Background

After every restart, the icons in my Quick Launch toolbar in Windows Vista were rearranged into alphabetical order. The toolbar itself was resized, taking up most of the Taskbar. It didn’t matter how many times I carefully moved the icons around, nor did it matter if I logged off and back on, restarted, or shut down and powered back up—I couldn’t get the icons to stay the way I want them. I don’t remember when it started, so I can’t pinpoint what changed on my system that might have caused it.

After much searching, I found various solutions to a similar problem in Windows XP. Several solutions suggested installing third-party utilities that reset your Desktop back to the way you like after each restart. I’m generally not a big fan of adding on utilities to fix problems with the operating system; I prefer to fix the OS. I finally found one solution that worked for me with Vista that fixed a problem deep inside the Windows Registry.

Read on for the details on how I fixed this annoying quirk.

In this article

Warning: If you are not familiar with the Windows Registry, it’s where the majority of your computer’s configuration and settings are stored. Always backup your system before tweaking your Registry to help avoid data loss. The solution below worked for me, but your situation could be different. You assume all risk and agree to hold my company and me harmless from any damages, direct or indirect, including lost data, time, and profits.

You may find it useful to print this article and work from the printout since you will need to logoff or restart your computer to complete this process. At the very least, you should bookmark this page (or “add it to your Favorites” depending on which browser you use) so you can find it again if you need it later.

Manually updating the Registry

Here is the way to update your Registry manually (which I prefer since I can verify that everything matches what is expected):

1. Go to the Start menu, select “Run…”, and type “regedit” where it asks for the program you wish to open. Note: You must have administrative rights to run RegEdit.
2. After RegEdit has opened, navigate to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER → Software → Microsoft → Windows → CurrentVersion → Policies → Explorer
3. Look for an entry named “NoSaveSettings” of type “REG_DWORD” with a value of “0×00000000 (0)” or “0×00000001 (1)”.
   1. If the value is “0×00000000 (0)”, then the setting is correct, and you are facing a different challenge. Close RegEdit and look for a different solution. Sorry.
   2. If the value is “0×00000001 (1)”, then double-click the icon for “NoSaveSettings” and change the value data from “1″ to “0″ (whether it’s hex or decimal doesn’t matter) and click OK. Close RegEdit. Skip to step #5.
   3. If the value is any other number, you can try changing the value to “0″, but I’m not sure what will happen. The value should only be a 0 or a 1. You should either write down the value for future reference (if things go wrong), or right-click the “Explorer” key, and “Export” the key to a file that you can use to put things back the way they were before you made changes.
4. It’s very likely that you do not have an entry named “NoSaveSettings” (I didn’t.) In that case, you will need to add one.
   1. After clicking on “Explorer” in the left pane of RegEdit, go to the “Edit” menu (or right-click in an open space in the right pane) and select “New” and then “DWORD (32-bit) Value”.
   2. A new entry named “New Value #1″ should appear in the right pane. Rename it to “NoSaveSettings” (note that there are no spaces in that name!).
   3. Double-click the icon for “NoSaveSettings” and change the value data from “1″ to “0″ (whether it’s hex or decimal doesn’t matter) and click OK.
   4. Close RegEdit. You’re almost done.
5. Go ahead and reorganize and resize your Quick Launch toolbar the way you want it. This will hopefully be the last time you have to do this.
6. Now either restart (that’s what I did) or logoff and logon. Your Quick Launch toolbar should be the way you left it.
7. If it’s not right, repeat step #5 and #6. If it still isn’t right, you are facing a different challenge. Look for a different solution. Sorry. If you find another solution that does work, feel free to leave the information or a link to the information in a comment below to help other people find it. Thanks!

Semi-automatically updating the Registry

If you do not like using RegEdit, you can create a registry patch file that accomplishes the same thing. This is, in fact, and export from my own Registry. All you need to do is open Notepad, copy the following text from this web page, paste it into a new Notepad document, and save the file on your Desktop as "NoSaveSettings.reg". The quote marks ARE important (otherwise Notepad tries to save the file as a text document), but the file name and location are not (these are just convenient examples). Double-click the file. It should warn you of the dangers of adding information to your Registry from unsavory sources. Click Yes (if you think this will work for you). Then proceed from Step #5 above.

