Do I Need Anti-Virus When Running XP

Arielluria

Arielluria


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I purchase VM Ware's Fusion 2 for running some XP stuff. Am I protected via the Mac or do I need to install my XP Anti-Virus?
 
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Prolanman


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You need anitvirus for XP VM session. It should come with Virus software for Windows.
 
mdfuller

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Ditto what Prolanman stated. A VM is NO different than any other Windows machine.
 
vansmith

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Like the others said, your VM will be susceptible to viruses much like a regular Windows install. If you do get one, it will be contained to the VM though. As such, I suggest that right after you install and activate Windows, you should copy the virtual hard disk elsewhere so, should something go wrong, you can copy the virtual HD back and have an already installed and activated copy of Windows ready to go.
 
D3v1L80Y

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If you're running Windows... then you're running Windows.

Apple hardware and/or software will not create a magical barrier to protect Windows from its ever-growing list of maladies and vulnerabilities.
 
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MacInWin

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I use VMWare Fusion on my iMac and I don't have any virus protection at all on Windows. I did make an image of the operating system just after installing XP and before connecting the vm to the network. And each time, before going online, I make an image backup so that if I get stupid and get a virus, I can whack the image and replace it with an uninfected on. Not much is lost but the virus. The latest Fusion even lets me keep multiple images, so I don't have to overwrite a good one with a possibly infected one.

XP without the overhead of AV is much nicer, btw.
 
skye

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jakerich said:
I use VMWare Fusion on my iMac and I don't have any virus protection at all on Windows. I did make an image of the operating system just after installing XP and before connecting the vm to the network. And each time, before going online, I make an image backup so that if I get stupid and get a virus, I can whack the image and replace it with an uninfected on. Not much is lost but the virus. The latest Fusion even lets me keep multiple images, so I don't have to overwrite a good one with a possibly infected one.

XP without the overhead of AV is much nicer, btw.
Click to expand...

This.

Imaging (Parallels calls it screen shot I believe) is not only a way to save a lot of time yourself, but afaik many network admins are using virtual environments for server management due to the ease of using images as backup rather than fumbling with the need for extra physical space needed to store things such as disks.
 
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Locoweed


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The programs I use in XP are not dependent on the internet, so I just disable the connection. I also don't import any files that could be contaminated. Therefore, I don't need or use a Anti-virus program.
 
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mbohn


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Locoweed said:
The programs I use in XP are not dependent on the internet, so I just disable the connection. I also don't import any files that could be contaminated. Therefore, I don't need or use a Anti-virus program.
Click to expand...
I plan to do that also. Could you explain how to disable XP from using the internet?
 
vansmith

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Just disable it in your respective virtualization product. I don't use Fusion but in VirtualBox, you simply select your VM > Settings > Network > uncheck "Enable Network Adapter". This should disable your network adapter for the VM.
 
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mbohn


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vansmith said:
Just disable it in your respective virtualization product. I don't use Fusion but in VirtualBox, you simply select your VM > Settings > Network > uncheck "Enable Network Adapter". This should disable your network adapter for the VM.
Click to expand...

I should have been more clear. I'm runnning a separate XP computer and once I get everything possible moved from it over to my new MBP, I want to disconnect the XP computer from the Internet, disable virus stuff, etc. I still want the XP computer on my network so it can communicate with the Mac. Is that possible?

BTW, apologies for the thread hijack!
 

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