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Can a Windows XP Virus via Boot Camp "Hop" Partitions?
- Thread starter nyycavo24
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If you can write to your Mac partition while under Windows I would guess it could alter some files on your Mac side. Otherwise no. The actual virus won't make its way to the Mac side though.
I think that is probably more theoretical than actual
IF you have something like MacDrive installed and IF the virus did this or that
I have yet to hear of anything remotely like that happening
Then your answer should be "Yes, it can, but no known virus does it and the interest to do it is low" instead of "Nope"
It's not really a false sense of security. There can be multiple correct answers to a question. MacDawg is correct that the virus won't hop partitions. If a non-technical user asked the question, "no" is sufficient. If I was discussing this with my friends we might delve into scenarios where this could theoretically happen. The OP currently has nothing to worry about.
Gah, yes the virus can hop partitions, why can't it? it can be directed to enter the Mac OSX partition because Windows can now write HFS easily, especially with the advent of bootcamp 3.0
But more importantly, the virus will not have any effect under OSX because it is an .exe file which has no operation under OSX.
But more importantly, the virus will not have any effect under OSX because it is an .exe file which has no operation under OSX.