Microsoft Safety Scanner

As its name implies, Microsoft Safety Scanner provides a security software utility that targets viruses, spyware and potentially unwanted software on the host computer. With its help, you can make sure data and files are secure and that the entire system in clean.

Designed to be as simple as possible, Microsoft Safety Scanner runs a wizard that guides you through the steps needed to initiate a scan. You are prompted to select the type of scan to choose out of three different options: quick scan, full scan and customized scan.  The quick scan only analyzes areas where it is most likely to find malicious software or files. Should any threat be found, you might be prompted to run a more through scan.

On the other hand, the full scan conducts a much more thorough analysis of the entire system, which on some computers might take hours to complete.   However, if you suspect where the malicious files are located, then there is a third option that you can choose, namely to run a customized scan. As you probably imagine, this option gives you the freedom to choose the folder to analyze.

During the scan, Microsoft Safety Scanner displays the files that it is currently analyzing and reveals statistics regarding the number of scanned files and the number of infections it detected. The start time and the elapsed time are shown and, at the end, a report on the findings is generated.   The computer is moderately stressed during the process so you can carry out with your work simultaneously.

Microsoft Safety Scanner is effective in finding infections and potentially unwanted software but keep in mind that it cannot replace a full-time antivirus solution. In other words, it does not feature real time protection and, therefore, it cannot prevent future infections.

To conclude with, Microsoft Safety Scanner is a security tool worth having around, especially since it is developed by the software giant. However, it is merely a complementary product that can accompany the presence of a reliable antivirus, which is required to safeguard your PC.