Chances of being infected using 2 drives (one for Linux, the other for Windows)?

English Open Chat
#1

I’m a paranoid. I don’t use Windows. But I still have a valid licence and I want to continue flying with FSX.

The problem is that I always consider the worse: A virus infecting Windows, then infecting my BIOS (rare, I know) or staying at RAM for a few minutes. Is this even possible? I hear that data can stay at RAM for a period of time, I just don’t know how much time it is. And even so, malware written for Windows won’t know what to do with an ext4 filesystem, and with such a system that don’t have the same structure as Windows. Not to mention I won’t have both HD’s on at the same time, either I use the 1TB HD (that only has Linux), or I unplug it completely and then turn the Windows drive on.

But that’s the problem. I’m a freaking paranoid. I know that the chances are close to zero, but you think that it makes a difference? LOL

Please give some advices. :slight_smile:

#2

The BIOS is not provided by Microsoft; find which version you have and google to see if any problems have been identified for this version or whether there is a firmware upgrade for it.

If you are still using XP, there probably won’t be a problem as it pretty well-behaved in this area. With later versions, people have found odd things happening during upgrades - so, if you avoid Windows upgrades, you shouldn’t have any problems.

Even given your level of paranoia, waiting ten minutes between using Windows and Linux should be long enough to avoid any persistent electrons doing anything.

Keep a copy of SuperGrub Disk handy on a USB stick.