Re-installing Windows XP for off-line use.

I rarely use my XP Pro computer on line. It is used mainly for graphics work.

In the interest of longevity and immunity from online infection I am thinking of doing a non-destructive reinstallation and then disabling network connections.

As far as I remember, the installation procedure automatically searches for updates and installs them.

As I intend to use it exclusively off-line, I see no point in having the updates. Is there a way of stopping the installation process from downloading them?

 

Do the installation off line. I just reinstalled XP without the computer being connected it will automatically skip the Dynamic Update portion of the installation.

 

Thank you Nick.

It went well. One curious thing though. Once it was about to complete, the normal Windows XP screen was presented but the mouse cursor had been changed to the hour-glass, and I was asked to wait.

After waiting until well past my bedtime I left it to get on with whatever it was doing ......

This morning nothing had changed :confused. Being an older machine it has a reset button (why do they no longer have them?), which I used.

It rebooted normally and everthing looks good.

There's one other thing which I've been thinking about. If I need to install something new from a source on the internet I can normally download it on another machine, put it on a USB stick etc.

But, in the albeit unlikely event that I wanted to connect to the net, I would like a good firewall.
It's been a long time since I searched for information about them, and no longer know what third party firewalls are in vogue.

I once tried Comodo's but it was far too intrusive and a more of a nuisance than I was prepard to tolerate.

Do you have any recommendations?

 

Have a look at TinyWall.
http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/tinywall.html

 

Thank you Eldon.

I will take a look at that.

I'm torn between installing a decent firewall on that machine (XP Home) and leaving it as it is - a bare necessities number cruncher which is quite satisfactory for graphics and everything else which doesn't need to be exposed to the internet.

I think perhaps I will do that and install a decent firewall on this one (XP Pro), which is my standby machine.

My main one (Windows 8.1) is being investigated since it refused to boot into Windows :cry

But that's another matter entirely and is in the hands of a local specialist company.

 

I have Windows XP Professional SP3 on the D partition with no security at all.
But...
1. I don't connect to the internet,
2. I don't load CDs or DVDs not belonging to me,
3. Excluding the always connected printer and mouse, I don't connect USB devices not belonging to me.
No.3 is very important.

If you, on the odd occasion, are going to connect to the internet, I suggest you install Avast! and Privatefirewall - both are free.
http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/avast_free_edition.html
http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/privatefirewall.html

The 2 biggest threats on the internet are email attachments and links on websites.

Disclaimer:
I am not condoning the use of Windows XP for internet use.

 

Despite MajorGeeks stating that it works with XP, the program doesn't.
Pity, it's the simpler of the two suggested.

I use Malwarebytes Home Premium, and Superantispyware.

I installed Privatefirewall but then Mailwasher Pro didn't work. I shut Privatefirewall off, and Mailwasher still didn't work.

I uninstalled Privatefirewall and Mailwasher then worked.

I reinstalled Privatefirewall and Mailwasher didn't work. I told Privatefirewall to allow everything it had listed for Mailwasher, but it still didn't work.

It does now. I have uninstalled Privatefirewall.

 

I checked TinyWall's FAQ and you're right - it doesn't work in Windows XP.

I don't use Mailwasher and therefor can't help you with it not working when Privatefirewall is installed.

 

Thank you for your suggestions anyway.

When I experience another attack of enthusiasm I will spend more time looking at firewall reviews.

Don't like most reviews. They're usually far too verbose, often to the extent of obscuring the wood with the trees.

Never mind, it's not forever. It's only for life.

 

Sorry it took so long to get back to you. I'm glad the installation seems to be good. As far as recommendations Eldon's recommendations and advice is about as good as you can get.