Computer lifespan

[Alan L.]

You're right about running virus protection software, but if someone will direct me to one that just checks emails for viruses and otherwise stays out of the way and does not (a) slow my system down and (b) cause GPFs and page fault errors because of conflicts with my REAL software, I will be happy to install and run it. So far I have not found such a package. I do use Zone Alarm on my office PC (on a T1) and its seems to behave pretty well.

I have gotten worms and viruses before and it was a pain, but the particular software combination I use at work just will NOT run with any virus protection software running, that I have tried. The symptoms are illegal operations (page fault errors) and times when the system seems extremely slow to perform certain tasks. I can disable the virus protection software (lately it was Mcaffee) and fix the problem immediately.

Alan L., TX

 

[scruffy]

Alan, are you running it on a networked machine? Does not your server run a virus protection scheme? There are very viable network capable anti-virus programs for networks...McAfee has one (a very good one) for interprise application.
I realize you said you were just running McAfee, but my question was it the Interprise version? (If you are networked through a file server, etc.)

 

[Bird]

Got an e-mail this morning that Norton SystemWorks 2002 is out of stock, on back-order, and will be shipped when the stock becomes available./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif No guesstimate as to when that will be.

Bird

 

[StoneHeartFarm]

Scruffy,

I hope it didn't sound like I was jumping down your throat. I knew you weren't suggesting its good to not use a virus program. I just wanted to clarify your point for posterity. There's an awful lot of people that read these posts, and we're not always sure every one of them understands what we're discussing. (Besides which, I'm paranoid as heck about this). So, I apologize if you felt like I was jumping on you.

I've heard that both the cable and DSL modems can have real problems with hacking. I'm not sure I understand why these types would be more interesting to hackers than standard connections. Something to do with security protocols? Different ports open?

MS has more access to the system? In what way? I pretty much figured they had access anyway.

I realize it's the Great American Way to crush competition, but I sure wish Red Hat luck. Part of MS's problem is that they DON'T have any competition so they can pretty much do whatever they want.

BTW, just read an article on the upcoming 64 bit chips. Looks like Intel and AMD are at it again. AMD's chip will run 32 bit applications off the old 86 code. Intel's will not. It's the DDR vs Rambus fight all over again.

SHF

 

[scruffy]

Bird, go to http://www.symantec.com/product and you can download a trial version of the antivirus software. That will hold you until your 2002 arrives!

 

[Bird]

Thanks, Scruffy, but this computer came with Norton AntiVirus; just not the other parts of SystemWorks. I'd been running Norton AntiVirus on the old computer, too, and I do regularly update it.

Bird

 

[scruffy]

AlanL, check into Symantic Mail Gear at:
http://enterprisesecurity.symantec.com/content/productlink.cfm#0
It is designed just for mail.

 

[scruffy]

SHF, the cable and DSL modems have the good 'constant' connection. It is using the same ports, AND pretty much static IP addresses. Therein lies the problem. With the dial in modem, your are assigned a different IP address at every connection, but with the DSL and cable modems, its always the assigned address. The hacker has a constant target that he can come back to time, and time again. W/O a firewall, you are leaving yourself wide open to having your system broken into....it's so easy that the proverbial baby would be crying because the candy got stolen! On the VAX networks, I've had hackers spend days with a program that makes a 'hit' every second or two, trying to break in. Uncle Sammy's little security team set there tracing the attempts, don't know the final outcome, as business went on. My son's gamer got hacked several months back, because he kept shutting the firewall down (complained it slowed down his internet games), he learned WHY I insisted he keep it up and running.
M$ has security holes big enough to drive a truck through, ME is bad enough, XP is much worse.
WINME took away many abilities from the user, and XP takes away much more in the management of the O/S. I am in a situation right now, where I need to flash the system bios chip with updated bios software, mine has an error that does not recognize a UDMA drive. I can't, due to M$' removal of the ability to format a floppy with system files (i.e. format a: /s in DOS, OR "copy system files only" switch under My Computer/drive/format) I've got to go 'borrow' the computer I sold to a friend that has WIN98SE on it to make the disk, whereas I can delete the autoexec.bat and config.sys files, load the update exe file and bin files on it to create the flash update disk.
P.S.- I didn't take you wrong. I had reread what I posted, and realized it sounded ambiguous at best. The 64bit bus issue is going to be a battle, but personally, I will opt for the flexibility of AMD's approach.

 

[scruffy]

Alan, VCatch Virus protection works on email and downloaded files only. You can read up/download (if you wish) at:
http://download.cnet.com/downloads/0-10093-100-4892595.html?tag=st.dl.10014.list.10093-100-4892595

 

[scruffy]

Another reason not to like IE 6.0 OR IE 5.5SP2 . Look at the article on this link: http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/zd/20010831/tc/ie_unplugged_1.html