Securing Your System, Part 2

Okay, back to securing your system for free.

Assuming you've been using Internet Explorer, at this point delete ALL temporary internet files. Find it under tools/options. Include any offline content also. Most bad guys lurk in IE's cache. You just swept it clean.

Now, disconnect from the internet.

Go to Control Panel, Add/Remove programs. Uninstall all McAfee and/or Norton products. Reboot if necessary.

Still disconnected for the web, install AVG. Once it wants to connect for updates, NOW reconnect to the net. Let it update its definitions and do a full scan. Go get a cup of coffee. This will take a while.

Now, open Internet Explorer and go to Tools/Windows Updates. Do an express install. If you haven't been getting updates regularly, this will need to run several times, with reboots in between. Don't let it reboot until whichever one of the following tasks is running at the time is completed.

After it finishes and cleans up, install Spybot. If you're fairly computer savvy, Tea Timer will protect your registry against unauthorized startup programs. I recommend it. Otherwise, install the spyware scanner and let it update and scan. This will take a while too. For the BEST protection, go to Mode and switch to Advanced. Go to Settings/Web Update. Select the first two boxes, so it will automatically update itself before it runs. Go to Scheduler. Set up a middle-of-the-night daily scan. If you're on dialup, you'll need to set it up to dial automatically when a connection is needed.

Next, install, update, and run Ad-Aware. It won't schedule itself, so you'll have to update it and run it periodically, at least once a week.

Now, run Windows Defender. It will easily set itself up to run in the middle of the night automatically. Good idea.

Once Windows installs service pack 2, your firewall will be automatically on and Windows updates will also be automatic. That's a good thing.

Tomorrow, the last chapter on securing your system for free.

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