PC Pest Control

Friends of the Infested

Bugs got you down? Can't chase them away? You're not alone. Fortunately, the Web is crawling with good Samaritans who offer information and advice--much of it at no charge.

BugNet is a commercial service geared toward IS folk, but it provides a lot of free information about current bugs in hardware, software, and drivers, and tells you where to get the fixes. You can sign up to receive in-depth analyses and to gain access to the complete bug database; the cost per year is $65 for home users and $150 for small businesses.

Computer Hope maintains a vast searchable database of Q&A's and troubleshooting tips on hardware and software problems. It doesn't address specific bugs, but you can ask Computer Hope's staffers general questions about bugs and conflicts--or anything else computer-related--and get an answer online. In addition, it's all free.

Though Computing.Net relies on self-appointed experts to answer questions for free, the experts are polite with newbies, so everyone feels welcome. The site's discussion groups focus on operating systems and hardware, downloads of up-to-date drivers, and lots of how-to advice.

Log on and let Symantec Security Check analyze your PC for security risks. The free service tells you where the weak spots are and suggests ways to toughen up your system. However, Symantec says your PC will receive the site's complete battery of tests only if you use Internet Explorer version 4.01 or later. And don't be surprised if you encounter some fairly blatant marketing tactics: Symantec naturally recommends that you purchase and install only Symantec utilities to clean up and protect your computer.

The folks at Tech Support Guy provide detailed info about all kinds of puzzling problems--18 articles focus on Windows fatal exception errors alone. Plus, you can post questions on forums run by volunteer moderators and get answers from other visitors or from site staffers.

User Groups

Users all over the country gather in local member groups to play with new toys, grouse about vendors, and exchange tips and tricks. To find a group in your area or one that focuses on your concerns, check out the Network for Computer User Groups, the Association of PC User Groups, and Microsoft's links to user group info.

--Dan Littman