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Virex 7.7 for Mac OS X

Virex application icon

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Table of Contents

About Virex 7.7
Downloading Virex
Installing Virex
Configuring Virex
Updating the Virus Definition (DAT) File
Scanning Your Computer for Viruses

 

About Virex 7.7

This release of Virex supports Mac OS X Tiger (10.4.x)

Virex 7.7 is a commercial software product that helps keep your Macintosh computer free of viruses, Trojan horses and other malicious code.  It is a native Macintosh OS X  application with "drag and drop" features.  You can use Virex 7.7 to diagnose and clean a file, a folder or an entire volume.  You can also use it to view a complete report of the results.

Virex was developed by McAfee, Inc. and it has been site licensed for distribution to the San Francisco State University campus community.  Faculty, staff, and students are also licensed to install and use this software on their personal computers.

Virex provides on-line HTML help in its main windows and in its preferences dialog boxes.  It also provides access via Internet connection to McAfee's online Virus Information Library which contains comprehensive information about new and existing virus threats.

Virex is designed for a computer with the following configuration:

This guide provides the information you need to acquire, install, configure, update, and use the Virex anti-virus software to scan your computers for viruses.

 

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Downloading Virex

Download the compressed file version of the Mac OS X disk image file, virex77.dmg using a Web browser (e.g., Safari, Firefox, or Internet Explorer) onto your desktop.  To download the file, perform the steps below:

  1. If you are accessing the SFSU campus through a dial-in modem, make a PPP connection to SFSU.   If you are on the SFSU campus in a computer lab or office, you should already have a direct Internet connection.
  2. Start a Web browser such as Safari, Firefox, or Internet Explorer and go to the Anti-Virus Information Web page at:  http://www.sfsu.edu/~doit/helpdesk/av.htm#virex
  3. Scroll down the Web page to the Macintosh platform in the table and click on the button labeled, Download Virex 7.7 under the Virex icon, Virex application icon in the Download column.  The Download Software Web page will open.
  4. Enter your SFSU identification number in the SFSU ID field.
  5. Enter your 4-digit Personal Access Code in the Personal Access Code (PAC) field.
  6. Select Yes or No in the pull-down menu in response to the prompt, Will this software be installed on a state-owned computer?
  7. Click on the Login button. The process to download the file, virex77.dmg to your computer will begin. Upon completion, it will be uncompressed.  The result will be the Mac OS X disk image file, Virex 7.7, McAfee Virex 7.5.1 disk image file icon on your computer's desktop. That disk image file will contain the Virex 7.7 installer script file,Virex.pkg, the Virex Uninstall.command script file and a Documentation folder that contains the ReadMe.rtf, and License.rtf documents.

 

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Installing Virex

Once you have downloaded the McAfee Virex 7.7 Disk Image file, perform the following steps to install Virex.

  1. Double-click the Virex installer script file, Virex.pkg to launch the installation process. The Install Virex window will open and prompt you with a check to see if the program can be installed on your computer. Click the Continue button.
  1. At the Welcome to the Virex Installer screen, read the introductory text, then click Continue.
Install Virex 7.7 window
  1. At the Important Information screen, read the Release Notes for Virex 7.7. Click Continue.
  2. At the Software License Agreement screen, read the McAfee Software License Agreement. Click Continue.
  3. Click the Agree button to agree to the terms of the software license agreement and to continue installing the software.
  4. At the Select a Destination screen, select the drive on which you want to install Virex. Click Continue.
  5. At the Easy Install "Macintosh HD" screen, click Install to perform a basic installation.
  1. You will be prompted with the Authenticate dialogue box. Type your password in the Password field, then click OK.
 Installation authentication dialogue box
  1. You will be prompted with the Virex Installer Alert that you will have to restart the computer.
  2. Click OK to continue then click Restart.

IMPORTANT: Known Issue with Virex

Automatic eUpdate might fail when you restart your system after you install Virex for the first time. Check or uncheck eUpdate checkbox in Virex preferences to make sure eUpdate works properly.

