For those computer users who are thinking about using the
beta version of Microsoft's Antispyware: I received this tip of the day from
Kim Komando this morning.

Q. I installed the beta version of Microsoft's Antispyware. Now my
firewall has stopped working. I tried to reset it in Control Panel,
but it will not work. What can I do?

A. I had trouble with Microsoft's antispyware tool, too. And if my
e-mail is any indicator, you and I are not alone. The product is still
in its testing phase, so problems are to be expected.

I believe that the very act of removing spyware is causing
this situation.

There have been instances in the past where removal of spyware
wrecked computers' Internet connection. In these cases, spyware files
insinuated themselves into Winsock.

Win who? Winsock is our new term of the day. It is a series of
files that are used to make the Internet connection. So, the spyware
files wrote themselves into the Registry. That made the spyware a
required part of the Internet-connection process. See how tricky
these folks are?

When the spyware was deleted, the Registry could no longer find
those files. Therefore, the Internet connection failed.

Over time, the anti-spyware makers learned to remove the Registry
keys when the Winsock invaders were deleted.

The Windows firewall works closely with Winsock. It appears that the
spyware is insinuating itself into the startup of the firewall. When
you remove the files, the Registry can't find them. So, it refuses to
start the firewall service.

Repairing Winsock formerly meant going into the Registry. You had to
track down the offending keys and delete them. But Windows now has a
command that will do the job.

To run the command, click Start>>Run. Enter "cmd" (minus the quotes)
in the box and click OK. That will put you at a command prompt. Enter
"netsh winsock reset" (again, minus the quotes). Press enter. Close the
DOS window and reboot the computer.



--
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 265.7.2 - Release Date: 1/21/2005


VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List.
To join or leave the list, send a message to
[log in to unmask]  In the body of the message, simply type
"subscribe vicug-l" or "unsubscribe vicug-l" without the quotations.
 VICUG-L is archived on the World Wide Web at
http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/vicug-l.html