Boot Scan for Win98se

[DavidR]

Off the top of my head none but I didn't want to say there aren't any, as some smart a** would say yes there is

[CharleyO]

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For the fun of it, I just spent 30+ mins searching "boot-time scan" and found no other AV that has it ... only Avast!   


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[Plittle$]

Hi, I'm a 98SE user who is at the end... no there is about 18 days left on my Avast4 Pro trial.  My personal trial is over.  I had been using AVG Free.  That had a boot time scan.  It also was causing other problems, like it wasn't doing anything until something got on my computer... then, I could use AVG to check it.  Somehow, that's just wrong.  Avast is doing something to check it before it gets on.  That seems right.  I use Ghost from a boot disk to Clone my hard drive.  I'd restore the clone (I've done it too... frequently).  I think if you need the boot-time scan... it's probably already too late.

Let me welcome myself to the forum.  And, say thanks to the forum for all the anonomous browsing I've done during my trial period.  Now, I'm off to send the money.  I have a couple weeks left on trial.  But this is the first software I've used and felt a DESIRE to pay.  Those guys deserve it.

[igor]

Well, you are right in that the boot-time scanner is no prevention.
It might be handy, however, to remove the infection if it already got to your computer (no protection is 100%, and there's a lot of new malware appearing every day, so it sometimes may happen). Since it is started before (most of) the malware has chance to activate, it's more likely to be able to remove it easily.

As I said, however, making a boot-time scanner for Windows 98 would require "back-porting" our scanner to the DOS environment, which is really hardly worth the effort.

[CharleyO]

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Welcome to the forums, Asop!   

You have discovered we so many of us users love Avast and the awil team.

And you are right, the boot-time scan is only a reactive tool for those times when a completely new virus might get into your computer before the VDB can be updated. As a user for more than 2 years (without any infections though there have been attempts), I can assure you that the awil team works very hard to get these updates out earlier than most other AV companies.

Please come back often, learn more, and maybe help others.   


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[Plittle$]

Well, you are right in that the boot-time scanner is no prevention.
It might be handy, however, to remove the infection if it already got to your computer (no protection is 100%, and there's a lot of new malware appearing every day, so it sometimes may happen). Since it is started before (most of) the malware has chance to activate, it's more likely to be able to remove it easily.

As I said, however, making a boot-time scanner for Windows 98 would require "back-porting" our scanner to the DOS environment, which is really hardly worth the effort.

I totally understand your point Igor.  Everything I need an operating system to do, 98SE is doing.  I have great hardware installed with drivers not necessarily compatible with upgrading my OS.  And, paying for the Operating system would consume the money I want to send AVast.  Monetarily, I'd be out of money and, have to rely on Microsoft's attempt to provide virus protection.  Plus, re-purchase some programs/hardware.  Wish it weren't as you say.  However...,   
Please allow my apology for "beating up this topic" if I'm doing it in the wrong part of the forum.  I probably don't know enough to fix other 98SE users problems.  But, I will tend to my profile and let others know what works for me.

[igor]

Sure. I wasn't saying everybody with Win98 should upgrade now
Just that the number of Win9x installations is decreasing and it's not the way to go for the future.