Path: utzoo!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!sdd.hp.com!spool.mu.edu!uunet!tnc!m0154
From: m0154@tnc.UUCP (GUY GARNETT)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.introduction
Subject: Re: WARNING! Fish Disks are not virus free!
Message-ID: <757@tnc.UUCP>
Date: 18 Mar 91 15:22:04 GMT
References: <17527@sdcc6.ucsd.edu>
Reply-To: m0154@tnc.UUCP (GUY GARNETT)
Distribution: usa
Organization: The Next Challenge, Fairfax, Va.
Lines: 61

In article <17527@sdcc6.ucsd.edu> zz96sr@sdacs.ucsd.edu (Steve Rusk) writes:
>
>     Yesterday, I downloaded 2 Fishdisk icon files from ux1:
>
>         ff190 GaryIcons
>         ff350 Icons
>
>     One of these (ff350 most likely) has a virus.  I made the mistake of
>putting them on DH0:, assuming that Fishdisks are pretty safe.  This
>morning, the system would not come up -- Error Validating Disk.
>     I ran diskdoctor on DF0: and DH0:  Now, DH0: is called "Lazarus",
>the clock is way off and the DH0: workbench screen has a huge icon of a
>3 1/2 disk with "SFVAUG" written on it.  This icon was on ff350.
>(SFVAUG = San Fernando Valley Amiga Users Group).
>     This weekend, I think my newly aquired Amiga 2000 (free) is going
>in the closet.  I'm going back to my Commodore 64.  It may be slow,
>but at least it's a**hole proof.
>
>                                  --Steve


What you had is not an indication of a virus!  I have been with the
Amiga from the beginning, and have seen some viruses, and a lot of
people who thought they had viruses, when all that really happened was
a nasty crash.  Which is what I think happened to you.

The "Error Validating Disk" message indicates a problem with the
integrity of the disk; it can be caused by many things, including an
error or bad spot on the disk (most likely), or some kind of software
failure (less likely).  I have not seen this error message to be
caused by a virus (although I admit that it is possible).

DiskDoctor will rename a disk "Lazarus" if it couldn't find out what
the name of the disk was before the crash.  You probably had a disk
error which wiped out part of your hard disk, including the disk
bitmap (causeing the validation error) and the volume name (causing
Diskdoctor to rename it lazarus).

You got the SFVAUG disk icon because it was the Disk.Info file in the
root of the volume.  Diskdoctor also probably caused this; if it can't
figure out where a file was supposed to go, it will put it in the root
directory of the volume.  The workbench uses whatever Disk.Info file
is in the root directory of your volume as the icon for that volume;
therefore, this too was a result of your disk crash and Diskdoctor.

I will insert a "safe disk-ing" warning here, though.  Carefully
check out all new disks or downloads before assuming they are "safe"
and virus-free.  Viruses are hard to detect sometimes, and even
commercial software has been released on infected disks (it happened
to Aldus once).  One of my recommendations is to use a special boot
floppy when you are checking out software.  Modify this floppy so that
it does not mount your harddisk (which therefore cannot be corrupeted
by random bugs or malignant viruses) while you are checking out new
downloads.  Also get copies of VirusX and DiskSalv; these are both
well known and reliable tools for detecting viruses and repairing
corrupt disks, respectively.

Wildstar

PS: If you still want to junk your A2000, you could always send it to
me ... I would even pay the shipping! ;-)