Settings > AntiVirus > Manual virus check

Here you can create basic program settings for Virus check. However, in normal operation this is not required.

•Use engines: The software works with two engines, which are two essentially independent virus checking programs. Every engine by itself would already provide you with a high degree of protection against viruses, but it is precisely the combination of both engines that gives the very best results. You can accelerate the virus check in older and slower computers by using just one engine, but normally you should keep the setting Both engines.

•Infected files: Has your software detected a virus? In the standard setting, the software now asks you what you would like to do with the infected file. If you would always like to perform the same action, you can set this here. The highest protection for your data is offered here by the setting Disinfect (if not possible: place in quarantine).

•Infected archive: Here you can determine whether archive files (e.g. files with the extension RAR, ZIP or PST) should be handled differently from normal files. However, please note that moving an archive to quarantine can damage it so that it can no longer be used after it is moved back.

•Pause the virus check at times of high system load: A virus check should normally be carried out when the computer is not being used. If you then need to use the computer, the virus check is paused so that your computer can run at normal speed for you. This virus check will then carry on when you stop working.

Exceptions

By clicking on the Exceptions button you can exclude specific drives, directories and files from the scan and so significantly accelerate parts of the virus detection process. To do this, proceed as follows:

1	Click on the Exceptions button.

2	Click on New in the Exceptions window for manual computer scans.

3	Now select whether you want to exclude a drive, a directory, or a file or file type.

4	Underneath this, select the directory or drive you want to protect. You can also define file types as exceptions here.

For instance, in order to protect all files with the file extension .sav, enter *.sav.

You can repeat this procedure as often as desired and also delete or modify the existing exceptions.

Use exceptions for the idle scan as well: During a manual virus check the computer is scanned for viruses in a targeted manner and should not be used for other tasks, whereas the idle scan is an intelligent virus check that checks every file on your computer, regardless of whether or not it has previously been infected with a virus. The idle scan only ever works like a screensaver when you do not need your computer for a while, and immediately stops again as soon as you resume work, ensuring optimal performance for you. Here you can specify whether exception files or exception directories should be defined for the idle scan as well.

Advanced

You can create more settings for virus checks by clicking on the Advanced button. In most cases, however, it is completely adequate to use the specified default settings.

•File types: You can specify here which file types should be inspected by the software for viruses. Selecting the option Program files and documents only entails certains speed benefits.

•Heuristics: In the heuristic analysis, viruses are not only detected by the virus database, which you receive with every update of the antivirus software, but are also identified on the basis of particular characteristics typical of viruses. This method increases the level of security, but in rare cases may also generate a false alarm.

•Check archive: Checking compressed data in archives (these can be recognised by file extensions such as ZIP, RAR or PST) is very time-consuming and can normally be omitted if the virus monitor is usually active on the system. To increase the speed of the virus check, you can limit the size of the archive files that are browsed to a specific value in kilobytes.

•Check email archives: Here you can specify whether your email archive is examined for infections as well.

•Check system areas: In general, system areas (for example boot sectors) in your computer should not be excluded from virus checks.

•Check for dialers / spyware / adware / riskware: You can also use this function to check your system for diallers and other malware (spyware, adware and riskware). These are e.g. programs that establish expensive, unwanted Internet connections, of which the potential for financial damage is no less significant than that of the virus. They may for example secretly record your surfing habits or even all the keyboard entries you make (including your passwords) and forward these to third parties via the Internet at the earliest opportunity.

•Check for rootkits: Rootkits attempt to evade conventional virus detection methods. Additional monitoring for this malware is always advisable.

•Only check new or modified files: If you activate this function, files that have not been changed for a long time and that were previously flagged as harmless are skipped. This generates a performance gain in everyday work – with no security risk.

•Generate log: By checking this box, you can specify that the software creates a log of the virus check process. This log can be viewed in the Logs area.