Secure Your Home Computer and Router. Windows 7 Version. LeRoy Luginbill, CISSP, CEH, CNDA

Transcription

1 Secure Your Home Computer and Router Windows 7 Version LeRoy Luginbill, CISSP, CEH, CNDA

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction... 3 Getting Ready... 6 Configuring the Computer Configuring the Router Connecting to the Internet Installing Programs and Copying Data Remaining Secure... 44

3 Introduction Millions of computers around the world are currently infected with viruses and other malware that steal personal data like usernames, passwords, and bank account information. Also, hackers create Botnets by putting malware on unprotected computers around the world. One Botnet alone has over 30 million infected computers under its power. When they are ready, hackers send commands to those infected computers and order them to attack other computers in something called a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack. Some recent attacks were performed against PayPal, Mastercard, and several banks. Botnets are also responsible for sending billions of spam s. One infected machine can send 25,000 spam s per hour, without the knowledge of the computer owner. If your computer normally runs great, but slows to a crawl every now and then, you should suspect your computer of being infected with Botnet malware. If you enter important information like a username, password, or bank account information, and the screen strangely takes another second before allowing you to move on, you might suspect that a keystroke logger is stealing your information. The people who create malware are very clever and they develop very sophisticated programs. By just visiting a website, even a normally trusted website, malware can be installed on your computer without your knowledge. This can also happen when you open malicious attachments that you thought were OK since someone you know sent them. Some viruses are known to turn off your anti-virus software so they can t be detected. Other viruses constantly change their signatures so anti-virus programs can never detect them. To protect your computer against viruses and malware, it is important to install Windows Updates as soon as they are available. Hackers download and reverse-engineer these updates as soon as they are available from Microsoft. When they discover the vulnerability that is fixed by the update, they write malware to take advantage of that vulnerability. Knowing that most users do not install updates in a timely manner, or not at all, their new malware can infect millions of non-updated computers. Again, it is important to install Windows Updates as soon as they are available. How to install updates is discussed later in this manual. Having an anti-virus program helps, but that only protects against known viruses. It does not protect against a new virus until anti-virus companies discover the new virus and write a new signature for it. At that point, you have to update your anti-virus software, or you will still be unprotected. Anti-virus programs also do not help against viruses that they cannot detect until after the virus has done its damage. If your computer has a keystroke logger, everything you type, including usernames, passwords, credit card numbers, and bank account numbers, is captured and sent to the criminals that created the malware. Changing your password does not help if there is a keystroke logger on your computer. The best way to get rid of malware is to start fresh. This means resetting your computer to factory settings, securing it, securing your router, and keeping the computer secure in the future. Many websites suggest methods and tools to secure your computer. However, the process they recommend has you perform these actions on your existing computer. That is the same as locking your front door when you leave for work, but the burglar is already inside the house. The only way to truly rid your computer of unknown viruses and other malware is to reset it to factory settings. After that, you should apply the methods and tools suggested on those websites. Page 3 of 45

4 Cleaning your computer not only helps stop the loss of your personal data, it could also help stop DDoS attacks on large companies. When large companies incur cleanup expenses, they pass the cost on to customers, so, you can possibly help keep costs down by resetting your computer. Resetting could also help lower the number of spam s sent daily. This manual is written so that almost anyone with a basic knowledge of operating their computer can reset their home computer and configure it for security. This manual includes pictures that depict what you should see on the screen in some of the steps. When there are not pictures, the word picture is clear enough to accomplish the tasks. Having a clean computer is not enough. You must also secure your router. A process to secure your router is identified after the computer is secure. Lastly, there is a section on how to keep your computer from becoming infected again. The length of this manual may make it seem like resetting is a difficult task. However, some of the pages have screenshots for clarity, so the manual is not actually that long. Also, there are instructions on installing Outlook 2007, 2010, and 2013, as well as several other programs. You can ignore the sections that do not apply to you, which makes the manual seem even shorter. Be prepared however, resetting will be an all-day process taking 8 hours or more, depending on how much data you have. You will personally spend about 1 to 2 hours interacting with your computer. The rest of the work is done by the computer while it resets and configures. I recommend you complete the Getting Ready section after work one night, and complete the rest of the manual (the actual process of resetting the computer) on your next full day off. The value of spending all day pales in comparison to the cost of losing your personal and financial information, as well as losing control of your computer. Once your computer is secure, and you follow the important steps to keep it secure, you should not have to reset your computer again. However, resetting once a year is a good idea. The bottom line is that nobody is 100% certain that their computer does not contain viruses or other malware. After finishing the instructions in this manual, at the very least, you will have a clean computer that runs faster. Your ability to secure your home computer and router I bought a used IBM computer in 1986 and wanted to put in a second floppy drive. I bought the drive but did not have the money to pay someone to install it. In fear, I unscrewed the cover and looked at the inside of my computer. There sat an empty slot for the new drive, along with an open data and power cable. I slid the new drive into the slot, connected the data and power cable, and it worked perfectly. The point is, almost anyone can repair a computer and almost anyone can reset a computer to factory settings. I have reset several hundred computers since the 80 s, and by following the instructions in this manual, you should be able to reset your computer without paying someone several hundred dollars to do it for you. Please note that it is important to follow the instructions step-by-step. Use of this manual I tried selling this manual myself on Amazon and through my own website but had little luck. This manual is now free. Please consider making a donation to my PayPal account by clicking on the PayPal button on my website: Also please share this manual widely with your friends. It is important to clean your computer so we have less intrusions across the globe. Page 4 of 45

