Software/Network Bumfs need advice

deus3x · 12 Oct 2010 at 11:04

Been given the task by my friend to arrange the following.

I am purchasing 10 netbooks which will need to run Word 2010 and Powerpoint/Outlook 2010 and some mobile satellite software.

I need the units to be secure and reliable.

My CONFIRMED software list is following:
OS: Windows 7 Home Premium
TrueCrypt Complete HDD 'Boot password protected'
Office 2010 Professional
Satellite connection software 'Mobile satellite connects via Ethernet'
VLC player

Now I am stuck on the following.
What Virus checker

The mobile satellite equipment is very expensive to roam data so I need software which will not automatically update just disable automatic update in software or is there an app to control this.

I also need to make a EXACT copy of the data on the HDD, will Acronis True Image be able to do this task if its encrypted with truecrypt.

anything I don't mind · 12 Oct 2010 at 11:47

Use clamav it is free and works great.

You can not ghost or image encrypted hard drives. what you could do is ghost before you encrypt the drive and then encrypt each netbook afterwards.

J.B · 12 Oct 2010 at 12:01

clamav is terrible in my experience. Any of the free AV solutions can have there autoupdates disabled although its not the best idea I've ever heard (dont forget Windows Updates as well).

Id do what Groen suggests and image the HDD before you encrypt it. We image our machines with a FOG server and if the drives are encrypted they have to be copied at the block level and it takes blumin' ages.

SiriusB · 12 Oct 2010 at 12:18

Agree with the above. AV is useless without updates, and switching off Automatic Updates means you have to rely on users. Dumb idea. I would put it on a fixed schedule if possible. So if you know at a particular time the netbook will be in range of a less expensive/free Internet connection, set it for then.

As for encryption - grab your image before you do it. A lot of disk imaging software supports encrypting disk images - Macrium Reflect is my personal favourite and is very quick even while encrypting.

Alternatively, you can simply put the backup image on some other encrypted volume/storage. Either way it will be safe from prying eyes and will make it so, so much easier to restore a machine. All you would have to do is re-encrypt it after a restoration which doesn't take forever.

deus3x · 12 Oct 2010 at 12:38

Thanks for all the advice, very helpful regards the encryption.

regards Anti-Virus I am going with AVG FREE and spyware ill use Spybot Search and Destroy.

I will have to warn the users regards the updates and disable them until back in UK where it will be part of their checks to maintain this.