indicating that your computer needs a reboot, a repair or some other sort of troubleshooting.
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What is the Blue Screen of Death?
The “Blue Screen of Death” is a common industry or popular term for a ‘Stop Error’, a system error characterised by a blue screen showing an error code (see picture above), the name of the device or function which caused the error, and sometimes the contents of the system’s memory when the error occurred. A stop error can be caused by a number of reasons, including: •
A driver (piece of software that allows a piece of hardware to work) on the computer is faulty.
•
A new piece of hardware that you have just installed in your computer is bad.
•
A piece of existing hardware has become bad.
•
•
Environmental factors (eg. The temperature inside the computer is too hot, there has been a build up of dust or moisture in the computer or there may be an electrical problem) which has caused a problem. Sometimes a program will cause a stop error in some circumstances.
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What do I do after one occurs?
The first thing to understand is that when a stop error occurs, that is it. There is no way to ignore it and continue working normally. It normally means that whatever you were working on will have been lost up until the last time you saved it. The first step is to figure out why the error occurred, which as mentioned at the start, can be a difficult thing to do. Leave the computer on with the blue screen displayed for a moment; you aren’t going to damage anything further by leaving it displayed long enough to read it properly. Read the information and write it down on a piece of paper, with all the information on the screen except perhaps the “Memory Dump” section if one exists. The most important piece of information to write down is the stop error code. Once you have the information written down, switch your computer off. From here, you need to try and work out what it was that caused the error. 1. If you have just installed a new piece of hardware in your computer you could try rebooting your computer in [Safe Mode]. To do this, turn the computer back on, and while it is starting up press the [F8] key on the keyboard when you first see some text on the screen and you should see a boot menu appear (as shown below). From this menu select [Safe Mode] using the arrow keys, press [Enter].
Safe Mode is a special mode for loading Windows without running any programs that are not considered to be important such as the one you may have just installed.
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Note that because of this, some programs will not work properly. We are only using safe mode to try and fix our problem. You should not try and use the computer normally while in safe mode. While in safe mode, try un-installing the hardware and/or software that you just installed (refer to the section on Removing Unwanted Programs in this workbook). Once you have done this, reboot your computer into normal mode and see if this has fixed the problem. You also have another option in the boot menu called [Last Known Good Configuration]. When you successfully start in Windows XP, it remembers that it has everything organised and working and stores the configuration as a reference point that is loaded when you select [Last Know Good Configuration]. This means that you can still do a lot of other things that you can’t usually do in Safe Mode, only the most recently installed programs or hardware that maybe causing a problem are disabled. If the case is that you have installed some bad software or hardware, remove it, and then re-boot your computer in normal mode and see if the problem has been fixed. 2. If you didn’t install any new programs or hardware, and this has just started happening after you were making some physical changes to the computer it is likely you have done one of two things; In some cases, you will find articles that describe an exact list of instructions that you can follow to fix the problem. (a) There are environmental reasons why the STOP error is occurring. (b) Hardware has been damaged. (a) Your computer needs to be within certain conditions to work properly such as temperature, humidity and pressure. The most important of these is temperature. It is possible that your computer is too hot and some of the components inside your computer are causing errors. You can also consider magnetic fields affecting the hard disks, loose wires arcing against the case and numerous other factors; the best thing to do is open up your computer case and have a look for anything that doesn’t look right. (b)
Hardware damage can be a result of environmental factors or accidental physical contact. Check inside the computer case for anything that doesn’t look right. Look for hardware that is not plugged in correctly, cracked, on an incorrect angle, or something that is not screwed in correctly.
3. By writing down the stop error code, it is possible to use the Microsoft Knowledge Base to help determine what caused the blue screen error. The knowledge base can be found at www.microsoft.com/technet. Enter the stop error code into the search field on the website (eg. 0x0000008E) and review the articles that the search returns. In some cases, you will find articles that describe an exact list of instructions that you can follow to fix the problem.
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Conclusion
STOP errors are always serious and can be quite complicated to solve. But with a few basic troubleshooting techniques and some background knowledge on their cause, they can be resolved and become a minor and rare issue.
Exer cises Exercise 1: Use the Microsoft Knowledge Base to determine what the problem may be on a computer system that received a stop error code of 0x0000008E. Exercise 2: Reboot your computer and start it in Safe Mode.
Review Q Questions Question 1: STOP errors can occur in a computer due to hardware errors only. True. False.
Wh at tto d d o w w h en W Wi n d o w s X XP w w o n ' t s s t ar t Introduction
This section can be a little difficult to understand and involves using things such as the ‘boot menu’. However, it can be very useful in helping you fix a computer that just won’t start up Windows when you turn it on. What to do
We will describe a few different ways of trying to solve this problem, starting with the easier options and working t o some more difficult methods. Method 1
1. If Windows XP doesn’t start when you first turn the computer on, press the [F8] key a few times right after you turn on your PC but before the Windows log-on screen appears (it may take a few attempts to get the timing right). This should then display the [Windows Advanced Options Menu] for you as shown below.
