98lite

  • Thread starter Thread starter mike ring
  • Start date Start date
There is a generosity of passionate detail available in Fred Vorck's
approach to removal of msie components.
Click to expand...
http://www.vorck.com/remove-ie.html
Click to expand...

That's a pretty nice page and starting point. Editing .ini files? I
would have thought the registry was the keeper of components.
His project is for w2000, and he recommends nLite for XP. Btw, his ref
on the $litepc.com company:
http://www.vorck.com/ie-cleanup.html
Click to expand...

| [...] one night when I realized that since no one else was doing an
| IE remover FOR FREE that works BOTH before installation AND after and
| PUBLISHING THEIR SOURCE and licensing it under the GPL, then **** it,
| I might as well do it. Some people were still using the free 98Lite
| (from which the intentionally obfuscated, uncommented source can be
| extracted), but that program is not designed for Windows 2000. It
| damages IE, but it doesn't delete everything else listed above.
Click to expand...

Great read! Thanks Karen.
 
I can only say I used Ieradicator before knowing about 98lite (but only
a few months back, when I tried firefox)and it did no noticeable harm.
Click to expand...

My try was back not too long after 98SE came out. I dunno what
happened.
I think you can get too fanatical about removing IE, one source advised
simply removing it from all menus, de-defaulting it, and forgetting it.
Click to expand...

That's true, fanaticism isn't healthy. I do recall one exploit that
used the IE files, even though IE was not used as the browser. It's
simply target number one, due to real fanatics that like to pick the
code apart looking for holes for fun.

Then there is Outlook Express and other secondary targets. I like the
page Omega listed, where all of these targets can be removed. I've
never used OE, and I set it to be removed after any setup. It's not
really a clean removal though and out of principle, the owner of the
software license should have full control of what is and is not placed
on the disk.
Can't help there, my experience on deputy box has been entirely positive
- if I can find a W95 disc (gave mine away with first computer), I'm
going all the way
Click to expand...

Sounds very promising, and the concept is very interesting!
I didn't want to go to XP, and I gave up on linux - let's just say I'm
too dumb (and kinda ensitive to wander into the bearpits they call linux
groups again)
Click to expand...
I think 98SE is good for the foreseeable future, all the software I can
envisage is out there, and I'm sticking until something revolutionary
happens - like a linux magazine with a coverdisc that boots, installs
updates, modem and sound work, (fer gawd's sake I can't even make
timidity work in linux, and it's a linux prog, goes a treat in windows
after you've kicked ini and cfg around the floor for a fortnight or so)
AND doesn't take eighteen months to boot, shut down, or open any
app..... (oh god, I started, didn't I?)
Click to expand...

Haha. I have gotten pretty good at linux installs from just trying
different packages. I feel comfortable now installing the beast. I
don't have a modem that will work though and that limits what I can do
greatly. I still am daft at manual configuration and such. I'm
impressed with some of the packages coming out. They pretty much
configure themselves where possible. It is still easy to feel very
dumb, like kicking a tire when looking at a used car or something.
I just try not to dwell on that. It would be much easier if someone
who knows linux could help out from time to time. That's how I got a
grasp on DOS. The help files looked like gibberish back then.

While chipping away to learn linux, I'd feel great if the major
components that can and have been exploited could be cleanly removed
from any version of Windows. All I wanted to BUY was a stable and
secure operating system.
 
REM said:
That's true, fanaticism isn't healthy. I do recall one exploit that
used the IE files, even though IE was not used as the browser. It's
simply target number one, due to real fanatics that like to pick the
code apart looking for holes for fun.
Click to expand...

i'm a Firefox / K-meleon type of guy, but i often use IE since many
sites are geared towards that. i've been looking at ways to harden IE.
for a while, Qwik-fix Pro was free but now it's $35. i'm fairly
impressed with it so far. there is still another free HIPS (host
intrusion prevention system) called Prevx Home. Prevx may well help to
defeat some IE exploits.
While chipping away to learn linux, I'd feel great if the major
components that can and have been exploited could be cleanly removed
from any version of Windows. All I wanted to BUY was a stable and
secure operating system.
Click to expand...

