Virus Killer

OTHER VERSIONS WITH THE SAME TITLE (2)

• CRL (version 3.9GB)United Kingdom · 1989
• CRL (version 4.0GB)United Kingdom · 1990

INSTRUCTIONS

                  ATARI ST VIRUS KILLER HISTORY

 Remark: All version 2.x AVK versions are Public Domain. Versions 
3.x,  4.x and 5.x are commercial.

- Version 2.0PRE (December 12th 1987)
 This version was called "Virus Destruction Utility".
 This was the first ever version to appear.  It was only slightly 
spread on a meeting of ST Club Eindhoven (Holland),  on  December 
12th 1987.  It basically only recognized the "Signum" virus,  and 
did not yet recognize any harmless bootsectors.

- Version 2.0GB (December 19th 1987)
 The first version to strike a larger audience - through Volume 2 
Issue 8 of the PD disk magazine "ST NEWS".

- Version 2.0NL (January 18th 1988)
 This version was even more rudimentary than 2.0PRE,  and was  in 
fact  a very short version of 2.0GB,  programmed to be a  type-in 
listing for a Dutch magazine called "Atari ST Nieuws" (Issue  1). 
It was only meant for very basic 'first aid' conditions!!

- Version 2.2GB (January 20th 1988)
 The  first  update.  Some  harmless bootsectors  were  now  also 
recognized. It was published on the "ST NEWS" Volume 2 Compendium 
disk.

- Version 2.3GB (February 15th 1988)
 A  version that was published along with the disk  magazine  "ST 
Info" (Issue 3). Later that day (after sending the program off to 
the editor of the mag) I received some more bootsectors so that I 
had to make version 2.4GB one day later.

- Version 2.4GB (February 16th 1988)
 Published on the "ST NEWS" Volume 3 issue 1 disk.  Recognized  2 
bootsector  viruses (Signum and Mad).  This version's source  was 
also published,  and this resulted in at least three other  virus 
killer  versions  to  be  made (one with  a  basic  disk  monitor 
included  -  by  Herman  de Vrees - and  one  with  graphics  and 
digitized  sound  effects  - by someone called  An  Cool  of  The 
Carebears).

- Version 2.5GB (March 27th 1988) Never commercially available
 The  first  version  with a largely  re-programmed  boot  sector 
recognize algorithm.  This was never published and remained on my 
work disk.  It was in fact a fore-runner of the first  commercial 
virus  killer,  but only recognized bootsector viruses (no  link-
viruses).

- Version 3.0GB (April 10th 1988)
 The first commercial version. It was largely worked over and the 
major  part of its code entirely re-written.  This version  could 
now also REPAIR damaged bootsector data disks.
 Its  main statistics:  46 recognized bootsectors,  2  recognized 
bootsector  viruses,  1 recognized link virus,  33  boot  sectors 
could be repaired.

- Version 3.1GB (May 30th 1988)
 The  BPB repair option was included,  some  bugs  removed,  code 
optimized.
 Its  main statistics:  65 recognized bootsectors,  3  recognized 
bootsector  viruses,  1 recognized link virus,  46  boot  sectors 
could be repaired.

- Version 3.2GB (September 11th 1988)
 The first version that was to set the standard. The 'write anti-
virus' option was included,  and a second linkvirus could now  be 
recognized.
 Its main statistics:  106 recognized bootsectors,  10 recognized 
bootsector viruses,  2 recognized link viruses,  71 boot  sectors 
could be repaired.

- Version 3.3GB (March 1st 1989)
 After massive feedback on the 3.2GB version,  many more  viruses 
and  innocent bootsector can be recognized.  This  feedback  also 
resulted  in some coding improvements such  as:  Partition  scan, 
help option, and much more.
 Its main statistics:  176 recognized bootsectors,  18 recognized 
bootsector viruses,  4 recognized link viruses,  121 boot sectors 
can be repaired.

- Version 3.4GB (April 13th 1989)
 There were some bugs left in 3.3, especially in the routine that 
scanned a whole partition for link-viruses.  All known bugs  have 
been  removed  (quite  a lot,  it were!).  ALL  folders  are  now 
scanned,  no GfA errors occur anymore.  The whole program is  now 
also  'legally  programmed'  and  does  not  use  those  obsolete 
absolute  addresses  anymore!  A buffer for  unknown  bootsectors 
during one session is also implemented.
 Its main statistics:  193 recognized bootsectors,  19 recognized 
bootsector viruses, 5 recognized linkviruses, 136 bootsectors can 
be repaired.

- Version 3.5GB (April 28th 1989)
 The final small bugs/inconveniences have been removed. The check 
for  link-viruses has been completely reprogrammed and  viciously 
optimized  so that checking of link-viruses is now  48.1%  faster 
with  a  Cache-program/FAT optimizer installed and  55.2%  faster 
without  one of those installed.  The "AVK" linkvirus checker  is 
now  the fastest ever conceived on the ST:  Each filecheck  takes 
approximately  0.057  seconds (this value was  0.111  seconds  in 
"AVK"  v.3.4,  and  is  0.075 seconds in  the  fastest  competing 
viruskiller, programmed in C!)...
 The  bootsector virus checker is also completely redesigned  and 
reprogrammed,  and is now considerably faster as well.  All  this 
reprogramming  made sure that the program actually  decreased  in 
size for the first time since its first creation...
 Its main statistics:  204 recognized bootsectors,  20 recognized 
bootsector viruses, 5 recognized linkviruses, 139 bootsectors can 
be repaired.

