Pro Power Tips 1.0A (c) 1992 Scanlon Enterprises 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴 VIRUSES AND OTHER MATTERS 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴 Has Your Computer Been Attacked by a Virus ? Computer viruses are proliferating at an alarming rate. Two years ago, there were less than 200 know computer viruses, today, there are over 1000. Reported infections are also increasing. McAfee Associates, a virus consulting firm and publisher of the popular SCAN antivirus software, receives over 120 virus reports every day, an increase of over 200% from two years ago. On the other hand, spilled coffee and power surges, claim more data than computer viruses do, according to Ross Greenberg, author of the popular antivirus program Flu-Shot Plus. I want to know what you think. Are viruses epidemic? Is antivirus software doing it's job. Results of this survey will be published in our next update of PTips. Complete this questionnaire and receive an added $5 discount. 1) On a scale of 1 to 5 (1 being the lowest and 5 the highest), how serious is the threat of viruses today ? 2) Has you PC ever been infected by a virus ? If so, by which strain(s)? 3) How did you detect the virus? 4) What damage did the virus do? 5) Do you know anyone else whose PC has been infected by a virus? If so, by which strain(s)? 6) How do you suspect that your PC (or those of your friend(s) or co-workers) contracted the virus? (IE...Network, Shareware, BBS, etc...) 7) Do you own an antivirus software system ? If so which. 8) What persuaded you to invest in an antivirus system? __ Company mandate __ Friend or co-workers PC became infected __ My PC became infected __ Other (specify) 9) How often do you run the antivirus system ? 10) How often do you exchange software (files) with a friend or co-worker? If you do, is it via floppies, network or modem ? 11) How often do you back up your system? If you have any suggestions about Virus Infection Removal, Please, let us know. If you've heard a "good one" about a virus let every one know, by sending us the story. Remember, your virus comments or story is worth a $5 discount on this package registration. Save yourself a possible repair bill, with this tip. Before You Take That Dead Computer in to the Shop You turn on your PC and then .... NOTHING! Your monitor's either blank or displaying an error message as clear as Latin about parity or some system error. Your PC's either silent or beeping like R2D2, but it won't boot. If this has ever happened to you, prepare to get under the hood of your PC to check for a few common problems, and avoid that costly repair bill. First, turn off the power and ground yourself by touching the metal fan grill at the back of your PC. Then disconnect the power cable, open up the cover (usually done by removing 4 or 5 screws from the rear) and begin as follows. 1) Are all the expansion boards seated correctly : A computer can expand as it cools down at night, which may unseat one or more of the boards (also, vibration may cause this). To reset the boards, loosen the screw, which holds them to the PC (toward the chassis rear), and push down firmly, with even pressure at both ends, so that the board slides snugly into its slot. Some boot failures may be cause by dirty boards and card edge connectors. If you see dust or residue inside your PC, take out and clean the expansion boards, with a cotton swab and denatured alcohol. Additionally, it may be necessary to take the PC outdoors and use high-pressure air (commonly available at gas stations, or can be purchase in small cans at computer and electronic stores), to blow the dust out of the system. Be sure to aim the high-pressure air into the opening of the power supply and toward the other one and blow dust out of there as well. 2) Are all the cables securely attached? Pay particular attention to the places where power cables meet the hard disk and mother board, and make sure that all data and controller cables from the disks are attached firmly. 3) Are the RAM chips seated correctly? RAM chips, like expansion boards, can eventually unseat enough to impair the PC's ability to perform its normal checks every time it boots. This is also true of any IC which is NOT soldered in, but sits in a socket. Parity errors are easy to spot signs of loose memory chips. To reset memory chips, press down on them firmly, but cautiously. It's easy to bend a chips leads and hard to reseal it once its leads have been bent. 4) Did you just install a new peripheral device? Some peripheral boards, can conflict enough to cause problems at boot time. Try removing the new peripheral and powering up your PC again. If you are able to boot, assume it was the board that caused the problem, and check the peripheral manual or call the manufacturer's technical support number, for possible solutions. 5) Is the power supply working correctly? Turn on your PC again, and listen for the sound of the power supplies hum (also note if the fan, rear of computer, is turning), and note if the disk drives are accessed (they will spin). The front panel lights are also clues about the condition of your supply. If all these signs are missing, you probably need to replace the power supply. If after all these checks, you do not notice the problem, it is time to turn your PC over to professionals. Save yourself an embarrassment and some heavy fines. Software Police On November 19,1990, the Software Publishers Association (SPA) conducted a raid at the Northbrook, Illinois, offices of the Kemper Lesnik Organization. After a detailed audit of the software installed on the company's PCs, Kemper Lesnik was required to destroy all illegal software any pay $75,000 in penalties! One copy, one user. That's the law for using PC software, but, it's a law that is frequently broken, according to the SPA. The group, believes, that for every legal copy of a package in use, there's on illegal copy as well. Although that's only an estimate (based on actual software sales versus the organizations' projections for growth in the PC software industry.), it's safe to say that a lot of PC users are either unaware of or unconcerned with laws governing software use. From a management perspective, it pays to understand the software livening laws and to make sure that your employees do also. "Software use needs to be managed like any other resource", says Jodi Pollack, public relations directory for the SPA. "You wouldn't buy one chair for two employees, you shouldn't buy one piece of software for two people, either." The SPA is working diligently to police software use among corporations. In recent months, it has initiated legal action and raids against firms it believes are systematically violating software licensing agreements. Although, the group focuses on firms that display what Pollack describes, as "blatant disregard" for the law, management is liable for any abuses, even if it's not management practice to copy software illegally. So what can you do to make sure all your company's software is legal? The SPA recommends a variety of steps, including conducting an in-house audit of all PCs and establishing a corporate policy statement governing the use of software. The SPA distributes a free audit kit that identifies all the software in use on a given PC. This inventory information can then be matched to purchase records or other documentation to verify that all copies of installed software packages are legal. The SPA kit is available by writing SPA Audit Materials, 1730 M St. NW #700, Washington, DC 20036. A sample Corporate Employee Software Agreement 1. Company does NOT own this software or its related documentation and, unless authorized by the software developer, does NOT have the right to reproduce it. 2. Employees share only in accordance with licensing agreements 3. Misuse of software or related documentation shall be reported to the department manager or Company's legal counsel. 4. Company does NOT condone the illegal duplication of software. Employees who make, acquire or use unauthorized copies of computer software shall be disciplined as appropriate under the circumstances. 5. I am fully aware of the software use policies of Company and agree to uphold them. ______________________________________ Employee Signature Use the following guidelines to assure your company complies with legal software usage. ~ Collect and review purchase records ~ Collect and review licensing agreements ~ Select a date for the audit (evenings and weekends are least disruptive), then send a memo to employees informing them of the procedure. ~ Locate all personal computers, including laptops and portables, and print out a list of directories and files for each hard disk. ~ Compare software found on hard disks, with purchase records or with authorized disks or documents. ~ Consult employees before destroying software for which there are no records or disks, since it may have been purchased by the employee. ~ Conduct a review quarterly Section finished. Be sure to order your THREE BONUS DISKS which expand this software package with vital tools, updates and additional tutorial material for computer users! Send $24.95 to Scanlon Enterprises, Department TIP, 38354 17th St. E., Palmdale, CA 93550. Bonus disks shipped promptly! Modifications, custom program versions, Site and LAN licenses of this package for business or corporate use are possible, contact the author. This software is shareware - an honor system which means TRY BEFORE YOU BUY. Press escape key to return to menu.