AVG8 & 7.5 - Free - How to schedule automatic virus
scan.
Unlike AVG 7.5, AVG8 has a slightly more configurable scheduler
allowing you to scan once a week on a selected day. There is a command
line facility in AVG8 which is needed to run a batch file but as yet I
have not found it works with reliability.
However I have found once a week schedule + any manual scans in
between as necessary to be adequate.
This makes the following Text redundant but I will leave it here
for a while in case anyone should wish to continue with the
unsupported AVG 7.5.
The virus scan schedule in AVG-Free allows you to set the time
of day a virus scan is carried out,
but it is every day, and that might not be deemed necessary in the
personal environment,
so it would be nice to choose when to scan, say once or twice a
week.
This can be done with the help of a simple batch file and Windows
Scheduler.
First we make the batch file.
Open Notepad, type in the following:
ECHO OFF
@ ECHO.
ECHO AVG - FULL SCAN
@ C:\PROGRA~1\GRISOFT\AVG7\AVGW.EXE /TEST=2
This assumes your AVG is installed on your "C" Drive,
and you have a standard AVG installation.
If AVG is installed on another drive then substitute the "C"
at the beginning, for the drive letter used.
Save the text you have just written as "AVGSCAN.BAT"
by going to File Menu and selecting "SaveAs". Save to
a folder you will remember.
Next we have to setup the scheduler, to do this open the Start
Menu / Control Panel and double click on
Scheduled Tasks to open the scheduler window.
One of the entries in the scheduler window is "Add Scheduled
Task" double click on that and the Scheduled Task Wizard openes.
The wizard will ask what program to run, select the Browse... button,
this will open up a list of files and folders on your computer,
navigate to your Batch File you just made, highlight it and click
the Open Button.
On the next screen, rename the task if you want to (not necessary,
your choice) select Daily (can change later).
Click next, then select the paramaters you require.
Click next, this screen is for password protection, if no password
is required click next.
On the next screen, tick the box "Open Advanced Properties",
click Finish.
The advanced Properties Box opens, click on the "Schedule Tab"
and fine tune the paramiters you require, click OK. Job done, AVG
will run every time you have set, and run a Virus Scan, it will
do so automaticly, providing the computers on of course.
When the Batch file runs, a DOS Box will appear with AVG - FULL
SCAN written in it.
This box may be too big for your requirements. By Right Clicking
in the header bar and selecting "Properties"
from the menu you are able to change the Font, Background Colour,
Size and Position of the box on the screen.
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Skype - Contacts don't show online but
I know they are online.
One potential cause is a conflict with DEP (Data Execution Prevention).
One way to solve this problem is vto disable data execution prevention
for Skype.exe.
Go to Control Panel -> System (double click) -> Advanced
-> click "Settings" under
the "Performance" part and select the Data Execution Prevention
tab.
Select the second radio button "Turn on DEP for all programs
and services except those I select:"
Click the button labeled "Add"
Find Skype.exe on your computer and add it. (It's usually in C:\Program
Files\Skype\Phone) folder.
Select the box labled "Open"
You should now see that it is added to the DEP window as an exception.
Click apply on the bottom of the Performance Options box. Close
all System Properties Windows.
Reboot your computer.
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Skype - Reinstalling.
When you have to uninstall and then reinstall Skype for any reason
the first thing that happens on running Skype again is a signing
on screen will appear. On this screen you must sign with your:
SKYPE NAME and SKYPE PASSWORD in order to retrive your old account
details. Enter any other name and Skype will open a new account
and any contacts or credit you had will be not be valid.
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BACKING UP INTERNET EXPLORER FAVORITES &
ADDRESS BOOK.
How often do we backup our favorites in Internet Explorer? If you
are like me it's only when you think about it, and that is not very
often. So can we automate this procedure? Yes with the help of the
Batch File below:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@ ECHO OFF
:: variables
set drive=J:\Backup
set backupcmd=xcopy /s /c /d /e /h /i /r /y
ECHO ### BACKING-UP IE7 Favorites...
