What did we learn from our previous article and our investigation with the multitude of speed tests that are available?  We found out that there are considerable discrepancies in test results.  If you missed our previous article – click here.  We also found it difficult to determine if the results were based on averages or the top speeds that are achieved during the test.

We have one more batch of observations to make about these four speed tests.  We recommend that you pick out one speed test that suits your needs and try to stick with it to be able to compare your results over time.

Now that we have provided you with more information to better choose a site that you can use on a regular basis you are in a better position to assess if your connection is an issue.

Slow Downs and Jitter:

Jitter is a technical term.  Although it doesn’t sound very technical, it relates to the quality of your connection.  For example, if you are having a video chat or you are watching a streamed video and there are delays and interruptions, this is referred to as jitter.  What is happening is data is transferred to you in packets and when they are not arriving in a steady stream you experiences disruptions or shaky pulses.

Another factor in connection speed relates to how many connections are between you and the source (or the receiver if you are uploading data).  We can refer to these connections as hops.  It’s like traveling from one city to another but there are various roads and interstate highways in-between.  The slowest and less maintained of these roadways will be the “bottleneck”.

The other critical factor to consider in our data route is the potential bottleneck that can be from your hardware (wireless router or modem) or with your PC.  This is the real challenge – determining whether the slow down you may be experiencing is due to something wrong at your end or as a result of connectivity conditions.

Let’s break our investigation down between items that are outside of our control and ones that are in our local terrain.

External Issues

At Our End

How to Improve Your Speed:

Up to this point we have given some very useful information on how to test your Internet connection speed.  This is a very useful tool for your PC bag of tips and tricks.  We are now ready to move on to the next step… working on improving your speed.  First we need to check and rule out whether there are no other factors first requiring your attention.  Here are the top three items we would look at specifically if you were to require support relating to speed issues.

Internet TuneUp

Having unwanted applications can also cause browser issues.  Regardless of what browser type you are using, you can take full advantage of the Uninstaller tool available with PC Clean Maestro to remove recently added programs. Follow this link to find out about repairing your browser.

Now you are ready to deal with any networking issues by using the tune up tool available with PC TuneUp Maestro.  This tool analyzes your computer and provides a recommended list of items that will bring about Internet performance improvements.  The analysis focuses on PC areas that can benefit from a performance tuning and the results providing only the recommendations relevant to your system.  You can also use the Advanced Settings to configure the individual Internet TuneUp items.

Here are the steps:

In Summary:

The knowledge presented here is intended to equip you with the necessary skills to assess Internet connectivity.  While we have covered a fair amount of area, we do feel that you can gain a great level of confidence and familiarity when it comes to assessing the conditions related to Internet connectivity.  With this in hand you are better able to speak to your Internet Service Provider if the bottleneck is indeed at their end.

The post Improve Internet Speed appeared first on CompuClever.

We have chosen six of the most popular articles from 2014. Here is an overview of these articles in three categories:

Privacy / Security:
– Identify and Clean Cookies (July)
– Virus vs PUP and How to Remove Both (Sept)

TuneUp / Clean Up:
– Improve Startup (Aug)
– Spring PC Cleaning (June)

Support:
– CompuClever Free Functionality (Oct)
– DIY vs. Repair Shop (Nov)

Here are the PC enhancement articles for 2014.

Identify and Clean Cookies

About: Not all cookies are created equal. Cookies are created when browsing to particular web pages. While most are safe – especially when coming from a trusted source – not all are. While cookies cannot infect your PC, there can be potential dangers related to security and privacy.

Action: You can prevent cookies from being stored and you can delete existing ones. We focus on removal beginning with backing up your data. When you data is secure… PC Clean Maestro is well equipped to scan, display, and clean cookies and other items that are security or privacy risks. We also include information on how to set up your browser for DNT – Do Not Track mode.
Read the entire article here…

DIY vs. Repair Shop

About: In this article we give warning to anyone who blindly takes their PC to a repair shop. We highlight one case where a particular gentleman had been ripped off by a technician who blamed the cause of his PC troubles on a computer cookie planted by CompuClever! This brings up the question – who can you trust? Checking credentials is paramount. For example, CompuClever applications have approved Microsoft and Intel certification.

Action: This article assists the reader in determining if the cause of their issues is from unwanted software or from a virus. We empower the reader to take the right steps before putting trust in someone who claims to be an expert.

Read the entire article here…

CompuClever Free Functionality

About: We’re very familiar with the notion of “free” but… with strings attached. We see this whenever we download a free application and it includes around three or more extra bits of software that you have to carefully remove during the installation process. We took the opportunity to introduce our applications and show how anyone can use some of their functionality for free indefinitely.

Action: If you have purchased one of the CompuClever applications and you like what you see… here’s your chance to try out one of the others for free. If you want the full program you can upgrade at any time of your choosing. Here are some examples of the free functionality available:

Read the entire article here…

Virus vs PUP and How to Remove Both

About: This subject matter is complex and involved. We focus on simplifying it as best we can to define virus and PUP – Potentially Unwanted Programs. We find that users often feel that the occurrence of PUPs can mean they have a virus. This is not necessarily true and we want to empower our readers to take action.

Action: It makes sense to work on the symptoms first. If you have unwanted behaviours coming from an unknown source, you can begin by identifying the source. PC Clean Maestro comes with a newly upgraded Uninstaller tool that can assist you to examine what is a trusted application so you can remove what is not. As for viruses, there are free tools available and there are paid applications. We recommend the best place to start is with trusted free tools from Microsoft.

