Setting Your Browser to Open Multiple Pages When You Start

Posted on May 17, 2016 by wjimenez275

With more people using web-based email programs, like Gmail, Yahoo Mail, Outlook Online, and also needing to do searches or view the news, they find themselves opening up multiple tabs once they open their browser. Wouldn’t it be nice if those tabs opened up automatically for you when you open your browser? Let me tell you how to do this in Microsoft Edge, Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari and Chrome.

In Microsoft Edge,

  • Click the three dots at the upper right of the browser.
  • From the drop down menu, click Settings. 
  • Under the “Open with” options, click the button next to “A specific page or pages”.
  • Click in the box just under that option. Click on Custom. You can remove any websites that are there by clicking on the X to the right of them and you can add new websites to open by adding them in the box showing “Enter a web address”, such as http://www.google.com or mail.google.com. Click the + to add it to the list.

In Internet Explorer,

  • Click on Tools (gear) at the upper right of the browser.
  • From the drop down menu, click on Internet Options.
  • Under the General tab, there is a Home Page box. Enter each of the website addresses you want to open in this box, each on their own line.
  • Click OK to save and close.

In Firefox,

  • Click on the three horizontal lines at the upper right of the browser.
  • From the drop down menu, click on Options.
  • On the “General” page, choose “Show my home page” When Firefox starts.
  • In the “Home Page” box,  enter the addresses of sites separated by a pipe | (a key usually above the enter key on the keyboard). Or, you can open up all the sites in tabs and hit the “Use Current Pages” button.
  • Close that tab and they should all save.

In Safari,

  • Open a new Safari window.
  • Create tabs and open all of the websites you’d like to start Safari with.
  • Open the Bookmarks menu and select “Add Bookmarks for These X Tabs”.
  • Add a name for the bookmarks folder, like Start Pages.
  • Open the Safari menu and select “Preferences”.
  • Click on the General tab.
  • Select “A new window” from the “Safari open  with” setting.
  • Select “Choose tabs folder” from the “New windows open with” setting.
  • Select the folder you just created in the window that appears. The next time you open Safari, these tabs will start automatically.

In Chrome,

  • Click on the three horizontal lines at the upper right of the browser.
  • From the drop down menu, click on Settings.
  • In the “On startup” section, click the button next to “Open a specific page or set of pagers”.
  • Click on Set pages to the right of that option.You can remove any websites that are there by clicking on the X to the right of them and you can add new websites to open by adding them in the box showing “Enter URL…”, such as http://www.google.com or mail.google.com. Repeat as desired to open multiple pages when starting Google Chrome. Or, you can open up all the sites in tabs and hit the “Use Current Pages” button.
  • When done, click OK. You can then close out of the Settings tab.
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Filed under: Instructional, Internet Items, PC Tips and Tools, Uncategorized | 4 Comments »

Amazon Free Shipping – How to Make Sure You Get It.

Posted on July 1, 2015 by wjimenez275

If you don’t have an Amazon Prime membership and you order on Amazon, you may have noticed at checkout the notice telling you that if you add $X amount to your order you would qualify for free shipping. Often times it’s only a few dollars you’d need to add but you have no idea what to purchase for that small of a dollar amount.

I ran across this site www.filleritem.com, where if you enter the amount you need for free shipping, it will return a list of items on Amazon that will qualify you for free shipping. It could be animal products, office supplies or any number of things but all could be useful items and they’d get you free shipping.

Check it out – www.filleritem.com.

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How To Stay Safe From Unsafe Websites On The Internet

Posted on June 29, 2015 by wjimenez275

Have you ever visited a website and moments later a window opens up on your computer telling you that your computer is infected with hundreds of viruses and thousands of other types of malware? Have you been on the internet and all of a sudden your computer slows to a crawl and you have no idea why? Have you ever clicked a link in an email that a friend has sent and have been taken to a website that doesn’t look right, and turns out it’s an infected website? Have your kids been going places on the internet they shouldn’t be? Have you gotten on the internet and noticed that your starting page or your search engine has changed?

There is a way to protect you, your computer and your family members from accessing those websites by changing a setting on your computer.

      How does it work?

Each time your computer visits a Web site, it converts the website address that you entered to a number which represents the IP address of the site (computers only connect to IP addresses, not human-friendly names). Imagine that you want to go to a restaurant so you enter the name of the restaurant into your GPS and what you get back is the street address of the restaurant. That’s what happens when you enter a website name into your browser. Now, your GPS won’t tell you that the address is in a bad part of town, it’ll just give you the address and directions to get there. Imagine now that your GPS can be set so that it no longer just gives you the address, but it also tells you that the restaurant has been restricted because people have gotten sick while eating there or there have been some burglaries there recently or hookers have been known to hang out around there so you have a way of knowing that and can avoid going there. 

