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For the computer gurus . . . .

IconoclastIconoclast Member Posts: 10,515 ✭✭✭
edited February 2004 in General Discussion
(A) Norton Ghost - I've read reviews in both directions . . . your personal experience?

(B) Suggestions for an inexpensive router? I'm going to ditch my software firewall; need to reduce the TSR (or whatever the term is these days) applications as much as I can, as they are just clogging my system.

"There is nothing lower than the human race - except the French." (Mark Twain)
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Comments

  • rldowns3rldowns3 Member Posts: 6,096
    edited November -1
    I personally don't bother with a firewall or router. I've just been careful about where I browse and what I download and I've only had two viruses that caused a major crash where I had to wipe the HD clean in the last 12 years.

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  • droptopdroptop Member Posts: 8,363 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Linksys DSL/Cable router, Linksys is a great product. Recommend staying away from wireless,,, THIS IS JUST ME,, Wireless I'm sure is great. The Paranoia in me says,,,, NO to wireless ... Anyway,,, I have an even cheaper router.... SMC,, got it on sale for $39.00 with a $20.00 dollar rebate.... would not recommend,, toooooooo,, cheap,, had to unplug it twice so it could "crank up" again.....

    Cost,, Linksys,,, check fleabay,,,, $20 to $60. Fleabay is my all time favorite place to purchase items and AVOID the 8.25% sales tax in my area. Property taxes are bad enough.

    Everytime I do this it gives me a warm fuzzy feeling I helped a person in another state.

    I have four computers on a home network. I use Symatec Anti Virus on ONE machine. I go to the Symatec site and let it scan the others about once a month,,, just for fun. Never had a Virus, but if has found a few as attachments. Latest one was "hidden" in the SUN Java Directory. Probably came in on one of those,, "Trust ME",, click here. Ha,,, Trust,, ME,, I don't trust anyone,, but some are necessary.
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  • bsallybsally Member Posts: 3,165
    edited November -1
    I'll second the Linksys. I access my office computer from home and the Belkin didn't work with pc anywhere.

    SALLY
    Committee member-Ducks Unlimited
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  • droptopdroptop Member Posts: 8,363 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Darn,, fleabay auction closed last few minutes,,, Linksys USED, missing one "foot",, looked good,, new seller(2),, sold for $31.00.

    OH NO,,, looks like a low end linksys,, with one "bad" port is coming up in 15 MINUTES. HA !!!!! 9.00 shipping,,, I hate that... Plus probably not real knowledgeable seller,,, Probably $3.85 for priority mail, less than one pound and priority mail has $100.00 insurance.
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  • IconoclastIconoclast Member Posts: 10,515 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks for the info on the Linksys, folks. I, too, am a bit paranoid about wireless - I know how "uninvited guests" can access cell and cordless telephone conversations, inadvertently or not. I don't plan on using any sort of wireless device as long as that is possible. Bad enough the feebs can go virtually anywhere they want under the "Patriot" Act.

    rld - my system is on more hours than it is off and the teens still use it from time to time when they are on the premises. I've had too many hacker attempt alerts (legit or not) and too many definite malware stops to even consider operating without all the protection I can obtain.

    What about "Ghost?" Anyone have any experience with this? Some reviewers swear it is the best thing since sliced bread, others that it is fragile and quirky. I'd be interested in comments from the real world. At one time, Norton software was the ultimate in quality, but since he sold out to Symantec, it seems to have become gradually more and more like MacroCrap - compatibility issues, fragility issues, constant meaningless upgrades to pull in money, etc.

    "There is nothing lower than the human race - except the French." (Mark Twain)
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  • bambihunterbambihunter Member Posts: 10,742 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have used Linksys almost exclusively over the past 3 years at home, with my business, and for my clients. Most of them want to get the maximium protection for the minimium cost and IMHO that is Linksys. I've had some compatibility issues on the D-link and also CompUSA's own brand (can't think of what they call it).

    I think you mean Norton Internet Security or something like that. Ghost is a hard drive cloning program. If this is what you mean, I'll write up my views on it if you wish.

    Icon, hardware firewalls/routers will stop all but the very best hacks from the outside. There is a difference between a router and a firewall/router. While a standard router has what they call a NAT (network address translation) firewall, it doesn't really analyze the packets. A firewall router will have the capability to analyze packets. Also, if you read, many of the Linksys routers will come with a basic Zone Alarm software which integrates with your router. Remember though, if you've downloaded spyware, data miners, key loggers, etc and they are running on your computer, the router doesn't stop OUTBOUND problems. For this, you can run a sofware firewall if you please.

    Personally, I have my own public server which runs 24/7 and I only run a hardware router with firewall. I keep everything updated from MS, keep the AV updated, and check for spyware a couple times a week. I have my server set up to check all computers connected to it so essentially that one computer does all the work.

    The 10mm - either you've got it, or you don't get it...
    Fanatic collector of the 10mm auto.
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  • IconoclastIconoclast Member Posts: 10,515 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    bambihunter, I am indeed speaking of the cloning software - that is a separate issue from the hardware firewall.

    So you are saying what I need is "firewall/router" rather than simply a "router" which will still require software assistance? I don't mind running Zone Alarm or something from time to time, it's the constant resource drain of all these apps which is driving me - and my sys - nuts. I do keep the AV going whenever the system is on and I do have spy killer software in place which seems to be doing a good job; those I expect to continue. But - if it is safe to do so - I wanted to use the hardware as a substitute for the software on the firewall and save the overhead.



