Updated Anti-Virus Installers
Kenn's
19980201: Updated Anti-Virus Installers
February/1998
Tech
Notes
Tech Note #1
In previous versions of the anti-virus installers, the DOS/Windows 3.1x version was very different from the Windows 95 version. This is no longer the case. The new McAfee installation disks for the two platforms now have quite a few things in common, and both represent a change from previous installers. Technicians who are used to the previous issues of anti-virus installer/updaters would be well-advised to familiarize themselves with the new software before using it for the first time. In particular, please note:
a. Both now require the workstation to be unlocked.
b. Both now launch from a 16-bit SETUP utility which must be run in Windows.
c. Both now require more disk space to run than they will ultimately use up on the hard drive.
d. Both now run in "silent" mode. Once you click on "Start Install", there is little for you to do except feed disks and watch.
e. Both now can be easily installed to a network server for network installation. (This will allow you to avoid the "feeding disks" bit mentioned above.)
f. Both now remove the Vshield icon - and all McAfee icons - from students' view.
g. Both now reboot the computer automatically, and relatively unceremoniously.
h. The splash screen has been re-enabled.
i. You should make an emergency disk.
More details follow, for those of you who are interested in the particulars. For those of you who are going to skip the boring details, may I at least tell you two things before you jump ahead?
ONE: On the Windows 95 installer, after you click "Start Install", leave the mouse pointer near the middle of the screen, or the installer will hang about a minute after you put the last disk in. It's not a big problem. If you forget, and you notice a system just sitting there for a long time with a window that says the installation is still proceeding, just move the mouse pointer so it's somewhere over that window. The installer is freeware, I didn't write it, and aside from this glitch, I think it works just fine. For some reason, it just likes to have the mouse over that window. Go figure.
TWO: The Windows 3.1x installer represents a major change in the way anti-virus detection and cleaning is handled on our Windows for Workgroups stations. Because both the installer and anti-virus software now run in Windows instead of DOS, and because Windows is at best an unpredictable beast, expect some glitches. As far as the software goes, the most important thing I can say is: make sure you have at least 8 MB of RAM! Vshield for Windows loads erratically with less than 8 MB, and McAfee Associates recommends upgrading to 8 MB to run this software. As far as the installer goes, I've tested it as extensively as I have had time and opportunity to, and by and large I believe it is relatively bug-free. However, time and again, I found problems crop up, particularly when installing the software on a system which was not configured according to division standards. It's just not possible to anticipate every odd little contingency. (Eg. If your Startup group is missing, you'll miss a message!) However, I have fixed every problem I have seen. Note also, on a few occasions, I found the installer worked more as a corrupt-Windows-detector than as an installer (even though the installation was successful!). So if you get some odd "Windows Greek" error messages, plunge ahead with Ignore, Retry, or whatever seems to let you proceed, and see if it doesn't install itself anyway. It probably will. Then you can see about reinstalling Windows! If it doesn't seem to work, make sure the workstation is unlocked, and try again. If you just can't seem to get it to work no how, I recommend reinstalling Windows. As a last resort, call me. I'll be screening my calls, of course, so when you leave a message, be creative.
Okay, you can skip ahead now. For those of you who like the boring details, here they are:
a. Unlock the workstation. Previous versions of the Windows 3.1x installer could be run from a bootable diskette, even when Windows was locked. That old installer would automatically detect the locking, unlock Windows for the duration of the installation, and then lock it up again in the original configuration when it was done. This is no longer the case. Both installers require the workstation to be unlocked and neither installer makes any attempt to check for locking first. In other words, it is now just like any other piece of software you install. With this one exception: you do not have to disable or uninstall existing McAfee Anti-Virus software. Both installers still handle that automatically.
b. Run SETUP. I am now using a freeware 16-bit Windows installer utility to start the installation process. This makes it easier to control certain aspects of the installer. The Windows 95 installer has always had to be run in Windows. Now the Windows 3.1x installer does, too. SETUP cannot be run from DOS.
c. You may have to temporarily delete some program directories to run these installers on small hard drives. Because both installers copy installation utilities and compressed files to the hard drive before they install the software, they both require more disk space to run than they will ultimately use up on the hard drive. On systems where space is at a premium, you may find you will have to copy an installed program to a location on the network, delete it from the hard disk, run the installer, then copy the program back. In a lab with all identical workstations, you need only copy the program (or programs) from one workstation, since the files for all the computers should be identical. You cannot copy the McAfee directory to install the software! Various system files are updated during the installation process, so you must run SETUP.
The Windows 3.1 installer requires 9 MB total free hard disk space in order to run and will ultimately occupy between 4 and 5 MB total disk space on a system which has no McAfee software previously installed but, when installed as an upgrade to the previous DOS version of McAfee Anti-Virus, uses between 3 and 4 MB. The Windows 95 installer requires 16 MB free space to run and will ultimately occupy between 9 and 10 MB total disk space on a system which has no McAfee software previously installed but, when installed as an upgrade from the previous Windows 95 version of McAfee Anti-Virus, uses less than 1 MB.
d. Silent installers. Both installers utilize McAfee's "silent" mode setup option. Once you click on "Start Install", there is little for you to do except feed disks and watch. On the Windows 95 systems, try to remember to leave the mouse pointer somewhere in the middle of the screen after you click "Start Install", or the installer will hang about a minute after you put the last disk in. It's not a big problem. If you forget, and you notice a system just sitting there for a long time with a window that says the installation is still proceeding, just move the mouse pointer so it's somewhere over that window. Aside from that glitch, most installations will proceed automatically, with little or no input from you. On workstations which have a shared directory or printer, you may get a message indicating x number of users are connected and asking are you sure you wish to shut down. The answer is yes.
