OT Virus scan boot CD

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R

rads

Guest
I have an old PC which is acting a little strange and I want to run a
virus scan.

It has a complete fresh install of Norton AV 2005, which refuses to
scan (norton recommends complete uninstall / reinstall, done that
twice).

Have tried a couple of the on line scanners (housecall and panda) but
neither will complete scan (and PAINFULLY slow on a modem connection).

Just possible, I suppose, there is some cunning nasty in there
preventing virus scanners from running successfully.

So what I would like is a bootable CD which will then run a Virus scan
using up to date definitions. Naturally free would be good (I have
supported Virusscan Enterprise and NAV 2005 as mentioned above , if
that helps).

I think this should be easy, but can't seem to find what I need.

PC is a terribly old NEC celeron box , 320 mb ram, running windows
98SE (plus! wohoo).

Ta

David
 
norton is crap! take it off! (ive seen it brake more PC's that catch
viruses!)

You could download something like AVG and the latest definitions
(free.grisoft.com) and stick it on a usb stick or cd and then boot the
pc into safe mode and then install and scan it. This has worked for
me.
In the very old version of AVG you used to be able to make a scanning
boot disc if you followed the instructions but im not sure if it does
it anymore.

Alternatively, you could build a barts PE disc on another computer
(http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/) and im pretty sure you can get a virus
plug in for that. This is a bit more involbed though but would do what
you wanted.

If the pc is old and slow i would be very tempted just to get an
install cd and reinstall it (with something better than 98 if
possible!). In the process do a full format of the drives and that
will clear it nicely
 
On Wed, 18 Oct 2006 10:05:27 +0100, Tom Woods
<[email protected]> wrote:

>norton is crap! take it off! (ive seen it brake more PC's that catch
>viruses!)
>
>You could download something like AVG and the latest definitions
>(free.grisoft.com) and stick it on a usb stick or cd and then boot the
>pc into safe mode and then install and scan it. This has worked for
>me.
>In the very old version of AVG you used to be able to make a scanning
>boot disc if you followed the instructions but im not sure if it does
>it anymore.
>
>Alternatively, you could build a barts PE disc on another computer
>(http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/) and im pretty sure you can get a virus
>plug in for that. This is a bit more involbed though but would do what
>you wanted.
>
>If the pc is old and slow i would be very tempted just to get an
>install cd and reinstall it (with something better than 98 if
>possible!). In the process do a full format of the drives and that
>will clear it nicely


It a home pc of a colleague. PSU had failed, so I offered to swap one
in for him.

Then "whilst you've got it, I'm having a problem with Norton...."

Don't want to give it back when it's a bit suspect, but really wish
I'd never offered to help.

Tried running the command line Norton scanner in safe mode, gets into
an endless loop.

Its a £30 piece of sh1t that really should be thrown away. Just need
someone to explain that diplomatically to my colleague. Nige?

David
 
On Wed, 18 Oct 2006 09:18:39 GMT, rads
<[email protected]> wrote:

>It a home pc of a colleague. PSU had failed, so I offered to swap one
>in for him.
>
>Then "whilst you've got it, I'm having a problem with Norton...."
>
>Don't want to give it back when it's a bit suspect, but really wish
>I'd never offered to help.
>
>Tried running the command line Norton scanner in safe mode, gets into
>an endless loop.
>
>Its a £30 piece of sh1t that really should be thrown away. Just need
>someone to explain that diplomatically to my colleague. Nige?
>
>David

i just realised that i recommended going into safe mode too which you
cant do with 98. sorry. i scrapped all the 98 machines i could find
ages ago! :)

I would boot it up once. uninstall norton and any other virus checkers
and put AVG on. trim all the other excess stuff from the system tray
too. Then reboot it and leave it to scan itself over night.

After that call it a day and tell him it is knackered and he needs to
buy a new one.You can buy a new PC now, which will come pre-configured
with XP on it for £200-£300 (See a dell leaflet in the sunday paper or
look for fujitsu's or HP's entry level stuff). Tell him that you feel
your time is worth atleast £50/hour for working on it any further! :)
 
rads <[email protected]> wrote:

> Tried running the command line Norton scanner in safe mode, gets into
> an endless loop.
>
> Its a £30 piece of sh1t that really should be thrown away. Just need
> someone to explain that diplomatically to my colleague. Nige?

I'm another Nigel but...


Woooh. Norton!

A good installation of Norton is virtually impossible to tell from
a sustained and aggressive denial-of-service attack.

I use AGV (Grisoft). It's not brilliant but my firewall and simple
procedures like only reading mail in plain text mode keep things
clean. The AVG just sweeps the machines overnight.

I wonder if my air suspension has a virus... It runs for a while
and then fails and has to go back to the dealer for a reboot.
NFF

No.
Hang on.
Now I think of it I know what that sounds like...
Windows 95
Darn '96 HSE

nigelH



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

 
In message <[email protected]>
rads <[email protected]> wrote:

