Snapshots & Viruses

[sternfan]

Hi all,
I hope this isn't a dumb question, but I had to ask it before I did all this work. I have a friend that is continually hosing his laptop with viruses/spyware/malware etc. (running XP) Every couple of weeks I end up cleaning it, or restoring it with restore CDs. I suggested moving to Ubuntu, but that's not going to happen - but I think I can show him how to open a VM...

So my idea is to wipe the drive, & install Ubuntu. Then install VBox and run XP as a VM. Once everything is updated & installed, take a snapshot. So my Q - if it gets infected again, and I roll back to the snapshot I took of the clean VM, is it possible for the VM to still be infected? Also, will all of his files (in My Documents for instance) be deleted back to the snapshot?

Any help greatly appreciated,
Rob

[mpack]

Why get complicated? Back up the hard drive using a decent drive backup tool, such as Acronis... which your pal should be doing anyway, given his habits. Snapshots are not a backup tool, because all the eggs are in one basket (one drive).

[Sasquatch]

It can be done with snapshots and you will loose everything from the point you made that snapshot when you restore. I'm with mpack here, it's much easier to create an image backup than this. You can even make an automated system with some software where you just have to pop in a DVD or boot from a USB drive and it does the rest for you. Of course, you have to set it up to do it automatically first. I had a system like that using Norton Ghost DOS version, but I don't recommend using it nowadays.

Another, more profitable method is to tell him you charge him every time he hoses his system and you have to fix it. Eventually he'll either be broke or annoyed and stops clicking on every link he sees and infects himself with all the internet horror.
Or, if he doesn't play games, force Linux onto him. But make sure he stays away from Wine, as viruses can run in that and affect the system with it.

[mpack]

But make sure he stays away from Wine, as viruses can run in that and affect the system with it.

That's a pretty serious, like lawsuit time, allegation. Can you point to documented evidence?