Antivirus for Gamers

VIPRE   

VIPRE Antivirus + Antispyware
Tired of old antivirus software that makes your PC slow down to a crawl?
Try High-Performance VIPRE Antivirus + Antispyware

Multi-computer and multi-year discounts
Unlimited Home Site License available, too.

When I began my evaluation period of Sunbelt Software’s new VIPRE Antivirus + Antispyware program, I was promptly shocked.

I had read several reviews about VIPRE and had read phrases like "high performance" and "low resources." I had even read comments that where the writer said that VIPRE was virtually unnoticeable on their computer and that their computer suddenly had more speed that it had in a long time.

Naturally, I discounted those comments and claims, thinking that they were advertising exaggeration and hyperbole. They usually compare the computer’s performance to when it had been running one of the big-name suites, so that wasn’t too surprising any way.

I was shocked when I installed VIPRE on my notebook computer. I saw for myself that VIPRE didn’t interfere with my activities. My computer really was faster with VIPRE, even faster than the speedy combination of CounterSpy and NOD32.

One evening I even ran a deep scan of my whole hard drive while I continued to do other things on my computer — like web browsing, email, Excel, web page editing, Usenet news reading, and other of my typical evening computer activities. I had no desire to stop VIPRE and let it run later — and that’s amazing!

Why does this mean this is the best antivirus for gamers?

The combination of antispyware and antivirus in VIPRE is fast and unobtrusive!

What does every gamer want for their computer? Speed — faster. Memory — less memory consumed by system-critical apps — so the gaming is faster. Small footprint — low resources — so better gaming speed.

VIPRE Antivirus + Antispyware has a free, fully-functional 15-day trial. Download it and see for yourself…

VIPRE   

VIPRE Antivirus + Antispyware
Tired of old antivirus software that makes your PC slow down to a crawl?
Try High-Performance VIPRE Antivirus + Antispyware

Multi-computer and multi-year discounts
Unlimited Home Site License available, too.

Internet Speed Tests

I received an email recently from PC Pitstop (I bought a license for PC Pitstop’s Optimize 2.0) announcing their new version Internet speed test.

That got me thinking about the variations in connection speed that I’ve seen over the years — over days and even between sites.

Typically, the closer the bandwidth-measuring site is to you, the higher the results you will get for download speed and upload speed.

But, sometimes, the closest site isn’t the fastest. It all depends on the congestion on the net…

Continue reading Internet Speed Tests

Optimize 2.0 Review – Five Months Later Review

Optimize 2.0 Review Number 2

Back in February, 2008, I bought a license for Optimize 2.0 and was very impressed with its cleanup and speedup changes it made on my computer.

Now, five months later, is it still a worthwhile tool?

As I ran the program on Friday night, it had been several weeks since I had used it to check the optimization and for cleanup.

Continue reading Optimize 2.0 Review – Five Months Later Review or get more information

A Look Inside PCPitstop Optimize 2.0

Like many of the other downloadable programs that are designed to scan and fix computer problems, Optimize 2.0 from PC Pitstop is a program that can be run on schedule to routinely check for and fix problems, or can be run on request to fix and find problems.

Of course, the most significant value will be in the optimizations and repairs it makes on its very first running — optimizing your Internet access settings, checking startup programs, cleaning and repairing the Windows registry, and cleanup of junk files.

While some types of programs like antispyware and antivirus let you have fully-functional trial versions, programs that make repairs to your computer can’t afford to give free trials. Whether you are considering Spinrite 6 from Gibson Research (a hard drive recovery utility) or a Windows registry cleaner program, if there was a free fully-functional trial — no one would ever buy a copy — they’d just download a trial if they had a problem!

The solution for many of these products is to provide a scanner program that will scan your computer, tell you that it found a bunch of things to change, but will only make the repairs if you buy a license.

Does that sound unreasonable? If so, compare it to buying software in a retail box — most retailers will not accept returns of opened software, so you have no way to see it work. I wish I’d been able to see some of the games I’ve bought before spending my money.

Optimize 2.0 goes the extra mile — in the unregistered scanner mode, Optimize 2.0 shows you the changes it would make! It does not just show you the categories of changes that it would make, if you buy a license. This way, if you know what you’re doing and want to take the time, you can make the changes manually.

