I'm thinking of getting the most out of gaming from my laptop with a new installation of Windows XP. I won't be browsing the Internet, reading emails or downloading and running files; just playing online mmo games. Is it okay if I don't install any security software (antivirus or firewall) and also do not update my windows (keep it at sp1) so to waste as less resources as possible? (I will be running hijackthis occasionally to make sure nothing fishy is going on)

I doubt it. some of those patches are to prevent your computer from being compromised by sniffers, and if you got to even ONE page hosting malware (even a "safe" site can be compromised), your computer is a goner.

the nbest plan is to keep it up to date, but use nLite to remove unnecessary rescources

Also keep in mind, online MMO's require being online - and those games might leave a port open that anyone can just reach into and grab your account info (although it might be a waste of time if all you do is game, there won't be much sensative data)

 

I'd at least get a firewall

Also keep in mind, online MMO's require being online - and those games might leave a port open that anyone can just reach into and grab your account info (although it might be a waste of time if all you do is game, there won't be much sensative data)

 

I'd at least get a firewall

 

agreed, tho once the virus is in place your performance benefits go down the drainb.

I once let my computer get owned 5 minutes after installing windows. Visited the wrong website with internet explorer, I knew it was a fishy website but hadn't had a problem with it when I had used it previously, using Firefox.

 

What I use now is an installation CD that installs Windows XP SP3 directly. I have my important data on a separate partition, and if my computer has problems I can re-install without losing my data. And I use an antivirus too, although I did fine without it. Not all antiviruses are resource hogs.

I'm thinking of getting the most out of gaming from my laptop with a new installation of Windows XP. I won't be browsing the Internet, reading emails or downloading and running files; just playing online mmo games. Is it okay if I don't install any security software (antivirus or firewall) and also do not update my windows (keep it at sp1) so to waste as less resources as possible? (I will be running hijackthis occasionally to make sure nothing fishy is going on)

 

Eh, I don't know about installing XP for gaming all together. Even though it is light, windows 7 is not too bad and comes with directx10 support.