BleepingComputer.com: Working with the Computer without Windows

Hello,


I have a question about the system without Windows.
On my Hard disk have I a program with the calling name: Asus Express Gate.
When I start up my pc., get I first the program Asus Express Gate; with that program can I make e-mails, listen to the radio, surfing over the World Wide Web etc.
So I make not a connection with Windows.
Now is my question in this, if I working in Asus Express Gate program, is there than a risk for me, that I get a Virus or worse.?
I have without Windows also an Internet connection, if you understood.

I did created this topic in General Chat, because I don't know in which forum I must to be.

This post has been edited by hamluis: 06 December 2011 - 09:32 AM
Reason for edit: Moved from Gen Chat to Linux.

Basic info, http://www.computerhope.com/jargon/e/exprgate.htm .

Moved to linux forum.

Louis

com i found this also


Asus Express Gate – fast OS or useless toy?

Thanks men.
Asus Express Gate is a Linux program; aah aah and it uses Firefox, so if I have good understood, is it not necessary that I am be afraid for Viruses or other vulnerable.

Okay, now do I know.

Note: Inprincipal is it strange that the program Express Gate does work on my system, because, my Motherboard don't support Linux.
Or it must be that in the Linux program is something what is Windows based, if not than I don't know.

This post has been edited by Computer-man: 06 December 2011 - 01:18 PM

ExpressGate is, like you said, a Linux OS that built right into the motherboard. So, it has no affect on your hard drive. Linux, for the most part, is a very safe and stable computing platform. I use Linux all the time, and I use Windows very little now.

Your motherboard should support Linux...most motherboards do. It just may be that a certain piece of hardware is keeping Linux from running on your machine. Linux works on almost anything nowadays (including game consoles).

Quote

At first, thank you for your information, josh_the_techie .
I must to say, it is strange that the Linux Express Gate program will be work with my system, because: My mobo supports only Windows Xp and later.
So far I do know is Linux not Windows.
The os Linux and os Windows are 2 different oses.
So, if you do know now, am I confused that I can working with Express Gate from Linux.
Working with Express gate is usefull, indeed, because: When I want looking or I have an incoming e-mail or I must find the time stamp of the Train how late it will be drive to and arrive at the end-station, than is it not needed that I start up my Computer full, I must be only move my mouse and press the mail button or web icon.
But I thinking that when I get via Express Gate an incoming e-mail with an infection and I don't know that and I opened, than I am in trouble too.
Because I am than not in Windows, the firewall what will be working with Windows, don't work than at this moment, because I am not in Windows, I am via Express Gate in shared Linux.

Your motherboard almost certainly supports linux. Whatever they say in the "requirements" list is generally geared toward the lowest common denominator, and that denominator is that most people use Windows. The second most common is Mac. The fact that it's not listed tells you it won't support it. But having no mention of linux is nearly always meaningless because most of them don't test it that way, and never bother to mention it. It's rare to find anything these days that won't support linux, except in the cases of oddball non-standard protocols or brand new hardware that does something that is unique (for the time being).

The last piece of hardware I owned that wasn't compatible with linux was an old 802.11b external wireless thingy (looked like a shark fin, gold colored, didn't even work very well with Windows). I've had a couple of things since that I needed to do a little extra work, but they did work even if they weren't very commonly used.

If you are using ExpressGate, you will not get a virus on Windows, because the virus has no way of moving onto the hard drive. ExpressGate and Windows are completely separated. But like stiltskin mentioned, even though your computer says it's only compatible with Windows XP or later, it doesn't mean that Linux isn't support.

I understand you, guys and I do now know more about that program.
Thank you again, you were a great help for me.

How is the situation when you want make settings in Asus Express Gate?

I have few questions, but or I can ask this is dependent on what the answer is.


Introduction: Wednesday, January 4 2012 was I in the evening after the introduction from Asus Express Gate, experiment in the Bios.

I wanted some action acts in Express Gate and got the mention that I must before to do that, first make a profile in the Bios.

Okay, I went after that, to the Bios-menu, option Tools, chose option O.C.C. Profile and entered my name: Then chose I for test and saw the actions that I had made on the screen.

Of course had I not saved the settings, because it is difficult: I suppose, for make the settings undone, okay, I did seen and went back to the Bios, option Tools and finished this without save to the disk.

Now the next: I have an 1 TB hard disk, I did not shared the drive in 2 parts.
Saturday January 7 2012 saw I, that I had of the 1 TB store room, still 151 GB. that is weird, because, I don't let stay so many data on my drive, when I make posts or I doing other things, than I save this on my external drive.


I went with the Hard Disk to the shop where I did buy the drive and the salesman saw that there were not allocation room of 750 GB.

