IE8 SmartScreen Filter vs. Ad-Aware Download Guard vs. SpywareGuard – Part 3

This is the final part of this series of articles which we will discuss and check the performance of Ad-Aware's Download Guard and SmartScreen Filter in Internet Explorer 8.

Ad-Aware’s Download Guard for Internet Explorer

If you’ve upgraded from Ad-Aware Anniversary Edition to Ad-Aware 2010, you are aware that Lavasoft has added another real-time protection by installing a Browser Helper Object, DownloadGuardBHO.dll. This add-on will monitor your downloads using Internet Explorer v7 and v8. If a file is found malware, the “Open” button is disabled by Ad-Aware and you have the option to clean your PC by sending the unsafe file to Ad-Aware scanner.

I visited the websites that I listed in Part 2 of this article to proceed testing Ad-Aware’s Download Guard. The result: The Download Guard for Internet Explorer has prevented 6 unsafe downloads while detecting 19 files as clean. The Download Guard for IE is not effective during this test because not even half of the unsafe file is blocked. The items that it blocked were removed successfully by Ad-Aware. Below are some screenshots of unsafe files that Ad-Aware Download Guard have prevented or found clean.

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Internet Explorer’s SmartScreen Filter

Using the same web links that I used to test Ad-Aware's Download Guard and SpywareGuard, I put to test the SmartScreen Filter in Internet Explorer v8. To result is good: 14 out of 25 unsafe file or website was prevented by SmartScreen Filter. The screenshots below will show some of these results.

Extra test: Some might wonder how Firefox’s malware and fraud protection will work so I put Firefox to test too. The result: Firefox browser has blocked 5 out of 25 unsafe files only. It allowed downloading the 20 risks.

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Conclusion

SmartScreen Filter in Internet Explorer v8 is the clear winner in this browser security add-on comparison for IE! Here's hoping that the vendors or developers of Ad-Aware Download Guard and SpywareGuard (also Firefox!) will spend time in adding detection to their database to help protect the end-users. These security protections in browsers are never useless but considered as extra layer of protection, especially if no single malware scanner can detect all types of threats.

If you frequent using Internet Explorer or would like to take advantage of SmartScreen Filter, upgrade to version 8 soon! It supports XP, Vista and Windows Server 2003/2008. Windows 7 customers have IE8 already!

IE8 SmartScreen Filter vs. Ad-Aware Download Guard vs. SpywareGuard

Browser Helper Object for Internet Explorer is often found in end-users machine. Some are rogue BHO while others will help protect our computer and data in downloading unsafe file or in visiting fraud website. This article will discuss and compare the IE add-ons by Microsoft, Lavasoft & Javacool.

Windows Police Pro Removal Instructions

Windows Police Pro is a fake application that claims to be an antivirus scanner, but in reality it is a big threat to your computer system. It can cause severe damage to a computer, causing important services like svchost.exe to crash. I will provide you with Windows Police PRO removal instructions.

Windows Police PRO Removal Instructions

In order to remove Windows Police PRO, you first need to terminate all its related services currently running on your computer system. Some people have developed a sort of command file, which when executed, terminates all the running processes related to the Windows Police PRO application. However, the authenticity of the file can’t be verified. So, I recommend you to manually remove all the processes related to the application.

Step 1:

To remove the processes, press Ctrl + Alt + Del keys together, to open up Task Manager. Alternatively, you can right click on the taskbar, and then select Task Manager. In the Windows Task Manager window, click the processes tab and look for the following processes: “ANTI_files.exe”, “Windows Police Pro.exe”, “minix32.exe” and/or “dbsinit.exe”. Also, look for processes with name similar to the application name.

Step 2:

As a second step, you need to manually remove the registry entries related to the application. To do so, press Windows + R keys together to open the Run window. In the Run window, type “regedit” and press Enter key. In the Registry Editor window, browse for the following key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

Look for a value named “minix32” and remove its entry.

