How to download files and stay safe
Most of you are probably already aware, most file downloading websites are infested with ads.
Though the websites are generally clean themselves, the ads they display can infect your computer with lots of nasty stuff.
So, the question is, how do you download files from the web and stay safe?
The solution is to download files through virtual machines using free Microsoft software.
On Windows 7/XP, Microsoft provides VirtualPC software free of charge.
On Windows 8.1/10, the OS comes built in with HyperV.
These are virtualization softwares that allow you to run virtual machines inside Windows.
You will need an OS that is light and easy on system resources.
I highly suggest running Windows XP as your (guest) virtual machine OS.
(This means to run Windows XP inside Windows 7/8.1/10, etc.)
You can get FireFox 52, which is the most modern web browser that runs in Windows XP.
The problem you will encounter is how to transfer files out of the virtual machine after you download them, so you can use them like normal.
Windows 7 and above comes built in with a utility called diskpart that allows you to mount a virtual machine's hard drive so it acts like a regular hard drive.
You can then copy and move files from the virtual machine onto your computer using Windows Explorer.
And in case the virtual machine becomes infected with viruses/trojan, you can simply discard it and replace it with a backup copy (it only takes a few minutes).