In the first screen shot below, we see the display after Optimize has done its first scan of my notebook computer (my main computer). The blue “Next” button at the bottom right is the next step…

Continue reading A Look Inside PCPitstop Optimize 2.0

Download the Optimize 2.0 Scanner

HOWTO: Stopping Blue Screen of Death Reboots

Reader Russ Tinley wrote about a strange problem he was having:


Terry, My computer is connected to a Verizon DSL Modem, and everytime I connect the modem to my PC I get a blue screen and the system reboots. I called Verizon and they replaced my Modem but it still does it. So I called adn they said that my computer must be the problem, so just to test it I plugged my Notebook directly to the DSL modem and same blue screen. I called Verizon and they are giving me the run around saying it is my hard ware. Can you give me any tips on what I should look for or how to work with Verizon to get this corrected. Thank you, Russ

Russ had a strange problem. But, let’s look at the pieces:

  1. the original modem caused the bluescreen/reboot on your desktop.
  2. Verizon replaced the modem
  3. The desktop still does it with the new modem.
  4. The notebook also does it when connected to the modem.

So, you’ve got two computers doing it with two modems.

Continue reading HOWTO: Stopping Blue Screen of Death Reboots


WAHM

HOWTO: Change File-type Program Associations

I’ve done it. I’m sure you have, too.

We’ve all installed a program that arbitrarily grabbed certain file extensions (such as .doc, .jpg, .mp3) and changed Windows’ settings. Now, the new program is the default for opening that file type.

Sometimes, it’s our fault — many programs that can handle multiple file types will give us an option during the program’s installation. We’ll get the chance to select (or deselect) which program types will default to the new program. If we pick wrong, or decide later that this wasn’t really what we wanted to do, it seems like we’re stuck with the new program.

Fortunately, Windows has a couple easy ways for us to change the default program that is opened when you double-click on a file or an attachment.

For this example, let’s assume that we installed the graphics program Irfanview, which gives us the option to make it the default for a lot of different types of images. Without thinking, and forgetting that we really like Windows XP’s Windows Picture and Fax Viewer, we set IrfanView to be the default for JPG images.

Continue reading HOWTO: Change File-type Program Associations

Number 1 Step in Computer Troubleshooting

You’ve seen the problem. The program you use every day, or maybe one you use occasionally, isn’t doing what it should.

Perhaps the program can’t load one of its data files, so it doesn’t actually start. Perhaps it won’t do the task you told it to do – even if it worked yesterday. Perhaps the program crashes when you run it.

There is one often-forgotten cure for Windows.

In today’s world of Windows, fast computers, fast Internet connections using cable modems, DSL modems or even Ethernet connection to the ISP, many of us leave our computers turned on all the time.

We take the prudent and necessary steps of running a two-way firewall (like Sunbelt Personal Firewall), we run an anti-virus program that auto-updates, we run an anti-spyware/anti-adware program (like CounterSpy v2), and maybe even run an anti-spam program.

But, we forget to reboot our computers occasionally. We joke about calling technical support at a software company and being told to reboot.

Continue reading Number 1 Step in Computer Troubleshooting

The Windows Right-Click Send-To Menu

One of the neat features of Windows is the drag-and-drop system, where you can use the mouse to drag an icon (or a file name in Windows Explorer), over a target icon — and drop the dragged icon on target icon.

When you do that, many Windows programs will start and do whatever they do to that file.

Drag an icon onto the Recycle Bin, let go, and the icon will go into the Recycle Bin.

Drag a document icon over the icon for Microsoft Word, Word will start and open the icon.

Drag an image icon into Internet Exporer when it’s open, or drag and drop it on the IE icon if IE’s not open, and IE will display the image.

Many programs work that way and it’s a big convenience.

But, there are times where you don’t have an icon…

Continue reading The Windows Right-Click Send-To Menu

HowTo: Change Windows Default Font Size

I received an email recently from someone who was having problems with a Windows dialog box. In this particular case, she was trying to put a registration code into software, but the field for the code extended outside the box — and she couldn’t input the whole code.

It really sounds to me like a font-size settings problem in your copy of Windows. Programmers almost often specify the size fo a Windows dialog boxes — but Windows itself lets YOU change the default font size that you use.

As a result, when users make their default Windows fonts larger (their Windows font, not their default web browser font), they can end up moving stuff from the dialog box into the invisible, unusable portion of the dialog box.

Continue Reading HowTo: Change Windows Default Font Size

New articles at Terry’s Computer Tips

  • Creating Your New Documents in Word
  • Deleting Emails versus Really Deleting Emails
  • Disadvantages of Windows XP’s NTBackup Program