Simple reason why your computer might be running slow.

You have a fairly new computer, have kept your antivirus software up-to-date and your scans are always clean. So why is your computer still running at a snail’s pace? Malware (viruses or spyware), hardware issues or malfunctioning software are popular causes of computer issues. But before you call tech support, try searching your installed programs for software conflicts.

The most common software conflict that I've seen is multiple versions of antivirus software installed on a computer. I accidentally downloaded a free version of McAfee which came with an Adobe Acrobat Reader (pdf file viewer) install. McAfee was automatically installed the feature was unchecked during the install! The free version of McAfee will only scan your computer, not clean it. If you bought your computer from a big retailer, they likely installed a trial version of either McAfee or Norton antivirus. Uninstall trail antivirus software if you plan to try a different antivirus program. Just because antivirus software has expired, doesn’t mean it will not hog valuable system resources.

To remove unwanted software, please try the following based on your version of Windows*:

1. XP: Select Start > Control Panel > double-click Add or Remove Programs. Select the unwanted software and then click Change or Change/Remove. Follow the instructions that appear on your screen.
   


2. Vista: Select Start > Control Panel > Programs and Features > Select the unwanted software and remove. Follow the instructions that appear on your screen.
   


3. Windows 7: Select Start > Control Panel > Programs. Under Programs and Features, select View installed updates. Select the update that you want to remove, and then click Uninstall.
   

* Please be careful when you are removing software. Some software installs multiple packages. For instance, to fully remove Norton, you need to uninstall any Norton and Symantec entries. To check your version of Windows, right-click on My Computer on your desktop and select Properties.

LaRhonda Johnson
President/CEO Coactive
www.coactivechicago.com

The perils of Limewire and other peer-to-peer programs

I have troubleshooted a large amount of virus infections and have been noticing some common trends with customers that have viruses and those that don’t. One of the trends for virus-prone customers is the usage of peer-to-peer programs such as Limewire. Using Limewire and similar programs is the equivalent of sending your child into a different stranger's home each time you start a download. This software allows you to make a direct connection with another person's computer and you can unknowingly download virus infected files or open yourself up to getting hacked.

If you must use a peer-to-peer file sharing program, don't leave your computer connected to the Internet, install antivirus & firewall software and change your settings so that you don't share folders. Folder sharing is a default feature with the Limewire install that allows others to search for music and other media on your computer. This can be equated to leaving the back door to your home open, welcoming intruders.

Even with the above precautions, using peer-to-peer software is still dangerous. Thankfully there are safer, free and non-peer-to-peer options for downloading media on the Internet such as the Free YouTube to MP3 Converter. This software can be download from: http://www.dvdvideosoft.com/products/dvd/Free-YouTube-to-MP3-Converter.htm.