Configuring Antivirus
(Aurora Only)
Document 5054
Revised 05/21/2010 SSC


Antivirus software typically scans everything on your computer trying to keep your computer safe.  While this may seem ideal, unless you configure it to ignore specific programs, this behavior can dramatically slow down programs on your computer. Even in networked environments, many programs use local folders on your computer as temporary storage locations to speed them up.  Since WinTOTAL does this as well, it's vital that you configure your antivirus software to ignore WinTOTAL's data files.

This document explains how to configure your antivirus software to ignore WinTOTAL's data files.  This should significantly speed up the performance of WinTOTAL on your computer.

  
 

 

Although we cannot directly provide technical support for your antivirus software, we want to give you as much information as possible to help you use WinTOTAL efficiently. With that in mind, below you'll find steps for setting exclusions in some of the most popular antivirus software. Click on your software for more details.

If you don't see your software listed below, there are still some general guidelines that may be helpful as you configure your particular antivirus program.

  1. Open the Advanced options for your antivirus program's scan settings.
  2. Setup the exclusions to ignore the following:
    • C:\Program Files\a la mode
    • C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server
    • C:\a la mode - if you're using a standalone installation of WinTOTAL

For more specific instructions on this process for your antivirus software see below, or consult your antivirus manufacturer's documentation.

 

 
McAfee Internet Security 2010 / McAfee Total Protection

Unfortunately, McAfee Internet Security nor McAfee Total Protection give you the ability to set exclusions for specific files. So, while it may seem strange that we included a section of instructions about a function that doesn't exist, we thought we'd save you the trouble of doing the research, only to reach a dead end.

 
Norton 2005

  1. Right-click the Norton icon in your system tray and choose Options, AntiVirus.

  2. When the AntiVirus screen appears, click the arrow beside the Auto-Protect entry in the column on the right.  Then click Exclusions.

  3. Now, click New to add a directory to exclude.
  4. When another window appears prompting you for a path to the folder to exclude, click the folder icon to the right.
  5. Browse to C:\Program Files and choose the a la mode folder.
  6. Ensure that the Include subfolders box is checked and click OK.

  7. Repeat steps 3-6 for C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server as well.
  8. If you're using a standalone installation of WinTOTAL, repeat steps 3-6 for
    C:\a la mode as well.
  9. Finally, click OK in the Auto-Protect exclusion list to save your exclusion.

Your computer is now configured to permit key WinTOTAL files and your reports files through Norton Auto-Protect and you may experience a significant speed increase when running WinTOTAL.  To ensure that these settings appropriately take effect, you may want to reboot your computer before attempting to open WinTOTAL again.

   
Norton 360 v4
  1. Click Start, (All) Programs, Norton 360, Norton 360.
  2. Click the Settings menu item at the top of the window.
  3. Click Antivirus under Detailed Settings on the left.
  4. Click the Scans and Risks tab.
  5. Scroll down in the list of items and click Configure [+] to the right of Scan Exclusions.

    Exclusions
  6. In the window that appears you'll see two sections: Scan Exclusions on the top, and Real Time Protection Exclusions on the bottom. For each section, click Add, then browse to and select each of the locations below:
    • C:\Program Files\a la mode
    • C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server
    • C:\a la mode - if you're using a standalone version of WinTOTAL

    When selecting each of these locations, make sure the Include subfolders item is checked.

  7. When you've added the exclusions to both sections, click OK and then Close.

This should increase performance by limiting unnecessary scans of files that pose no threat to your system's security.

 
AVG 9
  1. Right-click the AVG icon in your system try and choose Open AVG user Interface.

    Open interface
  2. When the AVG User Interface opens, click Tools at the top, and choose Advanced Settings.
  3. In the Advanced AVG Settings window, choose Directory Excludes from the Resident Shield section in the list on the left.

    Resident Shield
  4. Now, click Add list on the right.
  5. In the Resident Shield - Directory Exclude List window, type (or copy/paste):
    • C:\Program Files\a la mode
    • C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server
    • C:\a la mode - if you're using a standalone installation if WinTOTAL

  6. Click OK, and the directories you just excluded will be displayed in the list.
  7. Click OK again, and the changes you made will now be active.

Your computer is now configured to permit key WinTOTAL files and your reports files through AVG Resident Shield and you may experience a significant speed increase when running WinTOTAL.  To ensure that these settings appropriately take effect, you may want to reboot your computer before attempting to open WinTOTAL again.