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2. At this menu, select [Last Known Good Configuration] to restore your Registry to an earlier date. 3. Try starting the computer again and see if this method has worked for you. Method 2
1. If the method hasn’t got your computer working, restart the computer and press the [F8] key again, but this time select [Safe Mode] in the menu. 2. Once your computer has started in safe mode, choose [Start], [All Programs], [Accessories], [System Tools], [System Restore]. This will allow you to perform a system restore to a selected restore point of your choice (please refer to the System Restore section in this workbook for full instructions on how to do this). Method 3
If that approach doesn't work either, or if you can't even get to this menu, it is possible to use a special floppy disk called the ‘emergency boot floppy’. If you don't have an emergency boot floppy, you can create one another PC running Windows XP, but there's no guarantee that it will boot your machine. Creating an Emergency Boot Floppy
1. On a computer that is working and is using Windows XP, insert a blank floppy disk into the floppy disk drive. 2. Select [Start], [All Programs], [Accessories], [Command Prompt] 3. Type [format a:] and press [Enter].
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4. When asked if you want to format another disk, type [n] and press [Enter]. 5. Type the following commands, pressing [Enter] after each one. • • •
xcopy c:\boot.ini a: /h xcopy c:\ntdetect.com a: /h xcopy c:\ntldr a: /h
6. Now type [exit] and press [Enter] to close the window. 7. Remove the floppy disk and label it "Windows XP boot floppy." 8. Put this emergency disk in the floppy drive of the computer that is not working and then turn the computer on. Windows should run with no problems. 9. You could simply keep the floppy in the drive all the time, but to truly fix the problem, launch the command prompt as described above, type xcopy a:*.* c:\ /h, and press [Enter]. Method 4
This method involves using a tool called the ‘Windows XP Recovery Console’. This section is getting quite complicated but we are mentioning it in this workbook so you are aware that it exists. The Windows XP Recovery Console
If the emergency boot floppy doesn't work, you could try using the Recovery Console, a Windows utility that provides a DOS-like command line from which you can run some repair
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programs. It's a bit difficult to use if you are not used to command lines, and you can damage your data, so be careful if using it! 1. If you have a Microsoft Windows XP CD-ROM, you can get to the Recovery Console by booting from that CD and pressing any key when you're told to [Press any key to boot from CD]. 2. At the [Welcome to Setup] screen, press [r] for Repair. 3. Below is a list of the Recovery Console's most useful commands. For detailed information on a particular command, type the command followed by a space and /?, as in chkdsk /?. • • • • • •
Chkdsk1 Diskpart Extract2 Fixboot Fixmbr Help
Checks disks for errors. Creates and deletes partitions. Extracts files from compressed.cab archives. Writes a new boot sector. Writes a new master boot record. Lists the Recovery Console commands.
4. We won’t go into more detail about the Recovery Console as it is too complicated for this course. However, if you would like to know more information about using the Recovery Console, you can read more about it at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314058.
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Ch ec k L List The r r ecommended s steps… Step 1: Backup. Make a backup of your System state – which will include the registry. Your data files. Your user settings. Work out the best way for your organisation to store the backup information. Think about having 2 copies of your backup information on 2 different types of media and store at least 1 of these away from the office. • • • • •
Step 2: Operating System Updates. Check to see if Windows XP service pack 2 is installed. If it isn’t, install it. Perform a manual Windows XP update by going to the Windows Update website and make sure that you download and install any high priority updates. Turn on automatic updates, and select the ‘Notify me before downloading and installing updates’ option. • •
•
Step 3: Remove unwanted programs. Using the ‘add/remove programs’ tool, have a look for any programs that shouldn’t be installed, or programs that haven’t been used for a long time and remove them. •
Step 4: Check disk. Run the check disk program. The first time you use this program, it might be a good idea to choose the option that will scan for and mark sectors as bad if it finds anyway. • •
Step 5: Disk Cleanup. Run the disk cleanup program and remove all of the temporary files, log files etc… that you don’t need anymore. If your hard drive is running out of space, maybe think about compressing files that haven’t been accessed for a long time. •
•
Step 6: Disk Defragmenter. Run the disk defragmenter program. If this is the first time you have used this program on your computer, it is a good idea to defragment your hard drive even if the program tells you that your hard drive doesn’t need defragmenting. •
Step 7: Viruses. Make sure you have anti-virus software installed on the computer. We recommend that you install AVG anti-virus. If you choose to either install AVG or keep your current anti-virus program, make sure that you have the very latest virus definitions. Run a full scan on your computer to make sure you have no viruses. •
•
•
Step 8: Spyware. Install the AdAware program on your computer. Make sure you have the latest spyware definition updates. Run a full scan on your computer to make sure you have no spyware. • • •
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