02.22.10
Posted in Computer Repair at 8:49 pm by Administrator
- Norton AntiVirus Virus and Spyware Removal
Download and Run the Norton Removal Tool
If you have ever had issues uninstalling your Norton products at some point, then this is the tool for you. It is FREE and easy to use! I have never had an issue uninstalling Norton’s products until today.
I was trying to install Kaspersky Internet Security on my computer and I came across a problem. Prior to installing Kaspersky Internet Security on my computer, I had to uninstall Norton Internet Security from my computer. I followed the prompts and I even restarted my computer to complete the uninstall. When I started to install Kaspersky Internet Security I got an error that said I needed to uninstall Norton first. It made no sense to me because I had uninstalled it and it no longer appeared on the Uninstall Programs menu of the Control Panel. So I tried to restart the computer again and try to install the new antivirus software again and again did not work properly. So I googled for a removal tool.
Norton Removal Tool Download
The tool is very simple to use. Just click on the download link below and RUN or SAVE the application. Once open all you have to do is follow the simple screen prompt and once it finishes in a few minutes you should be able to install new antivirus software without any issues.
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02.15.10
Posted in Computer Repair, Malware at 4:01 am by Administrator
This will be my first job log post about a housecall I got this weekend. I received a call from a client to remove a nasty Trojan Horse from a computer. He described over the phone that his computer would log in and then log off and would not let him access his files. He adviced me that he needs his data on his computer because it is very important to him. As with any job I prepare my self to expect the unexpected. I got ready with my tools as always.
Upon arriving onsite, I tried to boot the computer to see what was going on. As the customer explained, the computer would boot properly then log in and log right now. The first steps I took I felt were necessary as they are worth a shot since they are easy to try. First attempt was to try to load Safe Mode–Failed. Second attempt, to load “Lask Good Known Configurations” — Failed. Finally, I tried to load UBCD which worked!
Prior to working on the computer, I performed a backup for the customer of the files that were important to him (just in case). You can’t ever be too sure. Prior to any of this, I arrived on-site with my gear and confidence with an estimate time of an hour to two hours max. After the backup was complete, I started to dig in a bit further with a File Explorer. I found a lot of nasty suspicious files on the root of the computer so I changed the extensions of them (just in case they turned out to be good; didn’t want to delete them). After looking through the temporary files and accounts, etc. I found more and more suspicious files. I then loaded the registry and loaded the account to see how that looked. I found that the path to the “userinit.exe” was incorrect, so I had figured out the problem! It was replaced by some kind of file on a different path. I rebooted the system and Ta da! it worked, the account loaded successfully (after 30 minutes). Next thing I saw when the profile loaded was Internet Security 2010. As we know this is malware we don’t want so I attempted to remove it. I followed the same procedure I usually do and then the virus removal went bad…
I used a program to remove the files I can’t find on the computer that are infected. When it finished it asked to reboot, so I did. Apperantly this computer was infected by the Vundo malware. As the computer was starting up it produced a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD). I thought that was strange so I rebooted again, and again I got the same 7E error. I tried to do the “Last Good Known Configuration” setting and still, no luck! Safe mode didn’t work either. I no longer knew what to do but to offer a re-installation of the system..
The customer agreed so I thought I would do a system repair first by replacing the system files with good ones. What this really was is the system recovery that was onboard but non destructive. This turned out to work perfect, his data intact and 4 hours later I was done.
It was amazing how a 1 hour job, took 3 additional hours because of a simple mistake that I thought was right.
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02.10.10
Posted in Uncategorized at 10:09 am by Administrator
Today February 10, 2010, approximally at 4:00 AM I felt the ground shake along with the rest of my house. I found out later that a lot of other people felt the ground shake from all throughout Elgin to Lake in The Hills and probably farther! First experience and it was a quick short one. I wonder what that was all about.
