How I Fixed: Network List Service (Vista) Will Not Start

Hello everyone,
The other day I was working on a Windows Vista computer and I noticed that the Network Icon in the Notification Area (two small blue monitors with a blue globe in front) was covered up by a red “X”.
This was an indication that the Network List Service (netprofm) was not working correctly. The Network List Service:
“Identifies the networks to which the computer has connected, collects and stores properties for these networks, and notifies applications when these properties change. This service in conjunction with Network Location Awareness enables status of network connections in the system tray. Since the SL UI Notification Service requires Network List Service to be functional, this service should not be disabled.”
I went into services.msc and I saw that the Network List Service was set to Automatic (as it should be), but was not running. All of the Network List Service dependencies were running fine, but try as I may I couldn’t automatically nor manually start the service. It would start for a moment and then shut down. It wouldn’t start up after a reboot either!
Then I found it! Here is the fix:
Click “Start” -> “Run” -> type “dcomcnfg” and enter -> find: Component Services/Computers/My Computer/DCOM Config/netprofm -> right click “netprofm” -> click “Properties” -> “Security” -> “Launch and Activition Permissions” changed to “Customize” -> click “Edit” button -> click “Add..” -> type “LOCAL SERVICE” as the object names, click “OK” -> in “Permissions for LOCAL SERVICE”, select “Allow” for “Local Launch” and “Local Activition” -> “OK” -> “OK”
Intranet Help Says: Be patient when repairing computers and don’t give up! The “fix” is probably just “around the corner” and eventually you’ll discover it. That’s how you become a better tech!

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What You Should Know About The CryptoLocker Virus

Hello everyone,
CryptoLocker is an awful virus that an alarming amount of people are falling victim to. It presents itself in the form of an email message that will look familiar and authentic (it will apper as from legitimate businesses and as fake FedEx, DHL, and UPS tracking notifications). This could also be something from a bank or paypal, prompting you to click a link. It may look like a .PDF file, but in reality it’s an executable file that launches the virus.
Once it’s opened, it encrypts all of the documents in your personal “Documents” folder, and can even reach out to files on thumb drives and networks. It uses strong encryption that truly no one can decrypt, and the only way you would be able to get the data back is by paying $300 for the key. If you don’t pay within 72 hours, the virus authors delete the key and the data is gone forever. To make matters worse, law enforcement has been shutting down servers that contain keys. So even if you were to pay within 72 hours, there’s still no guarantee you will be able to get to your data.
CryptoLocker has also managed to get past AntiVirus programs, although there is a free tool that will supposedly prevent its infection. The problem is, if it gets traction, the CryptoLocker virus authors can easily circumvent it making that tool ineffective. It’s very important to be careful when clicking links that are sent to you.
This means backup is more important than ever. However, you have to be careful how you’re backing up also. If you’re backing up to shared network attached storage for example, that may not be enough. If CryptoLocker can see the files, it will encrypt those also. Furthermore, if you don’t catch it right away, you may end up backing up the encrypted files over top of the unencrypted files. It’s important to have a backup system that supports versioning, or something that allows you to roll back to a prior version of your files.
Intranet Help Says: The CryptoLocker virus is really nasty! Protect yourself by backing up all data, and by not clicking on e-mail links unless you’re absoleutely sure where they came from!

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How I Eradicate The Plague Of Toolbars, Browser Highjackers, Add-Ons, and Extensions

Hello everyone,
In just the past month I have witnessed a veritable plague in my area of computer repair work. Unwanted items are almost secretly installing themselves to the Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Microsoft Internet Explorer browsers. Many of my great clients are seniors and they are being “suckered” into installing these unwanted programs.
These malicious items cause annoying pop-ups, pop-unders, banners, and coupons. They change Windows start-up settings and Internet browser settings. They change the homepage, redirect browser searches, and generally make  Internet browsing experience hell! Ultimately they will ruin the computers functionality!
These vicious little programs primarily bundle with third party software, most often freeware and shareware. Once in a while the user may be given the opportunity to decline the offer to install the “piggyback” item, but many times the offer is presented in a manner that attempts to trick the user. Often these malicious programs will install even if declined!
Here is a list of what I’ve eliminated from ten or so machines in the past month (no particular order):
1) Shop At Home Toolbar
2) Inbox Toolbar
3) Ask Toolbar
4) MapsGalaxy Toolbar
5) CouponBar
6) Babylon Toolbar
7) VAFMusic4 Toolbar
8) Snap.do
9) WebCake
10) Blekko Search Bar
11) Yontoo
12) WebSearch Toolbar
13) Default Tab
14) SaltarSmart
15) Win32/AddLyrics
16) Delta-homes.com (redirect)
In my next series of posts I will explain how to rid your computer of these “plagues”.
Intranet Help Says: Certain unfriendly entities want to enter your computer without your knowledge. First, be aware or who/what they are, and second, learn how to protect yourself from them!

