FTalk

Are you a Internet Cafe/Shop owner? Tired of always reformatting your PCs?

Here are some tips based on my experience.

Works on Windows XP SP1, SP2, and SP3 Professional.

Reformat all your computers first. This maybe the last time anyway, so it's worth it.

• Turn off Autoplay.

After the reformat. Press WinKey+R to show Run.
Type gpedit.msc in the Run text area and press Open.
After opening, Group Policy window will appear.
Go to... Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System.
Double click System and find the Setting, Turn Off Autoplay.
Double click Turn Off Autoplay and select Enable. Select All drives in the drop down form.
Press Ok.
Now go collapse the Computer Configuration and go to... Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System.
Double click System and find the Setting, Turn Off Autoplay.
Double click Turn Off Autoplay and select Enable. Select All drives in the drop down form.
Press Ok.

The idea above turns off all possible Autorun viruses. Because most viruses in USBs are autorun.inf based.


• Fix the Time Zone.

Double click the Clock in bottom left of the screen.
A window will pop-up. Click Time Zone tab.
Select (GTM +8:00) Beijing, Chongqing, Hong Kong, Urumqi (If you're in the Philippines of if you have a similar Time Zone.). Don't know your Time Zone? Learn about your Time Zones here... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_zone
Another method is clicking the Internet Time tab and pressing Update Now (Doesn't always provide accurate Time, Date and Time Zone).
Fix your Date & Time.
Press Ok.

Some computer shop owners do not bother with this. That's why their game patches are so slow, even with fast and reliable internet connection. If the timezone is applied correctly. All of your gamespatches will be faster. It will also remove LAG Problems and patch errors.


• Do not open USB or Flash Drive directly.

Usually, a typical customer uses USB or Flash Drive to open their saved files or projects. After plugging the USB or Flash Drive in a USB port. The computer will read it as New Hardware. If read correctly,  a new drive will appear in your My Computer System Folder (e.g. Drive Name (E: ) or Local Disk (E: ) or Local Disk (D: )). Rather than opening it directly by clicking the new drive. Use run command...

Press WinKey+R then type the location of the newly plugged USB (e.g. E:\, D:\).

Or right click the Drive then select Explore.

Doing this method will help you avoid those nasty .bat and .vbs viruses that overrides your shell extension and disables Folder options.


• Get a reliable virus scan.

The ideal AntiVirus for computer shops owner is Norton From Symantec and ESET Nod32. Removes the latest USB virses up-to-date.

I suggest you get either of the two, by buying? I meant buying it from your local software retailer!


• Download a file recovery program.

http://www.recuva.com/

You might wonder, why? Well some of your customers might have viruses in there USB or Flash Drive. Some viruses attaches to .doc .docx files. If bitdefender deletes the viruses due to its efficiency. Your computer is saved! But the virus might take away some files. Just recover the lost file in the USB using Recuva.


• Download a Cookie and Cached File cleaning program.

http://www.ccleaner.com/

Too much cached files and cookies can slow your PC big time. Run CCleaner once in a while to clean your Cookies and Cached Files. Also, it can delete unnecessary registry files and enable or disabled startup items. Use this to speed up your PC.

Just make sure to remove the check in Wipe Free Space. If you don't know it does.

Review:

http://www.ccleaner.com/reviews


• Defragment your drives, once in a while.

Helps save space in your Drives.



• Install Windows Defender.

http://theftalk.com/p2154687-2008-12-30…%3A07.html

Read the non-genuine idea if you're using a pirated, counterfeit, cracked, modified OS (Just rubbing it in ).


• Transfer your My Documents to another drive.

Right click on My Documents on your Desktop.
Press Move.
Move to drive D: or E: (if existing.)
Moving your files where C:\Windows isn't accessible, like drive D:. It will help lessen OS and startup corruption. If you downloaded a file with a virus attached by accident. At least the downloads are sent to D:\My Documents\Downloads or E:\My Documents\Downloads not C:\Documents and Settings (Most common shop viruses starts there and works its way up to C:\Windows) . If that happens just format the drive, rather than reformatting the whole OS.


• Remove unnecessary startup programs.

Some programs automatically starts up after installation. Example - Yahoo Messenger - Chikka - Nero - Windows Search Index - Adobe. Disable those though msconfig.

Press WinKey+R.
Type msconfig.
Go to Startup tab.
Remove the check on all the unnecessary Startup programs.


