Replies

OK, I found it, in System Information. Windows 7 is installed in Disk #0, Partition #1. I was also able to verify that my partitions were aligned (dividable by 4096 to any whole number, w/o a decimal). This is critical for proper SSD performance.

The number provided in Partition Starting Offset for each partition is the one needed to determine this. Many calculators (especially pocket or cell phone ones) won’t work this high of a number, if so, use an online calculator. Here’s one that works well.

http://www.online-calculator.com/

So the will the present 100MB System Partition work for the purpose of BitLocker To Go on Win 8 RP?

EDIT: I wished that I had ran across this trick earlier, if I had, the 100MB partition wouldn’t even be there. In the past, I’ve removed these system partitions, then used the Win 7 install disk to repair the OS to run. Here are the tutorials as to how to install 7 w/o creating the 100MB System Partition.

http://www.mydigitallife.info/hack-to-remove-100-mb-system-reserved-partition-when-installing-windows-7/

Cat

Thanks for your answer, Just Plain Fred.

When you state “Disk 0 partition 1”, does this mean to do away with the 100MB System partition? It probably doesn’t mean anything as far as the question, but I have a 128GB M4 SSD, just in case it does.

And I always keep a system image, usually the 1st one, & the last one, created just before checking for updates on Update Tuesday. Yes, you’re correct, things do go wrong, as one who is constantly playing with new software & moving things around (not on my notebook), I usually need one of my images every month.

Cat

I just installed the Classic Shell a couple of days ago, & after login, Metro flashes for a second or two, then the Desktop is there. Not complicated at all.

Plus, Classic Shell is configurable. One can configure it for the XP look & feel if desired, or the Win 7 Aero one also. Speaking of which, I for one am glad that MS is dropping Aero, it’s just a waste of resources.

MS isn’t going to the Metro interface for the heck of it, as Windows 7 is still selling at decent rates. They are doing it to keep up with the competition, in order to compete, as well as keeping in tune with the times. This isn’t the 70’s, where one platform could run for years, these days, hardware & software (including the OS) is behind the times as soon as the next is released. Especially hardware.

MS as a corporation has to balance between keeping both it’s shareholders & customers happy. It’s not an easy task. Every OS is scheduled to be released 3 years from the last. That’s a lot of work to be completed within that time frame, it’s incredible that MS could pull off this major of a task in 3 years. And the thing about that is, the next version of Windows (after 8) is already in discussion. So these folks never gets a break.

MS’s goals for Windows 8, as with all new releases, is to propel us into the future of computing. One Windows 8 Workstation with Hyper-V enabled can do the work of up to 4 XP through Win 7 computers (& employees), which means huge savings for business/government use. This can apply to home users also, one desktop (that can run Hyper-V) can take the place of two, both of which saves a lot of money on hardware costs. For the home user with dual monitors, this means being able to run Windows 8 & Ubuntu 12.04 (or other OS) at the same time, running multiple programs at once on 2 platforms.

There’s a lot more under the hood of Windows 8 compared to previous editions, just that the user’s hardware must support some specialized functions (like Hyper-V) to work.

Cat

Lots of people use Norton out of choice. Not just because it comes bundled with new computers.

That’s quite true. Many because they can get Norton for totally free, or almost, from Newegg or other sites, with either an instant promo code or mail-in-rebate (MIR). Often for 3 PC’s as well.

As far as a good rootkit detector goes, here’s a good, 100% free one. No obligation to purchase anything. I run it monthly. Look below “How to disinfect a compromised system” for download link. It will be a zip file.

http://support.kaspersky.com/faq/?qid=208283363

Cat

Hi Cat –
Webmail is a real pain for me! I have 10 email accounts (one is an apple me.com imap account and the rest are pop3).

It doesn’t have the functions I want, it’s slow even on the fasted possible cable connection (always waiting for someone’s server, it seems), etc.

I suppose if you do 25 emails a day maybe webmail would be good enough, but I get over 100 a day and I don’t have time to mess with mail on a browser, even when the browser is Chrome (and forget IE – that’s like trying to speed behind an elephant).

“25 a day?” I probably get over 100 on any given day, but still use the browser to access them. A Mail client is just another program to look out after, as well as a possible security breach.

