16 Jul, 2007
I've managed to avoid a Windows Virus the entire time I've been using Windows but on Friday I finally made a mistake. I was copying files from my brother's digital camera and inside the usual fuji_100 directory was another fuji_100 directory which I double clicked on. In fact it as an .exe file with an icon to look like a folder and the reason I didn't spot it was that Windows was hiding the extension (even though I've told it not to).
I knew it was a virus the second the folder didn't open but by then it was too late. The virus checker didn't pick it up and it had already infected key Windows executables for logging in and shutting down. Running msconfig just turned off the computer so there was no hope of a simple repair. The really irritating thing was that this virus is probably fairly harmless since it must have been on my brother's computer for at least 4 months (the last time he used his camera) but because I use my computer on other people's networks I had no choice but to wipe the entire hard disk and restore Windows. To make matters worse, the restore disk also required me to wipe my Debian installation!
So, I've now reinstalled Windows, created a VMWare image from it, wiped the drive again and installed Debian over the top which will be my only operating system I use from now on with occasional use of a VMWare Windows image when it is really needed. Wish me luck with the switch!
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