Windows rt on a windows 8.1 device?

[aaron j]

Hi guys quick question, my wife has a super cheap windows 8.1 tablet and it does her great but I'd like to know if I can change the os to windows 8.1 rt? The idea being it would be much more secure that way? She only uses windows store apps anyway and I'm worried she will get a virus or similar and the tablet doesn't have the guts to run Norton..

Any help or input would be great please!

 

[aaron j]

re:

And is this a real link to download windows rt? What's involved to use it?

http://downloads.info/windows/utilities/system/microsoft-windows-rt.html

 

[Rising Mos]

You can't run RT on a non ARM machine (which is what you have). Windows 8 already has an Antivirus so you don't need to install Norton or other software. It should protect you from most viruses. Of course that with common sense

I ran Windows 8 for years and now running 10 with the built in antivirus and never had problems.

 

[a5cent]

re:

No, you can not download and/or install RT on just any PC. RT is not available from MS as a separate Windows SKU. You may want to look at this FAQ:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/windows-rt-faq

We don't know for sure, but I think it's very likely that you'll be able to install W10 mobile on your wife's tablet. That would work and also give you what you want in terms of security (limited to installing software from the app store). Likely it will run better too. You'll just have to be patient for another few months.

I have no idea what the link is, but it's definitely not what it claims to be.

 

[Bobvfr]

re:

Windows RT runs on ARM processors whereas full Windows doesn't.

No need to run Norton, Windows comes with it's own built in anti-virus software called Defender and is a very secure OS anyway, you would have to work much harder to get a virus on a Windows machine nowadays compared to in the past.

If your wife is like mine and not very technical, just make sure Defender and the firewall is set up, also make sure updates are taken care of automatically and she should be fine, most viruses tend to lurk around on porn and file swapping sites so she should be OK.

 

[aaron j]

Thanks guys!! Great answer.. Now for my next question.. Please see other thread!!

 

[a5cent]

Re:

If your wife is like mine and not very technical, just make sure Defender and the firewall is set up, also make sure updates are taken care of automatically and she should be fine, most viruses tend to lurk around on porn and file swapping sites so she should be OK.

Yes, Windows has become very resistant to remote attacks and defends very well against your typical viruses, worms and trojans. Those account for no more than 20% of the security threat however. Windows (desktop OS) is still nowhere near secure, and it never will be.

Millions of users still regularly install software that reconfigures their internet search provider, includes legal spyware, or a service which just occasionally "borrows" their PC to send spam to a couple thousand random mail addresses. None ot those things are easily detected by anti-malware software, as they aren't out to destroy or control your system. They only use functionality that every other piece of productivity software might also use, but they are nevertheless crapware. That is how millions of users screw up their PC, not to mention when users unintentionally delete files they shouldn't, or don't update software packages they should (adobe flash was a nightmare in that regard).

Particularly those looking for free software are at risk, like the RT download the OP linked to. If that happens to be a malware infected version if Windows, then the OP is screwed, as such malware is virtually impossible to detect.

Requiring that all software installations occur through an app store, that is curated by experts, and deemphasizing the importance of the file system, solves a lot of those problems. Unfortunately, those problems will plague Windows (desktop OS) to the end of its days.