Need more scheduled scan options

[Guest]

I'd like to see more complex options for setting up automated scanning.

For example, it'd be great if one could not only set up a Quick Scan to be
performed on a daily basis at a particular time, but also set up a
Full-system Scan on a weekly basis at a separate time.

 

[Bill Sanderson MVP]

A technically inclined user can do this, but it isn't built into the UI of
the program.

Scanning (and definition updates) are triggered by a command-line program

mpcmdrun

which is found in the installation folder, and has help if run without
arguments.

Windows Defender uses the Windows scheduler to do the scheduled scan--it is
set up as a hidden job. You can create your own scheduled jobs in addition.
Be aware that the scheduled job set up within Windows Defender is
re-scheduled regularly--i.e. daily, if it is a daily job--so don't try
modifying that one.

 

[Dave M]

Hi twellvis;

That's pretty much exactly what I have automatically scheduled... except
the schedule is daily Quicks and monthly Fulls. Defender uses the
Scheduled Task Manager, so here are the task commands for my Monthly Full
Task which I run on the first Monday of each Month (quotes are required due
to the blank between Program and Files):

Run: "C:\Program Files\Windows
Defender\MpCmdRun.exe" -Scan -RestrictPrivileges -Scantype 2

Start in: "C:\Program Files\Windows Defender"

Doing it this way will give you exact NOT approximate start times. Daily
Quick scans are still being handled at least initially within the Defender
interface itself.
You asked for it... you got it.

 

[Guest]

Your instructions worked like a charm. Thanks for the help!

 

[Dave M]

....and thank you, for letting us know.