Windows

If you're using Microsoft Windows, here are a few recommended steps to take immediately upon reading this, if you have not already done so.

1. Install a Firewall. This will close all your ports from being accessible from the public internet.
2. Install antivirus software. Make sure you are getting the latest virus definitions (information about the latest viruses) with your configuration. This is important, as new viruses are released daily.
3. Continue by Patching your computer.
4. Install both Spybot as well as AdAware SE Personal and run these regularily to search for, and quarantine spyware. It is not uncommon for one of these to find spyware the other missed, hence we recommend both.
5. Install another browser for surfing the internet such as Mozilla Firefox or Opera as Internet Explorer has a long history of security incidents.

Quarterly Maintenance

1. In Control Panel, go to "Add/Remove New Software" and go through the list, removing any applications that you don't know what they do, or if you haven't used them in the past 3 months.
2. If you can leave your computer on overnight; Turn off your screensaver and close all your programs, and run "Disk Defragmentation" which should be the System Tools folder under Accessories.

PowerToys

PowerToys gives you access to system settings that are not exposed in the Windows XP default user interface, including mouse settings, Explorer settings, taskbar settings, and more. The two we recommend initially in order of functionality are TweakUI and Virtual Desktop Manager.

Version 2.10 requires Windows XP Service Pack 1 or Windows Server 2003.

WindowsXP Powertoys

ccleaner

It removes unused files from your system. You will probably want to uncheck "Add Yahoo! toolbar within IE" duringthe install options.

ccleaner

Hijack This

A general homepage hijackers detector and remover.

Hijack This