"ULTIMATE VIRUS KILLER" HISTORY AND VERSION NOTES - Version notes prior to version 5.1 have been deleted from this file. - Version 5.1GB (June 27th 1991) Name changed from "Atari ST Virus Killer" to "Ultimate Virus Killer" for marketing reasons. * The fill factor routine has been fully reprogrammed and now actually indicates something proper. * Extra parameters have been included in the internal program code so that you can now also get rid of MS-DOS/virus free/boot demo/etc. disks. * Fifth Rob Northen Copylock bootsector protection analyser included. * The repair option screen has been entirely replaced by a better version (written by Stefan Posthuma). * TOS version is status display is now in the new, correct Atari format (e.g. 1.04 instead of 1.4). * Non-executable bootsector virus offset included for MEGA STE TOS and TT TOS. * Virus names have been revised. * New Pack Ice routines used on data-and program-file. * Permanent help mode can be toggled on/off by pressing the HELP key to exit a help screen. * Drive B is no longer selectable if not present. * Alert box optics enhanced by means of a reversable line. Its main statistics: 829 recognized bootsectors (some of the existing ones have been improved), 52 recognized bootsector viruses, 5 recognized link viruses, 32 recognized anti-viruses, 74 recognized special applications (some existing ones have also been improved) and 430 bootsectors can be restored. - Version 5.1NL (June 27th 1991) Identical to version 5.1GB apart from the name (which now is "ACN Final Virus Killer") and some texts (which were translated into Dutch). - Version 5.0D GB (July 1st 1991) Principally identical to version 5.1GB, but lots of less useful routines were discarded for it to take up less space on the disk for which it was intended: The "ST Format" September 1991 issue cover disk. A pure demo, which is very much limited when compared with the what what the real version can do. Also, this demo version is Public Domain - i.e. you're allowed to spread it as much as possible, and include it on Bulletin Boards and PD Libraries. The version number was decreased for marketing reasons. - Version 5.0D NL (July 1st 1991) Identical to version 5.0 D GB apart from the name (which now is "ACN Final Virus Killer") and some texts (which were translated into Dutch). The version number was decreased for marketing reasons. - Version 5.2GB (August 18th 1991) This version was originally planned for an October release, but due to the expected sales boom in the middle of August (due to the "ST Format" Cover Disk project) it turned out to be handier to have an earlier release. And it's quite a major improvement on the previous one if I may say so. * Due to space problems, the manual has been compressed, for which a separate decompressor is also supplied (this is called "MANUAL.PRG", which decompresses the file "MANUAL.DAT" into another disk file called "MANUAL.TXT"). * Also, a separate program that allows for half meg users to repair bootsectors (doing this from the main program would need 1 meg at the least) has been included. It is called "REPAIR.PRG" (go ahead, praise me on my originality). This was already mentioned in the 5.1 manual, but now it's also actually present. The "UVK" program needs about 545 Kb to run with the data file included - the "REPAIR.PRG" program needs 320 Kb. * Crash when UVK.PAK file not found has been eliminated. * The "Populous Extra Data disk" has been taken out, as this turned out to be a small and harmless part of a Ghost virus (only the first bit, so it could not copy - but booting with the disk may cause a crash), resulting in all new mutant Ghost viruses to be wrongly recognised as a Populous Extra Data disk. This is now totally corrected. The Populous Extra Data disk (as supplied with an issue of "The One" magazine) actually does NOT have an executable bootsector at all. * Many of the internal variables have been optimised and most user input is now done with a neat routine. * Pressing CONTROL while loading causes the UVK.PAK file not to be loaded. * All code transferred to "GfA Basic" 3.6TT. * When a suspected bootsector is found, one can now also have a look at its contents by means of an extra option in the warning alert box, "Look at it". * The bug in the slider of the 'repair' selector (you could not drag it all the way down) is also corrected. * In case you have an Overscan screen, Bigscreen or TT, you might want to test the fact that the program should now support ANY resolution that has at least 640 pixels horizontally. Previously, TT users would have to use ST medium or high resolutions, but they should now be able to use 640*200, 640*400, 640*480 and even 1280*960! Any other big screen resolution should also be catered for, so all screen output should be perfect there. I have not tested it on ANY of these machines, though, so please write if errors occur (there's bound to be a lot). I can take no responsibility for people who bought this version of the virus killer only because they thought it worked on higher resolutions! It should work, but just as well may not as I have NOT tested anything! If you are a reviewer, please refrain from mentioning this higher resolution compatibility (yet)! Its main statistics: 899 recognized bootsectors, 56 recognized bootsector viruses, 5 recognized link viruses, 32 recognized anti-viruses, 75 recognized special applications and 462 bootsectors can be restored. - Version 5.2BRD (August 18th 1991) Identical to version 5.2GB apart from some very minor things. This version, however, is marketed in Germany by IPV GmbH. It comes supplied with a printed German manual. - Version 5.3GB (November 17th 1991) There will still some bugs present in version 5.2, even though I originally believed the program would be about full-proof by know. Hardly so, not even after a total of four years of constant development! * So all bugs that were discovered (thanks to many people, especially Douglas Comms customers!) have been removed. * Screen layout on big screens has been improved, and TT compatibility should now be as good as it can possibly get. * Some suggestions