The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Reinstalling OS on M11x...

    Discussion in 'Alienware M11x' started by MoshPitDweller90, Oct 6, 2011.

  1. MoshPitDweller90

    MoshPitDweller90 Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    6
    Messages:
    23
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    This may be unrelated directly to M11xR2 issues but I just have a quick question regarding a potential way to get a virus on mine.

    I've had a number of software issues on my Alienware and I've decided to do a Windows reinstall this weekend. Since my computer will be "new," I was just curious- is it possible that any mp3 files I have can contain a virus that I can potentially transfer over to my "new" machine when I upload my music to it? I downloaded music from limewire several years ago and although I haven't done it since like 2006 I still have a lot of the files, so I was just wondering if this is possible.

    All the files I downloaded always worked and none have the ".mp3.exe" file ending to look out for, they are all just normal mp3s.

    Thanks!
     
    MoshPitDweller90, Oct 6, 2011
    #1
  2. Descalzo

    Descalzo Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    9
    Messages:
    316
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    I have never heard of such a thing. I used to do LimeWire all the time, and got a great many viruses (virii?) and never got one from an mp3. Every once in a while I pull out a backup cd from 2001 or something and my virus scanner freaks out over some piece of software, but never have had trouble with an mp3.

    It's possible that someone out there knows better.
     
    Descalzo, Oct 6, 2011
    #2
  3. PBI

    PBI Newbie

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    6
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    Unrelated to the question but related to the subject...

    What is the best way to reinstall the OS on the MX11 since it doesnt come with a optical drive. Is buying an external optical drive the best option or via ethernet, usb etc better?...
     
    PBI, Oct 6, 2011
    #3
  4. MoshPitDweller90

    MoshPitDweller90 Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    6
    Messages:
    23
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    I would assume an external optical drive. I'm not even sure how else you could install the OS otherwise honestly, using the disc is the only way I've ever done it.

    And thanks for the reply, Descalzo. Yeah, I figured it was a kind of a random thing to think of but I back then I was pretty young and not too careful with what I was doing so god knows what I could have downloaded. I keep reading that its possible if its disguised as an mp3, but all the files I've ever downloaded are real mp3s that have worked.
     
    MoshPitDweller90, Oct 6, 2011
    #4
  5. thestoo

    thestoo Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    32
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    If you don't have an external optical drive but have a USB drive then installing from that is very easy these days.
     
    thestoo, Oct 6, 2011
    #5
  6. M11x ftw

    M11x ftw Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    10
    Messages:
    206
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    The best way would be using an external cd drive. However, if you dont own one its not worth buying one, since it can be done extremely easy with a usb. The link below is to the program microsoft released for doing this exact task. (Note you will need an iso of windows 7).

    Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool - Free software downloads and software reviews - CNET Download.com
     
    M11x ftw, Oct 7, 2011
    #6
  7. ejohnson

    ejohnson Is that lemon zest?

    Reputations:
    827
    Messages:
    2,278
    Likes Received:
    104
    Trophy Points:
    81
    Whenever I do mp3 tagging for freinds I get a virus from their mp3s. Never fails, I plug in the hdd, and windows defender pops up to tell me about the 20 virus infected mp3s on the drive.

    So, yes mp3s can have viruses on them, just get windows defender and it will detect everything and clean it.
     
    ejohnson, Oct 7, 2011
    #7
  8. MoshPitDweller90

    MoshPitDweller90 Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    6
    Messages:
    23
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    Yeah I've scanned my music files several times with all sorts of scanners...Malwarebytes, MSE, AVG, Spybot, ESET, and Ad-Aware. Nothing ever popped up. Plus these files are several years old, so hopefully the updates for these programs are competent enough to deal with 3 year old malware. lol
     
    MoshPitDweller90, Oct 7, 2011
    #8
  9. ejohnson

    ejohnson Is that lemon zest?

    Reputations:
    827
    Messages:
    2,278
    Likes Received:
    104
    Trophy Points:
    81
    Should be, if they have been on your pc for a long time and virus scanner never said anything they should be ok.
     
    ejohnson, Oct 7, 2011
    #9
  10. Rishwin

    Rishwin Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    215
    Messages:
    886
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    If you're using this, here is a LEGAL copy of Windows 7 Home Premium x64 so you can just use the OEM Serial key provided with your laptop and it will work perfectly fine: http://msft-dnl.digitalrivercontent.net/msvista/pub/X15-65733/X15-65733.iso

    Mods please don't delete this link, it's not warez and I even took this link from one of the stickies in the Asus section of this forum.
     
    Rishwin, Oct 7, 2011
    #10