That makes sense now. I tried limited mode. It was unusably slow to do everything. Is it always like that? And it was like starting the computer for the first time; none of my settings were there. Can't you clone yourself somehow?

Forgetaboutit, I'd rather get hacked than use that.

I uninstalled adobe reader, and downloaded sumatra. It looks fine, but it doesn't run native on Linux. Know a good Linux pdf reader?


I would never do that. If I got infected, it had to be from a browser weakness, or from adobe reader. What do you consider the safest/best browser to use?

One other question. I have an inexpensive (<$40) Belkin wireless G router between my cable modem and my PC that I just use for WI-FI. Do you think that can be configured as a firewall somehow, or would I need another piece of hardware?

My wireless router does have a hardware firewall which I enabled when I installed it; I just forgot about that. In fact, my windows firewall is also enabled, so now I have 2 firewalls. I'm not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing.

My reading has indicated that software firewalls are more intelligent than hardware firewalls due to using state information about applications. They also have the advantage of being able to filter outgoing packets, which hardware firewalls cannot. They have the disadvantage of being vulnerable to corruption from an attack.

Wellju said that a software firewall can't work because it can only tell you that a packet has already penetrated the system. However, I don't understand why it can't filter the packets before they affect the OS or any other programs unless the firewall itself becomes corrupted or disabled.

I"m running my laptop on admin but I somehow configured in a way that popsup a dialog box that asks if any program that I try to open should be given admin rights. Isn't this a good solution, if I weird program(virus or malware) shows up I of course won't give it to it so it won't do any harm

Running as admin and giving admin rights to applications for the admin user doesn't compute.

Are you sure you don't just mean the regular UAC dictated popup that asks if you want to run a certain application, but if you read closely, shows you that it's not asking for admin rights per se?

'an undentified program wants to access your computer' or 'a program needs your permission to continue', then is says if you started the application click continue. Only the programs with the little shield in the icon have that happen

Regarding windows 7, does it matter if you are admin or not, given the only difference between admin and limited accounts are the first one prompts and the second asks for a password?

If you are the only user on the computer, there is no difference is there? Any changes on windows 7 will prompt you anyway- with the limited account you just need the password as well, which you know.

Unless of course the 'malware' can click the prompts in windows 7, in which case having a password is better.

Also, is constantly typing your password into UAC safe?

That's the UAC prompt, not the admin prompt. It doesn't ask you to enter your admin's account password, right?

Don't confuse UAC with admin prompts.

There is a major difference between the UAC prompts and having to enter your password. The difference is whether to be safe from 90% of all malware or not.

So it does play a huge role.

When you're just asked if you want to continue yes/no, it's UAC and you're doing it wrong. When you're asked to enter your admin password, everything is fine and your computer is secured on this level.

If a random software gets that UAC window to showup of course I won't click yes, therefore I will be protected

That's not even remotely the same as to hinder malware to gain admin rights over your system. That's why we go trough the struggle of typing the admin password so regularly.

UAC!=Admin privileges

you are just making claims without backing with real arguments

That's not a claim, but a very simple fact.

Malicious software can get by the UAC protection, but it's effectively impossible to do so without admin rights. It all happens at the Kernel-level, long before any pop ups for you to click on are created.

I'm not about to explain what the difference between 0 and 1 is, again.
For further information refer to the OP or Google.

I use XP as a limited user and I'm quite happy with it. What kinds of problems did you guys run into? The only problems I really encounter are with software that doesn't support multiple users or requires admin priveleges to run. In that case I'm usually able to find some alternative that doesn't have these issues. Software not running as a limited user is a pretty good indication that it's poorly designed and written, so I don't feel like I'm missing out on much. My software needs are pretty basic though, so that could be the reason I've had so little trouble.

Cool Thread.

I've been running without any firewalls or Anti-virus and on Admin rights or whatever for about 15 years now on 4-6 different computers, without a single problem. Never even formatted hard-drives or anything. Heheh.

Funny stuff.

Lately I did secure my Main PC for work reasons, but still. Good thread. Maybe I should finally secure my systems... for... uh. Security reasons.
Maybe I should Upgrade from Vista SP1 too that I've been using for 4 years?

Hmmm.... Then again I am very, very lazy.


But in all seriousness I'll read the thread and when I finally build a new computer I'll get it up and running as secure as I can make it. These tips in this thread will be quite useful.
Never really thought about turning off Admin rights for instance as I install roughly a Program a day and mess with system settings daily. I'd probably go nuts...

HEM won't import hands when i do this, any ideas?

Check that all of the various .exe files in your RVG soft folder are run as admin.

You'll be asked to enter your admin password. If not, you have UAC switched off.