Data Doctors
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- Data Doctors: Tips for browser crashes
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Q: Can you tell me what causes Google chrome or Firefox to have numerous crashes while online? - Nathaniel
A: The web browser has become the single most important piece of software on our computers because it's the gateway to everything on the Internet.
Browsers are the ‘swiss army knife' of software on your computer; they have to constantly improve their capabilities and performance to keep up with the advances on the Internet while fending off the relentless attempts to be exploited by malicious groups around the world.
The browser is ubiquitous and allows hackers to exploit users without regard to which operating system (Windows, MacOS, Linux, etc.) they're running, which is why it has become such a big target.
A common method for improving the performance and security of your browser is through what are called ‘extensions' or ‘add-ons' which are additional software programs that change how the browser works.
A number of browser crashes that we see in our service business are as a result of these additional components that have been added over time.
Extensions and add-ons can conflict with one another or can simply be poorly written code that cause instability in your browser.
The quickest way to see if an add-on or extension is causing a stability problem is to start your browser without any of them (often referred to as ‘safe mode').
To temporarily disable all add-ons in Internet Explorer, click the Start button / All Programs / Accessories / System Tools and then click ‘Internet Explorer (No Add-ons)'.
Firefox users can simply hold down the Shift key while clicking on the Firefox icon to launch the Safe Mode options window and then click on the ‘Continue in Safe Mode' button at the bottom.
Chrome users can try launching an ‘incognito window' to see if the crashing is being caused by an extension. Click on the icon of the wrench (upper right corner or Ctrl+Shift+N) to open a window that will disable the extensions.
If the crashes continue in these diagnostic modes, you either have corruption in the browser itself or have a bigger issue with a corrupted operating system. You can try uninstalling the browser and reinstalling with the latest version from the Internet, but if that doesn't work, you should seek technical assistance.
If you don't experience crashing while in ‘safe' or ‘incognito' mode, you know that one of the extensions added to your browser is causing the crashes.
You can then try disabling the various extensions one at a time to figure out which one is causing the problem.
In Internet Explorer, press the Alt key to activate the menu, then click on Tools / Manage Add-ons to disable the various add-ons.
In Firefox, click on the Tools menu, then on Add-ons to access the extensions and plugins that you have installed.
In Chrome, click on the icon of the wrench, then on Tools / Extensions to disable the various installed extensions.
We have always advised that all Internet users have multiple browsers installed to help you shorten the process of troubleshooting when a problem occurs.
If you experience crashes in multiple browsers, then the problem is likely with your operating system; if you only experience crashing in a specific browser, then the problem most likely resides within that browser.
Posted in Local, Arizona, Education, Money, Data doctors on Friday, February 10, 2012 12:00 am. Updated: 6:04 pm. | Tags: Software , Mozilla Firefox , Technology_internet , Google Chrome , Add-ons , Safe Mode , Operating System , Firefox , Mozilla , Add-on , Software Extension , Plug-in , Internet Explorer , Comparison Of Web Browsers , Linux , Google , Web Browser , Microsoft Windows , Software Programs , Internet Users Comments (0)
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- Data Doctors: Using a 'safe' computer during tax season
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Q: What should I do to make sure my computer is safe to do my taxes? - Todd
A: Tax season brings out the scams, fake e-mails and malware because thieves and hackers know it's becoming more common to prepare taxes via your home computer.
Making sure your computer's security software and operating system are up-to-date is hugely important this time of year because of the clever nature of infections these days.
In the past, malware authors were very proud of the fact that they infected you and made it a point to let you know that they ‘gotcha'.
Today, malware code is specifically written to be silent and lurk in the background so as to go undetected. Even if you are diligent in keeping all your software updated, all it takes is one poor decision (clicking on a fake link, opening an infected e-mail attachment, downloading files from file sharing networks, etc.) to have a silent thief slip into your computer.
The whole idea is to find a way to gain access to your computer in a way that allows a remote hacker to silently run programs on your computer. It used to be Windows that was the primary target, but today virtually everything you use on the Internet (browsers, PDF readers, Flash players, e-mail programs, etc.) is being targeted as a way into your precious hard drive.
So, before you jump into doing your taxes on your computer, take a few minutes and do some spot checks for signs of silent intruders.
