Need Help With Virus Scan.

[DaveP57]

I'm kind of new to computers, only having owned one for about a year and a half, and I have a dialup connection, so I don't worry too much about Viruses, However, the last few to appear made me think twice about my attitude towards Virus Scanning. My question concerns a (The?) Mcaffee anti-virus website. When I go there to update my Virus Scanning Software, I am presented with 3 separate files to download: 1. Current Version of VirusScan 2. Current Detection Engine, and 3. Current DAT files. Which ones do I need to update, and how often? I'm not subscribed to anything, just using the Mcaffee Software that is installed off of my Compaq Presario "Quick Restore" CD, Which has win98se and a few miscellaneous programs, Mcaffee being one of them. Any Help, Comments, or Suggestions Greatly Appreciated. DP57.

 

[Yahiko81]

You update your dat files. I would update them weekly but most people only do it monthly.

Nice <b><font color=green>Lizards</b></font color=green> <b>crunch</b> Trolls cookies....... Yummy!!

 

[wapaaga]

first things frist you need to find out which version you have it is 4.0 or higher you should proaboly downlaod the superdat this time becuase you haven't ever done it then the times after that download the 4 or the 5 version dat if you haveversion 4 or higher. then every couple of months you should download the superdat file. now if you have three you going to have to just go with the dat files for that.


to find out which version you have go to the help then to the about in virus scan central

<font color=red>Gasoline + Fire</font color=red><font color=green> Can be a lot of fun</font color=green>

 

[mousepotato]

It's the .dat file that contains the virus list. That is the one you need to update.

How often to update? I guess, that's debatable.

I personally, don't even have virus protection on my computer. I get security updates from M$ regularly. I don't open executable file attachments in my e-mail (unless I've personally talked to the sender and am convinced it isn't a virus). I don't click on links that are questionable. If I'm even unsure about a file, I just save it and have it checked at sites like <A HREF="http/www.pcpitstop.com/" target="_new">http/www.pcpitstop.com/</A>. I rarely need to do that, so it isn't any more inconvenient than keeping anti-virus software on my comp up to date. I've never been infected (although, I'm fairly new to computers also. I've only had one for almost a year).

But, I back-up files to CD. If I ever get infected so bad that I need to re-format, it would hurt me much. Hell, my comp is not a nescessity at all, and even if my back-up files went up in smoke, I wouldn't lose much.

<font color=green>I've had enough cookies.</font color=green> <font color=blue><i>Got milk?</i></font color=blue>

 

[DaveP57]

Thanks everyone for your replys, I'm getting a handle on it...Got Milk?

 

[CALV]

just one point, how do you know you've never been infected if you dont ahve anything that will tell you that you have?

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