Malware/Adware/viruses causing havok

[ShaidarHaran]

Standard meaning no potential alterations to the disk. You have to know, seeing your claims as having so much experience, that disks from companies like Dell and HP are often modified for whatever reasons. For instance many Dell disks use to not require a serial when being installed on Dell systems, recall the first cracks for Vista? They worked off whatever the trick was (I've forgot it now) by tricking the disk into thinking the system was a specific model. So yes, any standard non-altered disk should work. I've never seen this not be the case.

You said this:

There isn't a sticker on the PC? Compaq, and other OEMs, are required to put one on the computer. Also, your ideas of how the key will only work with that disc are wrong. Any Windows Home disk will work just fine.

I'm not going to debate you if you're going to change your argument at-will.

The corrections you have made to your argument are fine, there is nothing further to debate. Your initial comments needed these additions in order to be correct, however, and it was your initial comments I took issue with.

/end of discussion

 

[ShaidarHaran]

What does she use her PC for?
If it's just browsing, email, simple docs, music and videos then just download a good linux distro and install that

LOL, and spend the rest of his life answering her phone calls "how do I do this? what does this mean?"

I doubt it

 

[Mize]

LOL, and spend the rest of his life answering her phone calls "how do I do this? what does this mean?"

I doubt it

Yeah, right. Long time since you've used Linux, eh?

 

[Skrying]

Yeah, right. Long time since you've used Linux, eh?

I actually agree with Shaidar on this one (omg!). You're going to have to find replacement programs for so many potential areas. Yes, there are ones out there for Linux but they're often missing features or need a complete relearning experience. Take for instance a instant messenger client. I use Pidgin myself but it doesn't work with many features for the various networks. OpenOffice isn't even close to a replacement for Office. How about iTunes? How about common codecs? Yes, there are alternatives everywhere on Linux but finding them and installing them can often be a extremely painful experience. What about when she goes to buy a printer? She can't follow the installation instructions and if the OS doesn't have the driver or even worse it needs a few extra install steps... it's just painful. I try Linux about once a month. I like to check on the progress of a few distros and see if they've actually made any advancements... and they really don't. I could use one easily but I don't want to use one and that says a lot. Making a user change everything is not a solution to this problem.

 

[Mize]

I'm on Linux exclusively for about 18 months. Yes, I have MS Office under wine for critical stuff, but what does the average home user need? They don't even own MS Office! Itunes? please.

 

[AlphaWolf]

I'm on Linux exclusively for about 18 months. Yes, I have MS Office under wine for critical stuff, but what does the average home user need? They don't even own MS Office! Itunes? please.

The average home user probably cares more about MSN working than office.

 

[Skrying]

I'm on Linux exclusively for about 18 months. Yes, I have MS Office under wine for critical stuff, but what does the average home user need? They don't even own MS Office! Itunes? please.

Mize, you can't play down iTunes. You do realize how popular iTunes is, right? iTunes is massive, people think they can't use their iPods and iPhones then, and while that might not be true someone still has to tell them that and even then it's not supported by Apple and where will they get music from then? Yes, these are all easy for you to answer but that's my exact point. You know computers and where to go for solutions, these people don't. They rely on people who do, and frankly I don't want to be the tech support for my friends and family.

When your average person buys something at Best Buy for their computer it includes instructions on how to connect it to a Windows computer and sometimes a Mac. Hardly ever do you see them for Linux, and that's a very big issue.

Office might not be the best example but to me it's a big one, no other package comes even close to how good Office 2007 is. But, still there are so many issues with Linux that even me as a enthusiast and person who's spent many hours repairing hundreds of computers I can't stand to work in Linux, it's just such a massive hassle and pain.

 

[Mize]

I buy online but Amazon is a better deal IMHO since you get the frickin' song in a non-proprietary format. Oh well.

heading down south next week to recover my sister's XP machine for the nth time. So much for Trend being a great anti-malware suite.

