dr_st wrote on 2022-06-14, 20:43:

I think you can still get latest Defender updates on Vista. You just need to download and install them manually.

And Vista x64 will take even post-EOL Server 2008 SP2 updates. So you can still install current security patches on it. But you need to do a whole lot of pre-requisite update installs first.

Anything specific? I'm trying to follow the below with limited success so far:
https://www.askwoody.com/forums/topic/defende … stall-on-vista/

Jasin Natael wrote on 2022-06-14, 16:06:

darry wrote on 2022-06-14, 15:40:

Is this machine Internet connected without ( no NAT or firewall)? […]
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Is this machine Internet connected without ( no NAT or firewall)?

Malware does not just randomly appear out of thin air. If it is not on the install media it still had to have come from somewhere.

If it happened once, it could happen again and if that machine can connect to other devices on the OP's local network, those machine could be at risk of being compromised as well.

Conversely, one of OP's other machines could have infected the new Vista machine through the local network.

IMHO, this is worth investigating.

This is true, but a firewall does little good if you download and execute some questionable software.

That is also quite true .

If I was in OP's situation, instead of trying to update Windows Vista's anti-malware defenses (which is a quixotic quest, IMHO) and clean the current installation, I would :

a) Wipe the system clean (format) and reinstall

b) Make a baremetal backup of the installation using a trusted application (Clonezilla, Acronis True Image, Macrium Refelect, etc)

c) Scan any and all third party software and Windows updates (if not installed through Windows update, downloaded directly from Microsoft or checksum validated as unaltered) to be installed on a machine that does have up to date ant-malware running

d) Progressively install/update what I want/need while making the occasional baremetal backup along the way (in order to easily recover rather than try to repair if something breaks).

The above is a summary of how I usually do things and it has been working well for me for a quite a few years . Of course, anyone else's mileage will vary.

darry wrote on 2022-06-15, 02:31:

That is also quite true . […]
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Jasin Natael wrote on 2022-06-14, 16:06:

This is true, but a firewall does little good if you download and execute some questionable software.

That is also quite true .

If I was in OP's situation, instead of trying to update Windows Vista's anti-malware defenses (which is a quixotic quest, IMHO) and clean the current installation, I would :

a) Wipe the system clean (format) and reinstall

b) Make a baremetal backup of the installation using a trusted application (Clonezilla, Acronis True Image, Macrium Refelect, etc)

c) Scan any and all third party software and Windows updates (if not installed through Windows update, downloaded directly from Microsoft or checksum validated as unaltered) to be installed on a machine that does have up to date ant-malware running

d) Progressively install/update what I want/need while making the occasional baremetal backup along the way (in order to easily recover rather than try to repair if something breaks).

The above is a summary of how I usually do things and it has been working well for me for a quite a few years . Of course, anyone else's mileage will vary.

Not necessary, I was able to get Avira and MBAM installed which wiped the offending items. This is definitely not a daily driver, because I'm not a masochist, so I had the luxury of dedicating time to troubleshoot.