On-demand Scanner Guide

Introduction

Some people may want to install more than 1 anti-virus program because no single anti-virus program can detect all viruses. A good combination of anti-virus programs can enhance overall detection rates.

It's not a good idea to install additional anti-virus programs, even if you have disabled its real-time protection. They may still cause conflicts (eg loaded driver conflicts). However a few anti-virus porgrams allow you to select what modules to install. Simply install the module of on-demand scan (don't install real-time on-access protection) The producer will take care of the rest, and you are fine.

Some anti-virus producers also offer standalone on-demand scanners for user to downlaod and install. they are also great to backup your on-access real-time (resident) anti-virus programs. More protection, very low risks of conflicts.

List of standalone on-demand scanners

Here's a list of on-demand scanners for you to install in your computer:

Standalone installer:

* Bitdefender 8 http://www.bitdefender.com/PRODUCT-14-en--...ee-Edition.html (good detection rate, scan and cure, free)

* MicroWorld eScan http://www.mwti.net/products/mwav/mwav.asp (use KAV engine, good detection rate, but scan only, free)

* ArcaMicroScan http://www.arcabit.com/download_product.ht...t=ArcaMicroScan (above-average detection rate, scan and cure, free)

* Dr. Web http://www.freedrweb.com/cureit/?lng=en (above-average detection rate, scan and cure, free)

* McAfee AVERT Stinger http://vil.nai.com/vil/stinger/ (watered-down version, limited malware database, not useful; scan and cure, free)

* ClamAV, ClamWin, ClamWin Portable (so-so detection rate, currently this anti-virus program has on-demand scan only, freeware & open source)

** http://www.clamwin.com/

** http://portableapps.com/apps/utilities/clamwin_portable

* Any more to add?

Installer with module selection:

* Avira Antivir http://www.free-av.com/antivirus/allinonen.html (good detection rate, but may have many false positives, free for personal use)

* Command AntiVirus http://www.authentium.com/support/updates.asp (shareware)

* Any more to add?

PS: What combination of anti-virus programs do you think is the best and enough to protect you against known and unknown threats?

Standalone on-demand scanner(st) VS online scanner(onl)

• Both will occupy your disk space anyway
  
• st: scan faster
  
• st: more flexible (configuration, scan options)
  
• st: more handy (can scan right on the spot)
  
• st: most of them offer both scan and cure/removal; onl: few offer both scan and cure/removal. Most are scan only
  
• st: very low chance of getting conflicts; onl: probably slightly lower than "st"
  
• st: hardly use more than 1 scan engine; onl: some websites offer scanning individual files with multiple engines
  
• Any more to add?
  

st = Standalone on-demand scanner

onl = online scanner

PS: Ouch! My comparison looks like too biased.

More inputs are welcome. ;D

Edited September 17, 200619 yr by Wai_Wai

www.av-comparatives.org

Independent Tests of Anti-Virus products.

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=82069

Kaspersky is well-known to be the overall best on-demand scanner. NOD32 works a bit faster but is based on heuristics (Retroactive/Proactive).

www.av-comparatives.org

Independent Tests of Anti-Virus products.

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=82069

Kaspersky is well-known to be the overall best on-demand scanner. NOD32 works a bit faster but is based on heuristics (Retroactive/Proactive).

Yes, but they don't offer on-demand only scanner for installation ,isn't it?

So we can't use them as a backup of the main resident anti-virus program.

Multi Virus Cleaner 2006

is another one

there also a portable version of trendmicro

If you in to portable (standalone software) I suggest you should go to http://www.portablefreeware.com/

Just a question, how do you get virus ?

Edited September 17, 200619 yr by albator

Yes, but they don't offer on-demand only scanner for installation ,isn't it?

So we can't use them as a backup of the main resident anti-virus program.

I don't understand you're wording there. It's meant to provide info for you to use when deciding which anti-virus is best for you, even though as I already said above which where the two best (on demand, and proactive).

I think he means "standalone" - which is different than On-Demand.

On-demand scanner means that you tell the scan to run. Standalone means that you can run it without installing anything on the system.

Yes, but they don't offer on-demand only scanner for installation ,isn't it?

So we can't use them as a backup of the main resident anti-virus program.

I don't understand you're wording there. It's meant to provide info for you to use when deciding which anti-virus is best for you, even though as I already said above which where the two best (on demand, and proactive).

Can it be installed as on-demand only, that is the portion of "real-time detection" will not be installed (to avoid possible conflicts)?

Sometimes simply turning the real-time detection off doesn't work. It still get conflicts. So we have to make sure this portion is not installed at all.

An example of on-demand scanner:

http://www.bitdefender.com/PRODUCT-14-en--...ee-Edition.html

Well with both Kaspersky and NOD32 you can select each component to be installed or not. I don't know what you mean by conflicts, you're a bit vague.