- Version 3.6GB (May 28th 1989)
 Name changed from "Virus Destruction Utility" to "Atari ST Virus 
Killer", copyright proprietor CRL Plc., England.
 Code even more optimized,  different title graphics, heavy anti-
virus  facilities  discarded.   The  main  program  is  now  also 
compressed (the original code is 122,271 bytes in length).
 Its main statistics:  223 recognized bootsectors,  24 recognized 
bootsector viruses, 5 recognized linkviruses, 151 bootsectors can 
be repaired.

- Version 3.7GB (June 1st 1989) Never commercially available
 Just some minor code enhancements and increased statistics.  The 
problems with the software blitter "Turbo ST" in combination with 
color  monitor  and the busted screen layout  have  been  solved. 
Again, the main code has been compressed.
 Its main statistics:  227 recognized bootsectors,  26 recognized 
bootsector viruses, 5 recognized linkviruses, 151 bootsectors can 
be repaired.

- Version 3.8GB (June 14th 1989) Never commercially available
 Again, the program code has been enhanced and optimized, whereas 
the  statistics have also again increased.  The program now  also 
works  excellently together with TOS  1.4.  Decompressed  program 
file length is over 135 Kb. Also, some specific changes requested 
by CRL have been performed.
 Its main statistics:  235 recognized bootsectors,  26 recognized 
bootsector viruses, 5 recognized linkviruses, 157 bootsectors can 
be repaired.

- Version 3.9GB (August 31st 1989)
 General code and statistics enhancements.  Decompressed  program 
length  almost  136  Kb -  42%  compressed  off.  An  unsuspected 
quantity of little bugs and inconveniences have disappeared.
 Its main statistics:  265 recognized bootsectors,  27 recognized 
bootsector viruses, 5 recognized linkviruses, 184 bootsectors can 
be repaired.

- Version 4.0GB (May 24th 1990) Never commercially available
 It  has taken a very long time for this version to be  finished, 
but each and every one of the almost 40 weeks involved have  been 
spent well!
 Let's get through the changes of this version:  Some last  small 
errors   are  dismissed,   DTA  address   determination   better, 
compatibility with FAT speeders and cache programs increased, STE 
(TOS  1.6) and TOS 1.4 compatibility assured,  program fully  re-
written  and  optimised  in  GfA  Basic  3.07  (including  cross-
referencing),  error  handling routine included,  program  checks 
itself  for link-virus infection on  startup,  disk  immunization 
method   enhanced,   system  status  check  now   also   includes 
recognition  of vector-bending programs (incl.  XBRA  structure), 
picture  on  disk  is  now  compressed  and  only  ONE  for  both 
resolutions,   new  AntiVirus  version  writable,   some  useless 
repairable  bootsectors  removed (including some by  other  virus 
killers), new bootsector virus type recognised, memory management 
redone  (AVK  now works on machines with a bit more than  200  Kb 
free  instead of the previous 400 Kb),  system status  now  gives 
proper  TOS  version number (as well as GEMDOS  version  number), 
manual  enhanced  and Appendix A fully rewritten (I  daresay  the 
clearest   and  most  comprehensive  virus  recognition-and   'NO 
PANIC!'-guide yet).
 Decompressed program size almost 170 Kb - packed almost 45% off.
 Its main statistics:  451 recognized bootsectors,  42 recognized 
bootsector viruses,  5 recognized linkviruses and 262 bootsectors 
can be repaired. The uncompressed program is over 160 Kb in size.
 PLEASE NOTE that there has been a 'version 4.0' of this  program 
which was still called "Virus Destruction Utility", and which was 
programmed  at the beginning of 1988 (TWO  years  before!).  This 
version is extremely OLD,  mindstaggeringly BAD, in ONE FILE, was 
PUBLIC DOMAIN (of some sort) and it is a blatant DEMO!

- Version 4.1GB (June 28th 1990) Never commercially available
 Manual and program somewhat improved; statistics increased. Bugs 
have  been  repaired (some stupid  typos,  actually,  and  a  bug 
involving  floppy media change,  causing read errors at the  link 
virus check for every second disk),  e.g.  the ones that caused a 
crash in System Status Check Screen when no valid application was 
found on Hdv_bpb or Hdv_rw vectors.  Better Rob Northen  Copylock 
Protection  bootsector  recognition.  Formatting  a  disk  before 
writing  an bootsector image file to disk is now  also  possible, 
and  the  'repair' list can now be gone through at steps  of  ten 
titles  as well.  Program now compressed with new packer (49%  of 
original size left!); data file also packed (47% of original size 
left!).
 Its main statistics: 533 recognized bootsectors (YEAH! More than 
500!),   42   recognized   bootsector   viruses,   5   recognized 
linkviruses,  27 recognized anti-viruses,  45 recognized  special 
applications  and 304 (YEAH!  More than 300!) bootsectors can  be 
repaired.
 PLEASE  NOTE that there has been a previous version  4.1,  which 
was a blatantly BAD,  very OLD demo in ONE part! Thrash it! Throw 
it away!  Do never use it again!  It was written somewhere around 
the summer of 1988.

