Windows XP users: install updates?

krank · Post by **krank** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 3:14 pm

Moody wrote:
krank wrote:
Moody wrote:Another way to think of it....

If you get hit by a security flaw you decided to dismiss; one may find themselves in a very counter productive environment.
Okay, automatic updates it is. Thanks for your help.

I'd really like to check my system to see if the internet use so far has yielded any bad stuff. What would you suggest?
adaware and spybot seem to be the best ones going. Also the free AVG anti-virus is great with a small foot print. I guess , I will give you my full run down of how my system works and you can take what you need from that.

Your install should be gold if you have the slipstreamed version of XP with SP2 already. From there I install my anti-virus with the latest definitions. This is all before I connect to the internet to get any other updates and with SP3 out I would probably choose to insert a step of installing it before my anti-virus. (I have been running SP3 for a while with zero issues.) This should all happen before any connection to the internet or large LAN. At that point I connect to the internet and get all of the updates and configure my Auto Update settings. From here you can decide if you want to install your Office style products and get all the updates for that. Then I go ahead with my AL install and other software (VSTs, etc..) Once everything is how I like it I use Norton Ghost to take a snap shot. (No more bare bones installs =) Now comes the time to have fun.... I use a little shell script to set my computer into 1 of 2 modes. Mode 1 could be called music mode and Mode 2 could be called internet mode. Basically it just disables the network card and antivirus for music making time.

Hope that helps.

Thanks so much for your time!

Could you just explain the point of that last step (two modes)?

Moody · Post by **Moody** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 3:20 pm

krank wrote:
Moody wrote:
krank wrote: Okay, automatic updates it is. Thanks for your help.

I'd really like to check my system to see if the internet use so far has yielded any bad stuff. What would you suggest?
adaware and spybot seem to be the best ones going. Also the free AVG anti-virus is great with a small foot print. I guess , I will give you my full run down of how my system works and you can take what you need from that.

Your install should be gold if you have the slipstreamed version of XP with SP2 already. From there I install my anti-virus with the latest definitions. This is all before I connect to the internet to get any other updates and with SP3 out I would probably choose to insert a step of installing it before my anti-virus. (I have been running SP3 for a while with zero issues.) This should all happen before any connection to the internet or large LAN. At that point I connect to the internet and get all of the updates and configure my Auto Update settings. From here you can decide if you want to install your Office style products and get all the updates for that. Then I go ahead with my AL install and other software (VSTs, etc..) Once everything is how I like it I use Norton Ghost to take a snap shot. (No more bare bones installs =) Now comes the time to have fun.... I use a little shell script to set my computer into 1 of 2 modes. Mode 1 could be called music mode and Mode 2 could be called internet mode. Basically it just disables the network card and antivirus for music making time.

Hope that helps.
Thanks so much for your time!

Could you just explain the point of that last step (two modes)?

It is just the term I am using. Instead of manually disabling my wireless network interface and anti-virus, I use a little shell script. So I say there are two modes of use for my laptop. One being for music time and the other for internet time. Obviously there are numerous reasons to disable those things while making music. Hope that helps. (Everybodys computer is a little different so there may be other things one could add into the script to improve performance for music mode.)

krank · Post by **krank** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 3:22 pm

Moody wrote:Obviously there are numerous reasons to disable those things while making music. Hope that helps.

I can see how it would be distracting. Any technical reason that I should know about?

ewistrand · Post by **ewistrand** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 3:26 pm

You don't need to have automatic updates turned on; just check Windows update the second Wednesday of each month (which is when Microsoft posts new updates).

ew

Moody · Post by **Moody** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 3:28 pm

krank wrote:
Moody wrote:Obviously there are numerous reasons to disable those things while making music. Hope that helps.
I can see how it would be distracting. Any technical reason that I should know about?

Technical reasons; a couple of simple ones would be, wireless interfaces have been known to disrupt some monitors and other gear, anti-virus can place a lot of strain on your processor while running your music software. These things are not absolutely nescessary but, they seem to help my rig.

Moody · Post by **Moody** » Fri Oct 03, 2008 3:32 pm

ewistrand wrote:You don't need to have automatic updates turned on; just check Windows update the second Wednesday of each month (which is when Microsoft posts new updates).

ew

Except when they have an emergency patch or re-issue.

Although you are correct, it is not that big of deal if one is dilligent enough on there own. I seem to remember automation being a point why computers are is supposed to make our lives better. Although I could argue about that one all day long.

krank · Post by **krank** » Sun Oct 05, 2008 4:01 pm

Final question: what's the best free anti-bad-internet-stuff program? Or is it worth buying one?

twisted-space · Post by **twisted-space** » Sun Oct 05, 2008 4:50 pm

AVG isn't bad for a freebie but I think paid for products are better if your not really a pc tekky

http://www.eset.com/smartsecurity/

Free 30 day trial, I use it myself on 3 pc's and I've got a couple of clients using it, no problems it's low overhead and reliable (and not too pricey).
Whatever you do stay away from symantec internet security or the mcaffe equivalent, they will both cause you grief.