AntiVirus for Macs?
- Thread starter danoistheman
- Start date
This program is very realiable: http://www.intego.com/home.aspManchita said:
This program is very realiable: http://www.intego.com/home.asp
ex2bot
Registered Bot
Morning:
It sounds like you're really frustrated and I don't blame you. I don't remember seeing your post, otherwise I would have tried to help you. There are a lot of posts on these forums, and sometimes some get lost in the shuffle. Just don't be rude to us or you'll hurt our feelings.
Networking your Windows machine and iBook shouldn't be hard. I'm assuming you have OS X 10.3 or 10.4.
1. Click Apple menu> System Preferences.
2. Click "Sharing".
3. Make sure "Windows Sharing" has a check mark before it. If not, click it.
3. Hook up the two machines with either a regular ethernet cable or a crossover cable. Yes, either will work because the Mac will determine which you have.
5. Click on Macintosh hard drive on your desktop or press Apple Key then 'N'.
6. Click Network in the side bar. You should see (after a few seconds possibly) your Windows machine show up there assuming you set it up for networking. If you're not sure how to do that, see below.
7. Double-click on the Windows machine icon.
8. A password window should come up after a couple seconds.
9. Type in your password. It may ask for username and workgroup. Workgroup is a Windows thing. If you're not familiar with the basics of Windows networking, I recommend a book like Windows Networking for Dummies or something.
Note: The Mac is pretending to be a Windows machine. It's using the Windows networking protocol called SMB or CIFS. Your PC will be none the wiser.
---------
To get Windows to share files and network over ethernet:
1. Um, this is a little fuzzy for me as I no longer have a PeeCee. There's a Windows networking wizard that takes you through the steps of setting it up. Maybe someone else can fill in the blanks on that one.
2. Click finish on the wizard.
You should be all set.
---------
You'll have to tell me a bit more about your word processing problem. Is it Microsoft Word 2004? General troubleshooting tips for programs that won't start:
1. Go to your home folder (Apple key and shift key --hold them down-- then press 'H'). Double-click on Library. Search (look at text box in upper right corner of window and click on it) for the name of your word processor.
2. Find the .plist preferences file that goes with your program.
3. Drag it into the trash (or click it once and hold Apple key and the 'delete' key that really should be called backspace).
4. Try running the program again.
5. Now, go to the company's website (www.mactopia.com if you're using Microsoft Word) and download any updates for the program. Install them. If you're having trouble understanding disk images or what to click, see below.
5. If that doesn't work go to the Applications folder (hold Apple key and shift then press A), double-click utilities, double-click "Disk Utility."
6. Find your main hard drive (or only hard drive) on the left side of the window. Click it
7. In the middle of the window press the "Repair Permissions" button.
8. Rerun your word processor.
9. No luck? Ask back here (preferably in a new thread because this one was supposed to have been about antivirus and how people should stay away from Norton).
Helpful hint when downloading Mac software from the World Wild Web:
These are the file extensions you might see:
.zip (Zip file) -- Double click the zip file, and the system will create a new folder with all the files in it. That folder will show up in the same folder that the Zip file is in.
.pkg -- Double-click to install
.tar.gz -- Double-click to uncompress. It will create a .tar file and you might have to click on that too to continue the process. It may contain a .pkg. See above.
.dmg -- This is a special kind of file, a disk image. Double-click it and then look at your desktop. You should see (when it gets done mounting) a white "disk". Double-click that and, viola!, inside you'll find the files you need. Sometimes .dmg files contain applications. You drag these into your /Applications folder. I suggest double-clicking your hard drive and dragging the Applications folder to the Dock (right hand side). That way you'll be able to access it with a click. A .dmg may also contain a .pkg. See above.
Whew!
Let us know if this works for you and what else you need to know. If your posts ever don't receive replies, keep trying. Repost if you receive no replies after a week or two. Or post another message inside the original thread and the thread will be moved to the top of the list!
Doug
It sounds like you're really frustrated and I don't blame you. I don't remember seeing your post, otherwise I would have tried to help you. There are a lot of posts on these forums, and sometimes some get lost in the shuffle. Just don't be rude to us or you'll hurt our feelings.
Networking your Windows machine and iBook shouldn't be hard. I'm assuming you have OS X 10.3 or 10.4.
1. Click Apple menu> System Preferences.
2. Click "Sharing".
3. Make sure "Windows Sharing" has a check mark before it. If not, click it.
3. Hook up the two machines with either a regular ethernet cable or a crossover cable. Yes, either will work because the Mac will determine which you have.
5. Click on Macintosh hard drive on your desktop or press Apple Key then 'N'.
6. Click Network in the side bar. You should see (after a few seconds possibly) your Windows machine show up there assuming you set it up for networking. If you're not sure how to do that, see below.
