Boot and Emergency Disks (Safedisk Process)

The Safedisk process permits you to create several disks that will make it possible to boot, scan and disinfect a computer in a virus-free environment. When we speak of a virus-free environment, we refer to a computer that has no viruses permanently lodged in memory that could interfere with the scanning and disinfection procedures.

Panda Antivirus 6.0 incorporates a utility called Safedisk, whose mission it is to automatically create boot and emergency disks. Safedisk creates a disk that allows you to boot the computer in such a way that you are assured that no virus will be loaded during the startup process (providing the floppy disk used is virus-free), as well as other disks that allow you to scan and disinfect the computer using the command-line version of our antivirus (PAVCL).

It is essential that the Safedisk utility be run on a virus-free machine, as this is the only way to guarantee that the disks that are created are also free from the effects of viruses. Otherwise, the disks you create would be of no use, as they would not guarantee the virus-free booting of the computer.

To create these disks, proceed as follows:

1. Run the Safedisk utility. You will be offered this possibility during the Panda Antivirus 6.0 setup process, although you will also be able to do so at a later stage through the corresponding menu option in Panda Antivirus 6.0.

2. The first Safedisk window informs you of the purpose of this utility. You should have several empty 3╜ inch high-density floppy disks ready so that Safedisk can create the boot and disinfection disks. If you wish, you can exit the program through the Cancel button.

3. If you choose to continue, the first of the floppy disks will be formatted and Safedisk will then begin to copy the files that are needed to convert it into a boot disk.

4. When Safedisk has finished creating the first disk (boot disk), you will be asked to insert disk number 2 (first Emergency disk).

5. The disk will be formatted and Safedisk will begin to copy the necessary Pavcl files.

6. You will then be asked to insert another floppy disk (second Emergency disk).

7. The floppy will be formatted and Safedisk will continue to copy the necessary Pavcl files.

8. When the entire process has finished, a window will appear featuring a number of recommendations. Write-protect the disks you have created. This way, you will prevent them from being accidentally deleted or infected should they be used on an infected computer. Then, label them accordingly (Safedisk1 for the boot disk and Safedisk 2 and Safedisk 3 for Emergency disks 2 and 3) for future reference and store them in a safe place.

9. Lastly, click Finish to exit the Safedisk utility.

10. Remember that to scan in a clean environment, you should first boot the computer with a boot disk and then insert the first Emergency disk (Safedisk 2). You can then run Pavcl. By using the following command, all the drives on your computer will be scanned in search of viruses and all those found will be disinfected: PAVCL /ALL /CLV.

The term Emergency Disks refers to the 3╜ inch floppy disks created to enable you to scan and disinfect your system through the command-line version of our antivirus, PAVCL. You should understand the difference between the Boot Disk and the Emergency Disks. While the former enables you to boot the system from the disk drive, the latter disks allow you to scan and disinfect your computer using the command-line antivirus, PAVCL.

The Emergency Disks are provided with the Panda Antivirus 6.0 Platinum and Home Edition programs, although you will also be able to create them during the antivirus setup process (Installing Panda Antivirus 6.0). You are recommended to carry out this process in order to create all the aforementioned disks (both Boot and Emergency). The Boot Disk does not form part of the Panda Antivirus 6.0 Platinum/Home Edition packages, which means that users will have to create it manually or through the Safedisk process.

After creating these disks, remember to label them accordingly, write-protect them by adjusting the disk tab and store them in a safe place.

The first disk created is a boot (system) disk and contains the following files: AUTOEXEC.BAT, MSDOS.SYS, KEYBOARD.SYS, IO.SYS, HIMEM.SYS, CONFIG.SYS, DRVSPACE.BIN, KEYB.COM, FORMAT.COM, EDIT.COM, DOSKEY.COM, COMMAND.COM, SMARTDRV.EXE, REGEDIT.EXE and FDISK.EXE.

The second disk (the first emergency disk) contains the following files: COMMAND.COM, PANDA.CHP, PAVCL.EXE (the command-line version of the antivirus), PAVCL.MSG and PAVCLSD.BAT.

The third disk (the second emergency disk) created during this process contains the following files: GLOBAL.MSG and PAVSIG.CMP