Not to mention that any one of the well known email programs won’t access all of my email accounts (7 brands, 13 accounts). I’ve added a few since my last posting. If one program can’t access all, then I don’t need it.

Cat

Win 2000 will install in the FAT format, as the choice is there during the install process. But I’ve not installed any Windows OS as FAT because most says that NTFS is a more secure format.

You’re right, they’re not alike, but during the XP install process, it shows where XP was built on the foundation of Windows 2000. At one time, although the numbers are declining, many of the programs that runs on XP would also run on Win 2000. However, since Win 2000 lost all MS support options in the summer of 2010, there’s more & more that won’t.

However, ESET Smart Security 5 & MBAM Pro works on Win 2000, as well as the latest version of Opera. However, the latest versions of Adobe Reader, Java & Flash won’t. It runs 2 versions of Java behind (6.31), 3 versions of Flash, and Adobe Reader 9.4.

As much as I now have on my hands to do, I haven’t booted into Windows 2000 for at least 2 months, possibly 3 (the physical install). I learned that the latest FF wouldn’t run on it through a virtual install. Honestly, I doubt that I’ll keep it much longer, as Win 8 RP is keeping me busy, & with 13 other Windows installs to tend to, plus Ubuntu 12.04 & Mint 13, as well as a few VM’s, I don’t really have the time to fool with it.

I do have at least one of all of XP OS’s installed, except the tablet edition & keep them maintained. The XP MCE & 64 bit Pro are my favorites.

Being that you brought up “commercial” editions, XP Pro is the most popular of all of XP’s offerings, possibly one of MS’s all time best sellers. Until 2009, I’d never bought any computer with a “home” version, as they are scaled down versions of the real thing. Even the last 2 that I bought, I bought Windows Anytime Upgrade keys to Pro (Windows 7). And beginning with Windows 8, the “Pro” version is being pushed, as that $14.99 upgrade is for Windows 8 Pro, not Home.

Anyone with any serious work to do should have the Pro version of whatever version of Windows installed. The great thing about Win 7 Pro, is that the user gets a virtual copy of XP Pro SP3, the XP Mode app.

Too, we’ll see more & more hopping to the Pro versions, beginning with Windows 8, because w/o it, there’s going to be no Windows Media Center. “Home” versions will be computers that’s primarily bought for kids to do schoolwork with, which is basically all they were to begin with. Back in 2000, I was required to get a notebook for my job, with Windows 2000 as the OS installed. Once the user gets used to the features of a higher version, it’s hard to look backwards.

Cat

Windows 2000 & XP are very close, as XP was built on the foundation of Windows 2000. That being said, there are still a world of differences between the two, one of which the lifeline of Win 2K is running out.

I have a Win 2K install myself, secured with ESET Smart Security 5 & MBAM Pro. Recently, when I upgraded Firefox to version 12, I got a warning that Mozilla would no longer provide updates to FF12 on Win 2K, to either downgrade to a lower version of FF, switch to Opera (which still fully supports 2K), or better yet, upgrade to a newer OS (Windows 7 was suggested).

My suggestion, if one still wants to run 2K, fine. But don’t expect support for much longer. I was surprised that ESET still supports it. I was also surprised that Mozilla dumped support for it, because one of the driving forces behind them & always has been, is choice. Freedom to choose your browser, your OS, Mozilla’s action goes against the history of the corporation (a non-profit one at that).

It’s no big deal to me, as Just Plain Fred mentioned above, XP Pro SP3 (or XP x64 SP2) runs just as he described, like a scalded cat. I run both, as well as XP MCE on the same desktop that I’m on now, which shipped with Windows 7 & I’m also running Windows 8 CP (will be RP tomorrow) on it. And no special drivers were needed, the F6 thing & the ancient floppies. Simply enable IDE Mode in the BIOS, XP will install perfectly fine. I have 4 HDD’s containing 12 OS’s (& several VM’s) that I can plug, one at a time, to boot from.

Tried my best to install 2K on here, I had it going, but I never could get the graphics right, despite the fact that the driver was a 2K & XP 32 bit one. 2K refused to open it, while XP did.

Yes, they are close in some ways, but I can say this, there’s a world of difference between Windows 2000 SP4 & XP SP3. It really is.

