Windows Archives - Page 5 of 8

Clean Stubborn Windows Infections with Kaspersky Rescue Disk

Linux, Security, SoftwareDisk, Infections, Live, WindowsOphtek, LLC

Jun 2014

Have you used every method in Windows to remove malware but scans keep reporting infections? You may need to scan and remove malware working outside of Windows. You can do this using a Linux Live CD.

Please note that this will not require you to be familiar with Linux.

A live cd is a bootable storage device containing an operating system. This operating system functions independent of the hard drive. Therefore, it will be free of the malware affecting your Windows system.

There are many Linux live cd distributions to choose from. Kaspersky Rescue Disk is preferred because it has an interface many Windows users are comfortable with. You can download Kaspersky Rescue Disk here.

After downloading the live iso, you can create the live cd. To create the live disk in Windows 7 or 8, right click the Kaspersky Rescue Disk iso file you downloaded and select Burn disc image.

If you are running an earlier version of Windows, you will need to run a third- party program such as InfraRecorder. Here is an explanation of using Infrarecorder to burn disc images.

In the Burn Disc Image window, use the drop- down arrow to select the DVD/CD drive with the blank disc to be burned on. Check Verify disc after burning to make sure you have a usable disc after burning.

When the disc is finished burning, click the Close button to close the program.

If you do not have access to a CD or DVD burner, you may create a Kaspersky Rescue live USB. Utility to Record Rescue Disk 10 to USB devices is a tool that can perform this. You can download it here.

For your live CD to boot properly, it must be given boot preference over the hard drive in the BIOS. If the CD does not have preference or you are not sure, you must change the boot order in the BIOS. To change the boot order to allow the device with the iso to boot, please refer to the following wiki.

Insert the CD or USB with the iso, restart the computer, and allow the live media to boot. If you are using Kaspersky Rescue Disk, double click the Kaspersky Rescue Disk icon on the desktop and click the My Update Center tab. Next click Start update.

After it finishes the update, click the Objects Scan tab, check every box, and select Start Objects Scan.

The scan should take a considerable amount of time. You will likely be able to cook, watch a movie, or play a few games of chess in the time it takes.

After it finishes scanning, remove the threats the program detects. Reboot back into Kaspersky Rescue Disk again and run another scan. If it finds no threats, exit the program, remove the CD, and reboot back into Windows.

If you are running an anti-virus program that did not detect this infection, it may be a good idea to switch to a better anti-virus. We always recommend Malwarebytes Anti-Malware as it ranks highly on anti-virus benchmarks.

For more information, consult your local IT professionals.

Microsoft Update Breaks Office 2013 – KB2971668

Office IT, Repairs and Upgrades, SoftwareAvoid, Office 2013, Uninstall, update, WindowsOphtek, LLC

Jun 2014

Do you have Microsoft Office 2013? If so, read on before you install the latest Windows updates released on June 10, 2014 which could break your Office install.

Many users have been reporting this update has been causing stability issues in Office 2013. Some worst case scenarios involve having to completely re-install Office 2013 after the update.

All Onsite PC Solution managed services clients will be protected during their monthly routine maintenance.

If you haven’t installed the updates for June 10-11th

You can selectively filter out the updates for Office 2013 by following these steps:

First, if Windows is offering you updates, click the update prompt at the bottom of the screen shown above. This will bring you to the Update Center.

Do not summarily click the Install Updates box. Instead click the important updates that are available and review them.

Uncheck any updates that mention Microsoft Office 2013 or KB2971668. Click Install. When you are sent back to the Update Center, go through the same steps for the optional updates that you went through for the important updates. In the optional updates, we recommend not installing anything related to Bing as these are unnecessary and may slow your computer down. Finally, click Install to go back again to the Update Center, then click Install Updates.

This will give you all the latest updates for Windows without the problematic update that may corrupt your Office 2013 installation.

If you already installed the update and Office 2013 is broken

First uninstall the update. To do this, click the Start button and select Control Panel.

Next click either Uninstall a Program or Programs and Features.

In the Programs and Features window, click View installed updates.

From the list of installed updates, find any that involve Office 2013 dated June 10-11 2014 or KB2971668. Click to highlight them. Then, when given the prompt, uninstall them.

After you uninstall all the Office 2013 updates dated the week of June 10th 2014, you will need to completely remove Office using the steps in this article.

For more information, consult your local IT professionals.

Should you use 32 or 64 bit?

