Monday, November 23, 2009

Alpha AntiVirus Removal Guide



alpha-antivirusAlpha Antivirus (aka. AlphaAntiVirus and Alpha AV) is a fake anti-spyware program which is usually installed by a trojan or downloaded one of many fraudulent Fake Scanner Sites.

Alpha Antivirus displays fake system messages and pretends to catch / block malicious intrusions. In an effort to block removal, AlphaAntivirus sometimes packs a trojan of its own which attempts to block real antivirus programs from running, giving off error messages whenever you try to run a program or simply shutting them down. Once installed, Alpha Antivirus performs a system scan and displays exaggerated fake results:

Alpha Antivirus can hijack Internet Explorer and prevent the user from visiting certain websites and display a warning page instead. Below is a sample of the fake error messages that Alpha Antivirus displays:

alpha-antivirus-tojan-mdropper-ac

alpha-antivirus-w32.ackantta.B

Threat type: Malware, Hi-Jacker, Rogue, Spyware

Advice: Remove Immediately! This is a very high risk threat and should be removed ASAP as to prevent harm to your computer and / or to protect your privacy.

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Sunday, October 25, 2009

Windows 7 YouTube Videos

Windows 7 YouTube videos are showing up a lot lately since the launch of Windows 7 on October 22, 2009. Video searchers are looking for reviews and information to help them decide whether or not to make the switch to the new OS, and if so how to properly go about it.

For more Windows 7 YouTube videos, visit RevuTube

RevuTube is a video blog featuring video reviews, comparisons, buying tips and opinions. One of the Windows 7 videos explains how to buy Windows 7 for only $29.99

My personal thoughts on this topic are outlined in the Windows 7 YouTube video below and are based on 30+ years as a computer tech. The advice in the video mainly applies to users of older Windows systems who want to upgrade but it could easily apply to anyone that may have a few doubts about jumping in right away.

Now, I’m not a Mac user or even a fan (although I think they make a fine product). With the launch of Windows 7, their advertising department has been busy capitalizing on the inherent problems associated with new Windows releases.

These ads are effective for one simple reason… they’re essentially based on truth. This Windows 7 YouTube video showing one of Apple’s latest ads, drives home the point quite effectively.

In my many years as a PC tech, EVERY major Windows release has had a ton of problems that weren’t addressed during development. With this new release comes a new era of Windows 7 incompatibilities. So you can expect the same to be true (more or less) for Windows 7.

Personally, I’ve found at least one program that I use professionally that refuses to run on the Windows 7 platform. It starts to load but then freezes and refuses to run at all. The developers will no doubt come out with an upgrade soon and I’m hoping it will be free. But it may not be, so it may become a further expense. For now, I’ll have to keep using it on my older system until that’s worked out. This situation illustrates perfectly the kinds of issues that appear with ANY new Windows release. Expect this to be the case with many older software programs you might own.

Don’t get me wrong, my opinion of Windows 7 is that it’s a winner and will probably go down as one of the best Windows OS releases ever. If you’re buying a brand new PC or laptop, you’ll probably have few, if any, problems, so I say go for it.

But if you’re upgrading from a previous version like Windows XP (which statistics show is the most prevalent Windows version), you may be in for a rough time trying to move your existing apps over to Windows 7.

New features that can simplify home computing, like HomeGroup for example, will only work with Windows 7 equipped PCs. So if you want to share files and printers, you can. You just network them the old Vista or XP way. But don’t expect Windows 7 to solve those issues for you.

Data won’t be an issue (Microsoft has a free utility to help with that) but software and drivers are another story. We’ll have to wait and see how it all works out in the end, but for now, if you’re an existing XP user, I say hold off for several months until the hype has a chance to die down. Microsoft is sure to release patches and service packs that will fix problems they couldn’t account for in the initial release.

From an upgrade point of view, Microsoft has focused on Vista users. If you have a Vista computer, upgrading should be easier.

