Plugged in: Low-cost computer fixes for tough times

Now that it’s official that the U.S. has been in a recession since December 2007 and North Slope crude oil sold for $35.61 a barrel last Friday, it’s even more critical to get the most for your money when upgrading your computer. It’s even better if you can boost your computing performance for free.

Hard disk performance has a much greater impact upon a computer’s performance than most nontechnical users might realize. Speeding up hard disk performance can make as much improvement as upgrading to a new computer with a later generation processor. Luckily, increasing hard disk performance can be straightforward and doesn’t require you to replace your entire computer system.

The newest locally available Western Digital and Hitachi hard disks, typically holding 300 to 500 gigabytes or more and spinning at 7,200 rpm, really pack data tightly. As result, not only do these hard disks have a very high storage capacity, but they also move a great deal more data under the read-write heads every second, making them potentially much faster under the right conditions than older, lower-capacity hard disks.

Sensible hardware upgrades

In some cases, just replacing the boot-up hard disk and reinstalling Windows and your programs and data can greatly rejuvenate a computer that’s a few years old and seemingly too slow. The local cost of a suitable new hard disk is well under $150 locally, even for a very high-capacity one, but replacing your primary hard disk and reinstalling Windows, programs and data is not a job for those who are technically faint of heart.

However, there are programs like Acronis Migrate Easy 7.0 that can simplify and ease the task by automating the entire hard disk upgrade and transfer process, particularly if you make the transfer using a USB portable hard disk enclosure to temporarily run your new hard disk during the transfer process. A free, 15-day trial copy of Acronis Migrate Easy 7.0 is available from www.acronis.com.

If the thought of opening your computer case causes trepidation, then include the cost of having this upgrade done by local professionals. If you have a professional open up your computer, then it may be worthwhile to upgrade the existing CPU processor if a significantly faster compatible CPU is still available, and to upgrade the RAM memory, preferably at least doubling it. If you plan to use Adobe’s new Photoshop CS4, then also consider replacing your existing video card with a fast new display card that has lots of memory onboard. The newest Photoshop CS4 uses the video card’s own processor to greatly increase Photoshop’s performance.

Improving existing hard disk performance

The performance of all hard disks, whether old or new, gradually degrades as they are used and files are stored and moved around. This is an inherent problem with the Windows operating system, not the hardware. The Windows operating system has a tendency to scatter partial fragments of each computer file all over the hard disk. That makes the hard disk’s read-write heads work much harder to load an application program or to read and write a data file, thus greatly slowing down a computer’s overall operation, regardless of how fast its processor might be.

The best solution is to continuously defragment your hard disk. In an ideal world, Windows should defragment every drive automatically in the background in order to maintain optimal performance, but Windows does not do so. Windows does include a disk defragmenting utility under the Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Defragment menu item, but that Microsoft utility is mediocre. It has few options, must be run manually by the operation, slows a computer to a crawl while running for an hour or two, and does not really optimize disk performance. Still, it’s better than nothing and it’s provided free with the Windows operating system.

Several other system utility collections, such as Norton, include somewhat better hard disk optimization programs. However, in my experience, the clear choice for hard disk defragmentation and performance optimization is the Diskeeper family of products, available as downloads from www.diskeeper.com. Diskeeper allows you to download a free trial copy of the program that remains fully functional for 30 days, after which you must purchase a license and activate the product to continue using it. A free 30-day trial is useful as a one-time shot in the arm for a slowing computer, and allows you to evaluate whether purchasing the product is worthwhile.

Diskeeper’s “Home” version sells for $29.95, the “Professional” version for $59.95 and the “Pro Premier” version for $99.95. I suggest that the “Professional” version makes the most sense economically. It continuously optimizes and defragments your hard disk in the background without imposing a serious drain upon computing resources. There is no reason to buy the optional “Hyperfast” add-on module unless you have one of the new, cutting-edge, solid-state hard drives, and I don’t know a single person who does.

Even if you should replace your old hard disk with a new, faster drive, you’ll still notice a substantial performance improvement with continuous defrag-mentation.

Removing junk and temporary files from your hard disk and compressing the data can also improve system performance under some circumstances and, in any event, maximize your available storage. To access Microsoft’s hard disk cleanup tools, click on My Computer, then right click to select the hard disk to be cleaned and compressed, then click on the Properties menu item. A graphic display shows how much of the total hard disk space is in use.

