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It’s Time To Add Antivirus Software To Protect Your Mac

July 6, 2018 Comments off

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(Silver Spring, Md.)  It’s been a long time coming, but it is now time for you to seriously consider adding antivirus software for your Mac.

The reason is actually very simple. Our Macs have been around for a long time, grown in popularity and numbers and hackers have taken notice. Over the past few years, there have been increasing reports of vulnerabilities in the Mac OS (that Apple may or may not fix), security issues, ransomware and much more.

So we’re at a point here at MacRecycleClinic where we’ve decided to add a free version of Avast (rated as the best free antivirus software for the Mac by MacWorld) to every machine we refurbish for donation.  I would strongly recommend you read their article (or search online – there are many more) and make a decision for yourself. As you’ll see, the best paid programs offer everything from malware protection to ransomware monitoring and much more.

Macworld author Glenn Fleishman notes that “antivirus software should be able to neutralize a threat before it can begin wreaking havoc. That means preventing the download, installation, or execution of malicious software.”

For our purposes, Avast will do a fine job as freeware on our refurbished Macs. If the user (the person or family to whom we donate a machine) wants more protection, they can either move to the paid version of Avast or try one of the other companies that sell antivirus software (Avast Pro is $59.99 per year.)

I will note that the U.S. Government has banned one company selling antivirus software – Kaspersky Labs – because of “fears of Russian intelligence.”

Read more…

Categories: Computer Tips, hard drive security, MacRecycleClinic Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Tips to Fix a Slow-Starting Mac

September 5, 2017 Comments off

SILVER SPRING Md. (Sept. 5) – We come across all kinds of issues with older Macs at the MacRecycleClinic. Some are easily fixed. Others want to make you pull your hair out. But as we’ve gained experience in fixing these computers, there seems to be a set of solutions that usually will take care of the problem (short of reformatting the drive and installing a new version of the OS).

So here are some great tips to help you get your Mac loading faster – and hopefully operating in a way that will let you hold on to your hair. 🙂

Let’s start with a couple of old standbys:

  • Repair permissions on your Mac. It’s pretty easy to do if you’re running OSX Yosemite or earlier (Intel):

If you’re running El Capitan (10.11) or Sierra (10.12)  it’s a little more complicated because Apple has removed that capability from Disk Utility. Apple says:

But if you must,  there’s a way around that. (Thanks OSXDaily:)

  • Reset the PRAM (NVRam) (PRAM/NVRAM (nonvolatile random-access memory) is a small amount of memory that your Mac uses to store certain settings and access them quickly.)

Still having trouble or want to try something else – try these tips from our MRC Guru Lorin Evans:

  • Has the owner added any applications or ‘things’ since receiving the computer from you? If ‘yes’, have him/her download “Malwarebytes” and run it to make sure these new applications/things do not contain questionable stuff. (Video courtesy of Malwarebytes.)

 

 

 

  • Go to Startup Disk in System Preferences.

Be sure that the HD icon is selected. Lock and/or unlock as necessary to gain access to this item.

  • Stay in System Preferences. Go to Users & Groups. Click on “Login Items.” Are there any items there that the system wants to start at “startup”? If ‘yes’, delete the icon for that item.

  • Start Disk Utility (Applications ->Utilities->Disk Utility.app). Select the HD from the left column. Now look at the S.M.A.R.T. status line. Make sure it reads: “Verified”

  • Start the computer in ‘safe’ mode. Give it a minute or two after the desktop appears; then restart normally.

Got your own tips for speeding up a slow Mac? Let us know!

Categories: Computer Tips Tags: , ,
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