    "There is nothing lower than the human race - except the French." (Mark Twain)
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  • bambihunterbambihunter Member Posts: 10,742 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    A router by itself does very basic "firewalling" by using what's called NAT (network address translation) which pretty much does what it sounds like; it takes your outside address and changes it to a different address inside. It's hard (but not impossible) for hackers to get through. Some routers have seperate type of firewall that is called SPI (stateful packet inspection) which also does what it sounds like - it inspects what's coming in (and maybe going out - I don't remember for sure) and sees if it is all good.
    The firewall/router setup will reduce your risk way down (in my opinion to below that of just software) but it really does take both to ensure near 100% security.

    As far as Ghost, I've used it, but I really don't like it. In fact, until NTFS became the norm with XP (it was on NT and Windows 2000 also) I hadn't used it much. It does totally automate recovery, but it really isn't all that user-friendly initially. I've got quite a few different versions, what do you need it to do and on what operating systems?

    The 10mm - either you've got it, or you don't get it...
    Fanatic collector of the 10mm auto.
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  • offerorofferor Member Posts: 8,625 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Supposedly, the master CD set that comes with Sony VAIO computers to restore the HD was created with Ghost. I guess that's a pretty good endorsement. It certainly is better than nothing, since Windows Restore will fail from time to time. I'd rather clone a new master set than let that old Sony set take me all the way back to the day I purchased my PC.

    T. Jefferson: "[When doing Constitutional interpretation], let us [go] back to the time when [it] was adopted. [Rather than] invent a meaning [let us] conform to the probable one in which it was passed."

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  • IconoclastIconoclast Member Posts: 10,515 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    bambi, offeror, what I'm looking at is making the leap from Win98SE to XP. Being the trusting soul that I am, the idea of depending on a tape backup and trusting Billy Gates' software not to screw me up seemed like taking a popsicle stick to a gunfight. I had one guy telling me this was exactly what I needed (I'd never heard of it before), but when I did a search, I came across multiple flames as well as fulsome praise, so I thought I'd see if I could pick the brains of some folks who had actually worked with the app rather than just those who sell and review it.

    "There is nothing lower than the human race - except the French." (Mark Twain)
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  • bambihunterbambihunter Member Posts: 10,742 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Icon, do you have an extra hard drive? If so, you can use standard software that comes with hard drives (and is available free) to copy EVERYTHING from on to the other. Then install XP on your new drive. I wouldn't do an upgrade to XP personally, I'd do a full install. That way it will install the more secure file system called NTFS instead of the insecure system that 9x and ME uses.

    If you're wanting to copy this to tape drive then I think Ghost will be the best bet. I'll be honest and say I don't think Ghost is very easy to use - and that is coming from a P.C. Tech, so take that how you may. If you're going from 1 hard drive to tape (with Windows 9x) I should have an original personal use copy around here some where if you need it (my guess is it'd be 2000, but might be older). I also have a recent corporate version (more bells and whistles) around here somewhere.

    There are other backup software titles available, but I'd say that Ghost is the most compatible, and the most stable of them all. However, if you're going hard drive to hard drive then I'd sure check out Maxtor's or Western Digitals site for free software that'll do exactly what you want to do. I know, I've literally don't thousands of data transfers using those two utilities...

    The 10mm - either you've got it, or you don't get it...
    Fanatic collector of the 10mm auto.
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  • IconoclastIconoclast Member Posts: 10,515 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    bambi, I only have one HD on my sys. I have a tape for system back-ups which I should use more than I do. I can do the back-up to tape, but was worried that if I then installed XP, I could not reinstall from the tape, if that makes any sense? I guess I need to obtain a newer / larger HD at some point, but was hoping to forestall that.

    "There is nothing lower than the human race - except the French." (Mark Twain)
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  • concealedG36concealedG36 Member Posts: 3,566 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Symantec Ghost Enterprise Edition is awesome. I have used Ghost for years and just recently to clone thousands of client PCs. It is very easy to use but it isn't cheap. I don't recommend it for a simple PC upgrade but for larger scale projects it is worth it's weight in gold.

    Have you considered simply buying a new hard drive and installing Windows XP on it? Then, you can install your old hard drive as a slave; thereby eliminating the risk of data loss.

    Also, wireless Ethernet (802.11x) IS safe and one shouldn't discount it without considering the benefits it can provide. I'll be happy to answer any questions about it.

    G36


    Gun Control Disarms Victims, NOT CriminalsThe 2nd Amendment; America's Original Homeland Security
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  • IconoclastIconoclast Member Posts: 10,515 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Guys, I just got off the phone with the local outfit which built this system for me 5.5 years ago. They will 2.5x my system speed with a new processor / mother board - adding another 128 MB of RAM which comes with the board in the process, add another HD, replace the cooling fans, upgrade the power supply and install XP for about $450. Saves me all the headaches, except for reinstalling all the apps, and gives me a faster, more capable, updated machine as well. Makes good sense and I guess I'll do it.

    Without your input, likely I'd have been trying to mickey mouse it, likely with disastrous results. Thanks very much.

    "There is nothing lower than the human race - except the French." (Mark Twain)
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