[Flashorn]

Hey Everyone!!



This is to discuss the "Virtual Environment" called SandboxIE.



This is NOT a Virtual Machine , It is a compartment where you can install all of the programs already on your HDD.,

Plus install new programs directly in the Sandbox . Although Sandbox has limitations , most ,(I say most because some programs won't.) programs will install and run comfortably in the Sandbox environment.

It takes little system resources and do not require enormous amounts of ram to operate, unlike a Virtual Machine where you should have a fair amount of ram to start with.

These are a few of the programs that do not play well with Sandboxie:


* Overview
* Canon Printers
* Canon Easy-WebPrint
* McAffee Site Advisor
* Naomi Web Filter
* Novell Web Client with NetIdentity
* Nuance OmniPage
* PunkBuster
* Torpark
These programs should be avoided , otherwise you will have some errors in the install.

I should add that whatever program that needs to access the HDD. while in operation will fail.

This is because the flow of information only travels one way . "from the HDD. to the Sandbox" and not back to the hard drive.

This is why your Torrent Manager will not work.

In other words it will be able to seed but not to write to the HDD. ( To the MOD. I will not talk about any other points concerning Torrents)



The MAIN use of the Sandbox is "To Stay Safe On The Web"

Since information travels only to the Sanbox and not back to the HDD. it only stands to reason that any infections encountered

while surfing WILL stay trapped in the Sandbox.

I have made the experience and have all of the pics to prove this theory. But this will be another discussion.

I must add that the Java applet does record all sites visited and so, I suggest that you bring up Java console

and check mark the Do Not keep any records check box. This will avoid the back up copy of any infection

to be recorded in Java.

I Strongly recommend you do this or uninstall Java altogether.



Now, you need to install Sandboxie (that was pretty obvious)

here is the latest update for Sandboxie.


www.sandboxie.com/SandboxieInstall-325-03.exe



Once installed , you will notice that on your right context menu , there is an entry for "Run Sandboxed"



This is the entry to use to run any program (except the ones you can't) in the Sandbox.



If you would like to install a new program in the Sandbox , download the exe. on your HDD.

Now, locate the exe. and Right Click the exe. and chose the entry "Run Sandboxed"

You will see the [#] on either side of the installation package [#] .

this means that the installation is proceeding in the Sandbox.



Once you are finished with the Sandbox , you simply Delete The Default Sandbox

and all of the Sandbox's contents are gone from your PC.



OK , people , those of you who are still skeptical PLZ comment (nicely).

and those of you who have tried the Sandbox and have encountered problems

this is the thread to talk about them.



FLASHORN.

[techie4fun]

Hey, remember in my private message I was saying a program wouldn't load? It must have been one that just doesn't fit with Sandboxie.
I think I am doing everything right now because I just successfully installed my first program in sandboxie, but I am still required to reboot.



Anybody interested in knowing how bloated Norton 360 is? ;) I'm installing it Sandboxie right now :D

[Flashorn]

Hey techie!!

OK, to start a new , Download the new Sandboxie in my post ( It is not a link but, the real exe.)

Uninstall the old one and then go to your Program Files on C: and make sure there are no folders in there. ( I'm sure you know the drill )

Now, install the new one.

While you're at it why don't you bring up Java Control Panel and at the bottom you will see

Temporary files.

Delete those files and then configure to NOT have temps files stored

!http://forums.pcworld.com/legacyimages/
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Never mind the warning and delete and then click on the "settings" ( you will probably have the view available to you. I don't because I set it to not keep files on .)



This is what you see when you click on the "settings" button. Uncheck the "keep Temporary Files on my Computer" at the top of the

pop-up.



Now try to run a program that you already have on your PC.

Next , download a fresh version of what you would like to install in the Sandbox and see what happens.



FLASHORN.

[piyushsingh]

hi flashorn.

Time to play in sand. I m in. ;)

lets see what sandboxie has in it.

[Flashorn]

Hey Piyush !!



I'm glad you want to play too.



let us know how you are doing!



FLASHORN.

[techie4fun]

Okay, I have the latest version of Sandboxie installed..

