RayeR wrote on 2022-12-19, 15:27:

Also most of modern viruses doesn't work on NT and 9x 😀 (if not intentionally targetted)

Hi there! 🙂 I think it depends..

KernelEx could get them going, if it's installed..

The basic Win32 API, Java, Windows Scripting Host (VBScript, JScript), Shockwave, ActiveX Controls and dotNet Framework are technically all available to Windows 9x.

MSVBVM60, the VB6 runtime, is included from Windows 98 to Windows 11.
VB6 programs run just fine without any user intervention.

It's technically also possible to target Windows 3.1+Win32s.
With Visual C++ 4.0, it works like a charm.

However, most modern compilers/linkers don't include relocation tables anymore,
which are fundamental to the working on Win32s, due to the shared application memory model.
That's why Windows for Workgroups is mostly safe, I think.

KernelEx can be configured as opt-in only for specific programs (this is the way I use it on Win98). Also you need some way how to get the mallware inside computer and execute it. If I don't count a stupidity where user download it and click itself it would need e.g. some buffer overflow exploit of some service. I minimized this by disabling various remote services that listens at opened ports + firewall so I think only opened hole can be in software (like browser, IM..) that has opened port and is allowed. Then probably most virus creators use recent MSVC that compiles incompatible executables by defauls and they are targetting most wide audience - win10 users. Mostly you want to run a botnet or spread ransomware so you need hit most spreaded OS that use many BFUs. I know there maye be some rare cases where e.g. NSA needs to hit a target somewhere in the middle east that runs old WinXP embedded system to destroy it so they make a special virus for it that they surely don't want to spread over the world. So I don't care, running XPs for ~20 years on open network wit public IP and never had infection happened itself without any user action...

Let me ask the other way round : Why should malware want to especially target modern OSes only?
And if so, where's the proof for that?
Are there any minimum system requirements known?

In case of doubt, I'd be cautious.

Many modern every day software like IrfanView, WinHex, WinImage etc doesn't need anything higher than Windows 98SE/Me/2k/XP.

Why should malware be the exception?
Hackers/coders aren't using large frameworks.
By logic, good malware rather is small, efficient. It mustn't cause any suspicion.

Back in the late 2000s (after Win 9x went EOL), I remember, I saw a Windows 98SE system being infected within a few seconds after the internet connection was established.
Luckily the AntiVirus Guard still had current virus definitions at the time.
The third-party firewall from Kerio was installed, but didn't prevent the attack via the network ports.
Firefox, the latest release available for 9x, was installed.
But the infection began before launching the browser, if memory serves.

As time goes on, so will the ignorance to the W10+ exclusive core-path dependencies in "Visual Studio" for "Windows". It's already bit apathetic major open source software years ago (where they can just shrug that and promote linux off it).

Back in 2014 I saw allot of businesses still using WinXP to support Old Printing machines, Print shops, Fax Machines, Supporting Old software.

I liked it myself. Lots of stuff works with WinXP.