%backupcmd% "%USERPROFILE%\Favorites" "%drive%\Favorites"
PING 1.1.1.1 -n 2 -w 1000 >NUL
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The "set drive" line must be set to the drive and folder
you wish to backup to. In this case a backup will be made to the
Backup folder on drive J.
This Batch File can be used as a Stand Alone utility, or, in conjunction
with Windows Scheduled Tasks you can automatically Backup your IE
Favorites at whatever intervals you like.
ADDRESS BOOK
The same applies to backing up your Address Book this can also
be backed up automatacilly useing a similar Batch File as below:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@ ECHO OFF
:: variables
set drive=J:\Backup
set backupcmd=xcopy /s /c /d /e /h /i /r /y
ECHO ### BACKING-UP Address Book ...
%backupcmd% "%USERPROFILE%\Application Data\Microsoft\Address
Book" "%drive%\Address Book"
PING 1.1.1.1 -n 2 -w 1000 >NUL
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The same applies with setting the destination Drive & Folder
and it's use with Windows Scheduler.
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XP - File extentions missing after upgrade.
It was found that after a Microsoft Upgrade for some reason the
file extentions were not being shown when exploring in Windows Explorer
or My Computer and this is how we recovered this facility.
Go to Start / Control Panel double click on Folder Options and
in the Folder Options box click on the View Tab, then scroll down
to the tick box named "Hide Extentions for known file types"
and make sure the box is unticked. If it is ticked then untick it
and click the apply button at the bottom of the Folder Options box.
If the box is ticked the file extentions will not be shown.
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XP - Finding your IP Address.
Open a DOS Windows Box in Windows XP by:
Clicking on Start then Run. Type cmd then click OK.
At the curser in the DOS box type: ipconfig and press enter.
The DOS Box should look something like this:
C:\Documents and Settings\your computer name> ipconfig
Windows IP Configuration
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 2:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix :
IP Address ....................... : 192.168.0.2
Subnet Mask .................... : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway ............... : 192.168.0.1
C:\Documents and Settings\your computer name>
Type EXIT at prompt to exit to Windows XP.
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XP -Finding your MAC Address.
Open a DOS Windows Box in Windows XP by:
Clicking on Start then Run. Type cmd then click OK.
At the curser in the DOS box type: ipconfig /all and press
enter.
The DOS Box should look something like this:
C:\Documents and Settings\your computer name> ipconfig /all
Windows IP Configuration
Hosts Name ........................... : Your Computer Name
Primary Dns Suffix ................. :
IP Routing Enabled ................ : No
WINS Proxy Enabled ............ : No
Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Connection-specific DNS Suffix .:
Description ............................... : Your Ethernet Card
Physical Address ...................... : 1A-2B-33-44-5C-66
Dhcp Enabled ........................... : No
IP Address ............................... : 192.168.0.2
Subnet Mask ............................ : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway ....................... : 192.168.0.1
DNS Servers ............................ : ***.***.***.***
.
C:\Documents and Settings\your computer name>
The Alpha Numeric Number after the Physical Address is your MAC
Address.
Type EXIT at prompt to exit to Windows XP
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XP - Speeding up the Shutdown process
Windows XP stores a couple of values in it's registry which are
resopnsible for determining how long to wait before shutting down
open applications and services once the shutdown command has been
given.
By editing these two settings and changing them to lower values,
you can considerably decrease the amount of time that Windows XP
needs to successfully shut itself down. The first part of this tweak
deals with setting the amount of time Windows will take to kill
open appilcations on shutdown.
Open REGEDIT (Start / Run type regedit) and navigate to
"HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\"
Highlight the "WaitToKillAppTimeout" value. Set
it to "1000" (Right Click and choose Modify
from Menu)
Now highlight the "HungAppTimeout" value. Set it
to "1000" also.(Right Click and choose Modify
from Menu)
The second part of this tip changes the same settings, this time
for all users on the system.