—- Start copying below this line —-
[code lang="ini"]
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer]
"NoSaveSettings"=dword:00000000

[/code]
—- End copying above this line —-

Other resources

For a few other ideas, you can read the article at Annoyances.org that led me to this solution.

It doesn’t happen very often, but when it does, it’s really annoying. Your Windows Desktop refreshes (often after a program crashes), and all the icons on your Desktop and in the Start Menu have been reset to generic icons that all look alike. Sometimes it’s a temporary thing, and restarting the computer will fix it. Other times it takes a different tool.There are a number of nifty tools available from Microsoft’s web site called “Power Toys”. These are a bunch of little applets that tweak or enhance the way Windows works. There are things like fancier calculators, image re-sizers, and ones that are a little difficult to explain (but do really neat things). These Power Toys are version-specific (i.e., you can’t use the Windows XP Power Toys under Windows 98 for example). The WinXP version is available here.

Out of all the Power Toys that are available, TweakUI is probably the most useful tool of all. This TweakUI gives you access to system settings that are not exposed in the Windows XP default user interface, including mouse settings, Explorer settings, taskbar settings, and more. It comes in two versions, one for standard 32-bit processor machines (e.g., Celerons, Pentiums, etc.) and also for 64-bit Itanium processor machines. It runs under Windows XP Service Pack 1 or later, as well as Windows Server 2003.

To restore your Desktop and Start Menu icons, download the appropriate version of TweakUI, install it, and then run it. In the left-hand column at the bottom is an option to “Repair”. Click it, and you will see that “Rebuild Icons” is the selected option in the pull-down menu. Click the “Repair Now” button, and all your icons should magically reappear. It will also reset the order of your icons (which could be slightly annoying if you have carefully lined up your icons up in a particular pattern).

This handy tool can also fix problems related to a messed up Fonts folder, your Unread Mail Count, and many other things. Feel free to poke around and see what else you can tweak. Just remember that all Power Toys are unsupported by Microsoft. I’ve never had a problem with them, but if you do, Microsoft cannot bail you out (and neither can we).

So tweak at your own risk.

Running Windows Disk Cleanup on a regular basis is really a great idea to keep your computer running lean and efficient. The only problem is, if you are like me, I’d almost rather visit my dentist than wait for the utility to complete its scan. It turns out that about 90% of the wait is the result of just one type of scan, and that scan is essentially pointless. Here are the steps for disabling this annoying “feature” and making your Disk Cleanups as fast and efficient as they should be!

The instructions are slightly modified from a Microsoft Knowledgebase article. The article discusses what to do if Disk Cleanup stops responding completely. It turns out the “fix” works perfectly well as a preventive measure.

The instructions below only tell how to remove the scan for “compress old files”, but you could probably remove any scan which you aren’t interested in, and that should speed Disk Cleanup even more. Just make sure to backup the original registry keys so that if anything does “blow up” you should be able to restore your system to its original configuration.

Warning: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

To work around this problem, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. Type regedit in the Open box, and then press ENTER.
3. Locate, and then click the following registry key:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
   Explorer\VolumeCaches
4. On the File menu, click Export, and then click Desktop, type VolumeCaches in the File name box, and then click Save.
   Note: This step creates a backup of the VolumeCaches registry key. If you experience any problems after you complete the steps that are listed in this procedure, you can use this backup to restore the VolumeCaches key to its original state. To restore the key, double-click the VolumeCaches.reg file on your desktop, and then click Yes.
5. Expand the following registry key:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
   Explorer\VolumeCaches
6. Delete the Compress old files registry key.
7. Quit Registry Editor.

FWIW there are a lot of acronyms out there, especially on AIM, YIM, MSN, and IRC. I am FAQ about what these things mean. It would be nice to tell people to RTM, but AFAIK there aren’t very many comprehensive lists available (BICBW). So, here is a list of many common acronyms I’ve seen used from time to time. HTH. IAE, if I left some favorite ones out, BMG to add them in the comments. Just keep them kid-friendly. Thx!

