Messages

26

General Software Discussion / Re: Check your browser before accessing the Donation Coder site??

« on: July 27, 2018, 09:07 PM »

Thanks to all who replied.  A few minutes ago, I logged in on my tablet and got the same screen. I took a screenshot, so now I can see what it said:
"Checking your browser before accessing donationcoder.com." In smaller font underneath this was "This process is automatic. Your browser will redirect to your requested content shortly. Please allow up to 5 seconds."  Below that is what appears to be a link that says "DDoS protection by Cloudflare" and then some kind of long ID #. When this happened the first time (on my computer), I feared that the process might be malware, but having read the responses here and having a chance to look at what's actually being said in the large box, I see I panicked needlessly. But I guess that's the best kind of panic  .

27

General Software Discussion / Check your browser before accessing the Donation Coder site??

« on: July 27, 2018, 06:54 PM »

I'm not sure whether this is the right place to post this, but I didn't see a more appropriate section, so... I just clicked on my link to the DC site. Instead of going directly there, my browser showed a large box that said something like "Check your browser before access the Donation Coder site."  The box soon brought me to the DC site. I exited,  tried again, and this time there was no such box.  I don't recall ever seeing such a thing before.  Is it related to the ddos attack I read about a day or so ago? 

28

Living Room / Re: Windows 7 update stuck on constant "need to restart" - end of my tether

« on: July 17, 2018, 06:12 PM »

Carol, I'm a little surprised you don't have a restore point from when the updates were installed. It's my impression that the installation of Windows updates almost always starts with Windows creating a restore point, if not for all the updates (if they're installed at more or less the same time), then at least for the first. Are you sure there aren't some additional restore points aside from those made today? (Could the dates be wrong and the restore points are not from today?)

Also, did the problems start right after the updates were installed, or did they start today? If by any chance the problems started today, the first of the restore points might possibly be useful.

I've always considered myself needlessly cautious in setting a restore point before I install Windows Updates. I knew (or at least I thought I knew) that Windows would create one, but my mistrust of MS usually won out.  Perhaps excessive caution with MS is never needless. 

Good luck in solving this. I wish I could help.

29

General Software Discussion / Re: Where has Clipmate Support Gone?

« on: July 15, 2018, 10:07 PM »

I hope it keeps working for you.  It was working fine for me until one day something happened. 

Are you used Windows 10 yet?

-i_am_jim (June 24, 2016, 05:24 PM)

Thanks, I too hope it keeps working. So far, so good (knock on wood, salt over my shoulder  ).  And no, I'm still using Windows 7 and will continue to use it until I have to replace my computer.

30

General Software Discussion / Re: What's going on with Java?

« on: July 15, 2018, 05:46 PM »

Pimlico Software's Pimlical Calendar and information manager (the successor to the DateBk program for Palm) uses Java. I have it on my Windows computer and on my Android tablet and phone. It's probably the only thing for which I use Java. However, I love it, so I'd hate to see anything that might cause it problems.

31

General Software Discussion / Re: Best Clipmate replacement (particulary if I can export my current database to it

« on: April 24, 2018, 09:42 PM »

I've tried other clipboard managers, but none has tempted me to switch from Clipmate, which I've used and loved for a zillion years, more or less.  Two features I especially value in Clipmate are its "Power Paste" feature that enables me to insert a series of clips automatically, and, above all, the ClipBar, which shows you the clip currently set to be pasted (usually the most recent clip). All you have to do is glance at the ClipBar. You don't have to open anything, mouse over anything, or do anything else except glance at the ClipBar sitting at the bottom of your browser. For me, the absence of either of those two features is a deal breaker.

At one time, I was moderately impressed by a program called ClipCache Pro. It had several features that Clipmate lacks, including support for Unicode.  It also offered a Power Paste feature, though I found it didn't work as well as it does in Clipmate. And ClipCache Pro didn't have a ClipBar. After trying for a couple of months to switch from Clipmate to ClipCache, I gave up and returned to using Clipmate exclusively. As I still do.