In the graphic display for that hard disk, first click on the Disk Cleanup radio button. This will scan the selected hard disk for unused old files, temporary Internet content files, and other files that can be safely deleted. Then, left click on the Compress drive and the Allow Indexing Service check boxes, and start these operations by left clicking on the Apply button.

Then, sit back, make some coffee, and find a good book. You’ll not be using your computer for some time. After you’ve completed these tasks, and they must be performed separately for each hard disk, click on the tools menu item at the top of the disk’s graphic display.

You’ll see several options, including Error-Checking a hard disk and Defragmentation. Run Error Checking prior to defragmenting the drive. Otherwise, any disk errors may spread during the defragmentation process. If you have purchased Diskeeper, then that optional program will start when you press the Defragmentation program. Otherwise, Microsoft’s defragmentation accessory will run.

At the end of this rather tedious process, your hard disk should be in pretty decent shape and running noticeably faster.

Next week, we’ll discuss some nifty system cleanup programs that measure and fix computer system performance from a different angle.


Local attorney Joseph Kashi received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from MIT and has been writing and lecturing about technology throughout the U.S. since 1990 for American Bar Association, Alaska Bar Association and private publications. He also owned a computer store in Soldotna between 1990 and 2000.

‘Cyberdoom’: Better paranoid than sorry

Over the past several weeks, we’ve discussed some obvious, mostly internal, computer security concerns that might compromise your privacy, your data and your business.

In this article, our last on computer security, we’ll talk about intentional security threats arising from external sources — in other words, viruses, “spybots,” Trojan Horses and other malicious software. In this context, the old maxim, “If you’re not a little paranoid, you’re not being sufficiently careful,” is assuredly true.

There are numerous potentially serious security problems that have roamed the Internet so long that their exact genesis can be hard to pinpoint. And, of course, new ones are added daily.

Computer viruses and other malicious software are easy to write — 12-year-olds can download virus writing software even though setting any malicious software loose is a serious federal crime.

Viruses typically are designed to simply wreak havoc on your data and, less often, on your hardware. Other malicious software include “rootkits” that burrow almost undetectably into the very core of your computer operating system, and various forms of spyware that quietly send select data and possibly keystrokes such as passwords and PIN numbers, to a remote, often obscure location.

There’s not a single general method of exchanging data that will always be secure without taking some precautions. At one time, most malicious software was thought to spread through floppy disks — remember them? Probably, but only if you are more than 13 years old.

Back then, malicious e-mail attachments and even “free” picture and screen saver files were primary sources of external computer infections. More recently, malicious programs have been hitchhiking within ubiquitous USB flash drives and even digital photo frames.

In fact, the U.S. Army just banned the use of flash drives until further notice, and new Chinese digital photo frames were recently found to include hidden security-breaching software that could transfer to your computer by hitchhiking on your SD photo memory card. Are you feeling paranoid yet?

Yet, even if cyberdoom may someday occur, day-to-day computing can be fairly trouble-free if you take reasonable precautions. Avoid sharing data with users and computer systems that you don’t trust. Be careful about opening certain kinds of e-mail attachments, such as executable programs and files with embedded macros. Set your Windows system to limit the access of Java and ActiveX scripts.

There several basic lines of defense. First and foremost is to ensure that you have properly installed all Microsoft security patches. First, run Windows Update. Then, check whether your operating system’s basic security is current by running Belarc Advisor, available as a free download from www.belarc.com. Belarc is a recognized security provider to federal agencies and their free Advisor program not only does a comprehensive system audit, but identifies any missing or improperly installed security patches and includes a link that takes you directly to the Microsoft Web page that provides further information and, in most cases, a direct download of the missing security patches.

Another generally accepted, free security program is Spybot 1.6, which seeks out and deactivates spyware, a type of software that, in its least malicious form, silently tracks your Web surfing behavior to create a marketing profile of you that is transmitted without your knowledge to third parties and perhaps sold to advertising companies or scammers.

