My main Windows was bought from flashgear.
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Just a warning about Windows antivirus.
- Thread starter 10:10
- Start date
10:10
Expert Member
Let's consider cracked software. When used, it does indeed collect factual data about you. Every action gets logged and sent. You can fact-check this using Wireshark and discover packets going to websites you didn't even know existed.
Now, from the perspective of a business owner and a future coder/developer, this situation would be unfavourable. Not only is my intellectual property at risk but also my livelihood. So, the smart move would be to face reality and purchase the necessary software legally. Admittedly, I encountered a virus and my backup failed, but this setback turned out to be a blessing in disguise for my project. I had been struggling with my existing game design, and starting from scratch allowed me to fix issues and work much more efficiently.
That being said, if you advocate for the use of illegal software, you should be prepared to face the consequences. It's not only arrogant but also illegal, and it's worth noting that IT professionals have lost their jobs for far less.
Please note that using cracked software is illegal and can have serious consequences. It's always recommended to obtain software through legal channels to protect your intellectual property and ensure a secure environment for your work.
Yes, it is expensive and yes it is hard to part with one's money. But in the end, I want to earn money the right way.
Now, from the perspective of a business owner and a future coder/developer, this situation would be unfavourable. Not only is my intellectual property at risk but also my livelihood. So, the smart move would be to face reality and purchase the necessary software legally. Admittedly, I encountered a virus and my backup failed, but this setback turned out to be a blessing in disguise for my project. I had been struggling with my existing game design, and starting from scratch allowed me to fix issues and work much more efficiently.
That being said, if you advocate for the use of illegal software, you should be prepared to face the consequences. It's not only arrogant but also illegal, and it's worth noting that IT professionals have lost their jobs for far less.
Please note that using cracked software is illegal and can have serious consequences. It's always recommended to obtain software through legal channels to protect your intellectual property and ensure a secure environment for your work.
Yes, it is expensive and yes it is hard to part with one's money. But in the end, I want to earn money the right way.
InvisibleJim
Expert Member
- Joined
- Mar 9, 2011
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For disposable VM's you can use a free 180 day evaluation copy of Windows downloaded from Microsoft Evaluation center.
Install a base VM and Sysprep it then create additional VM's as you need as linked clones (Virtualbox) or using a differencing (Hyper-v) disk from the disk of the base image. This is a also quite a nice arrangement for saving disk space if you are running several Windows VM's for lab purposes.
Vorastra
Honorary Master
Or very trusty Russians on a site I frequent.
Amazingly this hasn’t happened to the majority of people who are not completely clueless.
The Voice
Honorary Master
+1 for ESET.
Vorastra
Honorary Master
Defender is better as an overall solution, while ESET is better specifically regarding malware in an offline environment and performance overhead. Defender however is still better at detecting and protecting against malware provided it has a connection.
Real-World Protection Test February-May 2023
The first half year results of the ongoing Consumer Real-World Protection Test for February-May 2023 are now available.
www.av-comparatives.org
Malware Protection Test March 2023
The Malware Protection Test March 2023 assesses program’s ability to protect a system against malicious files before, during or after execution.
www.av-comparatives.org
There's nothing wrong with Defender on its own. It's on par with the best paid-for AVs on the market. The only issue is its over-reliance on cloud-scanning for malware and overcautious marking causing larger than average false-positives.
But if you're tech-savvy enough to know what the files are, FPs tend to not be an issue. Defender is a very good AV on its own, and made even better since its free and built-in. However it is a heavier AV than third-party alternatives.
Performance Test April 2023
Performance Test April 2023 for Microsoft Windows 10 security products released, 16 products' impact on system performance was tested.
www.av-comparatives.org
The Voice
Honorary Master
Defender is better as an overall solution, while ESET is better specifically regarding malware in an offline environment and performance overhead. Defender however is still better at detecting and protecting against malware provided it has a connection.
Real-World Protection Test February-May 2023
The first half year results of the ongoing Consumer Real-World Protection Test for February-May 2023 are now available.
Malware Protection Test March 2023
The Malware Protection Test March 2023 assesses program’s ability to protect a system against malicious files before, during or after execution.
There's nothing wrong with Defender on its own. It's on par with the best paid-for AVs on the market. The only issue is its over-reliance on cloud-scanning for malware and overcautious marking causing larger than average false-positives.
But if you're tech-savvy enough to know what the files are, FPs tend to not be an issue. Defender is a very good AV on its own, and made even better since its free and built-in. However it is a heavier AV than third-party alternatives.
Performance Test April 2023
Performance Test April 2023 for Microsoft Windows 10 security products released, 16 products' impact on system performance was tested.
Didn’t slate Defender, just agreed with using ESET on top of it. As you’ve already pointed out, both have their strengths and work together really well. I’ve been running both for around 10 years now.
10:10
Expert Member
It has been a while and after finding the sources of infection on my Windows 10 I can now say that all my backup is clean. I only had to recut one disk. I am actually very proud of this because it means for the history of my tiny business I did a good job keeping it clean.
Enby Panda
Expert Member
Awesome. Glad to hear your business is thriving.
We need more young entrepreneurs such as yourself making the best out of difficult situations.