A/S/L … Age/Sex/Location
AFAIK … As far as I know
AFK … Away from keyboard (especially mobile users not at a computer)
AIM … AOL Instant Messenger; also verb for transferring files via AIM
ASAP … As soon as possible
ATM … At the moment
B … Back
BAK … Back at keyboard (typically used after AFK or BRB)
BBL … Be back later
BBS … Be back soon
BC … Because
BCNU … Be Seein’ You
BFF … Best Friends Forever
BFN … Bye for now
BG … Big grin
BIAB … Back in a bit
BICBW … But I could be wrong
BMG … Be my guest
BRB … Be right back
BTA … But then again
BTW … By the way

Continued on page 1: A-B / 2: C-I / 3: J-R / 4: S-Z

Symptoms: Every time you open Outlook Express or Outlook you are asked to re-enter your password even though the Save Password box is checked (or grayed out).

Problem: Generally this is caused by a problem in the Registry with the Protected Storage System Provider key.

Resolution: Follow the steps below to fix this problem or visit Microsoft’s Knowledge Base article 29684 for an even more detailed information.

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. There is no guarantee that problems that you cause by using Registry Editor incorrectly can be resolved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

1. Back Up The Registry Just to be safe you should back up this registry key before making modifications.
   1. Click Start, Run, and type regedit in the box, and then click OK.
   2. In the left panel, click the pluses next to:
      • HKEY_CURRENT_USER
      • Software
      • Microsoft
   3. Right click on Protected Storage System Provider and select Export.
   4. In the File name box, type a unique name for the key.
   5. In the Save In box, click a location for the file to be saved (the Desktop is recommended).
   6. Click Save
2. Change the Permissions
   1. Still in the Registry, Right click on Protected Storage System Provider and select Permissions.
   2. Click the user name for the user that is currently logged on and ensure that Read and Full Control permissions are both set to “Allow”.
   3. Click on the Advanced button, and select the Permissions tab.
   4. Highlight the currently logged on user, and make sure that Full Control is listed in the Permissions column, and that This Key and Subkeys is listed in the Apply To column.
   5. Place a check mark in the box for “Replace Permission Entries on all Child Objects with Entries Shown Here that Apply to Child Objects”.
   6. Click Apply.
   7. A box will appear asking if you are sure you want to do this; click Yes.
   8. Click OK and then Click OK again to return to the Registry Editor.
3. Delete the Key
   1. Click the plus sign next to Protected Storage System Provider key.
   2. Right click the user sub-key folder that will look similar to:
      S-1-5-21-3723271197-400000000-0000000000-0000.
   3. Click Delete and then click Yes in the Confirm Key Delete dialog box that appears.
   4. Each identity may have a sub-key under the Protected Storage System Provider key. Delete all of the user sub-key folders under the Protected Storage System Provider key using the same method.
   5. Close the Registry and Reboot the Computer.
4. Reenter Password in Outlook Express or Outlook
   1. Open Outlook Express or Outlook.
   2. When you are prompted to Enter password, go ahead and retype it and make sure the Save Password box is checked.

Depending on whether you are using Outlook or Outlook Express the exact method will vary. In all cases, accessing the Tools menu and selecting the choice related to Accounts will point you in the right direction. Select the user account and the option to change or modify its properties. There will be a box to be checked to save the password once it has been re-entered. It will be necessary to perform the password re-entry for each separate e-mail account. Reboot after each account change. This should complete the steps for fixing the problem of the password not being saved in Outlook Express or Outlook.

Articles at Microsoft, PC Hell, and The Elder Geek provided background information for this blog entry.

Problem: After some unrelated changes are made to IIS 6.0, Exchange’s Outlook Web Access (OWA) acts differently. The normal login page is replaced by a login dialog box. After logging in, OWA displays all the mailboxes in a browseable directory format instead of the normal OWA content. You can select your mailbox and all folders display in the same manner. Charles Yang from Microsoft presented a solution that (mostly) worked for me in this situation.

