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Windows XP Tips and Tricks

kevin

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Full-disclosure: I wrote the article linked below so if you think that is inappropriate, sorry.

The article is mainly about securing Windows XP after installation, plus some tools I've found useful. Mainly posting this to get other's thoughts.

http://db.tidbits.com/getbits.acgi?tbart=08502

Interest among Mac users in running Windows has expanded significantly recently. This article is intended to help new - and perhaps even long-time - users of Windows with a few tips I've learned over the years of suffering at the help desk of a Windows-using corporation.
 
Nice article. I pretty much knew most of that, but then I've been using Windows for years.

You mentioned some really good programs, I thought. I knew of all of them, but had forgotten about the Grisoft AV. Thanks for reminding me to go download it.

I thought of a couple programs I like, 7-Zip and Irfanview. I don't know about you, but I run into other compressed files like .rar. And personally, I think Irfanview is the best image viewer/manipulator ever. But that's me. :D

BlackCat
 
http://blogs.zdnet.com/Spyware/?p=802
Click to expand...

This 'Spyware Quake' is really a pest, I've had it on my machine few days ago and I lost few hours to remove it. Avast 4.6 Professional warned me of a danger and removed some file, Spyware Doctor removed too some of its files, I uninstalled manually 'Spyware Quake 2' (installed automatically by the malware) but the annoying display 'your computer is infected' (it hijacks the security system too) continued to appear in the notification area...Finally I made a system restore to a point when the spyware was not on the machine and I ran 'Counter Spy' (slow, but it detected a Download Manager which was still not removed). I read later that 'Counter Spy' is able to do the whole job, removing altoghether the malware. Good idea to warn people of this pest.
 
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Excellent list of software Kevin!!

If you haven't tried StartupMonitor you might want to give it a go.

StartupMonitor is a small utility that runs transparently (it doesn't even use a tray icon) and notifies you when any program registers itself to run at system startup. It prevents those utterly useless tray applications from registering themselves behind your back, and it acts as a security tool against trojans like BackOrifice or Netbus.

StartupMonitor does not require Startup Control Panel, but it complements it nicely. When you choose not to allow a program to register itself, the program's entry becomes disabled in Startup Control Panel, so you can go back and enable it later if necessary. StartupMonitor watches the Start Menu's Startup folders and the Run entries in the registry.
Click to expand...

One further thing I've done to secure my WinXP box is to prevent IE from connecting to the net. I use two methods to accomplish this:

1. block access via my software firewall.

2. using a proxy server with an IP address of 0.0.0.0

I've been using Firefox for about two years now and I can honestly say I have not gotten any spyware on my system during that whole time. :jaw-dropp

In fact, I run 4 systems connected 24/7 and none of them have any spyware. I like it that way.

RayG
 
BlackCat said:
Nice article. I pretty much knew most of that, but then I've been using Windows for years.

You mentioned some really good programs, I thought. I knew of all of them, but had forgotten about the Grisoft AV. Thanks for reminding me to go download it.

I thought of a couple programs I like, 7-Zip and Irfanview. I don't know about you, but I run into other compressed files like .rar. And personally, I think Irfanview is the best image viewer/manipulator ever. But that's me. :D

BlackCat
Click to expand...

I tried Irfanview once, but for reasons that escape me now, I didn't care for it. I've been using ACDSee for image sorting, basic manipulation etc for years, and I think it's the best. But that's just me. lol :D

What I would really like is to find a way to stop XP from defaulting to thumbnail view whenever I want to save an image. I really, really hate when it does that! I neither want nor need XP to use thumbnail view under any circumstances, as a matter of fact. :mad:
 
Another handy feature included with WinXP...NTBackup. NTBackup is the free backup utility that comes on Windows Server 2000/2003. It's included in XP and while a little spartan, is a fully functional backup utility. Allowing Full/Differential/Incremental backups to be run to disk. These in turn can be written to CD's for a little extra backup peace of mind.

To use it just go to Start - Run and type in ntbackup and hit enter.
 
voidx said:
Another handy feature included with WinXP...NTBackup. NTBackup is the free backup utility that comes on Windows Server 2000/2003. It's included in XP and while a little spartan, is a fully functional backup utility. Allowing Full/Differential/Incremental backups to be run to disk. These in turn can be written to CD's for a little extra backup peace of mind.

To use it just go to Start - Run and type in ntbackup and hit enter.
Click to expand...

I totally meant to mention this and it slipped my mind. I wanted to mention it in comparison to Apple's Backup program. XP's is free while Apple's requires a .Mac account ($99 a year!). But Apple's is way easier to use and with the .Mac account gives you offsite backup.

You can also get to it via Start...All Programs...Accessories...System Tools...Backup, but that's like a hundred clicks.
 
kevin said:
I totally meant to mention this and it slipped my mind. I wanted to mention it in comparison to Apple's Backup program. XP's is free while Apple's requires a .Mac account ($99 a year!). But Apple's is way easier to use and with the .Mac account gives you offsite backup.

You can also get to it via Start...All Programs...Accessories...System Tools...Backup, but that's like a hundred clicks.
Click to expand...

Technically it's only two clicks, anyway I don't appear to have 'back up' in 'system tools'. Could be that I just decided to give it a miss during installation, or maybe it's only a feature of XP pro?
 
Oolon Colluphid said:
Technically it's only two clicks, anyway I don't appear to have 'back up' in 'system tools'. Could be that I just decided to give it a miss during installation, or maybe it's only a feature of XP pro?
Click to expand...

I do have XP Pro so that could be. I don't have ready access to a XP Home installation to check.
 
I have both Pro and Home, and I can confirm that the backup program is only on Pro. I tried both ways to access it from Home (typing ntbackup and in the System Tools folder) and they don't work.

Edit: I double-checked another computer running Home, and for some reason, that one has the backup program. I have no idea why, though. I can't figure out what's different between them.

BlackCat
 
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NTBackup is on XP Home, but it's not installed by default. You can get it by putting your XP CD in the drive and going to the valueadd\msft\ntbackup folder then double-clicking ntbackup.msi. That will set it up for you.

It works very well.
 
Upchurch said:
I've got the ******** on my machine now. I'm checking out Counter Spy now. Thanks.
Click to expand...
I had some serious problems getting it installed. I eventually had to create a clean profile and log into it in order to get it loaded. But, let me tell you, Counter Spy not only did the job, but it found a few things I didn't even know was there.
 
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