have been built in: Automatic bootvirus check when scanning a whole floppy for link viruses, for example. * Better recognition of damaged Bios Parameter Blocks is now assured as well. This version came out about a month too early due to December being an awfully busy month with regard to University and stuff. Hope you don't mind. Its main statistics: 917 recognized bootsectors, 57 recognized bootsector viruses, 5 recognized link viruses, 32 recognized anti-viruses and 75 recognized special applications. Up to 466 bootsectors can be restored. - Version 5.3NL (November 17th 1991) Identical to version 5.3GB apart from the name (which now is "ACN Final Virus Killer") and some texts (which were translated into Dutch). Launched first at the HCC Days in Utrecht, The Netherlands. - Version 5.4GB (March 29th 1992) As the previous version was finished ahead of schedule, longer time was available for this version. I'd like to believe it shows. * Some last little bugs (mostly cosmetic ones with screen redraw and alert box handling) were corrected. * The bootsector scan code was optimised to gain yet another speed percentage. * A possible 85% speed gain in the link virus partition scan department through the possibility of selecting 'scan executable files only' (as link virus practically never spread to non-executable files). * 'Now checking for bootsector viruses' message included during bootsector scan that's automatically performed before scanning a floppy disk for link viruses. * 'Repair BPB' routine now supports High Density (HD) and Extra High Density (ED) disks. * Inverted values in system status screen are more extensively checked - "ALERT!!" will appear if a significant chance at virus infection exists whereas all other (most probably harmless) cases will remain like they were before (i.e. just inverted). * All text put together in clusters so as to enable instant and quick translation of the program into any language (contact the feedback address for translation requests). * On the system status screen, suspicious system variables can be checked deeper (the values of which should then be written down and sent to us instead of the actual AUTO folder programs and accessories that bend them - please mention which program did it). This can be done by clicking the mouse pointer on the system variable name or the address behind it. * Link viruses 'entire partition' check may now be interrupted with UNDO and ESCAPE instead of only ESCAPE. * Program now fully ST Book (ST in notebook form) compatible with full recognition of the ST Book's internal ROM-disk software. * C'T Virus recognition improved. Its main statistics: 1045 recognized bootsectors, 62 recognized bootsector viruses, 5 recognized link viruses, 32 recognized anti-viruses and 81 recognized special applications. Up to 506 bootsectors can be restored. On March 16th, two somewhat different cut-down demo versions of this were made: 5.4GB D STA for "ST Applications" and 5.4GB D STU for "Atari ST User". - Version 5.4NL (March 29th 1992) Identical to version 5.4GB, with the exception of the name ("ACN Final Virus Killer") and all text output, which is now in Dutch. - Version 5.4BRD (March 29th 1992) Identical to version 5.4GB, with the exception of all text output, which is now in German (translations by Egbert Meier of IPV GmbH). - Version 5.5GB (July 4th 1992) The manual was fully rewritten. Lots of inconsequential stuff taken out, revised spelling, new layout, more clear and detailed descriptions of everything (including the antiviruses higher than 9 which I had previously forgot to include). * It can now be used as .TTP file or run with parameters from a command line interpreter (refer to the "WORKING WITH THE ULTIMATE VIRUS KILLER" chapter for details). * Crash while repairing 'general' bootsectors absolved. * Repair screen can now also jump to titles starting with "1" through "9". * Status screen details can now be dumped on screen (by RIGHT mouse button) and on printer (by keeping CONTROL pressed); additional pressing of ALTERNATE will send form feed to printer afterwards. * In any extended alert box, pressing the RIGHT mouse button will activate a pull-down menu for access to desk accessories. This menu is left again by pressing the same RIGHT mouse button. * An ENORMOUS lot of bootsectors have been added, thanks to Mike Mee (cheers man!) * The system status screen now checks XBRA chains as far as possible; keeping CONTROL pressed during analysis will display the XBRA identifier instead of the application number. * Better packer (Altair's "Atom Packer") used on most files and manual (manual decompression programme updated accordingly). Its main statistics: 1205 recognized bootsectors, 66 recognized bootsector viruses, 5 recognized link viruses, 36 recognized anti-viruses and 89 recognized special applications. Up to 604 bootsectors can be restored. - Version 5.5NL (July 4th 1992) Identical to version 5.5GB, with the exception of the name ("ACN Final Virus Killer") and all text output, which is in Dutch. - Version 5.5BRD (July 4th 1992) Identical to version 5.5GB, with the exception of all text output, which is in German. - Version 5.6D BRD (August 19th 1992) This version was specially made for IPV GmbH. It's a German demo version made for the Dsseldorf Atari Messe. It was a cut-down version of version 5.6BRD as it was at that moment. Not to be confused with the REAL version 5.6BRD (see below). - Version 5.6GB (September 29th 1992) The file structure on disk has changed, mainly due to the fact that the "Ultimate Virus Killer" disk is now double-sided, allowing twice as much space. Manual is no longer compressed, and the appendices have been put into separate files: "HISTORY" for the version notes, "APPLICAT" for the resident applications that are recognised, "VIRUSES" for the complete list of all viruses and anti-viruses, and "REPAIR" for the list of bootsectors contained in the internal library that can be repaired. * The link virus scan now also recognizes compressed files if you want to, and can warn when these are found. An option has been added to the Command Line Syntax to