Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!husc6!mailrus!ncar!noao!asuvax!nud!dover!waters
From: waters@dover.uucp (Mike Waters)
Newsgroups: comp.binaries.ibm.pc.d
Subject: Re: write protecting hardisk
Message-ID: <618@dover.uucp>
Date: 24 Dec 88 20:27:00 GMT
References: <10548@watdragon.waterloo.edu>
Reply-To: waters@dover.UUCP (Mike Waters)
Organization: Motorola CAD Mesa, AZ {dover}
Lines: 28

In article <10548@watdragon.waterloo.edu> dmnhieu@watdragon.waterloo.edu (Duy-Minh NHIEU) writes:
>Does any one know how to write protect a harddisk?  Ie. you still can read
>but can not write to it?  (Withou any hardware modification?)
> 
>Please send reply to:   dmnhieu@watdragon.uucp


Our mailer is not working so I am posting this to you.

There are several programs available which effectively intercept or disable
the interrupt for writing to hard disk. The best is called WPHD.EXE, which
reboots if a write is attempted. 

Unfortunately if you are looking for worm/virus protection any software
solution can be defeated with a little effort. I suggest a switch in the
power line to the HD. There is NO WAY to write to a disk without power!

A really sophisticated approach would be to substitute a floppy drive for
the C: drive and see if IT gets written to. About the only foolproof
system I know of is to monitor the news/BBSs after getting a program
and before trying it. If no-one gets "caught" then you probably won't ;-)


-- 
Mike Waters    AA4MW/7                  *
Motorola CAD Group                      *    Witty remark goes *HERE*
Mesa, AZ   ...!sun!sunburn!dover!waters *
          OR   moto@cad.Berkley.EDU     *