Internet “cookies,” which track your access to various Web sites, are among the most common but typically most benign sort of spyware. Much more dangerous spyware exists and you should periodically scan your computer for it using either Spybot or the spyware component of Internet security suites, such as AVG 8. One reputable source for Spybot is www.softpedia.org. The URL for Spybot 1.6 is http://www.softpedia.com/get/Internet/Popup-Ad-Spyware-Blockers/SpyBotSearch-Destroy.shtml.

You’ll need comp-rehensive security software to block attempts to infiltrate and infect your computer system. Norton Anti-virus used to be a favorite, in part because there was a time back in the old DOS command prompt days when Norton was about the only one around.

Several years ago, the Norton-branded software started losing favor because it was a resource hog that slowed down computer systems by as much as 30 percent, in my own tests, and because its somewhat dated programming approach seemed to introduce instabilities into Windows computer systems. As a result, other antivirus programs gained a foothold and ultimately expanded into fully functional security suites that now dominate the market.

At the moment, my favorite Internet security software is AVG Antivirus, now in version 8, and typically purchased by paid Internet download, although a free trial version is available. Grisoft (www.grisoft.com) publishes AVG Antivirus in the Czech Republic. (It’s OK — they’re now a member of NATO and switched to our side. )

AVG version 8 has several nice features: It’s updated several times a day and its subscriptions are both reasonably priced and run for two years. AVG 8 does not cause system instabilities and does not make heavy demands on a modern computer’s resources, and hence will not perceptibly slow it unless it’s doing a full hard disk scan.

The entire AVG security suite installs by default and is highly configurable to fit whatever blend of security, performance and ease of use most suits you.

You can easily configure each AVG module using the “components” submenu from the main AVG menu bar and then clicking on the component that you want to configure. When you configure AVG 8, ensure that the system updates itself and scans your system at least daily, even though scanning your computer temporarily slows it.

Automatically scan all incoming and outgoing e-mail and Web pages. Also scan all potentially infectable data and program files traveling solely within your system.

Enable “heuristic” analysis that spots suspicious software behavior even if that software doesn’t match any currently known virus. Enable the “rootkit,” “resident shield,” “Web shield” and spyware modules. Although AVG includes an optional firewall program, I still prefer using Microsoft’s Windows Firewall because it works more transparently. AVG’s firewall is so secure that I am often unable to even access my Internet connection and expose my system to potential virus infections and security breaches.

Now, that’s secure!

Local attorney Joseph Kashi received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from MIT and has been writing and lecturing about technology throughout the U.S. since 1990 for American Bar Association, Alaska Bar Association and private publications. He also owned a computer store in Soldotna between 1990 and 2000.

Plugged in: Take a hard look at software downloads for computer safety

Downloading and installing security and operating system updates is critical to maintaining computer safety. One of the most important approaches is to ensure your computer downloads and installs both routine and critical security and operating system updates from Microsoft. Although a few have been problematic, most work well and without fuss. You can turn on automatic updates by clicking on Start, Settings, Control Panel, Security Center.

Periodically make a manual check for other updates to your operating system and the proprietary software that interfaces your Windows installation and the specific hardware installed in your computer, such as video and network adapters. “Service Packs” are large, comprehensive upgrades that address many different security and reliability issues at one time. As a general rule, your computer should have the most recent service pack installed. Indeed, many programs will not even work properly if newer service packs are not installed.

To check for updates, click on Start, Windows Update. Internet Explorer will open and check what’s already installed on your computer and any available new updates. I suggest you use the Windows Update “Express” option several times until Windows advises that there are no more critical items to be installed on your computer. Then, try the “Custom” option to check for any optional updates to Windows components, such as Media Player 11, or newer software “drivers” that interface your computer hardware and operating system.

These are not necessarily critical items, but probably should be installed in most instances. Some optional items, such as Media Player, may require a shutdown and restart after installation, followed by a further Windows Update. Express check to see whether your newly installed optional software requires some security or reliability patches or a service pack installation. One might believe, not unreasonably, that the downloaded optional components already include all necessary security and reliability fixes, but that’s not necessarily Microsoft’s approach.

After ensuring that your system is up to date, use Internet Explorer’s Tools, Internet Options, to check your general Internet Explorer security settings, making a sensible balance between security and ease of use. Microsoft’s defaults are generally a fairly reasonable approach. Turn off the automatic execution by your browser of Javascript and Active-X components and ask to be prompted before running them. Doing so gives you at least a little bit of control over potentially rogue programs that might damage your system or compromise your privacy and security.

