Switching From Dial-Up to DSL
There's no other major item most of us own that is as confusing, unpredictable and unreliable as our personal computers. Everybody has questions about them, and we aim to help.
Here are a few questions about computers I've received recently from people like you, and my answers. I have edited and restated the questions a bit, for readability. This week my mailbox contained questions about switching to DSL from dial-up, browser hijacking and whether to wait for Windows Vista.
If you have a question, send it to me at
mossberg@wsj.com, and I may select it to be answered here in Mossberg's Mailbox.
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Q: We are satisfied users of dial-up Internet access. Our only complaint is the very slow transfer rate of four kilobits per second when we download updates for our security software. Would a 768 kbps DSL line really download these files almost 200 times faster than dial-up? It costs only slightly more than we pay for dial-up.
A: Most Internet services don't actually function at the advertised speed, due to network congestion and other factors. So, DSL isn't going to operate at 768 kbps. But it will probably run at 600 kbps or more, which is still vastly faster than dial-up. And, since file transfers tend to be the speediest online activity on DSL or cable modem services, you should see a dramatic reduction in the time it takes to update your security software. With DSL now starting at around $15 a month, the same or less than dial-up typically costs, I can't see any reason why anyone who uses the Internet regularly should stick with dial-up access.
Q: When I click on my browser in Windows XP, I get a page saying spyware is detected, and my computer is under the control of a remote computer. This screen tells me that I can solve this issue by downloading various security programs I've never heard of. I've tried to get rid of this page by deleting temporary files, cookies, files, programs -- anything else I can think of -- but it keeps appearing. Neither Norton anti-virus nor Spybot gets rid of it.
A: Sounds like you have a nasty case of browser hijacking, a type of spyware that seizes control of a browser to try and peddle dubious products that may themselves install more spyware, even though they are posing as security software. The people who invade computers and browsers in this manner deserve to be locked up.
You can't get rid of pernicious spyware like this by madly deleting files or changing browser settings. Only a strong anti-spyware program can kill it and prevent it from reappearing. But sometimes you have to try multiple anti-spyware programs to get the job done. You've already tried one good one, Spybot, which failed. I suggest you go to Webroot.com and download my favorite anti-spyware program, Spy Sweeper. If that doesn't work, try Ad-Aware or Counterspy.
Q: I am considering buying a PC with the Windows Media Center operating system. But I am wondering if Media Center will be updated when the new Windows Vista comes out. Should I buy now or wait?
A: The Media Center flavor of Windows is scheduled to be retired in the fall of 2006, when the new Windows Vista is set to be released. Instead, the key functions of Media Center -- including the across-the-room remote control of music, TV, photos and videos -- will be folded into some versions of Vista.
If you buy now, and your new machine is hefty enough to run Vista, you should be able to upgrade to the appropriate version of Vista and retain all your Media Center functionality, with some improvements. But you'll have to pay for the new software.
If you wait 10 months or so, you can buy a new PC pre-loaded with a version of Vista that includes these functions. But you'll have lost nearly a year of use of the very good Media Center functionality available today. My advice is: If you really need a new PC now, and really want the Media Center functionality now, buy now, and plan to upgrade to Vista later. But, just be sure you get hardware capable of running Vista. For my column on Vista-capable hardware, see: ptech.wsj.com/guide-pc.html.
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Because of the volume of e-mail I receive, I can't routinely answer individual questions by e-mail, or consult on individual problems or purchasing decisions. I read all questions I receive and select three each week to answer in the column.
从拨号上网到DSL
在我们大多数人拥有的大件电器中，再没有什么比个人电脑更令人费解、更变幻莫测的了。每个人或许都有些关于电脑的问题，而《莫博士信箱》将为您提供帮助。
本周我将回答读者有关拨号上网与DSL服务的速度差别、浏览器劫持软件以及现在是否购买Windows Media Center电脑的问题。
问：我们很满意现在使用的拨号上网服务，唯一不足的地方是：当我们下载安全软件升级版的时候，它每秒4K的传输速度就显得很慢了。如果我们使用传输速率为每秒768K的数字订户线路(DSL)，其下载文件的速度是否真的能达到拨号上网的200倍呢？它的花销只比拨号上网略贵一些。
答：由于存在网络拥堵等因素，多数互联网服务实际的速度往往都达不到其广告宣传的速度。因此，DSL的实际传输速度并不能达到每秒768K，不过达到每秒600K还是有可能的，这仍比拨号上网要快很多。而且，由于DSL或其他有线宽带上网服务在文件传输上的速度是最快的，因此用它来下载更新安全软件应该能让你省却不少的时间。现在DSL月租费起价在15美元左右，和一般拨号上网的费用相当、甚至更少。我不知道为什么那些经常上网的人还要坚持使用拨号上网。
问：当我点开Windows XP上的浏览器时，弹出的一个页面说检测到间谍软件、我的电脑正被远处另一台电脑所控制。这个页面还告诉我，我能够通过下载某些安全软件解决这个问题，但这些软件我都没有听说过。我试图通过删除临时文件夹、cookies、文件、程序－－所有我能想到的办法来去除这个页面，但它依然不断地出现。Norton的防毒软件和Spybot都拿它没有办法。
答：听上去你像是碰到了浏览器劫持软件，这种软件能控制浏览器，并试图向浏览器用户推销各种可疑的软件产品，这些产品本身就能在你电脑上安装更多的间谍软件，但却把自己装扮成安全软件的样子。那些用这种方式侵入他人电脑和浏览器的人真该被抓进监狱。
仅靠疯狂地删除文件或是改变浏览器设置是没有办法去除这些间谍软件的。只有非常强大的反间谍软件才能杀死这种病毒并防止它再次出现。但有时你不得不借助多种反间谍软件来完成这项任务。你已经试了一个不错的反间谍软件：Spybot，但没有奏效。我建议你登录Webroot.com，下载我最喜欢的一种反间谍软件：Spy Sweeper。如果它还不行，就试试Ad-Aware或Counterspy。
问：我正在考虑购买装载了Windows Media Center操作系统的个人电脑，但我想知道的是当新的Windows Vista操作系统推出后，Media Center是否会随之升级？我是应该现在购买呢还是再等一等？
答：Media Center版的Windows将定于2006年秋季退役，届时将推出新的Windows Vista操作系统。而Media Center的几项重要功能－－包括穿过房间遥控音乐、电视、图片及视频的播映－－将被收入Vista的某些版本中。
如果你现在购买、而且你的新电脑足够运行Vista，那么到时候你应该可以将电脑操作系统升级到相应版本的Vista，同时保留Media Center的所有功能，一些功能到时还会得到提升。不过你必须要为新软件再花上一笔钱。
如果你再等上10来个月，到时候你就能买到预装了包括上述功能的Vista的新电脑。不过你也会丧失近一年的大好时光去享受Media Center目前提供的各种优秀功能。我的建议是：如果你现在急需一台电脑、并且真的想使用Media Center的各项功能，那就现在购买，并做好将来升级为Vista的准备。但是，一定要确保你的硬件配置能够运行Vista。我写过关于适合于Vista的硬件的专栏文章，你可以登录ptech.wsj.com/ guide-pc.html阅读。
