Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Computing/2013 December 25

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December 25

Possible malware?

I went to this webpage: http://camstudio.org/ to download CamStudio 2.7 and used the large green button about half-way down the page which says "click to download CamStudio 2.7". The file downloaded was about 600-700 KB and I used Avast! and then Malware-bytes to scan the file. Avast! found nothing harmful and Malware-bytes said that it was harmful so I opted to remove it. I then went to SourceForge and downloaded the ~3 MB file there which was not found to be harmful by either program. Should I try to report this to Avast! since they seem to have a false negative response? --78.148.110.243 (talk) 02:30, 25 December 2013 (UTC)

The CamStudio article says the version from sourceforge is a source code version (presumably so you can build your own version). The two downloads you did are therefore not of the same thing. The difference in results between Avast and Malwarebytes is due to them looking for different things - Avast looks for viruses, while malwarebytes looks for malware. Astronaut (talk) 22:18, 26 December 2013 (UTC)

Screensaver Problems

So lately I have been messing around with my computer and wanted to download a cool screensaver to add to my Mac. I have looked online and honestly they don't look very interesting. I remember when I was little my dad had these green 3D pipes appear when he left his computer. They all kept moving in different directions and would never stop. So i thought I would try and find it to add it to mine. The problem is that i have looked everywhere i have tried google, bing, and even dogpile.com. Can you please find me a website where i can download a FREE screensaver of pipes. Thanks!!! — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2601:3:1400:63:181F:DD0:774F:50DD (talk) 03:29, 25 December 2013 (UTC)

It is called "sspipes.scr" and included in Windows 95 - XP. An internet search for that lists several downloads. I don't know if they work on Macs though. 82.44.76.14 (talk) 03:48, 25 December 2013 (UTC)

The XScreenSaver collection is available for MacOS, and includes a "pipes" screensaver similar to the one you describe. --Carnildo (talk) 03:45, 27 December 2013 (UTC)

DVD-R Error

Well, it is time again for me to ask "stupid questions." I want to download and install GFortran as well as Apache Server on my machine (Windows 7) but I am scared of malware. Especially after the latest reports that one can download a program that will lock all your files and will demand payment in bitcoins. So, I decided to take a system image. The size of the code I need to store is huge (the system said it is 477 GB) and I want to use DVD-R with 4.7 GB capacity. Now I am getting this error "Windows backup found errors on the media while saving a backup on it and cannot use it for additional backups. Please write the following label on a blank media and insert it into D:" The label follows.

What is this? Is it a way for the system to say that (1) the size of this particular DVD-R is insufficient and I have to provide a new one or (2) that this brand new (but purchased about 2-3 year ago) DVD-R has something wrong with it?

This is the second disk I just put in. The label we are talking about seems to contain number "1" which suggests the second possibility. So, it is still asking for the first media to write. Am I on the right track?

Thanks.--AboutFace 22 (talk) 18:36, 25 December 2013 (UTC)

Well, I just decided to do the backup on one of my external hard drives which has plenty of space but I am still wondering. Saving on DVDs has certain advantage.--AboutFace 22 (talk) 18:41, 25 December 2013 (UTC)

Please wait until after Xmas for a proper answer. One can install free virtualBox and run anything in it, without the risk of malware taking your 'host' (computer) over. You don't need to use a DVD-R with this approach. It is far simpler and the applications will run faster then off a DVD-R. VirtualBox (which is a virtual machine) effectively runs stuff in a quarantined environment. Bad stuff can't escape it.--Aspro (talk) 20:50, 25 December 2013 (UTC)

Thinking, a bit more about it. Do you have a spare computer? If so, instal a flavour of Linux with NO Windoz operating system on it. Makes life so much simpler (really -it does)! SUSI & Debian Linux flavours are both very good for scientific stuff. The malware issue, then becomes an academic curiosity, rather than, something to worry about. Then you wont be troubled with Windoz presenting you with silly statements, that are only there, to encourage you to use only applications they have both approved and collect a royalties from. With Linux, the computer becomes a machine that you have control over - not microsoft--Aspro (talk) 21:14, 25 December 2013 (UTC)

You don't need a spare computer. You can use the same computer, as long as the hard drive doesn't already use all four potential partitions (and it won't, unless it has been specially set up that way) and (of course) does have a moderate amount of space. Then you can choose between OSes on boot-up (most likely via GRUB). Espresso.powered (talk) 04:30, 26 December 2013 (UTC)

Whilst I agree the the OP does not 'need' a spare computer in theory. Yet, it makes a big job like this -a hell of lot simpler. It also means, that the risk of malware messing up the rest of one's main system has been eliminated. It will probably (undoubtedly) be more efficient time-wise and time costs money.--Aspro (talk) 23:39, 26 December 2013 (UTC)

Thank you everyone. It is very interesting. A lot of food for thought. --AboutFace 22 (talk) 02:21, 26 December 2013 (UTC)

As far as Gfortran, I've downloaded it several times and can vouch for the fact that it was clean, at least at that time. Of course, caution is always a good idea. StuRat (talk) 12:52, 26 December 2013 (UTC)