Step 3:

The third step is to unregister all the dlls that have been registered by the Windows Police PRO application. To unregister the dlls, press Windows + R keys together to open the Run window. In the Run window, type the following:

regsvr32 /u “DLL-NAME”

Following are the dlls that you need to place at the DLL-NAME: “msvcp80.dll”, “svcm80.dll”, “dddesot.dll“, “msvcr80.dll”.

If the dll unregisters successfully, you will be displayed a message, otherwise, you will have to type in the full location of the dll file, which might be present in the Windows Police PRO installation directory.

Step 4:

The last step is to remove all the directories of the Windows Police PRO application, after you have performed all the above three steps.

After you have completed all the above steps, you need to download Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware Download Link and perform a quick scan using this free application. This will ensure that all the traces of Windows Police PRO application has been removed from you r system. If this anti-malware application finds any traces of any threat, it will notify you and then, you can remove the remaining threats too.

Note: If the 3^rd step doesn’t work for you , then you can directly run Malwarebytes, but performing that step will guarantee that the application has been completely removed from your system and will no longer affect the performance and stability of your computer system.

How to Create a Bootable Windows Vista or Windows 7 Flash Drive - Preparing Flash Drive a

If you have ever had installed windows on your computer system, then you might be aware of all the tiny problems that you might encounter during installation. At times, it happens that the CD/DVD drive stops working or the CD/DVD itself gets corrupted.

Preparing Bootable Flash Drive

Alternatively, there could be too many scratches on the disk leading to a corrupt setup, in which case, you might have to skip many of the files during the windows installation. At least, I have been facing all these problems myself. Recently, I purchase a DELL Notebook, and to my bad luck, the CD/DVD-RW drive stopped working. I got it replaced 4 times, but no luck. Without even using the drive, it stopped working. So, I thought of using a USB or a flash drive, to install the windows and here, I am with this small easy to follow tutorial.

You need to have all the following things:

1. A flash drive
2. Windows Vista or Windows 7 Bootable DVD
3. Windows Vista or Windows 7 operating system
4. diskpart and bootsect utilities

Windows Vista and Windows 7 users already have the 2 utilities present on their operating system. However, if you don’t have these, then you can download them here: diskpart and bootsect

Step 1: I assume that you have the utilities preinstalled on your system. Press Windows + R key to open the Run Prompt. Type cmd and press Enter key to launch command prompt. You must use the command prompt in Administrator mode.

Alternatively, you can browse to the command prompt from Start Menu, Programs and then Accessories. Right click on the command prompt option and click “Run as Administrator” to open the command prompt with Administrator privileges.

Step 2: Plug-in your flash drive. On the command prompt, type the following command ‘diskpart’ and press Enter.

Step 3: Type the following commands line by line without the double quotes.

“List disk” - This will list the drives connected to your computer. My flash drive was listed as Disk 1

“Select disk 1” – This will select your flash drive.

“Clean” – This will clean the flash drive bringing it to a raw state.

“Create partition primary” – This will create a primary partition on the flash drive.

“Select partition 1” – This will select the primary partition.

“Active” - This will make the primary partition active.

“Format fs=NTFS quick” – This will format the flash drive in quick mode. If you want a full format, you can remove the quick option, but it will then take time depending on the size of the flash drive.

“Assign” – This will assign a drive letter to the flash drive.

“Exit” – This will exit the diskpart utility.

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Images Credit

Command Prompt screenshots by Microsoft

How to Create a Bootable Windows Vista or Windows 7 Flash Drive

Using a bootable CD or DVD to install Windows is a story. Today, embedded chips are being used everywhere from a flash drive to a digital watch, so why not move along with the technology. In this tutorial, I will guide you on How to Create a Bootable Windows Vista or Windows 7 Flash Drive

Lenovo Z560 Review

The Lenovo Z560 is an new mainstream multimedia laptop aimed at the heart of the laptop market. It promises solid performance at a reasonable price, but there are numerous laptops that compete in this same class. Can the Z560 stand out from the crowd?

