gov_coder

Windows Spyware is Making This Linux Guy Fat

When my windows using friends get nasty spyware and their support ends up useless I tell them I am ready and willing to help; but I require of them 4 things:

1) Understand that their Hard Drive(s) will be reformatted
2) They will have to reinstall their OS and Applications
3) I will only help them back up their data files
4) Engaging my services will require a 12-pack of Guinness

At first they think this is harsh treatment. After all, how hard can it be to remove windows spyware?

Sometimes they will spend many long hours on their own trying to remove these nasty programs with various commercial and freed anti-spyware software packages - only to find out that nothing really works.

So what do I do then? I boot their machine off a knoppix boot disk. Plug in a clamshell USB hard drive and tell them to copy the files over (click and drag).

After they finish that - I reformat their hard drive with a boot floppy and stick their windows install CD into the drive and reboot it.

Then I go home and drink the beer.

You wouldn't believe how big my belly has gotten.