Blog Archives

• What’s hijacking this PC’s broadband connection?

  Posted on December 13th, 2020 at 21:10 Tracey Capen Comment on the AskWoody Lounge

  LANGALIST

  By Fred Langa

  A subscriber’s PC auto-connects to an unwanted, unknown, and very slow network — and nothing will set it right.

  That included running Norton AV, resetting the network, changing ISPs, swapping routers, and even using different PCs — but no luck. So the machine’s owner suspected an active hack. Is it?

  Plus: What’s the best tool for definitively checking any single file for malware?

  Read the full story in AskWoody Plus Newsletter 17.49.0 (2020-12-14).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, LangaList Anti-malware, AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Slow broadband, VPNs, Web connections

• Freeware Spotlight — Best diagnostic tools

  Posted on November 4th, 2019 at 01:00 Tracey Capen Comment on the AskWoody Lounge

  BEST UTILITIES

  By Deanna McElveen

  After 20 years of troubleshooting and repairing computers, Randy and I have seen many fine and free diagnostics tools come and go.

  And while we use many utilities for our work, we rely on a core set almost every day.

  Read the full story in AskWoody Plus Newsletter 16.40.0 (2019-11-04).

  Best Utilities Anti-malware, AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Diagnostics apps, drive troubleshooting, Windows troubleshooting

• How to stop two Windows Defender annoyances

  Posted on September 23rd, 2019 at 01:10 Tracey Capen Comment on the AskWoody Lounge

  LANGALIST

  By Fred Langa

  Win10’s built-in Windows Defender has matured into a top-ranked anti-malware tool. But several of its default behaviors can be downright irritating.

  Here’s how to tweak Windows Defender with a few buried settings and a Task Scheduler change.

  Plus: Does Adobe Flash Player really need as many updates as it claims?

  Read the full story in AskWoody Plus Newsletter 16.34.0 (2019-09-23).

  LangaList Adobe Flash Player, Anti-malware, AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Windows Defender

• How to block malware with Windows’ built-in security

  Posted on September 9th, 2019 at 01:00 Tracey Capen Comment on the AskWoody Lounge

  SECURITY

  By Lance Whitney

  For years, it seems as though Microsoft gave little thought to malware protection. But the latest tools in Win10 are robust and comprehensive.

  These days, malware comes in many forms: viruses, rootkits, ransomware, phishing, and others. More than ever, you need to ensure your personal computer is protected. Until recently, your best bet was to use a full-time, third-party anti-malware product. But if you’re running a current version of Windows 10, the tools built into the OS are now probably all you need.

  Read the full story in AskWoody Plus Newsletter 16.32.0 (2019-09-09).

  Antivirus Apps Anti-malware, AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Windows 10, Windows Defender