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Filed under: Security, Windows, Microsoft, Freeware

Windows Steady State Bulletproofs Your System

Windows StreadyState
So you're thinking, "Hey, I want to be totally irresponsible with my computer and load it up with crapware!" Really, isn't everyone getting tired of having to be so stinking responsible on the Internet all the time? We certainly are. We're ready for system protection that isn't afraid of our reckless browsing, indiscriminate downloading, and general apathy towards good computer usage habits.

...Which is why we love Windows Steady State. It creates a cache file in which your operating system operates, meaning any harmful changes can be undone by simply emptying the cache. After downloading it's a snap to install - just a few obligatory clicks and the usual EULA mumbo-jubmo and you're set.

Our first test was pretty a pretty low-intensity workout. We surfed, bookmarked, set up a POP account and downloaded a few messages, and cluttered up the desktop with a dozen or so hilariously named folders. After issuing the old Windows - U - R we waited anxiously for the system to reboot.

There it was, just as it had been before - no trace of any of our activity. The desktop was still tidy, no favorites or emails were anywhere to be seen. So far so good, but let's try some real abuse!

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Filed under: Windows

Installing Windows XP Pro on 8MHz PC with 20MB RAM

8MHz
Sure, you can install Linux on pretty much anything with a chip these days, but what about Windows XP? The official minimum requirements for an installation are a 233MHz processor and 64MB or RAM, but for some those are just guidelines.

Over at winhistory.de, a couple of enterprising users with way too much time on their hands decided to push the limits. It turns out that the processor doesn't matter as much as the RAM. If you try installing Windows XP on a system with a 75MHz processor, but 64MB of RAM, it will work, just slowly. If you try anything with less than 64MB of memory, you'll get an error message. But, once XP is installed, you can remove RAM and the system will still boot (unless you remove too much).

After installing XP on Pentium-based systems, the guys continued removing RAM and underclocking their CPUs to find the slowest working configuration. The winner was a system running at 8MHz with 20MB of RAM (it might actually be 18MB, it's a bit hard to tell from the description).

It takes 30 minutes to boot the system. Even though you'll start to see icons pop up on the screen it'll take another 17 minutes before you can click on them. And the CPU is at 100% all the time, but just think how low your energy bills would be if you were running this machine?

[via Slashdot]

Filed under: OS Updates, Windows, Microsoft

Microsoft delays XP Service Pack 3 to 2008, or never?

Windows XP SP3January 2008... that's 14 months away, and it's the soonest, says Microsoft, that we can expect Service Pack 3 for Windows. Redmond has pushed back the Big Patch to the first half of '08, which means, some analysts say, we may never see it at all. They remember how Microsoft totally dropped SP5 for Windows 2000 in favor of an "update rollup," which some say wasn't as thoroughly tested as a full-fledged Service Pack would have been. With the imminent release of Windows Vista, you might be wondering why any of this matters, but keep in mind that there are still millions of computers out there running Windows 98, and likewise XP is going to be hanging out on corporate networks for a long time to come. While Microsoft may eschew a third Service Pack, the hackers won't stop finding vulnerabilities and turning them into zombies. Some analysts see a bigger Vista connection: They say Microsoft is pushing back SP3 to give consumers and businesses a bigger incentive to buy their latest product.

Filed under: Windows, Microsoft

Rebuild a clean Windows XP install without losing data

Rebuild Windows XPAn unfortunate fact of Windows life is that any Windows install will slowly wear out through use, getting more and more bogged down until finally one must take drastic measures. My own Windows XP install is coming up on a year of use and abuse and has for some time been showing signs this phenomenon, but what I wasn't aware of is that it's possible to create a clean Windows install without the reformatting-and-reinstall method that most people are accustomed to. It turns out that hidden behind blind corners and poorly-worded dialogs in the Windows XP setup is an option to repair and rebuild the OS, but leave applications and settings intact. This isn't the same repair mode that can be used to fix boot problems and other minor issues, and actually getting to it is a marvel of poor design on Microsoft's part. Fortunately, Fred Langa at Information Week has penned a step-by-step tutorial on accessing and using this functionality. In the end, it probably won't make for results quite as good as a complete reformat and reinstall, but it looks like a good option for those who aren't yet ready to take that bigger step.

Filed under: Windows, Microsoft

How to stop worrying about Vista and learn to love XP

Windows XPWorried about how you're going to come up with the cash not only to buy Windows Vista when it comes out sometime next year, but also to upgrade your computer so it can run the thing? Well, stop it. InformationWeek is running an article called How to Stay Happy With Windows XP, which examines how longer Microsoft will support its current OS, how much money you can save by not switching to Vista, how cheap a great XP box can be, and how you can get some of Vista's features without Vista itself. Whether motivated by fear or budget, non-switchers will find this article valuable.

Filed under: Hardware, Windows, Macintosh, Apple, Microsoft

WinXP on Intel Mac: success or hoax?

XP on Mac?The challenge to get Windows XP to run on an Intel Mac may be drawing to a successful close—or that success might be a hoax. Ars Technica is reporting that a user on the WinXP on Mac forums called narf2006 has claimed success and posted a set of blurry photos on Flickr that seem to show Windows XP running on an Intel iMac. Many people, of course, are crying "Photoshop!" but word is narf2006 is well-respected on the forums, and according to Ars, the blog for the $12,000 challenge (which, along with the forums, is currently down) reported partial success with his technique and he's currently seeking more testers.

Featured Time Waster

Graveyard Shift - zombie-busting Time Waster

With Halloween fast approaching, it's a great time to get in some practice defending your territory against zombies. In Graveyard Shift, you take aim at zombies and other creepy-crawlies, blasting them into splatters of cartoony green guts. It's a casual first-person shooter, and it's very easy to get the hang of - use the mouse to aim, click to fire. Graveyard Shift has at least 15 levels, and it might even have some secret stages I haven't unlocked yet. They key to getting good at Graveyard Shift is learning to use ...

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