As above - dug out an old Asus 901 netbook earlier for my daughter to do her homework on.

 

Still running XP as I never got round to installing Linux on it.

 

Seems OK though and has done a few updates stragely.  I've run a Malwarebytes full scan etc. and all came back clean but have just noticed Microsoft Security Essentials appears broken (starts up but won't let me do anything and the last update and scan were late 2013 / early 2014 apparently!!!!!).  Obviously I can't just install a new version of MSE with it being XP so what free / light on memory AV do people recommend?  Panda / Avast (not AVG - had that before and won't again!)

i find Avast works very well, even the free version

 

John

Avira is pretty decent

Panda often gets poor scores in review tests, I use Avast and am pretty happy with it. I agree about AVG though, it became very buggy and NEVER worked properly on my XP system after SP3. (clean install and fresh download.)

You can use mse if you do a registry hack to make windows update think it's a wepos system. I still do on an old laptop that runs a couple of specialist printers.

Cheers guys - may give avast a go. Currently seem to have sorted it though by removing malwarebytes dowloading the latest updates and installing manually then changing the MS antimalware service to auto start. Will see how this goes after a full scan and a restart...

In my opinion I would wipe it and put an up to date OS on it. It may not have a virus now but if the OS is not correctly patched regardless what antivirus you have this will leave it vulnerable to exploits. 

 

Having AV on a Windows XP machine is like leaving the gate open with the gatekeeper stood there, he can only take so much.

You can use mse if you do a registry hack to make windows update think it's a wepos system. I still do on an old laptop that runs a couple of specialist printers.

 

You can use mse if you do a registry hack to make windows update think it's a wepos system. I still do on an old laptop that runs a couple of specialist printers.

 

 

In my opinion I would wipe it and put an up to date OS on it. It may not have a virus now but if the OS is not correctly patched regardless what antivirus you have this will leave it vulnerable to exploits. 

 

Having AV on a Windows XP machine is like leaving the gate open with the gatekeeper stood there, he can only take so much.

 

I also use the WEPOS reg hack, and get regular patches and security updates on my XP netbook. M$ are committed to doling out these updates until 2020, making a mockery of the campaign to force people off of XP and on to Win7/8/10.

 

BTW I HAVE tried Win7 on the netbook, but Intel dont do Win7 drivers, and the makers dont either, so no hardware acceleration or hot keys, and a 25% speed hit on an already slow machine.

I have used AVG, Avast, Panda and Comodo in the past.

 

I'd probably say Avast is the best of that bunch. Same comments as GG in #4 tbh. AVG buggy and Panda a bit crappy. Comodo I never really used in anger for long.

 

Might be worth checking your ISP and bank sometimes they will give out free AV software to customers.

 

I'm using McAfee right now because it comes for free from Plusnet.

I also use the WEPOS reg hack, and get regular patches and security updates on my XP netbook. M$ are committed to doling out these updates until 2020, making a mockery of the campaign to force people off of XP and on to Win7/8/10.

 

BTW I HAVE tried Win7 on the netbook, but Intel dont do Win7 drivers, and the makers dont either, so no hardware acceleration or hot keys, and a 25% speed hit on an already slow machine.

Linux it is then!

A Lightweight Linux probably would do the trick.

Yep - Linux is the end answer for them when I can get myself in gear to sort it (actually them - there are two 901 netbooks in the house) and find some suitable software for homework duties (MS compatible) - suggestions welcome for LINUX distro and software...   But they don't get used often given we also have three tablets and a desktop.

 

In the mean time any links to a 'trusted' WEPOS hack for me? - I've got another three desktops on XP in the family that I could use it on prior to going for 7 (my theory is that most hackers will have moved onto 7/8/10 by now and be leaving XP alone...   but aware this is a risk which is why I'm keen to keep something on them).  Touchwood we've never had an issue thus far (there you go I've jinxed it now!) but aiming to switch to 7 as and when (need to be compatable with work).

XP is still pretty popular so I'm afraid you've a few years to go before you can rely on Security by Obscurity.

 

Win98 might be worth trying for that ;-)

I didn't even bother with a lightweight distro on the old laptop, I just put Linux mint cinnamon on, it's no rocket ship, but it's by no means objectionably slow.

OK so am I right in thinking the WEPOS hack fools Microsoft into thinking the system is running Windows Embedded POSReady 2009, a variant of XP that's used by ATMs and cash registers that will continue to get security updates until 2019???

 

If so I am I right in what I've read that all XP users need to do is create a text file with the following contents:

 

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\WPA\PosReady]

"Installed"=dword:00000001

 

Then, change the file extension from “.txt” to “.reg,” and run the file in Windows Explorer, after which opening Windows Update should reveal any security updates???

Last I read Microsoft were looking at closing the epos work around unless it truly was an epos variant of windows and disabling components of windows not part of the epos versions.

They'll know by your licence number what version it was originally

I havent booted my 901 in 6 months, it is purely a holiday machine these days -  so I dont know if they have or not; I doubt if they will bother though; they got most of the casual users off of XP and only the hardened few are left, and I expect MOST of us will go Linux if WEPOS is blocked.

 

Libre Office is available for Linux, and does pretty much everything Office does, and can use the same file formats AFAIK, I havent really played with the Linux version much (yet).

I'm running Avast on all 3 OS and no problems

I can get you AVG full edition normally costs £29.99 a year for £18 a year if your interested

 

...and it is fully legit

Edited 16 November, 201510 yr by Dean

XP is still pretty popular so I'm afraid you've a few years to go before you can rely on Security by Obscurity.

 

Win98 might be worth trying for that ;-)

 

 

I had to setup smb scanning to a win2000 box last week.  It had been a while.

Thanks for the advice us... I'm all up and running again now with some manual updates and tweaks.