 

By making a simple change to your computer’s network setting, you can have that kind of protection when on the Internet. When entering a website in your browser, your browser performs a quick check on each site to make sure that the requested Web site is safe. If the requested Web site is unsafe, you will see a warning that includes information on why the site is rated as dangerous. There are a couple of different levels of protection, so you can set your computer to block sites hosting malware, phishing sites, or scam sites. You can also set your computer to block not only unsafe sites but those that contain sexually explicit material.

 

You can make the choice and I’d highly recommend you take the steps to do it. If you’re interested in this, comment on this and I’ll help you make the changes to your computer or if you’d like to make the change yourself, let me know what version of Windows or if you’re using a Mac, let me know that and I’ll send you the instructions. 

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Can Your Password Change Your Life?

Posted on February 11, 2015 by wjimenez275

I’m a stickler for strong passwords. Amazingly, the top 10 passwords used on the internet in 2015 were:

  1. 123456
  2. password
  3. 12345678
  4. qwerty
  5. 12345
  6. 123456789
  7. football
  8. 1234
  9. 1234567
  10. baseball

Is it any wonder people get their logins hacked? If you’re someone using any of these, please change them immediately.

What to change them to? Well, the recommendation is to make your passwords at least 8 characters, using upper and lower case letters, special characters (those above the numbers) and add a number or two. As you know, if, as also recommended, you use a different password for every site your need to log into, it gets pretty hard to remember what passwords are going where. I’ve recommended password programs in the past, such as LastPass and RoboForm, programs that will generate new passwords and remember what password goes to which login. There are several other really good ones. Programs like this are essential when using multiple passwords at multiple sites that you may not be logging into all of the time.

For those passwords that you use daily, or those that you use that you are forced to change on a regular basis, there is a formula to create passwords that have the capability of changing your life. Are there habits that you’re trying to break, or acquire? Are there things that you need to remember to do regularly, but somehow forget? Are there mantras or affirmations you need to remember to say? Turn them into a password.

I recently read an article from Mauricio Estrella. He was going through some life altering things. Per company policy, he was forced to change his password at work every 30 days.

“I’m gonna use a password to change my life,” he recalls thinking.

He continues:

“My password became the indicator. My password reminded me that I shouldn’t let myself be victim of my recent break up, and that I’m strong enough to do something about it.

My password became: “Forgive@h3r”

I had to type this statement several times a day. Each time my computer would lock. Each time my screensaver with her photo would appear. Each time I would come back from eating lunch alone.

In my mind, I went with the mantra that I didn’t type a password. In my mind, I wrote “Forgive her” everyday, for one month.”

Changing that password changed the way he thought of his former spouse. It was a recurring refrain, he says, a reminder to forgive her, accept the uncoupling, and embrace a recovery from depression.

“In the following days, my mood improved drastically,” Estrella continues. “By the end of the 2nd week, I noticed that this password became less powerful, and it started to lose its effect. A quick refresh of this ‘mantra’ helped me. I thought to myself I forgive heras I typed it, every time. The healing effect of it came back almost immediately.” You can read the whole article here.

Sound like something you can do? Of course. Think about things weighing on your mind. Turn them into a daily password and Change Your Life.

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Don’t Get Scammed While Shopping This Holiday Season

Posted on November 24, 2014 by wjimenez275

The holiday season is upon us. That means Black Friday, Cyber Monday, online shopping, deliveries, special emails, etc.

With all of that going on, the chance of being scammed increases. It was this time last year that Target’s checkout registers were hacked and millions of customers had their credit card information stolen. That was followed by Home Depot and preceded preceded by TJ Max and others. You avoided the stores and decided to shop online? That’s fine until you get the emails from UPS, FedEX, USPS letting you know that the item you’re expecting can’t be delivered, but click this link to find out why….VIRUS. So, what do you do? These tips should help.

Use a Credit Card, Not a Debit Card

Credit cards are much more secure than debit cards. You are protected for fraudulent purchases over $50. Additionally, your debit card is usually connected to your checking account so if someone steals your debit card information, they also have direct access to your checking account. A credit card protects you from that as well.

Another option is to get a prepaid or single use credit card. You can talk to your financial institution to see if they offer single use credit cards. They are great for shopping online. You use them once and no one can use them again.

