Rising Sun Downloaders A heads up :Virus's

[Graf Paper]

Anyone who has ever worked with Assembly programming will tell you that many anti-virus apps will have a nuclear meltdown over many common code subroutines.

Things like certain Registry edits, process hooking, DLL code injection, and heap insertions are all flagged by most anti-malware apps. The reason being that such legitimate functions are also used by malware. Unfortunately, this means you can't blindly trust any anti-malware app and have to be more tech-savvy to help weed out the mistakes.

False-positives have always been the Achilles' heel of anti-malware programs, especially when you have them set to use "Heuristic" scans for virus-like activity. That will increase false-positives by as much as 500%. Malware is hardly ever caught by using heuristic scans, so switching it off won't reduce your security level that much and save you some "Chicken Little" moments over many false-positives.

The method of using "signatures", code snippets as an identifying fingerprint, used to be very reliable but malware coders have gotten very resourceful in exploiting common kernel functions while anti-malware programmers have gotten lazy or too cautious by blanketing entire classes of legit kernel-level functions when creating these signatures. As a result, even signature-based scans will return a false-positive 2-3% of the time, on average.

You have to separate all the hype and business gimmicks from the facts and realize that no security app is bullet-proof or idiot-proof.

Anti-virus software has gotten so "dumbed-down" and intrusive that using it is almost as bad as the viruses they're meant to stop. All anti-virus software will slow down your system and reduce available resources. It's a trade-off for the protection you feel you need. Some are worse than others, where system performance is concerned. A few can also cause conflicts with software or games while a couple of well-known names can even break Windows.

I miss the days when shutting down your anti-virus software meant it really was shut down and not just hiding the GUI while it still has three or more processes running in the background. I also miss having the freedom to only enable the features you wanted instead of having no choice at all over some features.

As the saying goes, "Caveat Emptor", and it has never been more true than it is where computers and software are concerned.

[OrangeYoshi]

Very interesting speech there RR. I just have on more question. How in the world can they afford to do it all for free? Is it just that everyone else overcharges and it isn't really that expensive to do, or do they live of advertisements?

I sure don't have much love for Microsoft after this Vista crap he is putting me through. I can't even play SH3 anymore! (Although I have yet to buy the encore version.)

As for it being a resource hog, it would have to be giant hog to mess with my machine.

[RDDR]

Hey Rockin,

You definitely have my attention.Looking forward to the outcome.

Cheers,RDDR

[Rockin Robbins]

Yoshi, download Ubuntu Linux. You can run it right off the free CD you'll make. As a matter of fact, you can run Ubuntu Linux off a flash drive! Now you'll have a free operating system that in many ways is better and more secure than Windows. I KNOW it makes Vista look like a model T if you want. Mine looks like OSX, so it's kind of utilitarian, but all the appearance of Vista was copied from different Compiz variations available in Ubuntu before Vista hit the street. The cute rectangular, colored max, restore, minimize and close buttons were all available in June 2006 before Vista. I used 'em and discarded 'em, using something like the OSX look now.

Actually the Compiz compositing environment is much more entertaining than Vista, with the additional benefit that it and the Ubuntu operating system, plus ALL the software is free. Imagine if Ubi had the foresight to publish its games able to be installed on Linux systems. Then the question would be $200 for Windows or $200 worth of games for Linux?

Oh, Ubuntu runs twice as fast as Windows when running the same program. I run Firefox and Thunderbird when I boot Linux. They work just the same as they do on Windows but.... twice as fast. Linux is much safer than Windows. No worms, viruses, trojans, etc. Trojans could not call home because they would not have the administrator privileges to do so. When you upgrade Linux, you press one button. From central repositories of scanned, rated, safe, free and excellent software, your operating system, drivers and EVERY PIECE OF SOFTWARE on your machine are automatically upgraded in the background while you work or play. Unlike the Windows world, you only have to reboot once a month for kernel updates.

Where you might have to reboot Windows once a day, I can run Ubuntu for a month without ever thinking about having to because it is much more stable than any version of Windows, even my beloved XP.

How do they make money? You assume that Linux is a business. It is not. Asking how they make money is like visiting a model airplane club flying radio control giant scale models that cost thousands of dollars and asking "How do they make their money?" The question is not even relevant. Until the commercial game companies sell Linux versions of their games, there will have been very little commercialism there.

[Akula4745]

I have messed around with Ubuntu (not on my new machine yet) and it is super silky smooth... too bad we cannot run our games on it. As RR said... maybe someday.