allow this to be used from that as well: Parallel to the "-", a "+" may be used to switch on packer information. Do note that, with the packer information switched on, the link virus scan becomes a LOT slower! The extended packer information is always switched on when checking link- viruses manually! * An alert box after disk write accesses has been included, suggesting you to write-protect the disk to minimize the chances of virus infection. * Internal program structure has been optimized so that I can now compile it within about 1 minute - that's 75% faster! * Due to the fact that, on some machines out there, the system status screen tends to crash (totally disabling the use of the "Ultimate Virus Killer"), the initial appearance of this screen can be suppressed by keeping the RIGHT SHIFT key pressed during booting until the first regular alert box appears. * Internal recognition struction optimized (idea by Kai Holst!). * The system status screen now displays XBRA codes by default, if any are found. Pressing CONTROL will only display the usual numbers. * The program no longer hogs all memory (i.e. it does not take up ALL available memory). * Executable MS-DOS disks are now analysed, disabling virus programmers from evading the Virus Probability Factor algorithm by merely giving their virus code certain MS-DOS bootcode characteristics. Normal MS-DOS-compatible disks, such as can be formatted when you have TOS 1.04 or higher, should NOT be executable! * Crash with TOS 1.04 TOS Fixers is corrected (these programs locate themselves in privileged memory; the virus killer tried to access that, which caused bombs). Its main statistics: 1227 recognized bootsectors, 67 recognized bootsector viruses, 5 recognized link viruses, 37 recognized anti-viruses, 94 recognized resident applications and 31 recognized packer formats. Up to 612 bootsectors can be restored. PLEASE NOTE: The programs on the "Ultimate Virus Killer" disk are also compressed - so when extended packer info is switched on during link virus scan, these files will trigger 'packer used' warnings as well. Needless to say, there is no need for alarm whatsoever in the cases of these "Ultimate Virus Killer" files when you have legally obtained them, as they have been checked for link virus infection before having been packed. - Version 5.6USA (September 29th 1992) Identical to version 5.6GB, with the exception of the main menu address, the date entry format and selected text changes. Made for distribution by Oregon Research Associates. - Version 5.6NL (September 29th 1992) Identical to version 5.6GB, with the exception of the name ("ACN Final Virus Killer") and all text output, which is in Dutch. - Version 5.6BRD (September 29th 1992) Identical to version 5.6GB, with the exception of all text output, which is in German. - Version 5.7GB (January 7th 1993) Some files were added to the disk: * "VKILLER.CPX" is a module for the Atari Control Panel eXtended. Please refer to the separate "CPX.TXT" file for full explanation and all details with regard to this exciting new addition to all English versions of the "Ultimate Virus Killer" package - at no extra cost! All those German reviewers kept on complaining about the fact that the program didn't work as an accessory. Well, so now finally it's here. Well, sortof. The Atari Extended Control Panel is a new version of the old Control Panel accessory. * "YEAH.NIC" is a file containing an icon compatible with Gribnif's "NeoDesk" version 3.x that you can use to designate the "Ultimate Virus Killer" program file with. And finally, ladies and gentlemen, these are the enhancements: * Instead of just allowing you to check entire partitions or single files for link viruses, you can now also opt for an in-between thing that allows a separate folder to be tree-scanned (i.e. with all folders in it). Just select "file or folder" instead of "entire partition" and select the folder you desire to be scanned without actually clicking on a file. Press "OK" in the item selector to start checking, "Cancel" to abort. * Bootsector virus scan speed optimized by 85%, resulting in it being 6.5 times faster, so that the diagnostic routines as such now take up an average of as little as about 0.27 seconds per bootsector (this used to be 1.77 seconds). * On top of that, the recognition data line format is now up to 20% more compact. * Virus Probability Factor calculation is now a whoppin' 17 times faster (!). * Program works on half megabyte machines again (version 5.6, due to a painfully obvious memory RESERVE error, only worked on 1 megabyte or more). * Bug with perpetual loop if 'suspect executable MS-DOS disk found' alleviated. * Zorro Virus recognition improved to include all possible different versions of it (theoretically there can be thousands of different varieties!). * Many internal routines ruthlessly optimized, resulting in about 10% less program size (bringing it back to the approximate size of the version 5.4 program). * Linkvirus check with warnings (the ones that detect compressed programs) now up to 42% faster. * DESKTOP.INF file on disk now switches blitter on (if present, that is). * The repair bootsector selector now has different and more flexible keyboard input - it will scan for the first title matching all the characters you type in sequence, only going back to the usual mode when a nonvalid character is found. If you type "STAND" it will go to the entries starting with "STAND". If you type "STANZ" it will find entries starting with "S", then "ST, then "STA", then "STAN" and then "Z" (as there is no title starting with "STANZ", it will then assume the old search mode and display the first item starting with the first non-valid character - in this case a "Z"). Pressing "Backspace" will cause the buffer to be emptied, so "Backspace"+"G", for example, will at any time jump to the first title starting with a "G" as was the case with previous versions. Note that this has NOT been implemented in the REPAIR.PRG selector in order to preserve memory space. * The system status screen remembers its result values - second and further activations of this