Watch Out for Emails

This is the time of year where your email is getting bombarded with special offers. Incredible deals abound, just click this link…Don’t do it. Emails have an amazing way of looking like they’re coming from a reputable store but when you click the link, you’re taken to a website that just wants to steal your data.

If you see something you really like in an email, don’t click the link. Open your browser and go to the store’s website to see if they’re really offering that special. If so, use your credit card and order it. If not, delete the email. It was spam.

If you get an email from UPS, FedEX or USPS, be wary. They’ll tell you that your package was returned because it couldn’t be delivered and prompt you to click a link to find out why, or download and open an attachment. Don’t do it as that attachment or link will most likely contain a virus. 

The Top Sites in a Search Engine Are Usually Ad Sites

When you do a search for an item, the top sites that come up are usually ads or links that people pay for so that they come up first. Some of those people who pay for placement will put virus links on their site. Scroll down a little on the page to get  to the real sites that have the products for sale. 

Keep Track of Your Purchases 

Keep accurate records of your transactions. If you order online, print your receipts and keep them in a file. If you’re shopping in stores, keep your receipts and keep them in a file. That way you’ll have everything you need if a dispute arises, and it’s much easier to check your statements against the receipts when the statements come in the next month.

 

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25 “Worst Passwords” of 2011 Revealed – Yahoo! Finance

Posted on November 22, 2011 by wjimenez275

25 “Worst Passwords” of 2011 Revealed – Yahoo! Finance.

If you see your password below, STOP!

Do not finish reading this post and immediately go change your password — before you forget. You will probably make changes in several places since passwords tend to be reused for multiple accounts.

1. password

2. 123456

3.12345678

4. qwerty

5. abc123

6. monkey

7. 1234567

8. letmein

9. trustno1

10. dragon

11. baseball

12. 111111

13. iloveyou

14. master

15. sunshine

16. ashley

17. bailey

18. passw0rd

19. shadow

20. 123123

21. 654321

22. superman

23. qazwsx

24. michael

25. football

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Users report Microsoft Security Essentials removes Google Chrome

Posted on September 30, 2011 by wjimenez275

By Ed Bott | September 30, 2011, 9:14am PDT – Full Article from ZDNet

Summary: Hundreds of users on Google Chrome Help forum this morning reported that Microsoft security products were identifying Chrome as a password-stealing Trojan and removing it. Update: Microsoft acknowledged the issue, posted a fix.

UPDATE, 10:00 AM PDT: Microsoft has identified the problem as being caused by a faulty definition file. This text has been added to the relevant page at the company’s Malware Protection Center:

On September 30th, 2011, an incorrect detection for PWS:Win32/Zbot was identified. On September 30th, 2011, Microsoft released an update that addresses the issue. Signature versions 1.113.672.0 and higher include this update.

PWS:Win32/Zbot is a password-stealing trojan that monitors for visits to certain Web sites. It allows limited backdoor access and control and may terminate certain security-related processes.

UPDATE 2, 11:15 AM PDT: A Microsoft spokesperson provides the following response via e-mail:

On September 30th, 2011, an incorrect detection for PWS:Win32/Zbot was identified and as a result, Google Chrome was inadvertently blocked and in some cases removed from customers PCs. We have already fixed the issue – we released an updated signature (1.113.672.0) at 9:57 am PDT – but approximately 3,000 customers were impacted. Affected customers should manually update Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) with the latest signatures. To do this, simply launch MSE, go to the update tab and click the Update button, and then reinstall Google Chrome. We apologize for the inconvenience this may have caused our customers.

The response does not provide any guidance for Forefront customers who have been affected by this issue. I’ve also asked for clarification on the “approximately 3,000 customers” figure. If a Forefront installation covering hundreds or thousands of users is counted as a single customer, the actual number of affected PCs could be considerably higher.

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Windows AntiVirus 2011 or Fake AntiVirus

Posted on June 12, 2011 by wjimenez275

There have been a lot of fake antivirus infections lately. I’m getting several calls  a week from people telling me that while they were searching the internet, windows started popping up all over their screen telling them they have viruses, trojans, etc. I used to spend hours cleaning computers with various antivirus programs, but then found that I could do it much quicker by using the following method.

When this problem comes up, I ask what the user has or hasn’t clicked on. What they say next is what determines my next course of action. The way these programs work is that they “offer” to clean up your computer if you buy their software. If you choose not to buy their software, and try to click out of the windows by clicking cancel or the red x to close the window, you’re faced with more windows because these options have been set up to download the fake antivirus program and install it on your computer.

