Mixing operating systems question

[Mindrifter]

if you install windows with mint, will it still be virus-proof?

[willie42]

The Windows side will be Prone to Viruses without protection. The Linux side should be pretty safe and secure. if you are doing a dual boot. If you are doing a mint4win setup I would think that you might have issues I have never heard of people that have been infected in a mint4win situation but I would say it would not be good.

hope this helps

[grimdestripador]

virus-proof?

No. If someone wanted to write a virus, knowing your passwords and things specific to your setup, They CAN.

Linux is virus-proof for a wild virii from the internet, with purposes of self replication on windows machines.

Linux is more-or-less virus-prof as binary exploits are uncommon due to the fact that we have updates daily, a different virus must be written for each combination of kernel, xorg, fuse, wine, and other systems compromised. A Binary exploit uses using trickery of changing 1s and 0s inside the executable stored in memory writing from a buffer overflow. Linux goes to great lengths to prevent one program from writing into another program's memory, but can happen when considering video card and processor, or firewire with DMA.

To answer your question more windows related. If you have a virus laden Windows, and use Linux to mount the hard disk, you may at that point introduce yourself to a virus written for both Linux and Windows (which is very uncommon), capable of Replicating itself in Windows, while hiding itself away each time you mount it with fuse. This would be, again, need to be written specifically for your setup and your linux version. Thus it is possible and not virus-proof.

Will your normal everyday windows virus transfer itself to Linux. Only if you install wine and manually execute it.


Kinda like watches. Watches claim they are 100m water prof. but yet they fog up when you take a sauna. Thus they are ****, but not moisture-proff.
This analogy results that, Linux is virus-proof, but not un-compromisable.

[Mindrifter]

So that's a little confusing. So If I just use the windows side for windows programs, and the linux side for internet, I should be pretty much just fine right?

[willie42]

If thats what you choose to do.....Some use Windows for gaming only and Linux for everything else.....what you use the two for is all up to you. you can look thru the Software Manager and see what you might like there.

[Joylove]

So that's a little confusing. So If I just use the windows side for windows programs, and the linux side for internet, I should be pretty much just fine right?

For windows install an antivirus/security suite and keep it updated (was using Avast), install Firefox + NoScript

For Mint install Firefox + NoScript and Clamav (keep it updated) Also try installing the latest Wine and use Wine along with Winetricks(a script that assists you in getting Directx, Windows Core fonts, and other Windows essentials for running your Windows apps). Try testing and running your Windows apps under Linux with Wine (AFAIK you need to install the Windows app in your /home folder). If you encounter performance issues or unable to run the application then switch to Windows.
http://wiki.winehq.org/winetricks

[Mindrifter]

Okay, so I just remembered I installed ubuntu onto this computer that I just use for basic purposes. The computer used to have xp pro sp3 on it and I have the key, but no cd. So if it's even possible, would it be illegal to download windows xp onto a cd, just the operating system, no key? Plus in order to dual-os, do I have to install windows first?

[grimdestripador]

Okay, so I just remembered I installed ubuntu onto this computer that I just use for basic purposes. The computer used to have xp pro sp3 on it and I have the key, but no cd. So if it's even possible, would it be illegal to download windows xp onto a cd, just the operating system, no key? Plus in order to dual-os, do I have to install windows first?

This is wrong for so many reasons.
1)
Your cd key is of type: Retail, OEM, Corp or Upgrade. For each one of those types of CD keys, you will need the approparate CD. There also exists a TechShop version of the install disk which is rather a DVD of them all.
You will need the install cd matched for the cd-key.

2) Downlaod is terminology between servers and clients, separated by a network link. Not within once operating system. One does not download the harddrive to a CD.

3) The operating system is copy-written, which makes it civially illeagl to post an ISO (a backed CD) online whether or not the key is present.

4) Under the Fair-Use clause, you can backup your harddrive to CD, only for private use. CloneCD, and PartitionImage, Norton Ghost, Acronis .

[TING!!!]

if you install windows with mint, will it still be virus-proof?

Windows would be vulnerable with or without anti-virus but Linux cannot receive any of those viruses that Windows always gets