Will using an older operating system lower your chances of Viruses?

[Atmosphere XG]

Think of it like this:

You use Nod32 right

Would you install Nod32 and run it without updates? No? Why? (Because it's just f'in dumb is why)

You are correct.

But the fact that is was Windows XP SP3, the most updated XP version available that gave me the problems, I do have to sit back and wonder here. Everything was up to date and it failed constantly. Nod32 did it's job. I'm just surprised the amount of the attacks Windows XP gets over Windows 2000. I've reinstalled Windows XP 4 times in four months as I would have done 98 in 4 years.

Which leads me back to thinking what the chart states. The most dominating operating system may get the most Viruses and least used will get a very small amount. Kinda like Internet Explorer vs Opera.

[Atmosphere XG]

win 2000 IS in the spotlight! XP is built off of it and Vista is built off of that and no one would argue that XP/Vista arent a target for virus/malware authors. More oten than not, when a major security hole is found in a Windows OS it has been there for ages. rarely is a major hole discovered that was introduced because of a security update! I don't know how I can explain this clearer!

You know, nevermind. I cant believe im actually having to make a case for something that is accepted practice for 99.99% of the IT world. If you want to strip down and run naked right through a patch of rose bushes and expect to not get harmed, why the heck should i try to stop you?

I understand your point of view and, thank you for trying to explain the risks.

I am not a Windows XP Internet user. I use it primarily for music production which all Internet functions are disabled. I spent 10 years (9 on Windows 98, 1 on Windows 2000) on older operating systems for the Internet that offered very little issues within that time period as far as Viruses is concerned. I cannot just put that aside when I am constantly encountering viruses on Windows XP SP3 within a 4 month period upon first installation.

From an IT Standpoint you make logical sense and again I thank you for sharing your thoughts.

However, from a user standpoint I'll just need to take the risk for I am tired of re-installing XP. If Windows 2000 fails using Nod32 on my 500 MHZ Celeron within a months time, I'll at least know it was a issue on my end. If doesn't I'll search if for Sata drivers and install 2000 on my Pentium 4.

Edited November 26, 2008 by Atmosphere XG

[cannie]

Let me see if I can change the title.

You only need to go to your first post, click "Edit" and you will find the title box open to rectify it.

About security, Windows 98 is not open of course to viruses which demand the use of NT. Under Windows 98 I've eventually got the message "kernelnt.dll not found". It was a virus for NT and the OS had acted as an antivirus.

But technically XP is no doubt a better OS and keeps having MS support, and that's why I chose to be a doublebooter. I am happy with my decision. Now I use XP by default, but Windows 98 makes me feel totally secure.

I keep updated .rar files of Program Files, Documents and Settings, Windows (XP) and Windows (98), saved on a CD. If eventually XP doesn't work totally OK for any reason I boot Windows 98 (normally using a floppy containing only a copy of Io.sys and Command.com, and the C:\root Autoexec.bat, Config.sys and Msdos.sys files), delete all presumably affected folders (most frequently only C:\Windows\System32\Config) and rebuild them from scratch.

I can delete the whole Program Files, Documents and Settings and Windows (XP) folders and rebuild all them from scratch by using a DOS .bat file in less than 4 minutes.

The only snag (not for me) is that you must use FAT32 and have the HD divided into 32 GB partitions. I use two external desktop hard drives to increase capacity.

Well, I can only say how I sorted out this problem. Maybe there are better ways, and it would be good to know them.

HTH

Edited November 26, 2008 by cannie

[Atmosphere XG]

Let me see if I can change the title.

You only need to go to your first post, click "Edit" and you will find the title box open to rectify it.

About security, Windows 98 is not open of course to viruses which demand the use of NT. Under Windows 98 I've eventually got the message "kernelnt.dll not found". It was a virus for NT and the OS had acted as an antivirus.

Thanks for the reply. Its experiences like that I've read from many 98 users. If my Pentium 4 were adaptable I would install 98.

But, it is an Intel 915 Chipset and, uses USB Keyboard/Mouse connections, with a Sata drive. All the things Windows 98 is unable to handle.

