Kevin's Computer Tuneup Page

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I'll put a after something when it's added to the page. After the item has been on the page for about a month, I'll take out the and just leave the "Added" date. If you find a dead link, a typo or have a suggestion, there's a link at the bottom of the page that you can use to send me an Email. Date format is MM/DD/YYYY	New Section: Computer setup tips Added 02/2002 And XP setup tips Added 06/2003 Security Warning: Are you using the AnalogX Proxy? If so PLEASE change it from the default setting that allows anyone from anywhere to connect to it and use it. Are you using IE as your browser? You may want to reconsider. See Milly's Google page 9/26/2003

Got a new Computer?

There are so many things I do to a new computer when I set one up, that I got tired of trying to remember them all. So I'm putting this page together as a reference. It won't have everything, because I always forget something. That's the problem of course, and the reason for this page. But as I remember things, I'll add them in. Next time I build a computer, there will probably be lots of updates

Keep in mind that many of these are personal preferences. And that I'll be adding more as I remember them. Or someone reminds me. I'm trying to keep this list to the 1) essential, 2) too useful to pass up, or 3) the kind of thing you only do when you first set it up and then forget about it.

BIOS

Change Boot sequence, if possible eliminate the Floppy Boot entirely. It can always be temporarily added back if necessary. Newer BIOSs give you many more options.

Hardware

This is mostly going to be system specific, depending on what's installed, like a CD or DVD burner. But always go to the manufacturers and check for updated drivers.

Software

Set as many programs as possible to save data files to a specific location for convienient back up.
Apply security patches either via the update page for Win98 and up, or from the specific page for Win95, Win98, W2K or XP

Free Software

PowerPro is on every computer I own and has been for many years. I consider it an absolutely essential utility. It can run commands or macros for you, launch programs with hot keys, mouse gestures or by clicking in specific places. It will do whatever you want on a shedule, or at boot or shutdown. The possibilities for what it can do are only limited by the amount of time you have to spend digging for more features.
Inkswitch to easily toggle Online/Offline. Win95/98/NT/W2K
NotePad+ or MetaPad. Win95/98/NT/W2K/XP
Magic Mail Win95/98/NT/W2K/XP
TClockEx is the Tray Clock that MS should have put in Windows. Win95/98/NT/W2K/XP
Netlaunch for total control of Dialup connections. With extras. Win95/98. He was working on a NT/W2K/XP version that had reached beta stage but his site has been down since at least 10/15/2005.
Webtime to set the clock via the Web. Other freebies too. Or Neutron from Robin Keir, who also has more Freebies Win95/98/NT/W2K
K9 also in the software section from Robin Keir. An excellent spam filter that's easy to set up and train. POP only, like others, it doesn't work with Web Mail.
Convert converts lots of things (weight/volume/speed etc) to other things. Win95/98/NT/W2K
Sam Spade for SPAM hunting and just for getting information about a web page. Win95/98/NT/W2K

Tweaks

This add on lets you highlight a word on a web page in IE, and adds "Dictionary" to the Right Click Menu. It is a 1KB zipped file that contains a small HTML document that runs a java script that does the actual lookup, a reg file to add the Right Click option, and a text file with instructions. Get it HERE. Win95/98/NT/W2K
And now the same thing, again for IE, modified to search Google instead of a Dictionary lookup. The Google Tweak is a 2KB file with a small HTML file, a text file with instructions, and 2 reg files, one for W9x, one for W2K. Be sure to verify the paths in any reg file you use. Win95/98/NT/W2K/WinXP.
The IE Web Accessories. Stay away from the 3rd party toolbars, but some of the accessories themselves are indispensible. There are 3 different ones. Win98/NT/W2K
After installing the Web Accessories, apply the easy patch in the Zoomfix text file so that images don't get distorted zooming in and out.
Install the PowerToys for Win95 WinXP (Including TweakUI). Or TweakUI 1.33 (for W2K, WinMe,NT Win95 and Win98). Then set Control Panel to Fly Out with Tweak Win95/98), (or Right Click the Task Bar/Properties/Advanced in W2K and XP). Go through each tab in Tweak to see what else you may want to fiddle with. The only thing not to do is "Hide" drives on the "My Computer" tab. There are some side effects that cause problems. Reversible by unhiding the drive. And the only place that I've found to get the SendTo Power Toy is the Win95 version. Run the downloaded exe file to expand everything, then right click sendto.inf and choose install. After installing, those files can all be deleted. Some of the others may not work on versions later than Win95 but I find Send To to be invaluable.
If the virus scanner checks the floppy drive at start up and shut down, I reccomend disabling that function. In at least some cases it can cause startup and shutdown problems. If you've disabled Floppy Drive bootup in the BIOS, then it's not necessary. When you actually go to a Floppy disk in Explorer, your virus scanner will check any files before they are run anyway.
Add Google to the Quick Search function. Open Quick Search from the IE toolbar. Choose "New". Type in a shortcut in the first box. (gg works for me). In the second box, use the drop down to pick "Custom URL". In the third box, copy and paste in
"http://www.google.com/search?q=%s" (without the quotes). Then click on the "Save" button. Anytime you want to search for something using Google, all you have to do is type "gg searchstring" (no quotes again) in the IE Address Bar. Since I wrote this page several years ago I've switched browsers. Partly for security, mostly for other features. I used Opera for a while, and now I prefer Firefox. Both are free.

