Antimalware, firewall, and other security programs for Windows XP working in 2023 and hopefully beyond

[Dave-H]

Glad to see that you had the same end result as me, with the file from Softpedia.
I was going to try again with it myself, but I won't bother now as I know now that I will just end up with the same version 22!

Although I didn't try installing without an internet connection, I too had noticed that despite the size of the 'offline' installer, it still actually downloaded the installation files, presumably the 22.03.05 ones!

I suppose the next thing to try is using that 'offline' installer file on a Windows 10 installation, to see if it does the same thing.
I'm speculating that maybe version 23 does not actually support Windows XP, so if the installer detects XP it installs version 22 instead.
Just a thought.

[NotHereToPlayGames]

I'll test in a Win10 VM.

It really is the *BEST* way to TEST.  You can try all the "uninstaller" programs you want, you will find that installing/uninstalling "frequently" has a tendency to "F Things Up".

Keep that baseline VM and only install into clones, DELETE the clone when done testing.  This approach is the GUARANTEED *ONLY* approach to ***NEVER*** F anything up!  

[NotHereToPlayGames]

Also, as another "teaching lesson", monitoring your TEMP folder is generally a MUST during ANY "install".

It's also a great way to get (and archive) the "real" installation file(s) even if using a tiny "stub" that downloads the "real" installation files.

In general, as long as you do NOT close the "stub" or pull from TEMP folder "while" it is running, then you can copy the "real" installation files from TEMP before the "stub" deletes them.

[NotHereToPlayGames]

The same exact v23 *offline* installer when ran in Win10 *ALLOWS* for an OFFLINE installation.

In XP, the *Offline installation* checkbox is disabled so you are forced to use the offline installer as a "stub" that downloads v22!

 

XP:

 

 

10:

 

[NotHereToPlayGames]

one moment, ran out of space to allow copy-and-paste screencaps...  bad news, that means all previous screencaps will be deleted (my time is too valuable unto myself to use any image hosting services, sorry, just 'fact')...

[NotHereToPlayGames]

The same exact v23 *offline* installer when ran in Win10 *ALLOWS* for an OFFLINE installation.

In XP, the *Offline installation* checkbox is disabled so you are forced to use the offline installer as a "stub" that downloads v22!

 

XP:

 

10:

[Dave-H]

I always raid my Windows temp folder for installation files when doing an installation with an online installer.
I usually do it when the first 'do you want to continue' prompt comes up, as many installers immediately delete the temporary files when the installation ends.
I've got hold of many files which work as offline installers that way!

Well I think that proves the theory.
You can't actually install version 23 on XP, only version 22!

That 'offline installation' checkbox was there when I installed version 21, the first one I installed.
I wondered why later versions didn't offer it, now I know, it won't offer it on XP.

I assume that you did actually get version 23 on Windows 10.

I do hope this doesn't mean that Panda are soon going to drop XP support for Panda Dome.
I suppose as long as the version I've got still gets the equivalent of pattern updates, unlike Malwarebytes 3.5, it's not a problem.

[NotHereToPlayGames]

9 minutes ago, Dave-H said:

I assume that you did actually get version 23 on Windows 10.

Yes.  Not in LTSB 2016, but yes in 24H2.

In 2016, it "installed" but attempts to open the GUI resulted in an "exception error".

At what version of 10 did the "exception error" get fixed is unknown.

I've already deleted the VM clones.  I could reclone/reinstall if screencaps are required.

Basically, I know enough at this point that my "real hardware" XP will *not* be getting Panda Dome (it may not get ANY antivirus, to be perfectly honest, it's just for out in the garage).

[NotHereToPlayGames]

33 minutes ago, Dave-H said:

I do hope this doesn't mean that Panda are soon going to drop XP support for Panda Dome.

Technically, THEY ALREADY HAVE.

"We" are only able to get it installed by using programs that are not part of XP, how many of even us MSFN Geeks truly consider that route to be "supporting" XP?

And the "exception error" that I was getting in LTSB 2016 indicates to me that they don't support "Win10", but rather only "new Win10".

[Dave-H]

Yes of course, although I only seemed to actually need HTTPSProxy to get my Panda account on the GUI of version 22, and not at all with version 21.
There was no interaction with the Panda servers recorded at all in the proxy console with 21.
The updates, and activation of the Essential upgrade, seemed to work without using the proxy even with 22.

[AstroSkipper]

4 hours ago, Dave-H said:

There was no interaction with the Panda servers recorded at all in the proxy console with 21.

I can't confirm this statement.  When I installed Panda Dome 21.01.00, I was only able to activate the Panda account with the help of ProxHTTPSProxy, using the necessary proxy settings in Panda. Connections to Panda's servers were immediately visible in the proxy console. 

[AstroSkipper]

@Dave-H Do you regularly maintain your proxy? For ProxHTTPSProxy to function properly, it must be maintained. From time to time, the Certs folder must be emptied, and the cacert.pem file must be updated. Only then will it function properly and can connect to the Panda servers. Then you will finally see the connections established to their servers. 

Edited 2 hours ago by AstroSkipper
Update of content

[Dave-H]

When I first said that I'd installed Panda Dome 21, and you mentioned HTTPSProxy as being necessary for it to connect on XP, the first thing I did was to look at the proxy console.
There were no entries for Panda servers at all, and the program seemed to be working perfectly, connected to my account and activated.
How it worked without it, I have no idea. The Panda Dome proxy settings were still on their defaults, whatever they are.
I have the proxy set to work system-wide, but it would surely have recorded something in the console if Panda Dome had used it.
I have never emptied my Certs folder, or updated cacert.pem, and I've been using the proxy now for several years, as you know!
It seems to still be working perfectly.
What would be the symptoms if it wasn't because I hadn't done all that.
My Certs folder has 4,145 files in it BTW!

Edited 2 hours ago by Dave-H
Addition

[NotHereToPlayGames]

I can report that Panda Dome 21 does indeed install on a 100% Native XP+POSReady2009 (ie, *no* HTTPSProxy, *no* ProxHTTPSProxy, *no* Proxomitron, *no* Cert Updates of any kind, IE never even launched until the Panda installer launched it!).

And it also offered the OFFLINE installation checkbox (which I selected during install).

This is a completely updated XP+POS, immediately after install of OS (plus all OS updates/hotfixes) *only*.  Completely virgin XP+POS.  It did not get a different version of Panda that needed uninstalled first in order to install v21.

Edited 1 hour ago by NotHereToPlayGames

[NotHereToPlayGames]

I can't get it to ACTIVATE on 100% Native XP+POS.  The ACTIVATION may be where HTTPSProxy becomes a must.