AV & Browser for XP SP4

[Rekel]

Can't believe to find this considerable community. Thanks for all the efforts made in keeping alive XP: when W7s will expire too, this epic project would be remembered for traced the line

I'd like to ask a couple of question in order to convincing some friends that are afraid to keep using XP.

1) What's best Antivirus for an XP SP4 platform? Especially for older machine with limeted resources (about 2GB RAM) what's the AV that provides best trade-off between security and lightness?
I used a lot Eset but since the last release (ESS10) they shamefully abandoned XP (it can't even install)
KIS 2017 does the job today for XP people and i must admit it's not so resource-hungry as we could expect.
What do you suggest?

2) Which browser do you really trust and rely on for XP machines besides FF (despite it's really slow) ? I mean, it's a question not addressed in right attention since the browser is the weak ring that can break the most stable OS, and it's more true for XP.
Opera/Vivaldi/Chrome stops new version for XP

[GH0st]

I still use Eset v8, you can download the offline installer and then stop it from updating from with in the GUI, to keep using the better version for xp.

With out that, Avira Pro is the better way to go..

I have always loved the version of Chromium called IRON, SRWare Iron, but, it stopped supporting XP in Version 49, so, it will be full of holes and dangerous to brows from now on. I still use it, but, not for much longer. Guess I will try Firefox in January, as I dont want try it yet.

[RyanVM]

FWIW, Mozilla's dropping support for XP in Firefox 53 (and moving XP users over to ESR52 for the next year). But at this point, Firefox is the only game in town for a modern web browser that supports XP and still gets security updates.

[GH0st]

It does sound like their ESR versions will continue thru the the XP POS life. Guessing they will continue to update security fixes to this as long at MS will continue to update XP via the POS.

I have tryed Win7 a few times, never liked it ......

[GH0st]

So, either I have to upgrade to W7 (which I don't like) and keep using SRWare Iron (which I love) or, keep going with XP (which I love) and move to Firefox (which I don't like)

[Rekel]

Thanks for the informed opinion. Also liked SRWIron, maybe Slimjet is quite worthy of test too: disappointment for Opera which doesn't seem so much fast as mobile version but has powerful in is integrated VPN.
I loved Eset but can't really understand current policy of escluding XP from supported OS by Eset 10. Maybe question is to be better investigated cause nowdays still a lot of endpoint and some workstations are bound to XP programs, can't think Eset let them unprotected.

...forgetting... this month XP is still 3°OS worlwide, i think also thanks to you!

[GH0st]

I have tryed the newer ESET version and did NOT like them on WinXP. The best, fastest, less drag on the system is Nod32v7, but, Nod32v8 has better HIPS. So, if your normally don't use HIPS, then go with version 7 ... this can still be downloaded and installed, it will update and run fine.

I have tryed Slimjet, and it too has stopped updating for WinXP. They did get Chrome 50 to work on XP, but nothing more.

So for me, its stick with XP and go Firefox or go Win7 and keep Iron ...

[Rekel]

Thanks GH0st, could you get a glimpse at this, i would like to learn your opinion.

[GH0st]

I'm going to FORCE myself to install Firefox later today, by deleting iron fully, so I have no option but to learn and get used to Firefox. They will continue to update for XP thru their release of 52esp version, extended service ... cause I hate Win7 and my hardware is old, so don't think Win10 would not work great on it, plus, I'm sure I'm going to hate it too! (?time for Mint linux?)

[Dibya]

I'm going to FORCE myself to install Firefox later today, by deleting iron fully, so I have no option but to learn and get used to Firefox. They will continue to update for XP thru their release of 52esp version, extended service ... cause I hate Win7 and my hardware is old, so don't think Win10 would not work great on it, plus, I'm sure I'm going to hate it too! (?time for Mint linux?)

I donot think a core 2 quad pc is looser with ssd . It should be faster than fastest . Nothing to worry keep XP alive!

[GH0st]

it is a good computer overall, I no longer have a SSD, as it died. I have gone thru two of them, $119 each. One lasted 9 months, other died in 13 months. So their not made to last that long. I did get the 40gb versions though, which I keeped half full or so.

I did a complete unstall of Chrome yesterday and then installed the Firefox 50.1. I am using uBlock and HTTPSeverywhere extentions, as I always do. Must say, I have never been a fan of Firefox and after a night of surfing, I hate it more now then ever! Its like Bigfoot shoved a laptop up his ass and after a day of walking around with it there, he shit out a browser, called it Firefox!

[Kurt_Aust]

I hate Win7 and my hardware is old, so don't think Win10 would not work great on it, plus, I'm sure I'm going to hate it too! (?time for Linux Mint ?)

I don't think a core 2 quad pc is looser with SSD. It should be faster than fastest . Nothing to worry keep XP alive!

My parents now have my old PC, Core 2 Quad Q9450 on a Gigabyte EP45-DS3R motherboard, running Win 10 Pro. It works well except for two minor annoyances:

1. Intel doesn't support the P45 chipset in its chipset drivers for Windows 10
2. To avoid an annoying crackle from the Realtek HD audio I had to set the minimum processor state to 75%

[GH0st]

yeah, but what about the Bigfoot/Firefox connection?

[Rekel]

I have never been a fan of Firefox and after a night of surfing, I hate it more now then ever! Its like Bigfoot shoved a laptop up his ass and after a day of walking around with it there, he shit out a browser, called it Firefox!