Read the article here…

Improve Startup

About: We focus on one area of poor performance which can be very annoying – the startup time of your PC. Although we can’t expect that our PC will run as fast as when we first purchased it, we can adjust what programs first get started when powering up.

Action: You are instructed on how to use PC TuneUp Maestro’s Optimize PC tool. You will find it easy to review all the programs displayed in the list. Once you have done so you can customize how they perform at startup by disabling or enabling any item in the list.
Read the entire article here…

Spring PC Cleaning

About: This article is one of our favorites as it appeals to our instinct to clean and organize and we have used very easy and straightforward steps. In terms of “clean” we refer to removing clutter and backing up files we want to keep. By doing so we improve the performance of the PC and make our lives a lot easier in terms of accessing the files and data we need.

Action: If you are getting the feeling you have a lot of files on your PC and space may eventually be an issue… here is your chance to follow some easy steps. They include:

By managing your files you are actively preventing performance degradation and you can take comfort in the fact that the files you value highly are safe!
Read the entire article here…

The post New Year’s PC Resolution appeared first on CompuClever.

Here is what we will cover:

Without getting into too many of the details and specifics of this technology we will point out some basics.

Components

We will focus on components related to what we see when we bring up our web browser, namely the user interface.  We will also talk about the items that are referred to as “extensions” that can be added to a browser after you have installed it.

Typically the user interface (UI) consists of three areas:

The toolbar is used for navigational purposes as it has buttons such as back, forward, refresh, stop, and home (to get you back to your homepage).  It also has an address bar so you can type in a web address and you likely have a search bar to enter in words that can bring up a list of applicable web pages to the subject you are interested.

Two Most Frequently Altered Areas of the Browser: We get a lot of feedback and reports of how alterations have been made to the Search engine and the homepage.  The Search engine is designed to search for information and content on the Internet.  Examples include Google, Bing, Ask, Yahoo! Search and the like.  These are sophisticated programs that crawl the web and quickly provide results of your inquiry.  A homepage is the page you first see and want to access when you open your browser.

All users want to make a choice of a Search engine and homepage that they are both familiar with and meet their needs.  It becomes all that more frustrating when installing something that modifies these areas of your browser without consent.  We will show you how to return your browser to its default settings in a later section of the article.

Extensions: Components that can be added to the browser to increase functionality are referred to as extensions.  These can be in the form of toolbars and other add-ons or plug-ins.  Examples include toolbar extensions to provide some specific functionality such as web searching using a specific search engine, better access to installed applications, or providing convenient links or categorizations of media sites.  In some cases they can provide extra functionality as with Ad blockers that block ads on the sites you visit and terminate items that collect and send your data.  The challenge with all extensions is identifying what each of these are, making absolutely sure they are from trusted sources, and knowing that they are not bogging down your browsing experience.

Top Picks:

Google Chrome came into the browser fray in 2008 and this brought about new advances in browser technology in terms of speed, standards, and design which forced the other players to catch up.  And catch up they did.  One review by PCMag put the independent open source Mozilla Firefox at the top of their list for best browser:

But the “best” is a matter of preference and to a large extent will depend on your needs. The three most commonly used browsers are: Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Microsoft IE.  These take top honors and we can focus our attention on them.

Most Popular:  In terms of popularity, at this time Google Chrome ranks number one, with Mozilla Firefox second and IE in third place.^[2]

Speed: Most reports^[3,4] related to speed (startup and web page load times), put Chrome at the top followed by Firefox and then IE.  It is important to note, no browser reviewed here is in any way sluggish and there are trade-offs for speed as described below.  Based on our experience of browsers, we concur with these findings.

Operating System (OS): Finding the right browser can depend to a great extent on what OS you are running on your PC.

Privacy: The three browsers each have private browsing modes.  Firefox and Chrome lead the way in this arena.  Note: browser privacy means not saving cookies or browsing history but does not protect you from websites that can collect or share information about you.  To take it to the next level you need to look into extensions, such as HTTPS Everywhere, Disconnect, or AdBlock Plus.

Extensions:  Firefox takes top place with a combination of add-ons, pin tabs, web apps and more.  Next in line is Chrome which taps into Chrome desktop apps and Google Now notifications.

Price:  When making your choice you will want to know what the costs are and what it takes to try out a new browser.  Internet Explorer is included with Windows operating systems and can be downloaded for free.  All browsers are free to download and run and you simply have to go to the website (such as Mozilla.org or Google.com).  This makes it possible to pick and choose one – or more than one – without worrying about the price tag.

Browser Clean Up with PC Clean Maestro

:
Making a decision about which browser to use could depend largely on how well you can customize it and take advantage of extended functionality.  However, some things have a way of taking on a life of their own.  You can start off small – with the basics – and soon you have more than you bargained for.  This can happen all too easily with browser extensions.  At times these little program tidbits can get installed without our expressed knowledge or consent.  Situations occur where your homepage or our favorite search engine is modified.  In the worst case scenario, rogue or malicious software can make alterations we do not want.

The most recent version of PC Clean Maestro now comes with new functionality to provide you the ability to examine browser extensions and disable them.  Once you open the program you can click on the “Browsers” tab in the left pane and you will see the following:

Now the steps are easy…

You’ll note with the example above that extensions are organized in categories specific to the type of browser you are using.  Also, as in this case, more than one browser can be installed to your system and you can examine these one at a time using the tabs at the top (for example, “Chrome” or “Firefox”).

