Problem using F-prot.

[riddellcomp]

I am having problems using f-prot. I re-boot using a windows xp boot disc and then insert the f-prot floppys one at a time when asked. When I try to scan it only shows 1MBR scanned and zero files scanned and takes about 3 seconds to complete. Any ideas why it wont scan my files.

Thanks in advance,

Trueman.

[Platypus]

Is your file system FAT or NTFS, a boot disk won't see an NTFS file system.

[riddellcomp]

Is your file system FAT or NTFS, a boot disk won't see an NTFS file system.

Yes it is NTFS. I guess thats the problem then. Do you have any good links to creating a NTFS boot disk? If I use an NTFS boot disk will this work?

[Platypus]

You can persuade a boot disk to be NTFS aware, either Linux or possibly DOS, to enable scanning.

e.g. a bootable Knoppix CD:

http://www.cs.bsu.edu/homepages/gjjones/administrivia/stories/2003/06/24/fprotVirusScanningWithAModifiedKnoppixCd.htm

But since the point of NTFS is largely data integrity and security, I can't help feeling it's best to have it in a native environment to actually deal with any infection. Can you give us some detail of what you're dealing with: e.g. just precautionary scan, a single infected machine, regular scanning of numerous systems? Can you get internet access for an on-line scan?

[riddellcomp]

Platypus,

I wanted to setup a virus scanner that I could use on someones computer if it wouldn't boot and there was a chance it may have been virus related. Either by using floppys or a cd I wanted to be able to boot from either of these and then run f-prot to do a full system scan for viruses. However I think that my best option might be to boot to safe mode and do it that way.

[Platypus]

OK, got the picture. If a system will boot to Safe Mode you can do that, although some system files can still be inaccessible, and memory resident viruses can still cause difficulty.

Perhaps for this purpose you could try some NTFS Read/Write DOS drivers, as suggested here for example:

http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/dos.funlove.4099.fix.tool.html

[riddellcomp]

Thanks for that I will take a look.

BTW, you either live in WA like me, or are up very late for a week night.

[Platypus]

Aha, I'm in the East ... but I do tend to keep late hours.