new machine

[chaszal]

Hello folks,
My father (in his 80's) recently bought a new computer with XP on it. I'm the family "expert" (go ahead and laugh) and I have Win98SE. I want to make his machine really easy to use and maintain for him; if I can't be there, I have to give give my dad really detailed step by step instructions on the phone. When he had a Win98SE machine, I knew exactly what to do, registry tweaks etc. to secure his machine. I have cleanup, regular maintenance, security, tweaks, tips and programs galore for 98. But this XP thing seems to be quite a different animal. I have persuaded him not to install anything until I get over (mostly he uses it for email, wordprocessing and his digital camera) but I would like to visit equipped with information. And so, what I am asking of you, kind people, please, is,:
1) if you had a new, pristine XP machine, what would you do, what essential programs would you install, to secure the machine and ease the maintenance;
2) what are the BIG differences that you have noticed between 98 and XP, so I know where to concentrate my research (thanks to this board I know why I couldn't find System File Checker!);
3) I know about the "wait and see" mood regarding XPSP2; should I be installing any other MS security updates?
Thanks, in advance, for any help,
Chas

[dunedin]

Hi,

This is what I would do assuming you do not want to install SP2 at present

Do these before ever going online

Download to CD
1. SP1a if it is not on your XP CD
http://www.softwarepatch.com/windows/winxpsp1.html

2.”Updates Rollup” which includes all Updates to October last year. When you get online install firewall and then download all other Updates
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en

Put the above on the CD and install them

Turn on the XP Firewall

3. Go online and get a good free firewall, get it running then turn off the XP firewall

http://soho.sygate.com/default.htm

http://www.agnitum.com/download/outpost1.html

4. Get a free antivirus
http://free.grisoft.com/freeweb.php/doc/2/

http://www.avast.com/eng/down_home.html

5. Go to Windows Updates Site and get remaining critical updates

6. Install SpywareBlaster, install and update it
Set it to “Enable all Protection”

http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

7. Here are settings for some protection in IE
In IE go to Tools/Internet Options/Security, click the Custom settings button, and in the list make sure you've got
1. "Download signed ActiveX controls" set to “Prompt”
2. "Download unsigned ActiveX controls" to “Disable”.
3. "Initialise and script ActiveX Controls not marked as safe" to” Disable”
Then go to the Advanced tab
Uncheck 1. "Enable install on demand" (Internet Explorer
2. "Enable Install on Demand” (Other)

There are many tweaks etc for a faster system, but I have only included safety instructions

Much to do

Elaine

[Horatio]

Well, is it connected to the internet now?

What sort of computer is it? ie. proprietary (HP, IBM, Dell, etc.) or is it a custom built machine?

Did it come with any internet security software pre-installed (anti-virus, firewall)

If not, you better tell him not to try connecting to the internet until these programs are installed.
Without a firewall, he would probably get infected within 5 minutes.

For a couple of good free one's, I would suggest the 'Sygate Personal Firewall'

http://soho.sygate.com/products/spf_standard.htm

for a free virus scanner you could try Avast. It runs in the background with updates that are fast and automatic. Once you set him up, he won't have to worry about anything.

http://www.avast.com/eng/avast_4_home.html


I would also Download, install, update and run these three programs as well:

spybot search and destroy
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html

spyware blaster
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

Adaware
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/

You won't find XP difficult at all to look after. There are some differences, but not a big deal really as far as maintenance goes. There is no DOS of course.

You should make sure he has all the critical updates available for his OS.
You can wait to install SP2 later if you want to.
If you don't want Auto Update to download and install SP2, you can disable that service after you make sure he has all the critical updates available now.

[chaszal]

Dear Dunedin and Horatio,
Thank you so much for your replies; I was feeling a bit daunted in unknown XP territory, and it was really helpful that you both laid out the steps for me. Dunedin, I appreciate you focusing on the security - it's certainly the most important in "much to do"! (I enjoyed your suggestion to use the XP firewall to go online to get a real firewall.) Horatio, yes it is connected to the internet (he couldn't wait to try his email ) but I don't think he's surfed anywhere. It has av installed (I think Trend Micro - I'll have a job reminding him to update, after I show him how to. It's a proprietary machine but I don't know what brand. I had read that dos wasn't readily accessible in XP, but I thought you could still get to it? Good idea to disable the auto update; I did that so long ago on my machine I forgot about it. I also downloaded and will install Gibson's Shoot the Messenger unless anyone knows a reason I shouldn't, and I think I'll take the suggestion to download SP1 for him. Thanks again.
Chas

[dunedin]

Hi,

Yes, you should install SP1, and Shoot the Messenger too.
It won`t be easy for you to keep his system clean,
Most important to tell him never to open an email attachment unless he is absolutely sure it is safe.
Install SpywareBlaster in my first post. It will be worth its weight in gold for him.