I did want to recommend the solution for me which has been far better than any anti-virus software - Smoothwall Express firewall - www.smoothwall.org - its open source so its FREE... and it is the BOMB for network protection. Sure there are other options... but SE is stable and solid with clear controls. Take an old PC and load it up... then be shocked at the number of daily intrusion attempts you get (I was). Have not had any kind of trojan or worm or malware issue since I started using Smoothwall. Do yourself a favor and check it out...

[Rockin Robbins]

Originally Posted by Akula4745

Have not had any kind of trojan or worm or malware issue since I started using Smoothwall. Do yourself a favor and check it out...

OOOOOOOOO! Sounds great. I've been really happy with Comodo but an open-source alternative sounds excellent.

[Rockin Robbins]

OK, here is the scoop. Left alone, Avast! will protect you whether you wish to be protected or not. It just will not let you run the FOTRSbugfix001.

So we have to be as nasty to Avast! as it is to us. In your system tray (lower right hand corner of your screen, you see the Avast! icon with the "a" on it. Right-click that and choose "Pause Provider" then "Standard Shield." Avast! will pop a warning window on you to attempt to scare you out of making the change. "Your computer might be at risk. Click this baloon to fix the problem."

Refuse to be intimidated. Now you can run FOTRSbugfix001.exe right out of the rar file. It will ask you where FOTRS is and then apply the patch. You might as well run the Carrier Upgrade now too. When you're done, delete the rar files so Avast! won't have a cow.

Right-click the Avast icon again, choose "Resume Provider" then "Standard Shield" and you are back in business with Avast! none the wiser. Enjoy FOTRS!

[OrangeYoshi]

Originally Posted by Rockin Robbins

How do they make money? You assume that Linux is a business. It is not. Asking how they make money is like visiting a model airplane club flying radio control giant scale models that cost thousands of dollars and asking "How do they make their money?" The question is not even relevant. Until the commercial game companies sell Linux versions of their games, there will have been very little commercialism there.

So it is more like the modders here. They give you great stuff because they want to, not because they get paid.

You have pretty much convinced me to at least try Linux, but you say companies don't make Linux versions of games. Does that mean I couldn't go play SH4 on a computer running Linux? The only computer I would be able to put Linux on is the one in my room, and it is pretty much a strictly gaming computer. It has some school stuff on it, but 90% of the time I only play games on it.

You also mention something about being able to run Linux off of a CD. Does that mean you can still have Vista/XP on the computer? I also have only ever run IE, never Firefox or any other internet browser. Are any others better than IE8? I guess a nice FAQ for Linux/Firefox/other-free-things would be the best thing for me.

[Rockin Robbins]

Your best bet is to set up your computer to dual boot Linux/Windows. I set up Linux on an old 40 gb drive from a junked Compaq computer. My computer boots that disk by default.

A program called Grub is a menu giving you the option of booting Linux on that disk or Windows on its own disk. If my old 40 gb dies, the next drive in line is my completely untouched, no changes made Windows XP drive and it boots normally. So you see, there's no repartitioning of your Windows hard drive, no risk!

Want to know something that will blow your mind? My Ubuntu installation reads and writes all flavors of Windows partitions like a native. Windows cannot read or write an ext3 partition. My Linux programs read and write Windows data files just fine. I can load MS Word files into Linux Open Office.org, do whatever, save them, switch to Windows and load 'em right back up again.

The free installation understands the expensive one perfectly! The expensive one pretends the free one doesn't exist. Who is afraid of whom? Hmmmmmm? You have to love it.

[OrangeYoshi]

Originally Posted by Rockin Robbins

Your best bet is to set up your computer to dual boot Linux/Windows. I set up Linux on an old 40 gb drive from a junked Compaq computer. My computer boots that disk by default.

I've got a HD from my last HP I could probably put into my new one.

A program called Grub is a menu giving you the option of booting Linux on that disk or Windows on its own disk. If my old 40 gb dies, the next drive in line is my completely untouched, no changes made Windows XP drive and it boots normally. So you see, there's no repartitioning of your Windows hard drive, no risk!

Also a good thing. I don't want to mess up my already touchy Vista.

The free installation understands the expensive one perfectly! The expensive one pretends the free one doesn't exist. Who is afraid of whom? Hmmmmmm? You have to love it.

That is just crazy.


I've just pulled up the Ubuntu website. Do I need to download Linux first, then Ubuntu, or just Ubuntu? I can mod a game, dig and mess with program and computer files, but I've never messed with Operating Systems. I should probably look through their entire website. Any other questions I have they have probably already answered.