Open REGEDIT (Start / Run type regedit) and navigate to "HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control
Panel\Desktop"
Highlight the "WaitToKillAppTimeout" value. Set
it to "1000" (Right Click and choose Modify
from Menu)
Now highlight the "HungAppTimeout" value. Set it
to "1000" also. (Right Click and choose Modify
from Menu)
In the third part of this tip, we will alter a second registry
setting to decrease the amount of time Windows XP will wait before
shutting down active services after receiving a shut down command.
Open REGEDIT (Start / Run type regedit) and navigate to "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\
Highlight the value "WaitToKillServiceTimeout"
Change this value to "1000" (Right Click and choose
Modify from Menu)
This should help considerably speed up the time Windows XP takes
to shut itself down.
Auto kill tasks on shutdown
By default, Windows XP will prompt the user for input if there
are one or more applications which have crashed or are not responding
whwn it receives a shut down command. This halts the shutdown process
entirely until the user approves the stopping of the non-responsive
appilcation.
By altering the registry slightly, Windows XP can be set to close
crashed applications automatically.
While this does not technically speed up the shut down process,
it does streamline it, and ensure that the user will not give the
shutdown command then get up and leave, only to find the PC still
powered on because Windows never received input on what to do with
a hung application.
To allow Windows XP to close non-responsive applications automatically
upon shutdown:
Open REGEDIT (Start / Run type regedit) and navigate to
"HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop"
Highlight the value "AutoEndTasks" Change the value
to "1" (Right Click and choose Modify from
Menu)
XP will now be able to close hung applications without user input
during the shutdown process.
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XP -- svchost.exe -- Application Error
On shutdown of Windows an error pop-up box appears with a title
of svchost.exe. To stop this the solution was as follows:
1 Go to the Start menu and right click "My Computer".
If using Classic Style, then right click on "My Computer"
on the desktop.
2 Click "Properties" the the "Automatic Updates"
tab
3 Choose "Turn of automatic updates"
4 Reboot your computer.
5 Go to Start Menu / Programs / Windows Update (You have to be
connected to the Internet).
6 Manually update Windows.
7 Turn your Automatic Updates back on.
This fixed the problem. However if the problem should still exist
then, turning off automatic updates and just manally go to Windows
Update periodically and update your machine is another option.
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XP - Updates not installing after using
XP CD to Repair / Overwrite.
This mainly involves the problems that can arise when using the
existing Windows XP system installation to carry out a repairing
installation i.e. Running the disc to install the system on top
of that already installed with the aim of overcoming a problem e.g.
Missing dll file; a corrupted file, etc.
Recently I encountered a problem in that I had lost the disc copying
facility within Nero although both my DVD ROM and DVR Rewriter drives
continue to function normally and I can still copy DVD-Rom Drive
to Hard Drive then Hard Drive to DVD Rewriter decided to use my
Windows XP disk in the repairing mode to see if that would solve
the disc copy problem. I duly carried this out but the process didn't
cure the disc copy problem and actually created three other problems.
1) Windows Security Updates wouldn't install
2) A Driver for one programme went walkabouts.
3) Some corruption in HP Photo Gallery occurred as Windows installer
kept trying to load it but failed to do so and the warning message
could only be cleared from the screen by resorting to the Ctrl -
Alt- Delete procedure (Note Photo Gallery is a programme that comes
with my HP Printer software.)
After some investigation in the Microsoft help I found the procedure
required to overcome the Windows Security Update installation problem
in the following website:-
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/943144
the heading of which reads:
Updates are not installed successfully from Windows Update,
from Microsoft Update, or by using Automatic Updates after you repair
a Windows XP Installation.
The problem can be experienced when:
- You try to update a computer that is running Windows XP.
- You have repaired the Windows XP Installation by using the Windows
XP CD.
The website goes on to discuss cause and effects, and then describes
the procedure to be followed to resolve the problem. This procedure
details a number of methods that can be used, these being dependant
on the version of Windows XP in use.
Following the method applicable to my version of XP solved the
update installation problem.
With regard to the other two problems these were resolved by
uninstalling the relevant software then reinstalling the same.
Frank
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