------------------------- MS-DOS v6.22 Help: MSAV --------------------------
<Notes> <Examples>                                               <Index>
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                                    MSAV

Scans your computer for known viruses.

Syntax
    MSAV [drive:] [/S | /C] [/R] [/A | /L]
    [/N] [/P] [/F] [/VIDEO]

Parameter

drive:
    Specifies the drive that MSAV scans for viruses. If you do not specify a
    drive, MSAV scans the current drive.

Switches

/S
    Scans the specified drive, but does not remove viruses that MSAV finds.

/C
    Scans the specified drive, and removes viruses that MSAV finds.

/R
    Creates an MSAV.RPT file that lists the number of files MSAV checked for
    viruses, the number of viruses it found, and the number of viruses it
    removed. By default, MSAV does not create a report. When it does create
    MSAV.RPT, the file is placed in the root directory.

/A
    Scans all drives except drive A and drive B.

/L
    Scans all local drives except network drives.

/N
    Displays the contents of an MSAV.TXT file, if it exists and it is
    located in the directory that contains the MSAV.EXE file. MSAV then
    scans the current drive or the drive you specify. MSAV does not use the
    graphical interface. If MSAV detects a virus, it returns exit code 86
    instead of displaying a message on your screen.

/P
    Displays a command-line interface instead of the graphical interface.

/F
    Turns off the display of filenames that have been scanned. Use this
    switch only with the /N or /P switch.

/VIDEO
    Displays a list of the switches that affect how MSAV is displayed. This
    list contains all of the following switches.

/25
    Sets screen display to 25 lines. This is the default setting.

/28
    Sets screen display to 28 lines. Use this switch with VGA display
    adapters only.

/43
    Sets screen display to 43 lines. Use this switch with EGA and VGA
    display adapters.

/50
    Sets screen display to 50 lines. Use this switch with VGA display
    adapters only.

/60
    Sets screen display to 60 lines. Use this switch with Video 7 display
    adapters only.

/IN
    Runs MSAV using a color scheme, even if a color display adapter is not
    detected.

/BW
    Runs MSAV using a black-and-white color scheme.

/MONO
    Runs MSAV using a monochromatic color scheme.

/LCD
    Runs MSAV using an LCD color scheme.

/FF
    Uses the fastest screen updating on computers with CGA display adapters.
    Using this switch may decrease video quality.

/BF
    Uses the computer's BIOS to display video.

/NF
    Disables the use of alternate fonts.

/BT
    Allows use of a graphics mouse in Windows.

/NGM
    Runs MSAV using the default mouse character instead of the graphics
    character.

/LE
    Exchanges left and right mouse buttons.

/PS2
    Resets the mouse if the mouse cursor disappears or locks up.

                                      ***

<Syntax> <Examples>
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                                MSAV--Notes

CHKLIST.MS files

Microsoft Anti-Virus creates a CHKLIST.MS file in each directory you scan
for viruses. The first time you scan a directory, Microsoft Anti-Virus
records in the CHKLIST.MS file checksums for each program. During subsequent
scans, it compares new checksums with the originals to determine if program
files have changed. A difference in checksum values indicates a possible
virus infection.

Real symptoms versus false alarms

Damaged programs, some memory-resident programs, and conflicts among device
drivers can cause your computer to act as if it were infected by a virus
when it is not. If you suspect your computer is infected, consider the
possible causes for the symptoms you observe. Instead of a computer virus, a
hardware or software problem is likely to be producing errors.

Check All Files option

When the Check All Files option is selected, AnitVirus for MS-DOS checks
only files with the following extensions: .386, .APP, .BIN, .CMD, .DOM,
.DLL, .DRV, .EXE, .FON, .ICO, .OV*, .PGM, .PIF, .PRG, .SYS.

MSAV.INI and the MSDOSDATA environment variable

When you start Anti-Virus for MS-DOS, it uses an initialization file named
MSAV.INI to configure the program. To determine the location of the MSAV.INI
file, Anti-Virus for MS-DOS first searches for the MSDOSDATA environment
variable, which specifies the path to the initialization file. If this
environment variable is not defined, the program searches for the MSAV.INI
file in the directory from which you started Anti-Virus for MS-DOS. If the
program does not find the file, the program creates it using default values
and places it in the directory.

The MSDOSDATA environment variable is useful if you share the MSAV.EXE file
with others, but use your own configuration for Anti-Virus for MS-DOS. For
example, suppose the MSAV.EXE file is located in the root directory on drive
P, a read-execute-only network server, and you want Anti-Virus for MS-DOS to
use your own configuration when it starts. To specify that it use the
MSAV.INI file located in the DOS directory on your drive C instead of the
initialization file located on network drive P, add the following line to
your AUTOEXEC.BAT file:

        set msdosdata=c:\dos

To start Anti-Virus for MS-DOS, type the following at the command prompt:

        p:\msav

Changes you make to the configuration of Anti-Virus for MS-DOS are saved in
the MSAV.INI file located in the DOS directory on drive C.

Using the /N switch

If you specify the /N switch, MSAV displays the contents of an MSAV.TXT
file, if it exists and it is located in the directory that contains the
MSAV.EXE file. MSAV then scans the current drive or the drive you specify.
MSAV does not use the graphical interface. If MSAV detects a virus, it
returns exit code 86 instead of displaying a message on your screen.

                                      ***

<Syntax> <Notes>
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                               MSAV--Examples

To start MSAV using a black and white color scheme, and to specify that MSAV
check all drives except drives A and B, type the following command:

    msav /bw /a

To write a simple batch program named VIRUS that supports the MSAV exit code
and the /S switch to scan the current drive, you can type the following
commands by using MS-DOS Editor:

    echo off
    rem Smith's msav command
    msav /s /n
    if errorlevel 86 goto virus
    if not errorlevel 86 goto none
    :virus
    echo MSAV has detected a virus on your current drive!
    goto exit
    :none
    echo MSAV found no viruses on your current drive.
    goto exit
    :exit

                                      ***

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