03-05-2012, 12:55 PM
Hi,
Thanks Al & Joe; even if the risk regarding security is vastly reduced once an old OS is no longer supported it still worries me that there remains a risk. A while ago I subscribed to Cyberscrub Privacy Suite;
http://www.cyberscrub.com/en/
At the time I read the full Cyberscrub details and to be honest it really did scare me. I didn't know that all my old data that I had deleted still remained on my hard drive and to make matters worse this data was actually being used every time I used the computer; I'm certainly no whiz kid on computers but in basic terms when in-putting into the computer the input is made up of short chains and if the input is shorter than the actual chain old deleted data is added to complete the chain. You experts will be able to explain this much better so please excuse my ignorance.
To make matters worse there is free software available that will allow this deleted data to be easily retrieved from a hard drive. Personal details are not safe by simply deleting them. I confess I would rather be over cautious than be very sorry if something went wrong. About four years ago a neighbour had his online banking compromised through absolutely no fault of his own and eventually it was all sorted out but it caused him tremendous problems.
Thanks David for highlighting just how much things have changed since 1993. My first computer had around 8GB hard drive and cost £1,000; at the time this was top of the range. I'm happy with XP David and when my computer slows down I don't find it much of a problem to do a clean re-install taking around four hours; this makes the computer like new again and costs nothing. Our local computer store used to charge £35 for a clean re-install but since then I've learned how to do it and with XP it is straightforward. I'm on Virgin Media cable and the speed is 10mb but I'm informed the speed is shortly to be greatly increased at no extra cost to me. I do a lot of videos and movies downloading and believe this might be the cause of my computer slowing over time. When I first stated using the P2P site it contained lots of rubbish and as the items are so close to each other I think one day I must have clicked on a real nasty because suddenly I lost control of the computer; the screen went berserk and I ended up switching the power off; this was my first virus and I'll never forget it. I had to do a clean re-install to clear it. I detest my bi-focals and still select items I don't intend to select but now fortunately I don't appear to suffer any negative effects as I find Virgin security to be excellent. I think perhaps my days of free music videos and movies downloads could be coming to an end because the biggest site I used has been closed down. I won't go into detail as this is a no go area for any forum but possibly why my computer slows the way it does.
Many thanks Mark and you can dribble all you want over my thread as your input is most welcome and I'm taking notice of everything that is included; this is all knowledge and information for me and why I asked the question in the first place. I haven't a clue what Linux is and as for Ubuntu this sounds like an African tribe. Shows just how little I know about computers but I keep learning on a need to know basis. Like you Mark I too have always liked XP. I still retain my first ever Win98 and it is un-registered; when I bought the computer I didn't go online at first and when I finally did go online it cost a penny a minute as dial up; remember the old days?
I upgraded to 1.5GB RAM and I think the chip is 2.6GHz; with a clean re-install the computer is pretty quick but I feel it is now getting old and would like to change the lot converting to a flat screen monitor. I fully agree with you Mark as I too would expect a computer to work straight out of the box; plug and play? Surely a new computer could be made ready to work by simply plugging in and just entering a single registration code. Like David I don't really want to know things like Linux or Ubuntu; I just want a computer that works and is reliable whist being fast. When I buy a saw blade I don't know the tooth geometry of a triple chip; raker or hook blade; I just want a blade that will cut what I want it to so I ask for a suitable blade.
There are so many computers available from so many manufactures that I simply become bored after a while whilst surfing the websites and give up. At work we had a mainframe AS400 or some such like and a dedicated computer department; when I was given my own email address I used a Dell and the Dell was recommended by the computer department guru's so I've fancied a Dell for a while.
I appreciate everyone's input and many thanks for keeping it simple so that I could understand. I've little interest in playing around with computers or their OS; all I need is a fast reliable computer to cover my everyday needs; I always feel the more complicated things are the more there is to go wrong so I'm not after anything with lots of trimmings.
Around Christmas time seems best to buy a new computer because there are usually lots of bargains around. I'm not in a hurry but when I do buy another it will be a desk top and I'm designing my new computer desk allowing for an increase in size of the tower just in case extra space is needed.
Kind regards, Col.