Charles Yang wrote:

Generally speaking, this issue should be caused by the IIS default configuration for the website has been changed. Please refer to my suggestion below to see if the issue can be resolved:

1. Navigate to: <server name> | Web Sites | Default Web Site | Exchange.

2. Right-click Exchange and select “Properties”. Click the “Virtual Directory” tab.

3. At the bottom, under “Application Settings”, click the Configuration button.

4. In the Application Configuration window, under “Wildcard application maps”, click “Insert”.

5. In the Add/Edit Application Extension Mapping window, click “Browse”.

6. Browse to “Program Files\ExchSrvr\bin\davex.dll” and click the Open button.

7. In the “Executable:” text box, place quotation marks around the file path.

8. Click OK three times to exit.

(Original Source of Information: Microsoft Windows SBS Newsgroup)

As I said, this worked mostly for me. In my case, “Application Settings” under the “Virtual Directory” tab was pretty much disabled. The only option I had was to “Create” a new application. Once I did that extra step (step 2.5 if you are following the instructions above), I was able to complete the rest of the instructions. The procedure worked without a hitch after that.

This server has had quite a history of losing track of its OWA configuration in IIS, but it has never presented this issue before. The most common issue it has presented is addressed in Microsoft article Q280823. That is the issue where you pretty much only see the message “Loading…” and possibly some “broken images” where the images failed to load.

It is really weird how touchy this server is about its OWA settings. The only changes I am aware of being made to IIS lately was the installation of a new SSL certificate to the Default Web Site. Nothing was altered in OWA. Hopefully this fix will fix it permanently. Hopefully someone else will find this information useful, too!

Running Windows Disk Cleanup on a regular basis is really a great idea to keep your computer running lean and efficient. The only problem is, if you are like me, I’d almost rather visit my dentist than wait for the utility to complete its scan. It turns out that about 90% of the wait is the result of just one type of scan, and that scan is essentially pointless. Here are the steps for disabling this annoying “feature” and making your Disk Cleanups as fast and efficient as they should be!

The instructions are slightly modified from a Microsoft Knowledgebase article. The article discusses what to do if Disk Cleanup stops responding completely. It turns out the “fix” works perfectly well as a preventive measure.

The instructions below only tell how to remove the scan for “compress old files”, but you could probably remove any scan which you aren’t interested in, and that should speed Disk Cleanup even more. Just make sure to backup the original registry keys so that if anything does “blow up” you should be able to restore your system to its original configuration.

Warning: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

To work around this problem, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. Type regedit in the Open box, and then press ENTER.
3. Locate, and then click the following registry key:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
Explorer\VolumeCaches
4. On the File menu, click Export, and then click Desktop, type VolumeCaches in the File name box, and then click Save.
   Note: This step creates a backup of the VolumeCaches registry key. If you experience any problems after you complete the steps that are listed in this procedure, you can use this backup to restore the VolumeCaches key to its original state. To restore the key, double-click the VolumeCaches.reg file on your desktop, and then click Yes.
5. Expand the following registry key:
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
Explorer\VolumeCaches
6. Delete the Compress old files registry key.
7. Quit Registry Editor.

FWIW there are a lot of acronyms out there, especially on AIM, YIM, MSN, and IRC. I am FAQ about what these things mean. It would be nice to tell people to RTM, but AFAIK there aren’t very many comprehensive lists available (BICBW). So, here is a list of many common acronyms I’ve seen used from time to time. HTH. IAE, if I left some favorite ones out, BMG to add them in the comments. Just keep them kid-friendly. Thx!