UPDATE:
It was just confirmed that the earquake was centered around Dekalb, IL with a magnitude of 4.3 miles. The tremors traveled up to 48 miles, from Dekalb to Virgil, IL, Sycamore, IL, Maple Park, IL, Aurora, IL, Chicago, IL and a few suburbs.
Source: Illinois Earthquake
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Posted in Malware at 3:31 am by Administrator
Toolbars on Internet Explorer
Toolbars Can Slow Down Your Browsing Experience
If your Internet Explorer looks like this image on the left, then you have a lot of unnecessary clutter on your browser. A clean browser will not have more than one or two toolbars. I prefer to have none.
When you open a browser it has to load all of the modules and add-ons that the user has installed. Obviously this slows down the process of opening the browser. Some of these add-ons are not harmful but they reduce the experience of browsing the web. When you first open your Internet Explorer, you may notice a delay in loading completely. Let’s learn where they come from and how to remove them and avoid future installations.
Where Do Toolbars Come From?
Toolbars usually come from other programs that you install for free on your computer. Usually these toolbars are bundled with other free software that you can find on the web. While some toolbars can benefit the end-user, most may cause compatibility issues and cause problems or downgrade performance. I personally don’t like toolbars on my browsers. Next time you install a free application from the internet, such as Limewire or Adobe Flash, if you notice when you install the program there will be a section where it asks to make a certain website your homepage, or install a free toolbar. Be careful because most users just hit NEXT, NEXT, NEXT, just to speed through the installation process and usually end up installing these toolbars without their knowledge.
How to Avoid Future Installation of Toolbars
As I mentioned above, next time you perform an installation, simply DECLINE or UN-CHECK the installation of any addons or toolbars. Don’t rush through the process of installing software, read through it and make sure you know what you are getting installed on your computer. Some of these toolbars (like MyWebSearch) can collect information for marketing purposes and send it back to a company for their benefit.
How to Uninstall Most Toolbars
Notice I say “most” toolbars. There may be a case or two about some toolbars that you can’t get rid of, such as the ones that come bundled with spyware or adware. However, most toolbars can be removed from the Control Panel. On most machines, it is located after you click on START then CONTROL PANEL. Next, go to Uninstall Programs or (ADD & REMOVE) then look for the name of the toolbar, which is usually displayed on the toolbar itself, and click on uninstall or remove. That will most likely do it!
Compatibility Issues with Toolbars
Sometimes if certain components or files are missing from a toolbar that is already installed on a browser it will prevent Internet Explorer from opening correctly. Sometimes what you will see are error messages or Internet Explorer will simply just close and not open. How are files missing you ask? Well when you run those programs that clean out viruses, spyware, etc. sometimes they classify these toolbars as nasties and remove some of their components and thus create an issue for Internet Explorer if not removed correctly.
How to Solve The Issues with Toolbars on Internet Explorer
If you have Internet Explorer 7 or 8, you can go to START>ALL PROGRAMS>ACCESSORIES>SYSTEM TOOLS> and click on Internet Explorer (No Addons) or (Safe Mode). What this will do is run Internet Explorer without any addons for diagnosing purposes. From there if it opens up correctly, I can guarantee that you had issues with the addons on the browser. There are two simple fixes.
Fixes:
- Remove Toolbars (Medium): Go to TOOLS then TOOLBARS, then Uncheck all the toolbars that you see there (IE7/8)
- Reset Settings (Easy): Go to TOOLS then INTERNET OPTIONS, then ADVANCED, then Click on Restore Advanced Settings and on Reset. Close Internet Explorer and Open it up again. Success!
This should usually take care of your problem. This is a very common problem I see on my client’s computers. Toolbars after toolbars installed on their browser. For better and faster and safer browsing, I recommend Mozilla Firefox! A much safer browser because it does not have all the nasty addons attached to it. It is not as targeted as Internet Explorer and vulnerable. It is faster.
Good luck!
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02.08.10
Posted in Malware at 5:53 pm by Administrator
Malicious Keylogger Software
What is a Keylogger?