So, what to do when one of these programs shows up on your computer? Don’t panic and start clicking things. Recognize that even though it may look like a legitimate Windows warning, if you have a virus, your own antivirus program will pop up telling you so. What you need to do is to press CTRL-ALT-DEL to bring up the Task Manager and then end the browser process. Once you’ve ended the browser this way, you can safely reopen the browser and continue your surfing.

If, however, you have clicked an option and these windows are just continually taking over your screen, reboot your computer. Just as it starts to come up and you see the opening text on the screen, start pressing the F8 key until you get a menu on the screen. Choose to boot into Safe Mode. The screen will look different from what you’re used to, but that’s okay. Once you are at the desktop, click your start button, bottom left of the screen. Go to Programs, Accessories, System Tools, System Restore. When System Restore comes up, choose to restore your computer to a point prior to when you experienced the problem. This could be earlier that day or even a day or two past.

This will not remove any files or data you have worked on or created in that time period, but will restore your Windows system back to a healthy state. Your computer will reboot once and tell you whether it was restored successfully or not. If it was successful, run a virus scan with your antivirus program, but you should be all set at this point.

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I think my e-mail has been hijacked…

Posted on March 27, 2011 by wjimenez275

Lately it seems more and more e-mail accounts have been hijacked and are being used to send out spam. Most of these e-mail accounts have been web based accounts, like Yahoo, Hotmail, Gmail and AOL.

What happens is that someone gains access to an e-mail account and begins to send spam to everyone in the address book. It doesn’t just appear to come from you, it actually is coming from you.

How do you know it’s happening? Well, first you might have a lot of undeliverable messages coming to your inbox. Then, you’ll have some people in your address book ask you if you meant to send what they just received from you. If this happens, what should you do?

First, don’t assume you have a virus on your computer, especially if you do your e-mail over the internet. However, that being said, it’s not a bad idea to do a malware scan with Malwarebytes and SuperAntiSpyware. Then you should change the password to your e-mail account. This should stop the spam coming from you.

One of the big dangers of passwords is that most people use the same password for all of the websites they log into. If someone stole your password, they’d have access to every site you log into with that password. Always use different passwords for each and every site you sign up for. Fortunately, there are password programs, like Roboform and Keepass which will let you store your passwords on flash drives or locally on your computer and will also generate passwords for you for different sites and remember them so that when you access that site again, it will autofill the login so you don’t need to remember the password.

In general, it’s a great idea to change your password for various sites a couple of times a year anyway. These sites include e-mail accounts, social networking sites and banking sites. It may seem like a hassle, but compared to trying to clean up after someone has stolen your data, it’s a quick way of protecting yourself online.

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Critical Security “Fixes” from Microsoft and Adobe

Posted on February 7, 2011 by wjimenez275

Microsoft plans to release fixes for twelve security bulletins tomorrow, three of which have been deemed “critical”. Those who don’t bother with the update could find themselves vulnerable to several remote execution threats. Security experts are referring to this Patch Tuesday as an important bit of “spring cleaning” on the part of Microsoft, but it’s not alone in providing vital fixes this week. Adobe will also be releasing security updates for its Reader and Acrobat ns on Tuesday.
If your computer doesn’t automatically do system updates, you’ll have to manually download and install the updates. To do that, in Internet Explorer, go to http://update.microsoft.com. You should be prompted to install critical updates.

In addition, Microsoft has issued a formal warning that all versions of the Windows are vulnerable to a new exploit. The vulnerability could allow attackers access to sensitive data (such as passwords) after a user unknowingly clicks on a malicious web link. The flaw is related to the way online content is viewed via the web browser Internet Explorer (IE) but not Firefox or Chrome. Microsoft late last week admitted that the vulnerability exists and that it affects every version of Windows, from Windows XP to Windows 7. For those committed to using Internet Explorer, Microsoft has posted a temporary FixIt solution. Microsoft has assured IE users that the workaround will not dramatically affect the way the browser performs.

Adobe is planning to release updates for Adobe Reader X (10.0) for Windows and Macintosh, Adobe Reader 9.4.1 and earlier versions for Windows, Macintos, Adobe Acrobat X (10.0) for Windows and Macintosh, and Adobe Acrobat 9.4.1 and earlier versions for Windows and Macintosh to resolve critical security issues. Adobe expects to make updates for Windows and Macintosh available on Tuesday, February 8, 2011.  You should be prompted by your program to do the update.

 

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