Upgrade or new ?? hardrive and or motherboard & tower

I have a colleague that wishes to have a virus free computer. :-)

I was wondering if it is possible to just have a separate hard drive in
the tower that will access the internet and then the original hard drive
for just word processing etc.
Am unsure if virus can cross contaminate via hard drives or the motherboard.
This person is very leery of PCs and not to familiar so simply just does
not trust Virus programs at all.
So ?? is can the virus problem be eliminated with a simple hard drive or
do we need 2 different towers with say a switch box so we can use just
one monitor and keyboard/mouse etc.
Thanks for your help.
Jan

Thanks Yak,
I realize that...however this person just does not get it. So he is
willing to spend the cash to not have the chance of a virus sneaking
in...just not sure about the best way to advise him??
TIA

yak wrote:

In article PlMYc.271299$J06.144694@pd7tw2no, says...

I have a colleague that wishes to have a virus free computer. :-)

I was wondering if it is possible to just have a separate hard drive in
the tower that will access the internet and then the original hard drive
for just word processing etc.
Am unsure if virus can cross contaminate via hard drives or the motherboard.
This person is very leery of PCs and not to familiar so simply just does
not trust Virus programs at all.
So ?? is can the virus problem be eliminated with a simple hard drive or
do we need 2 different towers with say a switch box so we can use just
one monitor and keyboard/mouse etc.
Thanks for your help.
Jan





Norton Antivirus: www.symantec.com 50 bucks.

Mcafee Virus Scan: www.mcafee.com who knows.

AVG Antivirus: www.grisoft.com free


That's how you get rid of a virus. Or even better, format (which costs
you nothing).

Jan wrote:

I have a colleague that wishes to have a virus free computer. :-)

I was wondering if it is possible to just have a separate hard
drive in the tower that will access the internet and then the
original hard drive for just word processing etc.

A separate drive is a good idea for other reasons. The best way
to avoid viruses is to install Linux and use Netscape or Mozilla
for the usual internet access. Disable such things as Javascript
and automatic image downloading. Never open an attachment without
thorough knowledge of where and where it came from. Microsoft
software is an open invitation to the evil ones.

--
"Churchill and Bush can both be considered wartime leaders, just
as Secretariat and Mr Ed were both horses." - James Rhodes.
"We have always known that heedless self-interest was bad
morals. We now know that it is bad economics" - FDR

Thanks a bunch for your replies.
So next question then say we have one tower[A] for only WP and one
tower[b] for Internet etc. can we use the same keyboard/mouse and
monitor with just a simple switch box to pick the A or B tower, as many
currently do with printers.
AS you probably already guessed I am no pro neither...so another ?? what
about a dual boot system so each drive has its own OS could virus
transfer then...am thinking probably yes as some virus can affect the
bios in the MB hmmm...HELP.
I honestly think the best but not perfect way is a good virus program
and proper upgrading and running of same but how to convince him is the
tricky part.
TIA

yak wrote:
In article vUMYc.271453$J06.79953@pd7tw2no, says...

Thanks Yak,
I realize that...however this person just does not get it. So he is
willing to spend the cash to not have the chance of a virus sneaking
in...just not sure about the best way to advise him??
TIA





Well, most virii nowadays will infect any program that runs no matter
where it is. If you boot into windows on the infected drive and run
something on the new drive, it's hosed. If it's particularly nasty you
don't even need to run anything on the new drive to have problems.

Basically, if it's in the same pc, it's at risk (especially if the user
is an amateur, which is what it sounds like).

"Jan" wrote in message
news:PlMYc.271299$J06.144694@pd7tw2no...
I have a colleague that wishes to have a virus free computer. :-)

I was wondering if it is possible to just have a separate hard drive in
the tower that will access the internet and then the original hard drive
for just word processing etc.
Am unsure if virus can cross contaminate via hard drives or the
motherboard.
This person is very leery of PCs and not to familiar so simply just does
not trust Virus programs at all.
So ?? is can the virus problem be eliminated with a simple hard drive or
do we need 2 different towers with say a switch box so we can use just
one monitor and keyboard/mouse etc.

Oen way would be to have two hard drives mounted in removable trays. Only
install one drive at a time. Paint one drive tray red and one blue. When
he wants to use the internet or any networking system use the red drive.
Then shutdown the computer and remove the red one and insert the blue drive.
Never hook up the network cable or access the internet while that drive is
in the computer. Virus can not be passed by any other thing on the computer
provided he turns it off between drive swaps and then turns the computer
back on after the drive swap.
Run an antivirus program on both drives anyway just to be sure that the blue
drive is not accidently used on the internet. without some protection.

Jan said:

I have a colleague that wishes to have a virus free computer. :-)

Your colleague has an irrational fear and the harder you attempt to
placate that fear the more you validate it. A virus protection program,
firewall and common sense are the only methods to preventing infection.
You also have to worry about worms and other possible nasties. The key to
killing an irrational fear is education, buy your colleague a good book on
viruses, worms and whatnot and forget about building a Frankenstein
computer.
--
Mac Cool

the harder you attempt to
placate that fear the more you validate it.


I see your point and you are probably quite correct...Thanks I will see
what I can do.
Jan

Mac Cool wrote:
Jan said:


I have a colleague that wishes to have a virus free computer. :-)


Your colleague has an irrational fear and the harder you attempt to
placate that fear the more you validate it. A virus protection program,
firewall and common sense are the only methods to preventing infection.
You also have to worry about worms and other possible nasties. The key to
killing an irrational fear is education, buy your colleague a good book on
viruses, worms and whatnot and forget about building a Frankenstein
computer.