5 About the Author I started a part-time computer repair business in 1988, repairing hardware and software problems and setting up networks. I retired from the U.S. Air Force in In 2004, I became an Air Force civilian with the Joint Task Force Global Network Operations (JTF-GNO), which is the organization that managed network security for over three million DoD computers. I earned the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification in 2005, the Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) certification in 2015, and the Certified Network Defense Architect (CNDA) certification in In 2006 and 2007, I attended the National Defense University earning three Masters Certificates Information System Security Officer, Chief Technology Officer, and Chief Information Officer. I also hold a B.S. in Cybersecurity. In 2010, JTF-GNO was absorbed into Cyber Command (CYBERCOM) where I continued secure architecture design work. Later in 2010, I accepted a position with the Marine Corps Forces assigned to CYBERCOM (MARFORCYBER), where I was the Chief Technology Officer. I retired from Government Service in 2014 and now live in Charleston, SC. Disclaimers I learned how to repair computers, reset computers, and set up networks long before I became a Government civilian employee. The content of this manual is not related to my former position. As the computer owner, please ensure you back up all of your data before resetting your computer. Instructions on how to do this are shown later in this manual. I have never worked for Microsoft and do not plan to. Screenshots in this manual are the copyrights of Microsoft and Netgear. Some of your screens may look a bit different, depending on several factors like your version of English (United Kingdom, Australia, etc.), or when and where you purchased Windows 7. The instructions in this manual should be at least 99% accurate. Your total amount of time to complete the instructions in this manual is based on having a broadband connection. I am not updating this manual after May The instructions in the manual will remain accurate but I cannot be responsible for instructions on referenced sites like Microsoft or Adobe. NOTE: If your computer was originally a Windows XP or Windows Vista computer, please use the Secure Your Home Computer manual for that version of Windows and follow those instructions to secure your computer. Once secure in that version of Windows, then install Windows 7 and immediately update your Windows Security Updates before you go anywhere else online. Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty While I have used my best efforts in preparing this manual, I make no representation or warranty with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this manual and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. The advice and instructions contained in this manual may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a computer repair professional in the event you cannot perform the instructions in this manual. I shall not be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial or private damages, including, but not limited to, special, incidental, consequential, or other damages. This manual was copyrighted in ISBN Page 5 of 45

6 Getting Ready I have seen several webpages that tell you how to reset your computer to factory settings. What is missing from those webpages is how to save your data, secure your computer and router, put the data back on the computer, and how to remain secure in the future. The following pages will help you do those things. First, let s spend some time gathering all the things you will need. Create a new folder on your desktop 1. Turn on your computer and close all open programs. 2. Right click on the desktop. 3. Move the mouse down to New. 4. Move the mouse to Folder. 5. Click Folder. 6. A new icon will appear on the desktop. Name this Secure and press Enter. Download the latest Windows 7 Service Pack First, you will need to know if you are running a 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows. 1. Click Start, click Control Panel. 2. On the right side of the screen, next to View by:, make sure it says Small icons. If it does not, click the down arrow, move the mouse down to Small icons, and click Small icons. 3. Click on System and that will take you to the View basic information about your computer screen as shown below. 4. Under System and then System Type, it will list whether it is a 32-bit or 64-bit Operating System 5. Make note of this information and close the Control Panel screen. Page 6 of 45

7 The next step is to download Service Pack 1 for either the 32-bit or 64-bit Operating system. Open Internet Explorer and enter: in the URL window as shown below: (Google Chrome and other browsers may not work the same). For the 32-bit Operating System: Click Download. On the next screen, scroll down to: windows6.1-kb x86.exe 1. Put a check in the box next to that filename, click Next and a new small window will pop up. 2. Click the down arrow next to Save and then click Save as. 3. A new window will pop up with the filename already highlighted. 4. On the left panel of the new window, click Desktop. 5. On the right panel of the new window, double click on the folder called Secure. 6. Click Save. You can watch the progress in the small box at the bottom of the screen. When the download has completed, close the Browser. For the 64-bit Operating System: Click Download. On the next screen, scroll down to: windows6.1-kb x64.exe 1. Put a check in the box next to that filename, click Next and a new small window will pop up. 2. Click the down arrow next to Save and then click Save as. 3. A new window will pop up with the filename already highlighted. 4. On the left panel of the new window, click Desktop. 5. On the right panel of the new window, double click on the folder called Secure. 6. Click Save. You can watch the progress in the small box at the bottom of the screen. When the download has completed, close the Browser. Page 7 of 45

