DR. MAC'S COMPUTER CLINIC
No.21

VIRAL PROTECTION
MAKE AVG MORE POWERFUL

Welcome to another Computer Clinic.

Last time I showed you how to DEFRAGMENT correctly. One additional tip before you do a defrag : turn off any Screen Saver you have running. RIGHT-click any blank area on your desktop. On the pop-up menu click on "Properties" - on the Display Properties box click on the "Screen Saver" tab, and when asked what screen saver you want, select "None" Then click on "Apply" - and finally on "O.K."

Now, let's revisit a very good friend : The powerful - and totally FREE - AVG Anti-viral program

If you haven't got this fantastic viral protection program yet :

• Study Clinics 9, 10 and 11 thoroughly for the FULL "how to ..."
• Don't forget to make your No 1 and No 2 AVG SOS Rescue Disks.
• Windows ME users : ME has disabled the facility to transfer system files to a floppy. So, will NOT be able to make the No 1 floppy - the AVG Boot disk. Therefore, you also need to study Clinic 12 on how to use a Windows boot disk in order to launch AVG in an emergency.
• You can download AVG here : www.grisoft.com/html/us_dwnl2.cfm
• Remember to fill in your correct e-mail address. AVG will send you the Registration number.
• Full instructions on how to install and configure AVG are in the three Clinics above.

The world got a nasty shock when the BadTrans and Goner virus/worms swept the globe. Those of us who had AVG installed - and who had updated the viral signature files - were PROTECTED.

Keep in mind - 99% of viral infections arrive by e-mail. It is critically important to make sure - and double-check - that your e-mail settings are correct.

• Double-click the little AVG icon in your systray. The AVG Control Centre opens up.
• Click on the "E-Mail scanner" tab at the top - then study this picture :

Click on the E-mail Scanner tab.                    Finally, click "O.K."

"Check incoming Messages" MUST be ticked. The Outlook Express Plugin MUST be ticked. You MUST click on APPLY.

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If a virus is detected in your e-mail, AVG will usually detect it instantly and tell you. Please see the previous AVG clinics for full details. HOWEVER ... viruses are getting really devious. For example, instead of the usual ONE extension (e.g. .exe or .com) some viruses now have TWO extensions e.g. .doc.scr or .mp3.pif

This can confuse anti-viral programs and they might not trigger an immediate alert.

For example, when you click on the Subject/Title header of an e-mail (NOT on the attachment!) AVG may pop up the following box :

Then click "OK"

AVG is not sure if the attachment has a virus so gives you the option to Open the attachment or Save it to disk ("disk" means to your hard drive) NEVER EVER OPEN IT! Select "Save it to disk"

• After clicking on "OK" - the following box opens :

Click the little down-arrow at the end of the "Save in" box On the drop-down menu, click on "Desktop" Then click "Save"

• The attachment will now be saved onto your desktop.
• You can now RIGHT-click ONCE over this file.
• A pop-up menu appears. Click on "Scan with AVG"
• If AVG can recognise it as infected, you will get a warning message in bright red.
• Exit (close) from AVG, RIGHT-click once over the file again, and DELETE IT.
• Then go to your recycle bin and delete it from there as well.
• Go back to your e-mail client (Outlook Express) and DELETE that whole e-mail - including the attachment.
• Now, empty your "Deleted items" e-mail folder.
• And finally, use Disk Cleaner (full download details in Clinic 15) to remove all files from your Temp. Internet Files folders. Viruses that arrive in e-mails (AND over the internet) often put copies of themselves into the Internet Explorer Temporary folders! Make sure you get rid of them!

MY ADVICE : DON'T CHANCE IT! IF YOU ARE EVEN THE SLIGHTEST BIT SUSPICIOUS - DELETE THE WHOLE E-MAIL THE SPLIT SECOND IT ARRIVES IN YOUR MAIL BOX. THEN EMPTY (delete) YOUR "DELETED ITEMS" E-MAIL FOLDER AS WELL.

DO NOT - UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES - CLICK OR DOUBLE CLICK THE ATTACHMENT!

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Please make all the settings recommended in the Clinics above. BUT IN ADDITION :

• Double-click on the main AVG shortcut on your desktop. The MAIN AVG SCREEN opens.
• On the very top menu-bar, click on "Service" - then click "Complete Test Settings"
• The following box appears. Make sure your settings look like this :

Everything in the green circles must be ticked. When you tick "Test All Extensions" the other 3 boxes will "grey-out" Make sure all your settings look the same.   Finally click on "O.K."

• Some of the latest viruses now have TWO extensions (e.g. ".doc" AND ".scr")
• By testing ALL extensions, your AVG is much more powerful
• Although your FULL scans will take a lot longer to complete when all extensions are tested, rather be safe than sorry

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• Once AVG is installed, it is critical to check for viral signature file updates regularly.
• Double-click the little AVG icon in your systray (bottom right corner of your screen - near the clock)
• The AVG Control Centre opens. Click the "Update Manager" tab at the top.
• Connect to the internet and click on "Update now!"

I doNOT have this "Scheduled Update" ticked. You need to check for updates yourself - REGULARLY! Click "Update Now" to check and download new files.

• I use "Update Manager" to check for updates at least once a week. I suggest you do the same!
• If there IS an update, AVG will download and install it for you - unless the update has only been up for a few hours.
• That's why I also go to the web-site itself to check for emergency updates 2 - 3 X a week! Yes! I do! It only takes a minute!
• The link you want is : www.grisoft.com
• Download this into the AVG "Update" folder. The full path is : C:\Program Files\Grisoft\Avg\Update
• For full details on how to download into a specific folder, study Clinic 5

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	REMEMBER - AVG recommends we make a NEW No 2 "SOS" Rescue Disk each time after we have updated.

• Open the MAIN AVG SCREEN by double-clicking the shortcut on your desktop.
• On the top menu-bar, click on "Service - Create Rescue Disk"
• When you first made your rescue disks (as fully explained in Clinic 10), No. 1 was the BOOT-UP disk. At that time, you first clicked on "Format"
• However, you never need to make the No 1 AVG Boot Disk again. ( Windows ME users were NOT able to make an AVG Boot Disk! As a reminder, go to Clinic 12 for full details on how to use your own Windows boot disk)
• To make a new No 2 SOS Rescue Disk after each update, make sure your No 2 floppy is in the floppy drive and CLICK ON CONTINUE ... like this :

To make an AVG boot disk first click on "Format" (Win 95 and 98 users only)

Then insert 2nd floppy and click on "Continue" To only make the No. 2 disk after each viral signature file update, do NOT click on Format. Click "Continue"

• AVG will first delete the out-of-date files on the floppy, and will then write the new files onto it.

You will NOT be able to read your Computer Clinics in DOS! So, unless you have a brilliant memory, it is essential you print out the "how to .." in Clinic 11.< Windows ME owners: Clinic 12 as well.

If you haven't got a printer, you will either have to write out the instructions OR see my tip : "How to print if you don't have a printer" in Clinic 8

Those of you who are regular patients at the Clinic know full well that it's time to give your PC it's complete weekly health check and "MOT" as detailed at the end of Clinic 18

If it's been a full month since you last did a "defrag" - then it's time to do that as well. Make absolutely sure you do it the CORRECT way! The full medical procedure is in Clinic 20

Thanks for visiting my Clinic. See you again soon for more powerful medicine!

Happy and SAFE computing.

Best wishes,

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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