Messages

301

General Software Discussion / Re: Feb 9, 2010: Windows Patch Leaves Many XP Users With Blue Screens?

« on: February 13, 2010, 02:39 AM »

A full featured package it is. I would rather not run with AV than Kaspersky but they are good. Their Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool is practically a full AV for on-demand scan. 1 big exe-file, anyone can install/use it. I would guess that one also take care of TDSS crap. They have more free services like GetSystemInfo http://www.getsysteminfo.com/ probably the best way to diagnose computers online. With link to report and all. Again free for all to use, no strings. Soon they will have online scanner ready, most likely with 64bit support, quarantine and what not.

And of course they sensed major problems with this rootkit and decided to make a special click, click removal program. They are not cheap with info or tools.

302

General Software Discussion / Re: Feb 9, 2010: Windows Patch Leaves Many XP Users With Blue Screens?

« on: February 13, 2010, 01:56 AM »

Tell that to people producing all those hits when you google "atapi.sys tdss"   Nasty stuff.

303

General Software Discussion / Re: Feb 9, 2010: Windows Patch Leaves Many XP Users With Blue Screens?

« on: February 13, 2010, 01:16 AM »

Not necessarily since this is only a dumb filescan. Still a pretty poor result but of course not a problem if resident shields catch everything, heh. Kaspersky is on top of things with their TDSSkiller tool so at least they can remove/fix problem.

I wonder how many AVG users still use version 8.x which did not have any resident protection against rootkits.

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General Software Discussion / Re: Feb 9, 2010: Windows Patch Leaves Many XP Users With Blue Screens?

« on: February 13, 2010, 01:00 AM »

Well good luck with Kaspersky http://www.virustota...cad77628d-1266031238  

Possible failing AVs work much better when exe is fired of. Possible... Expect hit rate to be random regardless of brand.

The file I used was 1-2 weeks old so result is far from impressive. Massive amount of logic in update causing problems or "conflicts" with this type of rootkit.

305

Living Room / Re: Antivirus companies support virus writers?

« on: February 12, 2010, 08:22 PM »

You can and those people will have tons of tools for Windows, very few for OSX. I don't see why OSX would be attractive or lack of focus proves companies do not fiddle with Windows based malware makers. If X company decide to move in on potential new OSX market it make sense but risk of getting caught is skyhigh. Oh look at all these attacks, where do they come from? So nice our product protects against them all! Way easier to get away with in Windows world

306

Living Room / Re: Antivirus companies support virus writers?

« on: February 12, 2010, 06:39 PM »

Who funds all those "tests" you run into when looking for the "best" security software?   Is an inbred hysteric industry focused more on marketing than consumer security already, so if conditions suggest help is needed why not produce fuel as well?

Might say NEVER when it comes to bigger companies who have much to lose but there are others. At least one, from China, has been proven to have zero ethics since they stole database from other well known program. Was highly popular at Cnet, any download site. Got caught so we know. Actually still popular but just shows how much you can get away with. Memory is short so risk not that high! Even less if a company is fairly unknown, can't easily be investigated, and try to conquer new markets. Mcafee, Trend etc. can lose it all if they tried something similar. Can't move to China and set up new company in a day.

If one of the old companies get caught I think it would be a rotten apple - will never be proved it was officially decided to fund certain "external consultants" which in fact live in the underworld, heh. Marketing show they have no ethics already but still I would not believe idea of own malware farms. Conspiracy theory, but outside of A-team I would not be so surprised.

307

General Software Discussion / Re: Feb 9, 2010: Windows Patch Leaves Many XP Users With Blue Screens?

« on: February 12, 2010, 06:01 PM »

They have not really said much yet though http://blogs.technet...alling-ms10-015.aspx

However, we have not confirmed that the issue is specific to MS10-015 or if it is an interoperability problem with another component or third-party software.

3rd. party software includes rootkits but he did not say that   Would be useful if those with reboot problem would scan with a bootable Dr. Web or whatever.

308

General Software Discussion / Re: Return of the Son of the best *free* Windows Text Editor

« on: February 12, 2010, 05:51 PM »

Linux where? Compare with Firefox. In some countries it has like 40-50% market share, in more Microsoft friendly environments 15% on a good day

Anyway, from my testing of editors other peoples advice are almost useless. Find one thing that annoys you and program will not be approved. There will be many more requests/demands than those listed I think. Collapsing levels is nice. Dont get too used to that in Notepad++ because PSPad cant do it. Little things can mean a lot. Trial and error but of course cool some list choices. I plan to set up dual boot for the xth time but now it shall be done properly or more smoothly. Did not think of an cross platform editor being useful until seeing kartal post. Will increase smoothness 1% if I can find one. Imagine they suck on Windows but lets see.