8 Microsoft Office Service Packs Do not download these right now. This will be done automatically at a later point after you connect to the Internet, or not at all if you do not own Microsoft Office. Download the FREE Anti-Virus program called Microsoft Security Essentials I have used many anti-virus programs over the years. This anti-virus program protects against viruses and spyware and you cannot beat the price. If you choose to use a different anti-virus program, that is up to you. The instructions in this manual will refer to Internet Explorer. Google Chrome and other browsers may not work the same, so using Internet Explorer is best. To begin the download of this program, open Internet Explorer and enter: in the URL window as shown below: For the 32-bit Operating System: Click Download. On the next screen, put a check in the box next to: ENUS\x86\MSEInstall.exe 1. Click Next and a new small screen will pop up. 2. Click the down arrow next to Save and then click Save as. 3. A new window will pop up with the filename already highlighted. 4. On the left panel of the new window, click Desktop. 5. On the right panel of the new window, double click on the folder called Secure. 6. Click Save. When the download has completed, close the Browser. Page 8 of 45

9 For the 64-bit Operating System: Click Download. On the next screen, put a check in the box next to: ENUS\amd64\MSEInstall.exe 1. Click Next and a new small screen will pop up. 2. Click the down arrow next to Save and then click Save as. 3. A new window will pop up with the filename already highlighted. 4. On the left panel of the new window, click Desktop. 5. On the right panel of the new window, double click on the folder called Secure. 6. Click Save. When the download has completed, close the Browser. Download computer and router instruction manuals Hopefully, you have copies of your computer and router instruction manuals. If not, look for the model number of your computer and router. Using a search engine, like Yahoo or Google, enter the name and model number of your computer in the search box and after that, type manual and then press Enter. If there is not a link for the manual that leads to the manufacturer s website, then it is best to just go to the manufacturer s website. While on the manufacturer s website, there should be a Support button. You will have to navigate through the site to find the manual for your computer. Once you have found your computer manual, save it on the desktop under the folder Secure using the same procedures you did for previous file saves. Do the same search and save procedure for your router manual. In the computer manual, find the pages with the instructions on how to reset your computer to factory settings and print those pages now. Also, ensure you print this manual now since you will not have electronic access to it until your computer is back in operation. Don t worry about printing the instructions for the router manual, you can read those on the computer once your computer is back up. Download Printer Software and Manual If you do not have the original copy of your printer software and manual, you should be able to easily find them on the Internet. Using your favorite browser, enter the name and model number of your printer in the search box and after that, type Software and then press Enter. Again, it is best to download the software from the manufacturer s website. Make sure you select the correct Windows 7 software for your printer, that being either 32-bit or 64-bit. Once you have found your printer software and manual, save them on the desktop under the folder Secure using the same procedures you did for previous file saves. If you have itunes: You need to deauthorize your computer from itunes before you reset. itunes allows you to play your content on up to 5 computers. Once you reset your computer and re-install itunes, you will have to authorize the computer again. If you don t deauthorize before you reset, then the same computer will be listed twice on your list of itunes authorized computers. It s easier to just deauthorize before you reset. 1. Open itunes. 2. On the Menu bar, click on Store. Depending on your version of itunes, you may have to click on the little box in the upper left-hand corner, move the mouse over itunes Store and then: 3. Click on Deauthorize This Computer. 4. Enter your Apple ID and Password. 5. Click on Deauthorize. When that is complete, you can close itunes. Page 9 of 45

10 Write down Outlook configuration settings You will need to write down your Outlook configuration settings before you reset your computer. If you have Microsoft Office 2007: This version of Office is now in the Extended Support phase which means you will continue receiving the critical security updates, but you will be charged for any other optional updates. However, the Extended Support phase ends October 10, 2017 which means Office 2007 will be completely vulnerable after that date. I recommend upgrading to Office 2010 or 2013 now. Please ensure to gather the information below. 1. Open Outlook. 2. Click on Tools. 3. Click on Account Settings. 4. On the tab, click once on the name of your mailbox. 5. Click the Change button next to the Repair button. 6. If you did not print the manual, then at least print this page and write down all the information shown on this page: Your Name: Address: Incoming mail server: Outgoing mail server (SMTP): User Name: Password: Whether or not the box is checked next to Require logon using Secure Password Authentication You will not be able to see your password. If you do not remember the password, you can contact your service provider and ask them to reset the password after you reset the computer. 7. Click on More Settings. 8. Under the General tab, write down all this information. Usually, only your address is listed here. If that is the case, you do not need to write this down again. 9. Click on the Outgoing Server tab. 10. Write down this information as it appears. Often, the only information of use here will be whether or not the box is checked next to My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication, and then, the circle may be selected next to Use same settings as my incoming mail server. Again, it is important to write down this information as it appears. 11. Click on the Connection tab. Usually, the circle is selected next to Connect using my local area network (LAN) and you should not have to write anything down from this screen. 12. Click on the Advanced tab and write down all the information on this screen. Under Server Port Numbers, it is important to write down the number in the box after Incoming server (POP3) and whether or not the box is checked next to This server requires an encrypted connection (SSL). Also important is the number in the box after Outgoing server (SMTP) and what is listed in the drop-down box next to Use the following type of encrypted connection. 13. Once you have all this information, you can close all screens as well as Outlook. Page 10 of 45