 

[Scott_Arm]

What does she use her PC for?
If it's just browsing, email, simple docs, music and videos then just download a good linux distro and install that

No thanks. I'd only install Linux on her pc if someone offered me a large sum of cash for doing so.

 

[Mize]

No thanks. I'd only install Linux on her pc if someone offered me a large sum of cash for doing so.

Interesting. All her problems are from malware but why be malware free when you can do this all over again in a year. I had to boot to my win partition to get some old files recently and realized just how slow my Core Duo could be when running a pig OS. I have uptime of 18 months + on my laptop and over 24 on my server. But hey, windows runs itunes!

 

[Scott_Arm]

Interesting. All her problems are from malware but why be malware free when you can do this all over again in a year. I had to boot to my win partition to get some old files recently and realized just how slow my Core Duo could be when running a pig OS. I have uptime of 18 months + on my laptop and over 24 on my server. But hey, windows runs itunes!

I'm not gonna get in an argument about windows vs linux, but I'll say that my XP hasn't had a hint of malware in 3 years. Once I have her setup, she shouldn't have any issues and I'll train her on how to scan for malware/adware and set her up with a good virus scanner.

 

[Skrying]

Interesting. All her problems are from malware but why be malware free when you can do this all over again in a year. I had to boot to my win partition to get some old files recently and realized just how slow my Core Duo could be when running a pig OS. I have uptime of 18 months + on my laptop and over 24 on my server. But hey, windows runs itunes!

Wow. I didn't think you'd act so ignorant about it but whatever. Windows doesn't attract malware, users being stupid do. Yes, whoever is using your sisters computer is doing things they shouldn't. I run Vista without any anti-malware software and I don't have a single issue and I'd gladly run any piece of software to show I have 0 on this computer beyond the everyday tracking cookie (big whooooopie do). I don't ever have to reboot my system either because of some stability issue. Such things only happen to those who don't know how to handle a computer.

 

[Scott_Arm]

So, is there a consensus about me reinstalling xp using her compaq key (if it's on the case or I can read it out of the registry somehow) and a standard retail disk (non Dell etc)?

 

[Skrying]

So, is there a consensus about me reinstalling xp using her compaq key (if it's on the case or I can read it out of the registry somehow) and a standard retail disk (non Dell etc)?

In my experience this works every time, but I'm learning lately computers are magical beasts with which experiences vary wildly.

 

[Scott_Arm]

It's been three years or so since I installed Windows. Question: Does it install and then ask for the key and activate immediately?

I'm wondering if I could set up virtual box with virtual pc or something and check to see if it would actually accept the key for installation without activating. The key is already activated against her pc.

 

[Skrying]

It'll format and then during the install it'll ask for the key, once it's installed and running Home will activate from inside Windows. You might have to call Microsoft if the activation doesn't take.

 

[Scott_Arm]

It'll format and then during the install it'll ask for the key, once it's installed and running Home will activate from inside Windows. You might have to call Microsoft if the activation doesn't take.

So, in your experience if I were to use the compaq key to install from a retail disk to a virtual pc, and it accepted the key at that point, do you think I'd be safe to proceed with the installation on her pc and activate?

It would really suck if it accepted the key for the install but wouldn't activate.

 

[Skrying]

So, in your experience if I were to use the compaq key to install from a retail disk to a virtual pc, and it accepted the key at that point, do you think I'd be safe to proceed with the installation on her pc and activate?

That's hard to say, I've had keys take multiple times over and keys need a call in. Nothing really consistent.

 

[Scott_Arm]

That's hard to say, I've had keys take multiple times over and keys need a call in. Nothing really consistent.

Is it a big hassle to call microsoft for something like this? I've never had to call for activation.

 

[Skrying]

Is it a big hassle to call microsoft for something like this? I've never had to call for activation.

I haven't had to call in for activation since a bit before the release of Vista but it really wasn't that bad. The activation process for over the phone has you give them a 25 length key/letter that's provide by the activation program and then they'll give you a new code for the activation program. It was a out sourced call center before but just the general "P as in Paul" thing.