32

General Software Discussion / Re: Malwarebytes 3.0 out

« on: June 09, 2017, 10:24 AM »

Many thanks, Carol, Arizona Hot, and cranioscopical, for your very encouraging postings about recent versions of Malwarebytes 3. Normally, after reading your postings, I would upgrade to the present version 3. However, I'm about to move and to be on the road with a somewhat clunky shared laptop for a while, so I think I'll wait until I'm settled again (and using my desktop computer) before I upgrade. But I'm delighted to hear the good news.

33

Living Room / Re: Malware/Antivirus Deceptions

« on: June 06, 2017, 06:52 PM »

You might want to ask about this on the MBAM forum.  Someone there may be able to shed some light on this.

34

General Software Discussion / Re: Massive vulnerability in Windows Defender leaves most Windows PCs vulnerable

« on: May 27, 2017, 03:54 PM »

Many thanks, tomos, for unravelling the identities of Windows Defender. I don't feel so bad now about being confused. 

35

General Software Discussion / Re: Massive vulnerability in Windows Defender leaves most Windows PCs vulnerable

« on: May 27, 2017, 01:49 PM »

Doesn't seem to have worked that way in this computer. Win Defender was Off and is updated beyond that version(1.1.113804).

-Arizona Hot (May 26, 2017, 10:27 PM)

where it didnt update (cyberdiva) was (as MSE) on Windows 7 computer.
May be different on 10?

-tomos (May 27, 2017, 01:17 PM)

I confess that I'm not at all clear about any of this, but I stopped using MSE more than a year ago when I switched to Kaspersky (I had the offer of two free two-year subscriptions and decided to give Kaspersky a try). I've just checked with Everything Search, and Microsoft Security Essentials is not on my computer. Moreover, when I was using MSE, I'd get daily updates  for it through Windows Updates, but those updates stopped when I switched to Kaspersky.  Also, IIRC, Windows Defender existed separately on my computer from MSE when I was using MSE.

The arrangement I currently have is that Windows Defender does NOT automatically scan and does NOT use real-time protection. However, I think I changed the setting under Administrator from leaving "Use ths program" unchecked to having it checked. And since it's checked, it claims that the "program will alert all users if spyware or other potentially unwanted software attempts to run or install itself on this computer." Just how WD will know this if it doesn't automatically scan and doesn't use real-time protection isn't clear to me. FWIW, the version of the WD engine currently on my computer is 1.1.13804.0, and the antispyware version is 1.245.41.0.

36

General Software Discussion / Re: Massive vulnerability in Windows Defender leaves most Windows PCs vulnerable

« on: May 25, 2017, 01:48 PM »

Thanks Wraith808.  I was somewhat confused about what would make Windows Defender up-to-date. I downloaded the most recent antispyware definitions, but there was nothing said about an update to the engine. However, I've now checked, and apparently the most recent antispyware definitions also updated the engine, since it's now said to be version 1.1.13704.0.

Thanks for encouraging me to get the update.

37

General Software Discussion / Re: Massive vulnerability in Windows Defender leaves most Windows PCs vulnerable

« on: May 25, 2017, 11:24 AM »

The fact that you aren't running/updating it doesn't have relevancy in many cases with these kinds of vulnerability.  It might in this case, but I wouldn't depend on that.

-wraith808 (May 23, 2017, 07:28 PM)

As I understand it, the problem comes when WD scans objects and gets infected. If I have WD turned off so that it doesn't run, how am I still vulnerable?

38

General Software Discussion / Re: Massive vulnerability in Windows Defender leaves most Windows PCs vulnerable

« on: May 23, 2017, 07:48 AM »

Many thanks, Deozaan. I've now checked. The version number is way out of date, but apparently I succeeded in turning WD off when I installed Kaspersky and did not succeed in turning it back on when it kept nagging at me to do so. So Windows Defender is turned off. I'm assuming that means that it hasn't been scanning anything and won't be doing so, and thus it will not be vulnerable to the malware threat in question. If I'm wrong, I hope someone will let me know.