you might look into HIPS and system hardening. there are Microsoft and
NSA guides for the latter (free). i suspect a lot of exploits could be
stopped at the perimeter with a NIPS like snort_inline (free of course)
but that would be a major chore to write definitions.

linux can be a major pain in the butt, but for surfing and doodling it
is more secure than Windows (partially due to containment at user
level). Windows likes programs to run as admin (analogous to suid root)
while linux has many apps that are installed at user-level and don't
have root privs. there are also a lot of ways to harden a linux
workstation, for which there is no easy analog on Windows.

different strokes for different folks.

michael
 
mike said:
I think 98SE is good for the foreseeable future, all the software I can
envisage is out there, and I'm sticking until something revolutionary
happens - like a linux magazine with a coverdisc that boots, installs
updates, modem and sound work, (fer gawd's sake I can't even make
timidity work in linux, and it's a linux prog, goes a treat in windows
after you've kicked ini and cfg around the floor for a fortnight or so)
AND doesn't take eighteen months to boot, shut down, or open any
app..... (oh god, I started, didn't I?)

mike
Click to expand...

i think Ubuntu, Mepis, Knoppix, Redhat clones, and SuSE are approaching
that. a lot of stuff was auto-detected back when i used SuSE 8.1 (two
years ago). Knoppix (and Damn Small Linux which) do great at
auto-detection.

i spend a bit more time with maintenance on Windows (generally) than on
linux. however, to add new features or configure things, linux often
takes more time and often requires wading through buttloads of docs.
Windows often has the answer within it's help pages or a quick Google.

the various newsgroups for linux can be rather brutal. often the
loudest cretins are just aliterate technicians, and due to their total
lack of creative thought simply berate others. projection and
overcompensation issues. i personally don't think rote memorization and
much of linux adminstration have anything to do with intelligence. just
killfile the idiots and find nicer forums like Vector linux web forum.

to a newbie, i'd suggest watching distrowatch and waiting for a new
release of linux variant. then give it a couple of weeks to see if
there are any major issues with the release, then install it. i'd
suggest something like SuSE, partially because i have used that
personally. also invest a few bucks in documentation like Dummies Guide
to Linux or Oreilly's entry-level book, although there are free
alternatives like TLDP and RUTE.

michael
 
i'm a Firefox / K-meleon type of guy, but i often use IE since many
sites are geared towards that. i've been looking at ways to harden IE.
for a while, Qwik-fix Pro was free but now it's $35. i'm fairly
impressed with it so far. there is still another free HIPS (host
intrusion prevention system) called Prevx Home. Prevx may well help to
defeat some IE exploits.
Click to expand...

I haven't heard of these before. It looks like Quick-fix Pro is still
freeware:

http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4335.html

Author: Pivx
Date: 2004-10-07
Size: 1.6 Mb
License: Freeware
Requires: Win NT/2K/XP
Downloaded: 6824 Times

"Qwik-Fix Pro uses Active System Hardening to protect Windows desktops
and servers against new threats by blocking the underlying
vulnerabilities exploited by worms and viruses. Qwik-Fix Pro protects
from hundreds of specific worms and viruses and safeguards PCs from
falling victim to the next worm or virus before vendor security
patches become available. Qwik-Fix Pro™ users were protected in
advance from Sasser, MSBlaster, SoBig.F, and even the recent Scob and
download.ject worms."


http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4033.html

Author: Pivx Solutions
Date: 2004-10-07
Size: 1.5 Mb
License: Freeware
Requires: Win 9x/ME
Downloaded: 10156 Times

This is something I'd expect MS to do...
you might look into HIPS and system hardening. there are Microsoft and
NSA guides for the latter (free). i suspect a lot of exploits could be
stopped at the perimeter with a NIPS like snort_inline (free of course)
but that would be a major chore to write definitions.
Click to expand...
linux can be a major pain in the butt, but for surfing and doodling it
is more secure than Windows (partially due to containment at user
level). Windows likes programs to run as admin (analogous to suid root)
while linux has many apps that are installed at user-level and don't
have root privs. there are also a lot of ways to harden a linux
workstation, for which there is no easy analog on Windows.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tips!
 
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