Re: Scanning windows from linux
karthikbalaguru
> On Monday 28 December 2009 05:20 in comp.os.linux.setup, somebody
>
> identifying as karthikbalaguru wrote...
> > On Dec 28, 4:00 am, Aragorn <arag...@chatfactory.invalid> wrote:
>
> >> If USB boot is supported on the target machine, then there are
> >> various tools in various distributions for making a bootable USB
> >> stick from which you could then scan the system, but none of those
> >> USB-based distributions would then be designated virus scanners, so
> >> you would probably have to add the antivirus software to the USB
> >> stick manually. It can be done, but it's quite a bit of work.
>
> > This sounds great . This will surely be helpful :-) :-)
> > I think, this approach can be tried out. I need to check for the USB-
> > based Free distributions and need to check for the method to add the
> > Free antivirus software to the USB stick.
>
> Mandriva is a distribution which is available on a USB stick, and there
> are some others as well.
I checked Mandriva website, yeah they
are providing on USB stick based linux, and since
it is a full fledged linux, i think the virus scanners
might be supported without much hassles !
But it is not free :-(
Lemme know if there is any other USB Stick
based linux flavour that is available for Free ?
Also, lemme know if there is a USB stick
based linux flavour that would support virus
scanners ?
No clear info from internet so far.
> As I gather, the cost is not too high, but
> alternatively, you can do it yourself using a freely downloadable
> distribution and a USB memory stick you already own. There are HowTos
> about it on the web. ;-)
>
Thinking on similar lines, i got an idea to try a
Floppy based linux instead of USB.
I know of MiniRTL(based on busybox) that did
not have dependency on HDD except for the RAM
(Even the RAM requirement is very minimal).
Other than that, there are other flavours like
'Tomsrtbt', Asmutils based 'a-Linux' and various
other Busybox based flavours. But,they are all
Floppy based.
But, floppy drive is not available in that machine :-(
Does tomsrtbt support USB stick based boot up ?
I may check with the tomsrtbt user list regd this.
Incase you have any information w.r.t tomsrtbt
you can lemme know.
Another query that pops in my mind is
that these minimal versions/flavours of linux
might not have lot of features. They might be greatly
stripped and hence not sure if they would be able to
provide all required support for virus scanner or similar
tools !!
Any thoughts on this ?
Incase these minimal versions are not suitable
for existing along with virus scanning utility in
the USB stick, do lemme know.
> > Can you lemme know the steptrs/links that talk in detail about this ?
>
> Google is your friend. ;-)
>
Yeah, need to search/check the HOWTos in the
internet to setup my own USB Stick based Linux
so that it is Free . After that, the method to have the
virus scanner on it should be tried out. I think
this should be just straight forward just like having
any other application on embedded linux.
> >> On the other hand, you should be able to pick up a cheap second-hand
> >> internal CD or DVD drive somewhere and mount it in the machine with
> >> the broken CD player.
>
> > Yeah, this is another good idea, but in the current scenario, this is
> > ruled out due to various reasons.
>
PS - Have looped in comp.os.linux.embedded
to get their thoughts also as it is going towards
that direction also interms of footprints,utilities
in FD based linux, USB stick based linux ,
Tiny linux flavours having support for virus scanner
etc.
Thx in advans,
Karthik Balaguru
Mark Hobley
> Lemme know if there is any other USB Stick
> based linux flavour that is available for Free ?
Ubuntu provides a utility to create a bootable USB stick.
>
> Also, lemme know if there is a USB stick
> based linux flavour that would support virus
> scanners ?
Ubuntu provides clamav.
--
Mark Hobley
Linux User: #370818 http://markhobley.yi.org/
karthikbalaguru
wrote:
> On Dec 28, 9:35 am, Aragorn <arag...@chatfactory.invalid> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Monday 28 December 2009 05:20 in comp.os.linux.setup, somebody
>
> > identifying as karthikbalaguru wrote...
> > > On Dec 28, 4:00 am, Aragorn <arag...@chatfactory.invalid> wrote:
>
> > >> If USB boot is supported on the target machine, then there are
> > >> various tools in various distributions for making a bootable USB
> > >> stick from which you could then scan the system, but none of those
> > >> USB-based distributions would then be designated virus scanners, so
> > >> you would probably have to add the antivirus software to the USB
> > >> stick manually. It can be done, but it's quite a bit of work.
