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Thread ID: 86988 2008-02-03 22:25:00 AV on flash drive sarel (2490) Press F1
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637220 2008-02-03 22:25:00 Hi guys

A family member of mine is having problems at a University in SA - they are not allowed any AV programs on their own PC "because it interferes with the Uni system", but he's picked up a virus through the same. Quite stupid, if you ask me.

My question : is it possible to install Avast/AVG on a flash drive and do the needed scans on all incoming mail and data packets that way?

I do not know a lot more - e.g. what kind of system the Uni runs on, but I think he's got WinXP with enough RAM, etc.

sarel
sarel (2490)
637221 2008-02-03 22:33:00 If you brought a U3 flash drive, you can.

Some come with a trial version of Avast.

Since the AV is on it, and doesnt alter anything on a computer. Or put anything in the registry.

The programs for these are specifically for them.

You cant install anything on these, as some (if they're not made for the U3's) would add entries to the registry.
Speedy Gonzales (78)
637222 2008-02-03 23:00:00 Yip, the U3 would be the (only) way to go.

He can probably get them dirt cheap over there as well.
wratterus (105)
637223 2008-02-04 03:35:00 Can we convert a normal USB "flash" drive to a U3 drive? After doing some research, I suspect not? rumpty (2863)
637224 2008-02-04 06:11:00 Yip, the U3 would be the (only) way to go.

Not quite try portable apps. (portableapps.com) Note it takes a lonnggggg time to scan.
wotz (335)
637225 2008-02-04 06:18:00 Can we convert a normal USB "flash" drive to a U3 drive? After doing some research, I suspect not?

Nope you can't. U3 runs on proprietary software unfortunately.
beeswax34 (63)
637226 2008-02-16 03:43:00 Wow, am amazed at how quickly the cost of U3 drives have come down. Last time I looked - probably six months ago, the cheapest was about $79 :eek: --- Now you can pick up a 1 Gig U3 for approx $20, and a very good brand at that. Got mine today.
Misty :D
Misty (368)
637227 2008-02-16 10:29:00 Wow, am amazed at how quickly the cost of U3 drives have come down. Last time I looked - probably six months ago, the cheapest was about $79 :eek: --- Now you can pick up a 1 Gig U3 for approx $20, and a very good brand at that. Got mine today.
Misty :D

From Noels?
beeswax34 (63)
637228 2008-02-16 20:07:00 Just echoing wotz' post, I used to have ClamWin on my stock USB flash drive about a year or two ago (also like he said, because it was a dirt cheap 8GB, the write/read times weren't too flash so scans weren't either).

I'd say as long as the AV software isn't too aggressive and "invasive" (funny how some sound like viruses huh) he'd be fine having it on his actual computer, the Uni probably only against AV suites that try having some "helpful" control over a network. Give ClamWin Portable (portableapps.com) a go, even "installing" it on the computer so scans aren't overly affected and see how that goes.

Besides that, this could actually be something that malware software could be more suited to solving. HijackThis (www.trendsecure.com), for diagnostics, is quite portable so get him to look into this. Obviously if it's his own computer he can just download and use it.
sal (67)
637229 2008-02-16 20:21:00 From Noels?
Yes, my one is :D - they have a half price on for these until Sunday (today). But having had a look at Pricespy late yesterday see that you can get elsewhere too.
Misty :)
Misty (368)
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