[Rockin Robbins]

We have ripped this thread to shreds, but I guess the damage is already done. Linux is an underlying operating system. There are dozens of different distributions (called distros by the cool people. I try not to be one of those) by various companies that make their money from tech support for their distro in commercial environments.

There's Red Hat, Fedora, Knoppix, Debian, Slackware, Ubuntu, etc. Most of the time the Linux download is free and tech support costs money from the company doing the distribution. Each of these distributions installs some variety of Linux on your machine. Now things get a bit complicated.

The underlying kernel of these is all the same and within reason they can all run the same software. Each comes with a bundle of software and they have much in common. Now Linux itself is made by a bunch of hobbyists who couldn't care less about how friendly it is for a neophyte to use, hence the geek reputation of Linux. In the bad old days if you didn't know your stuff they just sneered at you and laughed.

Well those days are gone with Ubuntu and a few of the others who have realized that what they have is a fantastic desktop environment that only needed some civilization. So they dressed Linux up in some nice clothes, taught him some basic manners, made it easy to install and produced some really great GUIs.

Windows only has one GUI. Linux has many. The most common are Gnome (pronounced with a hard G) and KDE. Both are great. KDE works more like the web without double-clicks and MIGHT be a bit more polished. I switched to Gnome when the Mac4Lin enhancement came out that makes my Linux operation look like OSX, even the log-in screens, which have Apple Logos. Since I won't ever own an Apple product again (got burned in the Apple /// debacle) this is a way to make fun of 'em.

The big thing about KDE and Gnome is that they are MUCH more customizable than any variety of Windows. You could waste years in Linux and never touch an application because you were customizing your GUI. OH! On my machine I can pick KDE or Gnome on bootup. Heh, heh, heh. You are totally confused.

Yup, I was too. No biggie. You know how to learn to swim: just jump in over your head and if you survive, you'll find yourself having fun! Installing Ubuntu is also the best remedy for that obsolete laptop that is breathing its last. Suddenly a marginal machine becomes a workhorse.

PM me if you need help getting it up and running. We've shredded this thread enough I think.

My Ubuntu Linux desktop:



No I wasn't able to get SH4 to run. It tried but a couple of routines just weren't available in the WINE emulator. It DID install though, as you can see!

[OrangeYoshi]

@RR: I sent you a pm, but I'm not sure if it went through or not. I sent it twice, but nothing is showing up in my sent folder.

Originally Posted by OrangeYoshi

Wow. I'm surprised to see so many people having problems with Norten. I've had to uninstall Norten several times (for upgrading purposes, and a mess up with my new computer), and I've never had a problem with my computer starting or anything.

I'll ask again, other than having to pay, business practices, etc., has anyone ever gotten a virus while using Norten?

Another question, where do you guys find these free programs? If they are free, wouldn't they be worse? Do they update all the time to recognize the latest threats? Have you always been virus free while using these programs? Which one would you recommend for me to possible switch to? I see Avast is popular.

no, free doesnt mean worse because the free versions are there show you how good the software is and thats all you ever need for the average person but they all have upgrades to pay versions that offer extra protection and added features if you feel you need better than average security for your system. they make money from advertising on their websites and by selling the upgrades.


i got lots of viruses with norton anti-virus (the name must be a joke) in fact the only thing norton ever did for me was to tell me when i had already been infected (gee thanks guys) but it never stopped anything from infecting me and the BS you go through downloading tools to remove stuff ended up corrupting my OS 50% of the time so i just started reformating when infected because THAT was easier than nortons methods of repair and the results of the repair methods often caused a reformat being necessary anyway.

i have been know to frequent some off colored sites that have viruses (it wasnt the porn, i was reading the articles lol) and i have never had anything infect me when using the avast 4 home free version anti-virus but it was hard to get used to the computer talking to me when it updates lol.

heres the link for avast: http://www.avast.com/eng/download-avast-home.html

[sunvalleyslim]

Hey mates,
I've been trying to D/L FOTRS this weekend. It's gets to around 30% then fails. It says it can't read it.....Whats the problem I'm encountering, Thanks SVS

[Rockin Robbins]

Wow! All I can say is try again. Get yourself a download helper program that lets you resume interrupted downloads. I downloaded FOTRS myself Friday. Other than it was a beastly slow download, I didn't have any problems. It took over an hour on broadband and never broke 50 mbits/sec.