11 Require logon using Secure Password Authentication? Yes No Outgoing server requires authentication? Yes No Use same settings as incoming mail server? Yes No Incoming POP3 server number: Requires SSL? Yes No Outgoing SMTP server number: Requires: None TLS SSL Auto If you have Microsoft Office 2010: Please be aware that normal support for security updates will end October 13, 2015, at which time Office 2010 moves into the Extended Support phase which will extend your support until October 13, 2020, but only for critical security updates. Other optional updates will cost you more money after October 13, Open Outlook. 2. Click on File. 3. In the middle panel, click on Account Settings. 4. A new box will pop up. Click on Account Settings again. 5. On the tab, click once on the name of your mailbox. 6. Click the Change button next to the Repair button. 7. If you did not print the manual, then at least print this page and write down all the information shown on this page: Your Name: Address: Incoming mail server: Outgoing mail server (SMTP): User Name: Password: Whether or not the box is checked next to Require logon using Secure Password Authentication You will not be able to see your password. If you do not remember the password, you can contact your service provider and ask them to reset the password after you reset the computer. 8. Click on More Settings. 9. Under the General tab, write down all this information. Usually, only your address is listed here. 10. Click on the Outgoing Server tab. 11. Write down this information as it appears. Often, the only information of use here will be whether or not the box is checked next to My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication, and then, the circle may be selected next to Use same settings as my incoming mail server. Again, it is important to write down this information as it appears. 12. Click on the Connection tab. Usually, the circle is selected next to Connect using my local area network (LAN) and you should not have to write anything down from this screen. 13. Click on the Advanced tab and write down all the information on this screen. Under Server Port Numbers, it is important to write down the number in the box after Incoming server (POP3) Page 11 of 45

12 and whether or not the box is checked next to This server requires an encrypted connection (SSL). Also important is the number in the box after Outgoing server (SMTP) and what is listed in the drop-down box next to Use the following type of encrypted connection. 14. Once you have all this information, you can close all screens as well as Outlook. Require logon using Secure Password Authentication? Yes No Outgoing server requires authentication? Yes No Use same settings as incoming mail server? Yes No Incoming POP3 server number: Requires SSL? Yes No Outgoing SMTP server number: Requires: None TLS SSL Auto If you have Microsoft Office 2013: 1. Open Outlook. 2. Click on File. 3. In the right panel, click on Account Settings. 4. A new box will pop up. Click on Account Settings again. 5. On the tab, click once on the name of your mailbox. 6. Click the Change button next to the Repair button. 7. If you did not print the manual, then at least print this page and write down all the information shown on this page: Your Name: Address: Incoming mail server: Outgoing mail server (SMTP): User Name: Password: Whether or not the box is checked next to Require logon using Secure Password Authentication You will not be able to see your password. If you do not remember the password, you can contact your service provider and ask them to reset the password after you reset the computer. 8. Click on More Settings. 9. Under the General tab, write down all this information. Usually, only your address is listed here. 10. Click on the Outgoing Server tab. 11. Write down this information as it appears. Often, the only information of use here will be whether or not the box is checked next to My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication, and then, the circle may be selected next to Use same settings as my incoming mail server. Again, it is important to write down this information as it appears. 12. Click on the Advanced tab and write down all the information on this screen. Under Server Port Numbers, it is important to write down the number in the box after Incoming server (POP3) and whether or not the box is checked next to This server requires an encrypted connection Page 12 of 45

13 (SSL). Also important is the number in the box after Outgoing server (SMTP) and what is listed in the drop-down box next to Use the following type of encrypted connection. 13. Once you have all this information, you can close all screens as well as Outlook. Require logon using Secure Password Authentication? Yes No Outgoing server requires authentication? Yes No Use same settings as incoming mail server? Yes No Incoming POP3 server number: Requires SSL? Yes No Outgoing SMTP server number: Requires: None TLS SSL Auto Page 13 of 45