Your best bet (if you can) is to wipe your old system files and do a clean install on your hard drive. Then you can attempt to reinstall your apps on the new OS. This will eliminate upgrade hassles on the system. Just make sure that your old software is Windows 7 compatible BEFORE you go this route.

Also, be aware that this is also the most expensive copy of Windows 7. Upgrade prices are cheaper. You can even get free upgrades if you recently bought your system with Vista on it. Many OEMs have an upgrade program that they’ll honor for awhile.

Bottom line: If you plan to upgrade to Windows 7, wait a awhile for the dust to settle. Microsoft and probably some third-party software developers will come out with fixes and utilities that will make the process of upgrading simpler and smoother for users of older Windows systems.

Windows 7 YouTube videos can a real benefit during this time of transition to the new operating system. There are many issues that can be remedied this way, so I’ll be putting out several of these in the near future. If you’d like to stay on top of my new Windows 7 YouTube videos you can subscribe to my YouTube channel.

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Wednesday, October 21, 2009

HomeGroup Windows 7 Networking Video

 

HomeGroup Windows 7 Networking

 

HomeGroup for Windows 7 is a brand-new networking feature designed specifically to simplify the task of networking home PC's allowing them to share files and printers with ease.

In past versions of Windows, networking computers entailed assigning them to a particular workgroup. This was often a complex and frustrating job, so Microsoft designed HomeGroup to remedy all those problems by making it a "one-click" task. Unfortunately, this new feature will ONLY work with Windows 7 computers. Systems running older versions of Windows will have to still be connected to Windows 7 PC’s the "old fashioned" way.

Using HomeGroup permits connected PC’s to share USB connected printers too. This allows any computer in the group to print to any networked printer in the home, as long as it’s attached to a Windows 7 computer.

(Click Images to Enlarge)
Click to Enlarge

When you first establish your network connection in Windows 7, it will instruct you you to pick a location for your computer. Choose "Home Network", which then permits you to use HomeGroup. After several seconds of configuration, the setup wizard will tell you to select which sort of files to share. This might include pictures, documents, music, etc.

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Sunday, October 18, 2009

Norton AntiVirus 2010 Review

Norton Antivirus 2010

Symantec_Corp Norton Antivirus 2010 persists along its revitalization pathway that commenced last year and has consistently moved forward towards becoming a more refined, efficient and better performing antivirus program.

It defends your PC against viruses, spyware, bots, worms, and other malicious code without bogging you down or getting in your way.  It quickly safeguards against the latest viral threats and easily installs in only fifty-four seconds, requiring no system reboots. 

Hackers and spammers will be thwarted with the around-the-clock protection provided by the Symantec intrusion detection system. It prevents and blocks computer viruses and malware. Positive actions eradicate open threats and banishes fresh threats right away to guard your personal computer. 

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Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Free AntiVirus AntiSpyware Microsoft Security Essentials



Free AntiVirus Microsoft-Security-Essentials

Free antivirus, antispyware software often fails to protect computer systems adequately because the required virus definitions constantly need to be updated. That takes manpower to keep on top of it all, so free solutions usually don’t have the budget and hired staff to do the job. But now there is no real reason for users to lack the protection that security software affords.

Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) is free antivirus, antispyware software created by Microsoft that provides protection against viruses, spyware, rootkits, and trojans for Windows XP, Vista, and 7. MSE has been tailored for home and personal use and replaces Windows Live OneCare (a paid antivirus subscription) and Windows Defender.

Symantec and McAfee, are claiming that MSE is not as effective as their own offerings and AVG Technologies views MSE positively, explaining that it reinforces the company's model of free antivirus software.

Public reaction has been mostly positive and reviews praise its simple, well laid-out interface, modest resource utilization, and Freeware license . (* See Video)

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Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Beware of ScareWare and Scamware

 

 Scareware and Scamware

Scareware and scamware are terms that mean the same thing. They are a kind of PC malware that confuses or dupes users into buying the faked or artificial removal of alleged viruses, spyware, trojans and other assorted malware. In effect, it is like having your computer hijacked and then being forced to pay ransom money to get it back. In the past few years, scareware has become a rising and dangerous security menace to users in both the desktop and mobile computing environments.