Introduction

The Lenovo Z560 is a new laptop from Lenovo advertised as a multimedia laptop. With a display size of 15.6” inches and a weight of about 5.7 pounds, the Z560 is clearly a mainstream laptop targeted toward users who will primarily keep their laptop at home.

The review unit we received came with a Core i3 350M processor (2.26 GHz), 3GB of RAM, a 500GB hard drive and Intel HD graphics. The base price for this entry-level model is generally around $700 ($699 at the time of this writing).

Some significant upgrades are available if desired. A Core i7 dual core processor is available, but quad cores are not. The graphics can be upgraded to an Nvidia GeForce 310M or 315M. Upgrades to the RAM and hard drive are also available.

Impressions
Rating

Build quality is one of the Z560’s best traits. The first thing you notice about the laptop is, unfortunately, a glossy black lid (the only color option so far). However, the lid feels very sturdy when you raise it, and inside you’ll find a nice expanse of brushed aluminum that covers the palm-rest and extends around the enter keyboard.

The trackpad is responsive and has a great texture. The keyboard feels like it would not be entirely out of place on a ThinkPad. Flex exists, but is not readily apparent unless you go banging on the keyboard to look for it. The keys are well spaced and comfortable.

On the downside, the numpad on the right of the laptop is a disaster. It is crammed right next to the keyboard, requiring that some of the keys on the left side of the keyboard – like the Control, Enter and Backspace keys – be cut down or placed in an odd position.

Display quality isn’t great. Although large, the display resolution is a meager 1366x768. Viewing angles are poor, the backlight isn’t particularly bright, and the glossy finish is both distracting and unattractive. But having said all of this, it is hard to knock the Z560 down for these flaws, as virtually every other laptop in this price range has the exact same problems. It seems that you have to spend at least a grand to get a laptop with a decent display in today’s market.

Overall, Z560 leaves a good impression. It feels more expensive than it is.

Performance
Rating

The Core i3 processor in the Z560 runs at 2.26 GHz. It is fast, capable of converting 14 iTunes tracks to AAC in less than two minutes. It is more than adequate for the average laptop buyer. The 5400-RPM hard drive is capable of moving a 2.5GB file from one partition to another in about two and a half minutes, which is about the same as any other laptop with a 5400-RPM hard drive is capable of doing.

Although Intel HD graphics are standard, they do a very good job of accelerating video, which means the Z560 can easily handle any video file you throw at it. An included HDMI port allows for output to an external monitor or HDTV. Surprisingly, the Intel HD Graphics scored almost 1300 in 3DMark 06. That is very low when compared to most graphics solutions, but it is a big improvement over previous Intel integrated graphics solutions.

How to Reinstall Norton 360

If Norton 360 is damaged or corrupted, you can reinstall Norton 360 in simple steps. Follow the getting ready guide and reinstall guide in this article to enjoy again the total protection by Symantec.

Reinstalling Norton 360

Symantec Norton 360 is a total security suite providing antivirus, anti-spyware, firewall, tune-up utilities, identity protection and a backup utility. It is popular with many security suite users who want all in one protection for Windows. In some events, reinstalling Norton 360 is necessary, such as when the program is corrupted or damaged, or you want to upgrade the operating system using a clean install method.

Getting Ready Before Reinstalling Norton 360

It is quite easy to reinstall Norton 360 in Windows. However, you need to be ready before reinstalling. Use the steps below before reinstalling the product:

1. Take note of your Norton 360 product key. If you have a Norton Account already, your product key should be in your account. Log in to your Norton Account to copy or note the active product key you want to use.
2. Download the new version of Norton 360 from Symantec website. If you are a Norton 360 Premier edition customer, get it here. However, if you are using the Norton 360 Netbook edition, you have to download it from this location. Save the file to your desktop and do not open the downloaded executable yet. You are downloading the download manager of Norton 360 that will download Norton 360 installer.
3. Download BUdump.exe. BUdump.exe backs up your Norton 360 Secure Online Storage backup settings, and restores them when you reinstall Norton 360. If you don't use Norton 360's online storage, skip this step. Save it to your desktop but do not open yet.
4. Proceed to downloading Norton Removal tool. Save this on your desktop as well.

