Best 'ware to stop registry changes ... ?

[null]

You should try Windows 2000 someday. Windows 98 is solid as a rock
provided you don't fool around too much with it, but Windows 2000 is
very noticeably more robust especially when you are dealing with
unresponsive and rebellious applications.

But you know me, Frederic, so you know I fool around something awful
with my OS And I d/l and try out all kinds of stuff including
installs of av software. Win ME is far better in my experience that
Win 98 original was. I did have some problems on '98 with versions of
Netscrape as I recall. But '98 wasn't really bad. My main problem with
the cheap '98 PC I had was the mother board which couldn't handle the
rated 100 mhz bus speed, and I had to settle for 66 mhz or get random
freezes. But you can't blame hardware problems on the OS.

In my experience avoid XP like the plague. It doesn't even come close to
Windows 3.1. ;-)

I've surmised it's junk.


Art
http://www.epix.net/~artnpeg

 

[phn]

[...]

Linux is free of Registry worries ...

Any Windows user who 'migrates' to Linux would undoubtedly inherit a
myriad of new issues they'd have to deal with.

Personally, sticking with Windows is the preferred option, ensuring, as
i do, that i have an adequate mix of clue and software to secure my
machine against malicious or nuisance invasion.

Preferred, why? Although i would 'enjoy' the 'challenge' of a move to
Linux, as i'm self-employed, i can't afford to for all sorts of business
reasons.

On a personal level, i have found the 'help' that is available for
newbies moving to Linux to be of a "try it and see" ilk, and nothing
substantial as that which you can receive with Windows due to latter's
dominance of the market place, and the variety of builds available for
the former.

You are free to spend your time wherever you like, as well as using
your favorite computer system. So am i .

Your experience is what is says "Yours". Noone can take that from you.
Other people might have other experiences that in one way or another contradicts
yours.

My experience ( FreeBSD fw running :

uname -a

FreeBSD fw.hk.ipsec.se 4.7-RELEASE FreeBSD 4.7-RELEASE #2: Fri Nov 15 23:10:35 CET 2002 (e-mail address removed):/usr/src/sys/compile/fw i386

w

6:38PM up 634 days, 6 mins, 1 user, load averages: 0.00, 0.00, 0.00
USER TTY FROM LOGIN@ IDLE WHAT

yes, 634 days, still counting. The OS used is 2 years old, still no
vulnerabilities in the services started (one).

Installation time ~3 hours, about 10 rulechanges done during that time,
each done in 30 s with "fwbuilder" ( GUI to ruleset download).

About the same can be said about the 2-digits numbers of machines i administer.


Now, what did you say about "secure my machine against malicious or nuisance invasion." ?


As you see we all have different experiences. Express your and allow other
to express their. Then let the questioner decide.

 

[leo vegoda]

[...]

The reason for trouble is thick people using computers, and the
trouble is usually confined to their own box.

There's a difference between not being computer literate and being
thick.

 

[Frederic Bonroy]

But you know me, Frederic, so you know I fool around something awful
with my OS And I d/l and try out all kinds of stuff including
installs of av software. Win ME is far better in my experience that
Win 98 original was.

No idea - I have never used ME and frankly I don't regret it. I have
heard more horror stories than success stories about it. ;-)

If you get the opportunity to try 2000 someday, do it. It's not as
convenient as 98 (or ME I suppose) but it's very hard to shoot down.

 

[Tx2]

[...]

As you see we all have different experiences. Express your and allow other
to express their.

I thought i had .....

 

[Dave J]

There's a difference between not being computer literate and being
thick.

Yeah, not being computer literate involves not being able to configure
the OS, not being able to use complex software, not knowing the
difference between a packet and a port..

Being thick involves using a computer, when you've heard about these
dangerous virus thingies, without reading up on it and finding that
you can avoid 98%+ of them by not using the malware that calls itself
outhouse excuse and internet exploiter. Both easily replaceable by
anyone that can spell well enough to use a search engine (also part of
general knowledge by now)

I confess, I shouldn't have been so extreme as to call them dimwitted,
but that is how it looks to me and I have a rabid objection to the
current social trend of making things safe for the incompetent rather
than merely insisting that one either gains bare minimum competency or
evolves out.

People reaching for the middle ground by saying that they "don't
understand people who have control of their own computer whenever they
use it" (or words to that effect) irritates me.

What he meant (I think) is that he doesn't understand the fact that
idiots are not advised to keep themselves inside a straitjacket. If
he'd said that then I would not have objected, it was his suggestion
that *no one* could *possibly* want to control their own machine that
irritated me.

Apologies for extremity of POV, it touched a nerve.

 

[Tiny Tim]

Have been looking at the Ad-Watch offering for Ad-Aware, but as i
can't seem to get it to keep the changes i allow, i have given up on
it.

Everytime i start the system, MSN is making changes which i have to
allow in Ad-Watch each time ... am i doing something wrong?

Is there an alternative, recommended solution that will prevent
spy/malware from altering my registry that i can use, and that will
retain the settings i authorise/disallow?

I'm not opposed to paying for the software, so don't necessarily want
a freeware solution.

I'm surprised not to have seen Spybot mentioned yet in this thread. It has a
systray program called Tea Timer - don't ask me why - that monitors
attempted changes to the registry and requests permission. In my experience
it seems to remember allowed changes well enough if you tick the box.

Spybot is normally a good belt to go alongside Ad-Aware's braces. I use both
to scan and Tea Timer to monitor. I do not use Ad-Watch as it is too
intrusive.