screen will be lightning fast. * A large amount of resident applications have been added in the system status screen recognition - and others have been made better. Thanks to Kai Holst there. * This "HISTORY.TXT" file's layout has been enhanced - requested by Kai Holst, the person whose name is mentioned more than mine in this file! * The keys you can press in the system status screen have been changed (again), for the last time. Keeping CONTROL pressed speeds up the output. Keeping ALTERNATE pressed shows only the application ID numbers instead of XBRA codes when found. * System Status Screen speed (with CONTROL pressed) 3 times faster. * The manual was updated - especially the trouble shooting chart and the chapters "SYSTEM STATUS SCREEN" and "WORKING WITH THE UVK". * Check out the end of this file. All speed increases calculated above were performed on a bog-standard ST running at the usual 8 Mhz. Lots of thanks need to go to Stefan Posthuma (mentioned earlier already) and Kai Holst (programmer of the "Antidote" virus killer) who both helped me considerably with ideas for speed increase and further program optimization. Its main statistics: 1326 recognized bootsectors, 68 recognized bootsector viruses, 5 recognized link viruses, 38 recognized anti-viruses, 119 recognized resident applications and 33 recognized packer formats. Up to 653 bootsectors can be restored. - Version 5.7D GB Various demo versions have been released as of November 5th 1992, as internal program re-structuring basically allows <100 Kb demo versions to be made within a matter of minutes. A brief date history follows below. November 5th 1992: Merlin PD Library. November 25th 1992: ST Review Coverdisk Demo. - Version 5.7USA (January 7th 1993) Identical to version 5.7GB, with the exception of the main menu address, the date entry format and selected text changes. Made for distribution by Oregon Research Associates. - Version 5.7NL (January 7th 1993) Identical to version 5.7GB, with the exception of the name ("ACN Final Virus Killer") and all text output, which is in Dutch. - Version 5.7BRD (January 7th 1993) Identical to version 5.7GB, with the exception of all text output, which is in German. - Version 5.8GB (March 28th 1993) I had never guessed there were things left to be done. As I had a period of heavy University exams prior to the program's release, however, I got sudden amounts of unexpected coding inspiration (this happens often before exams, at least with me). Hence the following additions and bug eliminations. * There were one or two bugs in the previous version. The RIGHT shift key didn't actually skip the system status screen but the LEFT one did. Now this is truly the RIGHT one. The DAY belonging to the current date was wrong. Now it's OK again. * Linkvirus scan is even faster. In version 5.7 there was a small 'bug' in the routine that didn't succeed in speeding up things much. Compared to version 5.6, link virus scan is now over 3 times faster (as opposed to the previous version only being almost 2 times faster). * The program is now finally Falcon compatible. Memory Configuration specification in the system status screen only works on ST, however, as TT and Falcon configurations seem never to have been documented by Atari. Information would be welcome! * Disks that get the '99% safe' message can now also be 'looked at'. If they're almost completely filled with zeroes or another value they need not be sent in for analysis - they're 100% safe then. * Form feed added after bootsector file output to printer. * When the "Ultimate Virus Killer" is used from hard disk, it will keep track of its activities (like total number of sessions, total number of disks checked and viruses killed, that sort of thing). It will store these values in a file called "UKV.HST". The new program file on the disk, "HISTORY.PRG", displays this history file's contents. Make sure the "HISTORY.PRG" file is in the same directory as the "Ultimate Virus Killer" and the "UVK.HST" file! Your display needs to have 80 columns for this program to display things properly. More columns will work too. !! WHENEVER YOU SEND IN (A) DISK(S), PLEASE ADD A COPY OF YOUR "UVK.HST" FILE, CHEERS !! * An optional file has been added, "UVK.CNF". This file may be used to determine which file extensions executable files are allowed to have, which the "Ultimate Virus Killer" needs to know when checking an entire partition (or an entire folder) for link viruses. Please refer to the appropriate part of the manual for further explanation. * Data line format optimized even further! * The Atari Extended Control Panel modules (.CPX files) are executable files that have another structure than other, ordinary program files. Basically they are like regular program files with the different that they have a 512 byte header. When files with a .CPX or .CPZ (disabled .CPX) extension are checked, this header is automatically skipped so that analysis proceeds as usual. The Atari Extended Control Panel is a new version of the old Control Panel accessory. * The program file can be renamed to "UVK_5_8.ACC" in order to be used as an accessory. Some differences: You will have no possibility to vieuw the system status screen and the options with the configuration-and history- files (explained above) are skipped. The options 'look at it' (to look at a bootsector) and 'help' can be selected but have no effect. Make sure the "UVK.PAK" file and the "UVK_5_8.ACC" file are both in the root directory of your boot drive. The boot drive will usually be "C" if you have a hard disk, or "A" if you have none. With bootsector data file loaded, the accessory will take up a bit more than 700 Kb of memory, so it won't work on half meg machines and will barely be useful even on 1 meg. With the bootsector data file not present in the same directory as the accessory, memory consumption will be slightly less than 400 Kb. * The "WACOM" graphics pad is supported now. All mouse input will be replaced by the graphics pad import provided that the "TABLETT.PRG" driver program is found in the same directory as the "Ultimate Virus Killer" program. Do note