Dilemma: Windows or DOS version of antivirus softwares

[phcb]

There are two types of antivirus software, Windows and DOS version.
I was told that some virus locate themselves in the memory during the Windows startup, then most Windows-version antivirus softwares can't kill these virus, the only way to delete them is to boot the computer from floppy drive(or other removeable drive) where there is a DOS-version antivirus software, that is, only in the DOS environment, the virus can be cleaned up, not in the Windows.
I am not sure if this kind of remarks is correct, Thanks for any help!

[whocares]

Hi,
this is basically correct, although MBR/Boot&COM-viruses have gotten pretty rare in recent years, and don't pose as much a threat as earlier

as a protection you can:
- disable booting from floppy in your PC's BIOS
- configure avast to scan disks on boot and shutdown (which is imho default setting)


Which WIN do you have ? what filesystem (FAT/FAT32 or NTFS) ?
Simple AV-Bootdisks work only well on Win9x&ME (FAT) systems

IF you really need a bootable AV-Disk, you can use a clean, write-protected Windows/DOS-Startdisk together with avast for DOS (see

homepage or board-search here) or www.f-prot.com

For Win NT/2000/XP with NTFS-filesystem, scanning with Bootdisks/-CDs is also possible, but cleaning infections can be done only with special Tools, like avast's BART-CD or LinuxDefender

for just cleaning MBR/Boot-Infections on NTFS systems, you can use the utilities fixboot & fixmbr from your WIN-Setup-CD

 

[phcb]

Thank you whocares.
The OS is Windows XP with FAT32, the virus is some kind of boot virus(detected by some other AV released more than 1 year ago, so the boot virus can't be cleaned).  the mouse froze at the center of the desktop windows  just after the Windows started up and desktop appeared. then I could do nothing.

I am also very  new to avast!4 free edtion and don't       know how to use it.

[.: Mac :.]

in whocares' signature there is a link called "trendscan" click on it and see what it will do. Sorry i cant be of more help but i have never had a virus like that

[bob3160]

MacLover2000
I love your new Avatar.

[phcb]

Quote from http://www.f-prot.com/support/dos/dos_index.html

Please note that there is a problem with running a DOS antivirus scanner on Windows NT 4.0 / 2000 / 2003 / XP systems. It is not guaranteed that all files will be scanned. The reason for this has mainly to do with long filenames and non-ASCII characters in file names. DOS only "understands" 8 character long filenames.

Therefore use F-Prot Antivirus for Windows to scan Windows NT 4.0 / 2000 / 2003 / XP systems.    

Therefore use F-Prot Antivirus for Windows to scan Windows NT 4.0 / 2000 / 2003 / XP systems.

I am using Windows XP, so f-prot for MS-DOS doesn't work on it, does it?

[bob3160]

phcb,
I'll bite what or rather where is the :

Index of free internet phone services

If it's supposed to be a hyperlink, then you forgot to select the
YABBC tag and put the link between the two url brackets.
Thanks

[whocares]

I am using Windows XP, so f-prot for MS-DOS doesn't work on it, does it?

Hi,

F_PROT it should at least detect! the virus, so we can see it's not a false alarm
what other scanner/version?  DID detect it, and what exactly was the virus name ?

what about Onlinescanners (Trend, RAV) and FixBoot/fixMBR ?

 

[phcb]

I will try Onlinescanners (Trend, RAV) later, but I have downloaded NOD32 for MS-DOS, I will use it first, start the computer with the floppy disks, for the viruses are some kind of MBR and boot sector viruses. I wondered other Windows-Version AV can really work.

[Lisandro]

If you are using Windows XP, why don't you schedule an avast running at boot time? You will be able to solve what you posted first: some virus locate themselves in the memory during the Windows startup, then most Windows-version antivirus softwares can't kill these virus, the only way to delete them is to boot the computer from floppy drive (or other removeable drive) where there is a DOS-version antivirus software, that is, only in the DOS environment, the virus can be cleaned up, not in the Windows.

You can make a bootable CD with avast for DOS or, better, you can give a try on Bart CD from Alwil Software.