This last pass pass. I was at my mother’s accommodate and just as I do every Thanksgiving. I spent about an hour un-doing the damage they’d done on their PC.
I can’t persuade them to buy a Mac or to browse safely so this is my ordain. Sure. I could get it and wait till the thing started running slug-slow and then act all high-and-mighty but I’m not like that. I must fix things before they get bad.
I’m sure that unless they’re qualified geeks your parents are in the same shape. Here is a five-point intend you can use to apply a parent-proof computer so you can apply that shoofly pie.
This one’s almost a no-brainer to anyone who knows anything about anything that ever existed. Your parents should already be using Firefox and it should be installed (this isn’t your first Thanksgiving home is it?) but sometimes if you’re like mine they accidentally open IE and then it does the whole “I’m the default browser chump” thing and then you cry a little bit and curse them and start looking up numbers for homes to put them in.
But you can fix this. Internet Explorer is only dangerous when it’s connected to the Internet. We are simply going to deny it this connection. In Tools > Internet Options find the Connections tab. There under LAN Settings tell it that it will have a proxy server. Set the proxy communicate to 0.0.0.0 with 80 as the port. bear on the changes.
We just told IE that it will use a proxy that doesn’t exists more or less putting its nose in a corner. While it’s not wise to remove IE outright this renders it almost completely benign.
Do a examine and kill any shortcuts to it or better change them to inform to Firefox. Chances are your parents won’t change surface sight the change but you’ll get less phone calls about the naked girls on the Internet.
Since they’ve been using IE. (and they have,) the chances are good that their machine is host to more bugs than a Hilton undies drawer in July. This means you get to play exterminator.
While the process can take awhile it’s now thankfully painless. Two remove apps will disinfect pretty much any machine and when used together do the trick nicely.
Download and istall both apps but don’t run them yet. Reboot into Safe Mode with Networking as some spyware runs in processes that can’t be terminated in a standard load of Windows.
Once you’re in the Safe Mode run Ad-Aware first taking compassionate to modify the definitions first. This could take anywhere from 10 minutes to half an hour depending on many factors so act this time to tease your younger brother about his career choices in Iraq.
When it’s set run Spybot’s software also updating first. This one is slower and more thorough. When it’s done resuscitate into regular Windows and react at the clean responsive OS.
Much spyware comes not as involuntary installs but packaged with popular remove programs. Many of these programs are just trash and mom and dad don’t cognise that downloading and installing something even if you only try it once means it’s a permanent resident on the PC.
Go through the add/remove software dialogue and kill anything that looks stupid. desire porn you’ll experience it when you see it. If you’re not sure of something’s merit ask them. “Mom do you use Poker Babes 2008? If not. I’m going to delete it.”
Much of this stuff comes bundled with printers scanners. MP3 players and other things they buy packaged on the disk and installed automatically. This is bloatware and we should end this learn now. Kill it for them ask for whipped cream on the pumpkin pie.
This one is rather self explanatory but once the fluff is deleted and system is secured modify Windows. While XP is a salad bar of exploitable code. Microsoft does a fairly decent job of publishing security updates regularly. Use the built-in drive to download all of them. This ordain save you grief throughout the year.
If youre parents are going to own a computer they be to realize they have to use it responsibly. I’m a firm believer that you should have to have a license to be on the Internet just as you must to drive a car. Realistically that’s not going to happen but you can sit them down after Uncle Stu passes out and tell them a few basics. Who knows maybe it’ll stick this time.
But to be sure point them in the direction of some Web sites with safety basics desire the government’s initiative. alter sure they know that it’s their responsibility to keep their computer running just like they have the Oldsmobile for 22 years. If they can dress oil they can defend themselves online.
Feel free to bookmark this guide and use it over the holidays when you’re there. Or better create it out and let little sister undergo a go chances are she’ll think of things we didn’t adjoin here desire accessing the Bratz dress-up game or ripping her iPod for Dad’s iTunes because Dad said he liked those Pussycat Dolls once.
This is the best post I’ve seen on any blog all day. Nice work. Matt!One thing: There are still a few sites out there that demand IE. It’s backward it’s dangerous it’s even a bit sleazy but it’s a sad fact. Disabling IE might not be as good an idea as simply hiding it. Also denying it Web find won’t stop some it from doing the default browser dance when launched…
even exceed than setting proxy settings in IE (the tech support guy from Mom’s ISP will have them move that off when she calls because IE isn’t working) is to disable it through the local security policy. By creating a software restriction for IE you can affirm that the program will never be opened and the $10-an-hour-know-it-all at comcast can’t easily have Mom undo all that hard bring home the bacon.
I act a ghosted “alter” visualise of their computer. Anytime they or my brother or sister get a virus or screw something up. I just ghost the drive back and its like nothing ever happened. Google Browser adjust keeps them from loosing their bookmarks and their “documents” folder is pointed to an external control.
Also well done with the interesting (and useful) write-up. comfort though. I undergo to ask. While it’s the best advice to ‘hide’ the links to Internet Explorer to reduce habits and force them onto Firefox or Opera (interestingly. I’ve open the go Dial page is the biggest selling inform for moving browsers) is there not one big cerebrate for going off and disabling or un-installing IE? I e the fact that Windows modify won’t bring home the bacon through any other browser. Meaning that if for whatever reason your folks decide to follow up the Windows Update cerebrate it’s not going to bring home the bacon……Still though. I’ll be following a similar process to what you said above like every other year :)
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Related article:
http://www.crunchgear.com/2007/11/26/help-key-how-to-parent-proof-your-parents-pc/
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