Restoring Settings:  You can easily restore the browser settings that you had by default when first using your browser.  This is especially useful if they have been altered without your consent.  Frequently, new software installations like to make changes to your search engine or your homepage to direct your web surfing.  To restore your settings do the following:

In Summary:

Being able to pick a winner from the top three most popular browsers is a personal decision for most of us but one that needs to be based on PC capabilities and individual needs.  We appreciate that there are these choices available to us and that the competition spurs on better technology.  We promote good ethics when it comes to PC technology.  Browser extensions need to be installed with our knowledge and consent and from trusted sources.  PC Clean Maestro offers the ability to have you turn off add-ons that are unwanted.

We will continue to provide story lines like this that benefit all of us and we will describe them in a manner that is within reach of everyday computer users.  If you have some ideas of topics you would like us to cover, email us at: newsletter@compuclever.com

The post Browsing for browsers appeared first on CompuClever.

Here is the article menu du jour:

• Background:  We’ll start with the background story of one man’s experience with a not-so-honest repair shop.
• Assessment:  How to assess what’s up with your PC.
• What to Do:  Get the right tools and utilize the services that are available.
• Repair Shop Pointers:  When all else fails and you need to take your PC to a paid professional.

Background

In today’s world, certain buzz words can cause a great deal of stress and concern such as “terrorism” and “virus” (in this case PC virus or “malware”).  We all look on those responsible for the creation of these as being deplorable.  And then there are those that reap a reward by taking advantage of the fear generated from these malevolent and disruptive acts.  In our example we highlight a true case that came directly to us when a PC repair shop accused our software of infecting a user’s PC.  Let’s start with the details.

In the spring of 2013 we received correspondence from a Consumer Protection agency on behalf of a private individual who had been charged a fee for services incurred by a PC repair shop (name withheld).  The specifics begin with a frustrated man who was unable to get an online connection and decided to take his computer to a repair shop.  The technician there said he needed a new hard drive in order to back up his data and that they would need to reinstall his operating system.  This was all done to the excessive tune of $340.

What strikes us as interesting up to this point, and we will put aside how purchasing an external HD can be done fairly cheaply and how it was likely unnecessary to reinstall the OS… what really is of concern is that it could have simply been something related to configuring his online connection.  What is the most outlandish aspect of this story, and how it specifically came to our attention, was that the repair technician had stated that CompuClever Systems had purposefully placed malware on his computer by planting a cookie without the user’s knowledge or consent while he was online.  There was also an accusation that CompuClever software was on his system by means of a silent install.  In the end, this individual put his trust in the repair shop technician, made all these changes to his system and paid a fee far in advance of what was required.

Assessment:

Let’s just say upfront – there are grey areas when determining causes of PC issues.  When it comes to examining symptoms it is a challenge to determine if the culprit is a virus or something else.  Certain conditions such as a slow performing computer, popup messages, applications slow to open, are common to both malware related causes or items referred to as PUP – Potentially Unwanted Programs.  The best thing to do is to retrace your steps and find what the most recent changes were leading up to the issue.  If you can identify some software that was installed on your system you can then begin to examine it more closely – was it from a trusted source or is it a known virus?

Trusted Source: If you have done an examination and find that there are PC cookies on your system be advised – this is not an indication of a virus or malicious program.  As our readership is aware from our previous article on this matter, it is not possible to infect a computer using PC “cookies” – they cannot run programs that deliver viruses or malware to your PC and they cannot access your PC.  We recommend removal of cookies from unknown sources and keeping those from trusted sources.

A definite way to tell the source is a trusted one is to check credentials.  For example, CompuClever Systems is certified as a Microsoft Partner and an Intel Software Partner.  As such explicit user consent is required to install software certified through Microsoft and Intel.  In order to get this kind of Microsoft and Intel certification the software must not contain any virus, malware, or other forms of destructive code.  This means the software undergoes rigorous and thorough review.  Not only does this level of software require user consent to install, all certified software must completely uninstall at the request of the user and at his/her sole discretion without any confusion or any complications.  So… if the disgruntled user in our background story was in the least bit uncertain about CompuClever software he could simply uninstall it.  Or, he could have contacted us and we could assist him in uninstalling it.  What other software companies can uphold this level of support and service?

It is vital to use proper discretion when installing items to your PC.  As we have pointed out in previous articles there are cases where you want to install one program and you end up getting a bundle of apps some of which include annoying popup messages.  Reading the fine print as you go from one page to the next during the install process is critical.  In most cases you have the option of selecting only the program you want to install.

Virus / Malware: Without going into too much detail we will revisit this area briefly and encourage you to look more deeply into the differences between virus/malware and other PC annoyances and unwanted programs.   For more information on this see our article: Virus vs PUP. We also have covered “foistware” – the annoying software that has been forced onto your PC.  See this article for more information.

Basically, a virus is a type of malware (malicious software program), that is installed on your system without consent and will replicate itself in whole or in part.  It behaves in a manner that can be thought of as an infection by targeting one or more areas of your PC.  You can often expect to experience harmful activities or negative impacts such as monopolizing system resources (disk space and CPU), gaining access to private data, sending out spam content, corrupting data on the system, and displaying messages on the screen (popups).

The following are definite and true characteristics of a virus/malware infection:

If something has gotten onto your system without your knowledge or consent you have some options available to you: find a solution online, try out a trusted virus removal product, get available technical support (by phone), or… take your PC to a repair shop.

What to Do:

Free Solutions:  Do you have anti-virus protection for your PC and is it active?  Recent Windows operating systems provide anti-virus protection (see article: Virus vs. PUP).  There are also other third-party anti-virus tools available and some are even free.  We encourage you to go online and research this by using customer reviews and finding out whether there is a solution that meets your needs.  We are confident that in the very least anti-virus tools will not steer you in the wrong direction by placing the blame on legitimate software.  The shortcoming here is that they may not get the job done that is specific to your problem.  If so, you can take it to the next level… get some support that is available to you.