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The Major Hardware Components

Hello everyone,
I love to repair computers, but what I really love is to teach others how to understand/repair computers. I attempt to simplify any kind of explanation so that even the novice can understand what I’m teaching. Here is how I teach/explain the seven major computer components:
1) Motherboard
The motherboard is the heart of the computer. Every other computer part either sits on, or connects to, the motherboard in some way. The motherboard is the rectangular colored board that sits at the bottom of the case.
2) CPU
The CPU (Central Processing Unit) is the brain of the computer. It runs the software and processes the data that you are working on. The CPU sits on top of the motherboard and is covered up by a heat sink and cooling fan.
3) RAM
RAM (Random Access Memory) holds or remembers the data of the software that you are currently running. The RAM modules (“sticks”) are long and thin and look like a short ruler. Each RAM module snaps into a corresponding slot on the motherboard.
4) Video Card
The video card creates the images that appear on the computer monitor. Almost all modern day video cards attach to either the AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) slot, or to the PCI Express (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) slot on the motherboard.
5) Power Supply
The power supply supplies the power that the computer needs. All wires going from the power supply go either directly to the computer components or to the motherboard. The power supply sits at the top of the case.
6) Hard Disk Drive
The Hard Drive holds all of your information (even when the computer power is off). When you turn on the computer, the software and data load from the Hard Drive into the RAM. The Hard Drive slides into the Hard Drive bay in your computer case.
7) Optical Drive
The optical drive uses a laser to read (play) or write (record, burn) CDs and DVDs. The optical drive sits in the front bay of the computer.
Intanet Help Says: Fix a man’s computer and you will satisfy him for today, teach a man how to fix computers and you may satisfy him for a lifetime!“

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How to Diagnose a Computer Problem

1. Check the POST. POST stands for Power On Self Test. This is generally the first or second thing that appears on a computer after turning on the power. This appears before the operating system begins to load. The POST will display any problems found with hardware that makes the computer unable to boot, POST may also display problems with hardware that allow the computer to boot, but not operate at its full capacity during operation.
2. Notice the load time of the OS (operating system). A longer than usual load time may indicate seek errors (or other errors) in the hard drive.
3. Notice any graphics problems once the OS has loaded. Reduced graphics may indicate driver failures or hardware failures with graphic cards.
4. Perform an auditory test. An auditory test is an unorthodox, but still effective way of judging how hard a computer is working. With the computer on and running, play any decent length audio file (usually above 30 secs). If the audio is choppy or slow, it usually means that the processor is working at an elevated level, or there is not enough RAM to run all programs loading. Changing the startup sound is a great way to apply this test. Another issue associated with choppy sounds is PIO (Programmed Input/Output) Mode. This affects how the hard drive reads and writes data from a drive. Switching to DMA allows for faster reads and writes, and can sometimes repair choppy audio.
5. Check any newly installed hardware. Many operating systems, especially Windows, can conflict with new drivers. The driver may be badly written, or it may conflict with another process. Windows will usually notify you about devices that are causing a problem, or have a problem. To check this use the Device Manager, this can be accessed by entering the Control Panel, clicking the System icon, clicking the Hardware tab, and clicking on Device Manager. Use this to check and arrange the properties of hardware.
6. Check any newly installed software. Software may require more resources than the system can provide. Chances are that if a problem begins after software starts, the software is causing it. If the problem appears directly upon startup, it may be caused by software that starts automatically on boot.
7. Check RAM and CPU consumption. A common problem is a choppy or sluggish system. If a system is choppy it is good practice to see if a program is consuming more resources than the computer can provide. An easy way to check this is to use the Task Manager, right click on the taskbar select Task Manager, and click the Processes tab. The CPU column contains a number that indicates the percentage of CPU the process is consuming. The Mem Usage column indicates how much memory a process is consuming.
8. Listen to the computer, if the hard drive is scratching or making loud noises, shut off the computer and have a professional diagnose the hard drive. Listen to the CPU fan, this comes on a high speed when the CPU is working hard, and can tell you when the computer is working beyond its capacity.
9. Run a virus and malware scan. Performance problems can be caused by malware on the computer. Running a virus scan can unearth any problems. Use a commonly updated virus scanner (such as Norton Antivirus or Avast! Antivirus) and a commonly updated malware scanner (such as Spybot Search & Destroy).
10. Check for the problem in safe mode. As a last ditch effort, check the problem in safe mode. To enter safe mode, tap F8 repeatedly during POST (this works on most systems). If the problem persists in safe mode, it is a fair bet that the operating system itself is to blame.

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