IE Upgrade a Hoax - Warning
There's a Trojan Horse program currently doing the rounds, disguised as an upgrade for Internet Explorer but it actually infects users' machines with the Happy99 virus.   Warn your staff not to run any program which is emailed to them under this guise, and to alert the support desk if their screen starts doing a "fireworks display".  Further details are available on the Web.
http://www.datafellows.com/v-descs/ska.htm
http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,2195075,00.html

Word 97 Security Patch
It's Monday, so it must be time for another Microsoft security patch.  This time it's for Word 97, and it stops macros running executable code without the user's knowledge.
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q214/6/52.asp

Excel CALL problem - automated solution
Another Microsoft security problem concerns the CALL vulnerability in Excel.  Protecting a machine involves making various registry changes.  Now someone's put them all in a .REG file which you simply download and run, and the work is done.
http://www.wopr.com/wopr97/office97.htm

Virus Signatures Updated
Novell has posted a new set of signatures for its ManageWise/Cheyenne scanner.
http://support.novell.com/cgi-bin/show_information?FileName=mwinoc7l.exe

Revised Library Update Files
Newly released by Novell, an updated version of the CLIB library files for NetWare. The latest release includes a collection of Y2K patches.
http://support.novell.com/cgi-bin/show_information?FileName=lib312b.exe

NetWare 4.11 Support Pack 6 - Don't Bother
Novell has released Support Pack 6 for NetWare 4.11.  However, it's precisely the same as pack 5 except for some additional instructions regarding installation on NetWare for SAA.  So save yourself the 24 MB download unless you really need it.
http://support.novell.com/cgi-bin/show_information?FileName=iwsp6.exe

Updated pcANYWHERE
Symantec has a new release of pcANYWHERE, with added features designed to make helpdesk staff lives easier.  The Web site has a 30-day demo version plus some interesting case studies.
http://www.eyeball.symantec.co.uk/region/uk/pcacampaign/helpdesk.htm

Access dead hard disks on an NT machine
NTRecover makes it possible to access and modify drives on otherwise-unbootable NT system, using a serial connection to another NT box.
http://www.winternals.com

Hack That NT Admin Password
NT Locksmith allows you to recover the administrator password from an NT machine.  Useful if you have a user who's forgotten the password to their PC or server.
http://www.winternals.com

Cache and Cookie Management Tools
Web browsers tend to make a horrible mess of users' hard disks, putting cache and cookie directories all over the place.  As a support person, it's your job to tidy things up.  Thankfully there are some useful tools that can help you.
http://www.winfiles.com/apps/98/webtools-cache.html

The Registry Hacks Collection
Confused about the Windows registry?  There are many ways that you can change the appearance or performance of a Windows system by hacking various registry entries, and this site shows you dozens of them.
http://www.jsiinc.com/reghack.htm

CD-R Diagnostics
Having trouble creating CDs on a CD-R drive?  This diagnostics tool will almost certainly help you.
http://www.enteract.com/~pcrowley/cdrdiag.html

Online Clipart
The marketing department hassling you to find them a clipart image?  Just point them here, and they can find it themselves.
http://www.arttoday.com
http://www.clipart.com

CD Writing Facts
Some useful background information on writing CDs can be had from these sites.
http://www.esware.net/empire/
http://www.surfsolutions.com/cdrinfo/

Free Security Newsletter
You can sign up for a free IT security newsletter here.
http://www.infosecuritymag.com/securitywire/index.html

Registry Help
Yet more help with the innards of the Windows registry can be found here.
http://www.shareware.com/DD/sw/0%2C156%2C0113-1-004%2C00.html

New IRC Client
IRC is a useful way to conduct meetings over the Internet.  Unfortunately, although there are many IRC client applications, most of them are pretty dire.  MIRC is the best of a bad bunch, and it's now up to version 5.5.  When will someone write a user-oriented one, rather than simply putting a GUI onto the ever-so-unfriendly IRC commands?
http://www.mirc.co.uk

Get Noticed
You've prepared a Web site for your company.  Now you need to get it registered with all the major search engines.  Wouldn't it be good if there was a program that did it all for you.  Guess what?
http://www.davecentral.com/6268.html

Acrobat 4 Going Public
Adobe will announce Acrobat 4 sometime in the next few weeks.  We're not allowed to say precisely when, as the NDA is still in force, but watch Adobe's Web site for news.  (And if you subscribe to PCSA, look out for our full article in issue 125).
http://www.adobe.com/acrobat

Nokia's 9110
And Nokia has finally launched the successor to the 9000 Communicator.  The 9110 is a phone, Web browser, email terminal, fax machine, organiser and much more, and it fits in your pocket.  It'll cost around US$700.
http://www.nokia.com/products/phones/9110/index.html

New Online Support from Toshiba
Toshiba has a new support forum on its Web site, plus a good collection of patches and other downloads. If you're supporting any users of Tosh laptops, the site is well worth adding to your bookmarks.
http://www.csd.toshiba.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/Toshiba.woa/-/ServiceSupportMain.wo

Ask Dudley
This is fab!  A natural-text search engine on Dell's Web site, that answers your PC questions.  And the answers aren't limited to Dell kit, either.
http://support.dell.com/askdudley/

UPSes compared
On PC World's Web site, comparisons of 6 uninterruptible power supplies for departmental servers.  If you're looking to protect important machines against power cuts, at least for long enough to shut them down properly, this will answer your questions and point you at some possible products.
http://www.pcworld.com/feb99/ups