• Provide a strong Administrator Password.

Having a strong password prevents high level viruses to change your administrator settings, including your registry and user accounts. 70% works. 30% might get bypassed. 


• Do not install any Deep Freeze programs.

Installing Deep Freeze programs can lose you customers big time. Imagine, a customer made a 30 page thesis report. Well it's a customer, all the customer cares about is renting a PC, typing, printing, scanning, downloading programs without your permission and other stuff. The customer saves his work in your computer's Desktop. Power failure occurs. Customer is relief because he remembered to save his work before the Power Failure. Power came back. Customer opens PC. His work disappears. Customer wants to kill you. Deep Freeze can destroy your BIOS settings. Also, it can't stop USB, or Hard disk wide range viruses.


• Keep a sharp eye on your customers.

Even though they are paying customers. Keep a sharp eye on them. Some customers may download malicious files by accident or by accident (AIR QUOTES). Learn to guide your customers.

Some customers might download - toolbars (Google, Yahoo, Ask), p2p software (Limewire, Bearshare, etc...), download accelerators (InternetDownloadManager, Flashget, etc...) and  converters (FLV, Xilisoft, etc...) without your permission. Learn to talk to your customers.

Commonly used programs by customers:

Internet Explorer 6 to 8.
Mozilla Firefox 3.0 up to current.
Yahoo Messenger 9.
Online games (E-games, Level-up, Blizzard Entertainment, Outspark, Mygame, etc... ).
Microsoft Office 2003 - 2007 programs.
Adobe Photoshop CS2.
Adobe Reader.
Skype.
Chikka.
Microsoft Paint.
Microsoft Calculator.
Wordpad/Notepad.
Camera Software (Depends on your camera hardware).
Java OpenOffice.
Your virus scan (For scanning their USBs or Flash Drive).
Windows Picture and Fax Viewer.
Microsoft Office Picture Manager.
Myspace IM
Windows Live Messenger.
Windows Media Play.

These are common programs customers look for.


• Update your Internet Explorer browser.

Microsoft Internet Explorer (MSIE) has some vulnerability issues.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_E…rabilities

Most customers are IE users (They call it a small letter e with a swirl or internet)  even though Firefox and Google Chrome are publicized.

That's why I recommend that you update your MSIE/Internet Explorer  to its latest version.

Also, not using Microsoft Internet Explorer or even uninstalling it doesn't protect you from its vulnerabilities. Windows OS is integrated to MSIE and MSIE is integrated to some programs, so... that won't solve the problem.

The best thing to do is to update it to its latest version.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/intern…fault.aspx

Just click Download now on the orange button and select United States on option 1 and the OS bran on option 2.
Download the .exe file and run afterwards.
Download any components the installer recommends and restart your computer (You may not encounter this if your Automatic Updates is enabled).
Run the .exe file again and let the upgrade commence.


• Upgrade to Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 3
Usually when you reformat a computer. You only install  Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 and be done with it. Did you know when you upgrade to Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 3, you will get these benefits? Better DirectX compatibility, OpenGL is more optimized, semi-Vista like graphics when watching videos or playing games, utilize Direct3D functions of DirectX, it's faster and secure.

How to update your  Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 to  Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 3? Download it from Microsoft of course!

Download at...

http://www.microsoft.com/Downloads/deta…laylang=en

Burn the ISO file with low burning speed (CD-R 700MB).

Install and upgrade!

No need for WGA garbage. Just download, burn and install!


• Know your computer.

The computer is your friend. That's why you must know and learn everything about it.

Press WinKey+R to show Run.
Type msinfo32 to open System Information.
On System Information. You will learn what is your computer made of, inside and out without dismantling it.Because we do not dismantle our friends with no reason.


By following the methods above. Your computers will be 80% virus free and 90% faster all the time. Well, both can be a 100% if you actually run Automatic updates.

Well some PC owners are afraid to Run Automatic updates, because technicians say... Running Automatic updates corrupts the OS and NAGS the owners to buy Genuine Microsoft Products..

All I can say is... THEY ARE UNOOBS.

The only problems is... Most shop owners usually use fake product keys. Well 80% and 90% is already a big thing. Deal with it.

Well... all of those mentioned above will not guarantee your Computer's safety permanently.

If you guys have anymore ideas to share. Feel free to post.