that the regular mouse is not reacted to then! * Due to something or other, the "Signum D" virus was wrongly recognized. This is now fixed. * Version 1.1 of the "Ultimate Virus Killer" CPX module replaced the old version 1.0. Please refer to the CPX manual for details on the changes. * The English versions now also contain a special half-megabyte version of the virus killer. Its main statistics: 1359 recognized bootsectors, 72 recognized bootsector viruses, 5 recognized link viruses, 38 recognized anti-viruses, 126 recognized resident applications and 34 recognized packer formats. Up to 658 bootsectors can be restored. - Version 5.8D GB Demo version creation is still a doddle. Date history follows below. February 26th 1993. - Version 5.8USA (March 28th 1993) Identical to version 5.8GB, with the exception of the main menu address, the date entry format and selected text changes. Made for distribution by Oregon Research Associates. - Version 5.8NL (March 28th 1993) Identical to version 5.8GB, with the exception of the name ("ACN Final Virus Killer") and all text output, which is in Dutch. - Version 5.8BRD (March 28th 1993) Identical to version 5.8GB, with the exception of all text output, which is in German. - Version 5.9GB (June 6th 1993) In the previous version there were many things left to be done. Well, it turned out that I had done some things rather improperly. So this version, apart from some new things and improved statistics, basically turned out to be a bug fix. This is also the reason (apart from the sheer pending presence of the summer season) for the earlier release date. * Program can now REALLY be used as an accessory. It worked fine on my system previously, for some reason or other, but usually caused weird messages and sometimes bombed with other people. Accessory operation has a small disadvantage I would like to point out to you: The internal GEM 'out of memory' error (which is a bug inside GEM) normally causes the program to crash and exit, but in accessory mode this locks up the entire system. Only a cold reset will help you then. Depending on the size of your machine's disk cache this will happen when lots of files are being checked for link viruses. * If you had to enter the date and time on medium resolution, the text size was too big which looked sloppy and could hardly be read. This has been fixed. * There was a rather very serious bug (causing bomb crashing) when encountering specific MS-DOS compatible disks that did NOT have a virus on them. The ironic thing was that you could be sure not to have a virus on a disk of which the bootsector caused a crash! Anyway, this bug, which got 'built in' along with the advanced "Beilstein" virus recognition, is fixed now. * A rather rare and subtlely different version of the "Uluru" link virus was discovered. This is now also recognized. Credit for this goes to my dear colleague Chris Brookes. This virus is merely regarded as a different version of the same virus because either version seems to be able to generate the other. * The half megabyte version is now even smaller, with all repair selector routines removed (these were in the separate REPAIR.PRG program for these users anyway). * While formatting a disk, "formatting..." appears on the screen. * The "REPAIR.PRG" program for owners of machines with half a megabyte of memory now no longer supports keyboard control in the alert boxes. The routines had to be removed in order for the ever increasing bootsector data file to fit in half a megabyte. Its main statistics: 1390 recognized bootsectors, 72 recognized bootsector viruses, 5 recognized link viruses, 38 recognized anti-viruses, 130 recognized resident applications and 36 recognized packer formats. A total of 669 different bootsectors can be restored. - Version 5.9USA (June 6th 1993) Identical to version 5.9GB, with the exception of the main menu address, the date entry format and selected text changes. Made for distribution by Oregon Research Associates. - Version 5.9NL (June 6th 1993) Identical to version 5.9GB, with the exception of the name ("ACN Final Virus Killer") and all text output, which is in Dutch. - Version 5.9BRD (June 6th 1993) Identical to version 5.9GB, with the exception of all text output, which is in German. - Version 6.0GB (October 3rd 1993) Finally I have spent a lot of time on the program so now it is entirely compatible with GEM. It should work in any resolution as long as it has at least 640 by 200 pixels, with any Operating System (including "MultiTOS"), on any machine, now and in the future. I don't think the program has ever been through so many enhancements and changes from one version to another. Finally, the "Ultimate Virus Killer" is ready for a new era of computing. * All non-GEM routines have been replaced by GEM routines, based on Gregor Duchalski's "Flydials" library (which is a collection of shareware source code routines that I'd advise every serious "GfA Basic" programmer to use). The address to obtain these routines at (they have a shareware registration fee of DM 30,-) is Baueracker 15a, W-44627 Herne, Germany. * The manual has been revamped, mainly adapted to the new GEM things and rephrasing of stuff like "Search'n'Destroy" to "Seek'n'Destroy" and "Repair disks" to "Restore disks". There are many more little changes though, and as a whole it should be easier to understand now. * There was a bug in the BPB repair routine, causing a damaged BPB to be written even after it having been repaired. Now gone. Thanks to Kai "Antidote" Holst for finding this one. * Extended file selector calls are used now when a TOS version of 1.04 or higher is found. * Due to the ultra-comfortable [HELP] key support in the new GEM environment, the so-called permanent help mode has been discontinued. * A new help screen has been added for the system status screen. * The meaning of the [CONTROL] key during system status screen analysis has changed again (and for the absolutely final time): Pressing it will now slow down analysis, and default display speed will be fast. * Thanks to an optimization of the internal algorithms, the extensive system