Reply to: Making a PC safe for dodgy websites

[Paddy]

A friend of mine is a complete IT illiterate and continues to use his PC for surfing all sorts of dubious websites. His most recent episode had me cursing him, Windows, virus writers and just about anyone within earshot. He'd managed to uninstall the anti-virus software I'd installed, click on a dubious pop-up 'advertising' some other anti-virus software, hand over his credit card details and download and install this other stuff which turned out to be a nasty virus of some sort. Can't remember the name of it but it took a while to get rid of and frankly was a waste of my time.

I installed AVG and Windows Defender, plus AdAware and showed him how to use them. Got a call from him last night and AVG is picking something up called "psyme" which it doesn't seem to be able to get rid of, so I've got to go and sort it for him tonight.

My question to the esteemed members of this forum is this: What can I do to ensure that no matter what websites he goes to, no matter what he downloads (or tries to) - that his machine won't keep picking up this crap?

I've got rid of IE, I make him use Firefox and I tell him not to go on dodgy websites but he continues to do so. Apart from getting a Mac or not actually using a computer at all - is there anything else I can do?

Create a bootable XP CD with a RAM disk for the swap file and add IE. Remove IE and other browsers from the HD. He can then surf all day and catch virus but when he shuts down all disappears from the ram disk.

[beercohol]

Use Recoverpc

Oh wait. Why didn't you ask earlier? or later, or something? www.recoverpc.com. Blat. Simple. Nothing can hurt your friend's PC.

Clean it up for him one more time, then install this. You never have to see his skinny vegan face again.

[wobbegong]

I doubt whether he'd notice if I replaced his laptop with a badger, to be honest

Watch it!

[Platypus]

Here you go

http://www.amazon.co.uk/VTech-My-Fir.../dp/B000296LZ2

[El_Diablo]

Here you go

http://www.amazon.co.uk/VTech-My-Fir.../dp/B000296LZ2

[miffy]

F*** him - if he can't run a computer without uninstalling the AV, he deserves to lose data.

Can't argue with that.

Edit: I nominate that for post of the day!

[Diver]

I doubt whether he'd notice if I replaced his laptop with a badger, to be honest

[TheFaQQer]

Good idea - but he may lose stuff that he actually needs to save non?

F*** him - if he can't run a computer without uninstalling the AV, he deserves to lose data.

Or put it on two disks.

[miffy]

Good idea - but he may lose stuff that he actually needs to save non?

Not if the virtual machine is split across two seperate disk files.

i.e. one disk file for the OS, one disk file for the user data.

[PorkPie]

Have a Linux machine, which runs a virtual machine with an XP installation on it.

Make a copy of the disk file that VM is using once it's configured.

When he messes it up again, delete the disk file and replace it with the original backup.

Good idea - but he may lose stuff that he actually needs to save non?

[TheFaQQer]

Have a Linux machine, which runs a virtual machine with an XP installation on it.

Make a copy of the disk file that VM is using once it's configured.

When he messes it up again, delete the disk file and replace it with the original backup.

[Moscow Mule]

Create a user account for him, which can't install anything. Lock down the control panel so that he can't remove anything either.

Create an admin account that can do things, but don't tell him the password.

Oh so very wise.

I wish I had done this to a crappy old Laptop I lent to a techno idiot friend of mine. When I got it back it was full of virus(es?). So much so that I managed to completely bork it when I tried to remove them. I'm sure oxfam were glad of it though.

[BrilloPad]

Next time he rings tell him needs to unplug the computer, find the original boxes and packaging, pack it back up and return it to the shop he bought it from. When he asks why tell hims it's because he's

TOO FSKING STUPID TO OWN A COMPUTER!

That or give him an Etchasketch.

Etch-A-Sketch Technical Support
Q: My Etch-A-Sketch has a distorted display.
A: Pick it up and shake it.

Q: My Etch-A-Sketch has all of these funny little lines all over the screen.
A: Pick it up and shake it.

Q: How do I turn my Etch-A-Sketch off?
A: Pick it up and shake it.

Q: What's the shortcut for Undo?
A: Pick it up and shake it.

Q: How do I create an empty New Document window?
A: Pick it up and shake it.

Q: How do I Exit without Saving?
A: Pick it up and shake it.

Q: How do I set the background and foreground to the same colour?
A: Pick it up and shake it.

Q: What is the proper procedure for rebooting my Etch-A-Sketch?
A: Pick it up and shake it.

Q: My Etch-A-Sketch has lines that prevent me from doing my art project.
A: Pick it up and shake it.

Q: How do I delete a document on my Etch-A-Sketch?
A: Pick it up and shake it.

Q: How do I keep from losing my Etch-A-Sketch documents in the middle of my work?
A: Stop shaking it.


from http://www.jardmail.co.uk/workplace/etchasketch.shtml

[DimPrawn]

Replace the PC with an etch-a-sketch and tell him it's a new laptop.

[DaveB]

Next time he rings tell him needs to unplug the computer, find the original boxes and packaging, pack it back up and return it to the shop he bought it from. When he asks why tell hims it's because he's

TOO FSKING STUPID TO OWN A COMPUTER!

That or give him an Etchasketch.