>
> > > This sounds great . This will surely be helpful :-) :-)
> > > I think, this approach can be tried out. I need to check for the USB-
> > > based Free distributions and need to check for the method to add the
> > > Free antivirus software to the USB stick.
>
> > Mandriva is a distribution which is available on a USB stick, and there
> > are some others as well.
>
> I checked Mandriva website, yeah they
> are providing on USB stick based linux, and since
> it is a full fledged linux, i think the virus scanners
> might be supported without much hassles !
> But it is not free :-(
>
> Lemme know if there is any other USB Stick
> based linux flavour that is available for Free ?
>
http://www.linux.com/distrocentral/distronews/8221-comparing-linux-usb-flash-disk-distros
This seems to have some good pointers to
start with.
DSL and Puppylinux seem to be very good.
Nothing like setting up Ubuntu as it is a full
blown linux.
Pendrive linux seems to have started from
Mandriva and unlike Mandriva Linux, i think
this is also Free.
> Also, lemme know if there is a USB stick
> based linux flavour that would support virus
> scanners ?
>
> No clear info from internet so far.
>
A)
Ubuntu based USB has Synaptic Packet
Manager system that could be used to install,
remove, configure, or upgrade software packages,
browse, sort and search the list of available
software packages, manage repositories, or
upgrade the whole system.
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SynapticHowto
I think, this can be used to get the virus
scanner onto the USB stick once the Ubuntu
is up from the USB stick. Need to check.
But,
No clear method is available on the method of
addition of new software. Any ideas ?
B)
In Puppy linux, i found specific statements
that convey that one can use antivirus that is
built-in or can be installed in Puppy.
http://puppylinux.org/main/index.php?file=Overview%20and%20Getting%20Started.htm
But, did not get a clear link on the method
of addition of new application to it. Any ideas ?
C)
Pendrivelinux also seems to be full
blown linux, and the virus scanner can
be installed just as this application is installed
in the below link -
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=8465858
Lemme know if this Pendrivelinux method fine
as conveyed in above link ?
Hans-Peter Diettrich
>> Mandriva is a distribution which is available on a USB stick, and there
>> are some others as well.
>
> I checked Mandriva website, yeah they
> are providing on USB stick based linux, and since
> it is a full fledged linux, i think the virus scanners
> might be supported without much hassles !
> But it is not free :-(
I'm also interested in a free (maybe trial) version of a Linux on an USB
stick. Some time ago I tried to install such a system myself (BartPE?),
but couldn't make it work with my machines. Now I don't know whether
it's a matter of the software or of my BIOSes, why I couldn't boot from
the stick :-(
>> As I gather, the cost is not too high, but
>> alternatively, you can do it yourself using a freely downloadable
>> distribution and a USB memory stick you already own. There are HowTos
>> about it on the web. ;-)
Can you give a concrete link, or an search key?
DoDi
Aragorn
identifying as karthikbalaguru wrote...
> On Dec 28, 9:35 am, Aragorn <arag...@chatfactory.invalid> wrote:
>
>> On Monday 28 December 2009 05:20 in comp.os.linux.setup, somebody
>> identifying as karthikbalaguru wrote...
>>
>> > On Dec 28, 4:00 am, Aragorn <arag...@chatfactory.invalid> wrote:
>>
>> >> If USB boot is supported on the target machine, then there are
>> >> various tools in various distributions for making a bootable USB
>> >> stick from which you could then scan the system, but none of those
>> >> USB-based distributions would then be designated virus scanners,
>> >> so you would probably have to add the antivirus software to the
>> >> USB stick manually. It can be done, but it's quite a bit of work.
>>
>> > This sounds great . This will surely be helpful :-) :-)
>> > I think, this approach can be tried out. I need to check for the
>> > USB- based Free distributions and need to check for the method to
>> > add the Free antivirus software to the USB stick.
>>
>> Mandriva is a distribution which is available on a USB stick, and
>> there are some others as well.
>
> I checked Mandriva website, yeah they
> are providing on USB stick based linux, and since
> it is a full fledged linux, i think the virus scanners
> might be supported without much hassles !
> But it is not free :-(
Of course not - last thing I heard nobody was giving away USB sticks for
free yet. ;-)
> Lemme know if there is any other USB Stick
> based linux flavour that is available for Free ?