14 Back up all data It is best to have an external hard drive, especially if you have downloaded a lot of music and movies. You can purchase an external 500GB hard drive for $60 or a 1TB for $80 (As of March 2013). For that small of a price difference, the 1TB drive is the better option. The following pages will show instructions based on the assumption that you are using an external hard drive. If you think all of your data will fit on a thumb drive, then that is your option. The instructions will be similar for both an external hard drive and a thumb drive. In either case, the instructions below will refer to external drive. First, let s prepare your external drive: 1. Plug your external drive into an open USB slot. 2. If this is the first time you have used this external drive, you may have to follow the setup procedures identified by the manufacturer. These are usually very easy to follow. 3. Now open Windows Explorer. It should be the icon on the left side of the taskbar that looks like a yellow file folder. If not, right-click on the Start button and then click on Open Windows Explorer. 4. On the left pane, you should see your hard drive (C-drive) and then your external drive. 5. Click once on your external drive. 6. Right-click on your external drive, move the mouse over the word New, and then click on Folder. 7. A new folder will be created in the left pane with the words New folder highlighted. 8. Type the word Backup, or you can be more specific and call it something like LeRoysComputerBackup or anything else that will help you know what the folder is for. The following instructions will simply refer to the folder as Backup. 9. Once you have named it, press Enter. 10. Close Windows Explorer. Next, let s copy your Outlook mail file. This may result in having two copies of your Outlook mail file, but sometimes the file is in a hard to find location on the hard drive, so it is better to risk having two copies rather than none at all. If you have Microsoft Office 2007: 1. Open Outlook. 2. Click on File then click on Import and Export. 3. Click on Export to a file then click Next. 4. On the next screen, click on Personal Folder File (.pst) then click Next. 5. On the next window, Inbox will be highlighted, but you want more than that. 6. Scroll to the top and click once on Personal Folders or Outlook Data File or it may be your address. Leave the box checked next to Include subfolders then click Next. 7. On the next screen under Save exported file as, click Browse. 8. On the left panel of the next screen, click once on Desktop. 9. The filename is already called backup. If you have multiple files, call them backup1, backup2, etc., or name them something else appropriate. If you have only 1 file, call it backup. 10. Click OK and this will take you to the previous screen. Click Finish. 11. The next screen will allow you to enter an Optional password. Your option. Click OK after you enter and verify a password, or leave the boxes blank and click OK. 12. Depending on the size of your mailbox, this could take a while, please be patient. 13. Complete this procedure for each mail file you have. This could include Archive files. 14. Also, for multiple users, you will have to log on and perform the same procedures for each user. 15. When the copy process is complete, close Outlook. You will see the backup icon on the desktop. Page 14 of 45

15 If you have Microsoft Office 2010: 1. Open Outlook. 2. Click on File then click on Options. 3. On the left pane of the new window, click on Advanced. 4. On the right pane of the new window, scroll down to Export and click on Export. 5. On the next pop-up, click on Export to a file then click Next. 6. On the next screen, click on Outlook Data File (.pst) then click Next. 7. On the next window, Inbox will be highlighted, but you want more than that. 8. Scroll to the top and click once on Personal Folders or Outlook Data File or it may be your address. Leave the box checked next to Include subfolders then click Next. 9. On the next screen under Save exported file as, click Browse. 10. On the left panel of the next screen, click once on Desktop. 11. The filename is already called backup. If you have multiple files, call them backup1, backup2, etc., or name them something else appropriate. If you have only 1 file, call it backup. 12. Click OK and this will take you to the previous screen. 13. Click Finish. 14. The next screen will allow you to enter an Optional password. Your option. Click OK after you enter and verify a password, or leave the boxes blank and click OK. 15. Depending on the size of your mailbox, this could take a while, please be patient. 16. On the next screen, click OK. 17. Complete this procedure for each mail file you have. This could include Archive files. 18. Also, for multiple users, you will have to log on and perform the same procedures for each user. 19. When the copy process is complete, close Outlook. You will see the backup icon on the desktop. Most people store their data under a directory called My Documents. If that is your case, then: 1. Your external drive should still be plugged in. If not, please plug it into an open USB slot. 2. Open Windows Explorer. 3. On the left panel, click on the sign next to the C Drive. 4. Click on the sign next to Users. 5. Click once on the name of the User you are logged on as. 6. Right-click on that User name, then click on Copy. 7. Scroll down to your external drive and click on the sign to open the folders. 8. Click once on the Backup folder you created earlier. 9. Right-click on the Backup folder and click on Paste. 10. This will copy all of your data to include your Outlook mail file(s) and the Secure folder you created earlier. It will also copy all files on your Desktop as well as your Internet Explorer Favorites folder. Depending on how much data you have, this could take several hours. 11. You will probably get a pop-up screen that says File In Use. There are some files that cannot be copied because you are currently logged on. They are usually DAT or LOG files that you will not need anymore. 12. At the bottom of the pop-up, click in the box next to Do this for all current items. 13. Now click on Skip. 14. If you get a new pop-up screen that says Property Loss, click on Yes or Skip after reviewing each item. These are usually unimportant. 15. To save the data for every user on your computer, you will have to log on as each user and repeat this process until you have copied all the data. Page 15 of 45

