Free Online Scans to Tune Up (tuneup) and Clean Up and Test your PC (Computer)

You can safely and easily check, inspect and clean your PC with free online scans. With these scanners: you can inspect your PC memory for upgrade options; scan your PC for virus, Trojan, and spyware infection; test your Internet speed and file transfer efficiency; scan your firewall for open ports and more.

This article tells you where to find these free scan services and how to use them safely to tuneup online.

• Are they really free? Yes! Many sites that offer these free scans are, of course hoping you'll buy their product. Maybe you will; maybe you wont. In any event, the scan is free.
  
• Are they easy to run? Yes! Most are run with a couple of button clicks. Some will need to install a safe add-on through your browser in order to run.
  
• Are the sites and vendors safe? Yes! Each are reputable vendors that run safe sites and offer good products, tested in the market place. See the caution below about unsolicited free offers.
• Have the scans in this article been tested? Yes! Each of these scans has been tested. They did not install unwanted spyware and adware on your PC.
• Are the scans helpful? Yes! Each scan can tell you something about your computer that you did not know. In the event of malware they can confirm your suspicions, or ease your mind.

The typical bandwidth test connects you with a bandwidth test site server and runs a timed test of a controlled upload and a controlled download of a file. This provides you with a relative expression of how fast your Internet transfer speed is performing.

Note that results will vary at different times of the day because of overall traffic conditions. You will get a better feel if you run the same test at several different times and compare the results.

I've recommended three website bandwidth test locations. Links are provided on the right. Each test site uses different test servers in different cities. I ran a test from my PC network with each of the test sites to show how the results vary slightly, but are in the same order of magnitude. See the chart below.

A broadband speed test will give an indication of raw transfer speed. However, overall Internet performance is affected by more than just the bandwidth.

Internet file transfers are broken into small packets for transmission. If there is a problem with any packet, then it can be retransmitted. Any larger file transfer will involve some retransmitted packets - but how many? More failed packets mean poorer upload and download performance.

Try the PingTest from your computer. I had pretty good results!

One of the easiest ways to improve your PC's performance is to add more RAM memory. The typical user is stopped by these questions:

• How much memory do I have now?
• How many memory slots do I have?
  
• How much more memory can I add?
• What type of memory should I buy?
• How do I install the new memory?

This memory vendor, Crucial Technology, wants to sell you that memory. They do a free scan for you with no obligation or effort on your part. Simply click the link for the memory test, and follow the simple instructions. You don't provide any personal or contact information.

Go to Crucial.com and click the "Scan My System" button to check out your memory options and begin memory scanning.

All online virus and malware scanners are not the same. All are interested in selling you their security software. Some will do a free scan, but require you to download and install their "free" testing software. There are some relatively easy ways to check computer security with an online virus and spyware scan.

F-Secure - F-Secure does an online scan that can take 15 minutes or more. They look for malware, spyware, etc. The online file virus scan of my PC took 5 minutes, and put up a big red X announcing 13 infected files, which turned out to be benign tracking cookies.

HouseCall by TrendMicro - HouseCall downloads a small module and then runs the

online virus file scan for you. The scan of my PC took 4 minutes.

The best bet is to have installed good and up to date virus protection.

Your PC is very likely behind one or more firewalls. Your router most likely has a built in firewall. Your PC may be running a software firewall like the Microsoft Windows firewall. However, these firewalls are adjustable, and you may be surprised to find that you have port vulnerabilities.

Some virus attacks will turn off your firewall!

The site AuditMyPC.com offers several tests including a firewall security test. This free network security test scans your ports and gives you a report of the test results.

IP stands for Internet Protocol. Any device that is part of a local area network has an IP address; that includes PCs. routers, network printers, etc. This IP is also known as an Internal IP address. An Internal IP address might typically be something like 192.168.1.100.

In the World Wide Web, your local area network can connect with mine, or Microsoft's or HubPages. What allows the Internet to work is that each local area network has one unique address that defines it on the Internet. That address is also known as an external IP address. Your local area network is assigned a unique address by your Internet Service Provider, aka ISP. Most home and home office networks have a dynamic IP address. That is, your IP may assign you a certain IP address today, but might assign a different IP when you connect next week.

So what is your IP address? Sometimes it is useful to know what address your ISP has assigned to your router today. A helpful site, whatismyip.com, gives you instant feedback when you go to that URL. This cool site also gives useful information on IP, DNS, DHCP; the alphabet soup of acronyms used on the Internet.

This article suggest several safe online scans. However, some online scan offers can be dangerous, as they are designed to trap the unwary. I use online scans for myself, family, friends and clients, but I take precautions, and so should you.

• Be wary of an unsolicited offer to scan your PC.
• Know the vendor or site, or check them out before using free scans.
• Be familiar with the way your PC security software alerts you, so you can spot a fake alert.
• Don't click links from unsolicited Email.
• Don't ever provide "verification" information like account number, login, password, pin number. People who ask you to provide this information are likely up to no good!
• Be skeptical of "free" offers. Free things are good, but some bad people use the word "free" to cover a trap.
• Use Norton's Safe Web service to checkout a suspicious URL (see below).
  

Norton hosts a service that scans questionable URLs and renders an opinion on how safe it is!

Norton Safe Web asks you for a URL (web site address), if it has been scanned an opinion is rendered: Safe or Warning or Caution or Untested.

An opinion by Norton's Safe Web covers things like: viruses, drive-by downloads, malicious downloads, worms, suspicious applications, suspicious browser changes, security risks, heuristic viruses, adware, trojans, phishing attacks, spyware, backdoors, remote access software, information stealers, dialers, and downloaders.

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