IT/Computer freaks

[Sniper]

Cheers WRT. I dont think I need to worry about floppys. The laptop doesnt have a floppy drive

I will try that RAM test out too. Thanks

[imdying]

make a stuff up in that program and you loose a lot of data... there are better partitioning apps out there... ie Partition Magic that can partition with loosing your data

PM has eaten plenty of harddrive partions in its time, don't foolishly believe it's much safer than FDisk, because it's not.

I have a mac, PC and a Linux box... and I find the Linux system the most stable...

I have 20 Windows servers here that are only when being moved... stability mostly depends on what a box is doing imho.

A Windows based PC is nearly 100% stable and effective when in the right hands. I have left my home PC on for just over 7 months without a restart before, and it only got restarted because I installed new software that required it. You can't fault that.

This is not unusual.

Praise the Lord. Macs suck Donkey Dick

you can mostly tell a mac user strait away. They all go on about firefox and have those trendy glasses with the thick frames

Although Macs actually do suck Donkey Dick (google it some time), Firefox isn't too bad.

Paying for software is a crime!

You get what you pay for... free software is free if you're time is cheap.

The MAC OS was stolen from GEOS and they got the gui idea from commodore amgia... heck I had GEOS on my C64/128

Sssssh, they don't want you to know that!

Maybe, but my point was the creation of DOS itself! The orignal basis for windows OS ! This was sold to microsoft!!

* Its not secure.
* Its flawed.
* It smells funny

You can add:
* they made a mint from it
* it put them into the position they are today

Claiming a Windows system is not secure (or unstable for that matter) does no more than demonstrate a complete lack of operating knowledge.

Correct.

Name me ONE windows operating system available today that is 100% secure. The 'band aid' approach doesnt work.

There are none. Operating systems are however rated by security level by the US DoD to an international standard. The ones that rate as highly secure I very much doubt that anyone on here have ever even heard of. You wouldn't want to run something totally secure though, the box would then be useless!

Secure? DOS had no security features whatsoever! It didn't even have any concept of 'user identity'!

I suppose the fact that it also had no networking features meant that it was secure by default, inasmuch as it was impossible to attack remotely.

This is true... and many of them were merely dumb terminals to mainframes, and the security was handled thus.

You're a dreamer if you think OS X is 100% secure.

If Mac's became the most popular system, they would be in the same boat as Microsoft is now in regards to viruses etc.

Noone would be retarded enough to think that OS X is 100% secure. You are correct that virus writers CBF with Macs... why would they? Take over every mac in the world and you've got a teeny weeny bot army compared to PCs... why would they bother??? How will that make them money???

The only way to truly secure software is by physically securing the hardware that it's running on, so that potential attackers can only interact with it via its interfaces, not by modifying its executable instructions. It's amazing how many people don't quite grasp that basic fact.

Yep, and then you've created something that is a pain in the arse to use for anything other than the specific job it was created for.

this code is no longer used in Windows... so whats your point
XP only emulates DOS its not real DOS

Yep, DOS is far from relevant anymore.

It will happen... Apple have and still are learning from all the mistakes and pitfalls that microsoft are falling into. Apple will continue to make quality computers and secure computers. Microsoft will never be able to stay ahead...

Oooook, good luck with that.

I run a business repairing windows pc's. I own a mac. Not only is it easier but also safer for me to run everything through my mac.

We have one of the largest service centres in NZ, and we manage alright without using Macs for those jobs...

FDISK /mbr didnt do a bloody thing. It just moved down a space and gave me the c:/ prompt again

Surely if I type "format c:" it should erase anything and everything on the harddrive including the /mbr shouldnt it?

Format won't erase a drive, only a partition.

Of course not, if the drive was partitioned you wouldn't necessarily want to format all the drives at once. "Format c:" will only format c: !

Try a low level format, that will properly blank the disk, it will destroy all partition information, etc...You don't even need to llf the whole thing, as the records are only at the start of the drive.

Pretty much... a low lever format is worth a go.

Cheers, I'll yell out if I cant find something soon

I keep reading that a low level format is not recommended because of secor datat ect ect on it and I need manufacturers (of the HDD) tools to do it. Why and how do I just do it anyway?

It is recommended, although I have used Seagates SeaTools on other drives ok.

Alright, I've only just stumbled across this thread but going to add my 2c FWIW.

You can use IBM/Hitachi's Drive Fitness Test to check what model HDD you have - download the disk creator from here:

http://www.hitachigst.com/hdd/support/download.htm#DFT

This too is a good program.

Those could all be symptoms of a faulty drive. I'd definately run a drive test on it before trying anything else, followed closely by a RAM check.

Sounds likely... memtest86 is good and will boot off of a CD.