A/S/L … Age/Sex/Location
AFAIK … As far as I know
AFK … Away from keyboard (especially wireless users not at a computer)
AIM … AOL Instant Messenger; also verb for transferring files via AIM
ASAP … As soon as possible
ATM … At the moment
B … Back
BAK … Back at keyboard
BBL … Be back later
BBS … Be back soon
BC … Because
BCNU … Be Seein’ You
BFN … Bye for now
BG … Big grin
BIAB … Back in a bit
BICBW … But I could be wrong
BMG … Be my guest
BRB … Be right back
BTA … But then again
BTW … By the way
CFN … Ciao for now
CID … Consider it done
CUL … See you later
CUL8R … See you later
CYA … Cover your arse
C-YA … See Ya
DQMOT … Don’t quote me on this
DYOH … Do your own homework
EOM … End of message
FAQ … Frequently asked questions
FWIW … For what it’s worth
FYI … For your information
G2G … Got to go
GIGO … Garbage in, garbage out
GL … Good luck
GMTA … Great minds think alike
GRA … Go right ahead
GW … Good work
HLVB … Hasta la vista baby
HT … Hi there
HTH … Hope this helps
IAC … In any case
IAE … In any event
ICQ … ICQ Instant Messenger
IDK … I don’t know
IIRC … If I recall correctly
IM … Instant message
IMHO … In my humble/honest opinion
IMO … In my opinion
IMPOV … In my point of view
IMS … I am sorry
IOW … In other words
IRC … Internet Relay Chat (a method of instant messaging/chatroom)
JIC … Just in case
JK … Just kidding
JTLYK … Just to let you know
K … Okay
KIS … Keep it simple
L8 … Later
L8R … Later
LOL … Laughing out loud
M$ … Microsoft
MSN … Microsoft Network (or MSN Messenger)
NBD … No big deal
NP … No problem
NRN … No response necessary
OH … Off hand
OIC … Oh I see
OMG … Oh my gosh!
OTOH … On the other hand
OTP … On the phone
PLS … Please
PLZ … Please
POC … Point of contact
POV … Point of view
ROFLMAO … Rolling on floor laughing my arse off
ROTFL … Rolling on the floor laughing
RSN … Real soon now
RTFM … Read the flippin’ manual
RTM … Read the manual
RUOK? … Are you okay?
SYS … See you soon
TAFN … That’s all for now
TBA … To be announced
TBD … To be determined/decided
TBH … To be honest
THX … Thanks
TIA … Thanks in advance
TTFN … Ta ta for now
TTYL … Talk to you later
WB … Welcome back
WFM … Works for me
WTF … What the f—?
WTG … Way to go
WTH … What the heck?
WU? … What’s up?
YIM … Yahoo Instant Messenger
YT? … You there?
YW … You’re welcome

Symptoms: Every time you open Outlook Express or Outlook you are asked to re-enter your password even though the Save Password box is checked (or grayed out).

Problem: Generally this is caused by a problem in the Registry with the Protected Storage System Provider key.

Resolution: Follow the steps below to fix this problem or visit Microsoft’s Knowledge Base article 29684 for an even more detailed information.

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. There is no guarantee that problems that you cause by using Registry Editor incorrectly can be resolved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

1. Back Up The Registry

   Just to be safe you should back up this registry key before making modifications.

   1. Click Start, Run, and type regedit in the box, and then click OK.
   2. In the left panel, click the pluses next to:
      • HKEY_CURRENT_USER
      • Software
      • Microsoft
   3. Right click on Protected Storage System Provider and select Export.
   4. In the File name box, type a unique name for the key.
   5. In the Save In box, click a location for the file to be saved (the Desktop is recommended).
   6. Click Save
2. Change the Permissions
   1. Still in the Registry, Right click on Protected Storage System Provider and select Permissions.
   2. Click the user name for the user that is currently logged on and ensure that Read and Full Control permissions are both set to “Allow”.
   3. Click on the Advanced button, and select the Permissions tab.
   4. Highlight the currently logged on user, and make sure that Full Control is listed in the Permissions column, and that This Key and Subkeys is listed in the Apply To column.
   5. Place a check mark in the box for “Replace Permission Entries on all Child Objects with Entries Shown Here that Apply to Child Objects”.
   6. Click Apply.
   7. A box will appear asking if you are sure you want to do this; click Yes.
   8. Click OK and then Click OK again to return to the Registry Editor.
3. Delete the Key
   1. Click the plus sign next to Protected Storage System Provider key.
   2. Right click the user sub-key folder that will look similar to:
      S-1-5-21-3723271197-400000000-0000000000-0000.
   3. Click Delete and then click Yes in the Confirm Key Delete dialog box that appears.
   4. Each identity may have a sub-key under the Protected Storage System Provider key. Delete all of the user sub-key folders under the Protected Storage System Provider key using the same method.
   5. Close the Registry and Reboot the Computer.
4. Reenter Password in Outlook Express or Outlook
   1. Open Outlook Express or Outlook.
   2. When you are prompted to Enter password, go ahead and retype it and make sure the Save Password box is checked.

