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Thread ID: 113921 2010-11-09 21:54:00 Not a good day yesterday Thomas01 (317) PC World Chat
Post ID Timestamp Content User
1151771 2010-11-11 05:58:00 That must be real handy for the 2% of the world that use Linux.

Yeah, handy for cleaning viruses from the hard drives of those who use Windows :cool:
Agent_24 (57)
1151772 2010-11-11 06:04:00 Yeah, handy for cleaning viruses from the hard drives of those who use Windows :cool:

Surely they both gave there ups and downs, 90% of stuff won't run on Linux and 90% of Windows use decent protection.
Cicero (40)
1151773 2010-11-11 06:09:00 I may be completely wrong ... but I think Thomas is asking why a (his) computer wouldn't boot when he left a non bootable floppy disc in it - obviously because it wasn't a bootable floppy - however, I think his question is, why doesn't the same thing happen when you leave a USB device in the computer.

Please correct me if I am wrong, but it has to do with the BIOS in that it searches for the first drive which has been deemed bootable ... in older computers this would be "a" or the floppy ... leaving a nonbootable floppy in the drive confuses said computer until it is utterly Peeved.

Most computers will not have USB ports deemed bootable in the BIOS ... having said that, it is possible to boot off a USB stick if it has a bootable program installed on it.

:2cents:
SP8's (9836)
1151774 2010-11-11 08:14:00 Yeah, handy for cleaning viruses from the hard drives of those who use Windows :cool:
I have used Linux for that reason many times because you know absolutely nothing is running to interfere with the process.
mikebartnz (21)
1151775 2010-11-11 08:17:00 Most computers will not have USB ports deemed bootable in the BIOS ... having said that, it is possible to boot off a USB stick if it has a bootable program installed on it.:2cents:
Most will now.
mikebartnz (21)
1151776 2010-11-11 09:28:00 Most new ones will now.

Fixed. :)
Snorkbox (15764)
1151777 2010-11-11 09:37:00 I have used Linux for that reason many times because you know absolutely nothing is running to interfere with the process.

Exactly, running a virus scan on a booted infected OS can't really be trusted, especially if dealing with a rootkit.
Agent_24 (57)
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