I am not aware of any other major or minor problems with the installers, but you just never know. I've tested the installer as extensively as I have had time and opportunity to, and by and large, when I found problems cropping up, it was when installing on a system which was not configured according to division standards. If it doesn't seem to work, make sure the workstation is unlocked, and try again. If you get some odd "Windows Greek" error messages, plunge ahead with Ignore, Retry, or whatever seems to let you proceed, and see if it doesn't install itself anyway. Then you can see about reinstalling - or fixing - Windows! If you just can't seem to get it to work no how, I recommend reinstalling Windows.
e. Please follow these instructions for network installation: Create two new directories on your server, either in an existing read-only share, or create a new read-only share for each. Copy all files from the Win 95 disks to one directory, and all files from the Win 3.1x disks to the other directory. In both cases copy the files from disk one first! This may seems like an odd thing to say, but the reason is this: on the last disk of each disk set is a configuration file with the same name as the configuration file on disk one. The file on disk one is for floppy installation. The file on the last disk is for network installation. So when you come to that last disk you will be asked if you wish to overwrite the existing WINSTALL.INF file that you just copied from disk one. The answer is yes.
f. Students no longer see the McAfee icons. The Windows 3.1x installer places all the icons for McAfee anti-virus utilities in the ACE - Teacher Applications group. On systems locked with Quick Lock or ACE Windows Lock that means the students can't access them. The Windows 95 installer places the McAfee icons in a new folder called WSD1 Anti-Virus Utilities, but this folder is not copied to the student profile. It is automatically placed in the profile of the user you are logged on as, the default profile, the sysop profile if present, the teacher profile if present, and the tech profile if present. If you have other profiles which you wish to include, simply copy it from the default profile. (This is the copy of Start Menu which is a subdirectory of your Windows directory.) If you install the software while logged on as Student, the anti-virus icons will still be automatically deleted from that profile. However, since - in many labs - logging on as Student automatically locks the workstation, installing the anti-virus software while logged on as Student is not recommended. Also note that this version of the installer will delete all pre-existing McAfee VirusScan groups from all existing profiles.
The familiar Vshield icon will no longer be visible in Program Manager or on the taskbar. Vshield will also be configured so that it can't be disabled. Since the only way this setting can be changed is from the VirusScan Console or from Vshield itself, the potential for students' tampering with this setting should be somewhat reduced. When you install the Windows 95 version, you will notice that the Vshield icon does actually appear the first time you log on. This is normal. As soon as you log off once, the icon is removed and will not return.
g. Automatic rebooting. Both installers reboot the computer automatically, and relatively unceremoniously. The Win 3.1x installer reboots the system twice, and the Win 95 installer reboots once. The first reboot under Windows 3.1x is not a sure thing, however. The installer will inform you that the system must be rebooted, and will attempt to exit Windows. Assuming that the system has been booted normally, that it is unlocked, and that there have been no previous exits to DOS (excluding running Restart Windows to unlock the workstation), the system should reboot. If the computer exits to DOS, and returns to the C:\ prompt without rebooting, reboot the system manually. Under no circumstances restart Windows at that point! If you do, you will definitely have to rerun the installer. You may have to reinstall Windows! The second reboot under Win 3.1x and the only reboot under Win 95 is performed by the McAfee setup utility running in silent mode, and is much more certain. However, if more than ten minutes pass without the system rebooting, you may want to run the setup utility manually. Instructions for doing so should be on the screen. Only use this method after waiting - at the very least - ten minutes, and only as a last resort. Remember, the installer runs in silent mode and it is perfectly normal to see no indication whatsoever that the installation is occurring. You may or may not see hard drive activity. In Windows 95, there is a little indication of activity, in the form of an icon on the taskbar and the occasional, momentary status window. But, in general, the installation runs by itself, and it is very quiet.
h. The splash is back. The annoying McAfee splash screen has been re-enabled. The reason for this is that it is no longer possible to glance at a workstation and know whether Vshield is running or not. There is no icon on the desktop or taskbar indicating it is on. If a teacher, lab facilitator, or tech wishes to confirm whether Vshield is active, the procedure now is to restart Windows (in Windows 3.1x) or to close all programs and log on again from the shutdown menu (in Windows 95). When you see the McAfee splash screen, you know Vshield is running.
i. Create an Emergency Disk. The set of diskettes for installing McAfee no longer include a boot diskette for scanning and cleaning computers. However, you can easily make one. Format a floppy. SYS it. Then access the Create Emergency Disk icon in ACE - Teacher Applications (Win 3.1x) or WSD1 Anti-Virus Utilities (Win 95). It is strongly recommended that all division technicians maintain an up-to-date emergency anti-virus disk.
One final note regarding the Windows 95 anti-virus installer: Technicians are reminded that the ScreenScan option is installed by default (see May/97 Tech Note #7 for more information), and that Vshield is configured for best performance by default (as discussed in January/97 Tech Note #4 and the announcement section of the March/97 Tech Notes). Changing either setting is not recommended for workstations in school labs.
DISCLAIMER: This document is intended for the reference of computer support personnel within Winnipeg School Division No. 1. There is no warranty or liability if procedures recommended here have an adverse affect on any systems. Use them at your own risk. Any trademarks mentioned are the property of their owners, none of whom have certified any information provided here. Opinions expressed here are personal only and do not represent the policy of Winnipeg School Division No. 1 or any other organization anywhere.
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