Thanks Al & Joe; even if the risk regarding security is vastly reduced once an old OS is no longer supported it still worries me that there remains a risk. A while ago I subscribed to Cyberscrub Privacy Suite;
http://www.cyberscrub.com/en/
At the time I read the full Cyberscrub details and to be honest it really did scare me. I didn't know that all my old data that I had deleted still remained on my hard drive and to make matters worse this data was actually being used every time I used the computer; I'm certainly no whiz kid on computers but in basic terms when in-putting into the computer the input is made up of short chains and if the input is shorter than the actual chain old deleted data is added to complete the chain. You experts will be able to explain this much better so please excuse my ignorance.
To make matters worse there is free software available that will allow this deleted data to be easily retrieved from a hard drive. Personal details are not safe by simply deleting them. I confess I would rather be over cautious than be very sorry if something went wrong. About four years ago a neighbour had his online banking compromised through absolutely no fault of his own and eventually it was all sorted out but it caused him tremendous problems.
Thanks David for highlighting just how much things have changed since 1993. My first computer had around 8GB hard drive and cost £1,000; at the time this was top of the range. I'm happy with XP David and when my computer slows down I don't find it much of a problem to do a clean re-install taking around four hours; this makes the computer like new again and costs nothing. Our local computer store used to charge £35 for a clean re-install but since then I've learned how to do it and with XP it is straightforward. I'm on Virgin Media cable and the speed is 10mb but I'm informed the speed is shortly to be greatly increased at no extra cost to me. I do a lot of videos and movies downloading and believe this might be the cause of my computer slowing over time. When I first stated using the P2P site it contained lots of rubbish and as the items are so close to each other I think one day I must have clicked on a real nasty because suddenly I lost control of the computer; the screen went berserk and I ended up switching the power off; this was my first virus and I'll never forget it. I had to do a clean re-install to clear it. I detest my bi-focals and still select items I don't intend to select but now fortunately I don't appear to suffer any negative effects as I find Virgin security to be excellent. I think perhaps my days of free music videos and movies downloads could be coming to an end because the biggest site I used has been closed down. I won't go into detail as this is a no go area for any forum but possibly why my computer slows the way it does.
Many thanks Mark and you can dribble all you want over my thread as your input is most welcome and I'm taking notice of everything that is included; this is all knowledge and information for me and why I asked the question in the first place. I haven't a clue what Linux is and as for Ubuntu this sounds like an African tribe. Shows just how little I know about computers but I keep learning on a need to know basis. Like you Mark I too have always liked XP. I still retain my first ever Win98 and it is un-registered; when I bought the computer I didn't go online at first and when I finally did go online it cost a penny a minute as dial up; remember the old days?
I upgraded to 1.5GB RAM and I think the chip is 2.6GHz; with a clean re-install the computer is pretty quick but I feel it is now getting old and would like to change the lot converting to a flat screen monitor. I fully agree with you Mark as I too would expect a computer to work straight out of the box; plug and play? Surely a new computer could be made ready to work by simply plugging in and just entering a single registration code. Like David I don't really want to know things like Linux or Ubuntu; I just want a computer that works and is reliable whist being fast. When I buy a saw blade I don't know the tooth geometry of a triple chip; raker or hook blade; I just want a blade that will cut what I want it to so I ask for a suitable blade.
There are so many computers available from so many manufactures that I simply become bored after a while whilst surfing the websites and give up. At work we had a mainframe AS400 or some such like and a dedicated computer department; when I was given my own email address I used a Dell and the Dell was recommended by the computer department guru's so I've fancied a Dell for a while.
I appreciate everyone's input and many thanks for keeping it simple so that I could understand. I've little interest in playing around with computers or their OS; all I need is a fast reliable computer to cover my everyday needs; I always feel the more complicated things are the more there is to go wrong so I'm not after anything with lots of trimmings.
Around Christmas time seems best to buy a new computer because there are usually lots of bargains around. I'm not in a hurry but when I do buy another it will be a desk top and I'm designing my new computer desk allowing for an increase in size of the tower just in case extra space is needed.
Kind regards, Col.
Happiness is a wreck of a cabinet to restore.