status screen analysis speed has now been increased by 61%, of which 10% are thanks to Martijn Wiedijk. * Function-and cursor-key support exchanged for [ALTERNATE] key shortcuts. * AES (Application Environment Services) version number now also displayed in extensive system check screen. * Link virus scan now up to 74% faster. Thanks to my good friend Kai for the golden tip that took off 55%: Never use any "GfA Basic" commands such as SEEK, OPEN, CLOSE and BGET, but instead use the direct GEMDOS equivalents. One also has to use the DTA buffer instead of LOF(#x). The other 19% were caused by some optimizing of my own. * Bootsector virus scan is now a massive 63% faster. Of these, 15% are due to another tip by Kai: Never use single-character RIGHT$ and LEFT$ but instead use BYTE{} (beware for zero length strings though!). Another 7% are due to the fact that the program no longer uses byte-length compares. The remaining 41% are the result of two rainy days filled with heavy coding and my converting the recognition data line format. The dataline format got 10% smaller, the actual bootsector scan suddenly almost ridiculously fast. For the technically minded among you: All regular string expressions are now stored as CVI and CVL strings of the same (this gave some problems with values of 0, 4, 10, 13 and 34, but I worked a way around not being allowed to use them). It is interesting to note that during one year of development (from version 5.6 to 6.0) the bootsector virus scan speed has decreased from an average of 1.77 to 0.12 seconds of analysis needed per sector, which is a speed increase of over 90%! * The command line syntax didn't support the separate link virus folder scan apart from the single file or whole partition scan. Now it does. * Additionally, you can now also just feed a regular program name (including proper path and such) to the program. If the entire command line as such is found as a file somewhere, all other routines will be bypassed and the program will check that particular file for link viruses. No additional parameters can be passed on. By default the program will wait for a key once finished and will also check for packed file information. This works especially excellently if you have extended desktops such as "NeoDesk". You can then even drag the icon/filename of the file to be checked on the "Ultimate Virus Killer" program icon if you want to. * In certain circumstances the accessory version could crash due to a bug in the internal "GfA Basic" MENU_REGISTER command. This has now been replaced by an own menu register routine. * Although the internal bootsector restore data file depacker routine is still the same (Altair's "Atom" packer version 3.5), the actual program file is now no longer compressed. This uses up some more disk space, of course, but increases compatibility with various configurations, Operating Systems and accessory operation. Please refer to the separate "PACKERS.TXT" file for details of possible packers you can use yourself. * The "Chameleon" accessory is now supported, finally. This is an accessory that can load and unload other accessories - such as the "Ultimate Virus Killer" when it is used as such. "Chameleon" allows for accessories to be loaded from other directories rather than the root directory of your boot drive, which causes problems with most accessories that have to load supplemental files such as a resource file. The "Ultimate Virus Killer", when started as an accessory, will scan all current directories of all valid partitions until it finds the "Ultimate Virus Killer" resource file. Do note that these are all root directories, too, unless you have opened a window to another directory previously! As a rule you should use the GEM desktop to open the window in which all the "Ultimate Virus Killer" files are and after that use "Chameleon" to load the accessory. * In the system status check, both ST and TT RAM types are now supported and recognized, as well as previously wrongly recognized regular ST-type memory configurations (yes, Frank, this is for you!). What can I say? Amazingly, there isn't a *single* book that documents this stuff correctly. Here, thanks go to H.W.A.M. de Beer, author of the most excellent Public Domain "SysInfo" program - he supplied the information and source code necessary for the proper implementation of all this. When running the "Ultimate Virus Killer" with "MultiTOS", due to memory protection stuff the memory amount found may not be correct as Mr. de Beer's routine can then not be used. * The birthday date format has been optimized. Also, 100% of all possible dates have one or several birthdays now. The birthday lister, by the way, will be disabled if you haven't got enough free memory (i.e. on 512 Kb machines). * The "DATA.PAK" datafile is no longer totally decompressed upon loading. Only when a specific bootsector is restored, the appropriate (tiny) part of the data file is decompressed and used. In the current version this saves over 140 Kb of memory, i.e. you now need over 140 Kb less to be able to use the data file than before. * Additionally, it is now possible to use the whole program on half megabyte machines again. You can even restore bootsectors, but this now requires you to locate the "DATA.PAK" on disk so that the program can load and decompress the appropriate part needed. After that you are requested to insert the actual disk so that the program can write the bootsector to disk. You no longer need to have the data file in memory to be able to restore bootsectors, even though having it in memory will prove to be easier, especially when restoring more than one bootsector. * Due to the overall space savings, the accessory version of the "Ultimate Virus Killer" will now use 520 Kb or 340 Kb of RAM, with and without the data file loaded respectively. * The "Ultimate Virus Killer" CPX module has been updated to version 1.3. All speed increases are dedicated to Kai Holst, who has been ruthlessly irritating me for at least a year now with regard to his virus killer being faster than mine. Although he has been driving me out of my mind in the