Office IT, Software32, 64, Bits, WindowsOphtek, LLC

Jun 2014

Do you need to install new software but do not know whether you can use the 32 or 64 bit version? In general it is better to use 64 bit software as it can use more physical memory and take advantage of your computer hardware’s other 64 bit features.

You can use 64 bit software if you are running 64 bit Windows. Here’s how you can check.

In Windows 7 or earlier versions , click the Start button on the lower left and select Control Panel from the menu.

In Windows 8, drag your mouse to the right of the screen and allow the charms to appear.

Select Settings and Control Panel.

In the Control Panel options, select either System or System and Security then System, depending on the type of menu you are presented with.

In the System window, the System type field will show you the number of bits Windows is.

As more and more hardware and software vendors support 64 bit, consumers are able to take advantage of 64 bit features like bigger memory space. For more information, consult your local IT professional.

What to do When Windows Won’t Update Properly

Company Updates, Office IT, Repairs and Upgrades, Security, SoftwareFail, Reboot, update, WindowsOphtek, LLC

May 2014

Does Windows keep telling you that the computer needs to restart to finish installing updates even after you have already restarted the computer repeatedly? Here’s how you can fix the problem.

It is paramount to install these updates correctly because getting the latest updates means getting the latest security fixes that prevent infections from compromising your system.

Before trying anything else, run a System Restore:

In Windows 7, click the Start button, click the Accessories folder, then System Tools, and select System Restore.

In Windows 8, use the mouse to swipe the right edge of the screen of the cursor, then click the Search Charm.

In the box that comes up, type restore point and click Create a restore point.

Choose the last date your computer worked correctly before the failed update. In the System Restore Wizard window, select the restore point that corresponds with that date. If the wizard doesn’t display the date in question, check Show more restore points.

After you have found the correctly dated restore point, click Next. Then select Finish to allow Windows to run the wizard and reboot.

After rebooting, run Windows Update again.

If Windows fails to update again, malware may be the culprit. Malwarebytes anti- malware is a useful tool that can remove these types of infections that block updates. For more information on how to remove malware, please refer to the following article.

If the failed updates are not the result of malware, try the Windows Update Troubleshooter. It is a free Microsoft diagnostic tool that can sort out update problems.

If all of the solutions mentioned above cannot rectify Windows update, try rebooting one more time. Sometimes temporary problems arise that prevent updates from installing. A simple reboot often clears Windows of these problems.

As a last resort, you can reset windows update. This is a very complicated process that involves precisely following the steps described in this Microsoft support article.

For more information on this or other issues with your PC, consult your local IT professionals.

Improve Windows Performance – Part 2

SoftwareOptimize, Performance, speed, WindowsOphtek, LLC

May 2014

In our previous article Improving Windows’ Performance – Part 1 we covered how to reduce the slowness on your Windows operating system by removing unnecessary processes and programs. Here are more ways to speed up Windows and keep your productivity as high as possible.

1.) Defragment your hard disk.

Defragmenting places relative data closer together so the hard disk can run more efficiently. To open it, click the Start button, type Disk Defragmenter in the search box, and click on that icon when it comes up.

Select the disk you want to defragment under Current Status.

Next click Analyze Disk.

Enter an administrator password if it prompts you for one. You can check the fragmentation of the disk in the last run column. If it is above 10%, click Defragment disk. Enter an administrator password if necessary. The process can take from several minutes to a few hours.

2.) Use Disk Cleanup to clean your hard disk.

From the Start button, type Disk Cleanup in the search box. Click it in the list of results.

In the Drives list, Click the hard drive you want to clean up and then click OK.

In the Disk Cleanup dialog box, on the Disk Cleanup tab, select the check boxes for the file types that you want to delete, and then click OK.

Click Delete files in the next window that appears.

3.) Don’t run too many programs at once.

Lots of web browser windows or tabs and open email messages can particularly bog things down. Reply to the messages and close them as soon as possible. Also, keep only necessary browser windows and tabs open.

One of the most common causes of a slow Windows system is having more than one antivirus program running. Action Center will notify you if you are running more than one program at the same time. Action Center can be accessed from the flag icon on the task bar to the lower right of the screen.

By selecting Open Action Center, Windows can help you remove one of the antivirus programs.

For more ways to speed up your home or office systems, consult your local IT professionals.

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Tag Archives: Windows

If you haven’t installed the updates for June 10-11th

If you already installed the update and Office 2013 is broken

1.) Defragment your hard disk.

2.) Use Disk Cleanup to clean your hard disk.

3.) Don’t run too many programs at once.