Re: migrating from Win2K to XP?

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Date: Sat, 04 Dec 2004 13:48:15 -0700

alexV wrote:

>
> (1) Is Win2K still supported by Microsoft?
>

Windows Desktop Product Lifecycle Guidelines
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/lifecycle.asp

> (2) Is it more reliable OS as compared to XP? I would guess it is more
> secure since not too many users are out there and perhaps not too many
> hackers would be familiar with its internals.
>

        No to both supositions. WinXP exceeds Win2K is both stability and
security, everything else (hardware compatibility, device driver
compatibility, application compatibility, and user knowledge) being equal.

> (3) What is the future of Win2K? I mean 4 years from now. Would it still be
> around?
>

        See (1) above.

> (4) If I buy a CD with Win2K from Dell would it have all the security
> patches and current updates? How about SP2 and others?

        Ask Dell. Only they can tell you which specific service packs they've
slipstreamed into their propriatory OEM installation media. Regular
patches and hotfixes released subsequent to the included service pack
would not be included. A retail Win2K CD will likely contain whatever
service pack was available art the time it was pressed.

> I remember I had to
> reformat my hard disks three or four times over the past 4 years and every
> time on my three computers because of viruses and other disasters and every
> time I had to bring the OS up to date and it took days because the original
> CDs were so old.
>

     Formatting the hard drive and reinstalling the OS, regardless of
whether it's Win2K or WinXP, to solve a virus or spyware problem is
rather like using an axe to trim one's fingernails. Sure, it'll
probably get the job done, but it's rather messy...., and almost always
unnecessary. What preventative measures do you routinely employ? What
other corrective measures had you already attempted?
        

> (5) Should I go for an XP instead? I want high security and reliability. Is
> XP secure? I do go many places on Internet. I roam. I do not get into
> controversial places but every time I check I have a few spies or viruses on
> hard disks.
>

        No OS can protect you from yourself, although WinXP does an
ever-so-slightly better job of it than Win2K did.

     Neither adware nor spyware, collectively known as scumware,
magically install themselves on anyone's computer. They are almost
always deliberately installed by the computer's user, as part of some
allegedly "free" service or product.

     While there are some unscrupulous malware distributors out there,
who do attempt to install and exploit malware without consent, the
majority of them simply rely upon the intellectual laziness and
gullibility of the average consumer, counting on them to quickly click
past the EULA in his/her haste to get the latest in "free" cutesy
cursors, screensavers, "utilities," and/or wallpapers.

    If you were to read the EULAs that accompany, and to which the
computer user must agree before the download/installation of the
"screensaver" continues, most adware and spyware, you'll find that
they _do_ have the consumer's permission to do exactly what they're
doing. In the overwhelming majority of cases, computer users have no
one to blame but themselves.

     There are several essential components to computer security: a
knowledgeable and pro-active user, a properly configured firewall,
reliable and up-to-date antivirus software, and the prompt repair (via
patches, hotfixes, or service packs) of any known vulnerabilities.

     The weakest link in this "equation" is, of course, the computer
user. No software manufacturer can -- nor should they be expected
to -- protect the computer user from him/herself. All too many people
have bought into the various PC/software manufacturers marketing
claims of easy computing. They believe that their computer should be
no harder to use than a toaster oven; they have neither the
inclination or desire to learn how to safely use their computer. All
too few people keep their antivirus software current, install patches
in a timely manner, or stop to really think about that cutesy link
they're about to click.

     Firewalls and anti-virus applications, which should always be used
and should always be running, are important components of "safe hex,"
but they cannot, and should not be expected to, protect the computer
user from him/herself. Ultimately, it is incumbent upon each and
every computer user to learn how to secure his/her own computer.

     To learn more about practicing "safe hex," start with these links:

Protect Your PC
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/default.asp

Home Computer Security
http://www.cert.org/homeusers/HomeComputerSecurity/

  List of Antivirus Software Vendors
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;49500

Home PC Firewall Guide
http://www.firewallguide.com/

Scumware.com
http://www.scumware.com/

> (6) Is it reasonable to have two operating system XP and Win2K on one
> computer and boot them depending on circumstances? What would be the
> advantage of such setup?
>

        Perfectly reasonable, if you've a need or desire for such a
configuration. The most common reasons that people create multi-boot
scenarios are:

        1)They want to learn and experiment with different operating Systems

        2) They develop software that needs to be compatibile with different
operating systems

        3) They have a legacy application or hardware component that they
cannot (or don't want to) do without, but is not compatibile with the
newer OS.

Multibooting with Windows 2000 and Windows XP
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/administration/management/mltiboot.asp

> (7) I can afford 2 processors. I have never had two on any computer. I am
> wondering if anyone has any experience with that? What advantage can it give
> me? I do software development. Can I use the second processor
> programmatically or it is beyond my control?

        If, as a software developer, you write your programs correctly, you'll
obviously be able to take advantage of the greater processing power
provided by two CPUs. I can't go into greater detail than that, as I'm
not a developer, and therefore lack the fundamental knowledge that you,
being a developer, should have.

-- 
Bruce Chambers
Help us help you:
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You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having 
both at once. - RAH

• Previous message: Dominik Hertel: "Re: SP2 Boot Delay"
• In reply to: alexV: "migrating from Win2K to XP?"
• Next in thread: Ron Martell: "Re: migrating from Win2K to XP?"
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