I have a friend in Bratislava,who uses Windows XP today as main OS on all his PCs including his main machine.He expressed,he will never accept anything else.
For the comparison I have Windows 7 as main OS on my main PC & all other,where it also is...usually in multiboot.Most of my newer machines has multiboot containing also Windows XP & Windows 8.1,but if present,Windows 7 is set as main OS & older machines have often Windows XP solely, XP+DOS,XP+Win98SE,or so,& the absolutely oldest(286) have DOS 3.30+Windows 1.01 & 386s usually DOD 5/6/6.22+Win.3x,always as most era correct to the HW,with the exception for newest machines-i go never behind Windows 8.1 & if possible,I have Win.7 there too,& if present,I set it as default OS.My main PC I got with Windows 10.The 1st thing,I did with it,I replaced(upgraded) the HDD & "downgraded" to Windows 7(+FreeDOS with Win.3.1+Vista+Server 2008 Enterprise 32bit,which can access whole 10GB RAM & run 16bit apps @ 1ce),later I added 2nd HDD with Windows XP & some Longhorn pre-reset builds...due to curiosity...
So I have XP on every PC from P4 above & many instances on older PCs too,but my main is 7,but I know persons,who has such feelings(hatred) also to Win.6/7/8(.1),as I have to 10+,thus XP is their 7 & my most used install media is Windows XP Professional-Corporate,because beside my own usage,my friends & other fellows borrows it from me...They never asked other install media,but this 1 very often,so Windows XP Professional is sure most popular within the retro community,& the Corporate ISO is the easiest way to install XP now,as it is impossible to activate it normally nowadays,thus U have 2 opinions:save an old PC with original HDD & OS,or...& this is most common,U found an old PC with empty HDD or no HDD & then this ISO is the best way of getting it back alive.
& b4 U call cops on me,I announce,that in Czechia the laws for abandonware r same as for freeware,thus until I share the ISO of an EoL SW for free,I do not brake the local laws,I would only become criminal,if I would ask money for it,which I do not,I am doing that for preserving old OSs,not for profit,for me it is like with endangered species,I spread them to prevent extinction,if I will be killed,my friends will have backup & vice versa,the goal is no1 will exterminate old good OSs,& until I do not gain profit of it,I do not brake local laws by gifting abandonware,so if U will call cops,only thing will happen...the cops will have a good time playing Commander Keen,Tank Wars,or Lotus in my living room...I guess,they will most like Lotus...

I still run XP as primary os and for special cases multiboot to win7. I think OneCore api makes progress to support running newer apps under XP but didn' t test it thorougly yet...

Only one computer with Tiny11. And few with 7. But I usually put XP on everything past Pentium MMX. And it runs great with few tweaks on older computers like a Celeron 333.

RayeR wrote on 2025-02-23, 15:55:

I still run XP as primary os and for special cases multiboot to win7. I think OneCore api makes progress to support running newer apps under XP but didn' t test it thorougly yet...

& what antivirus r U using in Windows XP?
Or that special case for using Windows 7 includes also scanning for malware?

Sabina_16bit. wrote on 2025-02-23, 18:56:

& what antivirus r U using in Windows XP?

I use AVG 18.6.3983.0 (dated 2018/08/21). Later I found Avast 18.8.4084 (dated 2018/11/15; note their version numbers had similar patterns as Avast had already acquired AVG back then) but haven't installed it on my two XP builds.

Those were the last editions actually run on XP and still capable to receive definition updates (but not program updates); later editions, while claimed to be XP-compatible on Avast's website for quite some time, were in fact incompatible. Avast quietly removed XP from its system requirements couple years later but I didn't remember the exact time.

I didn't expect to see this thread a second time.

My Core 2 Quad PC primarily runs Windows 11 these days. I would've never made the switch, had I not found a way to fix the user interface early this year. My Windows XP installation remains intact, however, it can't access the Internet. I didn't want to steal an Ethernet cable from another PC, so I installed a Wi-Fi card with Windows 7+ drivers.

That said, my K6-2 and Pentium III builds still run Windows XP. I use the latter when my main PC is busy. I've tried Windows 7 on it, but it's simply too demanding for the hardware. My K6-2 would need a BIOS update to run it at all. My attempts to use Linux on these systems ended in disaster; the Riva TNT2 cards inside are not usable, even though the nouveau website claims they're supported. I have yet to get 2D acceleration working in OpenBSD on the K6-2.

Sabina_16bit. wrote on 2025-02-23, 18:56:

RayeR wrote on 2025-02-23, 15:55:

I still run XP as primary os and for special cases multiboot to win7. I think OneCore api makes progress to support running newer apps under XP but didn' t test it thorougly yet...

& what antivirus r U using in Windows XP?
Or that special case for using Windows 7 includes also scanning for malware?