Available Support:  CompuClever offers a TuneUp Service for performance related issues as an alternative to taking your PC to the repair shop.  What you get is a one-on-one direct PC tuneup service through phone and remote desktop connection.  With remote desktop connection we are able to view and run your desktop environment from our offices to assist with your issues.

This service is conducted by our senior technical support specialists and our aim is to solve your PC performance issues and enrich your experience and knowledge of our software solutions with our assistance.  The list of symptoms and issues we address include the following:

If your PC issues are outside our scope of items listed here we will give you our recommendation of taking your PC to a computer shop for hands on repair.  We would also give advice on options related to necessity of repair service and whether the cost of repair is reasonable versus purchasing new.

PC Repair Shop:

Be aware – PC repair shops can rip you off!  An easy way to make a quick buck as with our example in this article is to take advantage of a situation where it is difficult to know the root cause of an issue as well as the actual repair effort that went into the fix.  As with any professional that gives you advice and offers their service, you have to ask the right questions up front before any work starts.  Here are the questions you need to ask:

What you should expect to get in terms of answers are:

Other tips:

Keep in mind that you may have to pay a minimum fee – usually the first hour – just for them to look at your PC.  It’s worthwhile to check into this as well.  Also, check to see what the reputation of the company is beforehand.  AND, as with any professional services – get a second quote for purposes of comparison.

In Summary:

At CompuClever we are committed to creating PC utility software that improves the performance of your PC and we also offer support designed to address PC issues related to performance.  You can save yourself time, money, and headaches by looking for solutions that address your PC issues rather than getting stuck with a bill from a disreputable PC repair shop.

We will continue to provide story lines like this that benefit all of us and we will describe them in a manner that is within reach of everyday computer users.  If you have some ideas of topics you would like us to cover, email us at: newsletter@compuclever.com

The post DIY vs. Repair Shop appeared first on CompuClever.

CompuClever offers four programs including: PC TuneUp Maestro, PC Clean Maestro, Ultra eBook Reader, and Ultra File Opener. We will provide a description of each product, introduce what each product is capable of, and highlight the free functionality that is available with that product.

PC TuneUp Maestro

PC TuneUp Maestro is the most advanced suite of PC maintenance software tools available. PC TuneUp Maestro uses advanced error analysis and resolution technology to fix, clean, and optimize your system.  You get a stable and reliable PC that runs at peak performance like when you first began operating it.

Free function list

PC Clean Maestro

Your PC can store unwanted “junk” files and traces of your personal information including passwords, credit card information, and email / chat communications.  As a result your PC runs slower and exposes you and your family to identity and security theft. PC Clean Maestro removes unwanted files and it eliminates confidential information so your PC is clean and safe.  It also comes equipped with an Uninstaller tool to help you identify and remove applications you no longer need or use.

Free function list

Ultra File Opener

Ultra File Opener (UFO) is the ultimate viewer for opening PC files.  Hundreds of different file types are supported, including images, text files, archive files, audio and video files, and data files.  Equipped with Hex Decoding technology, UFO is capable of opening files of any type.  You can view images, text files, and the contents of archive files.  You can also choose from a number of functions for each of these file types including printing, converting, and extracting.  UFO also enables you to manage the default file association so each file format is handled by the program you want.

Free function list

Ultra eBook Reader

Open an eBook directly on your PC or device and enjoy the ultimate PC reading experience. Ultra eBook Reader supports 12 of the most popular file types.  You can view your eBook using a variety of display modes.  If you have touch screen support you can use pinch-to-zoom and multi-touch functionality.  You can navigate using bookmarks and with the table of contents, as well as taking advantage of the search functionality. You can create bookmarks and link to them in the Bookmark pane.  You can even print your eBook.

Free function list

Read this article to learn more about how you can use Ultra eBook Reader to enhance your reading experience using your existing computer.

In Summary:

At CompuClever we are committed to creating PC utility software that improves the performance of your PC.  We also offer programs such as our Ultra eBook Reader for the everyday user that makes day-to-day computing more rewarding.  We combine our products and our service to offer a professional package to meet our user’s needs.  Look for our program updates such as a new and improved Uninstaller for PC Clean Maestro, as we continue to improve our offerings to you.

We hope this article has helped gain some knowledge about our product lines and stimulated your interest of trying some of the aforementioned free functionality to make your day-to-day use of computers more enjoyable and productive.  We will continue to provide story lines like this that benefit all of us and we will describe them in a manner that is within reach of everyday computer users.  If you have some ideas of topics you would like us to cover, email us at: newsletter@compuclever.com

The post CompuClever Free Functionality appeared first on CompuClever.

How could a PUP be unwanted?  Well, in this case, we are not referring to a fluffy, playful dog or even Power Pup the Office Assistant.  We’re referring to a term that is increasingly being used to describe Potentially Unwanted Programs.  We are likely all too familiar with a virus infection; your PC becomes infected when opening something such as an email attachment or having something downloaded without your consent when visiting an infected website – even ones that are considered legitimate can be sabotaged.  A PUP on the other hand can be installed with your consent – even though you may not know it.

Let’s Get Started!

We’re going to look at a general definition and description of these two types of PC predicaments.