Elaine

[chaszal]

Dear dunedin,
Thank you! I'm putting together a CD collection of programs to install on my father's machine, and I'll certainly include Spyware Blaster (and Spyware Guard) .... even if he's not a big surfer dude. So, you just told me about the security stuff; I would really appreciate it if you would point me in the direction of some "easy maintenance" tweaks/tips/stuff/programs so I can start setting it up for him. I'll have to go through my Win98 programs to see if they are compatible with XP, but if you have some suggestions of 98 programs or newer programs, that you know work with XP, I would be very grateful.
Chas

[Horatio]

Hi Chaszal,

Windows XP is very stable, much more so than Win98 or 98se.

Some basic things would be the usual sort of once a month things for the average user.

1. My Computer/right click C drive/Properties/Disk Cleanup

2. Start/Control Panel/Network and Internet Connections/Internet Options/Delete Files/check the box 'Delete all offline content'

then Defrag.

I prefer the free 'Diskeeper Lite'

http://www.webattack.com/get/dkeeperlite.shtml

There are other things like paring down the services running that you may be interested in. The following website give good advice on how to do that.
If you stick with the 'Safe" configuration you should be fine.

http://www.blackviper.com/WinXP/servicecfg.htm

If you can keep it free of malware and do the basic stuff, he shouldn't have any problems.

I'm assuming he is on dialup; is that correct?

[chaszal]

Dear Horatio,
Thank you for responding again.
I'll think I'll set up a cleanup schedule for my father with the XP disk cleanup so it will run automatically. I do have Diskkeeper Lite on CD to install for him -- good suggestion -- (the Win defrag is soooo slow and cumbersome) I have the Blackviper website bookmarked - thank you. Yes, he is on dialup. Thanks again. I just want to set it up for him so it does things automatically .... but not necessessarily the things that MS wants it to do automatically
Chas

[HAN]

Chas: To add to all of the good advice above, you might read thru all of the topics at V Dr's Spyware Forum here

Yes, there is a bit of reading there but it will be time well spent. IMO, Internet Explorer comes set too loose (security-wise) and can pickup junk way too easily. I make several of the changes noted above before ever going online.

In addition to some of the programs named above (Shoot the Messenger), I also load from (www.grc.com) UnPlug n' Pray and DCOMbobulator. These 3 programs turn off services that 99.9% of us never use.

One other thing I do is to run an alternative browser. I do still use IE when I have to but for 99% of my web time, I use Mozilla Firefox. It works quite well and to date, it has proven to be much safer when considering adware/spyware issues. Check it out at this link

Good Luck! XP is very nice but you are right. It is also very different...

[Markgc]

Dunedin talked about turning on and then tirning off the XP firewall. Can you outline the procedure for doing that with SP1.

thanks Mark

[dunedin]

Hi Mark,

Right click your network connection. Select Properties and then the Advanced Tab.
The Internet Connection Firewall is the first item on this page, so just check the box to turn it on.

Elaine

[Markgc]

Thanks,


I will take a peek at it


Mark

[dunedin]

Okay dokey

Elaine

[Horatio]

Chaszal,

as well as all the good advice from Dunedin, I would agree with Han

One other thing I do is to run an alternative browser. I do still use IE when I have to but for 99% of my web time, I use Mozilla Firefox. It works quite well and to date, it has proven to be much safer when considering adware/spyware issues.

I have build a couple of computers for older people and they do have a hard time surfing through popups. They aren't always sure how or what to get rid of.

I always get them using Mozilla or Firefox with the builtin popup stopper.
Just keep in mind that there will be the occasional web page that won't open properly or at all in anything but IE. But those are pretty rare.