Reinstalling Norton 360

Now that you are ready to reinstall Norton 360, follow the steps below:

• Execute BUdump.exe to backup your Norton 360 online backup settings. Skip this step if you are not using the online backup by Norton.
• If Norton 360 is still installed on the PC, open the Norton Removal Tool (filename is Norton_Removal_Tool.exe) that you downloaded earlier. Note that you must not use this tool if you have other Norton products besides Norton 360 and Norton Online Backup. Proceed to remove Norton 360 using the removal tool. Reboot the computer for the changes to take effect. If Norton 360 is not installed on the PC, skip this step.
• Open the Norton download manager, which will download the edition of Norton 360. This is the file that you downloaded in step 2 of the previous section.
• Install Norton 360 standard, premium or netbook edition. Enter the product key and log in to your Norton Account during the install process so the product is verified and can sync to Symantec servers.

If you have to reinstall Norton Online Backup, simply login to Norton Online Backup website to download NortonOnlineBackup.exe and install it as well.

Image credit: Norton 360 UI screenshot taken by the author.

Avoiding and Diagnosing Laptop Heat Problems

Have you ever wondered does cooling the CPU in laptops make a difference? Learn here, how to make sure you don't cause your laptop to overheat during everyday use, especially at your home

Laptop Cooling

Does CPU cooling make a difference in your laptop's performance? You better believe it does. The main reason why even the newest model laptop computers don't have the same processors as desktop computers is because of heat issues. Laptops are so compact in the way they cram all the components inside that they don't leave much room for ventilation and heat dissipation. This means you must be careful not to block the air flow to and from your laptop. In this article, we'll discuss some of the best methods for keeping your laptop computer cool.

Cooling Pads

Laptop cooling pads do work, but they work even better when you buy the right one that is made for your computer. What they do is provide an extra set of fans that blow or pull air away from the underside of your computer, and they can really make a difference with some model laptops.

When shopping for a laptop cooling pad, you need to pay attention to where the fans are located if you want the most effective pad. Look on the bottom of your laptop and see where it's fans are, since sometimes they can be on the top or bottom or even in the middle. Then you can pick out a cooling pad based on fan location. The idea is to put the fans underneath where the laptop's fans are located. Otherwise, you might get the wrong kind of cooling pad and just be blowing air against plastic and not getting as much use out of the device.

(Image credit: Belkin.com)

Use Compressed Air

Every responsible computer owner should keep a can of compressed air at their desk. They are great for blasting away dust and other debris that clogs fans and disrupts the cooling process on your computer. Compressed air is especially helpful with laptops because you can't easily open up a laptop case like you can a desktop computer. I recommend flipping your laptop upside down and using compressed air to clean out any fans you see underneath. Not only will then help them to run better, but it'll also help keep them from wearing out too quickly and making noise.

Laptops and Pillows

It is not uncommon to see someone take a sofa pillow and put it in their lap, then place their laptop computer on top of the pillow. While this may be much more comfortable than putting the laptop on your legs, it is not good for the computer. The reason for this is that the thick cushion and fabric of the pillow will block airflow from the underside of the laptop. Not only will this make the laptop get hotter, but that could have a negative impact on your hardware's stability as well as the lifecycle.

The ideal way to keep comfortable while using a laptop is to get a cushion with a hard surface on top. A variety of these are available in stores all over the country, with some actually being called laptop cushions while others might be called a lap desk or something similar. Whatever the name may be, the purpose is to provide a solid surface upon which the laptop may sit so that air can get in from underneath.

