Windows XP paradox

[ddoherty958]

Hi everyone

I have a real life time paradox here! I installed Windows XP to a little laptop to it would work faster but I can’t connect to the internet to get internet device drivers. The laptop has no CD drive

Any tips?

 

[debiruman665]

can you share files between computers on the same LAN?

 

[Rakk]

Or put the (downloaded on a different machine) drivers onto a USB stick

 

[ddoherty958]

I’m going to try the USB method now

 

[Oussebon]

If you want the laptop to work faster, consider a lightweight version of Linux.

You can often run them 'live' without needing to install to give you a feel for what they're like. May also help dodge the fact that XP isn't patched any more.

 

[ddoherty958]

Yep that’s done it. I’ve got internet. Thanks everyone!

 

[Tony1044]

Worst idea ever.

XP has been out of support for years. It has more security holes than a sieve and I rate it in days before you're compromised if not hours.

Much better to run a Linux distribution

 

[ddoherty958]

Worst idea ever.

XP has been out of support for years. It has more security holes than a sieve and I rate it in days before you're compromised if not hours.

Much better to run a Linux distribution

Well I don’t really care because I’m not using it as MY laptop. I just have it and want it to run faster. No personal data will be kept there so hack away.

 

[RetroComputing]

Yep that’s done it. I’ve got internet. Thanks everyone!

So copying files across the LAN worked then?

Worst idea ever.

XP has been out of support for years. It has more security holes than a sieve and I rate it in days before you're compromised if not hours.

Much better to run a Linux distribution

I've installed Windows XP on multiple machines recently and I can confirm it's not the "Worst idea ever" at all. I even installed the tablet edition on er, well one of my tablets.


The OP doesn't say on what system they installed XP on, if it's a new PC then I'd agree with you but they dont say so (like me) it could be on a retro computer from that era that doesnt support a more modern OS.

 

[Oussebon]

You can get Linux distros that are, more or less, meant to be run on older systems.

These can run a lot faster than systems that shipped with XP - which is why my old laptop from 2004 that used to have XP has Puppylinux.

 

[Tony1044]

So copying files across the LAN worked then?




I've installed Windows XP on multiple machines recently and I can confirm it's not the "Worst idea ever" at all. I even installed the tablet edition on er, well one of my tablets.


The OP doesn't say on what system they installed XP on, if it's a new PC then I'd agree with you but they dont say so (like me) it could be on a retro computer from that era that doesnt support a more modern OS.

That is frankly a ridiculous response and terrible advice. Do what you want with your own kit and data, but advising others it's a good idea is borderline malicious.

It doesn't matter what the hardware is - the fact remains, as can clearly be seen from their second post, that this is a system which has internet access.

That means it's an utterly insecure solution.

Most Linux distributions require lower hardware specs than most modern Windows versions and for those that are too old again, there are plenty of maintained versions specifically for old systems, as Oussebon has pointed out.

I don't care what the age of the system is - if it's Windows XP and it's connecting to the internet it's a terrible decision. Full stop.

And no, the workarounds to get the POS edition patches doesn't count either - they were never intended to be general purpose operating systems, so the patches fix very specific and esoteric use cases and vulnerabilities. Not that even that version is patched now.

 

[Tony1044]

Well I don’t really care because I’m not using it as MY laptop. I just have it and want it to run faster. No personal data will be kept there so hack away.

Flawed logic at its best.

It is a gateway to enter your network. Once it's compromised, it is there to use a stepping stone into the rest of your systems.

Or it's used as a zombie in a massive DDoS attack. But as you say, that's not YOUR data so why should you care?

But hey what do I know? I only worked for the likes of NATO and Microsoft securing some of the most sensitive data in existence.

Do as you will but don't say you weren't warned.

The ONLY way to run XP safely is off net.

 

[ubuysa]

Installing XP is a bit like tightrope walking without a safety net. As long as you know what you're doing and understand the risks it's perfectly fine and safe.

I would most certainly strongly advise most 'ordinary' users against going anywhere near XP because of the lack of support. Enthusiasts and knowledgeable users however (should) know enough not to get their fingers burned.

Clearly it would be unwise in the extreme to have an XP box that has an Internet connection connected to anything else, and especially to any kind of LAN. The risks to the attached devices or LAN would be, in my view, unacceptable.

Similarly there should be no data on the XP box that you don't mind exposing, and nothing that ever needs a login or password.

 

[ddoherty958]

Well this blew up quite quickly

 

[Tony1044]

Installing XP is a bit like tightrope walking without a safety net. As long as you know what you're doing and understand the risks it's perfectly fine and safe.

I would most certainly strongly advise most 'ordinary' users against going anywhere near XP because of the lack of support. Enthusiasts and knowledgeable users however (should) know enough not to get their fingers burned.

Clearly it would be unwise in the extreme to have an XP box that has an Internet connection connected to anything else, and especially to any kind of LAN. The risks to the attached devices or LAN would be, in my view, unacceptable.

Similarly there should be no data on the XP box that you don't mind exposing, and nothing that ever needs a login or password.

As I say, the only safe way is off net. i.e. the XP box has no network connectivity at all. It is all too easy to overlook, for example, browsers syncing passwords... not that there are any modern browsers available for XP binaries.

Even Windows 7 would be safer.

But better yet, if the hardware really is that old, then Linux is the only safe option.

 

[ubuysa]

As I say, the only safe way is off net. i.e. the XP box has no network connectivity at all. It is all too easy to overlook, for example, browsers syncing passwords... not that there are any modern browsers available for XP binaries.

Even Windows 7 would be safer.

But better yet, if the hardware really is that old, then Linux is the only safe option.

It depends what you want the XP box for and why it has an Internet connection. I get the impression that the OP knows what he/she is doing, so on the face of it all should be well.

But his/her actions are not necessarily benign. An XP box Internet attached is much more likely to become part of a botnet and that has implications for everyone else....