AOL  Hints/Helps & Shortcuts

For details, email the the screen name that begins each listing or Susan102

(If there is NO extension, the email address is  "@aol.com)

PHONE NUMBERS FOR AOL

   1-800-827-6364 - Main Office & Help

   1-866-628-8708 - AOL's Member Support Team

   1-888-265-3733 - Community Action Team

   1-888-346-3704 - AOL for Windows technical support

   1-888-265-8007 - AOL for Macintosh, AOL for DOS, or other tech. asst.

   1-888-265-8008 - To cancel an account

   TTY Service For Hearing-Impaired Members - 1-800-759-3323

make it harder for somebody to steal your password....

First password entered when you sign on should be bogus. (I simply hit any key then hit ENTER.) AOL will tell you that it is an invalid password and prompt you for the correct one.  That is when you enter the REAL one. The reason for all of this: password harvesters get the FIRST password entered. If the first one entered is bogus, all they get is bad information. (From LE 58)

Keyword: AOL Tips.

Eliminating Start Up Programs I have a lot of programs that run in the back ground that I dont need and want to stop them from coming on when I start up. With all these running in the back ground, it slows down my PC>    When you press  CT-ALT-Delete...a list comes up and you can see what is running.  I have to go thru the list and one by one ...end task.  Is there a way to shut them off unless I need to run them.

From LUVEY41-  All you need to do is go to START, select RUN, type in MSCONFIG, hit OK, choose the STARTUP TAB, and uncheck the programs you do not want to start up and run in the background.

From : CudleeTedi - I run a program called StartEd, which can be downloaded free at the following link:  http://www.alberts.com/authorpages/00014860/prod_687s.htm    -    It shows all the programs that windows loads, whether from the start menu or the registry...and you can remove the ones you don't want.

For those who worry that their screen names will be accessed by Hackers. When the AOL prompt asks you to type in your password when you want to sign on, type in anything, for example..fow8rjh or lkjf3478.  AOL will then start to sign you on, but then you will get another prompt telling you "invalid password..please re enter."  NOW type in your real password.  Here's the trick: Hacking programs read the FIRST password you entered, not the second one.  Your account will never be broken into using this simple, but highly effective trick !!

From Hiya - I put my screen names on my AOL/AIM buddylists, but found out that b/c I had a similar password for each, that just made it easier for hackers to compromise my entire account.  Make sure a) your passwords are suitably different for EVERY screen name, and b) don't mark the category with all your own screen names "Other Faces of Me" or anything suggesting the same identity.

From: MyCakeLady - Never say "never"....there's a program called eblaster by spector that works even with the technique that's explained above.  It captures all keystrokes and in stealth mode it emails to any private email account that you set up.  Do a keyword search on the internet on the program or company...you'll see what I mean.

From another reader - I think that what the original writer had in mind was for you to store an incorrect password on your computer.  When you log on the incorrect password will be rejected and the user would be prompted to enter another, presumably correct password.  The intent being to fool any "password stealing trojan" programs you might be infected with.  If a keystroke logging program is running on your system, the only safe thing you can do is stay off line and get rid of it.

     Since it seems that a lot of AOL users are victims of password stealing trojans the original advice might be of some use.  In order for it to work the user must enter an incorrect password to be saved on their system, since it's these saved passwords that the trojans find and send out.

     I'm offering this advice anonymously, if you'd like to pass it on to your readers, please put it in your own words and share.  My personal advice is to go get a reputable anti virus program (like Norton's or McAfee's) and keep it updated.  Then NEVER download any files, especially executable files, from anyone unless you both know the sender and are confident that the file is safe.

How do I create and to send a link to my web site. For instance if wanted to include a web site link with this letter, how would I go about it?

MistiqueSc - Open you own web page and click on the little red heart shaped thing in the upper right corner ... you then have a choice to save it in favorite places, put it in an IM or e-mail ... if you save it you wont have to open your page each time you want to share your site ... just go to favorite places and drag and drop it in an e-mail or IM

PrimeMomofTwo - you can do this a number of ways.....simply drag the heart (shown in the upper right corner of the webpage--AOL only) to the email....or you can insert it by right clicking(any where in the email text box)  and selecting "Insert Hyperlink"  a box will come up with "description and internet address"  Description is what you want the people to see in the e-mail text and internet  address is the web address (www.aol.com)

Susan102 -  I have just gotten caught in the "mine.exe" scam where a password stealer sends out mail to someone's buddy list... so when a screen name i RECOGNIZED sent me what "he" said was his picture... I didn't think twice about downloading it. TWO separate virus protectors didn't pick up the virus. DO NOT DOWNLOAD " mine.exe."