39

General Software Discussion / Re: Massive vulnerability in Windows Defender leaves most Windows PCs vulnerable

« on: May 21, 2017, 08:07 PM »

How are we supposed to tell whether Microsoft has fixed the vulnerability on individual computers? I have Windows 7 Professional. I see no indication that Microsoft has made available to me any update that would fix the problem (i.e., my last updates were installed more than a week ago, and I see no sign that new updates are ready for me to download and install).
I have Kaspersky as my main AV, but apparently I still receive updates for Windows Defender as well. Some months back, when I tried to turn off Windows Defender, Microsoft kept telling me I should turn it back on, so I did. To my surprise, WD and Kaspersky don't seem to interfere with each other.  But in light of the news of this latest vulnerability, should I try again to turn Windows Defender off?

40

General Software Discussion / Re: Looking for a new browser

« on: April 12, 2017, 06:05 PM »

Ah, OK, thanks very much. I'll take your advice. 

41

General Software Discussion / Re: Adobe Acrobat - is there an alternative?

« on: April 10, 2017, 08:56 AM »

I've used PDF XChange Editor for many years, but recently I got to also install Acrobat Pro, so I made it my default app, to try it out. I found I much prefer PDF XChange Editor.

-dr_andus (April 09, 2017, 04:38 PM)

Did you buy a pro version of PDF XChange Editor? I have a free version, and as far as I can tell, it can't do things like combine several pdf pages into one pdf file.  Can yours do that?  A friend keeps suggesting that I simply break down and buy Adobe Acrobat Pro. He claims it will do everything. I'm not a big Adobe fan, so I'd prefer to use alternatives, as long as I can do what I want. But for combining files, I wound up sending all the separate pdfs to him and he combined them with Adobe. 

42

General Software Discussion / Re: Looking for a new browser

« on: April 08, 2017, 08:34 PM »

Pale Moon users should probably install FEBE 8.3.1, CLEO 6.0.2, and OPIE 5.0.2.1, just in case, so they don't ever end up in a situation where they lose access to installing their favorite add-ons, after the Firefox change.

-app103 (April 06, 2017, 04:06 PM)

Thanks, app103, for these suggestions.  Can they be installed only when/if I find I need them, or do they have to be installed before they're needed?

43

General Software Discussion / Re: Looking for a new browser

« on: April 06, 2017, 09:54 AM »

I don't use a lot of the extensions mentioned in the 2 links wraith provided, but FWIW, I thought I'd mention the extensions  (not plug-ins) I've currently got on Pale Moon, most of which I also had when I used Firefox:

Adblock Latitude (a Pale Moon version of Adblock)
Better Privacy
Cookie Culler
Download Manager
EPUB Reader
Flashblock
Google Translator
Last Pass
Lazarus
Linkman Fox
Surfulater Integration (I'll probably remove this soon, since the developer is no longer working on Surfulater)
Tiny URL generator

Even if they no longer work on Firefox, they'll continue to do so on Pale Moon, though it may become harder to find some of them.

44

General Software Discussion / Re: Looking for a new browser

« on: April 05, 2017, 10:53 PM »

I moved from Firefox to Pale Moon several years ago and have been very happy with that decision.  Originally based largely on Firefox, Pale Moon gives me many of the features I valued in Firefox without the sometimes senseless changes that made Firefox increasingly disappointing.

45

LaunchBar Commander / Re: LATEST LaunchBar Commander VERSION INFO THREAD - v1.152.01 - Mar 15, 2017

« on: March 20, 2017, 02:06 PM »

Thanks, mouser, for your quick and reassuring response.  It's not clear that I'll be using Nircmd, not because of Kaspersky, just because I doubt I'll want to do any of the things the program would enable me to do.  I'm not sure how I'd disable it, but I'm not sure that's necessary.  I can just tell Kaspersky to ignore it.  I posted the message not because I was worried but simply to give you a heads-up about Kaspersky's unfriendly response.  I have a lot more faith in you than in Kaspersky! 

