Bergesch Computer Services, Inc.
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Network Solutions customers An apparent recent change at NetworkSolutions requires email to authenticate with their servers for outbound email.  This is a fairly easy change in Outlook or Outlook Express: In the Tools menu > (Email) Account settings, locate your email account then click change or properties.  Locate the My server requires authentication option (more settings in Outlook) and turn that option on.  Then locate the Advanced settings and change the outgoing Port to 2525.  Note: Lakedale Email customers still use 587... Note: Do NOT turn the Requires Secure Password option on... Lakedale DNS DSL customers The long struggle with the erratic Internet issues may be nearing an end.  Lakedale is switching to different DNS servers.  While browsing, you may see this message indicating the need to make changes to your Internet connection.  Lakedale has posted this site to test your settings and while the test can determine if changes are needed, the information that follows it may not be very helpful. If the test indicates you are using the "old" DNS servers: If you do not have a router, i.e., your computer connects directly to the DSL modem or TV gateway, their instructions may be helpful.  In fact, there is really nothing you should have to do other than power down then power up the Lakedale device! If you do have a router, Lakedale is apparently offering no help, at least that we could find, so try this: Click here for some help with router settings...

Windows Updates Regardless of your operating system, be sure to manually check for updates!  At least once a month... We still see some machines that have not obtained all of the security updates, even though they are set to do so automatically.  Manually checking at http://update.microsoft.com and installing the WGA and other engines typically gets the automatic updates working again. And FYI...  Tuesday, November 10th Microsoft released (many) more security updates...   Apparently one or more may stop drive-by downloads (at least for now).  More information. If you have an AMD processor, be aware... Computers with an AMD processor may crash after installing Windows XP SP3 if they are not prepared first... The manufacturer may have a utility that needs to be run BEFORE SP3 is installed.  Compaqs seem to be especially problematic.  Here is HP's article regarding AMDs and SP3: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01457284&cc=us&dlc=en&lc=en&jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN

Email addressing In Outlook, typing a recipient's name typically fills in with the correct address, at least it used to...  Recently, it seems like our Outlook has forgot previously used email recipient addresses.  We are unsure why this has happened but suspect some Microsoft updates... To resolve the problem we now type part of the person's (or company) name then click the Check Names button. After a few times selecting a specific name, Outlook again began to suggest as we typed, but something has changed!  We have multiple contacts with a company name containing the word "anchor," but Outlook always finds only one when clicking the Check Names button... More frustrating is when it picks the wrong person as we type and we are not paying enough attention to get the correct recipient.  Unfortunately there's not much any software can do to correct that type of human error... If Outlook ('07) does not learn or suggest names, check under Tools > Options > Email options > Advanced options and make sure it is turned on.  Note: In there you can also adjust the new email notification... Outlook '07 hint:  Ctrl Enter while in a new message sends that message immediately.  You can turn that option on/off in the same Advanced options window.  It's the last option...

Microsoft Accounting If you were considering purchasing Microsoft Accounting - Don't bother... Dear valued Microsoft® Office Accounting customer:   We are writing to let you know that we will no longer distribute Microsoft Office Accounting after November 16, 2009... If you already have it don't panic as it will continue to work, but those little annoying bugs will not be fixed... Nice going Microsoft, sell a program for a few years then drop it...

Sony Vaio adapter recall  If you own a Sony Vaio, check the laptop/docking station adapter part number.  If it is VGP-AC19V17, it is probably under a recall.  Call 877-361-4481 or check their website: http://esupport.sony.com/US/vgntz/

Junk email Always scrutinize email messages asking for personal information...  In fact, best never to send personal information via email at all.  Remember, an email message is much like a postcard, it is open for anyone to read along the route... URGENT MESSAGE TO ACCOUNT HOLDER !!! Dear Email Account Owner, This message is from microsoft messaging center to all Webmail email account owners. We are currently upgrading our data base and   e-mail account center. We are deleting all unused email account to create more space for new accounts. To prevent your account from   closing you will have to update it below so that we will know that it's a present used account. CONFIRM YOUR EMAIL IDENTITY BELOW Email Username : EMAIL Password :  Date of Birth :  Country or Territory : Warning!!! Account owner that refuses to update his or her account   within Seven days of receiving this warning will lose his or her account permanently. Thank you for using Microsoft! Warning Code:VX2G99AAJ Thanks, WEBMAIL ADMINISTRATOR  If you are unsure about a particular request, contact the company in question directly! Thanks, Holly A similar scam Bank Trojan botnet targets Facebook users...  The article.  Since we have mentioned Facebook...  Hundreds of Facebook groups hijacked.  The article. And finally... If you receive suspect mail but would like to view it, a safe way to do so is to first drag it to the junk email folder.  In Outlook '07, drag the message from the Inbox and drop it in the Junk E-mail box, then open from there.  Messages opened from the Junk mailbox open as plain text, removing any automated action, attachments, etc. If you then decide it's a safe message, drag it back to the Inbox and disabled items are again enabled/available.

