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1. Update your system.Make sure that you are using the latest drivers for your hardware-and that you’ve installed all the Windows Updates-and check for updates to any applications you use, especially any that seem to be related to your current computer problem. Microsoft is always updating Windows with minor patches and bug fixes. Depending on whether you use Windows Automatic Updates, keeping the OS up to date may require some diligence on your part. In Windows XP, select Start | All Programs | Windows Update. (Other programs will often include update options on their Help or File menus.)
2. Check your connections.This may sound obvious, but check all the cables to make sure they are plugged in securely. Don’t ignore this step. USB, printer, and serial cables have a way of working themselves loose and causing problems. Also make sure all the boards are seated properly and the cables connected inside your PC. If you get a beeping tone when you boot, and no video, start by opening the machine and reseating the graphics board in its slot.
3. Reboot.Windows sometimes gets into a confused or panic state, and by simply rebooting you can clear the memory and set things straight. Similarly, if you’re having a problem connecting to the Internet, try rebooting your cable/DSL modem and router by unplugging and replugging them. But this isn’t something you should have to do often. If you find yourself rebooting your router once a day, the problem is a bit deeper.

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Online data storage and back up is a great system. However it can be expensive for large offices with lots of data. However prices are coming down. Current service start at $9.95 a month for 5GB. If you have lots of image files and radiographs it is possible to have 20GB or more of data. That adds up to $40 a month or $480 a year. At that rate off site tapes cost less.

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– Expert Help by PC Magazine [1]
When cleaning a system for transfer, don’t use the Recycle Bin to delete files. Even when emptied, “deleted” files are still easily recovered, since the built-in delete mechanism simply makes the area on the hard drive where the old file was stored available to new files. Instead, use a “file shredder” program, which overwrites the file multiple times before erasing it. Almost a dozen free shredder programs are available from Snapfiles.com [2]
You should delete other personal data, too. From your e-mail program, delete any inbox or stored messages, and compact all folders if there is such an option. Delete any contacts in the address book, and remove any server/log-on account information. From your Web browser, delete your bookmarks and saved passwords, and use a program like CCleaner  [3] to delete things like your browser’s history, cache, cookies, temporary files, and so forth. If you use AOL or a dial-up or PPPoE Internet connection, delete any accounts or connection passwords.

[1] http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1887053,00.asp
[2] http://emmottontechnology.comabout:(www.snapfiles.com/freeware/security/fwerase.html),
[3] http://(www.ccleaner.com)/

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Spam Takes A (Forced?) Vacation – PC Magazine [1]

On Tuesday, December 26, an earthquake near Taiwan caused widespread disruption to telephone and Internet networks. Since then there have been reports of drops in the amount of spam received.
It makes sense. Conventional wisdom says that lots of spammers are in the Pacific Rim area, so cut off their communications and you cut off the spam. But it’s not the only explanation. Notice that the spam respite begins at Christmas. If spammers work less on weekends, who’s to say they don’t take vacations when the rest of us do?

[1] http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,2078228,00.asp

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From Lorne Lavine The Digital Dentist Blog – Dental Technology Consultants [1]

Many of you may know that in Windows, there are many programs running in the background that start automatically when you reboot. These are called Services. What you may not know is that a large number of these are totally unnecessary for most users. Not only do these services slow down your system, they can be targeted by exploits that attack your system.
Here’s a great site [2] that not only walks you through how to find these Services, but has a review of every one and a recommendation on whether you should disable it or not.