46

LaunchBar Commander / Re: LATEST LaunchBar Commander VERSION INFO THREAD - v1.152.01 - Mar 15, 2017

« on: March 20, 2017, 11:24 AM »

New beta version has been uploaded.

-mouser (March 20, 2017, 05:15 AM)

Mouser, I downloaded the new beta and asked my Kaspersky AV to scan it (I do this for just about everything I download). To my surprise, Kaspersky called attention to one "object" that it did not process. The filename was C:\Users\[Username]\LaunchBarCommanderSetup.exe//data0071//nircmdc.exe . Kaspersky identified it as not-a-virus:RiskTool.Win32.HideExec.bm .  The explanation said "Programs in this category have a number of functions (such as concealing files in the system, hiding windows running applications, terminating active processes, etc.) which can be used with malicious intent. They are, in themselves, not malicious."  This isn't the first time Kaspersky has claimed that a perfectly legitimate piece of software on my computer may pose a possible problem. I've learned not to take such warnings seriously, but I thought you might be interested in knowing about this. 

Needless to say, I went ahead and installed the LBC beta. It may just be my imagination, but the display looks a bit larger and clearer than I remember. 

47

General Software Discussion / Re: Malwarebytes goes full Anti-Virus

« on: March 19, 2017, 08:37 PM »

It got to the heuristic scanning after about 30 minutes- which on the longer side, but not overly so.  The rest of the time was just that.  I've changed the schedule to once a week in the dead of night on Monday morning.  I'll see how it goes, but not upgrading any of my other machines until I figure this out.

-wraith808 (March 19, 2017, 08:02 PM)

Actually, ~30 minutes is pretty much what MB2 takes on my desktop computer when the scan includes checking for rootkits (without that, it takes about half as long). So perhaps the problem you're experiencing is something wrong with the heuristic scanning in MB3, rather than something absurdly excessive about the entire scanning process.  Have you reported this on the MBAM Forum?

48

General Software Discussion / Re: Malwarebytes goes full Anti-Virus

« on: March 19, 2017, 07:01 PM »

I don't see what that has to do with the heuristic scanning.

-wraith808 (March 18, 2017, 01:43 PM)

Wraith, I'm very sorry to hear about your horrendous experience with MB3, but I'm most grateful to you for posting about it.  You've saved me from moving to MB3 from MB2.  One very weird thing about your present experience is that apparently it's the heuristic scanning that is taking so long. In MB2, the heuristic scanning occurs at the end of the scan and takes VERY little time, perhaps a minute or so. 

49

LaunchBar Commander / Re: LATEST LaunchBar Commander VERSION INFO THREAD - v1.152.01 - Mar 15, 2017

« on: March 17, 2017, 03:55 PM »

I clicked on Check for Updates inside LBC and was told to "visit program web page to download update."  I clicked on that and was brought to the web page, but the latest release there was said to be version 1.149.01 (Dec. 22, 2016).  ???

50

General Software Discussion / Re: Macrium Reflect v7 release on Feb. 27th

« on: March 10, 2017, 01:19 PM »

^^ I don't think I have ever done the verification step with any backup imaging program.  I started to once, then after a few minutes I killed it.  I used to do a complete partition image(full) and restore every time.  Now I am hooked on incremental and can't go back to the slow way. 

-MilesAhead (March 08, 2017, 04:17 PM)

Since I don't want to mess with trying to restore if I don't have to, I always do the verification step with Macrium and assume that all is well. It takes forever, but even without the verification step, doing a full image took a long time. I deal with this by running Macrium at night, when I'm ready to go to bed. So the fact that it takes >3 hrs with the verification step doesn't bother me.  I haven't yet upgraded to Macrium 7. Perhaps that will be a bit faster, but the move from version 5 to version 6 made no difference in how long it took.