Virus

A virus is a type of malware (malicious software program), that is installed on your system without consent and will replicate itself in whole or in part.  It behaves in a manner that can be thought of as an infection by targeting one or more areas of your PC.  You can often expect to experience harmful activities or negative impacts such as monopolizing system resources (disk space and CPU), gaining access to private data, sending out spam content, corrupting data on the system, and displaying messages on the screen (popups).  While these harmful behaviours are typically expected not all viruses come equipped with a damaging payload.
Other traits:

PUP

This term, short for Potentially Unwanted Program, refers to items that may be unwanted.  This can include spyware (tracking software that gathers information), adware (where advertisements are displayed during operation), and dialers (if you have a modem, a dialer can make pay-per-call phone calls to other computers).  Most frequently it includes items you downloaded but without explicit consent.  In other words, you said yes but didn’t read the fine print.  One or more PUPs are most often downloaded along with software that you did in fact want (bundled together).  These items can bog down your system and can cause poor PC performance.

In a previous article we introduced “foistware” – a term derived from the word “foist” which is to foist upon or impose fraudulently or unjustifiably as with inferior merchandise on a customer.  This includes software that gets installed in addition to software you intended to install without your full knowledge or through stealthy methods such as being bundled with software you actually want.  The result can take the form of:

Unlike a virus, a PUP does not have the ability to replicate itself.  As for “unwanted”, they can include behaviours that result in negative impacts such as popups and annoying messages appearing and resources being excessively utilized (hard drive space or CPU).

Software vendors use bundling techniques frequently when offering a free application.  We have mentioned in previous articles how “free” is not always free; this is yet another example.  This is yet another example.  To gain revenue a software vendor will partner with a less desirable software creator to deliver a bundled program that requires you to carefully select what you are installing during the install process as we soon point out.  Once on your system, the manufactures of the less desired software provide advertisement or benefit from you clicking to their site.

These types of unwanted programs are not technically malware but have undesirable side effects for your PC as listed above.  Side effects can also include slower performance as these items will launch processes that run in the background.

Treatments:

There are ways of treating these PC plights.  However, as can be expected there is not one solution that works in all instances.  You cannot expect anti-virus tools to work for items that have been installed to your system with your consent albeit using dodgy methods.  We are going to reverse the order here and start with what should be easier to deal with –potentially unwanted programs.  If you cannot deal with them using these methods… chances are you are dealing with something more malicious.

Remove PUP

The process of removing a PUP is to begin by identifying it.  With PC Clean Maestro you can use the Uninstaller tool.  Begin by opening the program and following these steps:

1. Click the Uninstaller button in the left navigation bar.
2. The Uninstaller tool will appear and a complete list of programs is displayed as seen here:

1. Review the list by selecting any item and use the Program Information in the right pane to help identify programs.
2. If there are items you do not know and you are unsure if you should remove the item go online to better verify it.  You can enter the program name in the Should I Remove It website.  This site provides removal percentages and ratings for a wide range of programs.
3. Return back to PC Clean Maestro when making your decision and uninstall the item if you are certain you do not need it using the Uninstall button.

Clean Virus

There are free anti-virus tools that have been developed and there are pay-to-use solutions that are part of a multi-billion dollar industry.  Unfortunately, no one software program can provide 100% protection and offer the ability to remove all types of viruses as there are countless known viruses and new ones constantly being introduced.  New viruses that appear take time for the creators of anti-virus programs to include in their arsenal of protection.  This is why constant updating of these kinds of programs is required.  Fortunately free tools are open source; that is, free and open for anyone to run, modify and update so as to be available to the public domain.

Detection and Prevention:

To prevent a PUP from being downloaded to your system you need to be very vigilant when downloading anything.  This means you need to detect when a program is bundled with other add-ons during the installation process.   When installing software you typically see a step-by-step install wizard that guides you through the process and offers you choices along the way.  The choices you make – even during the EULA (End User License Agreement) – will determine what you accept to be downloaded.

We recommend that you follow this link for a very clear, step-by-step example of potentially unwanted programs and how you can detect and avoid downloading these unwanted apps.

In Summary:

Even when software is installed to your system using legitimate means there are instances when additional software and add-ons, sometimes referred to as “crapware”, are included.  What you get isn’t what you see.  Removal can be questionable when you don’t know what you are dealing with.  With the information provided here you now have the tools and knowledge to better identify these and to remove them.

We hope this article has helped gain some insight and offered you some effective strategies on cleaning your PC.  We will continue to provide story lines like this that benefit all of us and we will describe them in a manner that is within reach of everyday computer users.  If you have some ideas of topics you would like us to cover, email us at: newsletter@compuclever.com

The post Virus vs. PUP and how to remove both appeared first on CompuClever.

This article begins with information about cookies: what they are and what we recommend you do about them.  We will also be covering information related to using PC Clean Maestro.  In this way you are more informed about remaining secure and keeping your information private.

Cookie!

A cookie is a file that is sent from a website when you browse to that site.  Every time you visit the same site the Internet browser sends the cookie from your PC to a server to notify the website of the user’s previous activity.  In this way it is easier to login in to some sites that you have previously visited because your name is already present so you only have to add in your password.  Cookies also track information related to your browsing activities such as items in a shopping cart.  Microsoft states:

Microsoft goes on to mention that they use cookies as they provide information as to how often you visit pages so they can determine what information interests you.  In this way, they provide more of the content you like and less of the content you don’t.  For some websites, you can read this as: providing marketing content in the form of advertisements.  In some cases it means keeping track of items you put into a shopping cart in previous sessions when you did not complete the purchase.

As we mentioned, a cookie tells a web server that you have returned to a specific page.  If you personalize a web page, or you have registered for products or services, a cookie can recall your specific information.  For some people, they may appreciate that this is a simplified way to process your personal information, such as billing and shipping addresses, and so on.  The information you previously provided can be retrieved for you.

