Virus takes heavy toll

In Ahmedabad, the virus was estimated to have affected 10 per cent of total Internet users, including some of the major computer data companies. However, said Wipro regional manager Tejas Desai, the damage caused to the companies in metropolitan cities was much more than those in Gujarat as the number of internet users was less.

Jyoti Shukla of Asset International said: 8220;We had problems due to irregular power supply and thus our computers were not working. But it turned out to be a blessing in disguise and our hard driver was saved8221;. Sources said that several computer data-based companies received calls from customers.

In Vadodara, the victims were mainly private computer users having links with E-mail or the Internet; most official agencies, including the Western Railways, National Infomatics Centre, District Collectorate and Vadodara Stock Exchange, escaped.

District Collector Anil Mukim explained how: 8220;First, our NIC does not have Windows 95 and 98 programmes, which were most vulnerable to the virus; also, we received enough warning to double-check.8221; Divisional Railway Manager K C Jena said his operations escaped primarily because of the absence of E-mail or Internet links.

In Surat, the police department reportedly suffered heavy damage. Sources in the department say a number of records were wiped off by the virus. 8220;Some 400 entries on the hard drive were wiped out early in the morning,8221; a policeman employed in the computer section says. The extent of loss of other data was not confirmed by officials here.

However, the impact on private users was more than expected despite information and warnings posted on the Internet as well as availability of anti-virus programmes and a special CD called Dr Solomon8217;.

In Vadodara, officials at the Internet service providers Wilnet said they had launched an awareness drive8217; for their 500-plus users in the city in advance, but couldn8217;t save all the PCs. The simplest escape route was to avoid using the April 26 date which activated the virus. Dr S P Mehta of Revapex, Alkapuri, and Inderjit Singh of Nextgen, Fatehgunj, hardware and software providers in Vadodara, also said that the impact was heavy, despite warnings. They reckoned that 20 to 30 per cent of their subscribers got trapped and had lost their data irretrievably when their Windows systems did not accept re-boot on the said date.

Computer education institutes were also said to be have been partially hit. Aptech Vadodara8217;s deputy regional manager Hemant R Unawane and senior faculty member Pinal Bhatt said though they did not use the said systems, several of their students complained of the breakdown. 8220;However, we are asking them to try anti-virus systems8221;, Bhatt added.