Scareware consists of numerous forms of fake software with limited or no benefit which is purchased by consumers thru unethical selling practices. The sales approach is engineered to induce shock, anxiety, or the perception of a threat, directed against a trusting user. Many types of spyware and adware use scareware tactics as well.

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Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Protect Your PC 10 Easy Ways Video



Protect Your PC

Protect your PC and keep it safe from identity theft, viruses, malware and scams.

In today’s complex computing environment there are many ways in which an unscrupulous person can gain access to your computer system and cause great harm, destroy your hard work and generally give you lots of headaches.

Protecting yourself is easy if you’re proactive and stay one step ahead of your adversaries. That’s what this video is all about.

It offers ten specific steps that will take back your PC from criminals and vandals.

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Tuesday, September 29, 2009

PC Remedies for 5 Common PC Problems

PC Remedies Pc remedies DO exist for most common pc problems.

Your computer system is a complex device with many layers of hardware and software that must cooperate and share resources while operating at blazingly fast speeds. Under these circumstances, conflicts are very likely to occur and, over time, become increasingly inevitable.

If you've owned your computer system for a considerable amount of time, you've no doubt experienced at least one of the five following problems.

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Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Easy Transfer for Windows XP How-to Video



Easy Transfer for Windows XP Easy Transfer for Windows XP is a utility from Microsoft that allows you to  move your application documents and settings from your old XP-based PC to your new Windows 7 computer system.

It Does Not install your old software onto the new computer. It simply moves the files and settings so that when you re-install your software on the new system, it will feel familiar and you can resume working where you left off. This will save time and should help you avoid too many hassles when you begin working on your new system.

The video presented here shows you step-by-step how to use Easy Transfer to perform the migration task.

You will need your Windows 7 setup disk and some means of creating an Easy Transfer run disk for Windows XP. This can be an external hard drive, USB flash drive or network drive. Internal hard disks won’t do for this operation.

Easy Transfer for Windows XP can be downloaded from the Microsoft download center but you need to be aware that the XP version may throw up an error. That’s why this video uses the version of Easy Transfer included on the Windows 7 Setup disk. Using this version seems to work perfectly in tests. We provided the download link for information purposes only.

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Monday, September 21, 2009

Gmail Chrome Extension How-to Video

If you’re a Gmail and Chrome user like I am, you would probably enjoy tighter integration between the two products.

When browsing with Chrome, if you click a “mailto:” link, your default email client will start instead of your Gmail account.

The solution presented here, relies on installing a Chrome extension (a special script) that will start a Gmail compose dialog whenever you click a mailto link.

This special PC Remedies video will take you through the steps necessary to download and setup the extension.

The link to download the Gmail Chrome extension is located on the Chrome Plugins discussion forum. Click the link below and search for the post by the user “PAEz”. He is the developer who made this possible for our use and we owe him a vote of thanks.

Download the Gmail Extension for Chrome

So watch download the Gmail Chrome extension, watch the video and install this handy tool. Enjoy…

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Saturday, September 19, 2009

More PC Remedies For Common PC Problems

 

PC Remedies Pc remedies often DO exist for common pc problems.

Previously, we looked at 5 common PC problems and their solutions. This time, we look at five more including Viruses, Printers, Software, Overheating and Power Supply problems.

Your PC or laptop is a complicated mechanism with numerous levels of computer hardware and software that must cooperate and share resources while functioning at accelerated speeds. Under these conditions, conflicts are very probable or even likely and, over time, become harder to avoid.

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Thursday, September 17, 2009

Slow Startup Remedy

Slow Startup Remedy Does your PC suffer from slow startup?

Do you sit in front of your PC screen gazing at the hour glass icon that's been displaying on your monitor for five minutes or more? You need to check your electronic mail prior to going to the office, but your computer is taking an eternity to boot. You keep asking yourself in disgust, "How come my computer takes so long to boot up?"