Next week, I’ll discuss third-party anti-virus and Internet security programs. Because of antitrust concerns arising in times past, Microsoft does not include any sort of anti-virus program with Windows. You’ll certainly need one.

Local attorney Joseph Kashi received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from MIT and has been writing and lecturing about technology throughout the U.S. since 1990 for American Bar Association, Alaska Bar Association and private publications. He also owned a computer store in Soldotna between 1990 and 2000.

Wired: Don’t pull the plug on computer security

Recent University of California-Berkeley data suggests that somewhere between 95 percent and 98 percent of all business records are originally electronic records produced and stored on personal computers and similar devices, and thus vulnerable to prying.

That statistic, along with concerns about hacking, identity theft, our heavy reliance upon the Internet and the daily bombardment of computer viruses, spyware, and other sneaky malicious software, should scare you about the security of your data. If you’re not a little paranoid about this, then perhaps you’re not being sufficiently careful.

The problem with electronic data security is that it’s usually either too little or too much. Striking the right balance between ease of use and Fort-Knox style security is difficult, particularly with wireless networks and broadband Internet connections. Here are some examples that I’ve run across recently.

Setting up a secure wireless network that authorized users can actually access without difficulty is often frustrating and time-consuming, which is one reason that a lot of wireless network users do not implement whatever security their hardware allows. While having lunch in Anchorage one day, I casually commented to an unknown nearby notebook computer user that I didn’t realize the restaurant had installed an Internet hot spot, only to be told that a nearby business’s wireless network was freely accessible to anyone. That’s far too insecure but very common. It’s also one major reason why I will not use a wireless network connection where business or other confidential data might be silently compromised. The other reason is wireless networking is very slow compared to the sort of fast hard-wired Ethernet connections that are now standard equipment.

A few years ago, I spoke about computer security at the American Bar Association’s annual technology conference in Chicago, placing a $20 bill on the podium and challenging audience members to see whether they could connect to my notebook computer. It took some of the audience members less than three minutes to do so, even though there were no nearby Internet “hot spots.” Most people don’t realize that the wireless connections of a Windows XP computer can silently make direct ad hoc connections to other unsecured XP computers, such that a stranger can read your files and write to them without your knowledge.

Indeed, in my own experiments, I’ve seen how a third party computer can even use XP’s network bridging feature to surreptitiously connect from one notebook computer’s wireless card to another wireless-equipped computer, and then use that rogue wireless connection to further connect to a business’ theoretically more secure hard-wired network.

Later that day, while waiting at O’Hare Airport for a flight back to Alaska, I startled a group of traveling Airborne soldiers by simply turning on my notebook computer, watching as it detected and connected to powered-up notebook computers being carried down the concourse. These people, of course, had not implemented even the rudimentary wireless network security available a few years ago.

Personally, I physically turn off all electrical power to my notebook computer’s wireless connection. That’s probably secure enough. By the way, Blue Tooth devices may be even less secure.

Microsoft announced the other day that it was automatically pushing a critical security correction to the tens of millions of Windows XP systems. Generally, when Microsoft automatically installs a security update on the average user’s computer, no questions are asked.

In this case, there should have been. The security release seems to cripple many existing anti-virus programs, which in turn prevent Microsoft’s own e-mail and Internet Explorer programs from even connecting to the Internet. That’s too secure. Thousands of users were affected, myself included.

After a number of phone calls to technical support and a fair bit of experimentation, I found that attempting to simply update security software either failed to solve the problem or became totally impractical because the glitch prevented any contact with the vendor’s Web site in the first place. The only reliable solution I found was to totally uninstall the Internet anti-virus and security program (not very secure there!), go directly to the vendor’s Web site, download the most recent anti-virus program version, and then completely reinstall and reactivate the anti-virus and Internet security software, a time-consuming and irritating exercise, assuming you can even find your old software license key and activation codes.

Not being able to access the Internet is probably the ultimate in network security, but that’s carrying matters rather too far.

Local attorney Joseph Kashi received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from MIT and has been writing and lecturing about technology throughout the U.S. since 1990 for American Bar Association, Alaska Bar Association and private publications. He also owned a computer store in Soldotna between 1990 and 2000.