I use a virtual machine (VMware) and run Windows 10, Windows 7, and Ubuntu. That way I have real time access to any of the 3. I use Windows 10 as my "base" OS.

Another advantage of this system is I use Windows 7 for all my internet activity (besides Steam) in case I get a virus. Windows 7 was designed to be "dumped" if it fails so I don't worry about virus infections or anything from web browsing or downloaded files. Moving information from Windows 7 to 10 is as easy as drag and drop (once it has been verified as safe of course).

Having 32 gigs of ram helps. :)


Honestly I don't understand why they don't design internet browsers to run in their own virtual environment separated from other PC functions to keep from infecting PC's. I mean it would be a lot easier to reinstall a browser if it got infected than to reinstall windows and lose all your information. Only an anti virus company would not like that idea.

Quote from: ZQuickSilverZ on April 29, 2016, 10:17:44 PM
I use a virtual machine (VMware) and run Windows 10, Windows 7, and Ubuntu. That way I have real time access to any of the 3. I use Windows 10 as my "base" OS.

Another advantage of this system is I use Windows 7 for all my internet activity (besides Steam) in case I get a virus. Windows 7 was designed to be "dumped" if it fails so I don't worry about virus infections or anything from web browsing or downloaded files. Moving information from Windows 7 to 10 is as easy as drag and drop (once it has been verified as safe of course).

Having 32 gigs of ram helps. :)


Honestly I don't understand why they don't design internet browsers to run in their own virtual environment separated from other PC functions to keep from infecting PC's. I mean it would be a lot easier to reinstall a browser if it got infected than to reinstall windows and lose all your information. Only an anti virus company would not like that idea.

What do you mean?

Quote from: taxed on April 30, 2016, 02:01:15 AMWhat do you mean?

Can you be a bit more specific? I covered a few things.

Quote from: ZQuickSilverZ on May 01, 2016, 02:18:43 AM
Can you be a bit more specific? I covered a few things.

Oh, sorry... I meant about the browser.....

Quote from: taxed on May 01, 2016, 03:00:42 AMOh, sorry... I meant about the browser.....

I think a browser should be ran as a separate OS (operating system) from the OS the PC uses. It should be ran in it's own virtual environment. Moving information from the browser to your desktop would be similar to moving files from one PC to another on a LAN. The advantage of this system is it keeps your core (your main PC OS) guarded against viruses. If your browser OS gets hit with a virus who cares... dump it and reinstall from the main OS and in a couple of minutes your good to go again (it would be like installing windows to a partitioned drive accessible by a virtual PC except the OS would be your browser instead).

It's like this. How many people surf the net and then WHAM get hit with a virus that wipes their whole PC or requires expensive professional virus recovery? This system would eliminate that because the information would have no way to propagate to the main OS without direct user (encrypted and authenticated) permissions.

I am sure the current setup of your browser having access to your core OS and being able to propagate viruses from your internet connection is padding someones pocket. It has to be because honestly..... it is an insane design. If someone was not making money off that setup it would have been done away with long ago.

I hope I explained that well.

Quote from: ZQuickSilverZ on May 01, 2016, 05:34:32 AM
I think a browser should be ran as a separate OS (operating system) from the OS the PC uses. It should be ran in it's own virtual environment. Moving information from the browser to your desktop would be similar to moving files from one PC to another on a LAN. The advantage of this system is it keeps your core (your main PC OS) guarded against viruses. If your browser OS gets hit with a virus who cares... dump it and reinstall from the main OS and in a couple of minutes your good to go again (it would be like installing windows to a partitioned drive accessible by a virtual PC except the OS would be your browser instead).

It's like this. How many people surf the net and then WHAM get hit with a virus that wipes their whole PC or requires expensive professional virus recovery? This system would eliminate that because the information would have no way to propagate to the main OS without direct user (encrypted and authenticated) permissions.

I am sure the current setup of your browser having access to your core OS and being able to propagate viruses from your internet connection is padding someones pocket. It has to be because honestly..... it is an insane design. If someone was not making money off that setup it would have been done away with long ago.

I hope I explained that well.

Would they switch between kernel mode and user mode differently?  I'm trying to understand architecturally.

Quote from: ZQuickSilverZ on May 01, 2016, 05:34:32 AM
I think a browser should be ran as a separate OS (operating system) from the OS the PC uses. It should be ran in it's own virtual environment. Moving information from the browser to your desktop would be similar to moving files from one PC to another on a LAN. The advantage of this system is it keeps your core (your main PC OS) guarded against viruses. If your browser OS gets hit with a virus who cares... dump it and reinstall from the main OS and in a couple of minutes your good to go again (it would be like installing windows to a partitioned drive accessible by a virtual PC except the OS would be your browser instead).

It's like this. How many people surf the net and then WHAM get hit with a virus that wipes their whole PC or requires expensive professional virus recovery? This system would eliminate that because the information would have no way to propagate to the main OS without direct user (encrypted and authenticated) permissions.

I am sure the current setup of your browser having access to your core OS and being able to propagate viruses from your internet connection is padding someones pocket. It has to be because honestly..... it is an insane design. If someone was not making money off that setup it would have been done away with long ago.

I hope I explained that well.

Sounds similar to the way I ran a BBS on CPM-80.  Each PC has a RAM drive created in memory when the machine boots off a HD, after booting up the drives are renamed, C: becomes the ram drive, the HD with the OS vanishes, and D: becomes the server, which is read only.  I hacked the OS to disable all the commands we didn't want the user to execute.   Everytime a user logged out, the ram drive was overwritten fresh, or if someone dropped to DOS we disabled the serial port (was only active if the BBS was running), and after timing out 2-3 minutes, it just restarted with a fresh OS load.

Before hard drives...  We ran the system off of 2 floppy drives, still loading the system into RAM, but storing message areas on the 5.25" floppy disks.

On april fools day, we had a special treat, we'd deliberately drop the knotheads to DOS, and run a .BAT file to show them the Directory.  Anything they tried to execute, ran a fake DOS program... Erasing Partition, erasing boot drive, formatting drive, etc.  They'd leave, brag to their friends how they crashed our system, complete with screen shots - except it was right back 15 seconds after they logged out.

Another was the fake download to "crash" their system, starts with a CLR (clear screen command), and then looks like their computer's hard drive is being formatted - ya know, some people just didn't have a sense of humor, we'd get all kinds of nasty messages, the C-64 people thought it was funny, but the TRS-80, IBM-PC & Apple folks were notoriously self-righteous, "How DARE you mess with my ...", and vow to never come back.

The virtual PC isn't a new thing, it's just these young genius coders realizing us old farts had some neat little tricks, and utilities they never dreamed of - and copying the idea.   It's another way to make BLOATED code look faster than it really is....  LOL

Quote from: taxed on May 01, 2016, 03:26:31 PMWould they switch between kernel mode and user mode differently?  I'm trying to understand architecturally.

No it would be more like having your PC boot up normally. Then launching your internet browser as a separate virtual machine that requires user action to move any files you wish to download to the "main" PC (OS).

I can't really explain it any better than that, sorry. I am a network guy (by occupation) not a programmer.

The idea stems from my practice of using a virtual PC to buffer my main PC from computer viruses. Whey run 2 windows when I can run windows and a dedicated browser OS. I NEVER go to the internet with my "main" PC (outside of Steam) and Windows 10 "overhead".