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From: tony4@garfield.cs.mun.ca (Anthony H. Galway)
Newsgroups: comp.virus
Subject: Which format for Partition Table Viruses (PC)
Message-ID: <0013.9105201353.AA06044@ubu.cert.sei.cmu.edu>
Date: 18 May 91 12:09:11 GMT
Sender: Virus Discussion List <VIRUS-L@LEHIIBM1>
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Approved: krvw@sei.cmu.edu


	I have, for partition table viruses, always done a DOS format
to rid myself of the offender if McAfee's CLEAN didn't work (be
assured that I have also done a LOW level format in cases when the
partition table was hopelessly infected). This does not remove the
virus, but it does seem to do something to the partition table that
allows CLEAN to then remove it.  Recently, (READ: since my previous
post 2 days ago), it has come to my attention that this is not the
accepted way of ridding myself of the virus, instead I should do the
LOW Level format.

	 Which way is correct? I know the LOW level format guarantee's
results, but this method also destroys any additional partitions. We
use DOS 3.3 and have two partitions, C: & D:. If I do a LOW level
format then I have to reinstall about 30MB of various programs, this
of course does not include any user programs/data, whereas if I use
the DOS format and reformat only drive C: I then have to reinstall
little more than half that.

		So am I safe in doing the DOS format,
	       or should I only use a LOW level format?

Thanks for any help.

Anyone know where I can get a comprehensive list of viruses, their
symptoms and what they do?
- --
Anthony H Galway            |\_/|    I tried to think up something either
tony4@garfield.cs.mun.ca    (` ')    profound or witty to put here ......
tony@piglet.engr.mun.ca      |"|                 I couldn't.