racecar-ga:
Can you please tell me how this virus was detected? In other words,
which virus scanner detected it? The original TaeKwonDo virus was
first identified back in 1996, so if it is indeed TaeKwonDo (and not
some new virus that looks like it), then any virus scanner capable of
detecting it should also be equipped to remove the virus from your
system.
According to Symantec's Virus Library, TaeKwonDo resides in floppy
disk boot sectors and the master boot record of your hard drive. It is
memory resident as well.
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/dyn/7265.html
In order to repair this, you will first need a clean boot disk,
meaning that you'll need to make one using a non-infected computer.
You will also need to put an up-to-date DOS virus scanner on this boot
disk. When you installed your anti-virus software, did you by any
chance make an emergency repair disk (as most of the anti-virus
software installers recommend)? If so, then the emergency repair disk
can be used for this purpose. If not, find a friend with an anti-virus
program installed on their computer, and use it to make an emergency
repair disk. Booting your computer from the emergency repair disk will
allow you to remove the virus from your MBR safely.
Regards,
aht-ga
Google Answers Researcher |
Clarification of Answer by
aht-ga
on
26 Dec 2003 23:31 PST
racecar-ga:
If you have any difficulty finding a friend who can help you create an
emergency repair disk using their anti-virus software, then download
the following F-Prot for DOS anti-virus software:
ftp://ftp.f-secure.com/anti-virus/free/
Note that this file is larger than a single floppy disk can hold, so
you will be unzipping it to a location on your hard drive; make a new
directory called FPROT on your C: drive and then unzip the file into
this new directory.
You will still need a clean boot disk, if you absolutely cannot find
anyone to make one for you, then I suggest you go to your nearest
computer retailer with a blank floppy disk, explain your situation,
and ask them to format a boot disk for you.
After you boot using the boot disk, switch to C: drive (type "c:" at
the command prompt), change to the FPROT directory ("cd fprot"), then
run the F-PROT program ("f-prot.exe"). Have it scan the computer to
locate the virus and initiate removal from the MBR.
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Request for Answer Clarification by
racecar-ga
on
26 Dec 2003 23:54 PST
I don't think I have an emergency repair disk. If I make one on
another computer, must that computer run on the same operating system?
Obviously, since the cd drive is not working at present I can't use
it, but I found a windows 95 boot disk (a floppy). would that be
useful?
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Request for Answer Clarification by
racecar-ga
on
27 Dec 2003 00:12 PST
In answer to your question, the virus was detected using a free online
scan, I think at http://us.mcafee.com
The service found the virus, but had no info on what to do about it.
How do I make a boot disk on another computer?
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Clarification of Answer by
aht-ga
on
27 Dec 2003 00:13 PST
The Windows 95 boot disk will work fine, Windows 95 was built on top
of MS-DOS (there's a bad joke that goes with that line, but I doubt if
you are in the mood for bad jokes right now).
Download the F-PROT for DOS software and unzip it to your hard drive
first. Then, boot using the Windows 95 boot disk, and try the method I
mentioned above.
Regards,
aht-ga
Google Answers Researcher
|
Clarification of Answer by
aht-ga
on
27 Dec 2003 00:16 PST
Assuming that the virus is successfully removed, please also consider
either purchasing an anti-virus program, or using the free (for
personal use) version of Grisoft's AVG anti-virus software, found at:
http://www.grisoft.com/us/us_dwnl_free.php
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Clarification of Answer by
aht-ga
on
27 Dec 2003 00:23 PST
Sorry, missed your last question there.
To make a boot disk on another computer, do the following:
If the other computer is running Windows, put your blank floppy in the
floppy drive, run Windows Explorer, then right click on the A: drive
and select "Format..."
On the window that appears, there should be a checkbox to transfer
system files; that will make the disk bootable after you format it.
Note: if, after booting using the floppy, the computer asks for the
current time and date, just hit <Enter> a couple of times, this will
get you to the command prompt.
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Request for Answer Clarification by
racecar-ga
on
27 Dec 2003 00:30 PST
Thanks a ton for your help. Sorry I'm an idiot, but...
there are a handful of files, plus two directories, at the link
ftp://ftp.f-secure.com/anti-virus/free/
should I download them all? How do I do this? Sorry again to be a
pain, but I'm really clueless...
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Clarification of Answer by
aht-ga
on
27 Dec 2003 00:34 PST
Sorry, I should have been more clear. Download the latest one, "fp-312d.zip".
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Request for Answer Clarification by
racecar-ga
on
27 Dec 2003 00:58 PST
So close!
When I boot off the win95 boot disk, I can't switch to the C: drive.
When I type c:, it says 'invalid drive specification' which is weird,
because C still shows up when I start in windows ME. Also there is no
D drive on my computer as far as I know, but when I boot off the
floppy, I can change to D. But once there, if I type dir, it gives me
an abort, retry, fail message.
????
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Clarification of Answer by
aht-ga
on
27 Dec 2003 08:21 PST
racecar-ga:
I was hoping that this would not be a problem for you, but
unfortunately, it appears that it is.
The reason why you cannot see your C: drive when booting off of the
Windows 95 disk is because your C: drive is using the FAT32 file
system, which Windows 95 does not support. I had been hoping that this
was not the case, which is why I did not mention it (why complicate
things).
FAT32 is only supported by Windows 98 and later (including Windows
Me). So, you are going to need to get a boot disk from a friend after
all (or bring a blank floppy to a friendly computer store).
There is one other possibility that you can try before heading out to
get a boot disk. Try installing the AVG software anyway, and have it
scan your computer. There is a small possibility that it can clean
this virus on its own. If it cannot, then you definitely will need to
make a Windows 98 or later boot disk so that you can do a clean boot,
and run the F-PROT anti-virus program.
aht-ga
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Clarification of Answer by
aht-ga
on
27 Dec 2003 19:43 PST
Thank you for the tip! Hope everything is back to normal now with your computer.
Regards,
aht-ga
Google Answers Researcher
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