www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk

Following the revelations about Windows XP Help & Support system having a problem that leaves it vulnerable to attacks, until Microsoft can come up with a fix, it is advisable to turn off the Help & Support part of Windows XP.
Most users have hardly ever used it so it will not be missed until a fix is available.

To turn off (disable) Help & Support and stop it from starting at boot up:

Click Start -> Run -> in the box type services.msc -> OK

The Services window will open, click to maximize it if you want to see it all.

Scroll down to Help and Support.

Double click Help and Support.

In the window, click STOP. Then click the Start up Type -> select Disable

Then click Apply or OK and close the windows.

Reboot. You may get an error message after bootup:

“Windows cannot open the Help & Support . . . etc.” If so just click OK or close it.

As the title says this is for Windows XP users ONLY

Thank you Dave.

Done.

You are welcome, John.

The attacks, which are being launched from malicious Web pages, are concentrated in the U.S., Russia, Portugal, Germany and Brazil, Microsoft said. But better safe than sorry.

dave

cheers

Thanks, both my computers use XP, will do it now.

Thanks you dave.

I would also suggest people to add unhackme

If you use torrents then you must get Peer Block

Thanks Dave - done it to my machines (and looking at the unhackme stuff Thanks Jaeger).

Got a question for you Dave. You mentioned in another thread about password strength. Many sites recommend regularly changing passwords (and I do it).

How often would you recommend it?

Would you ever consider using a password manager? (I´m not trying to sell one, just felt that if somebody got into my password manager they would have the lot rather than one or two)

Your thoughts (and anybody else´s) would be appreciated.

James

I don't have a password manager and I never normally change passwords, no need to.
If it secures whatever it is protecting, then it is working.
If malware gets onto your computer and steals your passwords, then change them all. You would soon know about it.
But consider how few are actually related to protect financial transactions.
Most are for getting onto non-monetary sites, like forums so why change them?
Very few people with good, upto date security software ever get an infected computer IF they use the main security program: Common Sense.

I admit that I only use about five different passwords for different types of sites, but that is just so that if I get logged off, I don't have to go rummaging for the scrap of paper where I used to keep them written down.

dave

Thanks Me old 'Andsome

John

Big Thanks Dave

JUST READIMG THROUGH POSTS AND SEEN THIS ,THANKYOU
I HAVE ALSO DONE THIS

Thanks, will try this!

Problem is resolved and has been since July 13 2010
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/securi ... 0-042.mspx

So if you have auto updates switched on (most do) you can re-enable windows help and support centre.

scot-canuck wrote:Problem is resolved and has been since July 13 2010
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/securi ... 0-042.mspx

So if you have auto updates switched on (most do) you can re-enable windows help and support centre.

Hi there scot-canuck I clicked on the blue highlight but it was all to much to read ,
so in a nutshell we just turn help and support back on, have i got it right
sorry it will be simple to most but not me

thanks by the way!

As long as you have automatic windows updates turned on, then yes.
I don't run XP anymore, but if I remember right, if you go into control panel, there is a button for windows updates settings (sorry its exact name eludes me) just make sure that automatic updates are turned on. If they already are, then you can turn the help and support back on if you want to.

Basically the link is just an article from Microsoft explaining the bug has been fixed, how to get it (windows update being the easy answer) and what versions of windows were at risk.