I have a friend who's laptop got pretty infected last week. I told him to just wipe out his hard drive and re-install windows because he already had a good backup. Now he's afraid to connect his USB drive to his laptop again for fear of re-infection from it
I'm sure as hell not connecting it to my windows partition hahahaha, can I safely scan it with an on demand program? I don't really want a whole antivirus program running, and so far I haven't seen anything like malwarebytes for linux. He's pretty paranoid and I just want to help out a friend
Any suggestions on a program that will do this for me? Thanks guys
Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Are wanting to scan his Windows install for viruses without connecting to your system as a onetime event, or are you wanting to install an antivirus on his system?
If it is the former, System RescueCD can do this from a live environment as long as he has an internet connection to get definition updates.
See here for instructions http://www.sysresccd.org/Sysresccd-manu ... _AntiVirus You can follow their menus for a download link.
EDIT: If you are speaking of a virus scanner installed on his Windows System, you could install ClamWin. This only scans when you point it at a file/directory and institute the scan. It does not by default scan incoming email, websites, downloads, etc. THEREFORE, not recommended for the average incautious surfer/downloader.
No no no >_<
I just want a program for linux mint, that will allow me to scan files for windows viruses.
So he can plug his usb drive into my linux computer and I can scan it to calm down his paranoia.
He's fixed his windows virus problem, but he doesn't want the re-connect his usb drive because he thinks it might re-infect him.
Sometimes you'd be a better friend by encouraging him to abandon Windows altogether. Plenty of us support friends and families PCs, as often we're the known "computer guy / gal". Increasingly more of us are refusing to deal with Windows, or doing it at a price, with the Linux option coming free, on the basis that "Windows is like a sieve, I clean it now, it'll be infected again within a couple of weeks, and I'll be forced to waste my time doing exactly what I'm about to do now".
I've now taken the stance that if people believe in Windows superiority even after I've tried to explain, then they can believe in the regular infections, and the regular repair bills by repair shops. They can also believe in the need that their 2yr old PC is passed it, and believe in the money they feel they have to spend to buy a new PC to replace a perfectly good one. The new PC will of course be just as secure as the one they're replacing.
Continuing to support Windows when you don't have to (ie your job) is like standing over someone who's drowning to offer them inflatable rings made of sponge, they will address the immediate "I'm drowning" problem, but will melt away before too long resulting in the stasis being resumed aka "I'm drowning again". I'd rather help them on board a boat, give them a boat of their own and teach them how to sail. It's the only sensible long term solution.
The initial rejection may hurt them, but the alternate will be of much more benefit; or at least it won't be your problem.
Flaming-Pencil wrote:
I just want a program for linux mint, that will allow me to scan files for windows viruses.
So he can plug his usb drive into my linux computer and I can scan it to calm down his paranoia.
He's fixed his windows virus problem, but he doesn't want the re-connect his usb drive because he thinks it might re-infect him.
Tell him he should download and install Microsoft Security Essentials and then connect the drive and do a scan.
If there are any virus on the drive they cannot do any harm if he scans and takes proper action on any found after connecting the drive. A virus has to be executed before doing harm..
