13
VirusScan
®
Command Line 5.20.0 Product Guide
Installing VirusScan
®
Command Line
Validating your files
2
Validating your files
When you download or copy files from any outside source, your computer is at risk of
virus infection — even if the risk is small. Downloading our scanning software is no
exception. It is important to verify that the software is authentic, unaltered, and not
infected. Strict, extensive security measures ensure that the products you purchase
and download from our web site and other electronic services are safe, reliable, and
free from virus infections. However, scanning software attracts the attention of virus
writers and Trojan-horse writers, and some find it amusing to post infected copies of
commercial software, or use the same file names to camouflage their own work.
Download the software package from our web site. If you download a file from any
other source, it is important to verify that it is authentic, unaltered, and not infected.
The software package includes a utility program called
VALIDATE.EXE
that you can use
to ensure that your version of the software is authentic. When you receive a new
version of this software, you can run
VALIDATE.EXE
on all of its program files and DAT
files.
To ensure that you have exactly the same files as the original software, you need to
compare the validation codes that
VALIDATE.EXE
generates against the packing list
supplied with your copy of the software. The packing list is a text file that contains the
validation codes that were generated from a cyclical redundancy check (CRC) when the
software was packaged for delivery.
To validate your files:
1
Install the software as described in
page 11
.
2
In the Microsoft Windows task bar, choose a Command Prompt.
3
In the window that appears, change directory to the directory that contains the
VirusScan
®
Command Line files. (In DOS, you can use the
CD
command.)
4
At the command prompt, type:
VALIDATE *.*
The program examines all of the files in the program directory, then generates a file
list that includes the following information:
The name of each file.
The size of each file, in bytes.
The creation date and time of each file.
Two validation codes in separate columns for each file.
For example:
AVVSCAN DAT 242681
03-26-04 4:40a 35B2 4690 AVVSCAN.DAT
5
Print this output so that you can review it easily. Direct the output to a file, and print
the file directly from any text editor, such as Microsoft Notepad. At the command
prompt, type:
VALIDATE *.* >
FILENAME
6
Print the file,
PACKING.LST
directly from any text editor, such as Microsoft Notepad.
