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DR. MAC'S COMPUTER CLINIC
No. 10
BE SAFE - GET A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP
Hallo again! You've got your superb AVG anti-viral program installed and if you followed
the detailed "how to ..." in the last Clinic, you've given your PC a complete Viral Scan.
In today's Clinic, we show you how to get the best from your anti-viral program.
FIRST .... It is CRITICAL to have a set of AVG "SOS" Rescue Disks that work in DOS.
A TRUE STORY :
Two years ago, your very own Dr. Mac was using a well-known (and expensive) anti-viral
program. But somehow, a virus still got into my computer. This virus was so vicious
it disabled the use of all programs in Windows. That means, I couldn't use any of my
programs - including my anti-viral program - so it was impossible to disinfect all the
infected files in my PC. The only way to get rid of the virus was in DOS.
This is the basic, Disk Operating System present before Windows loads. My expensive
program was useless
because it didn't have a DOS scan and disinfect function. BUT ... your AVG program DOES !
The AVG SOS Rescue Disks require 2 clean, good quality floppies. Do NOT use the
special floppies you save your e-mails and other documents on (Refer to Clinic No. 8
for full details on how to save e-mails etc. onto floppies.) Do NOT use old floppies.
Do NOT use floppies that have anything else at all on them. Use 2 brand new, clean,
good quality floppy disks. The very life of your computer could depend on this one day.
And I am NOT joking! It is critical to take the threat of viral attack seriously.
MAKE A SET OF AVG RESCUE DISKS-
Put the first floppy into your floppy (A) drive.
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DOUBLE-click on the LARGE AVG shortcut on your desktop (NOT the little one in your systray)
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On the tool-bar, click on "Service" and then on "Create Rescue Disk"
.... like this :
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Open the MAIN AVG interface.
Click on "Service" and on the
little drop-down menu click
on
"Create Rescue Disk"
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A little box will pop up - confirm by clicking on the
"Create Rescue Disk" button. -
The next box confirms that the disk will be created in your "A" drive -
click on "Create" -
The next box gives you three options:
- Continue, Format it, or Cancel. Click on "FORMAT IT". -
It is CRITICAL that you "Transfer system files" onto the floppy.
The next box looks like this :
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Make sure "FULL" is selected.
Tick "Display summary"
N.B. It is CRITICALLY IMPORTANT to
have "Copy (transfer) system files" ticked.
Now, click on the "Start" button
at the top, right
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Your floppy will now be correctly formatted AND system files are copied onto it.
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System files MUST be on your floppy otherwise you will NOT be able to boot your PC into DOS.
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When finished, a summary box appears. Click on "Close"and when the main box (above) appears, click on "Close" again.
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AVG will now quickly check free space and create the first disk.
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When it has finished, a box will pop up with a message that "there is not enough space to store all the necessary data" (to make the 2nd SOS Rescue Disk) and you are asked to insert another floppy.
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Remove the first floppy and clearly label it "1. AVG BOOT DISK"
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Insert the 2nd, squeaky-clean new floppy, and this time click on the "Continue" button.
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AVG goes to work and then tells you this disk has been successfully created. Click on "OK"
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Remove the floppy and clearly label it "2. AVG RESCUE DISK"
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Close the main AVG interface by clicking on the big "X" or clicking on "Exit"
GREAT! You now have a set of AVG Rescue disks which can literally save your computer's life.
Unlike some other anti-viral programs, you do NOT have to update these rescue disks!
The floppies use the viral signature-files in your main AVG program - so when you update
your AVG the Rescue disk will automatically use the latest, updated viral files. Neat !
In the next Clinic we will show you how to use these disks correctly if you can't get into
Windows. Now, let's look at some extra settings for your AVG.
SETTINGS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR YOUR AVG
DISABLE 24 hr SCANS
As I explained last week, unless you are totally paranoid, you do NOT need AVG to
scan your whole computer every 24 hours! Last week we showed you how to turn this
function OFF (Go the Library and refer to Clinic No. 9 for instructions)
REGISTER WITH GRISOFT
This is absolutely free and it's well worth doing. Double-click on the main AVG 6.0
shortcut on your desktop. On the tool-bar, click on "Service"and then
on "Register AVG"
A box will pop up. Fill in your name and address (don't worry - no salesman will call!)
and e-mail address, and then click on the "Register" button.
This will automatically create an e-mail. You don't need to add anything else to it.
Simply connect to the internet and hit "SEND"
The advantage of registering is that Grisoft will send you an e-mail when there is a viral
signature update, so when you get that e-mail, you can immediately update your program
and your viral signature files.
UPDATING AVG
When Grisoft notify you of an update, connect to the internet and DOUBLE-click the small
AVG
icon in your systray (next to the clock) The AVG Control Centre screen appears. Click on
the "Update Manager" tab. and then click once on "Update Now!"
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You open the
Control Centre by
double-clicking the
little icon in your
Systray (NOT the
shortcut on your
desktop)
Connect to the
internet and click
on"Update Now"
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AVG will connect to the Grisoft web-site and if there are updates they will be downloaded
and automatically installed for you. NEAT !
Well, now you have one of the best anti-viral programs I have ever found all installed, set up, and updated. You also have a set of Rescue Disks. Tonight, you can sleep peacefully!
Make absolutely sure you keep your appointment at the next Clinic - we will learn
exactly what medicine to apply if a virus strikes!
AND REMEMBER : Another week has gone past, so make sure you give your PC it's regular,
weekly Health MOT. Close down all running programs using "End It All" and then run ScanDisk
(See Clinics No. 4, 5 and 6 if you need to download the program and learn how to use ScanDisk
correctly - it's all in the Library)
Take care .... best wishes ... and Happy and Safe Computing !
Dr. Mac
Dr. Mac's Computer Clinic
LIBRARY
All the
Computer Clinics that have appeared on the idf50 web-site
are HERE
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HEALTH WARNING
Outdated programmes and lack of "know-how" can seriously affect the health of your PC including your internet and e-mail enjoyment
CLICK HERE
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