7. Double-click on the Windows machine icon.
8. A password window should come up after a couple seconds.
9. Type in your password. It may ask for username and workgroup. Workgroup is a Windows thing. If you're not familiar with the basics of Windows networking, I recommend a book like Windows Networking for Dummies or something.
Note: The Mac is pretending to be a Windows machine. It's using the Windows networking protocol called SMB or CIFS. Your PC will be none the wiser.
---------
To get Windows to share files and network over ethernet:
1. Um, this is a little fuzzy for me as I no longer have a PeeCee. There's a Windows networking wizard that takes you through the steps of setting it up. Maybe someone else can fill in the blanks on that one.
2. Click finish on the wizard.
You should be all set.
---------
You'll have to tell me a bit more about your word processing problem. Is it Microsoft Word 2004? General troubleshooting tips for programs that won't start:
1. Go to your home folder (Apple key and shift key --hold them down-- then press 'H'). Double-click on Library. Search (look at text box in upper right corner of window and click on it) for the name of your word processor.
2. Find the .plist preferences file that goes with your program.
3. Drag it into the trash (or click it once and hold Apple key and the 'delete' key that really should be called backspace).
4. Try running the program again.
5. Now, go to the company's website (www.mactopia.com if you're using Microsoft Word) and download any updates for the program. Install them. If you're having trouble understanding disk images or what to click, see below.
5. If that doesn't work go to the Applications folder (hold Apple key and shift then press A), double-click utilities, double-click "Disk Utility."
6. Find your main hard drive (or only hard drive) on the left side of the window. Click it
7. In the middle of the window press the "Repair Permissions" button.
8. Rerun your word processor.
9. No luck? Ask back here (preferably in a new thread because this one was supposed to have been about antivirus and how people should stay away from Norton).
Helpful hint when downloading Mac software from the World Wild Web:
These are the file extensions you might see:
.zip (Zip file) -- Double click the zip file, and the system will create a new folder with all the files in it. That folder will show up in the same folder that the Zip file is in.
.pkg -- Double-click to install
.tar.gz -- Double-click to uncompress. It will create a .tar file and you might have to click on that too to continue the process. It may contain a .pkg. See above.
.dmg -- This is a special kind of file, a disk image. Double-click it and then look at your desktop. You should see (when it gets done mounting) a white "disk". Double-click that and, viola!, inside you'll find the files you need. Sometimes .dmg files contain applications. You drag these into your /Applications folder. I suggest double-clicking your hard drive and dragging the Applications folder to the Dock (right hand side). That way you'll be able to access it with a click. A .dmg may also contain a .pkg. See above.
Whew!
Let us know if this works for you and what else you need to know. If your posts ever don't receive replies, keep trying. Repost if you receive no replies after a week or two. Or post another message inside the original thread and the thread will be moved to the top of the list!
Doug
Lt Major Burns
"Dicky" Charlteston-Burns
I've been using macs since 1987 and I've never seen a virus. Here's my take on this virus business:
Windows users are paranoid about them because there are (allegedly) more than 30,000 in the wild.
As far as MacOSX is concerned, there's a couple "proof of concept" so-called viruses which are NOT in the wild (you'll never see them) which require a certain amount of stupidity on your part to install and run them, should you ever acquire one.
In short, there are no OSX visuses to worry about. End of paranoia. Home users can forget about virus so-called protection.
(Antivirus software requires the specific virus definition in order to detect it. The definition won't be available until after the virus is released. If a virus is ever released for OSX that makes a million time-served Mac users recommend you get antivirus software, that's the time to get it).
In short, the risk is infinitesimally small and you'll almost certainly cause more problems by installing something that is checking your every move than by ignoring the "risk".
Meanwhile, you can protect your Mac by ensuring that you are running in a user "account" that does not have "admin privileges" and by not typing in your password unless you are certain that what you are installing is legitimate.
Windows users are paranoid about them because there are (allegedly) more than 30,000 in the wild.
As far as MacOSX is concerned, there's a couple "proof of concept" so-called viruses which are NOT in the wild (you'll never see them) which require a certain amount of stupidity on your part to install and run them, should you ever acquire one.
In short, there are no OSX visuses to worry about. End of paranoia. Home users can forget about virus so-called protection.
(Antivirus software requires the specific virus definition in order to detect it. The definition won't be available until after the virus is released. If a virus is ever released for OSX that makes a million time-served Mac users recommend you get antivirus software, that's the time to get it).
In short, the risk is infinitesimally small and you'll almost certainly cause more problems by installing something that is checking your every move than by ignoring the "risk".
Meanwhile, you can protect your Mac by ensuring that you are running in a user "account" that does not have "admin privileges" and by not typing in your password unless you are certain that what you are installing is legitimate.