First scan set-up

First scan set-up

Configuring your default scanning options:

When you start Ad-aware 6 the first time, you should specify your default scanning options.The initial configuration only includes the memory and default (simple) registry scan.
Then from there you can adjust the options and Tweaks to better suit your needs.

If you have not already done so, please open Ad-aware,select the "Scan now" button to open the "preparing scan" screen.

Selecting a scan mode...
To perform a scan, you must choose one of these three scan modes

The first thing you need to do before performing your first scan with Ad-aware is to determine what TYPE of scan you need.

	·	Use default scanning options - using the default settings you will enter during your initial configuration. To make last minute configuration changes you can use the "Customize" hot-link to reenter the settings dialog

	·	Select directory \ drive to scan - You can choose to scan specific folders and drives without performing an entire system check. Just select the "Select" hot-link to enter the "Select folders to scan" dialog and then manually choose what you would like to scan.

	·	Perform quick system check - This mode will scan your memory, registry and Windows folder.This is the fastest scan, but also the least comprehensive. We recommend that you use this as a quick "test" to determine if you need to perform additional checks on the rest of your system.

For the first scan, you should select "Use default scanning options", which we will set up now.
Click either "Customize" or the "Settings" quick launch button (featuring a gear symbol) at the top right to display the "Scan Settings" main menu.

The preference menus

Select the "General" button on the left to display the general options page, In the area on the right.

The first section is for overall safety. We recommend that first time users select the following options at a minimum:

	·	"Automatically save log-file" - This will force Ad-aware to make and store a copy of the log file for any scan and/or scan/removal process. If you need technical support following an incomplete or improper removal, we will need to see the details of this file as a starting point to help you determine what may have happened and where to begin formulating our support response. It is important that you have a copy of this file.

	·	"Automatically quarantine objects prior to removal" - THE most important new feature we have added to version 6! It will backup and store all the files prior to removal automatically. You will no longer have to create your own backups, let Ad-aware do it for you.

	·	"Safe mode" - This option forces Ad-aware to ask for and obtain your explicit permission prior to initiating any action or procedure. Please use this option as it will help you to understand WHAT Ad-aware is doing at all times.

Configuration information for having Ad-aware run with Widows startup can be found here

Selecting directories to scan

Now select the "Scanning" button on the left to display the Scan settings page.

First you need to specify a set of directories to include in the scan.
Please click on the "Click here to select drives and folders" hotlink to open the directory selection window.
A list of the drives or folders will now be displayed.
It is highly recommended at the minimum to scan Program Files, and the Windows folder.

Note : The selection is cascaded, selecting a directory or drive will include all sub-directories in the scan.For example, selecting the Windows directory, will include all folders and files within the windows-directory.If an entire root-folder is selected, the checkmark appears black.If the sub-directories are only partial selected, it appears grayed.

If you're done with your selection, click "Proceed" to close the folder selection window and return to the Scan settings page.
The paths specified will be permanently saved, and need only be set up once. Of course you can edit your selection at any time.

Please turn your attention now to the other options in this section:

	·	"Scan within Archives" - This option will allow Ad-aware to check your compressed or backed up files. It is a good idea to allow Ad-aware to do this the first time you scan so that any suspicious material that has been stored for later installations or may be part of an old backup can be detected and dealt with.

	·	"Skip non executable files" - is a real time saver, but should not be used with an initial scan. Your first scan should include all files and folders. You can adjust this later, but always be aware that some files will be skipped if this option is set.

	·	"Skip files greater than [x] KB" - One of the biggest requests for improvement we have had to date. This will allow the user to define file size limits. First time users should not select this option until they have had time to become familiar with Ad-aware and are comfortable with the nature of the content they are exposed to.

Within the "Memory and Registry" section please select the following:


	· "Scan active processes" - This option allows Ad-aware to scan active processes.
	· "Scan registry" - This is a normal scan of your registry. It should be used in conjunction with the next option:
	· "Deep Scan Registry" - This will allow Ad-aware to scan registry sections recursively, and use the in-depth scan-engine for detected file-references. This is essential to an initial scan.

And, if you use Internet Explorer:


	· "Scan my IE Favorites for banned URL's" - We include many new targeted sites for users of Internet Explorer. This option will allow Ad-aware to locate and remove suspicious content from your favorites.

We are now ready to perform our first scan. Click "Proceed" to save your preferences permanently and close the settings window.

Note:Your scan settings will be stored and used the next time when you select the "Default scan mode".
If you have Ad-aware 'auto starting' with windows, the same settings will be used if the default-scan mode is selected as startup-scan mode.

Now back on the preparing system scans screen, Click "Start" to begin the scan..

In this tutorial we have set up a basic scanning profile, so advanced scanning options are not included.
To obtain more information about them or to continue with an advanced configuration please see the "Advanced options" section of the Preferences menu page within this document.

..Continued onthe "Scan Summary & Result" page