Leaving Dell Dimension 8300 running 24/7 ...?

(XP SP1 / Dim 8300 / 3.0 GHz / 800 MHz FSB / 512 meg / bla bla...)

I seem to be getting a virus here and there found by NAV2003 that makes its
way in through the auto-protect. In this case I got a couple of circa 2003
Trojan.ByteVerifies. Don't know how the heck such a simple file can land on
my system, particularly since it's such a well understood virus.

I am considering leaving the system on 24/7 and establishing a daily viral
sweep.

Questions:

1. Is the 8300 cooled enough or otherwise built for staying on? I'll of
course use power options to shutdown unnecessary things and brown down
perhaps the motherboard or something. I'll have to learn more about
this---I'm half ignorant on all things power control except for hibernation.

2. Am I leaving myself open statistically to more infection simply by
staying on? I'm running SP1's firewall. SP2 is not an option currently
because of software incompatibilities.

3. Any thoughts on what I might have to worry about, in general and/or
specifically to the 8300?

Thanks!

--
"Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the War Room!"

2. Am I leaving myself open statistically to more infection simply by
staying on? I'm running SP1's firewall. SP2 is not an option currently
because of software incompatibilities.

Quite possibly - how are you connected to the net ?

If you`re on broadband, i`d *strongly* recommend a router, as it will
stop port scans or other attacks from getting through to your machine by
dropping the packets if your machine hadn`t actively requested them.

--
Please add "[newsgroup]" in the subject of any personal replies via email
--- My new email address has "ngspamtrap" & @btinternet.com in it ;-) ---

I can count on one hand the number of times over the last 2.5 years that I
have turned my computer off. I have cable broadband. I take all the proper
precautions, which is why I have never been infected by a virus or spyware.
I don't have a hardware router - yet - but I agree that it's a good thing to
have. Not absolutely necessary, but it's another layer of protection, and
there's nothing wrong about that.

Ted Zieglar

"Colin Wilson" wrote in message
t...
2. Am I leaving myself open statistically to more infection simply by
staying on? I'm running SP1's firewall. SP2 is not an option currently
because of software incompatibilities.

Quite possibly - how are you connected to the net ?

If you`re on broadband, i`d *strongly* recommend a router, as it will
stop port scans or other attacks from getting through to your machine by
dropping the packets if your machine hadn`t actively requested them.

--
Please add "[newsgroup]" in the subject of any personal replies via email
--- My new email address has "ngspamtrap" & @btinternet.com in it ;-) ---

Thomas G. Marshall wrote:
(XP SP1 / Dim 8300 / 3.0 GHz / 800 MHz FSB / 512 meg / bla bla...)

I seem to be getting a virus here and there found by NAV2003 that makes its
way in through the auto-protect. In this case I got a couple of circa 2003
Trojan.ByteVerifies. Don't know how the heck such a simple file can land on
my system, particularly since it's such a well understood virus.

it lands on your system through your browser... you visited a website
that had it and i the process of loading the page the file was saved to
disk in your jvm's cache...

being on your system doesn't necessarily make your system compromised,
however... you need a vulnerable jvm for that to happen...

--
"we are the revenants
and we will rise up from the dead
we become the living
we've come back to reclaim our stolen breath"

"Thomas G. Marshall"
. com wrote in message
news:d%rPd.31607$W16.29973@trndny07...

(XP SP1 / Dim 8300 / 3.0 GHz / 800 MHz FSB / 512 meg / bla bla...)

I seem to be getting a virus here and there found by NAV2003 that
makes its
way in through the auto-protect. In this case I got a couple of circa
2003
Trojan.ByteVerifies. Don't know how the heck such a simple file can
land on
my system, particularly since it's such a well understood virus.

I well understand that it is not a virus. It is, as stated, a "trojan".
It is an exploit trojan (if your Java is up to date - no worries) that
gets downloaded as a result of normal browsing (to evidently
untrustworthy sites).

"Thomas G. Marshall" . com wrote in message news:d%rPd.31607$W16.29973@trndny07...

1. Is the 8300 cooled enough or otherwise built for staying on?

If the machine is operating properly, free of cooling obstructions
(dust/lint), and operated in a room that is within environmental
requirements, it should be fine.

