AUTORUN.INF!

You Said autorun.inf?

THE PROBLEM:

Most if not all Antivirus Software detect all autorun.inf files as viruses.What exactly is autorun.inf? IAre they  really viruses?

THE PRINCIPLE:

autorun.inf IS NOT A VIRUS! It is the primary instruction file associated with the autorun function.

autorun.inf itself is a simple text-based file that tells the operating system which executable file to start

(open instruction),which icon to display(icon instruction) and which additional menu commands to make available (menu instruction). To make simple, autorun.inf is a configuration file that tells the operating system what to do when you plug in a USB device or insert a CD/DVD drive in your computer. When plugged in or inserted,if the "Auto insert notification" feature is enabled (it is by default) Windows checks in the USB device or CD/DVD root directory for the existence of an "autorun.inf" file. If found, Windows then reads and follows the specific instructions this file defines. If no autorun.inf file is found, then Windows refers to the USB device or CD/DVD by its serial number and executes the default actions associated with the content (data,audio etc) on the disk.

NOTE: Most virus programmers use the properties of the autorun.inf file to increase their virus replication capacity especially via USB Devices but also through Hard Disk Drives.They do this by adding a piece of code in their virus that modifies the original autorun.inf file and instead tells it to open the virus (using the open instruction). Upon double clicking on the USB Device or Hard Disk in the Windows Explorer or "My Computer", the autorun.inf file executes the virus ad infects your computer. That is why you should never double click on any USB Device or Hard Disk before you have checked it is virus free.

You can download the video tutorial on how to determine wether an autorun.inf file in a USB Device is safe or not and how to open unsure USB Devices and Hard Disk Drives HERE

Lets Summarise

The autorun.inf file thus defines:

1. The process or application that will automatically run when a USB device is plugged in or CD/DVD is inserted (You can optionally define the process or application that will run for specific Operating environments.)
2. The icon that will represent the application in the USB Device or CD/DVD when viewed with "My Computer" or Explorer.
3. Menu commands displayed when the user right-clicks the CD-ROM icon from My Computer or Explorer.

THE SOLUTION:

After watching the above video, you will have learned how to identify a corrupted autorun.inf file.That will be enough to never have your computer infected by corrupted autorun.inf files.

download the video tutorial on how to determine wether an autorun.inf file in a USB Device is safe or not

and how to open unsure USB Devices and Hard Disk Drives HERE.

For any question, suggestion, remark, request or special query or to obtain other FREE video tutorials on how to create a personalised autorun.inf file for your USB Device or for a CD/DVD  please leave a comment below

with your request and email adress or

- email me at freecomputertipsandtricks@gmail.com  

- follow us on our facebook page Computer Tips and Tricks 

- join our facebook group Computer Tips and Tricks