What are the dangers? It is true – cookies are not malicious in and of themselves.  They cannot run programs that deliver viruses or malware to your PC.  Cookies cannot access your PC.  In terms of security and privacy there is a potential threat.  There are those that say that we commonly reveal our personal information in systems that are designed to provide convenience (frequent buyer cards, automatic payments from our banks, etc.).  These proponents of convenience also point out that in terms of privacy, grocery stores know what we eat, gas stations know what we spend on gas, and banks know what we spend each month.  However… the difference is, with cookies the information is on your PC along with access to your personal and financial data.  It is a vault that holds details you do not want to fall into the wrong hands.  Should someone gain access they could do considerable damage.  Some cookie to be cautious and aware of include:

For a complete list of types of cookies and the known drawbacks see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTTP_cookie

What are the options? You can both delete and prevent cookies from being stored on your PC.  Management of PC cookies is something each of us has to decide on.  You will need to examine the trade-offs and benefits.  The sad reality is disabling cookies may result in some web services not functioning correctly and it falls short in making you completely anonymous and web sites can still track your browsing habits.  However, if you have multiple users on your PC and you do a fair bit of online browsing, it is easy to get hundreds of cookies in very short order.  There are reports^[3] of acquiring “30 or 40 in a single hour of browsing.”  While there may be some cookies that provide some useful functionality, most of these are for tracking your activities for marketing and advertisement purposes.

While there are options built into your browser (IE, Mozilla, Google Chrome), to disable all cookies from being stored on your PC, we recommend other alternatives.  You can go into your browser settings and list sites whose cookies are to be rejected.  This is a daunting task however compared to periodic removal of cookies.  By using PC Clean Maestro you can easily remove cookies and you can view the list of cookies and choose ones you want to keep – those from trusted sources!

Removing Cookies

Let’s begin.  We want to have the right tools – PC Clean Maestro for one and a good external hard drive for backup.  Safety first!

Best Practices:  #1. Backup Data

As we have stated in our previous article … backup your data!  This article deals with removal – permanent removal – of sensitive and private items.  It is good practice to make a copy of all files that are important to you and safer practice to keep these stored on an external hard drive.

The Steps:

There are three areas to scan and clean using the CompuClever Clean Tool.  We are staying focused on the privacy and security aspects of PC Clean Maestro.  The following instructions detail how to remove items that are a threat to personal security and privacy.

Step 1:  First you need to open the program.  The window will appear similar to as seen below.  We have expanded the Personal Security and Privacy sub-item sections to get a closer look at the items listed.

Step 2:  Select items to scan.  From the check boxes available you can review and clear items you want to not include in the clean process.

Step 3:  Initiate the scan using the “Start” button.

Step 4:  Review and Clean.  A summary of the scan is displayed including the number of detected items found in each category, the size that can be reclaimed, and a “Details” link.  The link will provide the complete list of items found and the location of each item.  You can clear any selected items before moving on to the next step.

Step 5: Clean.  Click the “Clean” button to permanently delete the selected items.

Note: Once you begin the Clean process, PC Clean Maestro presents a warning dialog when certain privacy items are selected from the Scan results.  This is a preventive step, a safeguard measure, so as to not unintentionally remove items.  Refer to the help file for a description of the warning, the list of items, and recommendations about what you need to do before choosing an option.

Best Practices:  #2. Regular Use of PC Clean Maestro

Create an automated schedule.  Use the Options button in the Main window and select the Clean Scan Schedule.  From here you can configure when you want an automated scheduled scan to run.

Best Practices – Advanced:  #3. Configure Your Browser Privacy

You can configure your browser settings to better restrict the privacy controls.  Refer to your browser settings and look for “privacy” or “security” (or both).  By configuring these settings you choose what items to block or restrict including cookies and Private browsing or Do Not Track (DNT) browsing traffic.  In recent years all major browsers have included a Do Not Track (DNT) option.  This enables a user to choose to not have their online activities tracked.  This applies to Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, and Opera.  The one shortcoming of this: “The Do Not Track system is completely voluntary, and there are no legal or technological requirements for its use. As such, not all websites and advertisers will honor the request or may completely ignore it altogether.”^[4]

In Summary:

By using PC Clean Maestro you can easily access personal data items automatically stored on your PC.  Any of these items on their own may not constitute a substantial threat.  However, these items together – personal addresses, passwords, account information, and more – can be used together to provide an intruder what they need to gain access to perform financial transactions or use your data unlawfully. Here is a summary of the items that PC Clean Maestro scans:

We hope this article has helped gain some insight and offered you some effective strategies on cleaning your PC.  We will continue to provide story lines like this that benefit all of us and we will describe them in a manner that is within reach of everyday computer users.  If you have some ideas of topics you would like us to cover, email us at: newsletter@compuclever.com

The post Cookie Time appeared first on CompuClever.

We’re going to start off with some information on clutter and how to assess how much free space you may have on your PC. Keep in mind that you may have plenty of free space and still have plenty of clutter on your PC. Assessing the situation can help in determining how your PC is performing and how well it responds to some clean up!

Clutter – Time to Clean

By “cleaning” we are not talking about throwing away things that may have some importance. We are referring to removing what can be considered clutter and organizing files we want to keep. By doing so we can not only improve the performance of the PC but make our lives a lot easier in terms of accessing the files and data we need.

Step 1: Assess

Assess space needs – how much free space do you have remaining. Most of us take pictures and movie files on our cameras and download them to our computer. These add up over time and need to be stored in a safe place (or at least duplicated to your external hard drive in the event you do have sufficient space).