Weird, because if I did say, had I not shared my drive in 2 parts, it was not possible the not allocation room to partitioning and formatting via the OEM setup cd of Windows 7, before I could do that, must I first use CCleaner for clean the free drive room.


Okay, I did that and now was it possible with that OEM setup cd of Windows 7, the not allocation room, to partitioning and formatting.

My question in these is now: Is it possible that then I try make a profile in the Bios, the Bios the drive shared in 2 parts.? If that so, than have I another question.
Do I may answere, please?

Your last post is a little difficult to understand, but we will try to work threw it.

Firstly, your Asus Express Gate is a linux OS, and your motherboard most likely does support linux. Very little manufactures of hardware care about linux so very little hardware says that it supports linux. Linux's support is left up to the developers of linux, and they have done very well for supporting most new hardware.

Linux is not Windows, and Windows is not Linux, they are independent of each other.

Somebody said that if your Asus Express Gate was infected that it could not infect your Windows OS. This is untrue. If the virus was complex enough it could. It would have to be very complex to infect your linux, and even more complex to infect your Windows OS from the linux. So the chances of this happening are very small, and you would be more secure against infection using your Asus Express Gate.

Your hard drive issue seems to be that you improperly formatted your hard drive, there are some programs that can add the unallocated space back to your partition, but I know Windows won't handle it. Also if you make a mistake with those programs they are unforgiving and you could lose your entire partition, so be safe or just format the remaining space into another partition and use it for storage.

Quote

I understand this, I'm sorry for this.
But that my post is difficult for understanding is: I don't know how I must explain this. I find it difficult in my own language, so than is it also difficult for me in another language.

About the Asus Express Gate and my hard disk:


I did only work in my Bios, went to Tools; that is a menu what I have in my Bios, went to O.C.C. Profile and there did I made a profile and after that, pressed I the button view profile.
I did seen my profile, then I returned back to the Bios and after this and couple days later, was my HD shared in 2 parts what I didn't know.
I had no used other programs.
So it is strange that I got that problem.
Do I have a Virus or worse? I don't think so, because I always update my anti-Virusprogram and also check I or there are updates from Microsoft and others.
I use a Registry Cleaner program with the name CCleaner; I know there are people they don't like those programs, because they find that those programs destroyed more than good for the machine and sometimes do I think that they have right, but I have made the settings of that program so, that it can not destroy my machine.
So this is also not the problem, I think.
I do hope that you understand what I do mean, if I told, it is difficult for me for explain what I do mean.
Thank you for your time.

This post has been edited by Computer-man: 14 January 2012 - 10:06 AM

CCleaner won't (shouldn't I should say) cause problems with your partitions, I use CCleaner all the time. I love that program.

I can't help you find or remove virus's just yet, but I think the Am I infected? What do I do? forum is the right place to ask.

I don't know if your BIOS changed your hard drive, conventional wisdom says that it wouldn't, but knowing Asus and all that they are doing with their new BIOS I wouldn't put it past them. The new BIOS may have the ability.

I want you to check your hard drive for me, so we can make sure what is going on, then fix it. I don't know what version of Windows you have so I will give instructions that should work on most of them, if you get stuck post back with what version you have, and where you get stuck and I will help you.

So here is how you check your hard drive.
1. Click start
2. Open control panel

(Windows Vista and 7 step ONLY)
2A. If you have Windows Vista or 7, you may have to change to "classic view" for Vista, or "large icons" for 7.

3. Open Administrative tools
4. Click Disk Management
5. Look at your drive and tell me what partitions are on it, and what unallocated space is there. Or you could take a screenshot of the disk management tool if you know how.

Alright so the info I need is:
1. What Windows OS do you have running?
2. What partitions do you have on your hard drive (or you could post a picture).

This post has been edited by Chase_Wheeler: 14 January 2012 - 12:02 PM

Thank you for your post Chase_Wheeler.

I could not thinking that CCleaner can do that.
I thought only for a moment that CCleaner was the troublemaker, because, after the moment that I did removed applications and application paths, there were strange sounds from my hard disk.
I use CCleaner for years and in all that years have I not seen strange things.

The problem of 2 parts is solved; see topic Explain How You Fixed It So Others May Learn From It .
I have only the question, how is it possible that my drive were shared in 2 parts, I didn't do that.

Asus Express Gate don't use only the Motherboard, it uses also the drive.
It must be, because when you download files, than it will be placed on the drive and not in the Motherboard and also not in the Rom. In the Rom is only the Bios data.

Maybe was it smart that I did created a post in topic Am I Infected, but I would not the people bother.
But when I have that problem again, than I will.