Depending on whether you are using Outlook or Outlook Express the exact method will vary. In all cases, accessing the Tools menu and selecting the choice related to Accounts will point you in the right direction. Select the user account and the option to change or modify its properties. There will be a box to be checked to save the password once it has been re-entered. It will be necessary to perform the password re-entry for each separate e-mail account. Reboot after each account change. This should complete the steps for fixing the problem of the password not being saved in Outlook Express or Outlook.

Articles at Microsoft, PC Hell, and The Elder Geek provided background information for this blog entry.

It’s summer, and the thermometer has been stuck above 100°F (37.8°C) for 6 days, almost tying a record. There’s a certain laziness in the air. It’s just too hot to move around much! I really feel sorry for people who do roofing, lay asphalt, or work in the fields with the sun beating down on them on days like these.

People aren’t the only ones to suffer in the heat though. These past few days have been busy here, too. It seems that extended heat like this will give any equipment, especially air conditioners and other cooling systems, a real workout. Marginal components become overwhelmed and stop working. This can cause disruptions in Internet service (like it did for Comcast this morning), servers (like one of ours because air conditioning went out on Sunday), and in other electronics. Despite the lazy summer days, computer failures have been keeping us busy these past few days.

What are you doing to “summer-ize” your computer network?

When was the last time you had your PC or server professionally cleaned to remove dust build-up inside the machine? Dust, grime, smoke particles, pet hair, and carpet fuzz act like cozy little blankets to electronic components. Unfortunately, components prefer to operate in much chillier environments (say a nice 65-68°F/18-20°C that is non-condensing). The last thing they need or want is something that traps heat like a blanket. Fans and heatsinks, which are designed to disperse damaging heat are much more effective when the airflow is unobstructed by dust bunnies.

How are the wiring and airflow around your computer? Many people hook up their PCs and scrunch them into tiny rectangular holes in their desks, cramming all the wires in the best they can. There are several things wrong with this.

1. Computers need room to breathe. Generally they draw air in from the font and one side of the chassis, forcing it past the hard drives, CPU, and controller cards, and pushing the superheated air out the back. A well designed desk has a large opening in the back to allow the air to escape. Poorly designed desks only have a single opening in the front (and some even cover that with a door!), and maybe a tiny hole for a few cables to pass through in the back. Closed “boxes” like that cause the superheated air to be recirculated over and over, practically eliminating any benefit from the circulating air.

2. Cramming cables between the PC and the back wall of the desk add more complications. Electrical power cords do radiate a small amount of heat, often too subtle for us to feel on an individual cord (a cord that is quite warm to the touch should probably be replaced, since that could lead to a fire!). But cram enough of those cords together in a small space, and the heat increases. If the computer vents into that same limited space, the picture is even uglier.

3. As mentioned, an unobstructed flow of cool air entering the front and side of the chassis, passing smoothly through a dust-free interior, and venting to an open space out the back is an ideal environment for a PC. Even if a desk is well vented, too many cables behind the PC can obstruct that airflow, and routing the superheated air back toward the front of the machine.

4. Large cables inside a PC block airflow, too. As modders or extreme geeks have known for several years, their are all sorts of cool ways (literally) to trick out your computer. They usually do it for the “coolness factor” (how cool it will make them look to their friends), but some do it out of necessity. Modders often “overclock” their computers, making them run faster, and thus hotter, than a standard PC. That means they need to use special cables that allow air to flow more freely inside the case. They cost a little bit more initially, but much less than a replacement component down the road. Next time you have your computer serviced, ask about swapping bulky old cables with sleek new ones.

Do you have a plan if your air conditioning or primary cooling system goes out? Our spur-of-the-moment plan involved a tiny space cooler and a good strong fan blowing right on our small server. It helped, but by mid-afternoon, the air temperature near the back of the server was in the mid-90’s (~35°C). Yuck! (We won’t mention how we felt working in that temperature.) Businesses with a larger IT infrastructure are even more vulnerable and should have redundant systems in place for an emergency. A good data backup plan is also a very wise investment.

Emergencies are a part of life. We saw on the news the damage that hurricane Dennis just did to Cuba and the U.S., and now Emily is on her way to other parts of Mexico or Texas. Tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, mudslides, broken sprinkler systems, a fire in a neighboring business, a careless cigarette, a drunk driver crashing through a wall… The list is endless, but the solution is always the same: be prepared.