To assess the file space needs you can do the following:

For most computers there is typically a large amount of storage for your files and you may have a lot of free space available. If you still feel that it has been a while since you have removed unwanted files and, maybe, you feel that your PC is a bit sluggish in some ways.

If your feel any of this applies to you and you want to take advantage of a clean PC system, we highly recommended removing clutter from your PC.

Step 2: Backup

Begin by backing up and organizing files (media files especially) that need to be put on to an external hard drive. This article deals with removal – permanent removal – of unwanted items. The key is “unwanted”. We strongly recommend that you make a copy of all files that are important to you. The price of external hard drives makes this a no-brainer and hard drives available these days are often more space than what the average person needs – some are now terabyte in size (1,000 GBs). The added advantage of having a good backup and storage strategy is that you are working toward optimizing free space on your PC.

Step 3: Deal With the Junk:

There are files that get onto your computer without us even knowing how they got there. Here’s how they likely got there:

These unwanted items build up from regular day-to-day activities.  The result of too many junk files and unnecessary programs is that these items take up disk space and can use available memory thereby resulting in PC slowdown and unexpected behaviours.  Maybe the real question though is: how do you best remove these especially when considering that it is a task that you need to do periodically – it’s not a one-time fix.

Use the Right Tool

We are looking at simplifying the process by using automated tools that do the job quickly and efficiently.  PC Clean Maestro is designed to clean and remove unwanted items such as recycle bin items, temporary Internet download files, items in the Windows Temp folder, and other cache and system files.  All of these items and more can be scanned and cleaned.  After performing a quick scan a complete summary is provided and the total size of the junk items is tallied up.  In some cases, this can add up to gigabytes of “junk” and can account for 5 -10% of your disk capacity.

With PC Clean Maestro (the free functionality of PC Clean Maestro) you can remove junk files and uninstall programs so as to free up space.  By doing so you clear up PC clutter which can bog down the system and lead to poor system performance.  Some best practices are provided so that your experience can be simplified and more trouble-free.

The Instructions: There are three areas of cleaning that can take place using the Clean Tool.  We are staying focused on the free aspects of PC Clean Maestro.  The following instructions detail how to remove Junk files from your PC.

1. First you need to open the program.  The window will appear as seen here:
2. Select items to clean.  We are going to focus on Junk items only so clear the checkboxes for Personal Security and Privacy.  You can then review and select any of the items in the Junk section (Installer Files, Log Files, Temp Files, etc.).
   Note: You can refer to the help file for instructions on how to display all the individual items that are categorized.  You can also get information on the three state check box system.
3. Initiate the scan using the “Start” button.
4. Review and Clean.  A summary of the scan is displayed including the number of detected items found in each category, the size that can be reclaimed, and a “Details” link.  The link will provide the complete list of items found and the location of each item.  You can clear any selected items before moving on to the next step.
5. Clean.  Click the “Clean” button to permanently delete these junk items.

Best Practices:

Create an automated schedule.  Use the Options button in the Main window and select the Clean Scan Schedule.  From here you can configure when you want an automated scheduled scan to run.

In Summary – Lean & Clean:

We’ve covered the basics of cleaning your PC and we’ve introduced one aspect of PC Clean Maestro.  It’s also great to know that anyone can use all the functionality presented here for free.  There are many other features relating to security and privacy that are available for registered users and we will provide steps and tips on how to use these in our articles.

We hope this article has helped gain some insight and offered you some effective strategies on cleaning your PC.  We will continue to provide story lines like this that benefit all of us and we will describe them in a manner that is within reach of everyday computer users.  If you have some ideas of topics you would like us to cover, email us at: newsletter@compuclever.com

The post Spring PC Cleaning appeared first on CompuClever.

To reverse the impact of foistware on your PC, you need to do the following:

Removal

One of the most noticeable effects of foistware is having one or more applications installed. Most of these applications nag you to acquire and/or pay for extra software or services. For example, the 24×7 PC support foistware installs itself to your PC, nags you by attaching itself to every active Window, and shows signs of reluctance when you go to uninstall it.

The first step is to remove any application installed by a foistware. To do this we will focus on using the Uninstaller, one of the major tools available with PC Clean Maestro which is free to use. Our previous article covers in detail how to use the Uninstaller. The article also covers other important information such as backing up your system and using the Clean tool. With PC Clean Maestro you can also remove junk files and uninstall programs. You get the added benefit of freeing up space by ridding yourself of “clutter” which can bog down the system and lead to poor system performance. Please refer to the full article: The Clean and Uninstaller Tools.

Removing foistware item is the first step. The next step is restoring your PC. Many anti-virus software tools detect and remove these items but do not restore your PC to its previous settings.

Restore

If you have experienced slower performance in your web browser and changes that occur all of a sudden such as having a different and unknown search engine or homepage, then it is likely you have been subject to foistware. Typically in these situations your web browser settings have been modified without your consent. There are multiple causes of altered web browser settings including installation of browser adware and hijackers program as well as simple misconfiguration as a result of a manual change. The consequence always include poor user experience and often slower web browsing speed.

You can use anti-virus software to remove virus, adware, and hijackers. However, most often security software applications don’t go the extra step – restoring your web browser settings. We provide this guide to show you how you can re-gain control of your web browser by restoring all important settings. Follow this link for more information and instructions:

This guide covers complete sets of instructions for restoring three most popular web browsers: Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Chrome.

The post Foistware – Remove and Restore appeared first on CompuClever.

What is foistware?

