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What ever will I do now?

What's happened to XP?

I'm still using it.

Microsoft stop releasing security updates for it from tomorrow. The theory is that when they next release updates for Vista/7/8 then hackers will review those updates to see if the same flaw exists in XP and produce exploits for it.

Unless you are the ultra-cautious type who knows exactly how to avoid potential exploits I'd be very careful about going online with XP - or do it from a PC you don't mind being compromised.

Thanks for the explanation.

Does this mean that I need to buy a new PC or can my techy man tweak my current one?

Just upgrade to Windows Vista, 7 or 8 if you are concerned, no need for a new PC (probably)

Should I be concerned about pokersites, betfair etc. being compromised?

Your techy man can upgrade to W7 or W8 as Graham said. Be aware that you'll probably need to reinstall Stars and all the other programs so make sure you have all the account/password details first.

The chances of being compromised is small but increasing; the risk is that someone installs a keylogger on your PC that would give them access to your Stars/Betfair/banking passwords.

Are you saying that they might now be able to install a keylogger remotely if I persist with XP?

The likelihood increases the longer you continue to use XP.

Okay, thanks a lot for the advice.

I've been looking into it this morning Ralph.

My laptop is about 6 years old and in perfect condition, plus it has a nice 17in non reflective screen that I requested when I bought it. Ironically, I also requested XP instead of Vista, because Vista was having a lot of problems at the time.

I now have the option of installing Vista, Windows 7 or Windows 8.

From what I can gather, Vista will run smoother on my ageing lappy because it's not so resource hungry and it will be cheaper to buy. (Apparently windows 7 / 6 has a lot of stuff to support technology that I will never use).

I'm also told that Vista pretty stable now that the bugs have been ironed out.

So... it seems like a done deal really. I'm just waiting to see what tikay thinks. That said, all advice / opinions will be welcome.

If it helps, I've never had a problem with my computers that ran Vista.

Have you got an RSA Ralph ? If not, get one.

essentially it's not particularly hard to do that anyway if they really wanted to, with XP not being supported it'd be even easier.

If you are going to change you might as well move to Windows 8.1.

Will my old laptop cope?

Make and model number Tom?

System requirements
Windows 8.1
If you want to run Windows 8.1 on your PC, here's what it takes:

Processor: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster with support for PAE, NX, and SSE2 (more info)

RAM: 1 gigabyte (GB) (32-bit) or 2 GB (64-bit)

Hard disk space: 16 GB (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)

Graphics card: Microsoft DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM driver

Unless your hardware is ancient no reason to not go with 8.1 as far as I'm aware.

it's claiming 20gb hdd space there but win7 takes up absolutely chunks

+ the fact of if you don't own a tablet win8 is gash, each to their own though

It says Dell Vostro 1710  :dontask:

Is there any reason to install Windows 8 over Vista? (I can probs get Vista cheap)

Click Start, then right click on computer, and select properties.

That will tell you your system specs.

.

Vista support ends in 3 years time. You can make Windows 8 look and work just like Vista/7 if that's an issue.

The 1710 specs  (http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-Dell-Vostro-1710-Notebook.11052.0.html)look fine, you should be OK with Vista, 7 or 8.1.

If you go with 8.1, this is the first line from the MS website

To upgrade to Windows 8.1 from Windows Vista or Windows XP, you'll need to install it from a Windows 8.1 DVD and perform a clean installation. This means you won't be able to keep any files, settings or programs when you upgrade.

Not sure if other versions are the same but something to take in to account.

ya that should handle it fine, as usual it depends what you use it for but if it's nothing too strenuous then you should be good to go. A external HDD will let you back it up to wipe/install an OS from fresh.

How else would I do it?

Yes.

Most software you can download and install from Windows like any other program.  The bit I was meaning to point out was that you would lose all the files on your computer so make sure you do a decent back up of everything first.  Just something to be aware of in case you didn't realise.

