Is your computer safe

[vigneshvh]

Do you think your computer is safe and performing well
just answer the questions and think wether your computer is safe or not
1.is your system is virus protected
2.is your system is performing to its configuration
3.is your operating system is oiginal,
just check it and think it how much of questions can get yes as answer

[DimaYasny]

and?

[caperjack]

and is there is a point to this post ,yes there is ,there is indeed ,it is, Make you computer secure it is .as you will see ,is ,is the thing to do to protect the computer you is using right now
http://aumha.org/a/quickfix.htm

[uwiuw]

i like your definition of safe and it's all important. but how do you know that your operating system are original ?

[DimaYasny]

an OS doesn't need to be original to be safe

[coolraj003]

But the OS does need to be original for you to be safe unless ofcourse you dont mind going to jail for sometime and pay huge fines because of software piracy. But as Dima says OS doesnt need to be original to be safe. I would not agree with that entirely cos in case of windows you wont be able to update it if its not original which means the latest security patches are unavailable leaving your computer open to threats but then again there are other ways to make it secure. M sure there are free security programs which might do a better job than the MS itself to keep ur PC safe.

Regards
Raj

[DimaYasny]

legality of the OS is not the issue here. in my experience MS has put out quite a few updates that actually corrupted the system or provided some new security hole.

so if you absolutely must run windows instead of a more secure OS, just use proper firewalls.

as for the updates availability - it is very easy to run a minimalistic linux distro in a virtual machine on windows, and on that linux run an emulation of WSUS, which will take updates from MS offsite without any trouble.

[caperjack]

If you have a product key that starts with FCKGW then you have a Devils own copy of xp,And it is not true that you can't get updates with un-orignal winxp,The winxp Devils own as it was called now has a key that will pass Microsoft's genuine test and update anyway you want to update it .its out there just google search for it ,and all you need to do is Slipstream in sp2 and the latest updates and your off !to Jail i guess if previous poster is correct!

[DimaYasny]

as I said, legality is not the issue here. there are quite a few ways to crack anything made by MS :)
but will that be secure?

I have been running XP 2002 version, no updates or SPs at all for 5 years without any problems. The system is behind a soho router and has agnitum outpost firewall installed. works much faster than anything new and updated, considering the hardware it uses.

[uwiuw]

hei, do you know why some notebook can not be installed non-original windows ? just wonder...thanks

[DimaYasny]

of course! because it wants to run linux :)

[caperjack]

of course! because it wants to run linux :)

lol

[caperjack]

hei, do you know why some notebook can not be installed non-original windows ? just wonder...thanks

makes no sense ,i have seen it done ,what errors do you get when trying to install it .

[bobbyraw]

if the laptop comes with a hidden partition you might have problem installing anything else but the restore cd.

[caperjack]

if the laptop comes with a hidden partition you might have problem installing anything else but the restore cd.

i load regular winxp on older laptops all the time ,I remove the recovery partition.

[jbennet]

Common sense is key.

99% of viruses/spyware are caused by peoples stupidity e.g downloading "updates" (Viruses really) from emails supposedly from Microsoft or clicking official looking popups

[caperjack]

stupidity,is a strong word for it ,more like they just don't know any better,gullible ,naive .I know Educators who use a computer like a 2 yr.old!!Actually worse than a 2 yr old .

[vigneshvh]

i accept your approach but small correction if you want to be a secured user you should be a geniune user of your operating system ,so that you can get extra protection from your operating system,you can upgrde your os any time if it is original to get more advanced features than a pirated

[jbennet]

i agree.

Pirated systems generally have SP1 so are easialy botnetted

[DimaYasny]

and sp2 is unbotnettable?
guys, this whole updates business is only good for new features, which are usually much better implemented by 3rd part software anyway

I've never recommended updating XP to my customers unless they have no better protection

[coolraj003]

I think XP would not let u install a few things unless you have SP2 installed. I found it out on one of my mates computer i was trying to fix as he was unable to get USB2.0 drivers to install and Active Sync4 or 5 i dunno. SO there are some resrtiction that MS place for the dodgy XP users. Unless you have an original copy of windows i dont think you can install SP2 on XP.

Do correct me if i m wrong.

Raj

[DimaYasny]

you are wrong. SP2 is downloadable directly from MS offsite, as a separate installation package (276Mb), no validations or checks.
also, most packages do install on SP1 and even SP0

[jbennet]

the network installation for it professionals one.

[coolraj003]

SP1 can be installed on to a dodgy copy but didnt find SP2 getting installed but then again I never tried the MS Offsite thingy..whatever that might be anyways. And as Jbennet say it is the network installations for IT Professionals then its outta my scope of knowledge as i don't consider myself to be anywhere close to IT Professional as yet...

Raj

[jbennet]

its easy, its just an huge windows installer package

[coolraj003]

so what i understand out of what you and dima say is you can install sp2 on dodgy xp copy and MS Offsite provides it. Why would MS do such a thing as obviously it doesnt create any revenues for them and making people benefit rather than them. How did this happen I mean MS woul dnever allow such a thing. Unless MS in MS Offsite doesnt mean Microsoft.If it is something MS is doing via their own website than I think I might have found a wee bit respect for that company in my heart now. Please tell me they are not the ones who are doing a good deed...please
Raj

[DimaYasny]

offsite = official site.

MS is pretty happy that people use pirated windows copies at home, since it creates a client base of people used to windows in businesses. and MS is even happier when people use pirated software at businesses, because that gives them huge amounts of money in legal fines, and creates loud processes advertised all over the world, and those frighten bigger potential pirates.

there was a story about RedHat actually being happy with CentOS on the frontpage here, this is more or less the same case

[jbennet]

but centos isnt a pirate

[DimaYasny]

centos is a copy of rh, minus the logos. that's basically all they do - replace logos and maintain the repos :) and that actually gives redhat business, since any serious company can try out centos, decide it is good for them, and then go and buy redhat for support

[jbennet]

oracle are doing it but in a bad way for RH

Oracle ubreakable is a copy of CentOS, oracalised, and with support thats cheaper than RH