On 25/07/2024 10:44, userbeitrag--- via Freedos-user wrote:
Since DOS was vulnerable to boot viruses, it was AFAIK only necessary to access a (floppy) disk. DOS would always execute the virus if it was in the boot sector (be it a VBR or MBR). A simple "A:" at the prompt might have been enough, depending on the DOS version and the TSRs.
There is no VBR on a floppy, because there is no partition table - only a boot sector. The boot sector is loaded by the BIOS at boot time, never by DOS. Hence no, accessing a boot-sector-infected diskette would not make the virus activate. One would need to actually boot from this diskette.
About viruses and their effects: there used to be an excellent polish antivirus program named MkS_Vir. Besides being an outstanding virus-fighting weapon, it also had an entire encyclopedia of viruses with neat simulations of all the audio/visual effects viruses were producing. Some of them can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cthoPT2urEo
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