Features and Optionsīecause it’s only good for ten days, you should not use Microsoft Safety Scanner as a replacement for an antivirus program that provides real-time protection against malicious software. If needed again at a later time, you are encouraged to download the scanner again because it will contain updated detection signatures. This tool will expire 10 days after downloading.

It will scan the computer whether it was started in normal or safe mode. You must be logged on as a member of the Administrators group to run this scanner. Microsoft Safety Scanner will run on computers with 32-bit or 64-bit editions of Windows 7, Windows Server 2003, Vista or XP. Microsoft Safety Scanner - A Free Disposable Virus Scanner for Windows PC In the next section of this article, find out how you can use this scanner and why you need it. Microsoft now provides a free standalone virus scanner called Microsoft Safety Scanner. You should configure the antivirus software to scan all file types, extensions and formats because you never know how the latest virus or malware may try to disguise itself. Note that some antivirus programs with real-time and on-demand scanners will not scan all types of file extensions and file formats by default. The on-demand scanner, also known as a manual scanner, will not protect the computer in real-time, but can help find malware in selected locations on the local hard-drives.

Some antivirus programs call this feature a resident shield, auto-protection, on-access scanning or a background guard. Real-time scanning will help protect your files and the system by monitoring the activity in the background and will automatically quarantine or remove any detected threats. Most antivirus programs will provide real-time scanning against malware in addition to manual scans that the user can run themselves.

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