[alexanrs]

I have been using Windows XP SP3 (updated from SP2) in one of my main machines (used to be the only machine for quite some time) for about 3 years, never needed to reinstall it, and got infected only once: the pc is shared and the only user with admin rights besides me clicked in a popup. No need for reinstalling, though. Found a remover and in a minute I was good to go.

By the way, how did you use to trash your registry? I've never done it.

[Atmosphere XG]

I have been using Windows XP SP3 (updated from SP2) in one of my main machines (used to be the only machine for quite some time) for about 3 years, never needed to reinstall it, and got infected only once: the pc is shared and the only user with admin rights besides me clicked in a popup. No need for reinstalling, though. Found a remover and in a minute I was good to go.

By the way, how did you use to trash your registry? I've never done it.

Thanks for your input.

My registry trashing days were around 1999 - 2000 playing around with the root of Windows 98.

[CoffeeFiend]

using an older operating system lower your chances of Viruses?

The same way using a carriage is a great way to avoid engine problems, or that being Amish helps avoiding power outages, yeah.

Seriously, last time we've had ANY spyware/virus or anything, was in the pre-XP SP2 days. And I even let the kids be admins and everything else. No AV running or anything. I don't even understand how people manage to get those things anymore. They must be doing something terribly wrong for all that stuff to happen. Malware certainly doesn't just appear like that on your machine, it has to come from somewhere. My current main machine (running Vista x86) has never got any malware ever. The kids' XP install is around 3 years old, and I don't recall removing any malware from it during those years either. Those who always have to clean lots of malware or reinstall XP all the time ARE doing something wrong, no doubts about it.

[cannie]

By the way, how did you use to trash your registry? I've never done it.

If you use DOS it is very easy:

If your XP Windows directory is C:\Windows and works OK, you create this backup DOS batch file and name it i.e. Base.bat

___________________________________________________________________

@ echo off

md C:\Rescue

md C:\Rescue\Windows

md C:\Rescue\Windows\Repair

xcopy C:\Windows\Repair\*.* C:\Rescue\Windows\Repair

md C:\Rescue\Windows\System32

md C:\Rescue\Windows\System32\Config

xcopy C:\Windows\System32\Config\*.* C:\Rescue\Windows\System32\Config

____________________________________________________________________

You run it and this way you get a copy of all the XP registry affecting files, in a new folder named C:\Rescue.

To restore the whole registry using DOS you must first create a DOS batch file and name it i.e. Rescue.bat

______________________________________________________________________

@ echo off

DELTREE /Y C:\Windows\Repair\*.*

DELTREE /Y C:\Windows\System32\Config\*.*

xcopy C:\Rescue\Windows\Repair\*.* C:\Windows\Repair

xcopy C:\Rescue\Windows\System32\Config\*.* C:\Windows\System32\Config

_______________________________________________________________________

Then type:

Rescue

If you doubleboot XP/Win98 you simply have to boot Win98, position yourself in the C:\Rescue\Windows folder and copy/paste it on C:. When the system asks you if you want to replace files, you say Yes and that's all.

HTH

Edited November 26, 2008 by cannie

[alexanrs]

cannie

I know it is easy to trash it on purpose, but he said he did that acidentally, and I never trashed it like that even turning my Win98 setup upside-down

[bledd]

get a router

don't click on crap

that's a good place to start

[cannie]

cannie

I know it is easy to trash it on purpose, but he said he did that acidentally, and I never trashed it like that even turning my Win98 setup upside-down

I've misunderstood you both.

Well, after all maybe the .bats I wrote may be useful for somebody!

Edited November 26, 2008 by cannie

[alexanrs]

Well, maybe they will be useful ^^

get a router

don't click on crap

that's a good place to start

Actually, you can add to this list another basic item:

DON'T USE IE, SPECIALLY ON WIN98. Go for Firefox (SeaMonkey, Kameleon, etc...) or Opera

Edited November 26, 2008 by alexanrs

[herbalist]

9X might not be targeted by as much malware as XP, but don't make the mistake of thinking it isn't targeted. A lot more malware targets applications than before, and not just Internet Explorer. Recent vulnerabilities in Adobe Acrobat and FlashPlayer work on 9X systems. Other member here have sent me a copies of trojans that behave very much like a rootkit on 9X systems. The files, registry entries, and the process itself are hidden from conventional tools. Not all the malware writers have forgotten 98.