Cat

I will say, although this is an old thread, it’s a good idea to do a Full disk image of a computer prior to deleting anything. Why? First off, it may be under warranty, some OEM’s expects the computer to have the OS that shipped with it. Especially if the warranty claim involves a faulty install by someone who doesn’t know how to properly install an OS. There’s a lot more to that than booting off the Windows 7 install disk & letting it rip, it’s a day or two of work, updating the OS, installing the needed drivers (which should be obtained beforehand), installing your programs, this takes time.

Then do a full defrag, run a Full virus scan & do a Full Disk image of the new install.

The second reason to image the computer beforehand is this. Sometimes, after a couple of years, we want a newer computer. The computer that you have still has value, provided it’s in factory condition. If there was a recovery partition there, many customers (myself included) expects that partition to be there, or the set of recovery disks that’s supposed to be burned within a few days of usage. This gives the buyer a “like new” computer, provided the hardware is OK. I’m not really crazy about buying a used computer, but if I were to, I’d expect to have the “out of the box” experience, especially if it’s only 2 to 3 years old.

Never blindly delete a partition w/o backing it up, it’s there for a reason.

Cat

Yesterday (check out my new specs in my sig), I installed a new 128GB Crucial M4 SSD in my MSI FX603 notebook w/no bad issues to report. The really great thing was, I done it with Free software, Easeus Todo Backup 4.5.

http://www.todo-backup.com/products/home/download.htm

The really great thing about restoring with this backup program, is the option to “Optimize for SSD”. The restore took longer due to this, but when all was done, I didn’t even need my Windows 7 Pro x64 install disk to do a repair with, it fired right up. Had to reboot for new hardware install, then ran the WEI (as suggested) to make sure that the SSD’s features were turned on.

It evidently did create the 1MB blank space in front, as my recovery partition was reported as being 9.99GB (10239MB), rather than 10GB (10240MB), as it always done when restoring. Anyway, even with the SATA 2 bottleneck, the new SSD still exceeded my expectations. Never have I had this type of performance with a mechanical HDD, even the 1TB WD Caviar Black, running at 7200rpm & a 64MB cache.

31080-HDTune_Benchmark_M4-CT128M4SSD231081-HDTune_Info_M4-CT128M4SSD2

This is also my 1st ever SSD, & I doubt that I’ll be looking back in the mirror, except for storage. One other thing, I bought this SSD direct from Crucial, it was optimized for my make & model of notebook. No firmware update was required, it was done prior to shipment. I had done business with Crucial before, they recommended a RAM upgrade for the PC that I’m on now. Not only was the RAM increased to 4GB (it’s max), but it was faster RAM than what HP provided. Normally, I buy most of my hardware/software from Newegg, but with 5 different 128GB M4’s to choose from, neither of which was recommended for my notebook, I just felt more comfortable with Crucial’s 100% compatibility guarantee (return shipping, if required, on their dime).

Needless to say, I’m very happy with my first SSD.

Cat

It could have been that the KB number changed, I didn’t compare to see. I’ll try what you suggested to see.

It would be very odd for the Update service to be broken on multiple machines, not only mine, but a few friends also. That KB # could very well be the answer.

Thanks,
Cat

That wasn’t a false positive: The Story Behind the OpenCandy and Microsoft Adware Debacle

How heavy on system resources does MS claim MSE to be?

Bruce

There’s more to that article than you pointed out. One vendor out of thousands forgot to include a EULA.

http://www.opencandy.com/privacy-matters/opencandy-network-details/

At the time of release, MS stated that MSE was very low on system resources, yet, it’s not, especially while updating & scanning. Those who are running the most up to date version (4), which can be only obtained using a Windows Live ID, are running the one which uses less resources & is a more potent AV.

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/microsoft-antivirus-malware-security-essentials,14158.html

This version has a much faster scanning engine than the original MSE & 2.0 does, & actually catches more bad code that comes it’s way. I originally obtained that version from a Microsoft Connect invitation, of which sends me other new Windows software to try from time to time. Been using it since November on all of my virtual XP installs, including XP Mode, it’s very promising over the current version.

But even that still won’t cause me to dump ESET Smart Security 5 for it. It’s just that I cannot, by the terms of my license, run ESET on a physical & virtual install at the same time.

