Reformatting Windows XP - DriverMax
I first read "Reformatting Windows XP the Right Way" in January. However, I didn't have the opportunity to adopt the procedure, and I wasn't prepared for it, until now. Since then I have installed a 320 GB Maxtor One Touch 4 USB external hard disk drive. Also, I bought a 160 GB Western Digital Caviar Blue PATA-100 EIDE hard disk drive, to replace the aging 60 GB primary HDD that is currently installed in my computer (7+ years and still running!).
So far, the plan is: after saving driver files and data files on the external Maxtor HDD, I will remove the existing internal HDD and replace it with the Western Digital HDD, on which I will proceed to re-install Windows XP.
In January, I downloaded, installed and ran DriverMax just to see the interface. After I launched it this past evening, and tried to use one of its features, I was informed that I could not use the program until I "registered" with the DriverMax web site. So I did that, and it seems rather odd that there is no record of the web site's URL in the Firefox 3.6.3 History, or I would disclose it here.
After I "registered" as a user, a dialog notified me that the installed DriverMax version was outdated. When I closed the dialog, Firefox fetched a page titled "DriverMax - Please update" which has the following URL:
http://www.drivermax.com/server-dmx-update.htm
When I selected the first of two download URLs:
http://www.innovative-sol.com/soft/dmx/drivermax.exe
Sunbelt Software's VIPRE Premium 4.0 anti-malware utility, which has an integrated firewall, displayed a warning dialog:
For what it is worth, I have a screenshot of the entire page with the VIPRE warning dialog, and will attach a copy to this message.
Using the second download URL:
http://innofiles.com/soft/dmx/drivermax.exe
results in a Firefox dialog which says that I have "chosen to open" the file drivermax.exe and asks whether to Save the file or Cancel the download. There is no VIPRE warning.
As it stands, I have no plans to download the DriverMax update until and unless I can be sure that the web site has not been taken-over by criminals.
Please advise.
So far, the plan is: after saving driver files and data files on the external Maxtor HDD, I will remove the existing internal HDD and replace it with the Western Digital HDD, on which I will proceed to re-install Windows XP.
In January, I downloaded, installed and ran DriverMax just to see the interface. After I launched it this past evening, and tried to use one of its features, I was informed that I could not use the program until I "registered" with the DriverMax web site. So I did that, and it seems rather odd that there is no record of the web site's URL in the Firefox 3.6.3 History, or I would disclose it here.
After I "registered" as a user, a dialog notified me that the installed DriverMax version was outdated. When I closed the dialog, Firefox fetched a page titled "DriverMax - Please update" which has the following URL:
http://www.drivermax.com/server-dmx-update.htm
When I selected the first of two download URLs:
http://www.innovative-sol.com/soft/dmx/drivermax.exe
Sunbelt Software's VIPRE Premium 4.0 anti-malware utility, which has an integrated firewall, displayed a warning dialog:
VIPRE has determined that the site
you are trying to visit is malicious.
To proceed to this site: In VIPRE, open
"File/Settings/Firewall" and add the URL to
"Web Filter Settings/Allowed Web Sites"
____________________
____________________
For what it is worth, I have a screenshot of the entire page with the VIPRE warning dialog, and will attach a copy to this message.
Using the second download URL:
http://innofiles.com/soft/dmx/drivermax.exe
results in a Firefox dialog which says that I have "chosen to open" the file drivermax.exe and asks whether to Save the file or Cancel the download. There is no VIPRE warning.
As it stands, I have no plans to download the DriverMax update until and unless I can be sure that the web site has not been taken-over by criminals.
Please advise.
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