Questions about Defragging or Antivirus? Look here first!

[kai3345]

Nice write up. Good info for newbies. Thanks for it! Sooner or later, As Linux gets more popular, there will be more and more viruses for it. Of course, We all hope this won't happen.

[Elisa]

One additional note to "NoScript" extension for Firefox (FF).

When you enable some stuff on 'like-trustworthy' sites, also java is enabled but Java sucks all the time and can be a way how to steal everything from your comp.

Therefore I suggest except NoScript extension to load another extension for FF: "QuickJava" add-on which will cause you see on the bottom bar of your FF what is enabled/disabled and check twice if Java is disabled because Java sometimes get turned on (I am not sure if it was after FF or NoScript update) but now - I always see on that bar (except setting in NoScript of course ) if Java is still disabled.

Enable/disable on the QuickJava bottom bar you can just by one left button click, how easy. As well as you can disable/enable javascript, java, flash, silverlight, automatically load images and Css styles.

It's good addition, give it a try.
Enjoy

[TUA85550]

I understand that a Windows virus is harmless on a Linux Operating system (as the virus won’t know what to do since Linux is coded differently). I also heard it is possible to get viruses from Wine. If that is the case, do I need to install an Anti Virus program if I am going to be using Wine?

Is there a high risk involved if I am going to be running Wine (since your system is no longer immune to Windows viruses)? Also, if you do get a windows virus, will the virus only infect the Wine directory or could it cause havoc on your entire Linux operation system?

Is this correct? If I don’t have Wine installed and come across a web site that has a virus, I am safe. However, if I have Wine installed and come across a web site that has a virus, I am no longer safe. Even if I browse the web site in FireFox (the non-wine version / the linux version), I can still become infected.

I just need some clarification with regards to Wine and Viruses and the risks involved.

[tdockery97]

My understanding is that your overall system is still safe. But if you share files with Windows (on your pc or with another Windows user, they may become infected.

[mamamia88]

Your wine directory will most likely be the only thing affected. But to be safe don't go installing any viruses on purpose.

[TUA85550]

Your wine directory will most likely be the only thing affected. But to be safe don't go installing any viruses on purpose.

Are you 100% certain that it will only infect the Wine directory? Is there an Antivirus program I should install? What ways can I help protect myself?

[mamamia88]

you can install clamav if you like. since linux and windows are different any virus designed for windows would be like square peg round hole. so i really don't see how it would affect anything beside the wine directory. i still go by this. if you use wine as little as necessary and don't go running exes from sketchy places on the internet you won't have any problems. just stick to trusted sources and you will be fine.

[vincent]

Viruses should theoretically stick in your Wine profile if you do happen to install them, i.e. %ProgramFiles% and the registry are all located within the Wine directory. However, programs in Wine can access your Home directory, and any other area that you have write access to (which is really just /home, /tmp, /var/tmp, and external drives, USBs, etc.). I don't know of any viruses that can identify that they are in a Wine profile though...

[grey1960envoy]

Ok so you say I don't need to de-fragment my system and then someone else said it can be done (and most likely should after a while ).My question is how do you defrag it? BTW this is about the best OS I have ever used and I actually did start out on a Vic 20 LOL

[colyn]

:? Ok so you say I don't need to de-fragment my system and then someone else said it can be done (and most likely should after a while ).My question is how do you defrag it?

I've been using Linux since 1999 and have never had to even consider defrag. I don't even know if a program exists..

[colyn]

Is there an Antivirus program I should install? What ways can I help protect myself?

Clamav is installed in Mint by default..

[grey1960envoy]

:? Ok so you say I don't need to de-fragment my system and then someone else said it can be done (and most likely should after a while ).My question is how do you defrag it?

I've been using Linux since 1999 and have never had to even consider defrag. I don't even know if a program exists..

I just read something in this thread earlier that said it ,I was just curious ( I know that my computer doesn't need it any time soon LOL)But there is a program out there somewhere according to Linuxviolin.

[vincent]

Is there an Antivirus program I should install? What ways can I help protect myself?

Clamav is installed in Mint by default..

No it's not. However, ClamAV is available in the repositories, and is easily installable.

[colyn]

No it's not. However, ClamAV is available in the repositories, and is easily installable.

Every Mint install I have done has installed it by default.

[vincent]

Strange, because every Mint install I've done thus far has not come with ClamAV by default. *shrugs*

[colyn]

I have 4 computers within reach. 3 with Mint 9 KDE and 1 with Mint 9 Gnome. Since I did not do a manual install of ClamAV I checked them a few minutes ago and all 4 have it installed. I'm going to install Mint 10 Gnome on a spare laptop tomorrow and see if it gets installed.

[morris]

Very good Theme that is,
I've finally decided to install Linux, after having my windows slowed down so often with some kind of script which opens infinitely much versions of always the same Deviantart-Picture in the browser-tabs and which would get me the message that some script isn't working properly and if I want to stop it or try if it finishes from all alone.

My Antivirus-Software doesn't seem to detect anything. Maybe that was such a javascript, good to know, so that this sort of problem cannot follow me here into my new Linux-World. OMG, that would have been so frustrating to have that sh.... following me into Linux as well

As an absolute Newbie I would want to add, that the only reason that I am reading through all these posts here is, that I do have a ram problem while installing and am waiting for more ram coming next week and a new DVD-drive for my old comp too, so that I can install Mint 9 and not only the xfce version, which does work even with my 512ram only. My fingers are itching to install as soon as possible (right now I am here with a trial, not yet installed Mint 7) and I guess the other newbies with better hardware they just do the thing that I would have done too:

Installing right away and hoping things would turn out just fine without reading tons of stuff before.
So I am being kind of forced to be a good girl and read all those good advices and then I might not have to ask such a lot of things later on.
(Yep, I'm a female depite my nick, people usually guess it pretty quick due to my writing style, too many words for one thing...)

[honeyface]

[quote="Kaye"][quote="optimize me"]
t would just be nice to see some of the more dependent ones trying a bit harder. It can get old to see 100 posts about the same thing when a two second search would solve the problem


The thing is though, I've done searches and I just don't understand the answers at all! And I don't even know enough to know if the problem I've found through searching is really the same one that my puter has. And I'm at college doing quite a few hard subject so the time I'm spending sorting this thing out could be spent on my assignments. I just want something that works, It's very frustrating. For instance I've spent two hours already when I should be doing my chemistry assignment which is what I switched the laptop on for in the first place.

[linXea]

The thing is though, I've done searches and I just don't understand the answers at all! And I don't even know enough to know if the problem I've found through searching is really the same one that my puter has. And I'm at college doing quite a few hard subject so the time I'm spending sorting this thing out could be spent on my assignments. I just want something that works, It's very frustrating. For instance I've spent two hours already when I should be doing my chemistry assignment which is what I switched the laptop on for in the first place.

If you are in a instant need of something stable, something you already know, then you might consider using something you know eg. windows of OSX whatever you have been using in the past. Even though linux (especially linuxmint) is new user friendly it will still take TIME for you to be comfortable using it.

[Prescottech]

Don't give a user root privilages, and they can't hurt anything