McAfee FreeScan Help

Welcome to McAfee FreeScan.

McAfee FreeScan helps you to detect viruses and Trojan horses on your computer. Based on the award-winning McAfee VirusScan engine, FreeScan searches for viruses including the latest known "in the wild" viruses and displays a detailed list of any infected files. This list provides you with informational links about the virus and what you can do to clean your system.

Using ActiveX technology, FreeScan brings the McAfee virus scanning engine right to your browser. Just visit the FreeScan Web page and decide what you want to scan.

Use FreeScan to search for viruses in your computer's drive C, My Documents folder, or Windows system files:

Manually Scanning for Viruses

Which Files Are Scanned?

What Do I Do if a Virus Is Detected?

Learn more...

System Requirements

Configuring Microsoft Internet Explorer

About ActiveX Controls

Manually Scanning for Viruses

To scan your computer for viruses:

1. Select your Scan Location:
• Drive C - Use this default option to scan the entire contents of drive C and get the most thorough scan possible.

Note: The larger the hard drive and the more files you have, the longer the scan will take.

• My Documents - Use this option to scan only the files in your My Documents folder.
• Windows Files - Use this option to scan only your Windows system files.
2. Click Scan to start scanning files.

   If an infected file is detected, its name appears in the List of Infected Files. You can also click the virus name in the Virus Name list to view details from the Virus Information Library.

Note: Scan counts a compressed file (.zip, .cab, etc.) as one file within the Files Scanned number.

3. If FreeScan finds no viruses, select another scan location, and then click Scan again.

If a virus is detected on your computer, see What Do I Do if a Virus Is Detected?

Which Files Are Scanned?

By default, all scanning options are selected to provide the most thorough scan possible:

• Scan subfolders
  This option enables FreeScan to scan files contained in subfolders.
• Scan all files

This option enables FreeScan to thoroughly scan all file types.
• Scan within compressed files

This option enables FreeScan to reveal hidden infected files within .zip and other compressed files.
• Scan for new and unknown viruses
  This option enables FreeScan to find the newest viruses that might not have existing “cures.” It also uses advanced heuristic techniques that try to match files to the signatures of known viruses, while also looking for telltale signs of unidentified viruses in the files.

What Do I Do if a Virus Is Detected?

If a virus is detected on your computer, clean the virus immediately with a proven anti-virus product to prevent the infection from spreading. McAfee Security offers the award-winning VirusScan Online, one of the easiest, most convenient ways to protect your computer from viruses. Click here to protect your computer from virus infection today!

Fee-Based Virus Removal

To access McAfee’s Virus Removal services, select from three levels of Support:

• Bronze – Agent Assisted Virus Diagnostics
• Gold – Agent Assisted Virus Removal
• Platinum – Remote Controlled Virus Removal

http://service.mcafee.com/VirusRemovalHome.aspx?lc=1033&sg=VR

System Requirements

• Microsoft® Windows 98, Me, 2000, or XP
• Microsoft® Internet Explorer 5.5 or later

Note: To upgrade to the latest version of Internet Explorer, visit the Microsoft Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/.

Configuring Microsoft® Internet Explorer

McAfee Security uses ActiveX controls and cookies to deliver applications via the Internet. These enabling technologies require specific browser configurations to ensure the applications are installed and work properly on your computer. Please follow the directions below to configure your browser.

1. Determine which version of Internet Explorer you are using.

a. Open Internet Explorer.

b. On the Help menu, click About Internet Explorer to open the About Internet Explorer dialog box.

c. Look for the line labeled Version: and note the first three numbers.

Example: Version: 5.50.4807.2300. The bold numbers are where you should look. This version of Internet Explorer is 5.50, so you would use the "Configuring Internet Explorer 5.x" instructions.

2. Click the appropriate link to learn how to configure your version of Internet Explorer.
• Internet Explorer 5.5
• Internet Explorer 6.x

After you configure Internet Explorer, it will have the correct security settings to download, install, and run VirusScan Online, as well as other McAfee Security applications.

Configuring Microsoft® Internet Explorer 5.5

1. Open Internet Explorer. On the Tools menu, click Internet Options to open the Internet Options dialog box.
2. Click the Security tab. Make sure that you are in the Internet Web content zone and that the security level for this zone is set to Medium (the default setting) or Low.
3. If you are not sure whether your security options are correct, click Default Level to set the zone to Medium (recommended).
4. If you are an advanced user who wants to customize your security settings, click Custom Level to open the Security Settings dialog box. McAfee Security requires that the following options must be enabled.

   a. Select Enable for these ActiveX controls and plug-ins options:

   - Download signed ActiveX controls
   - Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins
   - Script ActiveX controls marked safe for scripting

   b. Select Enable for the Active scripting option under the Scripting settings.

5. When you are done, click OK, and then click Yes to confirm the changes.
6. Click OK to close the Security Settings dialog box.
7. Click OK to close the Internet Options dialog box.
8. Exit Internet Explorer.

Configuring Microsoft® Internet Explorer 6.x

1. Open Internet Explorer. On the Tools menu, click Internet Options to open the Internet Options dialog box.
2. Click the Security tab. Make sure that you are in the Internet Web content zone and that the security level for this zone is set to Medium (the default setting) or Low.
3. If you are not sure whether your security options are correct, click Default Level to set the zone to Medium (recommended).
4. If you are an advanced user who wants to customize your security settings, click Custom Level to open the Security Settings dialog box. McAfee Security requires that the following options must be enabled.

   a. Select Enable for these ActiveX controls and plug-ins options:

   - Download signed ActiveX controls
   - Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins
   - Script ActiveX controls marked safe for scripting

   b. Select Prompt for these ActiveX controls and plug-ins options:

   - Download unsigned ActiveX controls
   - Initialize and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe

   c. Select Enable for the Active scripting option under the Scripting settings.

5. When you are done, click OK, and then click Yes to confirm the changes.
6. Click the Privacy tab on the Internet Options dialog box, and then click Advanced to open the Advanced Privacy Settings dialog box.
7. Make sure that Override automatic cookie handling and Always allow session cookies are selected, and then click OK to close the Security Settings dialog box.
8. Click OK to close the Internet Options dialog box.
9. Exit Internet Explorer.

About ActiveX Controls

ActiveX controls are software modules based on Microsoft's Component Object Model (COM) architecture. They add functionality to software applications by seamlessly incorporating pre-made modules with the basic software package. Modules can be interchanged but still appear as parts of the original software.

On the Internet, ActiveX controls can be linked to Web pages and downloaded by an ActiveX-compliant browser. ActiveX controls turn Web pages into software pages that perform like any other program launched from a server.

McAfee Security uses ActiveX controls in its applications, and you must download the specific ActiveX components required for each application. Once these components are loaded, you do not need to download them again unless upgrades or updates become available.

Note: You must have Administrator rights to install or uninstall software on Windows XP Professional, as well as on the Windows NT and Windows 2000 operating systems.