(http://www.vegetablerevolution.co.uk/uploads/846582.jpg)

How do you do this?  I have just bought a new laptop and am finding windows 8 a bit tilting.  Are there any specific qualities to make me persist with it?

microsoft told you so....
lolz



http://www.cnet.com/uk/how-to/how-to-make-windows-8-look-like-windows-7/

So I download the new OS and then it wipes the old one when I install it?

A who?

techincally no, you buy it on a DVD, insert that install and you get a fresh computer running win8.1 however all your files etc will be gone hence the need to back them up first before you do it.

it's a keyfob that gives you a code to enter when you login to something to verify its you.


prime factorisation ftw

I seem to remember that when Dell delivered my laptop, they also sent a disc with Vista on it.


Would it be labelled 'Microsoft Works' or something?

works is software to run on it like office etc. if you have a copy of vista then it should physically say vista on the disc lol

What this character said.

Go to VIP store>Secuirity to get one.

To translate for thickos, i.e., Tom, Raymond means via Pokerstars VIP Store.

Classic Shell referenced in that article does 99% of what I need to make 8.1 work like 7. I never see the metro desktop or use modern apps.

Thank you both, thickos rool innit.

you should use a tablet. microsoft says so.....

These are what I have.

.

Man I want to ask but don't want to appear to be being rude.......   

There's a disc with a label that says Vista on it.  Does it have a serial number?  Did it come with a book with a serial number?  would look a bit like (http://chaoticsignal.com/uploads/300571134.jpg)  either in the corner or a whole page in that style

Using the first DVD pictured and this guide http://philipyip.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/windows-reinstallation-guide-22-12-2013.pdf you could install Vista. Be aware that everything that is currently on your laptop will be wiped.

You'll need to speak s-l-o-w-l-y Graham.

Over under on pages in thread?

I'll set the line at 10.

cd 1 is the OS cd for vista.
cd 2 you install after installing cd 1 it gives you drivers for things like LAN connections (internet innit) audio etc
cd 3 is some random dell thing for the dvd player
cd 4 is the office like suite from microsoft (wiki  says it's been discontinued)

post 2
cd5 some kind of old monitor drivers
cd6 another old driver cd
cd7 is XP OS
cd 8 is another works cd for some reason


if you are going to go for win8 then none of those are useful lol
if you're just going to go for vista then cd 1 and 2 will be the ones you need I think

Got to be overs

This is on the reverse of the packet and the bit of paper with the code on was just loose amongst the papers.

There is no longer a sticker on the laptop.

normal answers to 'do you have the cd' are

"you what mate"


or "yeh probably" followed by "erm no I don't know where they are tho".


so this is so far much easier.

Normal people are not married to Mrs Red.

"'ere, found this one that says Computer Shopper on it, will that do?"

next steps are


1) get an external hard drive big enough to back up your stuff on (can serve as backup medium afterwards too)
2) save all important info/documents/pictures/stars notes etc etc
3) go to youtube, watch a video titled something like 'how to install XP'
4) insert cd1 to install OS, follow same steps as youtube video
5) insert cd2 to install drivers
6) put files/pictures etc back on computer
7) post back here saying how amazing we are

Is it just me who wants to know what question Graham C is too polite to ask?

What about the code that Graham was on about?

Think it is "are you really this dumb, Tom?"

He who knows, and knows he knows, is wise. Follow him.

He who knows not, and knows he knows not, is a scholar. Teach him.

He who knows not, and knows not he knows not, is a fool. Shun him.

I know.

He is too polite to ask if the cd is a ripped off copy or with the serials a genuine disc.

you have 30 days from installing to check that you got it all done right, at any point in those 30 days you can enter the code to validate your copy of windows via the internets.

So is that the code that's printed on the back of the DVD envelope?

I was just going to ask why you asked if the Works disc contained Vista when there's a disc clearly labelled as Vista :D

The code is the serial number for Windows, you'll need one, as mentioned, you have 30 days to type it in but you may get reminders about it every day until you do.

Lol. I hadn't found that one at that point.


