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I was actually wondering the same thing myself. The article links to another discussion where a user's root kit scan caused a 'total freeze' on a samsung netbook, but this seems like something that needs verification before we grab the torches and pitchforks.

I have been having great luck with Vipre Rescue. They distribute this rescue program as an updated executable so you just download the most current version and run it on the infected machine. If you can get to windows, it works very well. I can even unzip it and launch it remotely on computers using psexec.

Except for the fact that I've never had a Windows box that got compromised or infected with any kind of virus, trojan or malware. Most "vulnerabilities" in Windows are user initiated. Practice a little common sense (ie. don't run things that come from questionable or unknown sources) and you are unlikely to ever see a problem.

Baloney. Let me guess, you don't have any antivirus installed either, because you don't need it? Either you haven't been using Windows for very long or your only Windows box is turned off in the corner. Back in the 90s I got a disk from my school that was infected with Stoned, and a few years later bought a CD-ROM game that came with Michelangelo on the disc itself. Even more recently, hardware from (more or less) reputable sources come preloaded with malware. Heck, part of my job is removing malware from PCs on a near-daily basis, and even though I know better, my USB key got hit by the Autorun worm last Summer. So yeah, common sense and safe browsing habits are wonderful things, but they're not a panacea. There are so many attacks coming from so many vectors, that if you use a Windows box you will get some kind of infection eventually.

http://live.sunbeltsoftware.com/ Extract it to the USB drive then run it on the offending PC. The only issue that might arise, is that two files are coped to the C: drive before the scan starts. One to C:\Windows\ the other to C:\windows\system32\ Both are necessary for the scanner to work properly.

The antivirus of this $cientology (*1), (*2), (*3) company is not included in the AV-comparatives tests. And considering $cientology activities on the Usenet, I wouldn't trust this company on anything security-related (*4).

*1 http://www.skeptictank.org/hs/wiselist.htm
*2 http://myreligion.scientologist.net/stusjouwerman/myself.htm
*3 http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/About/Management/
*4 http://it.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=158250&cid=13259081

I've been testing AV solutions for the same setup; Windows clients, samba server, no AD or domain. AVG worked great for the first couple years, but sometime in 2008 they took a huge turn for the worse. Their support, even enterprise, is abysmal and absurd (email only!) Their more recent products are such huge resource hogs that most of my users just uninstalled it as it made their workstations unusable. Month's of round and round with email support and no solution.

I've tested most of the products mentioned here, nod32, Avast, Kaspersky, etc. I finally stumbled on a pretty new entrant to the space, Vipre, by sunbeltsoftware, http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/ . Support has been fantastic, and I'm just using a trial version. The admin interface is modern, quick, and well thought out. Most of the other admin interfaces seem like an afterthought or an engineering prototype. The test users are happy so far. And it's cleaned up a few severe threats that were not found by AVG.

Disclaimer - I am not affiliated with these guys at all. I am just a happy trial user, so far.

2 possibilities: - if your computer is connected to the Internet, as your serial is stored somewhere in the config files, the activation takes place in the background. You don't see it, but it still there and the authorization key refreshed.

my laptop wasn't connected at the time of installation but eventually it was. Further more I use Subelt (formerly Kerio) Personal Firewall which specifically asks for permission before any program access the internet, even Firefox and IE cant access access the internet until I click "allow". Stardocks activation doesn't take place in the background, it isn't an omnipresent service, its a specific .exe called by Impluse. The Sig.bin file already showed as "activated" when I copied it and didn't seem to mind the transfer to new HW. Another feature of Sunbelt Personal Firewall is that it tells me when a program is starting another program, for example when the old Stardock Central called up activation.exe it would ask me if I wanted to allow StardockCentral.exe to launch activation.exe, I received no such warning.

Theory 1 shot down in flames.

- Stardock also usually release the first versions of their products DRM-free or with an optional activation (which is great). And it's only after a certain patch level or extra content is applied that activation becomes mandatory.

I do purchase the disk versions of their products (as I do with all my games) so it will run without impulse even being installed. As for getting updates, that is what Stardock make you register for, not to play the game but to get the updates and if you're familiar with Stardock (by your posts you clearly arent) updates for Stardock games are what EA and other major publishers call expansion packs. Activation is required for updates and authentication for downloading software from Stardocks servers, not for playing or installing. Theory 2 also shot down.

Unfortunately, like any DRM vendor, they are not very precise with how their product works. The most complete info I found was here.

Well you clearly didn't read it because it lead here

Quoteth

Activation limits

Bluntly: If we find 42 activation attempts from 29 different IP addresses and emails in the course of an evening, it's fraud. We are users of our own software too. We've added a level of protection that we, as users, are comfortable working with.

Quoteth a bit further down

What if my computer is stolen?

Bluntly: If we find 42 activation attempts from 29 different IP addresses and emails in the course of an evening, it's fraud.

Enter your email address in the form at http://www.stardock.com/support to have the latest download link and serial number for your account resent.

This explains pretty clearly what Stardock are using impulse activation for. Stardock are not counting total number of activations in so far, they are counting total number of activations against different IP addresses in a set period of time. They've also provided a method of recovery for their legitimate customers.

I also like the part where they call it "fraud" and not "theft" because from a legal standpoint copyright infringement is fraud not theft, but if the studio's used the fraud argument then the fraud they participate in will be forced into the light.

Wardell has openly said that when the activation servers are turned off they will release a patch that is independent of Impulse. Although I think this should be requirement mandated into law.

Possiblilty 3
- Stardock are not actually doing evil.

You must of forgot to type this one.

All you have to do is compare "Windows Defender" (aka Microsoft Anti-Spyware) to Sunbelt Software's Counterspy and you'll see that Microsoft doesnt consider alot of things a risk that the end-user does. This is more than likely because Microsoft isn't about to put their customers out of business and please tell me you dont believe that the majority of spyware companies run everything on Linux. Both of the above products are built on the Giant Anti-Spyware engine. They are identical, however, Microsoft declares certain products as no-threat or low-threat that Counterspy shows them for what they are. There will always be a need for anti-spyware software because most won't agree with what Microsoft declares as spyware.

And that's exactly why we're sticking with Sunbelt's version instead of going with Microsoft's (Giant's). I personally like Microsoft but as for spyware we'll stick with http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/CounterSpyEnterpris e.cfm.

I have been waiting for a chance to post this like I found several years ago. Ever wonder what happens when you drop 50 lbs of silly putty (from Dow chemical) off a 6th(?) floor parking garage? Well you too can find out at Silly Putty Physics Experiment. Complete with medium and large video (actually the video is about all there is to the thing). Just like McDonalds and Starbucks, there is no "small".

I have been waiting for a chance to post this like I found several years ago. Ever wonder what happens when you drop 50 lbs of silly putty (from Dow chemical) off a 6th(?) floor parking garage? Well you too can find out at Silly Putty Physics Experiment. Complete with medium and large video (actually the video is about all there is to the thing). Just like McDonalds and Starbucks, there is no "small".

Whoops... I meant iHateSpam.

Which by the way, I found out it is free after rebate for a limited time from Amazon.com (in the full packaging with manual).