The Scan Settings category allows you to customize the types of files scanned and action behavior of PC Tools AntiVirus' File and IntelliGuard Scan functions. The types of files which can be selectively scanned include:

To access this screen, click on Settings in the left navigation menu and select Scan Settings.

Scan Method

The virus scanning engine is able to scan for and detect viruses according to the set methods/levels. It is possible to choose the needed scanning method in the components in the software. The following levels are available:

Fast - Scans only those parts of the file, which are most likely to contain a virus and does not detect viruses, which can only be detected by using a major amount of system resources (e.g. Excel FORMULA viruses).

Normal - Optimized scanning method, which detects all viruses registered in the virus database and scans those parts of the file, which are most likely to contain a virus.

Heuristic Scan Mode

Selecting this check box allows PC Tools AntiVirus to detect the presence of potential virus or related malware infections with no definitions currently available. This functionality is based on a set of predetermined, typical behaviors that occur on an infected system.

Scan Emails - Selecting this check box allows the e-mail databases of e-mailing programs, for example, the Microsoft Outlook's .pst files, to be scanned for the presence of virus and related malware.

Scan Archives - Selecting this check box allows archived files to be scanned for the presence of embedded viruses and related malware. A wide variety of archive formats are supported, including the commonly used formats: zip, cab, tar, rar, ace, and many others.

Select one level/two levels/ or all levels of archives to scan. Select OFF to turn off scanning archives.

Please note: If an infected or suspicious file is detected within an archive, the entire archive will be quarantined or removed, depending on the Action to be performed on a detected item options below and on the Settings -> IntelliGuard Settings screens.

Remove Macros- Selecting this option will delete all unknown macros.

Scan exclusions

Click this link to select files and folders with a particular name or file-type extension to be excluded from either a scan or detection through IntelliGuard.

Action to be performed on a detected item

Note: The following settings apply ONLY to File Scanning and not to OnGaurd real-time protection. To configure settings for IntelliGuard, you will need to set them individually for File Guard and Email Guard (if you have downloaded the Email Guard add-on) through their respective pages.

Quarantine - automatically quarantines the detected file.

Remove - automatically removes the detected file.

Ignore -  Will ignore the item.

Prompt Me - Will alert you to choose remove, quarantine or ignore the item.

Note: To set the equivalent actions for infected or suspicious files detected through IntelliGuard, refer to the IntelliGuard Settings.