16 Possibly more to copy At this point, spend a little time searching your hard drive for other files you may have saved to a location other than the My Documents folder. Most Windows programs will have saved your data to the My Documents folder. If you stored your data somewhere else, only you would know about that. Find this data now and copy it to your external drive under the Backup folder. Once you start resetting your computer to factory settings, the hard drive will be formatted and all data will be lost, so, make sure you have found all of your important data. Now remove the external drive from the computer: 1. On the right side of the taskbar, there should be an icon that looks like a USB plug with a green check on it. If you hover the mouse over it, it says Safely Remove Hardware and Eject Media. 2. Right-click on that icon and a small window will pop up. 3. Move the mouse over the item that says something like Eject (name of external drive). 4. Click on Eject and you will get a message that says Safe to Remove Hardware. 5. Now you can unplug the external drive. Close all open windows and you will be back at the desktop. Prepare to reset your computer to factory settings Now is the time to gather all of your original software and backup data into one location. If you have a network cable plugged into the back of your computer that goes into the router, unplug it now. This section is optional. Go to the next section to restore your computer. Every computer has something called the BIOS. It means Basic Input-Output System. This is the chip that enables your computer to boot. In the BIOS are settings for time, date, specifics of your hard drive, and many other things. If someone enters your BIOS and makes an erroneous change, then you may not be able to boot your computer. It is best to protect the BIOS with a password. Many people fear entering the BIOS and again, this is completely optional. People getting into your BIOS and making changes is possible, but very rare, so, leaving it alone is OK. If you choose to put a password in your BIOS, look in your computer manual for information on how to get into the BIOS. You will normally see this information when you boot your computer. Before Windows starts, there will be a screen that flashes by pretty quickly. It will say something like Press F2 for SETUP. Other possibilities are F1, F10, the ESC key, or sometimes a combination of keys. Again, read your manual to find out how to enter the BIOS. Restart your computer to begin. Once inside the BIOS, look for a Security or Password tab. Under this tab, there are usually two options: one to set a User password and one to set a Supervisor password. Typically, a User password will force you to enter the password every time you turn on the computer. This will become tedious after a while. What you really want to set is a Supervisor password because that only requires entering the password when you enter the SETUP utility (enter the BIOS). Enter the new password and confirm it. Once you are finished, tab over to the Exit tab, highlight the line that says something like Exit Saving Changes, press Enter, confirm Yes or No, and the computer will reboot. You can also do this much later, after your computer has been reset. Don t change anything else unless you know what you are doing. Page 16 of 45

17 Follow the manufacturers guidance on restoring your computer to factory settings Every computer system manufacturer is different. In some cases, all you have to do is place the first CD or DVD into the drive and restart the computer. This will start the process just fine. In other cases, manufacturers have stored a recovery image on the hard drive. Follow the instructions in the computer manual on how to restore your computer to factory settings. It s important to discuss which method to use. Windows has a Recovery process that will reset your computer to factory settings. The problem with that is if you have malware on your computer, then it was already activated when Windows started. A crafty piece of malware can easily corrupt the Recovery process. It is best not to use the Windows Recovery process. Instead, follow the computer manufacturer s guidance on restoring your computer to factory settings. The manufacturer s instructions will often give you two options one to do a quick reset and save all of your data and another option to do a full reset and wipe out all of the data, which takes longer. Since you already backed up all of your data and it is quite possible that there may be malware somewhere in there, which we will scan for later, you don t want the Recovery process to save your data. It is best to wipe everything out and start completely fresh. Doing the complete Recovery process could take 1-6 hours depending on how fast your computer is, how big the hard drive is, and the manufacturer s method to recover. You should probably start this process before you go to bed and pick up the project when you get up in the morning. Make sure to remove all devices plugged into a USB port now, except for a possible USB device you are using for a mouse/keyboard. When you buy a new computer in the future, the first thing to do is create Recovery DVDs before you do anything else. Once the DVDs are burned, they cannot be altered so you can be sure there are no viruses on the brand new DVDs. On the other hand, a Recovery USB is software which can be altered by a virus from your computer. Again, DVDs are the best backup method in the future. Page 17 of 45

