Virus scan file with right click?

[Steve Hawkins]

Not often felt the need to do this so only just found that I don't seem to
be able to simply scan any suspect file for virus without going to My
Computer. Is there any way to add this scan function to a right mouse click
menu?

Cheers.

Steve_H

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Your AV program should have added the option.

What AV program are you using?

I am using AVG Free and it has added "Scan with AVG Free" to most right
click context menus.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Steve Hawkins]

Actually, I now realise that I do get a right click option to scan files in
some windows, but not before I download them...

S

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Steve,

The files would have to be on your machine in order for your AV software to
do ANYTHING with/about the files. And chances are that your AV software
would automatically scan downloaded files. If it did not do this, I would
get a new AV.

When you download anything, it goes to your Temporary Internet Files folder
before it ends up in the folder you choose to download to.

Your AV should have some sort of a resident scanning utility, a name similar
to Resident Shield.

From AVG HELP:
The Resident Shield scans files as they are copied, opened and saved. When
the Resident Shield discovers a virus in a file that is accessed, it stops
the operation currently being performed and does not allow the virus to
activate itself. The Resident Shield, loaded into the memory of your
computer during system startup, also provides vital protection for the
system areas of your computer.

On-close scanning - select this if you want the Resident Shield to test
files that are downloaded from the Internet or other computer on a local
network even if they are not accessed by a local user. While this feature
leads to earlier detection of viruses it does not offer any greater
protection. Furthermore it is more demanding on system resources, which may
adversely affect computer performance.

Read the HELP for your AV.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Steve Hawkins]

Thanks very much for this Wesley,

We have McAfee and I would imagine its 'McShield' might be the 'name similar
to Resident Shield 'you mention. I've always found it a bit difficult
finding out exactly what our AV was doing as it does not seem to keep all
its info in one easy to get at place (unlike the free AVG I have on a
laptop). 'Security Centre' just tells one whether it is on or off for
example. Anyhow, in the programmes folder there are several McShield related
entries.

You might be interested in what precipitated my question:

I was asked to check a Word doc in a web site someone was constructing. He
had linked 2 Excel files into this doc by icons. Clicking on either of
these invoked a warning that this was dangerous and was asking for trouble
unless one was very sure of the source; continuing caused my pc to begin
searching for a programme or add-on 'necessary to open the file', and
quickly to begin loading ms installer and demanding the Office discs. Very
disconcerting!

I suspect it may be something odd in the way he has linked the files
(possibly even that the links may actually go to his memory stick...), but I
was concerned none the less that a simple click could have me chasing after
key programme discs and yelling 'stop'!

Cheers,

Steve_H

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Hi Steve,

We have McAfee and I would imagine its 'McShield' might be the 'name
similar to Resident Shield 'you mention.

Yes, mcshield.exe is the McAfee On-Access Antivirus Scanner.

".doc file types can become infected and should be carefully scanned if
someone sends you a file with this extension."

..doc is probably one the file types that McCrapy looks for automatically.

The asterisk (*) is a wildcard that represents one or more characters.

Note the DO* below, that meanst that Resident Shield scans all file
extensions that start with DO like DOC, DOCHTML, DOCMHTML, DOS, DOT and
DOTHTML files.

"XLS file types can become infected and should be carefully scanned if
someone sends you a file with this extension."

And the XL* that means XLB, XLC, XLG, XLS, XLR and XLT files.

From AVG Free settings...

Resident Shield scans files with extensions 386, ASP, BAT, BIN, BMP, BOO,
CHM, CLA, CLASS, CMD, CNM, COM, CPL, DEV, DLL, DO*, DRV, EML, EXE, GIF, HLP,
HT*, INI, JPEG, JPG, JS*, LNK, MD*, MSG, NWS, OCX, OV*, PCX, PGM, PHP*, PIF,
PL*, PNG, POT, PP*, SCR, SHS, SMM, SYS, TIF, VBE, VBS, VBX, VXD, XL*, XML,
ZL*.
Checking files without extension is turned on.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In