I open the Java control panel IN Sanboxie and delete the temporary files there, NOT in my Windows OS, right?

[piyushsingh]

i think it should be done in the windows OS as your OS only is accessing all sites. I did it there only . flashorn may tell us more.

[Flashorn]

Hey techie!!



NO , in your OS . If you would have taken a close look at the pics.

that I posted you would have noticed that they don't have the [#] on each side of the program's name [#].

For a reason that I am not aware of Java seems to keep a record of all of our browsing.

So, for the sake of not taking any chances with Java. I have it NOT record ANY of my doings

Not even with Sandboxie.



How are we doing so far?/?



FLASHORN.

[techie4fun]

Hi Flashorn!

Okay, I'll make sure to work on the Java.

So far so good, but Norton is taking forever to install.... LOL. Well see how this part goes.

[Flashorn]

Hey Techie!!



Did you have any difficulties with the installer.



What I mean is, did the Windows Installer come up or did you see a Shadow Installer instead.



Did you see any error box come up while installing 360.



Here is a thread on the Sandboxie Forum talking about Java.



http://sandboxie.com...opic.php?t=3076



I might have been overcautious but, when it comes to Viruses and Trojans



well, better safe than sorry.



FLASHORN.

[techie4fun]

Hi Flashorn,

Well the installer came up but there was also an error that did come up. I don't remember what it said, but it puts me at a screen saying "removing old norton 360 program files" and it does this for minutes. I just killed the installation because I was tired of waiting but will press forward tomorrow and continue trying.

Will have screenshots associated with this tomorrow.


Thanks for the link on the java- looks like I will be taking the matters serious then!


No, you were not overcautious.

Nighty night!

[Flashorn]

Hey Techie!!



In my PM this aft. I did mention that when I tried to install Asquared, I got two error messages.



The first one said that it could not install an ini. file and asked if I wanted to ignore, which I did.

The install continued.



The second one said that I already have Asquared on my PC. Which is also true.

I clicked on the OK in the message box and again the install continued.



I did run Both of the same program and at the same time. One had the [#] on the side of the Asquared name

But, not the other.



!http://forums.pcworld.com/legacyimages/
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As you can see by the logos in the task bar.



OK, I am not a programmer but, something tells me that unless you already have the Security Program on your PC

That , that certain ini. file which is missing might prevent the total install of the program somehow.

Am I making any sense here.



I was surfing the web on the French side of the Ocean last night and

came across a Security Program that I am not familiar with ,

It is called " AROVAX"

I will download and try to install and see how this goes.



Alright techie, talk to you tomorrow.



FLASHORN.

[piyushsingh]

some of the early findings .
a sandboxed and a normal browser both showed the same dynamic ip , that was expected as the sandbox fiklter is only between the disk and the programs that work with data on disk.

A screen of installation of trial of nod32 . shadow installers are present in sandbox windows.



after installation , i have no idea what to do . The installation finished without any errors. The installation directory has no changes in normal OS (that confirms the work done by sandbox). Opening the same directory in sandbox showed a nod32 folder but this is all what it had. Some .dat files i dont know what to do with.



!http://forums.pcworld.com/legacyimages/
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Message was edited by: piyushsingh. open the larger resolution images in new tab or rt click view image

[Flashorn]

Hey Piyush!!



If you are still up, give me about 15 minutes and I will have the installation



Of the security program AROVAX. I have documented with pics. and will upload



as soon as I have finished my (this) post.



Do not ever think of even trying this program



It STINKS. Full of False Positives.



FLASHORN.

[piyushsingh]

Quote

Flashorn wrote:
OK, I am not a programmer but, something tells me that unless you already have the Security Program on your PC That , that certain ini. file which is missing might prevent the total install of the program somehow. Am I making any sense here.

OK lets leave the security appls. for now. I also failed with nod32. I tried divx package which was not installed on the OS. Installation went fine. No errors again. The installed application also showed correctly in the sandbox start menu and sandbox program files.

!http://forums.pcworld.com/legacyimages/
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and divx didnt came in the normal start menu nor in the normal program files. That confirms the file filter on the hard disk. But lets check the registry hive also.



