Security Warning in Internet Explorer 8

As you may have noticed, clicking YES does not give you the results you are likely looking for.  In Internet Explorer 8, this window appears frequently and does not go away.

Simple Fix:

1. Go to Tools->Internet Options->Security
2. Select the ‘Security’ tab
3. Click the ‘Custom Level’ button
4. In the ‘Miscellaneous’ section change “Display mixed content” to Enable

More detailed information about this security feature can be found at:

Microsoft MSDN

Internet Explorer 8 Security Settings

From time to time, the installation or the removal through add-remove programs fails.  With a failed installation or removal, this tool will help clean up the components remaining on your system.  It is essential that these components are removed since they can seriously affect performance as well as other critical parts of your system.

The knowledge base article is located here at the McAfee site and also archived here.  This will provide information on how to use the tool.

The tool can be downloaded from the McAfee site as well as in zip format from our archive .

Many users have had issues with sound not working either all of a sudden or after a fresh installation.  One of the most common causes comes from the sound button setup.  On most laptops, the sound buttons control the windows sound settings, whereas on IBM and Lenovo laptops, the buttons work independently.  So the first thing to try is to press the volume-up key several times while playing a sound file to test whether that is the problem. 

Another simple solution to try is to adjust your windows volume controls.  Since these controls act seperately, if your windows sound is low or muted you will not get any sound.

Windows Media Player Sound Error

If you get an error message in Windows Media Player, similiar to the one posted here, chances are your driver is not properly installed.  This can be fixed easily by visiting the Lenovo Support Website and downloading the correct drivers.

WGA Notification as seen in Windows XP

Here is the link to the Microsoft Downloadable Tool:

Windows XP   

Windows Vista and Windows 7 has built in tools to accomplish this.  Microsoft provides detailed instructions on how to use them:

  Windows Vista     Windows 7

Certificate of Authenticity

The product key is located on your Certificate of Authenticity (COA) which is most likely located on your PC somewhere.  On Laptops, it is often located on the bottom and desktop PCs it can be virtually anywhere on the case. 

If you do not have a COA, you will most likely have to purchase a new product key from Microsoft.

If changing the key does not work, try contacting Microsoft Support.  Support for issues related to validation is available at no charge.

When the Windows Genuine Advantage Notification shows up, it will prohibit you from downloading updates and other important Microsoft Applications.

Some of the tools here are very powerful and, on occasion, windows will not properly boot after cleaning the infected file(s) which are sometimes attached to important windows system files.  It is highly recommended that you back up any important documents on the PC before proceeding.  If you are having trouble accessing the system because of the malware, you can remove the hard drive and backup documents using another PC, or you can boot with a Windows Boot CD, which is an excellent tool to have around.  

It is a good idea to download these tools and store them on a portable USB flash drive for ease of use.

These tools are posted in order of which to try:

First use MalwareBytes Anti-malware - download, install, update, then run quick scan, follow prompts, reboot, then use full scan.  Updating is important – so if you are unable to update, try restarting in safe mode with network, then update and scan.  Follow prompts, reboot and then check to see if the malware persists.

Next download and install Avast Antivirus (if not already installed), update, then select a boot-time scan.  You will then reboot and your scan will begin before windows loads its startup applications.  This is a long scan and will often take several hours.  After startup, reboot again to see if the malware persists.

If the malware persists, download and install SuperAntiSpyware free edition.  Update and run scan.  Follow the prompts then reboot after it is complete.

And finally, if the treat is that persistent, try using ComboFix.  You can read the guide on how to use it as well as download it from bleepingcomputer.com.  This tool is extremely powerful and only should be used after reading the guide completely. 

After this, if the malware should still persists, it if certainly not worth any additional effort other that to wipe your drive and start clean.  If these applications will not remove the problem, there is a certain chance that none other will effectively help.

With this site, you will find help:

• Learning new tips and tricks
• Get purchasing advice
• Learn how to remove malware
• Find free/GPL software for help, diagnostics, and productivity
• Educate yourself about new technology
• Diagnosing simple software and network problems
• + Much more

This site has advanced search capabilities, where using the search bar you can easily find the topic you are looking for.