process, if it hadn't been for him the "Ultimate Virus Killer" would still be the ponderous dinosaur it was in the olden days. At least the only thing I could compare, the link virus scan, is now 30% faster than his. This version's main statistics: 1486 recognized bootsectors, 73 recognized bootsector viruses, 5 recognized link viruses, 40 recognized anti-viruses, 137 recognized resident applications and 43 recognized packer formats. A total of 710 different bootsectors can be restored. - Version 6.0USA (October 3rd 1993) Identical to version 6.0GB, with the exception of the main menu address, the date entry format and selected text changes. Made for distribution by Oregon Research Associates. - Version 6.0NL (October 3rd 1993) Identical to version 6.0GB, with the exception of the name ("ACN Final Virus Killer") and all text output, which is in Dutch. - Version 6.1GB (January 8th 1994) After the major reprogramming around version 6.0, a few bugs had once more crept in the program. These are now fixed. A summary of the changes follows. * A rare wrong assignment of [UNDO] key shortcut alleviated. * All birthday-related routines, resource trees and data removed. For those of you still interested in that kind of information, try getting the forthcoming "Brain Replacement Utility", a powerful diary/organiser utility with an enormous birthday and event database. This is a forthcoming shareware program that I will be putting on the UVK 6.3 disk if I get it finished by then. * There's been a bug in the program right from the beginning when the link virus automatic scan was built in (March 1989). It resulted in folders not being scanned completely (usually only around 10 files per folder on average). Kai found this frightful bug some time ago and I thought I had already fixed it in the previous version. Well, I hadn't. But now it is! I WOULD STRONGLY ADVISE EVERYBODY TO RESCAN THEIR MEDIA ONE TIME (especially all hard disk partitions). * Thanks to Mike Watson of Sinister Developments, author of the "New Depack" utility, just about twice the previous amount of packer formats can now be recognized (and some others recognized more efficiently). * The program now supports a special extension in the configuration file that is used to determine the minimum size a file must have in order to be checked in the "check all files" link virus scan department. You can use any of the extensions you want for this (even multiple ones) but only the last one found will be used so it's best the use the very last entry for this. The format is ".XXX", where "XXX" stands for the minimum size in kilobytes (i.e. the actual file size divided by 1024) from 0 to 999. When none is specified, the program uses a default minimum size of 3 Kb (i.e. 3072 bytes). The larger the specified size, the quicker the link virus scan but THE LESS SAFE! In all cases fill up the value with zeroes to the left to make sure the length is 3 digits (so "123", "003" and "030" would be valid entries). * Resource organisation is optimized. There used to be 2 resource files with a total size of over 60 Kb, catering especially for ST medium and high resolutions. On TT and Falcon modes with more than two colours, however, their colours didn't look all too well. Instead of adding a third resource file with proper colours I have spent some extra work and optimized one resource file to cater for everything in exchange for the program looking somewhat less aesthetic in medium resolution. The resource file is now less than 22 Kb and, as there's only one now, I have been able to include it within the actual program. No separate resource files of any kind needed. An added bonus is the fact that all resources are now drawn quicker and no longer exceed the legal 79 characters maximum width such as the "System Status Screen" did before. * As the resource file is now included within the program, there is no reason to keep the program uncompressed (version 6.0 was not compressed due to "Pa Pack" not allowing an accessory run from "Chameleon" to load a resource). So it's compressed again, using the aforementioned "Pa Pack". This version's main statistics: 1497 recognized bootsectors, 76 recognized bootsector viruses, 5 recognized link viruses, 40 recognized anti-viruses, 140 recognized resident applications and 83 recognized packer version formats (of a total of 27 different packers). A total of 714 different bootsectors can be restored. - Version 6.0D GB (January 8th 1994) The first demo version of the new GEM-compatible "Ultimate Virus Killer". Especially made for the UK magazine "ST Format" cover disk this time, which had had no UVK demo version since July 1991. Although it's a demo of version 6.1, the version number was decreased so as not to confuse people (?). - Version 6.1USA (January 8th 1994) Identical to version 6.1GB, with the exception of the main menu address, the date entry format and selected text changes. Made for distribution by Oregon Research Associates. - Version 6.1NL (January 8th 1994) Identical to version 6.1GB, with the exception of the name ("ACN Final Virus Killer") and all text output, which is in Dutch. - Version 6.2GB (April 13th 1994) Another rather improved version. Some additions and changes were made in reaction to a, let's say, 'very critical' and not at all constructive review appearing in the Australian "Talking Atari" magazine. And I finally got around to doing something I had wanted to do for a long while...windows. * It now supports windows instead of dialogs at all times with the exception of the HELP dialog which was too big to allow for the window move bar at the top. The resource file has been adapted, with the system status screen having gone through a layout change that also makes things more clear. * Buttons additionally supported by the [UNDO] key now have the text "(U)" contained in them. The 'checkmark' of previous versions has disappeared. * Misspelling of the System Status Screen Hdv_mediach vector address corrected. * "No Virus in Keyboard Processor" message in system status screen dumped. No virus can write itself to the keyboard processor, so it was just