THE "VKILLER.CPX" FILE ON THE DISK AN ATARI EXTENDED CONTROL PANEL MODULE WRITTEN BY TORBJ²RN OSE (LORD HACKBEAR OF DF) MANUAL Last change: October 2nd 1993 LIST OF CONTENTS DISCLAIMER NOTICE INTRODUCTION LOADING THE VKILLER.CPX MODULE WORKING WITH THE VKILLER.CPX MODULE THE PUTBOOT OPTION CREDITS HISTORY BUG REPORT The "Ultimate Virus Killer" .CPX module and manual are copyright (c) 1993 by Douglas Communications 0 DISCLAIMER NOTICE We make no warranties, either expressed or implied, with respect to this manual or with respect to the software described in this manual, its quality, performance, merchantability, or fitness for any particular purpose. The entire risk as to its quality and performance is with the buyer. Should the programme prove defective following its purchase, the buyer assumes the entire cost of all necessary servicing, repair, or correction and any incidental or consequential damages. In no event will we be liable for direct, indirect or consequential damages resulting from any defect in the software. 1 INTRODUCTION Some time ago now, Atari released their extended control panel accessory - "XCONTROL.ACC". It's one of those programmes that isn't actually Public Domain but that may be spread non-commercially anyway - hence the reason why you won't actually find it on this disk, because this is what Atari calls 'commercial distribution', which is not allowed. This extended control panel is MODULAR, which means that you can add bits (modules) to it, or remove them. Whereas the old control panel ("CONTROL.ACC") could change the colours and set the keyboard click rate and that sort of thing, the extended control panel can do nothing at all - at least not on its own. Separate modules, specially written programme files ending with the extension "CPX", can be loaded in order for various different things to be done. One can for example load a module that allows you to change the colours, or another module to change the keyboard click and repeat rate. Principally, however, the modular setup of the extended control panel is a lot more flexible than the old one. Provided that certain criteria of CPX programme structure are met, you can principally write ANY programme for it. You could do a game which would be loaded with the extended control panel on boot-up, for example, or just about anything else. "VKILLER.CPX", you probably guessed it by now, is a module written especially for the extended control panel. You can simply have the control panel load it, after which it's present in your computer at the click of a mouse button, just like any other accessory you might want! 2 LOADING THE VKILLER.CPX MODULE The basic functions of the Atari control panel will not be explained here. For our purposes, it suffices to tell that the control panel will load its modules from a specific search path (i.e. a specific directory, for example your root directory or a specific folder) whenever you boot your machine with the extended control panel enabled (the actual control panel will be loaded just like any other desk accessory, with which no doubt you're already familiar), it will load all correctly structured programme files that have the "CPX" extension. Do note: This only works with CORRECTLY STRUCTURED files. Simply renaming regular programmes ("PRG") or desk accessory files will not work! Basically, what you need to do is copy the extended control panel on the root directory of your boot drive (usually drive A when you have a floppy system, or drive C when you have an auto-booting hard disk). Copy the "VKILLER.CPX" file from the "Ultimate Virus Killer" disk there as well, boot your computer, and that's all there is to it. The "VKILLER.CPX" module can be actually activated by selecting the extended control panel from the accessory list (top lefthand pull-down menu in the desktop or any proper GEM programme) and then double-clicking on its entry (UVK CPX vx.x, "VIRUS KILLER"). Do note: You need the EXTENDED control panel for this to work! This control panel has been supplied with ST systems for the last two years or so, and may also be available from your local Public Domain library. Contact your dealer or Atari in case you have difficulty finding it. Note on memory: If you have only a limited amount of free memory, or if you have a machine with half a megabyte of memory, you might not find sufficient space to load the "Ultimate Virus Killer" programme once you have the extended control panel installed with its appropriate modules loaded. 3 WORKING WITH THE VKILLER.CPX MODULE Once you've activated the module by double-clicking on it (or by clicking on it once and then selecting "open" from the control panel menu), you'll have some of the basic first-aid functions of the "Ultimate Virus Killer" at hand, without you even having to load or having to have loaded the actual "Ultimate Virus Killer" programme. The module offers several buttons you can press with the mouse pointer. ARROW UP/DOWN: Allows you to look at the bootsector that was most recently read. If no bootsector was read yet, it will display a quick manual text and the author's regular-and Email address. PUTBOOT: When checking for bootsector viruses on floppy disks, you can write one of several selected special bootsectors on the disk - sortof an immunization. Refer to the next chapter for more details on these bootsectors. This option can only be selected if you have already read a bootsector by clicking on the "A" or "B" buttons. SAVEBOOT: If you have found a bootsector not known by the module, you can write it into a small file on disk with this option. This option can be compared with the "WRITE BOOTFILE" option from the "Ultimate Virus Killer". Do note: As the VKILLER.CPX module recognizes only preciously few harmless bootsectors in order to save as much memory space as possible, these "BIN" files should only be sent in for analysis when the "Ultimate Virus Killer does not recognize them either! In those cases, they should also be submitted to the "Ultimate Virus Killer" feedback address, mentioned