• Please review our updated Terms and Rules here

Recommendations on Antivirus Software for 486-class PCs

R

RetroJunkie

Experienced Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2012
Messages
53
Location
Sydney, Australia
Somehow I've managed to get a boot sector virus that infects all my floppy disks. I suspect it came from the Sound Blaster 16 drivers I had installed.

MVI_1829.jpg


IMG_1828.JPG


Still at least my Windows 95 install is going now thanks to the Creative CD-200 CD-ROM. I swapped out the Sound Blaster Pro 2 for a Sound Blaster 16 Value. Seems to have been more around the time of this PC (1994). The SB Pro 2 was a few years earlier from what I understand.

So any recommendations on antivirus software for this 486? I've got CD support so all suggestions are welcome! :D
 
Perfect! Much appreciated! Disinfected the hard drive boot sector in a second!

IMG_1839.JPG


IMG_1840.JPG


IMG_1842.JPG


Definitely looks like it came from the Sound Blaster 16 drivers. No issues until the drivers were installed.
Thanks again for your help, this version is definitely a keeper!
 
Good stuff. I think too there was a small tsr that came with one of the MS Dos 6.x variants that you could run on startup that stopped programs writing to the boot sector of the hdd and fdds.
 
Caluser2000 said:
Now the OP can disinfect any floppies as well. Call it a bonus.
Click to expand...

Yes, FDISK /MBR works on both the HDD and floppies. And it's nice and quick too - depending on how fast you can type it. ;)

PS: Now we just need a command that will clean up the vBulletin software - the database errors are back!
 
Wonder if the mods can remove your double post-post.

Obviously fdisk cannot and will not delve into files and clear any other nasties that may be lurking. Call me old fashion but I like having access to a good dos anti-virus program. It just seems appropriate somehow.
 
Ah yes, I did give the FDISK /MBR switch a test when I somehow got reinfected for the 4th time :D
It did clear it away. Then I stuck AVG 7 on the darn thing to scan in realtime - I know it is overkill.
However by this point I could not find any infected floppies because I disinfected them all :(
F-Prot did succeed in disinfecting the ABCD.A virus the first time, but after it reappeared it could not disinfect the MBR.
That's when I gave the FDISK thing a go and it worked! Cleared it out nice and clean.
I also found a bunch of my 5.25" floppies had the Ping.Pong virus on them but they could not be cleaned by F-Prot either.
Then my 5.25" floppy drive died... I have another on the way, but what a pain!
Thanks again to you all for the help :D

Edit: Actually, I think McAfee might have been my virus scanner of choice as a child. I remember it did a scan on boot because it used to take ages to load Windows.
Anyone got any ideas on what version I'd be looking for? Would have been on Windows 95 between 1995-1998 I suspect running on a 486.
Guess it could be any version really. I'll look into it some more :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top