It’s the Boy Scout motto and also really good advice. You can’t prepare for every possible catastrophe, so you need to plan for catastrophes in general. Backup your data, and keep a few copies in a few different places. Invest in a fireproof safe or lock box, and store critical information inside. Take out insurance on your equipment that includes replacement costs for new equipment, not just the value the old equipment would be worth today. Have emergency policies in place so that employees know what to do when things happen, so they can minimize the impact of the emergency on your business and maximize their safety and the safety of your customers.

Work with a creative IT consulting firm that can recommend multiple approaches to protecting your investments. Tape backups are one way to go, but they aren’t the only way. Be sure your IT crew isn’t locked into a single solution or an old-fashioned mindset. Allogro is just one of a number of excellent companies out there that can help you protect your data and get back to normal operations again quickly. Whomever you choose, just choose quickly and start implementing. And don’t forget to review your strategies at least once a year; things change as time moves on.

When you finish, sit back and enjoy a nice cool glass of lemonade. Relax in these lazy days of summer knowing your computers are summarized and you are prepared for whatever life might toss your way.

One of our clients sent me the following e-mail request:

Can you shoot me an email … with detailed instructions (how to’s) about … weekly & monthly cleanups … (Adware, Spyware, &/or other?). I keep getting official looking advertising pop-ups [regarding] such and am a little nervous to either do something or do nothing with them. I’d appreciate it if you could help me with this.

Realizing that my response could lead to a few blog entries, I decided to kick off a series of articles tentatively called “How-To Tuesdays.”

So, here is the first article in the series: the steps that I would recommend for the average small office/home office (or “SOHO”) users to keep their computers running smoothly…

All the Time

There are a few things that really need to be in place all the time that your computer is powered on. Without these in place, you are fighting a hopeless battle against viruses, spam, and hackers.