A common sign of malicious programs is a computer that takes an extraordinarily long time to start up. You can certainly have this problem and not be infected, but if you have this problem, you should do some snooping around.
Windows users should check the Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del) to see how many processes are running on the computer (look in the bottom left corner). Make sure you do this spot check right after restarting the computer so that nothing is running yet.
When we perform our overhaul cleanup service, we strive to get the running processes on Windows XP systems in the 30-40 range (Laptops tend to require more processes) and Windows 7 & Vista systems in the 35-45 range.
If you have 60, 70 or 80+ processes running, you want to make sure that none of those excess processes are hidden malware programs.
While you have the Task Manager open, click onto the Performance tab and check to see what the CPU Usage & History look like. On a clean machine, your system should be idling, which means the CPU Usage should be very low and stable (4 percent to 8 percent) and the graph showing the CPU Usage History should be fairly low on the graph.
If your CPU Usage is jumping up and down or is running at a much higher number and the History graph shows wild swings up and down, something is running in the background of the computer and should be identified.
Have someone you trust do an inspection of the various startup areas in Windows to see if there are obvious signs of malware (blank entries in MSConfig, strange keys in the Registry, etc.)
Even if you aren't infected with malware, getting these indicators back to normal levels will rejuvenate your computer and make everything run faster and smoother for everything you do, not just your tax return.
Another danger for households that have teenagers (or anyone that tends to engage in file sharing networks) is the accidental sharing of your tax records or other sensitive files on your hard drive.
Many file sharing programs automatically share certain folders on the hard drive with the rest of the file sharing universe, so make sure you check your installed programs to see if any strange programs have been installed before you get started.
Posted in Money, Blogs, Data doctors on Sunday, February 5, 2012 1:12 pm. Updated: 2:37 pm. | Tags: Malware , Computing , Windows Vista , Technology_internet , File Sharing Networks , Windows , Filesharing , Operating System , Computer , File Sharing , Process , Spyware , Windows Xp , Task Manager , Security Software , Microsoft Windows , Windows Task Manager , Microsoft , Windows 7 , Microsoft Vista , Registry Comments (1)
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- Data Doctors: Don't freak out over Facebook's 'Timeline'
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Q: What do I need to do to make sure that Facebook forcing us to use Timeline doesn't expose my personal information? - Claudia
A: As Facebook continues to update and improve its social networking tool, it continues to create confusion and apprehension amongst many of its users. Change is not something that non-technical users are comfortable with, but if you expect it to stop any time soon, I've got news for you!
You don't create something as dynamic and all-encompassing as Facebook without constantly reinventing yourself (see the history of MySpace to understand what happens when fat, dumb and happy syndrome kicks in!).
Having said that, Facebook hasn't always gone about change in a way that its users find ‘transparent,' which is a big part of why any change is always met with concerns about privacy, especially when it is a required change.
But when it comes to the Timeline feature, I don't understand the outcry from users that seems to be rolling across the inter-webs. In fact, most avid Facebook users find the new profile layout much more useful and engaging.
If you think that Timeline somehow exposes information that you previously had protected from the general public, I've got good news for you: It doesn't!
Timeline is simply reformatting the information that you have previously posted but retains your current privacy settings.
In other words, what you posted a year ago that was only available to your friends is still only viewable by your friends, but in this ‘easier to see the past' format.
If you see items from your past that you don't want your friends to see, why did you ever post it in the first place? If it was OK for friends of friends to see the post a year ago, and YOU haven't changed any of your privacy settings, then nothing has changed.
The most common misnomer I run across is that what you see on your own Timeline is somehow going to be viewable by anyone on Facebook once this ‘change' goes into effect (not even close to true).
Facebook gives you complete control over exactly what appears on your Timeline and who can see it (friends only, friends of friends, the public, etc.) just like it did with your previous profile format.
If you are just entering the workforce and aren't particularly proud of some of your ‘youthful' posts, I can understand being concerned, but it isn't like a potential employer can suddenly see all your past indiscretions.
Timeline is simply making it much easier to see things that you've posted in the past (which is why I love it) but retains all your privacy settings.
Facebook even added a tool that allows you to take all your past posts and limit everything to friends only (go to Privacy Settings, then to Limit the Audience for Past Posts).
Keep in mind, pictures and posts that you intended to be available to friends of friends in the past would no longer be available to that secondary audience.
