Re: How do you turn off scripting, V.B.S., etc.?

["Michael Edwards" mje@xxxxxxxx]

                         Michael Edwards.

   Thanks for your advice, Teddy. But I do have a few questions about it
before I just go ahead and do it.

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[Teddy Odum, quoting myself:]

> >  Could someone please tell me how to turn all this (vbs, scripting)
>off, or at least make the computer ask me for confirmation before going
>ahead?
>
>Here's how to turn off or rather delete your Windows Scripting Host.
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   Well, I don't want to actually *delete* it - I might need it one day, and I
assume it's there for legitimate purposes other than running viruses. I must
admit I don't have the faintest idea what it's for, and when it's used - but
until I feel sure about it, I really don't want to do anything as drastic and
irreversible as deleting it; I just want to make sure it won't run without my
consent.
   Will you reply that that's impossible? *Sigh!* I suppose that would be
typical of Microsoft.

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>On
>your Windows 98 desktop,
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   Sorry, I'm running Windows 95, not 98. Will the same instructions work?
(Well, if I don't want to delete it anyway, perhaps it doesn't matter whether
it's the same on Windows 95 or not.)

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>goto "Start", then "Settings", then "Control
>Panel", Goto the "Add/Remove Programs" thingy, Hit the "Windows Setup" tab,
>There is a component called "Accessories", single click that one, then go to
>the "Details" button, Open that and scroll down to "Windows Scripting Host",
>uncheck the box and Ok it, Apply it, I think you have to reboot but not sure
>exactly, but do it to be safe and you will be set.
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   Just to see how it went, I followed these instructions, intending not to
complete them though (just yet, at least). It all worked until near the end.
After "Details button", I found that "Windows Scripting Host" is not there,
although a number of other things were listed. Does that mean I don't have it,
and therefore can't execute kak, or in fact any of the recent viruses?
   If so, is it serious, not having it? I mean, what is it for anyway? And
what can't I do because of its absence?

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>To make it harder for Active X to be run in Internet Explorer 5.0,
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   Again sorry - I'm using Internet Explorer 4.0, not 5.0 - so will this
apply?

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>you need
>to look at your security settings. In Internet Explorer, Goto
>"Tools"/"Internet Options", click the "Security" tab, hit the "Custom Level"
>security button, and scroll around in there. You have many options. You
>can disable some or all of Active X, if you want to.
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   My version doesn't have a "Tools" - but it does have "Options" at the
bottom of the "View" menu. Apart from that difference, your instructions seem
to apply to my version of Internet Explorer.
   But what is Active X anyway? What is it intended for? I assume it's
something different from the "scripting host" you dealt with earlier, but that
both can run viruses.
   I just feel I want some idea of the effects it will have before I start
messing around with this stuff. Thanks.

             Regards,
             Michael Edwards.