Unless "just enough" features is also a demand I think you end up with either pspad or notepad++ so start with them. Notepad++ seems to have most support if you count recommendations, updates, community edition? - but pspad is alive and kicking. If a project is half dead today it might not be great to fall in love so check out general activity level as well.

309

General Software Discussion / Re: Feb 9, 2010: Windows Patch Leaves Many XP Users With Blue Screens?

« on: February 12, 2010, 08:28 AM »

Forgot to say I failed at first infection. Ran Dr. Web Cureit and it removed or rather cured problem. Did not select report only. Dr. Web is pretty good with the latest and greatest but perhaps most tools can remove by now.

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General Software Discussion / Re: Feb 9, 2010: Windows Patch Leaves Many XP Users With Blue Screens?

« on: February 12, 2010, 08:21 AM »

No and it would not count anyways since in a VM but for now I think he has a point Don't feel like testing for real. I am listing to a Linux podcast so lets say it is evil MS scheme to promote Microsoft Security Essentials if not Windows 7 64bit, heh.

311

General Software Discussion / Re: Feb 9, 2010: Windows Patch Leaves Many XP Users With Blue Screens?

« on: February 12, 2010, 08:15 AM »

It is GMER, one of the best rootkit scanners. Atapi.sys is modified, show no sign of being from MS etc. when looking at properties. All tabs are gone. Generic file now. Startpage in IE was changed as well btw. Porn... I can pm you the link I used for rootkit if you like. There are tons of them but this works on atapi.sys like the blogger hinted was a problem - or one of them. There could be more to this.

312

General Software Discussion / Re: Feb 9, 2010: Windows Patch Leaves Many XP Users With Blue Screens?

« on: February 12, 2010, 08:11 AM »

True but for what it is worth I can reproduce problem in a VM Evil loop of rebooting. I first installed rootkit, then all updates except 977165. Reboot, everything worked. After 977165 it is game over.

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General Software Discussion / Re: Feb 9, 2010: Windows Patch Leaves Many XP Users With Blue Screens?

« on: February 12, 2010, 04:37 AM »

May be https://patrickwbarn...ing-widespread-bsod/

I tried out some of those atapi.sys infections. Have been "popular" last few months. Can only recommend TDSSKiller from Kaspersky http://support.kaspe...utions?qid=208280684 Microsoft should bundle it with their removal tool. Does a safe replacement of whatever it finds. Breed like rats, now "third" generation of this rootkit so there could be more new stuff. Also check Hitman Pros changelog http://www.surfright.nl/en/whatsnew "TDL3".

This rootkit infects the hard disk driver (usually atapi.sys or iaStor.sys) and redirects Google search results.

Think that is what he refer to but there could be more to check than just atapi.sys. I see jraid.sys from Kaspersky page as well. Who knows what happen until they try, heh. Not that many tools can remove this, not when I tried a month ago. Catching up...

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General Software Discussion / Re: Feb 9, 2010: Windows Patch Leaves Many XP Users With Blue Screens?

« on: February 11, 2010, 09:09 PM »

Well more like healthy skepticism but you can say SEE???   I was more thinking of little people who will follow such advice, and then not care about updates from that day. Not so many care to research. Pros outweighs cons but probably not easy to tell those in problems right now. Lets hope it is not a major worldwide problem and that details will be revealed.

New flash version out today btw. Look out for toolbars and what else they pre-tick for you

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General Software Discussion / Re: Feb 9, 2010: Windows Patch Leaves Many XP Users With Blue Screens?

« on: February 11, 2010, 08:03 PM »

I know some people advice to disable auto-update for reasons like this. Usually I think they are paranoid tossers who should know better and rather promote other OS if not even trusting updates. Then again... Hopefully it is a if and if and if limited problem no one could have foreseen. 

316

Site/Forum Features / Re: Should we experiment with google ads on the site for 1 month?

« on: February 10, 2010, 10:49 AM »

No you should not experiment but permanently put Google ads in "Found deals and Discounts" forum. Of course not optimal for slowmaker if that is also part of his "home"   Personal wishes overrules most things but this match is perfect.

Majority of users would not care about ads since they are on almost every site and blog. A good deal probably expect ads! If they really do care they use Adblocking already = approval of any ad-ridden site. Make so much sense... Some are annoyed if ads are placed stupidly, like in between forum posts and such. Ads take blaim for that though the bad guy really is he who runs the place - and took Googles encouragements a bit too far, heh.