I'll of
course use power options to shutdown unnecessary things and brown down
perhaps the motherboard or something. I'll have to learn more about
this---I'm half ignorant on all things power control except for hibernation.

There are alot of net discussions regarding the pros/cons of leaving on
vs turning off. A google web and/or groups search (keywords: leave
computer on turn off) would be worth performing.

2. Am I leaving myself open statistically to more infection simply by
staying on?

Assuming your computer remains connected to the/a net and is responding
to network traffic and executing software, probably. For you're being
exposed to [potentially] hostile traffic for longer periods of time, you won't
be in a position to observe unusual behavior, etc. However, if your box
is properly secured and you promptly respond to new threats, the increased
risk would seem to be minimal.

I'm running SP1's firewall. SP2 is not an option currently because of
software incompatibilities.

Well, promptly applying security updates to your OS and applications is
rule #1 in my book. If you haven't already, investigate those issues and
see whether you can make said software work with SP2 (without turning
off SP2 security features). In some cases, a firewall exception will do the
trick, in others, adding a "mark of the web" to local javascript and/or
Active-X utilizing html files will do the trick, etc.

3. Any thoughts on what I might have to worry about, in general and/or
specifically to the 8300?

Whether you keep your system on 24hrs/day or 2hrs/day, the same
safe computing practices apply. If you aren't well schooled in such
matters, do some googling/reading and brush up.

BTW, Microsoft's Baseline Security Analyzer can be a usefull tool:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sec.../mbsahome.mspx

Its MS newsgroup is: microsoft.public.security.baseline_analyzer

1. You might try the free download of Zone Alarm. 1000% better than Windows
XP's flimsy ten-cent excuse for a firewall, even the SP2 firewall.

2. I agree with the notion that a router provides added protection.

3. A software firewall plus a router improves protection, but it is still not
perfect. Worth doing, though.

4. A computer powered down or physically detached from the internet is
impervious to any intrusion from the outside yet designed.

5. As a matter of course, we power down all computers before going to bed, or
when we do not expect to use them for a number of hours.

6. The debate about leaving a computer powered up 24/7 or powered down when not
in use centers around wear-and-tear. Those who prefer to leave a computer up
24/7 point to the wear-and-tear on system electronics due to the zero-to-60
effect of a sudden surge of current after a total absence of power. Those who
prefer to power down a computer point to the wear-and-tear of the bearings on
rotating motors, notably fans and the hard drives. For me, the hard drive AND
its contents are the most important part of my system, even with regular
backups. I can always replace a blown power supply, motherboard, CD-ROM drive,
memory, or ANY other part of a computer. But I cannot replace the data. So I
am in the power-it-down camp... Ben Myers

On Sat, 12 Feb 2005 18:34:49 GMT, "Thomas G. Marshall"
. com wrote:


(XP SP1 / Dim 8300 / 3.0 GHz / 800 MHz FSB / 512 meg / bla bla...)

I seem to be getting a virus here and there found by NAV2003 that makes its
way in through the auto-protect. In this case I got a couple of circa 2003
Trojan.ByteVerifies. Don't know how the heck such a simple file can land on
my system, particularly since it's such a well understood virus.

I am considering leaving the system on 24/7 and establishing a daily viral
sweep.

Questions:

1. Is the 8300 cooled enough or otherwise built for staying on? I'll of
course use power options to shutdown unnecessary things and brown down
perhaps the motherboard or something. I'll have to learn more about
this---I'm half ignorant on all things power control except for hibernation.

2. Am I leaving myself open statistically to more infection simply by
staying on? I'm running SP1's firewall. SP2 is not an option currently
because of software incompatibilities.

3. Any thoughts on what I might have to worry about, in general and/or
specifically to the 8300?

Thanks!

--
"Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the War Room!"

I would also suggest free Ad-aware SE, and SpyBot.
ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net (Ben Myers) wrote in message
...
1. You might try the free download of Zone Alarm. 1000% better than
Windows
XP's flimsy ten-cent excuse for a firewall, even the SP2 firewall.

2. I agree with the notion that a router provides added protection.

3. A software firewall plus a router improves protection, but it is still
not
perfect. Worth doing, though.

4. A computer powered down or physically detached from the internet is
impervious to any intrusion from the outside yet designed.

