ESET

[Skuzzy]

what ghost or mirror programs you recommend?
(make a bootable copy[on another HD] of current HD)

I never use them.  I have never had to be worried about viruses or such things.  If you block the attack vectors, then they cannot get planted on your computer to start with and that is my approach.  So far, so good.

[Bizman]

well like skuzzy said, the virus people cant attack a clone drive.

Exactly. As long as it's not attached and active.

A clone is as vulnerable as the original when it's being used. But yes, having a fresh virus free clone at hand is a very safe approach. Remember, though, that creating one takes an hour or so and it has to be made relatively often. Daily, if you're using a POP3 e-mail reader without saving copies of your mail on the server or if you save other stuff regularly. Basically everything you've saved after you've created a backup clone will be lost in the worst scenario. But losing a day's work doesn't hurt as much as losing everything.

There's backup programs that only copy changes which makes backing up faster. In case you managed to backup the virus, too, I suppose there's an option to choose a "clean" date to roll back to.

[mikev]

Any anti-xxx program is only as good as its last update and even then, it will immediately be behind again.  They are always one step behind virus creators.

The best defense is a well configured computer being used by a disciplined user.

 Another great tool is Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware, https://www.malwarebytes.org/mwb-download/ which I recommend running in any case.



Good luck!
[/quote]

an excellent solution. i have save several systems using just this 1 tool.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

My method of 'blocking' is that I only use Windows for games and games only. OSX I use for daily office and multimedia use (it's still pretty safe as long as you stick to software from the app store) and linux for servers / 'dangerous' browsing.

[Lab Rat 3947]

thanks for all the replies.
my computer is 7 years old & I use XP Pro. I have 2 HDD run as RAID0. Risky, I know, but it supposed to be the fastest for gaming, so I have been told.

I'm going to doing my first build in a few months and going to Win7 Ultimate 64 bit.
I already have the OS and will be buying the MOBO & chip next. Will be going with i7 4790K.
Still trying to decide which MOBO to use, prob ASUS Z97.

Anyway, I just need to keep the old one going for now. I'll probably just reformat and load my original OS which XP PRO sp2.

thanks again everyone 

[Skuzzy]

Unless you kept all the updates, you will no longer be able to get them from Microsoft as they have stopped providing them for Windows XP.  So once you reload the OS, it will be more problematic getting things to run right.

[DREDIOCK]

Get yourself a flash drive and on a separate machine DL "Rkill" and "Combofix" And Malwarbytes Antimalware

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/rkill/

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/combofix/

https://www.malwarebytes.org/

Copy them to your desktop and run Rkill first Then combofix. If it wont let you run then do it in safe mode.

Combofix typically I've found gets rid of all but the most difficult stuff.

After you have done that. Run malwarebytes. Then your AV (in this case ESET)

[Bizman]

Unless you kept all the updates, you will no longer be able to get them from Microsoft as they have stopped providing them for Windows XP.  So once you reload the OS, it will be more problematic getting things to run right.

I never thought I'd have to say this, but you're wrong. As of this very moment I'm installing automatic updates for XP. They just stopped providing new updates a little over a year ago. Windows/Microsoft Update works, too. I don't believe the update policy were country specific.

[Kenne]

I never use them.  I have never had to be worried about viruses or such things.  If you block the attack vectors, then they cannot get planted on your computer to start with and that is my approach.  So far, so good.

nice.
where is your tutorial for such defense?

[Skuzzy]

I never thought I'd have to say this, but you're wrong. As of this very moment I'm installing automatic updates for XP. They just stopped providing new updates a little over a year ago. Windows/Microsoft Update works, too. I don't believe the update policy were country specific.

Oh good.  I have no XP systems left to test with.

They will stop providing those updates.  They always do.

I am surprised they are still providing them.  Once they kill the auto-update, they will be available, for a short period of time, on the manual download server.  After that, they are gone.

[DREDIOCK]

I get updates for XP as well. But the only thing MS seems to be offering automatic updates for is the malicious software removal tool

[Bizman]

I get updates for XP as well. But the only thing MS seems to be offering automatic updates for is the malicious software removal tool

That's because you already have all updates installed. No new updates for XP since April 8th 2014. I recall reading somewhere that the providing MSRT for XP will also end this June or July.

But if you undid the last updates, they would soon appear in the automatic updates. At least for now.

[LTCClark]

If you are needing an update pack for win xp I have every single one and service packs as well as a couple other things .

The first thing you should do is NOT allow anyone to use the windows.xp installation be used to browse the web and use software you are not sure of.
I have not had a virus because of this .

Send me a PM if you need the disks

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