Now that you know the answer to the question, does cooling CPU in laptops make a difference, for more information, be sure to check out our article on the best laptop desks and cooling pads

How to Fix Malwarebytes Error 732

Malwarebytes error 732 is seen by some end-users of the popular anti-malware program when opening or updating it. Find out how to solve this problem without having to call your local technician.

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Error 732

There are reports from some Malwarebytes Anti-Malware users of receiving error code 732 when opening or updating the program. The Malwarebytes error code 732 means there is a problem with internet connectivity. If your internet connection settings have been changed by legitimate software such as accelerator or proxy software or security software that uses proxy settings, you need to ensure that the internet options settings are configured correctly.

Malware infection in PC can cause modification in internet options as well, so follow the steps in this article to try to solve 732 error code when opening or updating Malwarebytes.

Steps to Solve Error Code 732

The connection settings used by many applications for Windows is based on the Internet Options settings in Windows. If you are using alternative browser as default browser, you still need to ensure that the Internet Options settings are correct and current.

To access Internet Options connection settings, click Start, click Run, type inetcpl.cpl and hit OK. Proceed by clicking the Connections tab and then the LAN settings button.

Check the box before Automatically detect settings and then click OK in the opened Internet Connection Properties to apply the changes. Note that you can also access Internet Settings by opening Internet Explorer, clicking the Tools menu and selecting Internet Options. Another method to access Internet Options without opening a browser window is by going to the Control Panel in Windows. Select Network and Internet Connection in XP or Network and Internet in Vista and Windows 7.

Proceed to updating Malwarebytes again to check if the above step has helped.

Other Method to Solve Malwarebytes Error Code 732

If the above step did not help solve Malwarebytes error 732, proceed to the next steps below:

• Check if Internet Explorer is set to online mode. To verify that the browser is in online mode, type or copy the line below in the Run or Search command in Windows (Start>Run in XP or Start>Search in Vista):

REG ADD "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings" /v GlobalUserOffline /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

• If you are using an accelerator such as NetZero accelerator, turn off 3G accelerator. See the help page in NetZero website.
• Some antivirus and firewall programs prevent Malwarebytes in running or updating the database. Add the following files by MBAM in the exclusion list of your antivirus program and configure the firewall to allow the communication by mbam.exe:

mbam.exe, mbamgui.exe, mbamservice.exe, zlib.dll, mbam.dll and mbamext.dll - the location is C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes Anti-Malware folder. mbam.sys and mbamswissarmy.sys, which is located in C:\Windows\System32\drivers folder.

If you are using Windows XP, add rules.ref in the exclusion list of antivirus program. It is located in C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Malwarebytes\Malwarebytes Anti-Malware.

For Vista and Windows 7 users, rules.ref is in C:\ProgramData\Malwarebytes\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware.

Disabled Internet Options in Windows

Some malware will disable Internet Options in Windows and this can prohibit programs, including Malwarebytes, from using the internet connection. You need to clean the malware or viruses from the computer to be able to update Malwarebytes again. Start Malwarebytes to scan the computer. If MBAM will not open due to error code 732 in its protection and update modules, reboot the computer to Safe Mode and try scanning the system. See if MBAM found any malware infection and let it remove the found threats.

If there is no malware infection in the computer but Internet Options is disabled, try enabling it using the registry editor in Windows:

• Type regedit.exe in the Run box in XP or in Search box in Vista and Windows 7
• Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Policies/Microsoft/Internet Explorer/Restrictions key. At the right pane, locate the NoBrowserOptions value data. Open it and change the value to 0 to enable Internet Options.

You can also enable Internet Options using the Local Group Policy Editor in Windows. Type gpedit.msc in Run or Search box after clicking the Start button. Note that users of Home editions of Windows do not have access to Local Group Policy Editor.

• User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Internet Explorer > Internet Control Panel. At the right pane, make sure that below settings are set to Not configured.

• Proceed by opening Internet Options, which should now be enabled, and ensure the settings are correct. Start updating Malwarebytes Anti-Malware again.