Above are two registry editors simultaneously running - one normal and another sandboxed. The sandboxed one had a unistaller key for divx but there was no such entry in the normal OS regeditor. So the registry hive is also well separated. :-)

Comming back to divx application, running the divx player resulted in an error and crashed while the divx coverter worked normally. So what i think is that it sandboxie works very well for browsing , but not very well for installing applications. I may be wrong as i have seen this only for a couple of applications. It may be considered as a ulta portable edition of a virtual machine with reduced functionality but easy to use.
avg anti-spy failed to start while super anti-spy worked.
Message was edited by: piyushsingh

[piyushsingh]

Flashorn said:

Hey Piyush!!

If you are still up, give me about 15 minutes and I will have the installation

hehe. ]:) Its around 11:30 am here now.

[Flashorn]

OK, Piyush!!



This is the way I do.

First : I get the exe. and download to HDD.

Second : I right click on the Sandbox icon in the Notification Area.

Third : once the menu appears , I click on "Show Window" Now, there still is nothing in the Sandbox.

Fourth : In the "Show Window" , at the top left ( middle ) there is the Sandbox tab

Fifth : This is what the tab brings up :



OK , not very clear. I'll write it down.



Click on the "Sandbox" tab.

A menu will appear:

default box ...............1>



Mouse over that entry.

The next entry will be , "Run Sandbox" ,

Mouse over that one as well.

The next menu will have many entries , Chose the one that says "Any Program" , the third from the top.

Click on that entry. A pop-up box will appear.



Now, In order to browse for your exe. you MUST type a "." dot in the box and then you will be able to use the

browse button.

OK, now , the next pop-up to appear will be the place that you downloaded the exe. . Or the My Documents Folder.

At the bottom of the box you will see in the second insert box the name Programs. Click on the arrow to change to

"All Files".



Still not to clear but , you can make out the All files. ( If you can't read the rest , It's because my OS is in French )

Now, chose the exe. that you want to "Run Sandboxed"

As you can see I chose to run the security app. AROVAX .

My installation went as a normal install would.

The next step was to click on the Finish button on the installer.

In the Sandbox Control you will find that the exe. is there along with the program.

After a few seconds the program came up. I did not have to touch anything.



I then ran the program with ought ANY problems.I even up-dated the AntiSpyware definitions.

But to my surprise this thing Stinks.

ALL it reported were False Positives

and a bunch of Unknown entries which happened to be most of my programs on the HDD.



So, I have finished another install with success .

this is the fifth program that I install today and ALL have ran well.

Now it;s up to you to find out if this is all worth it.

Just the fact that it can protect you on the web is more than enough for me.



FLASHORN.

[Flashorn]

Hey Piyush !!



Now, you Must remember that the flow of info. IS only one way.

ANY appl. that has to write to the HDD will not succeed.

Hence, the DivX converter. Since it has to rewrite the movie in another format ,

the Sandbox will not permit this action.



But, if you want to play a movie Sandbox , then the info. ( movie ) is only travelling

ONE way , in the Sandbox.



I was able to install and run two security appl. today with ought any problems.

I was also able to Sandbox a third one "XoftSpy" and it also ran with ought any problems.



I was able to Sandbox my e-mail account :WindowsLive and no errors or problems.



As long as the Sandbox does not have to write to the HDD.

most appls. should work.



FLASHORN.

[piyushsingh]

hey flashorn!

the smaller method which you specified in you first post , of rt click and run sandboxed works pretty well. Things were running a bit slow as the sandboxed ones were taking a bit more resources than normal ones but thats acceptable and obvious. Sandboxie will now remain on my this system (XP, P3 - 933MHz, 256mb ram) as it cannot run any VMs.lol Thanx for sharing it . !http://forums.pcworld.com/legacyimages/
1!

OK , now time for fun with sandboxie. B-)

Try to get a sandboxed command prompt.

heres mine. what abt u?

[Flashorn]

Hey Piyush !!



That's the easy part.

To get to the CMD Prompt, all you have to do is right click on the Sandbox icon,

and mouse over the Default Box

from there mouse to Explore Contents.

If there is anything in the Sandbox , you will have the option to open a CMD BOX.



FLASHORN.