Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!iuvax!rutgers!columbia!cunixf!cunixc!cunixd.cc.columbia.edu!eak
From: eak@cunixd.cc.columbia.edu (Eric A Kades)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: PC WatchDog problem
Keywords: watchdog security
Message-ID: <2085@cunixc.cc.columbia.edu>
Date: 8 Nov 89 20:36:22 GMT
References: pc security
Sender: news@cunixc.cc.columbia.edu
Reply-To: eak@cunixd.cc.columbia.edu (E Kades)
Organization: Columbia University
Lines: 23

I recently began sharing an IBM PC-AT with a co-worker who installed
a product called 'WatchDog' on the machine.  This is a rather extensive
security shell that implements passwords at logon, protection of files
by UNIX-like permission, allows file encryption, ...

It also prevents access to the hard disk if you boot the system from a
floppy, and this has turned into a disaster for me.  One of the executables
at the beginning of autoexec.bat got trashed, and now the computer locks
up when I try to boot from the hard disk.  My co-worker is on vacation
for three weeks, and the manufacturer (Fairchild Intl., Naples, FLA)
will not help me without his password since he is the sysop.

I've tried simple things like hitting C^break at boot time, or using the
Norton Utilities, but if I boot from the floppy any attempt to access a
drive with letters C, D, .. simply returns the message
	invalid drive specification.

Does anyone have any way I can boot from the floppy and get at my files
on the hard disk?  I can write C or assembler programs if necessary,
given an idea of what needs to be done.

All help greatly appreciated.  If any responses are of general interest
post, otherwise email to me (eak@cunixd.cc.columbia.edu).