Post by Admin on May 3, 2006 14:10:50 GMT 7
Some users have reported that they can not access some of the school's websites. Here are the recommended steps that we suggest you follow if you are having difficulties.
1. Anti Virus software.
Always be sure you have an updated antivirus software running. Be sure you can do updates to download and install the latest virus definitions, REMEMBER your anti virus program is only as good as the definitions it has!
Check to see if you can go to these sites.
www.symantec.com
www.mcafee.com
www.trendmicro.com
If you can not, chances are you have a serious virus infection. You might need to backup your data and reformat your computer as it probably has disabled your scanning capabilities and your ability to get updates from your anti virus software vendor as well.
Also check to see if you can get to this website
housecall.trendmicro.com
Run the scan, very easy to use, just follow the online instructions. It will tell you if you have an infection or not. You can use this free tool if your anti virus program does not respond or you can not get the latest updates due to error messages.
Read your anti virus help file, I have encountered so many people that buy amazingly expensive anti virus software and don’t know how to use it, it isn’t hard to understand.
Here’s all what you need to know about your Antivirus software.
a. How to do manual updates to get the latest virus definitions.
b. How to scan your computer.
c. How to get rid of the virus or Trojan if you find one.
d. How to check your quarantined items.
e. How to delete your quarantined items.
2. Anti Spyware/Malware Software.
These guys are usually more malicious and to me more dangerous than some viruses that I know. There are some ways to avoid them like using L.U.A., most of the time users will tend to use Anti Spyware programs like the ones listed below.
a.Ad Aware SE
b.SpySweeper
c.SpyDoctor
d.Windows Defender. (Beta version 2)
It is always a good idea to have one free one and one paid one. So always get 2 different versions of Anti Spyware software as the help each other in detecting what the other missed.
Please take note that the free versions of these programs do NOT offer automatic updates for the latest spyware/malware definitions. You will have to MANUALLY do the update yourself. hence a little reading would help you figure this one out and save you hours of reformatting your hard drive in the case of a major infection.
3. Windows/Microsoft Updates
Update your windows to the latest service pack. You can go here and read on how to keep yourself updated by using Automatic Updates
Microsoft Update
Windows Update
Office Update
Don’t worry about your IE version too much because if you have the latest patches from Microsoft then you will have the latest IE version associated with it. But check if it is at least this version of IE, you can get to this by opening up your Internet Explorer and click on Help -> About Internet Explorer on the menu bar.
4. Firewalls
Firewalls play an integral part in your home computer nowadays; it is proven that it will take approximately ten minutes maybe less for a new computer just plugged onto the Internet to start to get hacked in some way or another.
But they can be a nuisance too if not configured properly. In this case if you can not get access to the school website you will need to configure your firewall to allow websites originating from the school. Since individual firewalls have different ways of configuring themselves you will have to read their manuals.
Here are a list of commonly used Firewalls and AntiVirus Software Help pages. Click on the links below to launch the web page.
[url=http://www.symantec.com/techsupp/home_homeoffice/select_product_ts.html
]Norton Internet Security And Norton Anti Virus[/url][/b]
McAfee Firewall McAfee Anti Virus
Trend Micro Help
[url=http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/support/support.jsp?dc=12bms&ctry=US&lang=en&lid=home_support
]Zone Alarm Firewall[/url][/b]
5. Try a different Internet Browser
Your Microsoft Internet Explorer might be corrupted in some ways due to spyware or a virus infection. Good news is there are other browsers out there. One of the notable ones is Mozilla Firefox which you can download and install from this website. www.mozilla.com
But if you Microsoft Internet Explorer is really corrupted you will have to try and repair it or reinstall it here’s where you can get it
Internet Explorer 6
be sure you do your Windows Updates after you reinstalled it or repaired it.
6. Java
No this is not about coffee this is about the java scripts that are running in the background while you browse through websites. Some of the school's websites do require that you have Java enabled on your browser. One for example would be power school.
Be sure you have the latest Java updates runnig on your computer. You can get to the latest Java engine here
You can enable your Java by opening up your Internet Explorer and going too Tools -> Internet Options -> Advance and scroll down till you see the Java Check Box make sure it is ticked.
