CeeCee

First of all; if you delete the Prefetch files very often, they lost their purpose. Their purpose is to open applications faster, but the actual benefit is very minimal (IMO). You should delete them sometimes, because as the time goes by, the Prefetch directory can become very full and there for actually slow things down. I personally have disabled Prefetching completely. Here's how to do it: http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms940847.aspx And about your question: I think that those Prefetch files are used at the time, so they cannot be deleted...

I double check, that all the cables and components are properly connected/installed, before i close the case. I'm a little bit paranoid about that.

Here seems to be the same problem: http://64.233.183.104/search?q=cache:yx6XY...;cd=4&gl=fi Note: Address leads to Google cache of that page, because otherwise you wouldn't be able to see the messages posted.

Thanks! I think it's quite nice too. Found that wallpaper from deviantART, when searched "sea wallpaper". Your DT is btw also very nice.

That Spybot option is misleading, as it says "Lock". I don't think so either. I think that HOSTS file simply cannot be really locked.

Yes, i know that and it's true. I don't think that the HOSTS file can be actually locked. Anyway, it's still recommened to set it to "read only" mode, as it gives at least some kind of protection. It would be nice, if it could be possible to "gray out" the option after it's set to "read only". That way it wouldn't be so easy to undone it.

If i'm ever going to change my firewall (Sygate), i think it's going to be Comodo. I have read good things about it.

It's good to backup the registry with ERUNT once a while. It's really simply to use. http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/

Kinda refreshing.

It just puts the HOSTS file to "read only" mode, but it doesn't lock it anyway. That option can be easily undone. Andavari: So is HostsMan actually able to lock it?

Yes that's true, but it's still at least an small layer of security... How can you lock the HOSTS file?

Not sure, but i think that the HOSTS file should not be then in "read only" mode, letting SpyBot's HOSTS update to write to it. I'm not using that feature, so i can't tell for sure.

I don't think that the file is cached, if you choose an "Save Target As..." option.

That's one of the basic things you should do security wise (to set HOSTS file "read only").

I have got this info from Avast! forum (from the Global Moderator): The AVG scanning engine actually runs in the kernel (in the kernel-mode driver avgcore.sys) so you won't see its memory usage in the Task Manager. and... Well, it has its pros and cons. The advantage is that it makes the filesystem scanner (that needs to run in kernel-mode anyway) slightly faster (avoiding the need of transitions between kernel- and user- mode). The disadvatange is that any error in the engine usually means instant computer crash (or instant reboot). Also, porting most stuff to kernel-mode is quite hard - so e.g. unpacking support is harder to implement in this case (especially if you want/need to use 3rd party code). That's one of the reasons you cannot enable archive unpacking in AVG's on-access scanner, by the way...

How can that be done?

I don't use it either. It's removed from my system. I got Trillian, but hardly never use it (anymore).

If those entries points directly to programs that you don't got anymore, then it's safe to delete. If you are unsure, you can always make a backup of that entry (right click>Export). Yes, registry cleaners are unable to find all invalid entries from your registry. I have also deleted many entries manually. You bumped to them from time to time...

I currently got no wallpaper at all. I sometimes like it that way, and sometimes like to use wallpaper, if i find a nice one. eDit: JAGO: That's a kind of nice one. Where i can get it?

Forgot to mention, that i also use a proxy server (different IP) for Google.

I had NetBIOS already disabled via Windows settings, before i started to use WWDC. If i close NetBIOS via WWDC, i lose my connection. Btw, you can test that your NetBIOS is secured by going to Shields UP! website and taking a "File Sharing" test. Yes, it does a good job with closing some critical Windows ports. There's a registry setting to disable DCOM, but even doing so, DCOM port (135) is still open. With WWDC you can close it completely.

Ok, good to know.

Yes, sounds that it can be the fan too. Stop the fan and see if the sound disappers.

Sorry to say, but to me that "clicking sound" sounds very bad. But not sure, if it's anything serious...

Well, you decided to give WWDC another try after all...