Beyond XP

[mattc]

Ta. That's more or less what I was thinking, but I couldn't help wondering if there was something I'd missed.

I intend to uninstall everything in that VM that isn't essential, & carry on using it. I'll make sure I unplug the modem every time I fire it up.

Most of my VM setups have no network connectivity at all.

At one point I was using a particular configuration sufficiently frequently that I wanted to avoid having to keep reinstalling so I bought a spare Windows license, installed it to make a permanent VM, enabled network connectivity for long enough to register the license, then turned it off again.

For my purposes the whole point of a VM is to have an absolutely clean Windows installation for test purposes, so I work around keeping one totally clean Windows virtual machine and cloning it as needed. Then when the tests are done I delete the clone.

ETA: The VM has very tightly restricted access to the host machine (I keep one single folder shared between the two, so I can copy what I need to test onto it) so unless a hacker not only breaks into a machine with no networking but also breaks back through the virtualisation software it's not like they can do much. If it all goes wrong I delete the VM and create a new one.

http://xkcd.com/350/

[Manotea]

I've just taken the Win8 shilling. A bit painful but I'm getting there. Happily we have a (2)3 year old child in the house to help me.

"Where are my applications? I cannot find the applications from desktop and I don't want to keep switching into metro!!"

"What are you looking for?

"Excel"

"Have you tried typing, "Excel"?"

"oh"

But I'd still like a app list....

It was a tough decision but I'm pleased I skipped Win7 and went for a Win8 lappy with a touchscreen. Tocuh makes Win8 bearable and playing with maps fun. Gmaps and Street view on a fast processor and broadband is a revelation. All of a sudden the world is my oyster!

Though it has occurred to me that MS really isn't the only game in town anymore and given the pain of jumping from XP to Win8 I could have gone Apple.

No, that's a step too far, for now....

[Bledlow]

Most of my VM setups have no network connectivity at all.
ETA: The VM has very tightly restricted access to the host machine (I keep one single folder shared between the two, so I can copy what I need to test onto it) so unless a hacker not only breaks into a machine with no networking but also breaks back through the virtualisation software it's not like they can do much. If it all goes wrong I delete the VM and create a new one.

My VM has nothing shared except what's plugged into a USB port - & if there's nothing there . . .

[Biggsy]

Possibly you'll get five more years of updates for XP if you fool it into believing it's Windows Embedded POSReady 2009 (what ATM machines use):

http://thehackernews.com/2014/05/registry-hack-get-windows-xp-security.html


Incidentally:
 http://www.expertreviews.co.uk/software/1306762/how-to-slipstream-an-xp-disc-with-sp3-and-all-other-updates

[HTFB]

Hmm. What's the security risk of XP in a VM if it's only fired up when not connected to the web?

Twitter viruses.

In today's news, Tweetdeck doesn't do its escaping properly and will run arbitrary Javascript if you tweet it. How much damage can 140 characters do?

[ian]

Hmm. What's the security risk of XP in a VM if it's only fired up when not connected to the web?

Twitter viruses.

In today's news, Tweetdeck doesn't do its escaping properly and will run arbitrary Javascript if you tweet it. How much damage can 140 characters do?

Deliver a virus that can overwrite your immortal soul? How many times do I have to warn you.

Come on people, surely a good reason not to use XP is that it's like letting children armed with primary coloured crayons attack your eyes.

[Jaded]

So go for Windows 8 instead and get hit by Lego bricks instead of crayons.