If u got computer problems u GOTTA read this!

[ncsaknech1ydh]

OK, I know this is not the place for this but I have been helped so much by fellow tradgangers, so I hope this post does not get removed!

Every few years our home PC picks up some new @#$%'n virus and we end up hauling it some where, spending a bunch of $, sometimes it works but more often its money wasted.

This time I tried one of the computer services you see advertised on tv all the time to remove viruses and speed up your computer, more money wasted!

So I went on line to a bunch of different sites of regestry cleaners and things like that and went to a gizzilion different regestry cleaner review sites and narrowed it down to a few web based sites that were supposed to be top of the line as far as cleaning computers up and getting them running again, all with money back guarentees, and wouldn't you know it...RIPPED OFF AGAIN...GRRRRRR!!

So just when I was ready to throw our computer out the door and rid my hands of all modern technology, for some reason I went into (I hope its ok to mention a name store!) our local Office Max to ask them if they knew of any regestry cleaners that were not scam artists, the guy walked me back to their software programs and showed me the program that THEY sell, which consists of a CD you download that gives you the 800 number to call. I purchased the program for 100 bucks, usually 150, but on sale, brought it home, downloaded it, called the 800 number, left a message, they called back, I helped them get on my computer and they did the rest, I watched as they were working on it, it was amazing all the places they went and all the crap they removed, and today, one day later my computer is as good as new.

If it doesn't work, there is a 100% money back guarentee, it is a program owned by Office Max, and all the consultants that you call are in the Good ole USA, not some little island with an off shore account somewhere on another planet!

It also comes with a year of antispywear, firewalls, antivirus among other protection that I can neither pronounce or understand, but again, I can acually go down to a store that I know and talk to an acual human being if I need to vent!  

Within the year that I am signed up with this program for, I can get on line with the Office max computer consultants as often as I need to, that is darn cheap for something that acually works, they can work on it right in my home via on line, and I don't have to disconnect everything and haul it to my local computer store and then say a few prayers hoping it gets fixed and hoping the bill will be under several hundred dollars.

The guy said that BestBuy also has the same kind of deal called "The Geek Squad" so I am sure any reputable computer chain stores out there carry the same kind of products.

For the first time in 15 years of computers I feel like I have a bit of a handle on all of the viruses and crap that is out there to ruin or slow down my computer!

Again, I hope the admin guys that run tradgang let this post stay on as I am sure it will help lots of tradgangers save some a ton of money to put into a new bow or more archery equipment.

Thanks again to all the tradgangers out there who have helped me with alot of issues I had before joining this site which have once again  helped me enjoy traditional gear and shooting to the max! DK.

[Flingblade]

It is also a good idea to back up your computer to an external hard drive.  I have only had one virus but it would not allow me to connect to the internet so I had to reformat the hard drive from the recovery discs.  Solved the problem with no cost but I did lose everything.

[JohnnyWayne]

Quickest and first thing to try is a system restore - but it's just a band-aid until you get all your data off and reformat if you got hit hard, that's almost the only way to be absolutely sure it's totally clean. If you run windows (as most do) it's almost inevitable that you'll hit one sooner or later. I have quite a bit of experience in the I.T. field so if anyone has any questions or needs help please don't hesitate to hit me up  

Firewalls are very important, antivirus comes a close second but safe habits while on the web are a priority. If you get an email that looks a bit shady it probably is, don't click on attachments or follow links from people you don't know or trust, use a decent browser like firefox and there is a pretty good FREE firewall/antivirus program out there called comodo.

You could also ditch windows entirely and use one of the free linux operating systems out there, Ubuntu is a good one and I think Rob (one of the admins here) uses Linux Mint. I can't recall the last time one of those was hit with any hostile spyware in recent memory