Cat

Did you uninstall IE8 on all eight of your XP installs?

How is IE7 better?

Bruce

Yes, I did uninstall IE8 from most of them, those which I’ve booted into. I have 2 versions of XP Mode that hasn’t been opened since then.

IE7 is better for XP, due to less system resources being used, & taking more real estate on the monitor (IE8 added toolbars). IE8, at that time, was developed for the up & coming Windows 7 Beta at that time (spring of 2009).

Many XP users doesn’t even use IE anyway, except for updating, even IE8 is 3 years old.

There are at least 4 other well known browsers that allows for their latest version to be installed on XP. Firefox, Google Chrome, Opera & Safari. MS alienated XP users by the denying us IE9, which was a lot of thanks to us who kept MS afloat during a very bad period of time (the Vista experiment). Many users who found the OS unusable had to buy retail XP OS’s, which put even more cash into MS’s pockets. Some users were allowed to downgrade for free.

And then this, we chose to hide an update years ago, & it gets slid in anyway. Lesson learned. I’ve changed my update settings to let me know, but don’t automatically download or install them. This allows me to comb through my updates, something that I shouldn’t have to do. Just more trouble for XP users, that’s all. MS has turned their backs on the very ones who made them big time, at peak usage, 80% of desktop users were XP ones. No other Windows OS will ever eclipse Windows XP’s success, nor their longevity, not even Windows 7. According to many sources at Windows 7’s release, XP usage would nosedive to less than 20% within 2 years. It hasn’t happened.

http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2011/10/ten-years-of-windows-xp-how-longevity-became-a-curse.ars

None of my hidden Windows 7 updates were treated like this. They’re probably waiting until 2018, 2 years before Windows 7’s end of support comes around.

Cat

They pulled off a big one on XP users recently. Although I had IE7 & had IE8 “hid” (don’t show it again), recently MS pulled a fast one & downloaded & installed IE8 anyway. This happened on all 8 of my XP installs, & some friends also.

MS is known for pulling a fast one now & then. On Windows 7, I have 2 updates hid, that NET Framework 4 & KB971033. The NET 4, I don’t need. As far as KB971033, I don’t need that either. Both of my main Windows 7 installs came installed from the OEM as Home Premium, I bought Windows Anytime Upgrade keys to Pro for each, what more proof does MS need that I’m the licensed user of the OS’s.

So far, even after 2 years, MS has held to their promise that KB971033 would be voluntary, & I applaud them for that.

But shoving IE8 down user’s throats who hid the update is another deal. The only thing that I use IE for is updating on XP, as far as that goes, IE6 can do that just fine. On XP, IE7 is simply a better browser.

Cat

MSE is OK for some things. Such as students who uses their computer for homework/research, w/o revealing any personal information. Also runs decently in VM’s (I’m currently running MSE 4 Beta). But I have went onto sites that I know for a fact that my main protection would have flagged or blocked, just to see what would happen.

It’s also high for false positives. It prevents the Unlocker app from opening (something to do with OpenCandy ad software).

I suppose, if one cannot afford better, run MSE & make sure to schedule a Full scan daily. Make sure the box is checked to update prior to running a scan. And if possible, buy a copy of MBAM Pro from Newegg. It’s lifetime protection & will pick up the slack that MSE has. And once a month, run the free ESET Online Scanner. That will give you an idea of how MSE is really protecting you. Don’t be surprised at what MSE lets go by.

Finally, contrary to popular belief, MSE is heavier on system resources than MS claims it to be. There are other options, but this is a MSE related thread, & I won’t break the rules & hijack it.

Cat

I thought you just said it couldn’t be prevented…

My view is that you should use the best protection available, multi layered, and keep a decent backup strategy, that should include full disk imaging.

That’s exactly what I do. ESET Smart Security 5 is one of the leaders when it comes to securing a computer. MBAM Pro effectively blocks known malware sites (so does ESET). And I backup on a scheduled basis, data weekly, imaging monthly (right before Update Tuesday), or before making any major changes.

And quality security doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Sign up at Newegg.com, & there will be promotions for many quality AV/IS suites, as well as MBAM. They can be bought there for a fraction of the cost that the brand site offers. I never pay full price for brand name software.

Cat