format c:/

[stickybytes]

Because the load on my current system is so laggy, im reformatting by tongiht. I hate to do it because it'll be a whole weekend thing but a guys gotta do what a guys gotta do.

My current dilemia are those pesky little worms that are making the rounds these days. Especially sasser, which comes right in if you don't have the patch from microsoft. The problem is that in order to get the darn patch, i need to connect to the internet. During the time i download, install, restart, download, install restart, rinse and repeat, im bound to get unlucky and catch one of these suckers. I don't want my freshly minted load to get screwed up by one of these worms. So how can i protect my computer against these worms while my computer is in the vulnerable stage?

I need a response quick because im reformatting by tonight.

 

[Lonyo]

Download a firewall (like Zonealarm) and have it ready to install once you have reinstalled Windows, and you *should* be OK against most stuff.
If you install it before connecting to the internet you shoudl be protected.

 

[BlueWeasel]

If you're only going to MS site (Windows Update, etc.), then don't worry about it. I doubt you'll get infected for only being online for a total of 10-20 minutes.

Regardless, just install your AV program as soon as you can, and install the latest virus definitions. That's really all you can do.

 

[xcript]

Disconnect from network -> Install XP -> Enable built-in firewall -> Reconnect -> Windows Update

 

[stickybytes]

do you guys recommend that i install all the patches from windows update before i install av? i have norton antivirus 2004 on disk so i can easily install it beforehand.

 

[xcript]

You don't need AV right away if all you're doing is updating windows.

 

[stickybytes]

We are hours away from demolishing this current load. Prepare to say goodbye

On other news, i don't believe that chinsy built in firewall in xp is enough to ward off those worms. If that was the case, we wouldn't have these million people who became infected with sasser last month. Reportely, microsoft is going to beef up the Internet Connection Firewall in service pack 2 but we'll see.

My plan is to go download zone alarm right now, burn it on cd. Then reload xp, install the firewall and run windows update. Zone alarm should be able to keep those pesky worms out. Then ill install antivirus and all that junk.

Right now im getting all my documents off this computer and transferring them to a small little sandisk cruzer mini usb thumb drive. These drives work great. Its handy for word documents, excel sheets and all those other little kb thingies. These drives requiere no drivers and they work faster than a floppy .

 

[EagleKeeper]

Get ZoneAlarm on a CD and your AV updates.
Install the XP, your AV w/ current updates and ZoneAlarm.

Now you are safe to go get what you need from MS.

 

[BFG10K]

You don't need to reinstall anything, just turn off background programs that suck up the CPU.

 

[XplosiV]

Hate to be the one to tell you but a firewall does nothing for worms and the like. you would need an antivirus prog on there during your downtime. You could catalogue all your XP patch's that you have got from windows updates and burn them to a cd as well. But for antivirus protection during your downtime, download the trial of Norman http://www.norman.com antivirus and it makes no difference if tthe definition is a month ols as it has sandboxing so it will catch and malicious cade that was written evan today and you'd still be safe all a firewall will do is limit servers from connecting to you, which is no good if you have a worm thats opened a backdoor right through your firewall - goodluck

 

[stickybytes]

im planning to stick to my initial plan which was to reload xp, install av and firewall. then connect and hopefully i do not get infected with sasser. wish me luck.

off i am to blow out my machine :laugh:

 

[EeyoreX]

If you're only going to MS site (Windows Update, etc.), then don't worry about it. I doubt you'll get infected for only being online for a total of 10-20 minutes.

Worms like Blaster and Sasser will nail you as soon or within minutes of connecting to the net, regardless of the website you hit. Enable the firewall or install one, or you will be infected. Trust me, I know.

On other news, i don't believe that chinsy built in firewall in xp is enough to ward off those worms. If that was the case, we wouldn't have these million people who became infected with sasser last month.

The problem is not that the firewall won't prevent these kinds of attacks, because it will. The problem is that the default was to have the firewall disabled. SP2 will enable the firewall by default. There are millions of people that got infected because they don't know how to use the firewall or don't know any better and simply don't use it. For the purpose of updating Windows the suggestion xcript is all you need to do. It has worked for me a half dozen times when setting up new computers for people.

Hate to be the one to tell you but a firewall does nothing for worms and the like.

I hate to be the one to tell you that you are wrong, but you are wrong. Not completely wrong, but for the worms like sasser and blaster the firewall is all the protection you need. Though I agree absolutely that anti-virus software is a must, it is not needed immediatly just to do Windows updates when the built in tool will work just fine.

\Dan

 

[n0cmonkey]

Download the patches ahead of time. Format, install, patch, install firewall and AV, finally get on the net.