Why does my Webroot not complete its scan of my MacBook pro before 81 hours (and still counting)?

  • 29 January 2016
  • 4 replies
  • 128 views

I have been using Webroot since its installation by Geek Squad in January 2015 on my MacBook Pro (mid-2012) OS 10.10.5.  I have never completed a scan, which includes a USB 1 TB Hard drive for my backups.  The current scan is at over 81 hours elapsed time, with 15 detections, but no resolutions, since the scan remains to be completed before corrective action can be started! The screen shot in .png format apparently cannot be copied for inclusion. However, if required it could be included as an attachment to an email.
What do I have to do to obtain a complete scan such that I can initiiate corrective action for the 15 (or more) detected items?
Appreciatively, Arbyem
 
 

4 replies

Userlevel 7
Badge +62
Hello Arbyem,
 
Welcome to the Webroot Community,
 
Please uncheck Scan Mounted Drives.  Stop the scan. Then rescan for threats.

 
You can open Webroot and click on the Advanced Settings in the right hand corner..
 
This is how I handle my Mac system with Webroot below:  
 
http://live.webrootanywhere.com/content/553/Changing-Scan-Settings because scanning the Mounted drives will take days.
 


 
If  threats are detected in your back up then please read below: This is posted by our Mac Threat Researcher. ?
 
Scanning Time Machine backups can take an extremely long time due to the way that apple backs up the information.  We have certain kinds of traces that will open every single binary on the disk to make sure it is safe, this however can take a really long time on Time Machine.  I would recommend changing your settings so that you do not scan mounted drives with WSA. In some cases, Webroot will detect a threat that is located on your backup, such as Time Machine. If the file are in the backup, then they cannot hurt your system. You would have to restore the files from the backup to get them on the system, and at that point the Real Time Shield in Webroot would find and remove them. Even though Webroot cannot remove these files, as space for newer backups is needed the older backups will be deleted. This will delete the threats from the backup as well.  Another option available to Time Machine users is to exclude the files and folders from being backed up by the Time Machine. You can add them to the exclusion list which will permanently block the files/folders from being backed up in the future. By doing this, the infected file will eventually be deleted from the backup over time and prevent it from ever getting re-introduced to the drive should it be installed on the computer again.
 
Here is the Mac User Guide  Also you can Submit a Support Ticket free of charge if you have any concerns Hope this helps? 
 
 
Hi Sherry:
Thanks for the timely and informative response.
I stopped the scan after 91 hours, with 21 new threats having been detected.
I have changed the Advanced Settings to skip scanning of mounted hard drives (I presume that this includes my USB memory sticks).  Hopefully, I can perform a separate scan by selecting the two (or each one separately?)?
Appreciatively, Arbyem
 
Userlevel 7
Badge +62
Hi ?,

Webroot does have the ability to do this with the pc product but not the mac product.
 
However, the realtime shield will scan anything that you open, so if you were to mount the usb and open it, then realtime shield kicks in and will scan the drive in the background. 
 
Here is more information just encase http://live.webrootanywhere.com/content/561/Changing-Realtime-Shield-Settings
 
 
Hope this clarifies your question?
Hi again Sherry:
Thanks for the continuing timely and informative support.
It is discouraging that the Mac version does not provide the same essential functionality as the Windows version, but I recognize that such does happen (also with Family Tree Maker products - now being discontinued)!
I shall depend on the built-in protection for my USB devices from Webroot, while not having them scanned as part of the continuing full scan functionality.
Appreciatively, Arbyem

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