ballast. * Apart from packed program files, archives are now also identified. An appropriate dialog box has been added, and a HELP screen adapted. * Printing now works on the Falcon. As a matter of fact, the program will use a serial or parallel printer depending on which is detected. * When you started with a nonvalid date and went through the time and date dialog boxes to set it, the day indication in further dialog boxes was wrong. This is now fixed. * When a "99% safe disk" is found, there is now a fifth option, "Do Nothing". * "HISTORY.PRG" program file is updated (to version 1.05). It will now work on any monitor as long as it displays a minimum of 80 columns (640 pixels width). Previously it worked ONLY on 80 columns, and not on all systems either. * The program can no longer be loaded from the "Chameleon" accessory loader. If you want it to work anyway, you have to decompress it first. For this purpose you can use any of the available Public Domain decompressor utilities such as "Naughty Depacker", "Multi Depacker" or "New Depacker". Check out your local PD library. This version's main statistics: 1509 recognized bootsectors (yes, we have gone past the 1500 mark!), 79 recognized bootsector viruses, 5 recognized link viruses, 40 recognized anti-viruses, 155 recognized resident applications and 89 recognized packer/archive version formats (of a total of 33 different packers/archivers). A total of 718 different bootsectors can be restored. - Version 6.2USA (April 13th 1994) Identical to version 6.2GB, with the exception of the main menu address, the date entry format and selected text changes. Made for distribution by Oregon Research Associates. - Version 6.2NL (April 13th 1994) Identical to version 6.2GB, with the exception of the name ("ACN Final Virus Killer") and all text output, which is in Dutch. - Version 6.3GB (July 17th 1994) It was hot and I had a dozen things to do. Nonetheless I set aside considerable time to the finishing of this version. * A decryption engine has been developed to make sure encrypted bootsector viruses will also have a more valid "Virus Probability Factor" calculated (for example, the "Zorro" and "Macumba" viruses used to have a VPF of 0%, now a massive 110%). * This "HISTORY.TXT" file has been decreased in size somewhat by omitting all version notes prior to 5.1 (i.e. before the program was called "Ultimate Virus Killer"). * The CPX module had quite a serious bug - no matter which bootsector you had analysed by it, it always wrongly identified it as an "ACA Virus". This is now fixed (CPX module version 1.41). * Some window redraw errors ("now checking..." and "restoring...") fixed. * A bug in the "Beilstein" virus recognition is now fixed. * A bug in the printer output routines fixed (parallel printers were addressed as :LST instead of :PRN). This version's main statistics: 1532 recognized bootsectors, 83 recognized bootsector viruses, 5 recognized link viruses, 40 recognized anti-viruses, 165 recognized resident applications and 89 recognized packer/archive version formats (of a total of 33 different packers/archivers). A total of 735 different bootsectors can be restored. - Version 6.3USA (July 17th 1994) Identical to version 6.3GB, with the exception of the main menu address, the date entry format and selected text changes. Made for distribution by Oregon Research Associates. - Version 6.3NL (July 10th 1994) Identical to version 6.3GB, with the exception of the name ("ACN Final Virus Killer") and all text output, which is in Dutch. - Version 6.3GB D A few demo versions of this have been released, all fairly (actually almost exactly) similar to version 6.2 but with a higher version number. May 6th 1994: For the German company ROMWARE GmbH, for a Public Domain and Shareware CD ROM project. May 18th 1994: For the English magazine "ST Handbook" cover disk. - Version 6.4GB (Approximately October 1994) Or: What may occur in future updates, or perhaps never. * When using the program as accessory, it might cause improperly programmed other accessories to crash during the time it's decompressing. This can be solved by decompressing the "Ultimate Virus Killer" file beforehand. This can be done with any of many decompression utilities available in the Public Domain, such as "Multi Depacker", "Naughty Depack" and "New Depack". This problem may be addressed more eloquently in future versions. * An additional tool will be written that allows for any files with ZIP, ZOO, ARC, LZH or ARJ extensions (i.e. archived files) to be automatically dearchived into a buffer directory and, using the existing UVK command line options, checked for link viruses. This will only be of use for people who own a hard disk, of course. * To evade problems with "MultiTOS" memory protection, no system RAM check or resident illegally reset-resistant programs check is executed in the system status screen when this multi-tasking system is found. These checks still happen with "MultiGEM", "Mag!x" and "Geneva" as far as I know, so these might lead to crashes with memory protection enabled. Remember you can skip the entire system status screen at bootup by keeping the [RIGHT SHIFT] key pressed during booting. Information on how the mentioned multi-tasking Operating Systems can be recognized would be appreciated in case of them causing a crash. * The general statistics will be enhanced as much as they can, and possible bugs will be discarded. Do note: Your suggestions and bug reports WILL be read and ARE taken into consideration! ******** THIS QUARTER'S MUSICAL SUGGESTIONS ********** Some of the music stuff I would advise anyone with decent taste to check out is Yngwie Malmsteen's "The Seventh Sign". It's got a few corkers of tracks, some blues, some dark stuff, and really powerful. Don't believe half the stuff that's said about him or his music. Other good stuff can be found on Napalm Death's "Fear Emptiness Despair" and Septic Flesh' hauntingly beautiful "Mystic Places of Dawn". Oldies? I recently listened to Dire Straits' "Love over Gold" again and I have to say it's a pretty excellent album. And that's it for this version's history bit.