Have you ever heard of the term “keylogger?” Well it is what it sounds like. Its primary function is to log, or record the keystrokes pressed on a computer. A keylogger is basically composed of two or three different components.
The Engine
The keylogging engine is basically a piece of software, typically small in size, whose task may be to log keystrokes and report back to the main software on the attackers machine. Note: we assume keyloggers to be used for malicious purposes in this article. There are keyloggers out there that “claim” to be for monitoring purposes only. However, keyloggers can be classified as malicious if the user is unaware of its presence. The engine will deposit itself to the victims computer in the form of an attachment through an email, or via other media like CD, Flash Drive, Floppy Disk, etc. Upon infection, the engine will typically create a copy of itself with a different name under the system folders to hide its presence. Most users will delete the file they received anyways, so it is a good tactic to create a copy of itself on your computer to run from the new location. For example.
John receives an email with an attachment called “pictures.exe,” John downloads pictures.exe to his desktop and opens it. He receives an error message that says “The file you are trying to view is corrupted” and then closes. John then deletes the file from the desktop and forgets all about it. In the background however what just took place is sneaky. Upon execution of pictures.exe, the file pictures.exe created a copy of itself to the hard drive with the name winupdate.exe and set itself to run every time the computer is turned on. This is the engine and is now logging every keystroke you type on the keyboard and sends it back to the attacker. All passwords, messages, emails, etc. will be logged and sent back to the attacker.
Today, keyloggers are less common since antivirus technology has been better about detecting their presence on a computer. While software keyloggers are the most common out there, there is also a hardware type of keylogger. It looks like a small usb adapter that attaches to the back of your computer between the computer and the keyboard connector. It has memory for storage so all keyboards that go through the keyboard, pass through the wire on the back of your computer and goes through that device and gets logged. This is a less common method by intruders on the outside, but more common to intruders that have daily access to your computer and can simply take that device any time they wish. These devices can be found online for about $50-$100, sometimes higher. They do not set off antivirus programs, so they are as stealth as can be!
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Posted in Malware at 9:25 am by Administrator
Virus and Spyware Removal
Virus & Spyware Presentation
FREE Download, learn about computer viruses and spyware. Learn where rogue spyware comes from, how to prevent infection and get a special discount code inside! This is a Powerpoint Presentation, works with 2003-2007 versions.
Download Here
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Posted in Cell Phones at 6:10 am by Administrator
New Sanyo Mirro 3810
New Boost Mobile Sanyo Mirro 3810 Now Available!
$79.99 MSRP
That’s right! the secret is out. Boost Mobile launched recently their new line of CDMA phones for Boost, powered by the Sprint Network. A text-addict’s delight!
- Digital Camera
- Multi-Media & Text Messaging
- GPS Enabled
- Hands-free Speaker Phone
- Bluetooth Capable
- High Resolution Screen
- Mirrored Surface
If you love to text and browse the web, this phone is a must have! For the price of this phone you are getting a bargain on this sweet deal!
We have been selling this phone like hot cakes. While it does have its great benefits, it also does have its downfall that some Boost users may not agree with. Like all CDMA phones, the new line from Boost Mobile does not include Walkie-Talkie, since the phones are not capable on the new network.
The good thing about this phone is that if you love to text or browse the web, this phone is perfect for that. We tested the text messaging and it is fabulous. Message sent, message recieved. No delays, No downloads. We have had customers complain about the text messaging on most of Boost Mobiles line (IDEN Series), which are all the phones that support Walkie-Talkie functions. Since these new phones are on the Sprint Network, we guarantee you will love the service. That’s right, all for just $50 a month!
Stop in today and test out this new phone while supplies last!
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Posted in Computer Repair at 4:33 am by Administrator
Hard Drive Fragmentation
Is your computer running slow? Do you hear “weird” noises coming from your hard disk inside your desktop computer or laptop? If yes, perhaps its time to defragment your hard drive!