Knowing why this happens will allow you to easily prevent delays and make booting up as easy as waking yourself up with that morning cup of coffee. Despite your hard drive size, RAM, or what have you, there's normally only one main problem that causes your computer to experience slow startup.

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Solid State Drives Solve Drive Crashes



 Solid State Drives Solid state drives are the latest thing in technology these days. But did you know that the engineering behind these devices has been around for quite awhile and has only recently been commercialized? This innovation available today, ends the plague of hard drive crashes and ushers in a new era of reliable computing. This is especially true for laptops and notebooks and other forms of portable computing. This latest upgrade will now make them more durable and rugged.

This report focuses on what an SSD is and what benefits it contains for future generations of computer users.

What are solid state drives?

Solid state is a term referring to electronic circuitry that's entirely constructed out of semiconductors and was earlier only used to describe electronics that utilized semiconductors instead of vacuum tubes. An example would be the early electronic transistor radio receiver that made it possible to take your radio anywhere instead of having to stay at home listening to your old tube type radio.

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Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Speed Up Vista In 5 Easy Ways

Speed Up Windows Vista Follow these steps to speed up Vista..

PC Remedies offers you an easy step-by-step approach to speed up your Windows Vista. By un-cluttering your hard drives and tweaking your settings,  PC Remedies helps you solve your Windows troubles and make the most of your Vista experience. Make your Windows Vista speedier today.

01

Clean up your hard drive

Do this using a program such as CCleaner.

This freeware program is compact, contains no spyware or adware and is used to remove unused files and traces of your online activities from your computer system. This action helps Windows Vista run faster and also frees up more free space on your hard disk drive.

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Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Network Troubleshooting - 101



Network Troubleshooting 101Network troubleshooting entails recognizing and diagnosing network problems with the objective of keeping your network running at peak performance. It requires a technique that begins with the cabling and works through the OSI (Open System Interconnection) reference model to the application layer. Network devices have cables that terminate at wired switches and cabling is a major source of network issues, so they're a perfect place to focus on at the start.

When troubleshooting, the trick is to figure out what's changed just before the problem began. Often it's simply hardware that isn't functioning or some modification was made like a new software installation, a change in equipment configuration or the addition of new employees that's putting added stress on the network.

The problem could be a single issue or several problems that have arisen simultaneously. Begin at the client adapter, ascertain specific symptoms and proceed with troubleshooting from there.

Questions:

Below is a sequence of questions that should be used as guidelines during your troubleshooting procedures:

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Monday, September 14, 2009

Windows Registry Repair - 101

Windows Registry Repair-101  Repairing the Windows registry manually is a complex and daunting process involving many steps that even seasoned computer professionals avoid unless it's the only thing they can conceivably do to save a user's computer.

The following methods are NOT intended for use by the novice or faint of heart. If you attempt to repair your registry on your own using the info outlined below, you do so At Your Own Risk!  For a faster, safer and reliable solution, click here now.

In order to affect a Windows registry repair manually, it's essential to have a detailed and complete understanding of what the Windows registry is, how it's structured and how it works.

The Windows Registry Explained

The Windows registry feature is a comparatively modern add-on to the Microsoft Windows operating system. This means that it wasn't included in the earlier editions of Windows, that is to say Windows 3.x and older. Rather than the registry feature, these former versions of Windows possessed an .ini file and a .dat file stored in each folder and subfolder. These .ini files and .dat files held the settings and configuration data for the files in the folder or subfolder they were connected with. Ini and dat files are still used by programs today but registry entries are the preferred programming method.

Continued...

Storing settings and configuration information in this fashion is very difficult and unreliable. If the user accidentally deleted them or otherwise behaved in a careless manner, these actions would cripple the entire system causing freezes and crashes. Not surprisingly, that's what often happened and as I recall, I spent many frustrating hours pulling my hair out reinstalling Windows and starting from scratch with my software applications. This was in the days BEFORE "System Restore". Clearly a better method of storing settings was needed to avoid these catastrophes.

