Windows Tools, Help & Guides

Producing top-quality anti-virus software is no easy task; keeping customers happy and their computers protected—by keeping software up to date with the latest definitions—requires an expensive work force and floor space in costly data centers. Knowing this should explain why companies including Norton, Symantec, and McAfee charge high fees for their software. Even though it’s expensive to produce anti-virus software, there are some excellent free programs available online.

Sometimes we try to save money and it ends up costing us more in the long run (cheap furniture, electronics, shoes etc.), however, you really can get top-notch virus protection and pay nothing in the process. If you’re already using a paid option, make the most of your purchase and continue to use it (just bookmark this page and come back when your subscription expires.)

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Microsoft recently released a rather interesting beta the other day, called: Microsoft Standalone System Sweeper Tool. This is a tool designed to rescue and fix computers that cannot boot into windows. These days, many viruses, malware and what not target the boot sector of your hard drive, rendering the computer unbootable. And in many cases also unfixable to the windows Startup Repair Tool found on the Setup disk.

Windows Guides’ Rating	Compatible with	System
5 out of 5

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Windows Forums member Uvais, who is always on the lookout for other users’ safety on their PCs shares a tool recently released by Microsoft:  Microsoft Safety Scanner, which is designed to work with your current anti-virus software to detect threats and infections on your PC. From the download page:

The Microsoft Safety Scanner is a free downloadable security tool that provides on-demand scanning and helps remove viruses, spyware, and other malicious software. It works with your existing antivirus software.

The software is designed to be downloaded for one-time use and expires after 10 days–requiring you to go back to the site and download the latest version with current virus-checking definitions.

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These days with the Internet being all around us, using a secure browser is essential. We all have that one browser we love to use, and often in disregard to its security or lack there of.

The lack of security may lay in an outdated browser version, but also in the plugins, add ons and what not installed. The over eager use of plugins (as done in MSIE and Firefox) is why I personally dread most browsers. Mostly because these plugins tend to clutter my “browsing space” but also due to the lack of security.

How do you know how safe your browser experience really is ?

The short answer is: BrowserCheck By Qualys

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Setup a Proxy Server using Google App Engine

This tutorial has been on my mind off and on for several months now. Joining the team here at Windows Guides has given me the opportunity to finally post it. After my son asked me a few weeks ago for a good proxy I thought maybe I dedicate this and the next tutorial to him.

This is a long yet not a really difficult tutorial if you follow along. I have done my best to simplify it as much as possible. May I suggest you read the whole thing and get your downloads together before you start.

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SUPERAntiSpyware

A few weeks ago Mike Duncan, Director of Business Development at SUPERAntiSpyware.com asked me to take a peek at their software. Being the Geek that never sleeps and challenge accepted off we go on passage into the world of SUPERAntiSpyware.

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