What is Defragmentation?
When files are moved around or deleted on your computer, they typically become fragmented. Think of it as trash on the computer, kind of like temporary files that stay behind but you can’t really see them. The way the computer stores files on a hard drive is very intersting, but because this article is meant to stay short and simple, we won’t go into much detail. Basically, think of this. When a file is stored on the computer (hard drive), it is placed in the next available spot (lets call it A), then the next file in B, third in C, etc. When B is deleted, the computer can’t see it but it is still on the hard drive, now file D is created, but instead of it coming after C, its in place of B, and when A is moved around, now it exists after C, etc. When the computer searches for the file it looks for all it’s pieces that are scattered around the hard drive. The more fragmented the drive, the longer it takes for it to find all the pieces and give you that word file you were looking for, thus making it slow to retrieve it and essentially making the computer operate slower.
So what does defragmenting do? It looks for all the pieces and re-arranges them. That is basically all it does. It re-arranges the files on the hard disk to locate them faster. The noise you hear on the hard drive somestimes is when its looking for all the pieces. Try analyzing your computer with a FREE tool thats included with your operating system. Under Windows XP you can go to START>ALL PROGRAMS>ACCESSORIES>SYSTEM TOOLS> and click on “Disk Defragmenter.” Click on Analyze and see what it tells you. Normally if you have never used this tool before it will tell you that you need to defragment your hard drive. It normally takes a while to do depending on how bad it is and how big your drive is, but once it is done you may notice a slight diference in performance.
Piriform Defraggler
My favorite tool to defragment my hard drive is Pariform’s Defraggler. It’s free and easy to use. Try it out by clicking on the link. I noticed since I have not used my laptop in several months, that it was time to defrag because it would take a long time to load the operating system on startup and I didn’t have many programs running on startup. Also, it has 2GB memory so I thought something was wrong. Ofcourse I could hear the hard disk making the little noise I hear when I know it’s that time of the month 
If you have questions or need help or assistance with this tool please let me know! E-mail me at jespinosa@ctbytes.com with any questions you may have. Thanks!
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11.26.09
Posted in Uncategorized at 8:38 am by Administrator
When you have laptop or computer troubles where do you go? If you have not heard of our company, we are a local computer repair shop in Elgin IL. We service all types and brands of Windows computers. Our technicians are trained with the latest operating systems, like Windows Vista, XP, and Windows 7.
Computer repair services in Elgin IL. We offer the most affordable FLAT rates in our community! Stop in and see what makes us different.
Today, we had two laptops with LCD issues. Lately I have seen two or three laptops that the customers have had cracked LCD screens. We replaced two LCD screens for two different laptop computers and our customers were very satisfied with our prompt services. Check out our reviews at Yahoo Local to see what our customers have to say!
Wireless services have been picking up slowly as well. We also offer wireless cellular services. We offer Boost Mobile and Simple Mobile wireless cellular phones and plans. We buy and sell used phones and repair. Bring in your old phones, walk out with new ones!
Looking for a new computer? We are also building custom built computers. Since we became authorized retailers of Clear Wireless Fast Mobile Internet Services, we will be selling custom built desktop computers or laptops for amazing prices with a 2yr. agreement with Clear Wireless Internet services. At Computer TechBytes, we love to save our customers money! Spend it where it most matters, and this Holliday, save money by shopping with us.
Stop in our shop sometime, get your computer checkup for FREE! That is right, get a FREE checkup. We will analyze your computer and give you a detailed report about your system to see where you can use upgrades, or improvements.
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11.16.09
Posted in Uncategorized at 6:21 am by Administrator
If you are looking for used or new computer parts in Elgin or surrounding towns (South Elgin, Aurora, Crystal Lake, Algonquin, Lake In The Hills, St. Charles, Geneva, Schaumburg, Carpentersville) then stop in our shop today! We offer both new and used computer parts of all makes and models. Call us if you have questions at 847-531-2040 for more information.
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