Windows Registry History

With the development of Windows NT, these settings and configuration data came to be incorporated into what has become the Windows registry. In the beginning, the Windows registry was just a database where settings and configuration data could be viewed by typing in the command "regedit.exe", but could they could not be edited.

Subsequent versions of Windows (Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows 2000) saw alterations to the Windows registry feature. The registry modification command used became "regedt32.exe" instead of "regedit.exe".

The key difference between these two utilities is that while the regedit.exe interface allows the computer user to view more information regarding registry keys, regedt32.exe actually granted permission for the user to do more with the registry keys by means of extra functionality.

Windows XP was the first edition of Windows that integrated the best features of regedit.exe and regedt32.exe . In Windows XP, the command "regedit.exe" is used, as well as the visual interface of the older version of regedit.exe. These were then merged with the features and functionality of regedt32.exe. This version of the Windows registry has since become the staple in later versions of Windows such as Windows Server, Windows Vista and now the new Windows 7 OS.

The Components of the Windows Registry

The Windows registry as we recognize it today has two primary elements: the key and the value. The key is almost the same as the folders that we can observe in Windows Explorer. Each key can possess subkeys inside it, just like a folder in Windows Explorer might have subfolders. In contrast, the value is the name/data pair that is contained inside the keys and subkeys. They're the little fragments of data where the information about how our computer should be running is kept.

Keys are organized into hives. The hives found in a Windows registry are:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT (HKCR) - the hive where the keys and values relating to the plethora of applications we use on our PC are stored.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER (HKCU) - contains information about the settings used by the person using the PC at the particular time that the computer is being used.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE (HKLM) - relates to the general settings used by ALL the registered users of the machine.

HKEY_USERS (HKU) - stores data corresponding to those in HKCU, for ALL registered users of the computer.

HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG (HKCC) - temporary data that the computer gathers when it's booting up.

Editing and Repairing the Registry

There are several methods that a user can employ to modify and repair the registry. Among them are:

Editing Manually. Editing manually means opening the registry using the regedit.exe command and sifting through the registry keys and values yourself... deleting values and keys that you find to be invalid or suspicious.

Windows Registry Editor. The Windows Registry Editor is a support tool released by Windows as a companion to the Windows registry. It can be used to locate keys and values, rename them, change them, add to them or delete them.

Microsoft Management Console (MMC). Also referred to as Group Policy, MMC is used by system administrators to manage networks and computer system components, including registry editing in various computers included in the network.

Registration Entries (.reg). In this method, registry changes are put into a registration entries file and then run using a script.

Windows Script Host. Alterations to the registry can also be done by scripting using Visual Basic or JScript. The basic methods that can be used under the Windows Script Host are: RegDelete, which deletes values from the registry; RegRead, which restores a key's value or the name of a value in a key; and RegWrite, where new values are created or existing values are changed or written over.

Windows Management Instrumentation. The automated process of performing administrative tasks in Windows, including Windows registry repair and editing.

Console Registry Tool for Windows. This method makes use of the reg.exe tool and of various codes and scripts typed in at the Command Prompt of the Windows OS.

As exhaustive as Windows registry repair can be when done by hand, it's tedious and time consuming and exceedingly hazardous. Even practiced computer techs avoid being forced to disturb the Windows registry unless there's no other alternative to resolving the problem. If mistakes are made when attempting to fix the Windows registry by applying one of these techniques, it can result in destabilizing the system. This means making it worse off than it was before you started. If this should come about, the user would need to reformat the computer and reinstall the OS entirely which means the loss of all data and software installed on the system!

The Preferred Way To Do Windows Registry Repair

To reiterate, repairing the Windows registry using the methods detailed above is highly risky, tedious and time-consuming.

A better way of fixing problems with a computer's Windows registry is by using third-party registry cleaner utility. This type of software greatly reduces the risks and effort necessary for repairing the Windows registry. Most of all, third-party registry cleaners are much, much safer and faster.

A registry cleaner that really stands out from the rest is RegCure.

