Support and Troubleshooting

• Microsoft Help and Support (Knowledge Base) - searchable database of known problems and fixes for Microsoft products
• Microsoft TechNet - technical information for Microsoft IT professionals
• Microsoft TechNet Newsgroups - ask for help from other IT professionals about support issues
• Microsoft Downloads - update and support files for Microsoft products
• Experts Exchange - ask for help from IT professional experts
• TechRepublic - another good IT professional community
• Word MVPs - searchable FAQs pertaining to Microsoft Word
• MVPs Home - links to many pages created by Microsoft MVPs
• ISA Server Firewall and Cache Resource Site - information on Microsoft's software firewall server and its configuration
• If all else fails, Google it!

Anti-Virus

• Symantec Corporation - virus information, troubleshooting, definitions, cleaning utilities, online scanning, etc.
• AntiVir Personal Edition - free full-featured home use anti-virus solution

Spyware and Adware Removers and Prevention

• Microsoft Windows AntiSpyware (beta) - free spyware scanner with real-time protection
• Lavasoft Ad-aware - free for home use spyware scanner and remover
• Spybot Search & Destroy - free spyware scanner, remover, and preventative blocker
• SpywareBlaster - free spyware preventative blocker (blocks even more thoroughly then Spybot)
• SpywareGuard - free spyware real-time blocker (like an anti-virus program, but for spyware)

Hardware Resources

• nVidia - makers of high end graphics cards and some motherboard components
• ATi - makers of high end graphics cards
• VIA Arena - for motherboards with VIA chipsets
• 3Com - network hardware manufacturer
• Netgear - network hardware manufacturer

Other Useful Programs and Utilities (all free to use unless noted)

• WinZip - decompresses *.zip files, free to try for 30 days
• Foxit Reader - viewer for *.pdf documents. Opens much quicker than Adobe Acrobat Reader and uses less system resources.
• Google Toolbar - adds a Google search bar to IE, blocks pop-ups, and is free of spyware
• RealVNC - remote desktop utility, with Java website hosting
• Sun Java - Java virtual machine download, needed for many websites
• Zone Labs ZoneAlarm - software firewall
• Ethereal - network protocol scanner
• Memtest86 - memory tester
• Windows Memory Diagnostic - memory tester created my Microsoft
• Belarc PC Auditor - audits your PC's hardware and software
• IZArc - decompresses *.zip, *.cab, *.rar, and many other types of compressed files
• IrfanView - fully featured, easy to use, image viewing program

Proactive Wealth Management

• Wealth Management Midwest LLC, Dave Purdy - highly recommended personal financial investment advisor