18 Configuring the Computer Configuring Windows after a fresh reset 1. Let the reset to factory settings process run its course. Your computer may reboot several times and it may look like it is finished and then reboot again. Please be patient. This could take an hour or more. Now would be a good time to watch the first half of The Godfather Part I or the first half of Doctor Zhivago, your option. 2. When the reset is complete, there will be several screens to complete the set up process. Some of the questions will include your country, time and currency, and keyboard layout. Leaving these answers at the default is usually the right answer. Click Next. 3. The next screen is usually where you enter your username and computer name. For the first username, you are going to allow it to have administrator privileges, but you do not want to name it administrator. Give this a person s name, but use a first name that does not belong to anyone in your household. This way, you will know the name of the administrator account, but outsiders will not. For the computer name, call it anything you like. It is fine to use the location as the name, like kitchen or living room or even laptop. Click Next. 4. The next screen is to set a password for the account. Create a strong password using numbers, letters, uppercase letters, and special characters. Make your password at least 8 characters long, preferably characters. If you need to write the password down, that s OK because you will be leaving the password in your house. If someone breaks into your house and finds your password, you have bigger problems to worry about. The best password is completely random. Look at your keyboard and pick a random number, letter, or special character. Do this for all 8-12 characters and randomly choose which letters will be uppercase. Once you enter your password twice, as well as a password hint, click Next. 5. On the license agreement screen, click accept for the license(s) and then click Next. 6. On the next screen, choose Use recommended settings for installing important updates. 7. On the next screen, set the time zone, date and time. Uncheck the Daylight Savings Time box if you live in a state that does not change the time twice per year, then click Next. 8. The next screen asks you to join a wireless network. Skip this step for now. 9. Your settings will be finalized and your desktop prepared. 10. If you get pop-ups wanting you to install programs that came with your computer, ignore those for now and just close or minimize them. Let s make some configuration changes before you put in a CD, DVD, thumb drive or external hard drive. 1. If you are using a USB device for the Mouse and/or Keyboard, that USB is OK since it is not a storage device. It may look like a thumb drive, but it is actually just a transmitter for the mouse and/or keyboard. 2. DO NOT put a CD, DVD, thumb drive or connect an external hard drive into the computer yet. Some malware activates and migrates to a new computer just by plugging these things into the computer. For now, let s deactivate this as a possible attack method. 3. Click Start, click Control Panel. In the upper right corner next to View by:, click on Category and then click on Small icons. 4. Click on AutoPlay. Uncheck the box Use AutoPlay for all media and devices. On the bottom of the screen, click Save and then close the Control Panel. Now it is safe to put a CD, DVD, or thumb drive into the computer. Page 18 of 45

19 Now the computer is ready for you to install the Service Pack 1. Connect your external drive into an empty USB slot. 2. Since this is the first time a device has been entered into the computer since you reset, please let Windows set up the new device. You may get an error since you are not connected to the Internet. If this is the case, follow the external drive s manufacturer instructions on setting up. The external drive should set up without having to connect to the Internet. When that is done: 3. Open Windows Explorer. It should be the icon on the bottom taskbar that looks like a yellow file folder. If it is not there, right-click on the Start button and click on Open Windows Explorer. 4. On the left pane, click the arrow next to Computer. 5. You should see your external drive now. 6. Click the arrow next to your external drive. 7. Click the arrow next to the Backup folder you created earlier. 8. Click the arrow next to the Username you used when you created the Secure folder. 9. Click on the Desktop folder. 10. You should see the Secure folder in the right pane. 11. Right-click on Secure and click on copy. 12. Close the Windows Explorer screen. 13. On the Desktop, right-click, and then click on paste. This will copy the Secure folder to your new desktop. 14. DO NOT copy your data to the computer yet. You will virus scan that later, before copying it over. 15. On the bottom right of the taskbar, there are only a few programs showing. This is where programs that are currently running are shown. With some programs hidden, there is no way of knowing if a malicious program pops up or not. Let s make a change to this item. 16. On the right side of the taskbar, click on the up arrow, then click Customize. 17. Check the box next to Always show all icons and notifications on the taskbar, then click OK. 18. There will be an icon on the right side of the taskbar that looks like a USB plug with a green check on it. Right-click on that icon and a small window will pop up. 19. Move the mouse over the item that says Eject (name of external drive). 20. Click on Eject and you will get a message that says Safe to Remove Hardware. 21. Now you can unplug the external drive. 22. Close any open windows. 23. Double-click on the Secure folder and find the Service Pack applicable to you: a. windows6.1-kb x86.exe (Service Pack for 32-bit version) b. windows6.1-kb x64.exe (Service Pack for 64-bit version) 24. Double-click on the appropriate file and click Run. 25. A new window may pop up behind the Secure folder, so close the Secure folder now. 26. If no new window popped up, then click on the Shield that is blinking on the taskbar. 27. Click Yes, Next, and Install on the following screens. This process could take one hour or more. Now is a good time to finish watching The Godfather Part I or Doctor Zhivago. 28. Once the Service Pack is installed, reboot the computer if the Service Pack did not reboot the computer on its own. It may reboot and configure the Service Pack several times. Please be patient. 29. When the process is complete, you will have to log in with the Administrator password you created earlier. You may see a screen that says Windows 7 Service Pack 1 is now installed. Click Close. If any other pre-installed programs pop up, close or minimize those windows as well. Page 19 of 45