 

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Configuring Virex

Once you have installed Virex, check the configuration by performing the following steps:

  1. Locate the Virex application icon, Virex application icon on the Macintosh Hard Disk, in the Applications folder.
  1. Double-click the Virex application icon, Virex application icon to start up the program. The Virex application window will open.
Virex 7.7 application window - Scan & Clean option
  1. Click the Preferences Virex Preferences button button .  The Preferences dialogue box will open.
  2. Note that the When a virus is found setting displays a pull-down menu, showing the default setting, Clean.  Click on that pull-down menu, if you want to select an alternative response when a virus is detected.
 Virex Preferences dialogue box
  1. Click the More Options button. The Preferences dialogue box will expand.
  2. Click the Fewer Options button to condense the Preferences dialogue box.
  3. If necessary, click on the check-box next to the setting that you want to modify to select or to deselect that option.
  4. You may click on the pull-down menu that displays Active Scanner to select another scanner category:
    Virex Preferences dialogue box scanner menu
  5. When you are done, click the Close button to close the Preferences dialogue box.
  6. Click on the Virex menu and select the Quit Virex command to close the application window.
 Virex Preferences dialogue box

 

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Updating the Virus Definition (DAT) File

Every month, hundreds of new viruses appear, so you should ensure that your computer is always protected by keeping your anti-virus software up to date.  McAfee regularly develops an updated virus definition file (DAT) file and makes it available on the McAfee Web site for users to download to combat new virus threats as they emerge.  Each DAT file brings new detection and cleaning capabilities to Virex.  McAfee updates the DAT file on its Web site about once a month.

You may configure Virex to update the DAT file three different ways -- automatically, manually or by using the Virex Schedule Editor.  The Virex Schedule Editor enables you to schedule automated updates of the DAT file very easily.

IMPORTANT

You MUST be logged in as an Administrator to update the DAT files using eUpdate. If you are not and you attempt to use eUpdate, you will receive the error message, Virex is unable to connect to eUpdate server. So, log out of your computer and log in again using an account with Administrator pre

  1. The default setting of Virex is set to check for DAT file updates automatically when the program starts up. See the Preferences setting, Automatically check for virus definition updates in the Configuring Virex section above.
  2. To set Virex to allow you to manually check for DAT file updates, do the following:
    1. Start up Virex and deselect the Automatically check for virus definition updates setting in Preferences.
    2. Click the eUpdate button, eUpdate button. The window will display the last time the eUpdate was performed.
    3. Click the Start button, Start eUpdate button to initiate the eUdate process.
  3. To setup Virex to use the Virex Schedule Editor, do the following:
    1. Start up Virex and deselect the Automatically check for virus definition updates setting in Preferences.
    1. Click the View menu and select the Scheduled Tasks command. The Virex Schedule Editor dialogue box will open.
 Virex Schedule Editor dialogue box
    1. Click the New eUpdate Task button. An Untitled Task dialogue box will open.
    2. Click the Click lock to make changes button. The Authenticate dialogue box will open.
    3. Enter your Password then click the OK button.
    4. Type a name for this task (e.g., Auto DAT Update) in the Task Name field.
    5. Click the Set button next to the Date & Time label. A calendar and time setting dialogue box will open so that you can establish the starting date and time for the Automatic DAT Update task to be performed.
    6. The current month, day and time will be the default setting.
    7. Make adjustments to the Start Date and Start Time settings, if necessary. Note that the Start Time is displayed in military time (the 24-hour clock).
    8. Click the OK button to close the dialogue box.
    1. Click on the pull-down menu next to the Recurrence field and select Monthly. A calendar will be displayed in the dialogue box.
    2. Leave the No end date radio button selected.
Auto DAT Update dialogue box
    1. Click the OK button to close the task dialogue box. Verify the information in the task entry that you just created.
    2. Click the Close button to close the Virex Schedule Editor dialogue box.
    3. Click the Close button to close the Virex window.
Virex Schedule Editor dialogue box

After you have completed updating the DAT file, it is recommended that you perform a complete scan of your hard disk immediately, to check for any new viruses.

 

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Scanning Your Computer for Viruses

Once you have installed Virex, you should scan your computer's hard disk for viruses.  You should also scan your computer's hard disk for any new viruses after updating the Virex DAT file.  Perform the following steps to scan your computer's hard disk, a folder or a file.

  1. Make sure you quit all applications, and disable the screen saver program, if one is enabled.
  1. Start up the Virex application.  The application window will open.
  2. Click on the Scan & Clean button to place Virex in that mode. The application window will display a small window with the prompt, Drop items or click here.
  3. You may use the drag-and-drop technique to "drop" the hard disk icon, a folder icon, or a file icon into that window to have Virex scan that item for viruses.
  4. Click the Start button to initiate the scan.
Virex application window - Scan & Clean option

 

Alternatively, you may click on the sub-window, as is stated, and a Finder browser window will open. Navigate to the item (e.g., file or folder) that you want to scan. Then click the Start button to initiate the scan.

 

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Last Modified: 6 February 2006
doit@sfsu.edu