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A DOSBox emulator question...

If I run a DOS MZ executable infected with a virus that attempts to flash my BIOS, will that affect the host computer?




No:

- A program running inside DOSBox sees the DOSBox BIOS, not the host computer's BIOS

- Even the host computer's BIOS was visible, the host computer's OS is responsible for preventing random programs (including DOSBox) from poking directly at hardware

- I'm pretty sure DOS viruses generally predate flashable BIOS, and even if there was a DOS virus that tried to flash your BIOS, it wouldn't know what to do with a modern UEFI setup


Are you talking about CIH? Anyways it could damage your system on dosbox as dosbox has your files mounted a drive so it could wipe that. Virtual machines are the best way to go. Either way it will not affect the BIOS as most boards are UEFI


But CIH infects PE executables not MZ executables right?


Oh, didn't see that. You're correct




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