Downloading, the Right Way
PCs seems to get infected on a near-daily basis unwillingly and almost unknowingly. We download programs and add-ons, and in a short time our PCs speed decreases. Booting up the computer takes longer, web pages load slower, and because we're now used to everything being much faster than the previous years; using the computer becomes a lesson in patience and tolerance. This little guide will show you how to keep your PC running smoother.
BE AWARE
After restoring a computer to factory settings or reformatting a hard drive and reinstalling Windows, the first thing I do is download installers for Firefox, Adobe Flash, Steam, and other programs. A common trap (even after your computer has been in use for months) is to use the search bar in your browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome) or do a Google search for the program itself. What happens is that you get false links to download the wrong software, as seen in this example searching for Adobe Flash:
BE AWARE
After restoring a computer to factory settings or reformatting a hard drive and reinstalling Windows, the first thing I do is download installers for Firefox, Adobe Flash, Steam, and other programs. A common trap (even after your computer has been in use for months) is to use the search bar in your browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome) or do a Google search for the program itself. What happens is that you get false links to download the wrong software, as seen in this example searching for Adobe Flash:
Here's where you have to stop and take a closer look, as instinctively downloading the first item on the list can cause trouble immediately. In most if not all cases, the manufacturer or company will be the primary part of the domain name, which is after the "www." part of the URL. Look closely at the first two links (click on picture to enlarge), and you'll see that the domain name is displayed as "adobe-flash.download-update.org", and "get.adobe.com/flashplayer/". They may look legit to the average computer user, but a company as large as Adobe would start out links as "www.adobe.com", as seen in the third and fourth links. Here I've opened up the first link in a new tab:
1. The URL shows not "www.adobe.com" but rather "www.download-update.org". That's the first red flag.
2. The second is in the copyright notice below, which reads, "Copyright 2014 - Download-Update". Obviously, this site may not download just the Adobe flash update and instead infect your PC with crapware and other unwanted stuff. Let's skip ahead to downloading the right one and click on the third link; "https://www.adobe.com/software/flash/about/"
2. The second is in the copyright notice below, which reads, "Copyright 2014 - Download-Update". Obviously, this site may not download just the Adobe flash update and instead infect your PC with crapware and other unwanted stuff. Let's skip ahead to downloading the right one and click on the third link; "https://www.adobe.com/software/flash/about/"
This is the legitimate page for the Adobe Flash player, but not the actual download page. For that, you have to click on the link for the Player Download Center (circled above), which brings us to this page:
It's the real thing, but unfortunately the option to install McAfee Security Scan Plus is enabled by default (circled). Having multiple security programs installed and running can cause conflicts and errors, so it's a good idea to double check things like this to ensure that what you download won't get infected with unwanted installs.
Now let's take a look at another boon to downloads; installing toolbars and multiple download buttons:
Now let's take a look at another boon to downloads; installing toolbars and multiple download buttons: