How does idle scan work?

Norton Security | Norton Internet Security
1

Hi, I'm trialling NIS 2010, all ok so far, but I have a question on scanning. I can see that a Quick Scan is being run frequently but no Full Scan has yet run, after 20 days, other than the one I ran manually after first installation. If I attempt to start a Full Scan manually I am warned that one is scheduled to run and this manual run will over ride it.

 

I have Idle Time Scans set to Weekly. The Quick Scans are running much more frequently than that, but are unobtrusive so what the heck, but no sign of a Full Scan. Basically the "Idle Time Scans" knob doesn't seem to be connected to anything!

 

Any ideas on how I get a Full Scan to run on the "idle time scan" setting? Or how I can tell when the Full Scan is scheduled for?  Maybe my pc just isn't idle enough?

 

OS is W7 NIS is 2010, 17.6.0.32

 

Thanks,

John

2

Hello tooslow

 

Welcome to the Norton Users Discussion Forum

 

The idle full system scans should run 7 days after you installed the program if your computer is idle at the time. Do you have any other real time security programs installed now? Did you remove your previous security program thoroughly using their removal tool before you installed NIS 2010 trial?

3

Hi, tooslow,

 

As floplot pointed out, Norton Idle Quick Scan will usually Run once-a-day, regardless if your system is "Idle" or not; Idle Full System Scan usually only Runs when your computer is Idle and, if Running, will be Cancelled when you start using your system again and, when your system goes back to "Idle", will start from where it left off.  I hope you found this helpful.

 

 

 

4

Hello tooslow

 

You can also lower the idle timeout period down to 1 minute. That should make your computer go into an idle state more rapidly so the idle full system scan shouldn't have to take so long to start. Please also check to see that your system time is correct. Certain criteria also have to be met for the idle full system scans to run also.If you have other programs set to run, they might interfere also with the idle scans. The first Idle Full System scan though should have run after 7 days provided your computer was on and in an idle state around that time and nothing interfered with it.

5
Floating_Red wrote:

Hi, tooslow,

 

As floplot pointed out, Norton Idle Quick Scan will usually Run once-a-day, regardless if your system is "Idle" or not; Idle Full System Scan usually only Runs when your computer is Idle and, if Running, will be Cancelled when you start using your system again and, when your system goes back to "Idle", will start from where it left off.  I hope you found this helpful.

 

 

 

 

I forgot to mention that, if you have "Idle-Time Scans" Off, then only the Idle Quick Scan will Run.  I would highly-recommend that you keep the "Idle-Time Scans" Set to Weekly.

 

 

 

6

Thanks Floplot & floating red. I don't have any other security products running. Well, MS Defender is lurking somewhere but that's harmless(?)

 

Thanks for the tip on the idle time, I've dropped that from 10 minutes to one.

 

I removed my old security software (KIS) with Windows uninstall. Looking at their web site I see that there is an uninstall tool as well :smileysad: I didn't use that. I'd be a bit concerned about using it now, it might interfere with NIS?  

 

Thanks for telling me that quick scan runs daily, that's what I'm expereincing.It's reassuring that it's supposed to do that and that there is nothing wrong.

 

I wonder if the Full scan is just taking so long that it never completes. It's scanning two OS's (I have a dual boot pc) and a backup USB disk so when I run it manually it takes a helluva long time to run.

 

I'm not too concerned if I have to run Full Scan manually. It means that I can run it when it's not going to impact something else I'm doing and you guys have given me some reassurance that there is nothing major wrong.

 

Thanks,

John

7

Hi, tooslow,

 

I would recommend that you do use the K.I.S. Removal Tool just to make sure that all Files were Removed.  If you have a Product like Norton Utilities, then that should get the Files that were left behind.

 

 

 

8

Thanks F. I took a deep breath, crossed my fingers and gave it a go. The KIS website does say that in some circumstances bits may occasionally be left behind by std uninstall. I used the KIS remover tool and it told me that no traces were left, so it seems that I'm on that count.

 

I'll see what happens in 7 days :smileyhappy:

 

John

9

If your happy that your issue has been answered to you satisfaction, please could you mark the Message that answered your issue to the best of your satisfaction.  Many Thanks.