You are not going to find one, since USB sticks cost money. Most
distributions do however have the necessary tools for creating a
USB-stick-based GNU/Linux distribution, and some may even have
preconfigured and automated utilities to do such a thing for you.
> Also, lemme know if there is a USB stick
> based linux flavour that would support virus
> scanners ?
Google is your friend.
> No clear info from internet so far.
Then you didn't look well enough. ;-)
>> As I gather, the cost is not too high, but
>> alternatively, you can do it yourself using a freely downloadable
>> distribution and a USB memory stick you already own. There are
>> HowTos about it on the web. ;-)
>>
>
> Thinking on similar lines, i got an idea to try a
> Floppy based linux instead of USB.
Well, good luck with that then. The 2.6 kernel doesn't even fit on a
floppy anymore, so you'd be stuck with an old kernel, which may not
support all of your hardware. For instance, I don't even know whether
2.4 supports SATA hard disks.
> I know of MiniRTL(based on busybox) that did
> not have dependency on HDD except for the RAM
> (Even the RAM requirement is very minimal).
> Other than that, there are other flavours like
> 'Tomsrtbt', Asmutils based 'a-Linux' and various
> other Busybox based flavours. But,they are all
> Floppy based.
If they are floppy-based, then they will certainly not hold any decent
antivirus software, given the size of such software suits.
> But, floppy drive is not available in that machine :-(
Then why even consider it? ;-)
> Does tomsrtbt support USB stick based boot up ?
That is not what it was designed for, but in theory, you should be able
to make a bootable USB stick with the contents of that CD, yes. On the
other hand, you'd be far better off with a more complete distribution,
e.g. Knoppix.
> I may check with the tomsrtbt user list regd this.
> Incase you have any information w.r.t tomsrtbt
> you can lemme know.
I can't really help you with that. I've only used it once or twice, in
order to detect hardware errors on one of my machines.
> Another query that pops in my mind is
> that these minimal versions/flavours of linux
> might not have lot of features. They might be greatly
> stripped and hence not sure if they would be able to
> provide all required support for virus scanner or similar
> tools !!
> Any thoughts on this ?
Yes, that is what I wrote higher up already. You'd be far better off
with a "real" distro. There are several live-CD based distros, and
other distros allow you to make a live-CD with a few simple
mouseclicks, or a bootable USB stick. Look here and see whether you
can find something to your liking:
> Incase these minimal versions are not suitable
> for existing along with virus scanning utility in
> the USB stick, do lemme know.
They will probably not have such scanners "on board", so you'd have to
add them yourself. The simpler the base you start from, the more work
you'll have at producing a bootable USB stick with a working distro
*and* a virus scanner.
> PS - Have looped in comp.os.linux.embedded
> to get their thoughts also as it is going towards
> that direction also interms of footprints,utilities
> in FD based linux, USB stick based linux ,
> Tiny linux flavours having support for virus scanner
> etc.
USB sticks and floppy disks are not "embedded Linux". Embedded
(GNU/)Linux is what you find in routers, cellphones and satnav systems,
i.e. the "system on a chip" approach. Such systems usually don't come
with antivirus software, and most of the time those devices are
configured to not work as if they are complete UNIX systems.
For instance, a Linksys WRT router has a Linux-based system in firmware,
but other than approaching it via a webbrowser to make a few changes to
the settings, you can't do much with it, since the device was never
designed for any other purposes than being a router. Alternative
firmware downloads do exist, but they really *are* alternative, i.e.
you'd have to install it yourself. And for your intended purposes, the
issue is moot.
--
*Aragorn*
(registered GNU/Linux user #223157)
karthikbalaguru
Hobley) wrote:
> karthikbalaguru <karthikbalagur...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > Lemme know if there is any other USB Stick
> > based linux flavour that is available for Free ?
>
> Ubuntu provides a utility to create a bootable USB stick.
>
>
>
> > Also, lemme know if there is a USB stick
> > based linux flavour that would support virus
> > scanners ?
>
> Ubuntu provides clamav.
>
Great ! This is interesting.
I searched for setting up ubuntu in USB stick
and the below link -
http://www.pendrivelinux.com/usb-x-ubuntu-610/
Another link that claims the installation of ubuntu
in USB stick from Live CD is below -
http://www.techbuzz.in/installation-of-ubuntu-in-a-usbflash-drive-from-the-live-cd.php
Does clamav come by default after following
the procedures mentioned in the below link ?
http://www.pendrivelinux.com/usb-x-ubuntu-610/
Or, should we need to add clamav by setting
up the network/internet once the ubuntu is up from the
USB stick ?
karthikbalaguru
I got few links, but not exact info.