If you have any other questions regarding web site access issues please feel free to post on this forum. We will try and help you the best we can.
Regards
Faizul Zakaria
1. Anti Virus software.
Always be sure you have an updated antivirus software running. Be sure you can do updates to download and install the latest virus definitions, REMEMBER your anti virus program is only as good as the definitions it has!
Check to see if you can go to these sites.
www.symantec.com
www.mcafee.com
www.trendmicro.com
If you can not, chances are you have a serious virus infection. You might need to backup your data and reformat your computer as it probably has disabled your scanning capabilities and your ability to get updates from your anti virus software vendor as well.
Also check to see if you can get to this website
housecall.trendmicro.com
Run the scan, very easy to use, just follow the online instructions. It will tell you if you have an infection or not. You can use this free tool if your anti virus program does not respond or you can not get the latest updates due to error messages.
Read your anti virus help file, I have encountered so many people that buy amazingly expensive anti virus software and don’t know how to use it, it isn’t hard to understand.
Here’s all what you need to know about your Antivirus software.
a. How to do manual updates to get the latest virus definitions.
b. How to scan your computer.
c. How to get rid of the virus or Trojan if you find one.
d. How to check your quarantined items.
e. How to delete your quarantined items.
2. Anti Spyware/Malware Software.
These guys are usually more malicious and to me more dangerous than some viruses that I know. There are some ways to avoid them like using L.U.A., most of the time users will tend to use Anti Spyware programs like the ones listed below.
a.Ad Aware SE
b.SpySweeper
c.SpyDoctor
d.Windows Defender. (Beta version 2)
It is always a good idea to have one free one and one paid one. So always get 2 different versions of Anti Spyware software as the help each other in detecting what the other missed.
Please take note that the free versions of these programs do NOT offer automatic updates for the latest spyware/malware definitions. You will have to MANUALLY do the update yourself. hence a little reading would help you figure this one out and save you hours of reformatting your hard drive in the case of a major infection.
3. Windows/Microsoft Updates
Update your windows to the latest service pack. You can go here and read on how to keep yourself updated by using Automatic Updates
Microsoft Update
Windows Update
Office Update
Don’t worry about your IE version too much because if you have the latest patches from Microsoft then you will have the latest IE version associated with it. But check if it is at least this version of IE, you can get to this by opening up your Internet Explorer and click on Help -> About Internet Explorer on the menu bar.
4. Firewalls
Firewalls play an integral part in your home computer nowadays; it is proven that it will take approximately ten minutes maybe less for a new computer just plugged onto the Internet to start to get hacked in some way or another.
But they can be a nuisance too if not configured properly. In this case if you can not get access to the school website you will need to configure your firewall to allow websites originating from the school. Since individual firewalls have different ways of configuring themselves you will have to read their manuals.
Here are a list of commonly used Firewalls and AntiVirus Software Help pages. Click on the links below to launch the web page.
[url=http://www.symantec.com/techsupp/home_homeoffice/select_product_ts.html
]Norton Internet Security And Norton Anti Virus[/url][/b]
McAfee Firewall McAfee Anti Virus
Trend Micro Help
[url=http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/support/support.jsp?dc=12bms&ctry=US&lang=en&lid=home_support
]Zone Alarm Firewall[/url][/b]
5. Try a different Internet Browser
Your Microsoft Internet Explorer might be corrupted in some ways due to spyware or a virus infection. Good news is there are other browsers out there. One of the notable ones is Mozilla Firefox which you can download and install from this website. www.mozilla.com
But if you Microsoft Internet Explorer is really corrupted you will have to try and repair it or reinstall it here’s where you can get it
Internet Explorer 6
be sure you do your Windows Updates after you reinstalled it or repaired it.
6. Java
No this is not about coffee this is about the java scripts that are running in the background while you browse through websites. Some of the school's websites do require that you have Java enabled on your browser. One for example would be power school.
Be sure you have the latest Java updates runnig on your computer. You can get to the latest Java engine here
You can enable your Java by opening up your Internet Explorer and going too Tools -> Internet Options -> Advance and scroll down till you see the Java Check Box make sure it is ticked.
If you have any other questions regarding web site access issues please feel free to post on this forum. We will try and help you the best we can.
Regards
Faizul Zakaria