Thank Goodness for Vista!

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  • 07-22-2008, 09:37 AM
    mwfanelli2
    Thank Goodness for Vista!
    Well, the much maligned Vista UAC came to my rescue last night.

    I put a NetFlix DVD into my drive and asked it to play. The UAC pops up and asks if I really want to install "setup.exe." Huh? I pop the DVD out and try again. Same thing. Huh huh? Pop it out a third time, put it back in and do an "explore" on the DVD: the stupid DVD has some sort of software on it that automatically installs itself!

    So, from explore, I was able to run the movie without the installation. Maybe a leftover Sony rootkit or some other malicious garbage? Maybe. But without the UAC I would have never known.

    Thank goodness that finally Windows, just like UNIX/Linux, requires an explicit sudo mode for installations.
  • 07-23-2008, 01:40 AM
    RP Racing
    Re: Thank Goodness for Vista!
    I would be sending a nasty letter to Netflix about this.
  • 07-23-2008, 04:54 AM
    mjs1973
    Re: Thank Goodness for Vista!
    That's interesting. I wonder what the program actually does, and if it was put on the DVD from the movie studio, or Netflix. Either way, I would think there should be some sort of warning on the disc.
  • 07-23-2008, 08:35 AM
    mwfanelli2
    Re: Thank Goodness for Vista!
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by RP Racing
    I would be sending a nasty letter to Netflix about this.
    I did contact NetFlix, it is the first time this has happened. I think the malicious software came with the CD, NetFlix sends out disks with the original artwork on them as well as scratches, smudges, etc.! I don't think they did it.

    Sigh...
  • 07-24-2008, 10:09 AM
    Canuck935
    Re: Thank Goodness for Vista!
    I have seen this before. Some DVD's come with their own player program that autoruns when you put the DVD in a computer. As for Vista and UAC, it's love-hate for me. Love Vista, hate UAC.
  • 07-24-2008, 11:20 AM
    mwfanelli2
    Re: Thank Goodness for Vista!
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Canuck935
    I have seen this before. Some DVD's come with their own player program that autoruns when you put the DVD in a computer. As for Vista and UAC, it's love-hate for me. Love Vista, hate UAC.
    You may already know this... You can shut off UAC. I don't recall where in the Control Panel that is but a quick Google (thus helping to verbify a noun. Verbify...?) will have lots of info.

    I like UAC but hey, I come from a VAX/VMS and UNIX background where it is second nature!