5. As a matter of course, we power down all computers before going to bed,
or
when we do not expect to use them for a number of hours.

6. The debate about leaving a computer powered up 24/7 or powered down
when not
in use centers around wear-and-tear. Those who prefer to leave a computer
up
24/7 point to the wear-and-tear on system electronics due to the
zero-to-60
effect of a sudden surge of current after a total absence of power. Those
who
prefer to power down a computer point to the wear-and-tear of the bearings
on
rotating motors, notably fans and the hard drives. For me, the hard drive
AND
its contents are the most important part of my system, even with regular
backups. I can always replace a blown power supply, motherboard, CD-ROM
drive,
memory, or ANY other part of a computer. But I cannot replace the data.
So I
am in the power-it-down camp... Ben Myers

On Sat, 12 Feb 2005 18:34:49 GMT, "Thomas G. Marshall"
. com wrote:


(XP SP1 / Dim 8300 / 3.0 GHz / 800 MHz FSB / 512 meg / bla bla...)

I seem to be getting a virus here and there found by NAV2003 that makes
its
way in through the auto-protect. In this case I got a couple of circa
2003
Trojan.ByteVerifies. Don't know how the heck such a simple file can land
on
my system, particularly since it's such a well understood virus.

I am considering leaving the system on 24/7 and establishing a daily viral
sweep.

Questions:

1. Is the 8300 cooled enough or otherwise built for staying on? I'll of
course use power options to shutdown unnecessary things and brown down
perhaps the motherboard or something. I'll have to learn more about
this---I'm half ignorant on all things power control except for
hibernation.

2. Am I leaving myself open statistically to more infection simply by
staying on? I'm running SP1's firewall. SP2 is not an option currently
because of software incompatibilities.

3. Any thoughts on what I might have to worry about, in general and/or
specifically to the 8300?

Thanks!

--
"Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the War Room!"

On Sat, 12 Feb 2005 23:09:22 GMT, ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net
(Ben Myers) wrote:


6. The debate about leaving a computer powered up 24/7 or powered down when not
in use centers around wear-and-tear. Those who prefer to leave a computer up
24/7 point to the wear-and-tear on system electronics due to the zero-to-60
effect of a sudden surge of current after a total absence of power. Those who
prefer to power down a computer point to the wear-and-tear of the bearings on
rotating motors, notably fans and the hard drives. For me, the hard drive AND
its contents are the most important part of my system, even with regular
backups. I can always replace a blown power supply, motherboard, CD-ROM drive,
memory, or ANY other part of a computer. But I cannot replace the data. So I
am in the power-it-down camp... Ben Myers


For many, many years I worked for a company with thousands of
computers ranging from PCs up to high performance multi-processor
systems. The admin systems were switched off every night. The
development systems were left on all the time. The systems that were
never switched off had a much lower failure rate than the ones that
were switched off and on daily. The failure rate of hard drives was
also greatest in the systems that were switched off every day.

So I'm in the leave it switched on camp.


--
Steve Wolstenholme Neural Planner Software

EasyNN-plus. The easy way to build neural networks.
http://www.easynn.com

In article d%rPd.31607$W16.29973@trndny07, Thomas G. Marshall says...

(XP SP1 / Dim 8300 / 3.0 GHz / 800 MHz FSB / 512 meg / bla bla...)

I seem to be getting a virus here and there found by NAV2003 that makes its
way in through the auto-protect. In this case I got a couple of circa 2003
Trojan.ByteVerifies. Don't know how the heck such a simple file can land on
my system, particularly since it's such a well understood virus.

I am considering leaving the system on 24/7 and establishing a daily viral
sweep.

Questions:

1. Is the 8300 cooled enough or otherwise built for staying on? I'll of
course use power options to shutdown unnecessary things and brown down
perhaps the motherboard or something. I'll have to learn more about
this---I'm half ignorant on all things power control except for hibernation.

2. Am I leaving myself open statistically to more infection simply by
staying on? I'm running SP1's firewall. SP2 is not an option currently
because of software incompatibilities.

3. Any thoughts on what I might have to worry about, in general and/or
specifically to the 8300?

1) Yes.
2) No. But you'd benefit from using Sygate Personal Firewall or
ZoneAlarm.


--
Conor

An imperfect plan executed violently is far superior to a perfect plan.
-- George Patton