Does FULL SYSTEM SCAN incorporate everything that SMART SCAN does, or the other way around?
A full system scan looks at every single file and registry entry on your system as well as what is running in memory. A quick scan only looks at a small subset of files and entries where virus most likely hang out.
The full scan takes much longer time than the quick scan and you can tell by watching it that it is more comprehensive than the quick scan.
And as has been noted above by Peterweb and Yank a smart scan is a quick scan combined with a network scan and then some file cleanup.
I generally do a full scan occasionally and almost never run smart scan.
Yes, I agree, "it appears". However, I was wanting to know for sure. Please don't get me wrong. I appreciate the help both of you have provided; which is pretty much where I was at when I began this thread, but I was looking for an assurance. Perhaps I will have to settle for doing what I was already doing which was doing both; which takes more time. :(
A full system scan is just a malware scan. The Smart scan appears to do a quick malware scan, a network scan, and checks some other advanced items, that appear to be performance related according to the link above in Yank's post above.
CruzR77:If in fact, these 3 scan options do different and some overlapping checks; perhaps Norton should consider making a cross reference chart to show what each scan does, and include it in a highly visible and easily accessible link on the GUI.
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Yes, I’ve read that before. However, it does not really answer my question.
“FULL” SYSTEM SCAN implies that it does everything QUICK SCAN & SMART SCAN does; but nowhere does it actually say that.
“SMART” SCAN also, sort-of, implies that; but again, nowhere does it actually say that.
So, am I supposed to run both of these scans to be totally checked out, or does one of them ACTUALLY do everything?
If in fact, these 3 scan options do different and some overlapping checks; perhaps Norton should consider making a cross reference chart to show what each scan does, and include it in a highly visible and easily accessible link on the GUI.
Here's a run down of the various Norton Scans:
https://support.norton.com/sp/en/us/home/current/solutions/v7786102