Total agreement, and you have a Mac Laren compared to my machine On old machine (or not so new) the Chrome->Firefox switch is so painful cause open tabs management is a lot resource hungrier than chrome and less efficient.
I really appreciate Firefox for XP support statements but, anyway, i know it's real hard to change your browsing habits (many open pages) just to fit in the Mozilla performance (very few open pages it can't be avoided to keep FF in fluid response).
So for current time i go on with Chrome patched with DropMyRIghts, i know it's old trick but alternatives are: sandboxies or Firefox i don't know which is less uncomfortable.

[GH0st]

LOL, thanks, I was thinking people would hate me for saying that, but, its even so slooooow to execute, meaning double click the exe to start the program, takes so damn long, and its better since I used that tweaker program, this did help. My inner voice, intuition has me convinced to just continue with Chrome (Iron), and just let my NOD32 and its HIPS to protect me. Wish I had a friend in SRWARE who I could convince to do another updated version, with updates that could be carried forward to XP, an XP/2003 verison only, with as many updates as it can move forward with ... but I have no such friend!

Hey Harkaz, have you ever thought of building a tweaked browser for XP, SRWARE Iron, is best in class, fully supported in CCLEANER and Winapp2, so you can easily-safely clean up.

[Dibya]

LOL, thanks, I was thinking people would hate me for saying that, but, its even so slooooow to execute, meaning double click the exe to start the program, takes so damn long, and its better since I used that tweaker program, this did help. My inner voice, intuition has me convinced to just continue with Chrome (Iron), and just let my NOD32 and its HIPS to protect me. Wish I had a friend in SRWARE who I could convince to do another updated version, with updates that could be carried forward to XP, an XP/2003 verison only, with as many updates as it can move forward with ... but I have no such friend!

Hey Harkaz, have you ever thought of building a tweaked browser for XP, SRWARE Iron, is best in class, fully supported in CCLEANER and Winapp2, so you can easily-safely clean up.

I have tried to execute newer opera and iron with wrapper even my modified shell32.dll and kernel32.dll . SO far no hope still now it does not work.
If you want to have i can pm you those customized system files .

[Dibya]

GHost if you want i have back ported palemoon 27.0.03 i can provide if you like

[GH0st]

Thank you, I like the Palemoon concept ... I did try it a year or so ago and didn't like it, I also didn't HATE it, but no likee ... I have come back to Iron v49.

There has been a rumour that Chromium may do another version of XP, meaning, a special version, with alot of the updates but maybe not all of them. So if they will do that 1-2 more times over the next year or so, it will help out alot!

[harkaz]

@ GH0st Even if I had enough free time to work on a Chromium project, I would only port security patches, not new features, New features would most likely require deep changes in the Windows API.

For the moment, I'm satisfied using Firefox. As soon as support for Firefox is dropped, I may consider working on a Chromium/Firefox backport.

P.S. Recently I dived into the Linux world, it's more amazing than I originally thought. The customizability/flexibility of open-source software is unparalleled.

[GH0st]

Hey Harkaz, I would not want/need new features, just patch the browser, to keep it safe ... none the less, this would be a major project, and no one wants to spend that time, especially Chromium.

I will be forced to do Mozilla again, when they release the 52ESP version.

I have thought about Mint Linux a few times, my old hardware would probably be super strong with that ... nice to hear about the free software (open source)

[GH0st]

Side note, I just tryed the lastest release of Eset Nod32 v10, on my XP rig, which TOTALLY sucked butt holes ... back to Nod v8.0.319.0 which is my favorite, has great HIPS which is apparently saving me since my SRWare Browser version (v49) is dated April 2016 and seems to have some holes too it!

[Dibya]

@Harkaz Any api related backport i will help you help.
Any one can test my new moded kernel32.dll ? I have not got time to do so . I am enjoying holidays now .
here is files http://www46.zippyshare.com/v/JsXx1Sr5/file.html
Please test it
harkaz security updates backport will be more than wonderful
Best of lUck

[Zephyr]

For the best trade-off between security and lightness you cannot do better than F-PROT antivirus. I use it with a 2005 vintage socket 479 mother board equipped with a Pentium Mobile 780 CPU which I suppose provides a similar performance to a Pentium 4 CPU. With F-PROT I do not notice an appreciable drag on performance in my XP system and the subscription is only $29 per year for 5 machines. According to the reviews it's performance is up there with Kapersky and Norton, although I should point out that the program has not been updated since 2011 and it is rather prone to false positives.

As for browsers for the performance challenged system with XP SP4 installed I recommend Opera because although XP support finished with version 36 they have promised to supply regular security updates for the time being. Another reason why Opera might be a good choice for such a system is that it uses the same Blink web engine as Chrome.

[GH0st]

Yes, Opera does use the same engine and would be great to have. I did NOT know they would offer patches/updates to it, which makes all the difference in the world. I don't want new options, just updates to fix security holes for safety

[GH0st]

http://windowsreport.com/windows-xp-win ... a-support/

[Dibya]

working version http://www9.zippyshare.com/v/TrPm4AuE/file.html

[GH0st]

I'm going to continue with this in the other thread, as its more about what I'm testing on current browsers on XP

https://ryanvm.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=10624

[dumpydooby]

FWIW, Mozilla's dropping support for XP in Firefox 53 (and moving XP users over to ESR52 for the next year). But at this point, Firefox is the only game in town for a modern web browser that supports XP and still gets security updates.

On a somewhat* related note, an ex-Mozilla engineer says that anti-virus software often makes browsers less secure by preventing browser makers from exercising their own security measures and indirectly forcing browser makers to deal with support tickets when AVs and browsers come into conflict.

sauce: https://www.neowin.net/news/ex-mozilla- ... s-software

*I say "somewhat" because obviously nobody is thinking about or discussing XP in that article.