Maggie's Farm

We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.

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Much Sorry with Delays
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Friday, July 6. 2012

Virus Alert: Monday is D-Day


Just a quick reminder that a whole bunch of computers are going to lose their Internet connection this Sunday night at midnight, Eastern time.



Despite repeated alerts, the number of computers that probably are infected is more than 277,000 worldwide, down from about 360,000 in April. Of those still infected, the FBI believes that about 64,000 are in the United States.



My post on it is here.  Just takes a sec to check.

Posted by Dr. Mercury in Dr. Mercury's Computer Corner at 09:15 | Comments (8) | Trackbacks (0)

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thank you. I checked the two sites and they say that my Mac is clean. which I expect from Mac.
NS
#1 ns on 2012-07-06 10:39 (Reply)
Thanks! Clean.

Though as a previous commenter on your linked page said, it was like staring into the abyss.... I know just enough to be really dangerous.
#2 weaver (Link) on 2012-07-06 11:22 (Reply)
True, but in all fairness, half the time it's really not the user's fault. Like, if you get an email from your best buddy (that is, the virus in disguise), it's only natural to open an attachment. Likewise, 600,000 Mac users have recently been infected by a virus purporting to be a Flash update. Again, hard to blame people for just doing what looks like a routine operation. I'll have a post on it next week.

Anyway, glad you passed the 'clean' test.

This time. :)
#2.1 Dr. Mercury (Link) on 2012-07-06 11:31 (Reply)
Thanks again, Doc.
I'm always aclutter, so I tried Fences to organize my desktop - works well. It has a free and a "Pro" version.
From CNET: http://download.cnet.com/Fences/3000-2072_4-10909535.html
It wants to install some extra "stuff," which is easily eliminated, thanks to your tutelage. However, I have to say that I usually purchase the paid versions of programs after I try them, just to keep the inventive types going.

Also, I found a solution to program installers not letting you proceed, due to "Installation already in progress" warnings and other erroneous messages.
Also, how to clean Apple software completely (No, really!) off your computer for clean installs.
Also, how to use your smartphone as a WiFi hotspot, at least temporarily. Some of the carriers frown on this, and some don't care, it seems. Not getting something for nothing, but I don't need a dataplan for the phone AND the tablet; I only use one at a time! This last is not recommended for the easily annoyed . . .
#3 steve in ct on 2012-07-06 12:24 (Reply)
I was wondering while the Fences site was loading if they actually meant it literally -- putting fence lines on your Desktop -- and they do! Pretty clever idea, all in all.

The problem is that the Desktop was designed for temporary files, i.e., a shortcut to some article you're going to read later or a Notepad shopping list. Actual programs and such should be stuffed away in an organized Start Menu. It's NOT the easiest thing to set up (because there are two folders involved), but that's the solution to a messy Desktop.

As for any "Installation already in progress" problems, that's usually a bug in the program -- possibly because it's an XP program running on Win7. I have two that do it; one says "already in progress", the other says "already running". I click 'Ignore' and the installation works fine.
#3.1 Dr. Mercury (Link) on 2012-07-06 12:38 (Reply)
I took your feeling about clutter on the desktop to heart a while back, but still have some things that I want to be able to find easily, such as forwarding some temp Word or .pdf file. Also, I keep Registry back-ups there until I see if a change is safe/works. There is an option with Fences to not "Quick Hide" a few important ones. The result for me is a very clean desktop.

Interesting note about the XP running on Win7. The case in point was not such, and I didn't have the chance to "ignore" it. The work-around, suggested by Apple was to create a temporary User with Administrative privileges, install the program, and then when it proves it can run under the normal User, delete the temporary User.

Along the way to that solution, Apple pointed me toward the How-To-Geek article here, http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/23959/completely-remove-itunes-and-other-apple-software-from-a-windows-computer/.
Programs used therein are Revo Uninstaller (I use the Pro version), Everything, and CCleaner (download links toward the bottom of the page) I seem to recall that you had recommended Revo and CCleaner in the past, so I already had them on this machine.

Thanks for all the help, Doc.
#3.1.1 steve in ct on 2012-07-07 16:39 (Reply)
I've checked mine and your info is correct I'm clean.
#4 Garry on 2012-07-07 11:51 (Reply)
I never bothered reading about this at all, as I thought it was a hyped up non-story. Turns out it was a hyped up, non-story. Even IF 64,000 were infected, and that doesn't appear to be true, it is too small an amount in the overall scheme to worry about.

Between the government and others continuing to try whipping things into being far greater than they are in reality, it is no wonder there are so much hand-wringing in this country.
#5 Joe Luke on 2012-07-10 12:06 (Reply)
Given the 10 seconds it took people to click on the test links, are you suggesting it was too much trouble and I shouldn't have bothered?

"it is too small an amount in the overall scheme to worry about."

You never watched 'Star Trek 3: The Search for Spock', did you?
#5.1 Dr. Mercury (Link) on 2012-07-10 13:06 (Reply)

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