1. Hardware-based firewall for a broadband DSL or cable Internet connection. These are the “bouncers” who sit at the perimeter of your network and check all the lowlife scum that passes by to see if they have proper credentials. Of course, just like in real life, fake I.D.’s (or forged headers in the computer world) can be used for entrance, and the entry-level firewalls aren’t as good at spotting potential problems as the much more expensive versions can be. Even so, any security guy is going to help keep more riff-raff out than not having one at all. The same is true with firewalls.
   • A hardware-based firewall protects all types of computers installed behind it. It does not matter if your PC runs Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, or anything else, including gaming systems!
   • Since these firewalls are “always on”, they protect your device while it is powering up or down. Personal firewalls (next item) leave open a small window of vulnerability during that time. That is just one reason why multiple layers of protection are best.
2. Personal-firewalls (i.e., ones that are software-based) are another good investment, especially if you use dial-up Internet connections and don’t have a hardware-firewall.
   • Windows XP Service Pack 2, Linux, and FreeBSD (and probably also Mac OS X, since it is based on FreeBSD), all have some type of built-in personal firewall that is better than no firewall.
   • All the popular antivirus companies sell personal firewalls (usually available as a bundle with their antivirus software).
   • In general, all firewalls scan and protect against incoming attacks (things attacking you), but good ones also safeguard outgoing information. This extra layer of protection really helps to prevent viruses from spreading, spyware from divulging sensitive information, and hampers certain kinds of hacking. If you have a choice, get one that does both.
   • Firewalls do not provide complete protection from viruses, worms, trojans, or spyware. They are only the first step!
3. Real-time antivirus protection is the next most important thing you should have on your network. Some people consider it the most important. Either way, if you aren’t running it, you will be plagued by viruses.
   • Other names associated with real-time protection include: “heuristic detection”, “bloodhound detection”, and “virus watch”. Heuristic detection means that the programs watch for “virus-like behavior” to help protect you against new, unknown viruses and worms. Not all real-time virus scanners offer this extra level of protection, but it’s a good thing to have.
   • Generally antivirus software is only as good as its latest virus definitions file and scanning engine. Be sure to keep both fully up-to-date (more about that later).
4. Other malware scanners are very important, too. They come under a lot of different names, including: spyware scanners, adware blockers, spy catchers, and pest removers.
   • Operating systems and computers are much more reliable than they used to be, so most unexpected system crashes, freeze-ups, slow-downs, and pop-up advertisements are caused by some type of malware (which can include viruses and worms, too) installed on your system.
   • No single antimalware solution catches everything. You will need multiple layers of malware protection.
5. Protect your system settings from unexpected changes. There are a number of programs that do this, but few that do it well, because what works well for one person is frustrating for another person. It would be best to try a few different ones before settling on just one.
   • Most programs in this class keep an eye on certain portions of your PC that are accessed when your computer starts up. Under Windows, these include the “Startup” folder in the Control Panel, the “Run” and “Run-Once” registry keys, the “config.sys” and “autoexec.bat” files, and a few other locations. Generally speaking, editing and cleaning up these locations is not a task for the faint of heart—you could prevent your computer from booting at all if you make a mistake. That’s where a startup monitor helps you by making things simple to understand and simple to maintain.
   • Other programs that watch your system settings do so by keeping track of what is installed as it is being installed. Then, if you later want to uninstall something, all traces of the program can be removed. Like with firewalls, most current operating systems include a rudimentary form of this. Windows calls it “System Restore”, while Red Hat Linux calls it “RPM” or “Red Hat Package Management”. No matter which system you use, they all work the best if they are one of the very first things installed on your new computer so they can monitor everything else that is installed later.
   • Some personal firewalls and other utilities monitor a wide variety of system modifications and warn anytime something “suspicious” happens. Personally, these seem to cause more problems than they solve. Since most users do not really understand the message, they either allow everything (so what’s the point?) or they block everything (and wonder why their software doesn’t work).
   • This is an exception to the “more is better’ rule of thumb. Multiple system setting protection utilities usually are redundant and irritating. Pick one that meets your needs and your skill level, and use it exclusively.
6. Pop-up blockers help protect you from deceptive and/or annoying pop-up/pop-under windows while you are browsing the Web. Current versions of most web browsers now include built-in pop-up blockers. Most popular antivirus bundles include a pop-up blocker.
   • Multiple pop-up blockers generally should be avoided, since one is often enough. Having two can make it twice as difficult to allow pop-ups on sites that legitimately use them (like banks, schools, etc.). The exception would be in cases where one blocker does not block all the types you regularly encounter.
   • If you continue to see pop-ups after installing a pop-up blocker, it’s nearly always a sign of other malware (specifically adware or spyware) infesting your system. Certain web sites use Flash or JavaScript tricks to simulate pop-ups. I guess the advertisers don’t understand how much those tactics annoy potential customers!
7. Spam filters can really help ease frustration when opening your e-mail. Most solutions deal with spam at the server or by having you connect through a proxy. Microsoft Outlook 2003 comes with a built-in “junk e-mail” feature. Other solutions exist for dealing with spam before you download it to your computer.
   • All the major e-mail sites (e.g., www.hotmail.com, mail.yahoo.com, www.netaddress.com, etc.) and most Internet Service Providers (ISPs) perform a limited amount of spam filtering for you, and most allow you to “train” the filters to be “smarter.”
   • Spam accounts for over half of all e-mail sent over the Internet. Your e-mail account can receive spam even if you never give out the address, because spammers send to random addresses as well as known ones.
   • Replying to spam—even requesting to be removed from a list—should be avoided. It tells the spammer that someone actually reads the e-mail and that the account is active. They will probably send you more spam, not less.
8. The preceding items were primarily for protection from external threats. What about protecting the computer from itself? There are a number of diagnostic utilities that can constantly monitor your PC’s health and performance—warning you if certain thresholds are exceeded (e.g, too hot, too little hard drive space, too many errors, etc.). While it doesn’t take the place of regular preventive maintenance, it can give you advance warning of pending failures. And, that’s almost better than insurance!

So there you have it. My top-8 list of things that every SOHO computer should not be without. For people in larger offices with networks, the list changes somewhat, but the plan is the same: protect from external threats, monitor for infections, react when a threat is discovered, and watch for problems. In networked environments, you generally have to add one more step: protect from internal threats.

Tune in next week when I tackle the question “What needs to be done on a weekly basis?”