I just installed the latest version of Comodo Internet Security on a client’s laptop and realized they have an advanced install button which allows one to pick and choose parts of the suite instead of the whole thing.  Very nice addition. It’s easier now to just install the Comodo Firewall instead of going to the comodo download section and trying to locate the firewall download.  Comodo has another piece for the Suite called Defense + which gives additional protection.

I recently had a client with a Microsoft Windows Vista computer.  They were tired of Vista problems and wanted me to install and configure Windows 7 on it.  I had them purchase the Windows 7 upgrade  3-pack.  I installed it as an upgrade to their Vista OS.  The upgrade went smoothly.  Windows 7 was great until I realized the web browsers, IE8 and Firefox 3.62 couldn’t connect to any web site.  Yet the network adapter was receiving an IP address lease from my wireless router.  I could ping the outside world by name or by IP.  I tried a static TCP IP address, tried my other wireless router.  I removed traces of Symantec Security products with a removal tool, scanned for malware with multiple products and disabled Windows Defender and Windows Firewall.  None of this helped.   The funny thing was When I booted and ran Linux from a CD, the internet worked flawlessly; Windows Safe mode with networking also allowed internet browsing.  I checked the windows services and disabled some and enabled others.  I removed some questionable programs like AOL and others.  I disabled all non-Microsoft start-up processes but nothing helped.  I did some other things as well but nothing helped.  I finally installed a clean copy of Windows 7 and the internet works great now.

I still can’t understand people who attend networking groups for a short time and then abruptly stop.  I’ve met hundreds of people like this and wish I could help them stay with networking groups.  If this has happened to you, ask for help if you aren’t getting anything out of it. If one group isn’t appealing to you, go to some others.  Browse the networking list for some new possibilities or ask some of us veteran networkers for help.   Every day of the week has at least one networking group meeting and some days have two or more.  Some meet in the morning and some are in the evening.  Most are around noon.   If you’ve never attended a network meeting then get going and see where my friends, business advisors and computer clients are.

If you want more room to view a laptop screen, try connecting an external monitor to the VGA jack on the laptop. Then configure the properties to stretch or span across the two displays – you can also duplicate the same screen on both displays. This works in Windows XP, vista, 7 and 8, and also in Linux.

I had a client tell me today they didn’t have Microsoft Word on a PC. I replied that they didn’t to buy Microsoft Office. There is a good, free product available on my web site which will open and edit any Microsoft Office product. You can also create PDFs in openoffice.

This morning I was in my Linkedin.com account and looking through my groups. I belong to 15 groups of which most are computer related. I created one myself for Needhams Business Machines alumni where I used to work. One is the Georgetown Networking Group. There is also a couple Fort Wayne networking groups I joined. Groups are a great way to learn more about your area of expertise and I get many new ideas from the conversations in my different groups. If I have a computer issue and need help, sometimes I post in one of my groups and get assistance. If you haven’t done so, Check out Linkedin groups and see what your missing.

Two or three days ago I installed Ubuntu One on my Windows 7 laptop and enabled it on my Ubuntu Linux Desktop computer. Ubuntu One is an internet based file archive system and offers 5GB of storage for free. Yesterday I noticed most of my Windows desktop was filled with icons on the Windows 7 laptop. I realized the extra icons were files on my Linux computer’s desktop. And today when I turned on my Linux computer, there were additional icons on the desktop from the Windows 7 laptop’s desktop. I must have set the desktop icons on both computers to synch and it is working well. Both desktops are backed up in case of data loss. I can also get to the files on the internet. Try out Ubuntu One and see how easy it is to use.

This week someone asked to me if there was a way to send an email message from one email account and displaying different one to the recipient. They wanted to know how to do this for Gmail and network Solutions accounts. I started researching this first for Gmail accounts and found out it was possible and not too difficult to configure. Log into your gmail account. Then click on the gear icon on the right. Click on Settings. Click on Accounts and Import. Click on “Send mail as:” Click on “Add email address you own”. Then fill out the info. uncheck “Treat as..” Now you can select any of your addresses to send from when you compose a message. Just click the down arrow on the “From” line. For Network Solutions accounts it’s a little more involved. Log into your email account. Click on Configuration on the left hand side menu. Click on manage profiles/accounts. Then create a new address. It has to be a valid email you control. And you need your password, account name and mail server settings. Once it’s configured, you have the option for changing the sent or from email address for all your messages so the recipient sees it coming from a different one. You won’t have to log out of one email account and into another.

I just finished my fourth networking group this week. I attended Georgetown Monday noon networking (Randi Lincolns) at Georgetown Place. Tuesday I attended Vic Sockrider’s Georgetown Networking at Georgetown Bowl which meets 7:30AM. Today it was Brad Thompson and Susan Schmelzer’s Innovative mastermind networking at NE Indiana Innovation Center at 0800AM. At 1130AM I was at Randi Lincolns Exit 25 networking at Taylor Chapel Church. I don’t usually attend this many but it’s been fun so far. Networking has gotten me most of my business since 2006 and it can do the same for you if you consistently attend weekly. CU @ Georgetown Networking is tomorrow night at Georgetown bowl and Norris Networking is Friday 1130AM at Crazy Pinz on Friday. Maybe I’ll make it six groups in five days!

I’ve found another on-line storage service from using Ubuntu Linux. It’s called Ubuntu One and it has 5 GB free. It works on Linux, Mac and even windows computers. To create your free account, browse to https://one.ubuntu.com and sign up. I’ve just started to use it on my windows 7 laptop and will report how it works out. It’s also on my Linux Ubuntu desktop PC.