McAfee VIRUSSCAN 5.1 User Manual page 97

If you tend to copy files from one server that does not copy files
from your computer, and if other network users do the same,
you might want to configure your computers to scan only files
that they write to their hard disks—or only files that they read
from their hard disks—in order to prevent two computers from
scanning the same file. If you do so, however, you should
configure each computer identically. Otherwise, one computer
that scans only outbound files could copy an infected file from
a server that scans only inbound files.
• Scan files on floppy disks. Boot-sector viruses can hide in the boot
blocks of any formatted floppy disk, then load into memory as soon
as your computer reads your floppy drive. Select the Access
checkbox to have the System Scan module examine floppy disks
each time your computer reads from them or writes to them. Select
the Shutdown checkbox to have the module scan any floppy disks
that you leave in your drive as you shut down your computer. This
ensures that no viruses can load when your computer reads your
floppy drive at startup.
3. Specify the types of files you want the System Scan module to examine.
You can
• Scan compressed files. Select the Compressed files checkbox to
have the module look for viruses in compressed files or in file
archives. This option ensures that viruses do not spread from
compressed files, but because the module uncompresses these files
before it scans them, choosing this option can lengthen the time it
takes to scan a given set of files as you work with your computer.
Š NOTE: When the System Scan module examines a file archive,
it will scan only the file archive itself, not the compressed files
within the archive.
• Choose file types for scanning. Viruses cannot infect files that
contain no executable code, whether script, macro, or binary code.
You can, therefore, safely narrow the scope of your scan sessions so
that the module examines only those files most susceptible to virus
infection.To do so, select the Program files only button.
To see or designate the file name extensions that the System Scan
module will examine, click Extensions to open the Program File
Extensions dialog box (Figure 4-10).
Using the VShield Scanner
User's Guide 97