Allowing blocked script runs it in system directory! Ouch!

[Dan]

(This is in the Knowledge Base.) AntiSpyware blocked
a "cleanup" batch-file intended to delete DLL's,
excutables, and other files from database directories.
When I "Allowed" it to run, it ran in C:\WINNT\system32
and deleted DLLs needed for starting Windows, running
programs, etc. (ones that were not in use).

Since there were few error messages, I re-ran the script,
which then ran correctly in the database directory where
it resided. I then kept on working and shut down at the
end of the day.

This morning, I was unable to boot up, and could not see
the C-drive from any floppy that we could make (it had a
missing "Hal.dll" that Windows XP Pro could not boot
without). I could not get to safe mode, a point where I
could copy the DLL, or a point where I could run the
checkpoint restore of the OS, and I did not have restore
CDs for this machine, but a repair through the reinstall
option of the computer manufacturer's Win XP Pro OS CD
restored everything.

Don't allow your own "dangerous" scripts to run until
you've read the fix in the Knowledge Base article.
-Dan

 

[Bill Sanderson]

An excellent warning--this is a bug which happens on the first run of the
script.

Can you cite the KB reference? I've been unable to find this, and I'd like
to have it handy.