in the FEEDBACK chapter of the main programme manual - NOT to the VKILLER.CFX module author! SYSCHECK: Displays some of the more interesting system variable contents, including possible XBRA identifiers. This option will probably be of little interest for most users. A: Loads and analyzes the bootsector from the floppy in drive A. If recognized, the name will be displayed in the status box, with a status (harmless / executable) below. "DskMsg" does not apply to the actual bootsector but instead refers to the floppy drive error status (i.e. is says "OK" when the bootsector was properly read or written). B: Loads and analyzes the bootsector from the floppy in drive B. If recognized, the name will be displayed in the status box, with a status (harmless / executable) below. "DskMsg" does not apply to the actual bootsector but instead refers to the floppy drive error status (i.e. is says "OK" when the bootsector was properly read or written). This button will be disabled if you don't actually have drive B installed. OK: Exits the module, back to the extended control panel main menu. Do note: The VKILLER.CPX module is not intended to replace the actual "Ultimate Virus Killer" programme. It offers only basic first-aid protection, by allowing you to recognize all current bootsector viruses. Most other, harmless bootsectors - with the exception of the "Ultimate Virus Killer" immunization method and the bootsectors it can write with the "PUTBOOT" option - are NOT recognized! In each of the latter cases, you are advised to check out that particular disk with the actual "Ultimate Virus Killer" programme. Note to avoid confusion: There is another, Public Domain, virus killer called "VKILLER". It's written by George Woodside from the United States. Despite the similar name of the module, they have nothing to do with each other and George Woodside didn't program the CPX module as such. 4 THE PUTBOOT OPTION When selecting the "PUTBOOT" option, an additional menu will pop open that allows you to select one of several bootsectors. These bootsectors can then be written to the floppy disk that is currently being checked. MAKEEXEC: This makes the disk executable, as opposed to the option "NOEXEC", below. With regular disks, making the bootsector executable may result in a crash when booting with that disk in the drive. NOEXEC: This simply makes the disk non-excutable. Whatever's on the disk will not actually be destroyed but it will no longer be executed upon booting with the disk in the drive. Don't do this with games or any other disks that have valid bootsector programmes - use the "Ultimate Virus Killer" to do an in-depth check first! MEDWAY 4: Writes the Medway Boys Virus Protector Boot IV. Upon booting a disk with a bootsector containing this programme, your computer will be checked for some (*!* NOT ALL *!*) viruses and a brief warning will be given if something suspicious is found. This is no anti-virus insofar that it does NOT copy itself to other disks of its own accord. POMPEY 2: This is a bit like the "MEDWAY 4", mentioned above - the difference being that it only checks whether or not reset-resistant programmes are resident in your computer's memory upon booting. This is no anti-virus either, insofar that it does NOT copy itself to other disks of its own accord. IMMUNE: This immunizes the current disk according to the latest "Ultimate Virus Killer" immunization method. CLEAN ST: This zeroes the bootsector with the exception of the Bios Parameter Block (for explanation of what that is, check out the actual main programme manual). A possible programme in the bootsector will be lost, whether it's a virus or not. CLEAN PC: This is almost identical to the "CLEAN ST" option, above, but has the advantage of creating a disk that can be read using a PC. Regular ST disks can't always be read by a PC (IBM compatible thingy). 5 CREDITS Manual: Richard Karsmakers Research: Richard Karsmakers and Torbj³rn Ose All programming, design, and the rest: Torbj³rn Ose 6 HISTORY - Version 1.0 (December 16th 1992) The first version, which is probably not going to change much, except for addition of new viruses and possible cosmetic changes or additional Falcon compatibility (IF it's not compatible, which it may already be). First released with "Ultimate Virus Killer" version 5.7. - Version 1.1 (March 11th 1993) New viruses were added in its recognition, the 'Drive B' button is disabled if it is not present, text positions are reset to zero for all changes in the text area. First released with "Ultimate Virus Killer" version 5.8. - Version 1.2 (May 18th 1993) Support for versions in several languages included - Dutch and English versions now exist. Function keys F1-F7 now supported, and resident scan not accessible when "MiNT" cookie is found so as to prevent memory protection errors. First released with "Ultimate Virus Killer" version 5.9. - Version 1.3 (August 15th 1993) New viruses have been added to fit with version 6.0 of the "Ultimate Virus Killer". 'Saveboot' extension now ".IMG". First released with "Ultimate Virus Killer" version 6.0. 7 BUG REPORT Of course we wouldn't be offering you a programme that's buggy. We know of no bugs in the VKILLER.CPX module. However, when using "MultiTOS" the system check will not work, for "MultiTOS" does not allow you to access memory that was set up by another application in protected mode. So far we know not of a way around it. Should you find any bugs (whether cosmetic or not), please report them by sending your bug report to the following address: Torbj³rn Ose Haueteigen 1 N-6150 ²rsta Norway For those of you lucky enough to have access to Email facilities, this is his Email address: tose@dhmolde.no Never forget to include sufficient reply stamps (Norwegian!) or International Reply Coupons if you expect an answer or if you want your disks to be returned; email correspondence, of course, does not require this. !! FOR ALL OTHER "ULTIMATE VIRUS KILLER" CORRESPONDENCE, PLEASE REFER TO THE FEEDBACK CHAPTER IN THE MAIN PROGRAMME MANUAL !!