Self Defense

Install Proxomitron. Blocks Ads, Scripts and cookies depending on how you configure it. The default configuration will work 99% of the time and block 99% of the crap. I have come to really rely on this one. Win95/98/NT/W2K. Some instructions from Smallfish, John Sankey, Paul Rupe and JD5000 Unfortunately, the Prox site itself has been pulled down. Information and the program are still available at alternate sites, including proxomitron.info Updated 06/20/03
In Explorer, make sure that all file extensions are set to SHOW so you know what you're looking at. In Explorer, go to Tools/Folder Options (or View/folder Options in older versions of windows). Then the "View" tab. The choices vary by Operating System, but basically you want to CHECK anything that would show more information, and UNCHECK anything that would hide file extensions. There will be 2 to 5 boxes that need to be changed depending on your OS. And CERT has information on how to deal with additional file extensions that will STILL be hidden, including the ones listed on PC-Help's page.
Those are the ultimate hidden extensions of SHS and SHB files. For W2K and XP it can be done via Folder Options/File Types. For other versions of Windows follow the instructions near the bottom of PC-Help's page or the ones from CERT above to get them all, including the ones that haven't been expoited. Yet. Read the rest of his pages for more good stuff.
Set the IE Resricted Zone to disable or AT LEAST PROMPT for damn near everything. (Tools/Internet Options/Security/Restricted Zone/Customize). Then set Outlook Express and/or Outlook to operate in the Restricted Zone. (Tools/Options/Security). Do that even if you are going to use a different Email/News program, just in case.
Install a Firewall to prevent programs or dirtbags from getting into or out of your computer without your knowledge. Even if you use a dialup connection instead of DSL or Cable. ZoneAlarm is free. Win95/98/NT/W2K. Two other firewalls are Outpost and Kerio. They also have free and paid versions. Kerio has now been aquired by Sunbelt, but they plan to still provide a free version. Sygate had a free version but they've been aquired by Symantec. You can still find Sygate's free firewall though if you look around the internet. And there's lots more available now. Se
Inoculate is a FREE Virus Scanner. Win95/98/NT/W2K. Unfortunately, as of June 2001, InoculateIt is no longer available to new users. People who had registered previously can continue to use it and get updates. **As of early 2002 it will no longer be supported due to needing too much upgradng to deal with the newer viruses. The same program is now available as E-trust Virus Scanner for a reasonable annual fee. It appears to be the same program, and uses the same update files as InoculateIt, but since it's a paid for product, it will be updated. You can get it at E-Trust. There are other free ones available though. I currently use and recommend AVG. Whatever scanner you get, be sure and update the definition files right away since they are often old versions. And update the program itself if necessary. Updates are an ongoing project, and the latest versions are seldom included in the downloadable program file.
Use ShieldsUp half way down this page to make sure nothing is hanging out on the Internet. You can also go to DSL Reports for a more thorough test, but it may take hours to get it.
Copy in Steve Martin's HOST file. This will stop a lot of web pages from accessing tracking and ad serving sites. Be warned that it may also prevent you from accessing a few sites, or limit the functionality. Complete information is available at Steve's site. Steve's site is gone, but there's lots of Hosts file information at MVPS.ORG Win95/98/NT/W2K
And Chris Baker's Nasties.reg file (you might need to page down once) to block most of the advertisers and tracking sites. This has a lot of overlap with the HOST file listed above. Proxomitron also blocks many of the same sites and updated files are available for it. Chris's file is several years old now and only helps IE, the Hosts file and Proxomitron work for all browsers. Win95/98/NT/W2K
Reset the properties on selected file extensions: ini, inf, js, jse, sct, vbe, vbs and wsc extensions should have a default action of "Open" with Notepad. wsf and reg files, can be set to a default of "Edit" instead of "Open", and use Notepad for editing.

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Last updated 3:14 AM 1/10/2006.