  • It's quick - it can often do all the scanning and repairing that needs to be done in as little as a minute.
  • It's thorough - it seeks all the invalid entries and malicious code hiding in the dark corners of the computer's registry.
  • And most importantly, it is safe - it has a backup and restore feature that allows the user to go back in case that a mistake is done during the scanning process.

Using RegCure is the number-one way to do a professional Windows registry repair. Download a free scan of RegCure from the link here.

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Saturday, September 12, 2009

Registry Repair - Does Freeware Really Work?

RegistryRepair

Registry repair is the key to maintaining a healthy and fast computer system that's not especially prone to system errors.
More often than not, computer users aren't aware that resolving their computer health problems merely means cleaning the system registry.

Instead, the registry is frequently the most ignored area of the computer when it comes to the upkeep and resolution of computer issues. Since commercial programs cost money and may not end up solving your problems, you may be wondering if there is anything such as free registry repair software that actually works.

The response to this question can be both "Yes and "No".

Continued...

There are various no cost registry repair software programs that you'll be able to easily download from the Internet, but many of these applications won't fix all the problems in your registry. Some programs will just scan your registry for errors, identify them, fix a few of them, then ask you to upgrade to the full version to finish resolving ALL the errors. Of course, they probably won't tell you that right up front and what happens if you just don't have the funds for the upgrade right now?

I don't want to leave you with the impression that all freeware registry programs are simply a come-on to a sale. There are also some pretty good ones that can be fairly effective. They can detect registry errors and fix them. CCleaner is one that comes to mind. It's very good for a freeware program.

But by and large, these programs are not as thorough and extensive in discovering your registry errors and consequently may not be capable of resolving errors that tend to recreate themselves. Also, you should be on your guard when it comes to freeware registry repair that may appear to be effective in resolving your PC registry issues. In the end you may find out that they contain spyware, adware or viruses that will cause more harm to your computer than what you originally intended to resolve.

The Registry Is Complex:

The Windows registry, (by storing information on your PC in several files) saves the relationship between hardware, memory space, and addressing. It contains the information and settings for all your hardware, software, users, and preferences for your computer. Whenever you make a change to the Control Panel settings, file associations, system policies, or installed software, your changes are reflected and stored in the registry. The operating system continually references this information during its operation. When the registry becomes very large, your computer's performance can decrease and cause it to be unstable.

As you can see, the registry is a complex and vital part of your computer system. Most of the latest software depends upon what it contains to run properly and if it's full of garbage and outdated entries, it will bog down your snappy new system to a crawl. It can cause lost time and give you many headaches if it's out of whack. Repairing and maintaining it should only be entrusted to companies with professional resources, support and a proven track record of effectiveness.

The Risks:

If you depend upon your computer system for important business and great entertainment, why would you entrust something as important as your registry to a hobbyist or even worse a hacker? It just makes good sense to be cautious when dealing with the registry. Selecting a good registry cleaner is therefore crucial in resolving and preventing PC health problems.

When your registry has a lot of loose ends and glitches, a freeware registry cleaner may not deliver everything you need to get the job done. Besides, although freeware might resolve some of your issues, it probably won't come with technical support that is often critical to ensuring the stability and high performance of your computer. What this amounts to is that if anything goes wrong in the course of running the program, you won't be able to enjoy the support of an expert on how to fix the problem.

Good registry repair software is the full version that comes with user manuals and technical support that will guide you through, step by step, in case anything unfavorable happens with the use of the registry repair software.

Just bear in mind that anything can happen and need to be prepared for any anomalies that might appear. Even perfect software programs can sometimes behave unexpectedly. It's better that a program comes with a guarantee so you'll have more options and the peace of mind of knowing that you're getting the most from the program.

Final Note:

Registry repair freeware may help you resolve a few errors but to really pursue your computer problems properly, you need to professionally clean your registry with a proven product like Regcure. It's well known and proven effective. It's the only way to make sure that even those hard-to-find errors and spyware that may be embedded in your registry are removed.

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