20 Now you can delete some unnecessary programs 1. Many computers come with pre-installed programs. Anti-virus or Internet Security programs are typically of that type. If you choose to use the pre-installed anti-virus program, that is up to you. Do not attempt to install these right now since you are not connected to the Internet yet. I have used several anti-virus programs and have found that Microsoft Security Essentials, which is free, does a fine job. You will see instructions for installing Microsoft Security Essentials later. For now, let s delete some of the pre-installed programs that you will not be using. 2. Click Start, click Control Panel. 3. On the right side of the screen, next to View by:, make sure it says Category. If it does not, click the down arrow, move the mouse down to Category, and click Category. 4. On the bottom left, click Uninstall a program. 5. Now to choose the programs to delete. If you have Microsoft Office, you don t need Microsoft Works. If this is applicable, click once on Microsoft Works. Then, near the top of the screen, click on Uninstall. Click Yes to acknowledge that you are sure. Click Yes to Do you want to allow the following program to update software on this computer. Let the uninstall process run its course. Sometimes this is fast and sometimes it can take 5-10 minutes. 6. Once this is done, click on the next program to delete and follow the same process for all the programs you want to uninstall. If you will be using Microsoft Security Essentials, you can uninstall the anti-virus program that came with the computer. Some programs will have their own uninstall screens. Read these screens carefully and follow the prompts. Some programs will require a reboot to finish the uninstall process. If that is the case, reboot and go back to number 2 above to get back into the uninstall process. If you are unsure of what to uninstall, it is best to leave the program alone. 7. Once you are finished deleting programs, close the Control Panel and reboot the computer. Installing Microsoft Security Essentials 1. On the desktop, double-click on the icon called Secure. 2. In this directory, find the file you saved for Microsoft Security Essentials. 3. This file should be named MSEInstall.exe. 4. Double-click on the file and then click Yes. 5. Click Next. 6. Click I accept. 7. Click on Join the Customer Experience Improvement Program. This helps Microsoft collect information about viruses that may be on your computer. Now click Next. 8. Leave the check in the box next to If no firewall is turned on, turn on Windows Firewall. 9. Click Next and then click Install. 10. Once the program is installed, uncheck the box called Scan my computer for potential threats after getting the latest updates since you are not connected to the Internet yet. Now click Finish. 11. If you get error messages ignore them for now. 12. If Microsoft Security Essentials starts, close it and close all open windows including the Secure directory. You will update anti-virus signatures and run a scan once you are connected to the Internet. 13. DO NOT copy your data over to the computer yet. You will do that later. Page 20 of 45

21 Installing Microsoft Office 1. If you own a copy of Microsoft Office, now is a good time to install it. 2. Put your CD, DVD, thumb drive or external hard drive into the computer now. 3. The computer will not automatically start the installation because you turned that feature off. 4. Open Windows Explorer and navigate to the CD, DVD, thumb drive or external hard drive. 5. If you are using a CD or DVD, in the main directory, there will usually be a file called Start. Double-click the Start file. 6. If you are using a thumb drive or external hard drive, double-click the MSOffice file. 7. Click Yes to Do you want to allow the following program to update software on this computer? 8. Depending on your version of Office, you may have to enter the Product Key now. This screen may be hidden behind Windows Explorer, so close Windows Explorer now. 9. Enter your Product Key and then click Continue. 10. At some point soon, you will get a message that Office wants to activate your product. Click Cancel since you are not connected to the Internet yet. This message will come up later once you are online and you can activate it then. 11. Click I accept the terms of this agreement and then click Continue. 12. You can click Install Now or Customize. Please click Customize. 13. If you don t want one of the Office products installed, click on the box to the left of the product (not the plus sign) and a window will open. Click on Not Available. Do this for all products you do not want installed. 14. If you want a product installed, it s best to install the whole program now rather than later. Click on the box to the left of the product and a window will open. Click on Run all from My Computer. This includes Office Shared Features and Office Tools. 15. Click Install Now or Upgrade, whichever option is offered, and let the installation run its course. This could take 30 minutes or more. Start watching The Godfather Part II or Gone with the Wind now. 16. When the installation is finished, Close the window, remove any CD s or DVD s, and shut down the computer. 17. There will be Service Pack updates for Office but you will handle those after you get online. Once you are online, do not start any Office programs until you finish with the Service Pack updates. 18. Do not install other programs just yet. It s best to do that after you get online. 19. With the computer off, remove any thumb drives or external hard drives now (except of course a possible USB device you are using for your mouse/keyboard). Page 21 of 45