Dual boot security question

[superdave1984]

If I set up a dual boot with Win2K and XP Pro, patch the XP install fully and use it as my primary OS and the 2K install only for playing older games, would I really need to patch the 2K install? The 2K install wouldn't even have NIC drivers, just video and sound. Would it be safe to do this? I am sure the 2K install would operate quicker without any additional patches.

 

[eyeCpc]

The only problem you may come against would be seen after XP was struck with something that spread to 2K there. Since you are not going online with the older version that wouldn't catch any bugs on it's own.

Will 2K be on the same drive or a single drive seeing two primaries? Having the older version on a separate drive would protect it even further in the event XP got hit with something since only copying files back and forth between the two drives would see it spread there.

 

[superdave1984]

They are on the same HD, separate partitions. I was curious as to if I did get a visrus it would be able to also infect the other OS. My A/V scans both from XP so I guess it is possible. I just wondered how likely or if the 2K install would be able to be targeted.

 

[eyeCpc]

If you were going online iwhen booted in 2000 or simply opened a virus infecting the XP primary and later missed an infected file when copying over to the 2000 primary that would be how it would spread. Once on the 2000 primary and the file was opened or attempted to be used depending what type it is the virus would then become active infecting other files nearby.

With a regular sweep with a good program over both drives it would be rather rare but certainly not impossible to see a bug get over to either the next partition or a second drive. Having good protection with XP however is going to reduce that even further especially if you already have multiple layers of protection inplace to immediately detect anything before it can do any real harm.

The main likelihood of anything making it to 2000 would be moving or copying files over from the XP primary and later letting a bug out without realizing it was there. You shouldn't really be seeing any of this if the a/v program is good and kept updated on a regular schedule since data bases get updated whenever something new is floating around. If anything XP itself is the vulnerable OS on your system there.

 

[superdave1984]

Well this has gotten weird. After installing the games on 2K, some of them won't run. Why I don't know. The weird part is, I can boot to XP, browse to the folder and play them on XP from the 2K location. BUT installing them on XP they don't play. I am guessing it's some goofy hardware thing or driver compatibility or something. One doesn't play on either OS, but it plays fine on my 2K laptop.

 

[eyeCpc]

Once installed on the XP side right click on the desktop shortcut and open the compatibility tab and select the run in 2k mode option. See if the games were witten for an older version as well like 9x-ME not 2k.

On the laptop you may sliding there due to having less on then you would normally have going on the desktop causing a clash of some type if not a simple incompatibility problem. Here I have a few old games for 98, ME, XP running normally on Vista.

 

[EricB]

a few things.

1. you might have install that game to the wrong partition, which explain why it work on the wrong system.

2. viruses lurk in temp files and or system folders. they usually don't go to other partitions from an os partition. the old viruses (90's early 2000's) use to but not anymore. so your stuff is basically safe.

3. to have true peace of mind for your OS, I would delete the 2000 one, run partition magic and do their install another os wizard or make the 2000 active to boot to it, then install 2000. they have 2 different pq boot's (the regualr dos one and the windows one) to let you boot back and forth between the 2 differnt OS. when you are on 1 system, it will hide the other completely from it and both get to keep their C drive.

 

[eyeCpc]

I'm glad I've been dual booting XP with Vista plus Linux since you can place an XP install or distro on any other partition or drive and never have to worry with adequate protections like updated antivirus, anti-spyware/adware programs on.

As far as just seeing viruses in temp files and system folders I could disagree on that one simply from seeing viruses attached to unknown senders recode files stored in separate folder you create. It really depends on what type and how it was written.

 

[EricB]

I'm glad I've been dual booting XP with Vista plus Linux since you can place an XP install or distro on any other partition or drive and never have to worry with adequate protections like updated antivirus, anti-spyware/adware programs on.

As far as just seeing viruses in temp files and system folders I could disagree on that one simply from seeing viruses attached to unknown senders recode files stored in separate folder you create. It really depends on what type and how it was written.

I actually have a couple of viruses on my documents folder. they don't bother me, I don't bother them. I actually need them for my adobe audition

 

[eyeCpc]

Have you tried using the heal file option seen in different antivirus programs? That usually tries to restore the original structure before tossing a file into a virus vault or removing it completely.