Boot drive letter protection against viruses

[smlunatick]

Several of the local computer shops, in my area, are now recommending
that XP be installed on a drive letter above E. This is to help
prevent viruses from infecting them since most viruses look for drive
C and D to infect. Is this a valid point to prevent viruses?

 

[Detlev Dreyer]

Several of the local computer shops, in my area, are now recommending
that XP be installed on a drive letter above E. This is to help
prevent viruses from infecting them since most viruses look for drive
C and D to infect.

Your system is already infested if viruses look for drive C: and D:.

Is this a valid point to prevent viruses?

Nope.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Several of the local computer shops, in my area, are now recommending
that XP be installed on a drive letter above E. This is to help
prevent viruses from infecting them since most viruses look for drive
C and D to infect. Is this a valid point to prevent viruses?

No. This would fool only the most trivial of viruses.

 

[smlunatick]

Your system is already infested if viruses look for drive C: and D:.


Nope.

Not talking about "after" the infection but brand new install. Then,
is there any "important" reason not to have the XP boot drive as F:.

 

[Detlev Dreyer]

Not talking about "after" the infection but brand new install. Then,
is there any "important" reason not to have the XP boot drive as F:.

Malware is just 'special' software. It can only look for drives when
already running and therefore, when already being installed. A good
example is a trojan coming as an email attachment. It will be executed
by doubleclick no matter if the virulent message is stored on drive D:
or drive F:. When running, any program (malware) can easily find out
the drive where it has been started from in order to (download and)
install additional files and backdoors. At that moment your system is
already compromised.

 

[Leythos]

Several of the local computer shops, in my area, are now recommending
that XP be installed on a drive letter above E. This is to help
prevent viruses from infecting them since most viruses look for drive
C and D to infect. Is this a valid point to prevent viruses?

Any reasonable program or malware will be able to tell what drive letter
the OS is running on, it's only going to cause you problems as you use
the computer.

If you have AV software, don't visit questionable sites, use a NAT
router, and use a non-MS email client, and use FireFox, you will have
very little to worry about.

--

Leythos
- Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum.
- Calling an illegal alien an "undocumented worker" is like calling a
drug dealer an "unlicensed pharmacist"
(e-mail address removed) (remove 999 for proper email address)

 

[Bob I]

At the control prompt type SET and press enter. "E" will be reflected in
the listing instead of "C" should you follow said dubious advice. Think
it's a valid point anymore?