Trains.com

This Website … TRUE AND SHOCKING – Now What Are WE Supposed To Do?

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Posted by blue streak 1 on Wednesday, December 23, 2015 5:22 AM

Anyone notice trains web site is slow loading ?

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Posted by Paul of Covington on Wednesday, December 23, 2015 1:02 PM

blue streak 1

Anyone notice trains web site is slow loading ?

 

   Yes, the last few days.   I was wondering if it was them or if my computer was infected.

_____________ 

  "A stranger's just a friend you ain't met yet." --- Dave Gardner

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Posted by tree68 on Wednesday, December 23, 2015 3:06 PM

blue streak 1

Anyone notice trains web site is slow loading ? 

Kids and college kids home from school, folks doing last minute Christmas "shopping," there's lots of reasons for a slow 'Net.  Could be that the data center or switch that hosts the Trains site is over-subscribed, too.

LarryWhistling
Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) 
Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you
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There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...

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Posted by MikeF90 on Wednesday, December 23, 2015 4:43 PM

Euclid
I back up to three separate remote hard drives by clickfree, and to the currently infected PC.

IMO a more reliable backup does not require a special program, just something based on the o/s copy command that does not disguise the existing files. If you want to do this 'manually', it is helpful to store all 'personal' data files on a separate partition and then 'drag and drop' in File Manager to the backup media. IIRC some cloud storage vendor programs (drivers) just make your remote storage look like another Windows drive letter.

Unfortunately, newer Windoze seems to be making it harder to move the equivalent of the old 'My Documents' folder to another partition. Someone more immersed in Windows can elaborate.

Newer versions of Windows disk manager can create a separate partition by reducing the size of the existing 'C:' drive. I'm uncomfortable with that, so I recommend using a standalone boot CD like 'System Rescue CD' or the Windows oriented 'Partition Wizard Home Edition'.

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Posted by BaltACD on Wednesday, December 23, 2015 7:56 PM

My 2 cents worth on 'the Cloud' - while it may make you data available to all your devices; it also provides a convient location for hackers to reach and an take what they want.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

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Posted by Clinker Hook on Tuesday, December 29, 2015 12:08 AM

For the benefit of all, the web is my business and in a nutshell, this is what I tell my clients:

A paid subscription comprehensive security suite is an absolute must if you surf the web or use email. Don't rely only on the built-in Windows Defender. Only install one suite - two will suck up all your resources and your computer will slow drastically. As stated previously in this thread, it will only catch what it knows about so keep it updated. It should also be able to warn you of known suspicious links if you click on them.

Try to remember to hover your cursor over hyperlinks so your browser displays the URL, usually in the bottom left of the screen. If you think it's suspicious, don't click it. However that doesn't work with mobile devices. And there is malware targeted at mobile devices, especially Andriod OS.

Remember that software can't stop you from clicking on a link.

Simply deleting files or folders may not get rid of an infection and you run the risk of deleting something you shouldn't. Most nasty malware writes itself into the OS registry and is self-replicating so it may reappear anyway. Going back to the latest restore point prior to infection may get rid of it. But you may lose some data. If that fails, you need a pro.

Never open spam or any email that looks hinky. Always look at the originating address though sometime that can be spoofed.

Get a portable hard drive and back up to that. Then unplug it. Data is only safe if it is offline.

The web has a dark underbelly and can be a bad place. Resign yourself to the fact that even if you're careful, eventually you'll catch something. I'm a pro and I got hit with ransomware once because I wasn't paying attention. That was a pain to get rid of.

 

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Posted by Euclid on Tuesday, December 29, 2015 12:46 PM

MikeF90
 
Euclid
I back up to three separate remote hard drives by clickfree, and to the currently infected PC.

 

IMO a more reliable backup does not require a special program, just something based on the o/s copy command that does not disguise the existing files. If you want to do this 'manually', it is helpful to store all 'personal' data files on a separate partition and then 'drag and drop' in File Manager to the backup media. IIRC some cloud storage vendor programs (drivers) just make your remote storage look like another Windows drive letter.

Unfortunately, newer Windoze seems to be making it harder to move the equivalent of the old 'My Documents' folder to another partition. Someone more immersed in Windows can elaborate.

Newer versions of Windows disk manager can create a separate partition by reducing the size of the existing 'C:' drive. I'm uncomfortable with that, so I recommend using a standalone boot CD like 'System Rescue CD' or the Windows oriented 'Partition Wizard Home Edition'.

 

I back up to drives made by Clickfree.  They are external drives that you plug in and they run a backup.  They cost around $120-150 each.  I gather that there are other brands of external drives that need to be set up before they are put into use.  Apparently Clickfree brand is based on the idea that no setup is needed.  The last thing I want is to go through is an exhaustive, problematic, incomprehensible rigamarole to put a new external drive into use. 

However, for as easy as it is to put data onto a Clickfree drive, getting data off of it in case of losing data from the computer is indeed a bunch of incomprehensible rigamarole.  So if I ever lose the computer and need to recover from a Clickfree external drive, I will take the drive to a service expert.  It is easy to find my files on the Clickfree drive, but getting ahold of them to copy them to another location defies any and all attempts. 

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Posted by junior yardmaster on Tuesday, December 29, 2015 8:41 PM

There's only one way to insure that your vital info will not be stolen or hacked; don't use your computer for online banking or anything else which will affect you adversely.  Go to your bank and do your business directly with a bank official, face to face.  I was on an entertainment site last week, and suddenly a "warning" came up on my computer, saying my computer was compromised, listing a 1-800 number which would enable them to "fix" my computer.  I'd already been advised by my computer expert that I'd be unable to use my computer; I simply manually shut it off.  When I turned it on later, all was well; Windows went through a restart automatically.  Junior Yardmaster

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Posted by blue streak 1 on Sunday, January 10, 2016 7:08 PM

  Excuse syntax.  This post on an old macchine3. 

Tried the windows 10 updateon HP machine but because of an apparent corrupt seegment when tried to log back on   !@#$%^&*(@#$%^&":P><).

Have spent all weekend trying to geet puter back running.  Is going to take a complete reboot back to factory settings.  Have been on phone over 6 hours already. and not counting data dumps, and restorations.    UGH ! 

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