Updating Virex 7.0 Driver Definitions
This software is not for use on home or personal computers.
For University Macintosh clients, Network Associates Technology Inc., Virex 7.0 software is available for download from the Comp Serv File Server.
REMINDER: Virex 7.0 runs on Macintosh Operating Systems 10.0.3 and newer
If you already have Virex 7.0 installed please skip down to Updating the drivers. If you need to install the software read on.
Locating the Server
In the desktop menu bar click and hold on the “Go” menu and move the cursor down until “Connect to Server” is selected.
In the left-hand window, scroll down to the “UMass Boston Net” zone and highlight it.
In the rightmost part of the window, scroll down until you see “Comp Serv File Server”. Select this serverselect “APPS” then click once on the “Connect” button.
Locating the new driversoftware
In the dialog box that appears, select Guestput your email username in the Name field (first.last) and your email password in the password field then click once on the “Connect” button.
In the new window select Help DeskMacDist and click once on the [OK] button.
The server will now mount onto your Macintosh desktop. It looks like a network cable serving up a tray with foldersglobe on a low pedestal.
You have successfully logged on to the server.
Open the Help DeskMacDist server by clicking twice on the icon.
You now see a Macintosh icon. Click twice on the icon to go to the next level.
In the now open Macintosh window, you should see the Virex 6.1 application installer and below that, the Latest Upgrade
(e.g. Latest Upgrade àVirus Definition 2002-10-01.) You have located the update.
Open the folder called “Virus Protection”.
If you are using Mac OS 10.0.3 or higher, open the Virex 7.0 folder. You should see the Installer (Virex7.pkg), the Updates and DATs folder, and a folder specifically for people using OS 10.2 (There’s a special patch you need to install.
If you do not already have the Virex 7.0 application, install it now by double clicking on the installer and following the instructions. If you are using OS 10.0.3 - 10.1.5 you can skip to “Updating the Driver” when you’re done. If you are using OS 10.2, however, you must install the “Virex 7.0 HotFix 1.pkg” which is located in the folder called “OS10.2.x - Install this, too” If it is already installed, go on to updating the driver.
Updating the Driver
Open the folder called ”Updates & DATs”; inside you should find the monthly updater, it will be called something like “V7030601.pkg”. Double-click it to install the monthly update.
(If you wish to update your DAT file more frequently you should read the instructions for updating your DAT file as “Root” using the Terminal application. It is a cumbersome process and I doubt you’ll need to do this.)
Configure the Preferences
Press the “Preferences” Button
You’ll see a new window with a popup menu and many checkboxes.
Select the “Diagnose” menu
Put checks in “Use Program Heuristic analysis”, “Recursively scan files in folders”, “Scan inside Microsoft office files”, and “Scan inside compressed files”. The rest can be unchecked. Don’t touch the Extra Arguments field; the default is “--exclude /usr/local/vscanx/excludefd”.
In the “Clean” menu, leave both boxes unchecked.
The “Report” menu determines how much information you’ll get about the scan on your hard drive.
Check “Erase report before scanning” so your report of what was scanned doesn’t get too large and cumbersome, but if you leave it unchecked you’ll have history on what’s been checked already.
“Enable verbose reporting” puts a line into the report for each file examined. This can add time to the scan, but it also lets you see that something is actually happening.
“Include Scanner parameters” puts the scan parameters into the first line of the report. If you’re not doing anything but the default you can leave this unchecked.
Be sure to check “Produce a summary” so you know what Virex found when it’s all done.
Press the “Save” button when you’re done.
Run the application
You may run the application now by clicking once on “Diagnose” or “Clean” and selecting the volume, folder, or file you want scanned. You can also drag an item to the “Diagnose” button to scan it (for instance your hard drive icon). Your hard drive will be inspected for virus infections. This may take a very long time depending on the size of your hard drive and how much you have on it. (My 12GB volume takes about 11 hours to scan, but it does run in the background.)
At the end you will get a brief report of files scanned, errors, and any virus it located.
Respond as needed then quit your software.
You should scan your hard drive regularly, but Virex 7.0 cannot be configured to scan by itself, you will need to remember to do the scanning.
Open Virex on Startup
I recommend you set up Virex to turn on automatically when you start your computer. That way, even though it can’t scan without assistance, it might work as a visual reminder to you that you need to run it. Here’s how to do that:
Open “System Preferences”
Select “Login Items”
Press the “Add” button
When the Browse window comes up, select Virex 7.0 (It’s probably in your applications folder) and press the “Add” button.
From now on, when you login to your computer Virex will startup and wait for you to tell it to do something.
Prevention Practices to adopt
1. You should check for driver updates monthly or whenever you hear of a new virus.
2. Sometimes friends pass on email to you with a warning that there is a new virus. How do you know if it’s a real virus or a hoax? There are several good web sites you can visit which list hoaxes. One of these is Symantec’s antivirus center. Their web address is: http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/lets.watch.tv.hoax.html
Any faculty or staff, who need assistance locating this server or installing or updating the driver, may make an appointment via the Help Desk (617-287-5220) for assistance and proper configuration information.
This software is not for use on home or personal computers.
We'd love to hear from you. Please send comments, suggestions, complaints or praise to: helpdesk@umb.edu
August 31, 2005