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Small tool which disables the default threats of a Windows XP installation. Besides disabling Windows and some of its components to communicate with Microsoft servers, xpy improves privacy settings and your system�s security.
Here's the link...
http://xpy.whyeye.org/about/
(Although most of what I read urges anyone running XP to keep up with all MS updates, I found after building my last computer (for myself) that it just wasn't practical to do so. I spent hours on the phone with MS tech reps trying to resolve endless stop errors -- about 6 different ones, and all pointed to probable hardware issues. I went through three motherboards (two identical, one completely different) as suggested by MS. MS finally listed my case as "resolved" after they told me I needed to take it to a repair shop.
I was convinced that since this same system ran Kubuntu Linux flawlessly that the problem might have something to do with XP. Tried fresh installs, updating and rolling back drivers, etc. Nothing worked; crashed anywhere from 5 - 15 times a day. Until I read an article on someone's experience with uninstalling many Windows updates, disabling some of the XP services, and changing many automatic services to manual. The article also suggested adding several login profiles that run different services on each.
After implementing many of these suggestions and making it a habit to use anti-virus/malware programs religiously, I now have a computer that runs XP without crashing. I'm trying to find time to gradually add services back to see if I can figure out what the problem was (although it might be a combination of things).
I worry a bit about not using all of the security updates (I've got SP1 & 2), but don't use IE, do use an encrypted router, and don't always stay connected to the internet. I still get mostly low-level threat notices in the security programs I run, which is what was happening before I abbreviated XP. I use Linux when I can -- but my children like Windows games, so I can't give it up entirely... )
Anyway, I wondered if any of you were familiar with this product, and if so, what you thought about it. If it helped, and didn't create a bigger security threat, it sounds like it may save some time -- for people like me anyway... Thanks. mcaren
