CURRENT NOTES:
During the last years, I still got user requests from time to time to either update VirusZ and xvs.library for AmigaOS 4.x or release the source codes to the community.

So as we saw the 30th anniversary of VirusZ in 2021, I actually decided to update VirusZ and xvs.library once again for all Amiga(-like) systems that popped up over the last 15 years, but unfortunately had to notice that I couldn't find the last backups of my sources any more. So at first a very special "thanks a lot" to the CBM Museum Wuppertal and Patrick Brough who could restore all files from the original harddisk of my old A3000 (which is severely damaged by battery acid). Without their help, the project would have been dead forever!

During the last months, I had to understand the (undocumented) new features of AmigaOS 4.x (especially the memory management), analyse parts of AROS and do a lot of beta-testing. Therefore I installed WinUAE with several emulated Amiga systems and OS versions (I finally bought AmigaOS 4.1 and 3.2, but currently don't have 4.0 and 3.1.4 which aren't available any more). Special thanks to Hubert Maier, Costel Mincea, Thomas Frieden, Almos Rajnai, Stefan A. Haubenthal, Christoph Fassbach, s.hawamdeh and all the others that gave me information about OS 4.x and did some tests on their systems.

So this is one of the first releases after 15 years and should run stable now on all AmigaOS, MorphOS and AROS systems. But please don't hesitate to report problems if you still encounter any.

1. Legal Stuff:
This software package has been developed and is copyright © 1997-1999 by Georg Wittmann. Changes and updates from December 1999 to May 2001 are copyright © 1999-2001 by Alex van Niel. Changes and updates from June 2001 to October 2001 are copyright © 2001 by Jan Erik Olausen. Releases since October 2001 are again copyright © 2001-2022 by Georg Wittmann.

No parts of this software package may be altered by any means (this includes editing, reprogramming, crunching, resourceing etc.), except archiving. The author is in no way liable for any changes made to any part of the package, or consequences thereof as he is in no way liable for damages or loss of data directly or indirectly caused by this software.

This software package is FREEWARE for non-commercial use. Commercial users or distributors must gain permission of the author first. Neither fees may be charged nor profits may be made by distributing this software package. Outside a single machine environment, you are not allowed to reproduce only parts of the package, but you have to copy it completely.

2. Installation:
The xvs.library contains all the virus recognition and removal code that was formerly included in VirusZ. This step has been taken for one major reason: VirusZ, Virus_Checker, Virus_Executor and all the other antivirus software can be updated quickly without releasing the whole packages every time a new virus appears.

So simply install the xvs.library from this archive to your LIBS: drawer to get 100% protection against the latest viruses. You can either copy it by hand or use the installer script written by David Crawford.

NOTE #1: To detect ALL viruses inside crunched and/or linked files, xvs.library must be used together with the xfdmaster.library (available from Aminet or the VHT-Denmark homepage)! I therefore strongly recommend the installation of this library too.

NOTE #2: If xvs.library detects that it might have been modified (maybe by some new virus?), it will inform you with an alert and tell you what to do!

3. PGP Signatures:
To be able to check if the library in this archive really came straight from the author, you can use my public key with the .sig files in the archive. If you are not sure or do not trust the included key, then you can always request an original copy straight from me (by email, see below) or get it from the VHT-Denmark homepage.

4. Some Words to Amiga Programmers:
As you may have noticed, I don't have enough time to add all the features that users desire to my viruskiller VirusZ. On the other hand, there are a lot of talented coders out there who might have the time to write a really good viruskiller environment, but don't have all the viruses to add them or are not willing to torture themselves with analysing all those (old) little bastards.

That's the point where xvs.library comes in. With this library you get a powerful tool to detect and eliminate all sorts of viruses. Currently xvs.library offers you the following functions:
a. Detect bootblock viruses and install clean bootblocks instead.
b. Detect manipulated disk sectors and repair them if possible.
c. Detect infected files and repair them if possible.
d. Scan all memory regions for active viruses and remove them.

All you have to do (and that's still enough, believe me ;-) is to submit the files, sectors or bootblocks you want to have tested to xvs.library. In other words: You design an outstanding GUI with all the features that are required nowadays (ARexx, Locale, etc.) and I support you with my antivirus knowledge of the last 30 years!

5. Author:
Currently I (Georg Wittmann) am developing the xvs.library package alone again, so for any bug reports, comments or new ideas just contact me at the following e-mail address:

E-mail: virusz_xvs@gmx.de