Bernielat1 - I recently received an e mail from a friend with the subject "hey you" the e-mail said the attached file contained pictures but it was a new virus.  I have posted a web page with full information (same as below) and a link to McAfee where you can download a trial virus scanning program.  I did andf got rid of the problem.  Please post this link:.

AOL Virus Page

NCSparkle - A virus is going around that will send email from your machine. It comes from people that have sent you email in the past, so it does not come from a stranger.  IF anyone gets an email that says HEY in the subject line with a file attached DON'T OPEN IT.  IT is a virus.  I have gotten it from a few people on AOL.  Please advise everyone that they need an up-to-date virus program. PS   It will steal your password.

ABOUT QUESTIONABLE 'NET OFFERS

LaBellaRos - Click here: Current Internet Hoaxes, rumors, urban legends, and other digital lies

LJacob5735 - Internet Virus Hoaxes -   http://ciac.llnl.gov/ciac/CIACHoaxes.html

NCSparkle - check out the Urban Legends page at http://209.176.31.25/snopes/

http://www.scambusters.org/Scambusters22.html#90pound

also,  a great list of currently circulating legends at the bottom of this page:

http://www.scambusters.org/legends.html

TO EMAIL USING THE BCC FEATURE: (Blind Carbon Copy)

Address the letter to YOURSELF (on the lefthand address area). In the CC: area (the righthand address area) type each name INSIDE parentheses seperated by a comma. i.e.: (name#1, name#2, name#3).

Fantasm897 - How do I transfer my Favorite Places, Address Book, Buddy List, and PFC to a different computer?

All that information is in your AOL directory in the subdirectory called "Organize". Copy that file to a disk and then take it to the new computer.

Sassyred38 - I have a hint that might help some,,,,we have 3 AOL accounts  What I do is I put all my screen names on my buddy list,,,,so if Im on one account and the others show up I know something is wrong,,,,It is also helpful if I forget to unghost

Nemesess - if someone has YOUR password, they can register that name with AOL Instant Messenger with YOUR screen name & password and be signed on under your screen name the same time you are and intercept your IM's. Even if you change your password, they can still use your screen name to harass people with IM's, but they do not have access to e-mail or any other features.

COMPUTER HINTS: "Cleaning up and out" (Best done at least weekly)

1. Clean out your Personal File Cabinet - Open your PFC and check all the mail that is stored there. Delete any mail that you don't want /need.. After Deleting the mail, click on Compact PFC at the bottom & at the prompt, click on Compact Now.

2. Clean Out Old Mail - Click on the AOL Mail Menu.  Select "Mail You've Read" and "Mail You've Sent." (One at a time)  Then highlight and delete all that you don't need/want.

For Power Tools Users

Clean out the PT Log Manager-Both Chat and Im Logs

If you are logging your Chat Room and IMs,  you should delete the logs you no longer need or want.  A user did not realize  they were logging their Chats and found over 300 Chat Logs!  That is a lot of hard drive space used!)

3.Purge and Cache - Each time you select a site on the web/internet, those sites are stored in you Cache.  This information is stored in the Cache to speed up access to those sites you use most often.  However, before long the Cache becomes overloaded and slows your access down.  Purging the Cache regularly will speed up your system.

To Purge the Cache,  Click on AOLs MEMBERS menu then on Preferences, then on WWW (the globe icon).

4. Purge your online art file - AOL's main.idx file where artwork is stored can take up an enormous amount of space on your hard drive and slow down AOL.  To make this file smaller Click on Members menu, Preferences,Graphics Icon.

Where it says Maximum disk space to use for online art, reset the number to 1

When you sign off AOL your main.idx file will be purged of old online art, and you  can reset that number when you sign on again.  The setting we recommend for that is 5-6 meg.

Wanna Go Mouseless You can send off both e-mails and IMs by holding down Shift and pressing enter Enter on a PC or Command and Return on a Mac. SIMPERFECT :FYI.. On the Mac, all you need to do is hit 'enter' or 'return' to send IMs or e-mail.   It's that easy! CAYman70 - You can also do the same thing by hitting tab then the space bar!!! Don't hold the tab, just hit it then space bar!!!

marylandnewsletter.com

12/2/2006 5:38:15 PM