> On Wed, 18 Oct 2006 10:05:27 +0100, Tom Woods
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >norton is crap! take it off! (ive seen it brake more PC's that catch
> >viruses!)
> >
> >You could download something like AVG and the latest definitions
> >(free.grisoft.com) and stick it on a usb stick or cd and then boot the
> >pc into safe mode and then install and scan it. This has worked for
> >me.
> >In the very old version of AVG you used to be able to make a scanning
> >boot disc if you followed the instructions but im not sure if it does
> >it anymore.
> >
> >Alternatively, you could build a barts PE disc on another computer
> >(http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/) and im pretty sure you can get a virus
> >plug in for that. This is a bit more involbed though but would do what
> >you wanted.
> >
> >If the pc is old and slow i would be very tempted just to get an
> >install cd and reinstall it (with something better than 98 if
> >possible!). In the process do a full format of the drives and that
> >will clear it nicely
>
>
> It a home pc of a colleague. PSU had failed, so I offered to swap one
> in for him.
>
> Then "whilst you've got it, I'm having a problem with Norton...."
>
> Don't want to give it back when it's a bit suspect, but really wish
> I'd never offered to help.
>
> Tried running the command line Norton scanner in safe mode, gets into
> an endless loop.
>
> Its a £30 piece of sh1t that really should be thrown away. Just need
> someone to explain that diplomatically to my colleague. Nige?
>
> David

I'd go along with Tom - Norton causes more problems than it solves!
Mind you, it works, since you can't get a virus if the dammed
machine won't boot!

Richard

--
www.beamends-lrspares.co.uk [email protected]
www.radioparadise.com - Good Music, No Vine
Lib Dems - Townies keeping comedy alive
 
On Wed, 18 Oct 2006 10:26:43 +0100, "Nigel Hewitt"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>rads <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Tried running the command line Norton scanner in safe mode, gets into
>> an endless loop.
>>
>> Its a £30 piece of sh1t that really should be thrown away. Just need
>> someone to explain that diplomatically to my colleague. Nige?
>
>I'm another Nigel but...
>
>
>Woooh. Norton!
>
>A good installation of Norton is virtually impossible to tell from
>a sustained and aggressive denial-of-service attack.
>
>I use AGV (Grisoft). It's not brilliant but my firewall and simple
>procedures like only reading mail in plain text mode keep things
>clean. The AVG just sweeps the machines overnight.
>
>I wonder if my air suspension has a virus... It runs for a while
>and then fails and has to go back to the dealer for a reboot.
>NFF
>
>No.
>Hang on.
>Now I think of it I know what that sounds like...
>Windows 95
>Darn '96 HSE
>
>nigelH

Created an SEP field over the PC by giving it back to its original
owner.

Everthing fine now.

Ta chaps and carry on.

David
 
Tom Woods <[email protected]> uttered summat worrerz funny
about:
> After that call it a day and tell him it is knackered and he needs to
> buy a new one.You can buy a new PC now, which will come pre-configured
> with XP on it for £200-£300 (See a dell leaflet in the sunday paper or
> look for fujitsu's or HP's entry level stuff). Tell him that you feel
> your time is worth atleast £50/hour for working on it any further! :)

I always like reading these things as they remind me how little I know.

Have you still got that Ghost manual gathering dust?

Lee D


 
On Wed, 18 Oct 2006 13:40:04 +0100, "Lee_D"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Tom Woods <[email protected]> uttered summat worrerz funny
>about:
>> After that call it a day and tell him it is knackered and he needs to
>> buy a new one.You can buy a new PC now, which will come pre-configured
>> with XP on it for £200-£300 (See a dell leaflet in the sunday paper or
>> look for fujitsu's or HP's entry level stuff). Tell him that you feel
>> your time is worth atleast £50/hour for working on it any further! :)
>
>I always like reading these things as they remind me how little I know.
>
>Have you still got that Ghost manual gathering dust?

yep, even saw it at the weekend while tidying and put it to one side
for you rather than chucking it out...
now if i could only remember which side i put it on! :)
 

"Tom Woods" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

>
> i just realised that i recommended going into safe mode too which you
> cant do with 98. sorry. i scrapped all the 98 machines i could find
> ages ago! :)
.........................................

Why do you say that you can't boot into safe mode under W98 Tom ?
I've done it many times while building quite a few PC's.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/180902
Just curious
Regards.
Mike


 

I'd agree with all the above. Uninstall Norton, which is bloatware and
has caused more problems on my machines over the years than Microsoft!
Go for AVG anti-virus (free) and while you're at it disable your
windoze firewall and use ZoneAlarm instead.

 
On 19 Oct, in article
<[email protected]>
[email protected] "Dave P" wrote:

> I'd agree with all the above. Uninstall Norton, which is bloatware and
> has caused more problems on my machines over the years than Microsoft!
> Go for AVG anti-virus (free) and while you're at it disable your
> windoze firewall and use ZoneAlarm instead.


I think there's a bootable-from-CD Linux on a couple of the new batch of
computer magazines, meant for data recovery and stuff.


--
David G. Bell -- SF Fan, Filker, and Punslinger.

"I am Number Two," said Penfold. "You are Number Six."
 
On or around 19 Oct 2006 06:00:25 -0700, "Dave P"
<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:

>
>I'd agree with all the above. Uninstall Norton, which is bloatware and
>has caused more problems on my machines over the years than Microsoft!
>Go for AVG anti-virus (free) and while you're at it disable your
>windoze firewall and use ZoneAlarm instead.

I went with Frisk's F-prot, which is not free but only costs 29 bucks a year
sub.

I also used to use ZA, but now prefer Agnitum Outpost.

but yeah, windows firewall off. I'd not trust windows to make security
software.

Oh, and update your AV at least daily...

Only virus I've had on any machine in the last 3 or 4 years is one that I
carelessly let loose myself, by investigating it before updating the AV...
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
If all be true that I do think, There are five reasons we should drink;
Good wine, a friend, or being dry, Or lest we should be by and by;
Or any other reason why. - Henry Aldrich (1647 - 1710)
 
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