Windows update without internet?

My new PC (that I'm going to use exclusivly to record with...and maybe play a game or two) should be arriving within a couple of weeks and I want to try and keep it internet free. I have a couple other PC's I can surf and download other software (Sonar) updates with.

I know that I can register from one of my on-line pc's and I can activate windows by phone but what about updates? Is it possible to download and install Windows updates without using Microsofts update tool?

Thanks.

Thanks. You're probably right. I'm not so much worried about a virus (I haven't had a virus on my pc in years, and I'm just using AVG free). It's spy ware I'm most worried about, and I would imagine as long as I only use my daw to update windows and my music program/s I should be ok.

Guess I was going a little overboard!

ORIGINAL: Rob801

Thanks. You're probably right. I'm not so much worried about a virus (I haven't had a virus on my pc in years, and I'm just using AVG free). It's spy ware I'm most worried about, and I would imagine as long as I only use my daw to update windows and my music program/s I should be ok.

Guess I was going a little overboard!

Spyware is a problem for sure. It becomes more insidious as time goes by, so you are right to be concerned. What's more, some people absolutely insist that your DAW should never see the Internet. There was recent thread about how to avoid spyware in either this forum or in techniques. I do think you will be fine so long as you are careful.

I found the thread. It is quite long and veers off topic, but is full of info:

http://forum.cakewalk.com/tm.asp?m=904524&mpage=1&key=

ORIGINAL: Kicker

ORIGINAL: Rob801

... and I'm just using AVG free

Rob, just curious as to what you will do after Jan 15th when AVG discontinues their free software?

I also ordered a copy of Norton internet security 2006 which will arrive with my PC (it's kind of a package deal through my work), which now that you bring it up, was another one of my concerns as I wanted to try and keep Norton off of my DAW (I've read a lot of mixed reviews...systems being bogged down by norton...norton not finding viruses etc). I actually ordered it to use on my laptop which will become my main internet PC. I know that sounds contradictive but I'm getting a big rebate so I figured it was worth a try with Norton.

I guess I could pay for AVG when the time comes (for use on my DAW). I've been satisfied with it so far.

BTW, I did do a search before starting this thread. Only just in "Sonar Producer/Studio" and here in the gear forum. I didn't think of looking under "Technique".

ORIGINAL: Rob801
I also ordered a copy of Norton internet security 2006 which will arrive with my PC (it's kind of a package deal through my work), which now that you bring it up, was another one of my concerns as I wanted to try and keep Norton off of my DAW (I've read a lot of mixed reviews...systems being bogged down by norton...norton not finding viruses etc). I actually ordered it to use on my laptop which will become my main internet PC. I know that sounds contradictive but I'm getting a big rebate so I figured it was worth a try with Norton.

norton sucks, so does mcafee. the good news is you don't need a complete "internet security suite", they are a waste of money and resources. instead, do the following:

1. if you don't have a broadband router, get one.
2. make a regular user account (non-admin) and use it for anything internet-related.
3. download windows xp service pack 2 and install all available critical and security updates.
4. download and use firefox with the no-script, adblock plus and filterset.g updater extensions.
5. download and install spybot search and destroy and run it on a regular basis.

I guess I could pay for AVG when the time comes (for use on my DAW). I've been satisfied with it so far.

i've always liked AVG but here is the reality on viruses and spyware:

they can run before real-time AV scans have a chance to detect them
they can turn off AV software.
they can use rootkits to install themselves below the OS level, making them impossible to remove without reformatting.

you can get around some of these problems with a security suite that has an intrusion protection system (often called HIPS). mcafee and norton calls this their "stops hackers" feature which is usually based on not allowing buffer overflows, the most common attack. or you can just create a regular user account and have the same kind of protection against spyware.

i don't even go that far - i downloaded a program called "DropMyRights" (google for it) and use it to lower the privileges of executing software. just edit your browser and internet mail shortcuts so they have "C:\DropMyRights\DropMyRights.exe" in front of them. same protection without the hassle of an additional account.

forget it ..........

i've only had spybot come up with one item that was a "false positive" - when i told windows security center to stuff it in regards to AV. there's apparently a registry value set for that and spybot picked it up. otherwise it's been spot-on with tracking cookies... not having had spyware i can't tell you how well it does in that regard. i use it mainly for tracking cookies since firefox 2 for some stupid reason won't let you deny cookies from 3rd party sites anymore...

the thing is that using a computer on the internet is no longer something that you can just do, like making toast or microwave popcorn. it's more like driving through the bad part of town - you need to be paranoid and vigilant and educate yourself on the realities of what the dangers are. you may not get beat up but you can lose your money or your identity.

My $.02:

Don't do windows update. It's practically entirely security patches and nothing you need for audio... Just added bloat. If you never go on the net, you don't need security patches.

Works for me.

Cheers.

i've actually never used norton anything, just heard horror stories. the real-time AV scans are what will kill performance, firewall and buffer-overflow protection don't cause that much overhead. for me though the bottom line is that there's nothing norton does that i can't get for free: firewall (router + XP2 SP2 firewall), anti-virus (low-privilege account), anti-spyware (firefox + noscript + low-privilege account + spybot), anti-phishing (firefox 2), anti-spam (gmail) and buffer overflow protection (low-privilege account + patches).

the question is, do you want to pay norton to do things available for free? if it's worth your money not to spend time learning how to take care of your computer, then that's a decision you make and i won't tell you it's the "wrong" one. just like i prefer to buy DAWs rather than build them. all i'm trying to say is that you can ditch norton and save some money with just a little effort. well, it's a little effort for me, i get paid to do this 40+ hours a week. like i said - time vs. money.

Here is what we do. We partitioned our system, with Linux on one side, Windows on the other, and one huge partition for data that is shared between the two.

Linux is used for daily operations (like reading the message boards), while the Windows side is used primarily as a DAW. We did not enabled the network card under Windows, for as Yep pointed out, 99.9% of all Windows updates are to plug security holes. So we have W2K w/SP4 and done. We disable all networking stuff and we are good to go.

The beauty of Linux is we don't have many of the security headaches that are common on Windows. If only Cakewalk would make a version of Sonar for Linux, we would give up Windows altogether.

ORIGINAL: yep

My $.02:

Don't do windows update. It's practically entirely security patches and nothing you need for audio... Just added bloat. If you never go on the net, you don't need security patches.

Works for me.

Cheers.

I seem to recall reading somewhere that some features of Sonar or P5 acted kind of buggy without the service pack 2 upgrade.

Anyone else hear of this?