[WEB4LIB] Re: Fw: Virus - 26th

[Denise Snoe]

> Date:          Tue, 25 May 1999 07:22:28 -0700 (PDT)
> Reply-to:      merchant at bayou.com
> From:          David Merchant <merchant at bayou.com>
> To:            Multiple recipients of list <web4lib at webjunction.org>
> Subject:       [WEB4LIB] Re: Fw: Virus - 26th

> >> It will also attempts to overwrite the system BIOS. Some machines may
> >>require a new BIOS chip to recover if overwritten by the CIH virus.
> 
> ?  BIOS is normally "firmware": the software is permanently embedded in the
> chip and thus can't be re-written, unless it is FLASH BIOS, then it can be
> re-programmed, but why would you need a new chip even then, just re-program
> it back.  Unless I'm missing something in my understanding of FLASH BIOS
> (and only newer computers _may_ have FLASH BIOS, most of our computers
> don't have it.)
> 
> TTFN,
> David Merchant
> Systems Librarian, Louisiana Tech University  <www.latech.edu/tech/library/>
> javascript list administrator  <www.mountaindragon.com/javascript>
> HTML Examples webmaster <www.mountaindragon.com/html/>
> Personal Page <www.mountaindragon.com/merchant/>
> 
> 
CIH attempts to overwrite flash BIOS with garbage.  Not having a BIOS 
that can boot the computer would mean a chip replacement or having 
an EPROM writer to restore the flash BIOS.  It also infects any .exe 
files open and wipes the hard drive. 
Denise Snoe
dsnoe at tscpl.lib.ks.us
Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library
1515 SW 10th Avenue
Topeka, KS   66604-1374

Voice (913) 231-0569  Fax (913) 233-2055

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