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Found Deals and Discounts / Re: PuranDefrag V7 now free for home use

« on: February 05, 2010, 07:53 AM »

If you believe in Crystal Disk Mark scores it means it works. Pretty much straightforward except this info from helpfile regarding PIOZR:

This option will move the most frequently used files of the system to continuous and faster area of the disk and hence optimizing complete system performance. This option is Recommended to be performed once in a week and should not be performed more frequently than that and hence it is not included in Automatic Defragmentation. Though performing it frequently wont harm your system but it wont benefit your system either.

so set up automatic defragmentation accordingly. Brilliant scheduler btw. If there is hate towards Windows defrag this must be the one to use.

318

Living Room / Re: What's the best registry cleaner? Ask Leo says: none

« on: January 31, 2010, 10:21 AM »

Damn,  Wuz also has a problem with links! Here is what he and his site recommends http://www.mywot.com...ard/registryeasy.com

Never ends...

319

Living Room / Re: A simple "Start Page"

« on: January 30, 2010, 06:09 AM »

Firefox messing about with bookmarks does not suit that many Tuxman. Ok to a point, like where you have to remember it can't even sort! Also torture for hard disk to manage - at least up to 3.1/3.5 there were something very wrong with how it delete/copy/move bookmarks. In theory there are no lack of options.

I use Gmarks - besides being fast I guess it help my awesomebar since it now only search history.

Have had success in setting up Sitelauncher for a 5 year old who does not understand bookmarks. Does folders and all so like a modern start page.

320

Living Room / Re: A simple "Start Page"

« on: January 29, 2010, 02:26 PM »

For Firefox the brilliant Awesomebar taking advantage of 90 days history and of course extensions has taken over but I think many would like something like your start page. Have no idea how to make own, not their very own. Netvibes, igoogle and others are not alternatives because indirectly they encourage chaos which is opposite of goal.

What is the url?

321

General Software Discussion / Re: Scumbags Hall of Shame

« on: January 26, 2010, 10:34 PM »

You serious about Mcafee? Norton too I guess. Well both are worthless nd I know it only take 1 file to go from green to red - chose to believe text is not enough. I don't think they rate forums like that but anything is possible. Value of links depends a bit on context. Doing a Google search, showing Google you have an interest, might not be recommended if they are to be silenced. Direct link would have been better.

Bending over to false positive services is scary and won't necessarily help since they are out of control! Know hackforums? (for educational purposes of course) Highly block worthy site yet all green Even at WOT where it might have started out as red but thanks to social powers is now green. WOT is the intelligent one where anyone have a vote. If certain people decided to make Donationcoder red, red it would be. There is little to no value in putting icon on site showing off GREEN status. What they would like site admins to do. If they worked just a little bit to clean up mistakes then may be, but they don't so ignore. They are invalid sources though WOT is fairly accurate, still...

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General Software Discussion / Re: Scumbags Hall of Shame

« on: January 26, 2010, 12:51 PM »

Why not link to them? Good enough for download.com, softpedia.com so ? Well google "nidesoft" then, that is a typical dvd, ipod, wonder site. Click contact and you get an email address. Almost like a template for crap. Sothink has forum and all so I would think they have simply noticed popularity of click click tools and then thought hmm we want some of that. Or they are feeding them all, who knows.

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General Software Discussion / Re: Scumbags Hall of Shame

« on: January 26, 2010, 12:37 PM »

Wow, so either sothink is the mother of all this or just jumped the wagon. They have been around since forever, unlike some of the other ??? companies. Means they have something to lose. As he have found out it is highly popular area so if in spamming business they will.

But who is spamming on the forums? If they all have affiliate and reseller deals like Sothink then it can be anybody. Does not have to be directly tied to company - which won't police any affiliate rules, not if there is money to be made. You know PC-Tools? They are master of affiliate spamming with security stuff, indirectly to blaim with high percentage shares of deals and extravagant service towards eager marketers. No policing what so ever. But Sothink is at least not a typical company doing this. I doubt you find much "history" behind most of those urls.

From 2008, then list is even longer today.

Yes Sothink still promote the golden oldies from 2002 or so but also has a side-business

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General Software Discussion / Re: Scumbags Hall of Shame

« on: January 26, 2010, 12:04 PM »

Yes Curt most of them obviously belong to the same "category", Sothink does not. As far as I know they have never been in the dvd, video converter business. More specialized tools for web dev and flash stuff, been around for years. Not clear from his list why they are listed unless sothink is just a cover for other interests.

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General Software Discussion / Re: Scumbags Hall of Shame

« on: January 26, 2010, 08:41 AM »

I am glad to see he mentioned download.com being used to promote such quality and spyware-free products Uh, brothersoft - he won't get many affilate deals for a while... If there is one conspiracy I believe in it is the production and distribution of crapware.

Not sure I would put Sothink in this category but would have to check. Real production might be over shadowed by aggressive marketing.