Top Web Sites Reviewed
This month, PC World magazine has reviews of some of its most highly recommended Web sites for IT professionals.  Full details are, naturally, on the magazine's own site.
http://www.pcworld.com/feb99/sitereviews

Killer Apps
Looking for a hardware or software product to perform a particular job?  The Killer App site will almost certainly help you find it.
http://www.killerapp.com

Internet Phones
If you're thinking about Internet Telephony you'll need some Internet phones, either as hardware or in software form.  There are a couple of sites that have them.  And phonezone.com has some great techie detail on the whole subject.
http://www.vocaltec.com
http://www.phonezone.com
http://www.ipxstream.com
 
 

Head-to-head comparative reviews

7 Antivirus Programs		PC World, Feb 99		http://www.pcworld.com
9 Photo editing Packages		PC World, Feb 99		http://www.pcworld.com
5 Mobile Office devices		PC Computing, Feb 99		http://www.pccomputing.com
10 colour printers		PC World, Feb 99		http://www.pcworld.com
10 19-inch monitors		PC World, Feb 99		http://www.pcworld.com
9 Windows CE devices		PC Magazine, 9th Feb 99		http://www.pcmag.com
10 Internal modems		PC World, Feb 99		http://www.pcworld.com
6 3D sound systems		PC Magazine, 9th Feb 99		http://www.pcmag.com
10 notebooks		PC World, Feb 99		http://www.pcworld.com
5 Remote access servers		PC Magazine, 9th Feb 99		http://www.pcmag.com

IPv6 - the ultimate address-space fix?
IP version 6 will change the way that TCP/IP addressing works, in order to get around the fact that we're rapidly running out of IP addresses.  Network Magazine's January edition explains this very well - worthwhile reading for all network support staff.
http://www.networkmagazine.com

Managing Unix Security
You may think that you've set up the security correctly on that Unix box.  But if you haven't, the first you'll probably know of it is when the hackers arrive.   January's Network Magazine has a useful article on Unix security, and how to configure a Unix system securely.
http://www.networkmagazine.com

IP Telephony
Also in Network Magazine this month, all the facts on IP Telephony.  A worthwhile read if you're considering implementing Voice over IP within your organisation.  In addition to a useful explanation of the subject there's also an overview of a variety of relevant products.
http://www.networkmagazine.com

All You Need To Know about Java
February's issue of Dr Dobb's Journal, the respected magazine for developers, is dedicated almost entirely to Java.   Recommended reading if you want to beef up your company's Web site or add some intelligence and processing to your intranet.  This is no lightweight overview - recommended for techies only.
http://www.ddj.com

Windows 2000 PKI and AD
January's issue of Windows NT Magazine (one of our favourites) explains the Public Key Infrastructure to be included in Windows 2000.  This is the mechanism that allows you to permit users to encrypt data, safe in the knowledge that you can get it back in an emergency.  Also in the same issue, information on Windows 2000's Active Directory feature.
http://www.winntmag.com

How safe is PPTP
VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) bring together the best of the Internet and a private WAN.  But a group of hackers recently claimed to have found weaknesses in PPTP, the protocol used by Microsoft to implement them.  Windows NT magazine investigates the whole situation.
http://www.winntmag.com

Simulating NT Load, and Rolling out Netscape
Also in Windows NT magazine this month, a look at using simulation tools to find out the maximum capacity of your NT network.  Plus, how to roll out Netscape settings to thousands of users automatically.
http://www.winntmag.com

MS Publisher 2000
MS Office 2000 will include a new release of Publisher.  The February issue of PC World looks at the latest beta of the product and compares it to the current version.
http://www.pcworld.com

Netscape vs IE5, and Norton vs McAfee
Considering moving to Internet Explorer 5?  Want to know how it compares with Netscape's current offering?  PC Computing's February issue has the details.  In the same issue, a comparison of McAfee VirusScan 4 vs Norton Antivirus 5.
http://www.pccomputing.com

Top Downloads
On the front of PC Computing's February issue, a CD containing 100 useful programs including the top 10 downloads of all time from the magazine's Web site.  Includes WinZip, Microsoft Powertoys, PaintShop Pro and Norton Antivirus.
http://www.pccomputing.com
 
 

PC Alert is published fortnightly by Email by International Technology Publishing.  Its function is to save PC and networking support personnel the tedious task of browsing the Internet and wading through magazines just to find the occasional item of interest.

PC Alert saves you time, saves you money and will ensure you are ahead of the game.

Subscribe now and you'll still receive the next issue free  - your paid subscription will start afterwards.

To subscribe, just reply to this Email message and say subscribe. You will be invoiced by mail for a total of $149 which covers 25 fortnightly issues.

If you have any other queries, contact your local ITP office on the following numbers:

Australia       Phone (02) 9261 4683     Fax (02) 9261 4741
Europe          Phone +44 181 424 2044   Fax +44 181 424 2055
UK              Phone 0181 424 2044      Fax 0181 424 2055
Singapore       Phone (65) 321 8984      Fax (65) 322 8558
USA and Canada  Phone (905) 625 9685     Fax (905) 625 7516
New Zealand     Phone (9)302 5311        Fax (9)373 2968

Or, just email us at  ozadmin@itp-journals.com.

ITP also publishes PC Support Advisor and PC Network Advisor, the definitive monthly magazines for all IT support professionals.
For details, subscription information and sample issues, contact us at one of the addresses above or check us out at http://www.itp-journals.com