[Ixion]

FDISK /mbr didnt do a bloody thing. It just moved down a space and gave me the c:/ prompt again

fdisk /mbr doesn't APPEAR to do anything. All it does is copy the backup copy of the MBR on top of the active MBR - ie it refreshes the MBR. Granted it might be nice if it came up with a little message saying "Done, dude" or some such.

[Sniper]

fdisk /mbr doesn't APPEAR to do anything. All it does is copy the backup copy of the MBR on top of the active MBR - ie it refreshes the MBR. Granted it might be nice if it came up with a little message saying "Done, dude" or some such.

It would stop people like me looking like twats ops:

[jrandom]

Yep, and then you've created something that is a pain in the arse to use for anything other than the specific job it was created for.

Of course. Secure hardware isn't a general solution to everything. Bear in mind that the idea of a bank computer running in a locked room satisfies this definition, though. I'm not just talking about epoxied-up PCBs in glued-together plastic cases.

Remember the DeCSS furore? You might recall that CSS was only cracked after PC-based DVD video playing software was released and could be examined at leisure. Prior to that, the barrier of prising the relevant decryption keys out of the chips in dedicated player hardware had, for whatever reason, been high enough to stop a 'class break' style crack.

FWIW, some years back, I worked as a software engineer for six months at a company that developed EFTPOS terminals. The relevant security standards and the approaches that payment systems take to meet requirements are interesting.

[jrandom]

It would stop people like me looking like twats

Nonsense. Why should bad user interface design (in this case, a console program not providing any output whatsoever on completion) imply that you're in any way lacking?

This always comes up. People who aren't familiar with computers thinking that somehow, that fact makes them a lesser being in front of those who happen to work on the things for a living.

Typically, this is encouraged by Little Hitler System Administrator types who've spent their lives crawling around on their knees plugging in cables, pushing little GUI buttons and typing long, badly-designed console commands into computer terminals in darkened server rooms.

'IT' people are almost as bad as 'HR' people when it comes to failing to realise that they supposed to be support workers. Don't let it get to you.

[Sniper]

But when Im studying (Mind you, teaching myself, not sitting in a classroom) to get into the IT industry (With anything, not being picky), it still makes you feel like a twat.

Thank god my ego is big enough to stop it affecting my confidence.

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

PM has eaten plenty of harddrive partions in its time, don't foolishly believe it's much safer than FDisk, because it's not.

Never said it was safer... but its easier to use than FDisk...

[Ixion]

Of course not.

.. find the decision point that queries the Aladdin dongle and NOP it out, more or less. The only reason, in fact, that I use the dongles ..

Harggh. /me HATE dongles. Blurdy horrible things. You bad man! BAD BAD man. And I won't sit on your knee! I want my Mummy.

[jrandom]

studying... to get into the IT industry

With all due respect, why the fuck would you want to do that?

[jrandom]

Harggh. /me HATE dongles. Blurdy horrible things. You bad man! BAD BAD man.

Mine are only used on dedicated acoustic testing stations in laboratories and production lines. I'm not inflicting them on Regular Users (tm).

That makes me, like, only one-quarter evil.

[Sniper]

With all due respect, why the fuck would you want to do that?

All manner of reasons, the main ones being more money and better hours.

[jrandom]

All manner of reasons, the main ones being more money and better hours.

Are you sure?

Why not become an accountant, or go work at a bank? Or get your HT licence? I'm serious. Have you really investigated different career options?

IT jobs can be a lot shittier than many people seem to think they are.

[Ixion]

With respect. decent money in IT disappeared about 10 years ago. Especially at the lower end. And the hours can be pretty shit, mainly cos if something breaks you have to get it fixed no matter what the hours. There aren't too many other jobs where "pulling an all nighter" is a stock phrase.

[Sniper]

Are you sure?

Why not become an accountant, or go work at a bank? Or get your HT licence? I'm serious. Have you really investigated different career options?

IT jobs can be a lot shittier than many people seem to think they are.

I have looked into it when I was in a hospital bed after the Army and thought that I would always like to try my hand at Admin or IT. I have had a play with programming, but it really wasnt my fortiet.

If I was to look elsewhere instead of IT, I would maybe look at the joining the cops in Australia or maybe get my HT license there and do the road trip thing for a few years.

The weirdest thing is that I am one step away from getting my Dive Instructor Ticket, but I havent really gone ahead to complete it... :slap:

With respect. decent money in IT disappeared about 10 years ago. Especially at the lower end. And the hours can be pretty shit, mainly cos if something breaks you have to get it fixed no matter what the hours. There aren't too many other jobs where "pulling an all nighter" is a stock phrase.

Ok. I suppose I havent really sat down with anyone in the IT industry and had a chat to them about it. I have just heard and read good things, so I was going for them.