[1] http://thedigitaldentist.blogspot.com/2006/12/turn-it-off.html
[2] http://www.jasonn.com/turning_off_unnecessary_services_on_windows_xp/

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Computer technology makes everything we do in the office easier and faster. Unfortunately it can also make it easier and faster for embezzlers and thieves. Many dentists are concerned about external security. They fear computer viruses or Internet hackers.  These concerns need to be addressed however it is far more likely that the security of the office will be breached or compromised internally by people working in the office.
On the most basic level a security system isolates sensitive information and then limits access to that information to approved individuals. It is analogous to handing out office keys to employees. In theory it is possible to create perfect security for your computer system. However to do so would make the security measures so cumbersome and time consuming we would never get any work done. In the real world we compromise between efficiency and security.
In most offices, passwords are the principle method of allowing access and authorization. But oftentimes users forget their passwords. When this happens a new password needs to be assigned, involving time and effort. Another problem with passwords is the tendency for both dentists and staff – for the sake of an easy life – to lend their passwords to the other people working in the office.
The first level of security is a simple Windows logon password. This is like the key to the front door. A logon can do two things. First it is a simple way to prevent an unauthorized person from using a workstation and getting or changing information. Second it can identify who made an entry. In theory an administrator can track every keystroke from any computer in your office. If a particular workstation is only used by one person and if that person has a unique and secret password and if that person never leaves their computer while it is logged on then it is possible to determine who made every entry.

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From the NYT click for the whole article on electronic health records and privacy.
Health Hazard: Computers Spilling Your History – New York Times [1]

Powerful forces are lobbying hard for government and private programs that could push the nation’s costly and inefficient health care system into the computer age. President Bush strongly favors more use of health information technology. Health insurance and medical device companies are eager supporters, not to mention technology companies like I.B.M. and Google. Furthermore, Intel and Wal-Mart Stores have both said they intend to announce plans this week to embrace electronic health records for their employees. Others may soon follow. Bills to speed the adoption of information technology by hospitals and doctors have passed both chambers of Congress.But the legislation has bogged down, largely because of differences over how to balance the health care industry’s interest in efficiently collecting, studying and using data with privacy concerns for tens of millions of ordinary Americans — not just celebrities and victims of crime.

[1] http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/03/business/yourmoney/03health.html?ex=1322802000&en=b2c0f7946b4e3d9d&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss

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Viruslist.com – Online Scanner Top Twenty for October 2006 [1]
Check this link for a list of the most prevelant computer viruses and other malware.

[1] http://www.viruslist.com/en/analysis?pubid=204791906

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Look Here for details 3.5-inch Pushbutton Backup External Hard Drives – Seagate Technology [1]
Fast, Versatile, High-Capacity StorageAvailable in a wide range of capacities, these compact, durable drives are ideal for all your business and personal storage needs. You can easily protect and access everything from multimedia presentations and digital photos to MPEG video and DVDs.
High-performance 7200-RPM drives, with 8-Mbyte or 16-Mbyte cache.
On/off button eliminates concerns that your hard drive hasn’t been shut down safely.
Built-in self-monitoring technology continuously checks your hard drive for data safety and drive performance.
Advanced software lets you quickly retrieve files.
Designed to run much cooler than other external drives.
Hot-swappable, so you can connect and disconnect without turning off your computer.
Complete with USB 2.0 cable, FireWire 1394a cable*, AC adapter and power cord, quick installation guide and backup software CD.

[1] http://www.seagate.com/products/retail/external/usbfirewire

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An insidious e-mail fraud is called Phising. You may receive e-mail messages purporting to be from banks and Web sites that are obviously not from those institutions even though the return address looks real. Is there a way to find out where these messages actually came from?
You probably won’t be able to trace the fraudulent message directly back to its human sender. However you can usually poke around inside the message’s  header field to see where it might have come from electronically. Check your particular e-mail program’s settings for displaying “full” or “long” message headers — in Outlook Express, for example, you can see the full header by right-clicking on a message in your mailbox window, selecting Properties and clicking the Details button.
The full header shows the path that message took across the Internet from sender to recipient. Even if the return address is forged,  if you look closely, odds are you’ll see other addresses in the “Received:” lines in the header that give some indication of the message’s origin. A detailed explanation of how to read e-mail headers is at spamlinks.net/track-trace-headers.htm. [1]
Be very suspicious of an e-mail that asks that you go to a web site and enter personal information like account numbers or passwords.

[1] http://emmottontechnology.comspamlinks.net/track-trace-headers.htm.

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