Rogue security applications "Released Tuesday, Symantec's report on rogue security software noted that 250 rogue security programs launched some 43 million attempts to prompt user installation between July 2008 and June 2009."   The article. As we discussed in March and June, these are coming in from a variety of sites including legitimate sites... It seems you can avoid infection by not clicking anything, shutting the computer down, restarting it then scanning with your Antivirus and with Windows Defender.  None of the antivirus applications are stopping these from launching or finding them during a scan.  Defender is finding a couple of them, but not all. But wait, there's more... According to this article, the number of infected sites is now 650,000.  The Google blacklist of malware infected sites has more than doubled in the last year, registering as many as 40,000 new sites in one week.  See Windows Updates above! Somewhat related... The other day we inadvertently ended up at Freeze.com and somehow, without our knowledge or permission, they installed an add-on to our Internet.  Once in a while it's worthwhile checking add-ons via the Internet Explorer's Tools menu > Options > Programs tab > Add-ons button. If you are unsure what something is, click the More information link... Disable suspicious or unknown items.  If something on the Internet does not work correctly, you can always re-enable it.  Freeze was also listed in our Add/Remove programs list where we uninstalled whatever remained of it... Again, recent Windows Security updates may resolve these issues...   See Windows Updates above!

Word bookmarks Did you know you can set a bookmark in one document then access that location from another document? Insert a Bookmark in a document, save and close.  In another document Insert a Hyperlink to that first document and bookmark, e.g., \\server\Data\list.doc#service, which is a shortcut to a document on our server named "list" and the bookmark in that document is "service"...

Windows 7 If you are thinking about upgrading to Windows 7 or have a new computer with Windows 7, this article has some great tips... Other worthwhile articles: All about Windows 7   Seven perfectly legal ways to get Windows 7 cheap (or even free) But read this one too... A free Windows 7 upgrade could cost you What Microsoft won't tell you about Windows 7 licensing If you are thinking about installing Windows 7 and would like to keep your current operating system as well, here is an article from Microsoft on multibooting.

Cat and mouse The ongoing game between hackers and the antihacking efforts.  A new virus was discovered targeting German bank customers.  This virus watches for online bank transactions and during the processes, determines how much can be taken, steals money and then shows a false balance. While this virus does not (yet) appear to affect US bank customers, it could be just a matter of time.  The article.

Trivia We are creating some 200 trivia cards containing all kinds of computer questions including computer basics, history, how to, etc...  Some questions are fairly easy, some a bit more difficult... The answer side often offers more information about the subject... We hope to have them ready the first part of December... If interested, call and we will print you a set.  $10.00 available at the shop only   Sample front and back

Quick Links... 10 dumb things users do that can mess up their computers  They have one little error:  #10 should have been #1 If you like old shows like The Twilight Zone, Outer Limits, etc., many are online.  Many more shows are available at various sites including: TV.com and Bing Want to compare dollar value to or from different years?  Here's a calculator that does just that.  Example:  $1,000 in 1956 converts to the amounts shown for 2010 $7,921.38 using the Consumer Price Index $6,323.33 using the GDP deflator $10,508.96 using the value of consumer bundle $10,294.83 using the unskilled wage $18,238.14 using the nominal GDP per capita $33,016.46 using the relative share of GDP

I used to think that the brain was the most wonderful organ in my body. Then I realized who was telling me this. - Emo Phillips We will leave you with this from Al Lowe This Economy Is So Bad that... I opened the mail and found a pre-declined credit card. My dad's getting older; yesterday he was griping about joint pain. I asked him, "Is it your hip?" He said, "No. I burned my lip on a roach clip!"   With an apology to our daughter... When the company performed a password audit, they found a blonde using MickeyMinniePlutoHueyLouieDeweyDonaldGoofy as her password. When asked why she chose such a long password, she said, "They told me it had to be at least eight characters!"

Trivia

Finally from our conservative side...