The same way using a carriage is a great way to avoid engine problems, or that being Amish helps avoiding power outages, yeah.

That is a serious exaggeration. 9X would be more like an old vehicle that still used a carburetor and points instead of fuel injection and electronic ignition. They needed more maintenance but when they were tuned well, they performed just as well as the modern engines. Just like an old engine, tuning them was half the fun, especially if they had a big 4-barrel.

Those who always have to clean lots of malware or reinstall XP all the time ARE doing something wrong, no doubts about it.

That holds true for most operating systems. Most of the instances I've seen of users having to repeatedly reinstall their OS are due to their not having control over who uses that PC or what they do with it. I used to maintain a PC for a disabled woman whose kids and their friends didn't care what they did to that PC. At least one of them knew enough to make it a real battle, uninstalling firewalls and AVs so they could deliberately install porn (with dialers) and P2P apps, usually Kazaa. When I installed and set up SSM, I finally won that battle.

9x stayed relatively secure for 3 reasons:

1. lack of always-on internet connections available at the time prevented machines from being infected remotely

2. number of PC with an always-on internet connection made running botnets much harder and far less effective

3. 9x's complete lack of remote access technologies (this is the only thing that keeps 9x looking secure these days)

That may have been true when 9X was the recent OS. Only the 3rd applies now. On XP having many of those remote services turned on by default was a big mistake. Most users never used those "features". A user that's knowledgeable enough to set up remote access or administration would also be smart enough to turn on the service.

By the way, how did you use to trash your registry?

It can happen. A poorly designed malicious page, An install that goes bad. A power failure during an install (a cat that pulls the plug out of the wall by playing with the wiring).

I've managed to trash a 9X registry without actually trying. I don't remember what I was installing but it went wrong and the PC wouldn't boot afterwards. Had to restore the registry. Some of my recent experimenting has destroyed the registry but I can't call that accidental.

If you really want to protect your 9X registry, make copies of the files after a good cleaning and optimizing, then use a batch file called from autoexec.bat to overwrite the existing files with those backups. This way, you'll boot up with a clean, optimized, and MRU free registry every time. Since most malware adds entries to the registry, this will defeat most of them. No matter what version of Windows you use, (with the possible exception of Vista) a registry backup is a necessity. A full system backup should be considered necessary as well.

[cannie]

9X might not be targeted by as much malware as XP, but don't make the mistake of thinking it isn't targeted.

Most of the possible problems under Windows 98 come from the easy access to its registry, which is by far less protected than in XP.

That's why since long ago I don't rely on the standard regedit restore procedure, but rather have a copy of the main files, obtained when everything goes OK, and rebuild them alltogether in case of need using a DOS boot floppy.

The bats I use are as follows:

To save them I use save.bat (I have Win98 in the D drive):

_______________________________________________________________

@ echo off

C:

md save98

md c:\save98\windows

xcopy d:\windows\*.ini c:\save98\windows

xcopy d:\windows\*.dat c:\save98\windows

attrib -h -r -s c:\save98\windows\*.*

________________________________________________________________

To restore them in case of need, using a boot floppy, I use rest98.bat:

________________________________________________________________

@ echo off

DELTREE /Y D:\Windows\*.ini

DELTREE /Y D:\Windows\*.dat

xcopy c:\save98\windows\*.* d:\windows

________________________________________________________________

Fast and reliable, you always know that the registry and ini files are totally correct, not leaving the restore work in the hands of regedit or any virus which might delete or alter any of them and the standard sysbackup copies.

Why a Windows folder into save98? It is to make easier the restore operation when using XP: you only have to position upon c:\save98\windows and copy/paste to D:\

HTH

Edited November 26, 2008 by cannie

[killerb255]

Atmosphere:

You might want to read the following:

http://www.fallacyfiles.org/noncause.html