- Version 4.2GB (January 8th 1991) Never commercially available
 Wrong  recognition  of  "Dragon's Lair"  and  "Dragon's  Breath" 
corrected,   as  well  as  that  of  the  "MAD"  Virus.  Further, 
partitions  up to 'Z' inclusive can now be checked - which  means 
Atari Metados compatibility.  General statistics  increase.  Text 
output  in the alert boxes has also been tidied up (actual  alert 
box routine made a bit better in an optical way,  too),  and  the 
alert  box  options  can now also be selected  using  the  cursor 
arrow keys.  Other nice thing:  The program is now TT  compatible 
and  detects  Bigscreens and the KAOSDESK  alternative  Operating 
System.  The  reset  resistant application check  of  the  system 
status  screen  is  now written in machine  code  and  thus  much 
faster  (no time to make coffee anymore when you happen  to  have 
more  than  1 Mb of memory).  Also,  the Rob  Northen  Copy  Lock 
recognition  is  improved and the VPF calculation  is  made  more 
accurate and faster.  Picture loading can be skipped by  pressing 
the  'Control'  key  during booting (until the  first  alert  box 
occurs).
 Its main statistics:  666 recognized bootsectors,  45 recognized 
bootsector viruses, 5 recognized linkviruses, 32 recognized anti-
viruses,  50 recognized special applications and 378  bootsectors 
can be repaired.

- Version 4.3GB-4.9GB were never produced.

- Version 5.0GB (May 7th 1991)
 Version number jump to mark a significant change: CRL went broke 
so copyright proprietor is now Douglas Communications in  England 
- who are, off the record, likely to make a much better job of it 
than CRL did! The name of the program has not been changed.
 Crash at bootup in case of non-presence of data file on disk now 
alleviated.  Program now only works in DEMO mode when running  on 
an  ST  emulator called "Medusa" on the Amiga.  One  of  the  new 
viruses to be included was previously recognised as Antivirus  #4 
- thus,  this antivirus' recognition had to be improved as  well. 
"Manual linkvirus search"-and "Save .IMG file"-fileselectors  now 
remember  the previously used paths.  Startup  picture  dismissed 
(thanks  for  allowing  this,  Niall!).  Unexecutable/busted  BPB 
bootsectors  better  recognised.  System Status Screen  now  also 
indicates  whether GDOS is installed or not.  In  the  bootsector 
'repair' list,  a standard immunized disk is now also  contained. 
When written, this will leave the current disk's BPB intact, thus 
allowing you to forcibly repair bootsectors you don't want (virus 
free-  and MS-DOS bootsectors for  example).  Better  compression 
routine  used  for  data  file  (Pack  Ice  2.20).  Main  program 
compressed  with  other  packer since Pack  Ice  couldn't  do  it 
successfully any more.  Many on-their-own bootsectors (bootsector 
demos  and stuff like that,  over 20 of them) have  been  removed 
from  'repair' and replaced by new game bootsectors  and  such. A 
date/time  will  be requested upon program start-up in  case  the 
date  is  not  valid.  Date and time  are  now  also  permanently 
displayed  in each alert box.  After the startup  'system  status 
screen',  the program refuses to run (and,  in fact,  resets  the 
system) when a virus is noticed in the system.
 Unfortunately,  due to increased program size,  the program will 
not be able to load in the data file on 512 Kb machines.  To  run 
100%  (including the data file),  the program needs about 470  Kb 
FREE memory (which is impossible on 512 Kb machines...)!
 Its  main statistics:  731 recognized bootsectors (some  of  the 
existing  ones  have been  improved),  47  recognized  bootsector 
viruses, 5 recognized linkviruses, 32 recognized anti-viruses, 58 
recognized  special  applications (some existing ones  have  also 
been improved) and 392 bootsectors can be repaired.

- Version 5.0NL (May 7th 1991)
 Identical  to  version 5.0GB apart from the name (which  now  is 
"ACN  Final  Virus  Killer")  and some  texts  (some  texts  were 
translated to Dutch).

- Version 5.1GB (Approximately June 1991)
 Or:  What to expect in future updates (not necessarily 5.1,  and 
maybe not at all).
 I am planning to rewrite the program's entire screen output code 
so  that it works flawlessly on all screens with a resolution  of 
640x200 or higher.  This means even better TT compatibility,  and 
also  means that 'bigscreens' are supported.  Also,  I intend  to 
enhance the 'repair' screen so that one can even quicker select a 
title (by pressing their first character, for example).
 Of  course,  the general statistics will be enhanced as much  as 
they can, and possible bugs will be discarded.

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ST Format · November, 1989Rating: 79%