Where do I get the code from?

Hopefully the number in the middle will be the product key, but they are usually labelled as such I think. Also, I don't think it's right format but I could be wrong on that.  I thought they normally were in blocks of 5 characters.

Don't do anything before you back up everything.

The blue writing on the back of the packet seems to suggest that the product code should be on a sticker on the computer.

I have a shiny patch where the sticker used to be.....

I can only back up photographs (Which I have anyway) and documents.

Is there anything else?

Any video files
Programs that you have installed - make a note of what they are
Make sure you know what any passwords are
Internet shortcuts if required
All personal documents
Music files
Emails if required

You'll need a product key, probably.

It's fine. You can download

http://www.magicaljellybean.com/downloads/KeyFinderInstaller.exe


and it will retrieve the code from inside the registry then you write it down and keep it safe (give it to mrs red)





Photos, documents, music?/pokerstars notes (this is always a fun one when you lose them if that matters to you).

If your laptop came with XP installed from Dell then it might not have come with a Vista licence key even if it did come with the install DVD.

Licence keys appear to be £30 on eBay.

you can just take a screenshot of your programs and features list if you want to take a backup of what programs you had to reinstall on your new iteration.

Can't understand why I don't have a product key. Thinking about it I don't remember ever seeing a sticker of the computer.

That said, I can buy a new copy of vista for ~ £20 and Windows 7 for ~ £45.

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/still-windows-xp-computer-125734139.html#EDTLwo3

Just read this in the news,

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-26954540

Do I really need to change all my passwords?
I've done my email account but what about all those shopping sites and stuff, god knows how many of them there are.
Advice plz.

i'd be a good idea. but doesn't really matter in all honesty if you don't.

this bug affected everyone and everything online basically, and unless people have any kind of good reason to focus on you to attack then you don't really need to care.

Okay great, I'll not bother then. Thanks titaniumbean x

disclaimer*

dont blame me if shit hits the fan.


if you were to threat model though you are a pretty unlikely target.


in general people have awful passwords and terrible 'operational security' anyway.


the only way it could hurt to change them all is if it causes you loads of problems to start remembering them.



best practice for passwords nowadays is to try and use a passphrase rather than just a word, so a relatively long sentence as your password preferably with capitalisation/numbers strewn about. obviously you may be limited by awful system admins who enforce certain length constraints etc.

ideally you would have long passphrases, unique to every single login you use for every different site. in reality though how the hell are you meant to remember all that.

http://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-how-to-protect-from-heartbleed-bug-20140409,0,5833514.story#ixzz2yPhXALaW


cliffs, wait a few days because terrible admins wont be updating quick enough anyway, use long complicated weird passwords. or just unplug the internet and sit in the dark...

Any pens and paper about.

ya mondooo you're right i nearly put that tbf, storing passwords in your desk on a piece of paper is much more secure than storing them on your computer.

I recently taught my mum that having passwords like 'rhubarbpie1' wasn't going to cut it and taught her to use pass phrases which have both increased entropy and memorability.

She now has a book (a modern classic) by her PC and for each website three numbers: page number, word number and word count. So she goes to the page, counts n word in and uses the following m words as a password, adding some random numerical info and randomising the case of every Lth letter.

Puts my passwords to shame and never had a problem remembering one yet.

and then we find out that the nuclear launch code for 20 years was 00000 and the dial was always left at 00000 LOL

Really? Wow that seems like an awful lot of effort, I'm starting to think anyone who wanted to access anything on my computer will have got it long before this security breach then  :)

it is quite effortful at the beginning but gets easier.

Mind you, as both Monda and Titbean have suggested, writing passwords down on a bit of paper is also absolutely fine. It's a question of chance really, and the chances are OVERWHELMINGLY likely that if you get your password compromised it's because you had it stored insecurely on your PC, not because you had it written down on a bit of paper.

The stigma around writing passwords down on paper is, at least for private individuals, really bad security advice because it leads to generic and simple passwords.