Our CompuClever support team is dedicated to assist our customers who experience a noticeably slower PC in terms of performance. Recently when performing our initial investigations with the use of our support tools we have frequently come across common changes that result in poor PC “health”. Examination revealed that these changes were the result of what is currently considered foistware.

Having foistware on your PC can range from a mild annoyance to a real impediment.  Having additional browser toolbars foisted onto your web browser is a bit like having advertisements in a YouTube video; it competes for space.  The real impediment comes not only when performance is compromised but when attempting to revert the changes.  How these items become installed provides some insight as to why they are appropriately named.  The term “foist” means:

The following screenshot demonstrates the state of a web browser that has been victimized by foistware.  There are three areas that are affected.

1. The Home page URL was changed to search.conduit.com a third-party search engine that profits from every web search you perform.
2. Extra browser toolbars and add-ons were installed to attract your attention, lure you to install more software, and bring you to other affiliated online services from whereupon the foistware benefits from “referral fees”.
3. Blinking ads with scare tactics to entice you to download so-called PC optimization or cleaning software.

Another example is the annoying 24×7 PC support foistware.  There is a man or woman’s face attached to every program window of your PC.  No matter what you do, you can’t get rid of this face that always appears on whatever active window you have open.  This little gem is the 24×7 PC Help software link and it is very much in your face and on your nerves.

In most all these cases you install this software without explicit knowledge of it or without knowing what the results will be.  There are other instances of foistware that are more aggressive and capable of doing more harm to your PC.

The Condition:  Foistware is known as software that gets installed in addition to another software install typically without your full knowledge.  Typically these fly under the radar by being bundled with software you install and, if you take the time to look closely, you can see how it’s done on one of the install screens where a checkbox is selected so that unless you clear the checkbox you will install the additional item.  Most often the result is an additional browser toolbars – those items that get added onto your browser toolbar that include searches or quick links.  Frequently the change that occurs to your PC happens automatically as soon as the foistware has been installed.  Other examples include changing your default search engine (for example, from Google to Bing), or changing your browser homepage.  Some of the more invasive instances involve displaying pop-ups with scary messages like “Back up your PC or lose it”, or “Your computer has 1000 errors”.  Even if you were to uninstall the original software, these changes would still remain.  In some cases there can be more than one of these items on your toolbar.  It is not uncommon to see three or four toolbar add-ons.  When this happens you can notice a difference in PC performance.

Why? The reason for this is a simple one – money.  Often companies that offer freeware (software that is considered free in that you do not have to pay to use it), will come bundled up with other software.  These companies can profit from this as they are paid by the foistware companies.  The manufactures of the foistware get on your system and can provide advertisement or benefit from you clicking to their site.

Is It Legit? The reason that this practice isn’t considered to be malware (or malicious) is that you have the option of not installing it.  However, most users go quickly through the installation process clicking through the pages of the installer wizard, and do not even see the items that are checked on by default.  To be fair, we often are given the recommendation to keep the settings that are presented during an install and there is an implicit trust built into this procedure.  This is why software manufactures that are more reputable need to build their install wizard with pages that include an “opt-in” process.  That is, one where you can choose to install these extra items by checking the box and accepting the additional item rather than having to clear it.  In the case of browser toolbar add-ons… we recommend that you do not choose to include these as you can experience a performance loss.

Who Are the Offenders?  Surprisingly, even reputable companies can download bundled packages in this manner.  One website^[2] has included Adobe and Skype in their hall of shame.  Another website^[3] includes Adobe, Sun’s Java, CCleaner, Foxit Reader, and more.  Given pressure, these companies can make more ethical installations of their software.  We hope that these websites help to steer them in the right direction.

Detection:

In order to detect that you have suffered from a foistware “hit” you can follow this line of questioning:

Point 2 above may be difficult to answer.  However, if you did install something recently you could try installing it again to see if there are any extra pages which give you the option to install something extra (including a checkbox that is selected).  You can then take note of this and cancel the installation.

Once you have some names of software add-ons you can check online to see if it is best to remove them.  We recommend this site:  http://www.shouldiremoveit.com.  Once you open the webpage you can use the text field at the top right to enter the item and search for it.  We like this site as it has a very good database of software and it includes a very visual representation of the percentage of people that remove the software once having it installed.  This will give you a good idea as to whether you should remove the item.  Of course, if you never intended it to be on your system in the first place, that would be good reason to have it removed.  We will speak to removal in the companion article for those of our readers who have these items and need to remove them.  Before we do, we think it is best to look at ways to prevent getting them in the first place.

Prevention:

With respect to prevention, the best advice to pass to you is to be prepared when you install anything to your computer.  There are instances when you can be the victim of downloads without even knowing it such as in the case of drive-by-downloads.  In cases such as these you can get items downloaded to your PC or mobile device simply by visiting a web page that is compromised.  In these cases the software is likely malware or a virus and you need adequate software to remove the item and to either update your system to patch the security hole or to block the occurrence from happening.

In the case of foistware, you can detect and remove the item in a more straightforward manner as we have described above.  Prevention comes from paying close attention to what you are installing.  Here is what you have to do:

In the case of downloading “free” programs – pay very close attention to what is offered.

Removal and Restore

If your PC has been affected with foistware, don’t panic. Under most circumstances, you can completely remove foistware and restore your PC back to its original state. We have prepared a comprehensive guide that shows you how to get rid of foistware and restore your PC:

It’s been our intent to shine light on what our experiences have been when assisting our customer base. Providing you the tools and the know-how is a top priority for us as we are invested in bringing about a positive PC experience for you and your family.

The post Foistware – Messing Up Your PC Experience appeared first on CompuClever.