No antivirus is the best antivirus

GemCookie wrote on 2025-02-23, 19:52:

I didn't expect to see this thread a second time.

XP is like a religion.

A random search result when putting that word in search along with Windows XP:

https://www.theregister.com/2001/11/17/blesse … ndows_xpmakers/

Random trivia:

https://holymotherchurch.blogspot.com/2009/03 … t-catholic.html

Amen

Sabina_16bit. wrote on 2025-02-23, 18:56:

& what antivirus r U using in Windows XP?
Or that special case for using Windows 7 includes also scanning for malware?

I still have Avast 4.8 installed many years ago but if I would make a new clean install I will not install any AV. For ocassion usage it's enough use http://www.virustotal.com/gui/home/upload etc.

Honestly, I use Windows XP because it has the widest hardware and software compatibility range of any OS I've tried. Religion has nothing to do with it.

XP was a huge leap forward in stability from 98 or that shitty ME. Went from 2 blue screens a day to once a month or something 😀

We have some machines at work that still use XP, it was sinply too costly to upgrade, ca 50k per machine. They got a virus once but they were up and running within 24h. Its not a big deal if you have backups.

Virus? From where? USB flash or are they connected to Internet?

Joakim wrote on 2025-02-24, 18:32:

XP was a huge leap forward in stability from 98 or that shitty ME. Went from 2 blue screens a day to once a month or something 😀

And since drivers get mature is weird to have one, exept hardware failure. Last blue screen i have was 2 years ago, because a hard disk died while working

RayeR wrote on 2025-02-24, 18:49:

Virus? From where? USB flash or are they connected to Internet?

I always say that virus are a invention from antivirus companies! some weeks i have my XP computer 24x7, love emule

Sabina_16bit. wrote on 2025-02-23, 18:56:

RayeR wrote on 2025-02-23, 15:55:

I still run XP as primary os and for special cases multiboot to win7. I think OneCore api makes progress to support running newer apps under XP but didn' t test it thorougly yet...

& what antivirus r U using in Windows XP?
Or that special case for using Windows 7 includes also scanning for malware?

2025 is the time to go back to Windows XP.
Sadly the HDD with Windows Xp on it died a few years ago, never used any other later Windows versions.
I now use Linux, but recently it is getting worst and worst, almost every single update broke some software that I still want to use.
I have a 20GB HDD-image Windows XP on it, which can be restored to an empty partiton within a few minutes...

To answare your question:
I used Comodo Antivirus. I used and tried, I think, all the antivirus softwares, but nothing can beat Comodo, IMO. AVG was good enough, but can't even come close to what Comodo can/could do.

Back than there was a monthly gaming magazine shipped with a CD, later with a DVD with sharware programs and other stuff on it. Free vesrion of ESET Smart Security was one of those programs.
Every month they printed a code inside the magazin, that you could activate on the magazine's website and than you can unlock the ESET Smart Security to a full payed version for a month.
Never-ever used those codes, because the freeware Comodo was that better.

Some of my friends, whom not really good with computers always asked me to fix their PCs, harware or software related. Once one of my friend asked my to remove virus that somehow infected the PC, regardless that he used firewall and antivirus. I thought it will be no problem.
I can't recall the name of the virus, but it was a very nasty stuff, a huge thing. It could infect your machine as soon as you just booted up the PC, even if the boot drive was physically separate HDD.

Every single antivrus program failed to remove it. My beloved Comodo also failed, so I desperately contacted Comodo support, using my already infected PC.
Within 5 minutes (!) they responded, and not just with an automated mail-droid (as usually what you get if you contact any support) but a live support, a real person. I didn't aked for live support, but they responded with live support immediately!
I told my situation, and the woman said they are already aware of this new nasty stuff, and they send me a tiny executable, that removed the virus that no other antivirus program can.
And I didn't even was a client who payed for their software, I used free version! Best customer service ever.
So, Comodo is the best.