Automatically running your security programs
Bonnie Asks:
At the KK, Bill Wilkinson showed us a page on the eboard listing all of the secutiry programs we should be running on our system, and it was suggested to run them weekly. I was wondering if you could show us how to set up a batch file to run these programs automatically at a given time each week.
Good question, I am all for having things done automatically. First of all, YES, batch files are still out there and they do work in Windows XP. Sometimes it is the only way to get something done. However, they are not easy to use and are not for the faint of heart. For help from the experts, join the Yahoo users groug called Batchworld - see the first related link below.
A much easier alternative is the Scheduled Task ability of windows. See the 2nd and 3rd related links below.
And then there is the windows version of batch files - Windows Scripting. See the 4th and 5th related links below.
We really do not have time to go into all of this here and Batch files and scripting is way too advanced for this type of a seminar. So back to the scheduled Tasks. Each program that you want to automate wil have to be addressed individually as each will have different requirements. Some will require "Command Line Parameters" to be intered in the task command line.
Windows Defender is the easiest. When you install it, it automatically sets itself to automatically update and scan the system on a regular basis. I think the default is weekly, but these settings are configurable in the program.
Spybot S&D - I went to the spybot web page and found the info in related #6 below. There are several command line parameters that can be specified when setting up the scheduled task. However, I would recommend a little caution here. If you use the autofix option, be aware that spybot has been known to cause minor problems with the backweb services used with HP and Compaq computers.I haven't had time to research this to see if it has been corrected yet.
AdAware - I don't currently have AdAware loaded so I don't have access to the manual. If you go to the web site (related link #7) and click on FAQ and then go to the description of the differences between the versions, you will see that there are limited command line parameters available in the free version and more in the Pro version. Personally, I feel the Pro version is worth the cost. As far as setting up the scheduled task, I have to assume that the command line parameters will be similar to the Spybot ones in abilities to automate the process.
As far as the other programs mentioned in the KK from Fred Langa's site go, I haven't had the time yet to check them out so you would have to researchthem yourselves.
RELATED LINK 1: Batchworld User Group.
RELATED LINK 2: MS reference on Scheduled Tasks.
RELATED LINK 3: iOpus tutorial on Scheduled Tasks.
RELATED LINK 4: iOpus Visual Scripting Guide.
RELATED LINK 5: Windows Scripting.
RELATED LINK 6: Spybot Command Line Parameters.
RELATED LINK 7: Lavasoft.
I hope this helps!
At the KK, Bill Wilkinson showed us a page on the eboard listing all of the secutiry programs we should be running on our system, and it was suggested to run them weekly. I was wondering if you could show us how to set up a batch file to run these programs automatically at a given time each week.
Good question, I am all for having things done automatically. First of all, YES, batch files are still out there and they do work in Windows XP. Sometimes it is the only way to get something done. However, they are not easy to use and are not for the faint of heart. For help from the experts, join the Yahoo users groug called Batchworld - see the first related link below.
A much easier alternative is the Scheduled Task ability of windows. See the 2nd and 3rd related links below.
And then there is the windows version of batch files - Windows Scripting. See the 4th and 5th related links below.
We really do not have time to go into all of this here and Batch files and scripting is way too advanced for this type of a seminar. So back to the scheduled Tasks. Each program that you want to automate wil have to be addressed individually as each will have different requirements. Some will require "Command Line Parameters" to be intered in the task command line.
Windows Defender is the easiest. When you install it, it automatically sets itself to automatically update and scan the system on a regular basis. I think the default is weekly, but these settings are configurable in the program.
Spybot S&D - I went to the spybot web page and found the info in related #6 below. There are several command line parameters that can be specified when setting up the scheduled task. However, I would recommend a little caution here. If you use the autofix option, be aware that spybot has been known to cause minor problems with the backweb services used with HP and Compaq computers.I haven't had time to research this to see if it has been corrected yet.
AdAware - I don't currently have AdAware loaded so I don't have access to the manual. If you go to the web site (related link #7) and click on FAQ and then go to the description of the differences between the versions, you will see that there are limited command line parameters available in the free version and more in the Pro version. Personally, I feel the Pro version is worth the cost. As far as setting up the scheduled task, I have to assume that the command line parameters will be similar to the Spybot ones in abilities to automate the process.
As far as the other programs mentioned in the KK from Fred Langa's site go, I haven't had the time yet to check them out so you would have to researchthem yourselves.
RELATED LINK 1: Batchworld User Group.
RELATED LINK 2: MS reference on Scheduled Tasks.
RELATED LINK 3: iOpus tutorial on Scheduled Tasks.
RELATED LINK 4: iOpus Visual Scripting Guide.
RELATED LINK 5: Windows Scripting.
RELATED LINK 6: Spybot Command Line Parameters.
RELATED LINK 7: Lavasoft.
I hope this helps!