Please don't, this is enlightening.  I'm wondering how you see UAC fitting in.  I know a lot of people hate it but I've never used it or researched it.

Why don't I believe yrag would agree with that?   

I'm not ignorant. Evidence speaks for itself. I have gone years without a virus. All that time I have used Windows in admin mode. I have very good browsing habits. Perhaps other people being paranoid is the word of the day.

You have to have used it. UAC is enabled by default on a new install of Windows.

XP, Kona, my machine and I are dinosaurs.    (And ya I know, "April 2014" )

I wonder if Microsoft will again extend that deadline. So many computers are still running XP out there, and no one likes Windows 8.

I really doubt it, but stranger things have happened.  It's a shame too, this machine's been very very good to me.  Motherboard won't take 7 or 8, processor won't take 8.  It's an oldie.

How do you put up with it? The only machine in my house that can keep up with me is the quad core. I would be pulling my hair out using that thing.

Yes, first time in a loooong time. It happens, I didn't say different. But I enjoy my PC without the loss of control. Anyone who spends any reasonable amount of time on the net is eventually gonna see a problem here and there.

That's why we have backups and such.

I enjoy my PC. If I have to worry all the time about everything it wouldn't be enjoyable.

I like to try betas, even beta OSes. I like experimenting and trying new things. I run about 6 OSes just because I can. That is the reason I own a PC, it's a toy, meant to be enjoyed, not worried over.

As I said, YMMV. Not everyone sees things the way I do, I'm just stating what I think about this topic.

Internet Security is an oxymoron. If you're connected to the internet, you are not 100% secure, no matter who you are, or what you do.

If that worries you, disconnect, and be safe. 

Seriously it runs pretty well.

I really don't want to sidetrack the conversation though, I was enjoying the security perspectives.  Guess I'll have to get off my a** and look into UAC.  Boy howdy, haven't been putting that off   FWIW, big fan of limited user logons here, been doing it pretty much since day 1, give or take the occasional screwdriver to make something work.

I have never has an executable to run, on my machine, without I clicked it, and by doing so, I gave it permission.

Unless by executable you mean a virus/trojan, in which case I'd ask you, does UAC stop a virus, no.

If I had kids, or even an adult in the house, who used my machine and I didn't trust them to be safe, I'd have a limited user account set up for them, without admin priviledges.

But I don't. No one but me uses my PC. So I have no password on my account, don't need one. I have no need for limited accounts.

One of the things that pisses me off the most is having my PC tell me I don't have admin rights for something. Vista did that a lot, if memory serves.

Ya I know what you mean.  I would guess that's why so many people don't use them.  From that perspective it's a pain in the neck.  Once you get specific folder or file permissions set though for non-compliant programs (which is really a pain in the neck on XPHome) it's not so bad.  I pretty much just log into admin to do installs or updates and shuffle files I want to keep a little more protected.

It's all a balancing act I suppose.

Except me.

Those Linux users and Mac users will disagree with you.

LOL. Kona, that was truly funny. Thanks, I needed that!  

No laughing joke. I haven't had an issues with a virus in many, many years.

Allow me to rephrase...... Anyone running a Windows PC who spends any reasonable amount of time on the net is eventually gonna see a problem here and there.

I have little experience with the others.

Thanks once again everyone.

Overall, I agree with Monk about using a limited access user account to help thwart virus infection.  When I said that doing so will not prevent viruses from landing on your computer, I wanted to emphasize that no one strategy is sufficient.  It really does seem to take frequent scanning and monitoring system functionality for abnormalities.

I also tend to rely on Microsoft Fix-it to ensure my system settings aren't being reset by various software programs.  Internet Explorer and Media Player are frequent targets as is Windows firewall.

I've also used Hijack This with a supporting website like Bleeping Computer (back in the last of my XP days) to solve stubborn problems.

Wincustomize has also been a great source of info for removing nuisance malware like Ask toolbar or MyWebSearch.  Both of these were problematic on my wife's laptop.

And, yes RND, surf the web and you will have to deal with these sorts of problems from time to time.