I think the below link is one of the good
input to start for USB stick based linux flavour.
http://www.linux.com/distrocentral/distronews/8221-comparing-linux-usb-flash-disk-distros
But, it does not clearly convey the method of
addition of new softwares/applications to USB
stick based linux.
I assume that i need to set up the
network/internet and download the application/
software of interest(anti-virus, etc ) once the
linux boots up from the USB stick and occupies
the RAM.
Another possible method could be to add the
software/application to a particular folder in USB
Stick so that it gets added into a directory from
where it could be executed to get installed once the
ubuntu gets booted off the USB stick and occupies
the RAM.
For setting up ubuntu in USB stick -
http://www.pendrivelinux.com/usb-x-ubuntu-610/
Setting up ubuntu in USB stick from Live CD -
http://www.techbuzz.in/installation-of-ubuntu-in-a-usbflash-drive-from-the-live-cd.php
Incase of ubuntu,
http://www.pendrivelinux.com/usb-ubuntu-710-gutsy-gibbon-install/
I think, after the below step, the application/software
can be copied into the USB folder itself.
' Download UBconvert.zip and extract the
files to the USB folder '
But, not sure. Any ideas ?
Any trick for adding the application/software
so that the application comes by default when it gets
booted up from the USB Stick instead of adding
it everytime ? That is , it need not be installed
once the linux gets booted up from the USB stick ?
Still searching for information w.r.t this. Lemme
know if you got some information regarding this.
Nice link !
This link would be of great help to me. It is fantastic.
Your response has been very helpful !!
> > Incase these minimal versions are not suitable
> > for existing along with virus scanning utility in
> > the USB stick, do lemme know.
>
> They will probably not have such scanners "on board", so you'd have to
> add them yourself. The simpler the base you start from, the more work
> you'll have at producing a bootable USB stick with a working distro
> *and* a virus scanner.
>
Thx in advans,
Karthik Balaguru
Aragorn
identifying as karthikbalaguru wrote...
> On Dec 29, 6:04 am, Aragorn <arag...@chatfactory.invalid> wrote:
>
>> On Monday 28 December 2009 19:09 in comp.os.linux.setup, somebody
>> identifying as karthikbalaguru wrote...
>>
> I assume that i need to set up the
> network/internet and download the application/
> software of interest(anti-virus, etc ) once the
> linux boots up from the USB stick and occupies
> the RAM.
That is correct.
> Another possible method could be to add the
> software/application to a particular folder in USB
> Stick so that it gets added into a directory from
> where it could be executed to get installed once the
> ubuntu gets booted off the USB stick and occupies
> the RAM.
There are several methods for doing this, but if you're going to save it
on a separate partition on the USB stick - as opposed to making it part
of the boot image - then I recommend formatting that partition with a
UNIX-style filesystem, i.e. ext2/3, reiserfs, XFS or JFS, but not with
FAT32, as that does not honor the UNIX permissions and file ownerships.
> Any trick for adding the application/software
> so that the application comes by default when it gets
> booted up from the USB Stick instead of adding
> it everytime ? That is , it need not be installed
> once the linux gets booted up from the USB stick ?
Either use an ext2/3 or similar filesystem on the USB stick and save it
to that, or add it to the boot image from which the GNU/Linux system
boots up from the stick. If push comes to shove, you can temporarily
save the downloaded files to a /tmpfs/ - i.e. a temporary filesystem in
RAM while you are fiddling with the USB stick.
>> http://www.distrowatch.com
>
> Nice link !
> This link would be of great help to me. It is fantastic.
> Your response has been very helpful !!
That link is known to just about every GNU/Linux user. ;-) As you
didn't seem to know about it yet until I mentioned it here, you're
probably not a real GNU/Linux user... :p
Mark Hobley
> Or, should we need to add clamav by setting
> up the network/internet once the ubuntu is up from the
> USB stick ?
Right, you need to add clamav, after you have built the stick, but this is
very straightforward. The penstick will be updated to reflect changes as
packages are added or removed. (It works justs like a regular installation).
I've got some notes on the creation of the bootable pendrive somewhere. I will
try and dig them out for you.
Mark.