Windows XP AntiVirus Scan

From ITS Wiki - Information Technology Services - University of Rhode Island

If you are using an anti-virus solution other than than McAfee VirusScan 8.5i, please follow the instructions that came with that anti-virus solution. The following instructions apply to McAfee VirusScan 8.5i as distributed by URI. For more information on obtaining this, please refer here.

Running a Scan

If you think that your computer is infected by a virus, you may want to run an On-demand Scan. In order to ensure that the proper files are scanned, you may wish to create a specific rule for the scan.

To properly set up your VirusScan Properties to scan all the right items:

1. Right click on the VirusScan Shield in the bottom right hand corner of your screen.
2. Select On-demand scan from that menu.
3. In the On-demand scan properties, click "Add"
4. Add the items "All Local Drives," "Memory for Rootkits," "Running Processes," and "Registry."
   • you may wish to save this setting as your default by selecting "Save as Default" on the right hand side of the window.

Before you run a scan, you may wish to delete your internet cache, cookies, and temporary files. Instructions for this can be found here.

1. Right click on the VirusScan Shield in the bottom right hand corner of your screen.
2. Select On-demand scan from that menu.
3. Select "Start" from the right hand side of the window. The scan will run.
4. Brush your teeth
5. Go to bed.

If you believe your problem is more serious, you may want to run the scan from safe mode.

1. Make sure you perform the above instructions on setting up your VirusScan with the default option.
2. Print these instructions.
3. Restart your computer.
4. At the system start screen, before Windows begins booting up, press the f8 key on your keyboard.
   • Some computer manufacturers set a different button to switch to safe mode. If the f8 key does not work for you, try the other f keys, most commonly the f5 key.
5. At the system login screen, select Administrator. If the Administrator option does not let you log on, just sign in with your usual credentials.
6. Go to Start->"My Computer"(XP) or "Computer"(Vista)->Local disk (C:)->Program Files->McAfee->VirusScan
7. Run "scan32.exe" The scan will run.
8. Brush your teeth
9. Go to bed.