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FAQ

I think I have a Virus – How can I check?

Depending on what symptoms your pc has you need to download some sort of software to check.  There are a number you can use depending on what virus protection is on the pc.  Stinger works with McAfee and is a stand-alone utility used to detect and remove specific viruses. It is not a substitute for full anti-virus protection, but rather a tool to assist administrators and users when dealing with an infected system. Stinger utilizes next generation scan engine technology, including process scanning, digitally signed DAT files, and scan performance optimizations.

 Go to http://vil.nai.com/vil/stinger/

Download the latest version of Stinger. 

Also try Zone Labs' ZoneAlarm or Sygate Personal Firewall, either of which is free for personal use

I don’t have Virus protection on my PC.  Where can I get one from?

The most common virus protection software applications are Norton or McAfee but there are a number of other reliable software as recommended by Microsoft.  http://www.microsoft.com/windows/antivirus-partners/windows-xp.aspx

 I am getting loads of SPAM in my email using Outlook Express.  Can I block this?

Try switching to Thunderbird which is  a free download from http://www.mozillamessaging.com/en-US/thunderbird/ 

My computer is running Windows XP and recently has got very slow, What can I do?

Check what applications you are using and if you installed anything recently.  The recommendation for RAM is 256GB but the more memory you have the quicker your pc will run.  Go the Control Panel,  System, General Tab and you will see how much memory you have.  Windows can run very slow if you are running out of hard disk space also. Check if there are any application that you no longer require .  Go to Control Panel, Add / Remove programs and click on the programs you no longer require to remove them.  You should also run disk cleanup on a monthly basis to get rid of unwanted files.  If you pc is still running slow you will need to look at you virus software

I want to recycle my old computer.  How can I erase the hard disk and where can I recycle it.

Download an application from http://www.killdisk.com/downloadfree.htm.  This is a  disk eraser software for secure formatting of hard drives without any possibility of following data recovery. 

There are a number of recycling centres in Clare. See Clare County Council web site for more details - http://www.clarecoco.ie/Environment/Recycling_Facilities.html