Amazing XP Tools to Arm your PC from Hackers

Tech Dune ^ | oct 9 | Tech Dune

[george76]

Hackers have newer methods to hack into your systems.

They are smart enough to detect security loop holes in your PC and enter through open ports,unencrypted Wi-Fi connections,malicious websites or internet servers.

It is better you check your PC periodically for invasions and protect your system to prevent pilfering and damage of data.

Detecting security loopholes.

Eliminating malicious programs.

Tracking hackers .

[antiRepublicrat]

core duo vs. celeron... blah, for browsing the web/email/posting on fr..

If you're happy with it, then there's not problem. You just can't compare it to a Mac mini. Apple just doesn't sell in that market.

[Charles Martel]

It's funny to see people with superiority-complexes built on buying obscure operating systems.

Just recently I saw a bold proclamation that "Amiga OS5 will be better than Mac OSX", or some such. WooHoo! Five or more years of vaporware.

If this version doesn't require proprietary hardware, I might be convinced to try it. I'm not interested in feeling "superior", though - I just enjoy tinkering with computers. Unless a new OS is functional by today's standards, with all the 3rd party support that entails, it's DOA.

Perhaps the Amiga guys will take the lead from Commodore... and embrace the future (or at least the present!):

[JoJo Gunn]

Quix, give Knoppix a look as well, if possible. I just like Knoppix's look and feel better. Knoppix and Kubuntu is pretty similar, actually, at least to me, so my recommendation is more instinctive than anything else.

I used Knoppix to read an XP hard drive that wouldn't boot, and copy files to DVD's and flash drives. That's the main extent of knowledge about Linux, but this complete noob did it, and with no "sudo" crap in the way.

[Quix]

THANKS. Will consider it.

I just know I’m sick . . . retching ill and exasperatedly disgusted with Microslop.

[Old Professer]

It’s 2:10 now, what is the current version?

[JoJo Gunn]

I too am tired of them, for their antagonism towards honest customers, which is why I'll run ME until it's threadbare.

Here's a working direct link for the latest Knoppix CD iso, 5.1.1:

ftp://ftp.cise.ufl.edu/pub/mirrors/knoppix/KNOPPIX_V5.1.1CD-2007-01-04-EN.iso

(That link's the one I had used, and a Knoppix diagnostic that you can run on bootup showed no errors).

[Yaelle]

bumping - could be useful

[Quix]

Thanks much.

Yeah, given all their money and brainpower, there’s NO EXCUSE for the way Microslop has abused customers so outrageously for so long.

Sounds good.

[petercooper]

bttt

[Mannaggia l'America]

Also, always make sure you've got the latest version of Java, since older versions are exploitable.

Or simply uninstall the Java runtime if you don't need it - many times, it is not needed at all.

[djf]

Alot of people get their jollies beating up on ME.

But I have ME on almost all my boxes, dual boot with W2K SP4.

The reason? That stupid screen you get from W2K at boot time if he doesn’t like some kind of change you made.

ME was really quite stable if you had the right drivers.
Security sucked, though.

[musicman]

"Yeah, given all their money and brainpower, there’s NO EXCUSE for the way Microslop has abused customers so outrageously for so long."

[Quix]

Almost too true to be funny.

Great cartoons.

Thx.

[JoJo Gunn]

I've never had big problems with ME either, not that it's perfect. I had a head scratcher a few months back with Nero 6, with GPF's almost every time you opened the ADD screen. Finally figured out that it had something to do with grabbing the right hand corner and resizing the window, so I leave it alone and it works just fine. That's the biggest problem ever, and it was solvable.

ME does all I need. Not a big gamer, don't run Photoshop, but can run most anything that isn't bloated or poorly coded, and we both know tons of crap like that exists for XP too.

[TChad]

</i>It’s 2:10 now, what is the current version?</i>

It’s asymptotically approaching version 10.

[Calvinist_Dark_Lord]

Quix, give Knoppix a look as well, if possible. I just like Knoppix's look and feel better. Knoppix and Kubuntu is pretty similar, actually, at least to me, so my recommendation is more instinctive than anything else.

Knoppix is a good distribution, that's for certain. i use the live DVD for diagnostic/repair/recovery work, but it is bloody difficult to install if you want to use it as a regular distribution.

Knoppix is a fork of Debian Linux, which is a more "pure" Linux (uses no proprietary software at all). Debian doesn't have a graphical installer, and can be a challenge to a Linux neophite.

KUbuntu, also Debian-based, is much easier to install, and can give life to an older system...it's not as resource heavy as Windows...that you thought was long gone.

[Quix]

Ahhh.

Thanks for the added detail.

I’d best go with Kubuntu. My 5 year old current system is disintegrating in chunks, it seems. I’ll be glad to give it a decent “burial.” May be able to save some hard drives out of it.

I have all new video cards etc. of a different company—NIVIDIA sp? etc. coming on the new Gateway. Not sure what I’ll do with the ATI video and SOUND BLASTER sound cards that are less than 8 months old.

Had thought of using the old tower as a HD bank . . . not sure how difficult that would be. Any ideas or input on that?

I think the drives are mostly IDE. But umpteen dozen gigabytes worth. And some of them are less than 9 months old.

[dyed_in_the_wool]

I do wonder why someone would pay SO much for the same Intel hardware just for OSX when you can get a “windows” pc with the same core2duo guts and put ubuntu on it....for half the price.

Common fallacy...take a close look at the specs on an OS X machine...the actual chip set, not just the clock speed, or the graphics card, etc. Apple's hardware is all top quality stuff that is well tested and tightly integrated. I had a neighbor said he got the 'same' core2duo on his laptop as a MacBook for half the price. I checked his specs against what's in a MacBook and he got rooked. There's a lot more to a computer than clockspeed.
And having run Ubuntu (and currently MEPIS), the included software with OS X for productivity IS that much better. Don't tell me how sweet amarok is. I've run it. It's nice.

[JoJo Gunn]

Glad you said that. Had thought of installing it to tinker and learn, seeing as the CD loaded up so well on machines old and new...

[JoJo Gunn]

Quix, admittedly I've had so much computer stuff running through the brain that I didn't elaborate on something said earlier about checking Knoppix disc integrity after the burn. With Ubuntu and Kubuntu you immediately get some choices, on whether to install or just load from CD, and to check the disc, etc, selectable with the arrow keys and Enter.

With Knoppix, either you hit Enter to load, or you'll find a slew of choices under F2 and F3. You'll also see a cursor at the very bottom, just like for DOS, and you can type knoppix testcd and hit enter, and the test will run. It'll take a few minutes, so you can walk away if you want, and if there's no errors, Knoppix will wait for you a few moments and then go on and load up.

After looking at those three types again, I agree with Dark Lord to go with Kubuntu, but if you can, get Knoppix too for the repair abilities.