Before you make any global changes to your privacy settings, take a minute to learn about all the controls that Facebook has added so you can completely control what anyone sees: https://www.facebook.com/about/control.
A very helpful tool for you to feel better about your privacy settings is to click on the ‘View As' link to see exactly what the public or any specific person you are concerned about can see on your Timeline (Scroll down to the box that says: Know what others see on your profile).
Hopefully this helps you feel better about this new change ... Facebook has given you more tools to control your privacy than ever; it's up to you to take advantage of them!
Posted in Columns, Money, Blogs, Data doctors, Money on Sunday, January 29, 2012 11:07 am. Updated: 9:37 am. | Tags: Privacy Settings , Facebook , Timeline , World Wide Web , Online Social Networking , Social Information Processing , Technology_internet , Privacy , Myspace , Blog Hosting Services , Blog Software , Social Network Service , Criticism Of Facebook , Facebook Features , Social Networking Tool , Mark Zuckerberg , Online Communities , Security , Helpful Tool Comments (1)
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- Tips to extend laptop battery life
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Q: I got a new laptop battery. What is the best way to condition it? I use my laptop as a desktop with a port replicator. It's always plugged in. - Brian
A: Battery technology has come a long way from the days of having to carefully ‘condition' a new battery when we first got it to maximize its storage capabilities. Conditioning is performed by fully powering and discharging the battery in succession a couple of times.
Today's laptop batteries are generally lithium-ion based (look for ‘Li-ion' on the battery itself) which is far less susceptible to the traditional ‘memory' and idle discharge issues that older NiCad (nickel cadmium) and NiMH (nickel metal hydride) suffered from.
Li-ion batteries represent the best power-to-weight ratio and life cycle for your personal electronics, but all batteries lose their storage capacity over time based on how they are used and stored.
Because you are using your laptop as a desktop computer, you are plugged into the wall all the time posing the question: Should I remove the battery when I'm plugged in?
(Note: some older laptop designs won't power the laptop at all unless the battery is installed which makes the question pointless.)
The upside to keeping the battery installed while plugged into the wall is you get protection against a power outage. If you remove the battery during general operation, you would want to make sure that you are plugging the laptop into an external battery backup system that would keep you from losing your unsaved work in the event of a power outage.
If you leave your computer plugged in for more than two weeks at a time, the conventional wisdom is to remove the battery and store it in a cool, dry climate.
If you plan on storing a battery for an extended period of time, make sure it has been discharged to 30-50 percent of capacity and store it in temperatures between 70 and 75 degrees. Avoid storing rechargeable batteries fully charged or fully discharged as either can cause permanent capacity loss or deactivate the built-in protection circuit.
Some folks have heard that you should store them in your refrigerator, but I would recommend against it. Humidity will reduce the life of the battery and keeping it in the fridge can introduce humidity, especially when you pull the battery out to be used.
You should always avoid using a battery when the battery itself is really cold or really hot (wait for it to return to room temperature). Heat is the No. 1 cause of reduced battery life, which takes us back to you using your laptop always plugged in.
If you keep the battery installed while you are plugged in for extended periods of time, it will keep the battery in a heated condition during that extended period when it could have been resting in a calm, cool, submissive state (with my regards to Cesar Millan!) thereby extending its life.
Another way to reduce the battery life is to use the wrong power pack to charge it. If you use a third-party charger that charges your battery at a higher rate than the factory charger, it will diminish the life of the battery.
For those that like to use their laptop in bed or on a pillow in your lap, you will likely be restricting the airflow which increases the operating temperature and will also reduce the life of the battery if done often.
In the end, if you simply focus on reducing the heat that your battery is exposed to whenever possible and make sure you store the battery properly, you will extend the useful life of the battery.
Posted in Money, Data doctors on Sunday, January 22, 2012 2:54 pm. Updated: 9:16 am. | Tags: Recyclable Materials , Sustainability , Energy , Technology_internet , Battery Electricity , Lithium-ion Battery , Laptop , Rechargeable Battery , Electrochemistry , Battery , Nickel-cadmium Battery , Nickel-metal Hydride Battery , Electric Vehicle Battery , Car Battery , Battery Technology , Nickel Metal Hydride , Personal Electronics , Batteries , Cesar Millan , Business , Power Supplies , Electronics And Electrical Comments (0)
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