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IT Services > Staff > More things we do > Security > Anti Virus > Virus Scanner FAQ

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Security

Anti Virus Software Frequently Asked Questions

General Frequently Asked Questions

1. How can I check which version of McAfee Virus Scan Enterprise I am running and what patch it is running?

2. I am running an older version of McAfee (8 or 8.5 or 8.7). Should I upgrade?

3. Will my PC run slower after installing Anti Virus software?

4. If it is running all the time, do I need to do complete scans of my disk(s)?

5. New viruses are detected regularly, will the checker be able to detect these?

6. I would like my virus checker to upgrade itself at another time. Can I get it to do this?

7. How can I find out more information about a virus (or, possibly, a virus hoax)?

8. I would like to install Anti Virus software at home, but I am not on broadband and therefore the download is slow. Have you got a copy I can download?

9. I am off campus, can I still update my Virus DAT files?

10. I have heard there is an Anti Adware / Spyware module, but I cannot see it when I install the Anti Virus software. Why is this?

11. McAfee reports that a file cannot be cleaned or quarantined, what do I do?

12. I am a Macintosh user and I cannot download the Virex software. What should I do?

13. How do I patch McAfee?

General

1. How can I check which version of McAfee Virus Scan Enterprise I am running and what patch it is running?

   Right click on the virus shield icon in the system tray and select About Viruscan, and the window below will be displayed.The title of the window will indicate which version of McAfee Virus Scan Enterprise you have installed on the machine. Scroll to the bottom of the window which says Installed Patches which tells you which patch you currently have installed.

   

2. I am running an older version of McAfee (8 or 8.5 or 8.7). Should I upgrade?

   Yes, version 8.8 is the latest supported version of Anti Virus software. Additional benefits of upgrading are improved detection features and improvements to the end-user client.

3. Will my PC run slower after installing Anti Virus software?

   Anti Virus will not noticeably impact on the performance of your machine. If you notice any performance degradation please check you do not have another virus checker running at the same time. Do not alter the settings of Anti Virus software, this could cause performance issues.

4. If it is running all the time, do I need to do complete scans of my disk(s)?

   In theory, No, but it is recommended you scan you entire hard disks for viruses once a week using McAfee Virus Scan Enterprise as a precaution.

5. New viruses are detected regularly, will the checker be able to detect these?

   McAfee Virus Scan Enterprise will attempt to upgrade itself daily with new virus signature files. These files are produced by McAfee and downloaded for internal distribution. The upgrade automatically occurs in the early hours of each morning. It is updated automatically by so that we can all be protected from the latest viruses that appear every day. It may change more often depending on the viruses that become prominent at the time, and emergencies.

   Nevertheless, every time a new virus is written and released it may not be detectable until McAfee have investigated it and updated their virus signature files.

   Portable Computers and Laptops must be regularly connected to the Internet to ensure that the system is kept up to date. Some critical updates require you to connect to the campus network if for any reason you are unable to connect to the network for longer than four weeks, please contact your local IT support person or IT Services on your return.

6. I would like my virus checker to upgrade itself at another time. Can I get it to do this?

   Users of the Staff Desktop XP service and the managed Windows 7 Service cannot change their schedule. The system is configured so that if you miss a scheduled update, the next time you start up the computer connected to the network, the update will take place whatever the time.

7. How can I find out more information about a virus (or, possibly, a virus hoax)?

   A virus hoax can be an e-mail which claims that you have been infected by an earlier e-mail. The hoax may even ask you to delete a file; the file may not be infected and may be an important part of your system, so that your deleting the file is what causes the problem.

   To find out more about both viruses and hoaxes, visit the McAfee Threat Database.

8. I would like to install Anti Virus software at home, but I am not on broadband and therefore the download is slow. Have you got a copy I can downlaod?

   Download the Windows Version.

   Download the OS X Version.

9. I am off campus, can I still update my Virus DAT files?

   The Anti Virus software is configured to fetch its DAT file updates directly from McAfee.

10. I have heard there is an Anti Adware / Spyware module, but I cannot see it when I install the Anti Virus software. Why is this?

    IT Services have licensed the McAfee Antispyware program to be used by members of Staff and Students at work or at home. There is no longer an additional charge. Downloading the latest version of the McAfee Installer will provide the new module, it is not available as a separate package.

11. McAfee reports that a file cannot be cleaned or quarantined, what do I do?

    The file will probably have to be removed whilst Windows is in Safe Mode. If you are unsure how to proceed, contact your local IT Support Staff or IT.Services@lboro.ac.uk for further advice.

12. I am a Macintosh user and I cannot download the Virex software.

    IT Services now provides Sophos for Macintosh machines, this is under a similar agreement to the McAfee VirusScan product and therefore allows use by Staff and Students at both work and home. This can be downloaded from the main Anti Virus web pages.

13. How do I patch McAfee?

    1. Download Patch (currently no patch available) .

    2. Save the Installer program file to your PC.

    3. Locate the ZIP file and execute it.

    4. Locate the setup.exe file and double click.

       This will launch a wizard to patch the Virus Scan Enterprise.

       

    5. Click Next to continue