Digital Life

You may received this:

Windows Live(TM) Messenger Service Staff says:
*Important service announcement: As part of a recent system enhancement, we need you to change your e-mail address to continue signing in to the Windows Live(TM) Messenger Service.

To ensure that your access is not blocked and to learn more, go to http://support.microsoft.com/gp/Messenger/en *

 This is a wrong notification by Windows Live stuff.  If you received this notification , please ignore it. 

Refer to: http://windowslivewire.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!2F7EB29B42641D59!37886.entry

What is Conficker?
———————————
The Conficker worm is a computer worm that can infect your computer and spread itself to other computers across a network automatically, without human interaction. Microsoft has an detailed article to instruct and remove the Conficker:
www.microsoft.com/protect/computer/viruses/worms/conficker.mspx

How do I remove the Conficker worm?
———————————
1. Download and run Microsoft® Windows® Malicious Software Removal Tool (KB890830)
www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=AD724AE0-E72D-4F54-9AB3-75B8EB148356&displaylang=en

2. Run an Online Scan of Your PC for Malicious Software
safety.live.com

3. If you can’t go to safety.live.com, contact support at 1-866-PCSafety or 1-866-727-2338. This phone number is for virus and other security-related support. It is available 24 hours a day for the U.S. and Canada. For support in other countries, visit the Worldwide computer security information page(www.microsoft.com/protect/worldwide/default.mspx).

The above telephone number are proved to be free of charge.

Problem: Windows Update goes or redirects to Google

Why: Spyware/virus changed DNS or Hosts file

Solution:

Method 1: Scan spyware
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Use the antivirus program on your computer to scan spyware and virus. If not work, use this tool:

www.malwarebytes.org/

Method 2: Change DNS
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1. Click Start - Run - imput: NCPA.CPL and click OK.
2. Right click your network connection -> click Properties.
3. Highlight “Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)” -> click Properties button.
4. Check the box before “Use the following DNS server address.”
5. Set “Preferred DNS Server” to 4.2.2.2 and “Alternate DNS Server” to 4.2.2.3

Method 3: Delete Hosts file
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1. Click Start - Run, copy the following command to the box and click OK to run it:

%SystemRoot%system32driversetc

2. Rename hosts to oldhosts
3. Reboot your PC

Priority level: Method 1 > Method 2 > Method 3

What is KB967715 for?
KB967715 is used to disable the AutoRun features of Windows XP. This feature is usually used by virus or trojan to spread themselves. Disabling this feature can enhance the system security.

Why repeat ?
KB967715 will replace shell32.dll file. Failure of file replacing causes repeated KB967715.

How to fix this problem?

Installing KB950582 can fix this problem since KB950582 includes the latest version of shell32.dll so we need not to install KB967715 after installing KB950582.

Solution 1: Install KB950582

Download and install KB950582 from:

Update for Windows XP (KB950582)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=CC4FB38C-579B-40F7-89C4-1721D7B8DAA5&displaylang=en

Update for Windows Vista (KB950582)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=06739ca6-7368-4acb-bb67-7e8146071a29&displaylang=en

Solution 2: Manually install KB967715

1. Download the update manually (Find the download links below)
2. Save it to the desktop
3. Boot the computer to the safemode (Keep tapping F8 when you turn on the computer)
4. Install the update by double click on the file that we saved in desktop
5. Restart the computer to complete the installation

Download links for the windows update KB967715

For Windows XP
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=c7dbcde3-7814-47c5-849e-e64ecfb35d74

For Windows XP (X64)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=ca802f38-0566-4ac4-8808-6515623c35c5

For Windows 2003 Server (X86)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=32b845ac-7681-468c-812b-2dcebdae9b40

For Windows 2003 Server (X64)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=7b866fb7-9bb7-4fce-b395-d0a4ee38a115

For Windows 2000
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=3c6039f1-d84d-4294-8457-35aa8b4dcab8

If .NET Framework update installation fails, we can use this tool to remove it:

dotnetfx_cleanup_tool.zip

It is a free tool and need not to install. Just download - Open it - Click Yes to agree. Then, we can select the following options to remove:

1. .NET Framework - all versions
2. .NET Framework 1.0
3. .NET Framework 1.1
4. .NET Framework 3.5

Select one and click “Cleanup Now”. After that, download .NET Framework update again and it should be installed OK.

Meanwhile, Microsoft’s Windows Installer Cleanup Utility can also complete this task. It is not an exclusive tool for .NET Framework. But for all Windows Installer installation applications.

Description of the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility
support.microsoft.com/kb/290301