Will’s Note: I am not the orginal author. I have updated some of the info:file scanning exceptions for your Anti-Virus software where applicable:
Consider the following
NOTE: the %systemroot% variable will not work as an exclusion for some OSs. So make sure to spell out full path in your exclusion files (GPO or via AntiVirus Server)
1.) %systemroot%\System32\Spool (and all the sub-folders and files)
NOTE: The %systemroot% is normally the C:\WINDOWS or C:\WINNT directory depending on your OS.
NOTE: If you exclude the SMS\Inboxes directory from virus scanning or remove the antivirus software, you may make the site server and all clients vulnerable to potential virus risks. The client base component files reside in the SMS\Inboxes directory.
9.) If you have a MOM (Microsoft Operations Manager) Server, you consider excluding:
a.) Drive:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Microsoft\Microsoft Operations Manager
b.) Drive:\Program Files\Microsoft Operations Manager 2005 (where Drive: is the drive letter where profiles are located)
10.) If you have an Internet Security and Acceleration Server (ISA) Server, you shouldexclude:
a.) The ISALogs folder. By default, the ISALogs folder is located in the folder where you installed ISA Server. Typically, this location is Drive:\Program Files\Microsoft ISA Server.
Refer to the following knowledge base articles for reference:
KB887311 – Event ID 5, event ID 14079, and event ID 14176 are logged in the Application log on your Internet Security and Acceleration Server 2000 computer
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/887311
11.) If you have a Windows Software Update Services (WSUS) Server role, you consider excluding:
a.) Drive:\MSSQL$WSUS
b.) Drive:\WSUS
(where Drive: is the drive letter where you installed Windows Software Update
Services)
Also refer to the following knowledge base articles for reference:
KB900638 – Multiple symptoms occur if an antivirus scan occurs while the Wsusscan.cabfile is copied
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/900638
MORE INFORMATION:
KB49500 – List of antivirus software vendors
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/49500
KB129972 – Computer viruses: description, prevention, and recovery
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/129972
Small Business Server (SBS):
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KB885685 – How to troubleshoot the POP3 Connector in Windows Small Business Server 2003
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/885685
SOX050603700001 – How do I exclude a file from AV scanning?
SOX040212700018 – Anti Virus Software and System State Backup
SOX060301700048 – ISA 2004 Firewall Service crashes intermittently with Event ID: 5 Source: Microsoft Firewall
SOX060307700037 – MOM 2005/ File level Anti-virus scanners
SOX061205700029 – MOM Agent Installation fails with -2147023277
KB837932 – Event ID 2108 and Event ID 1084 occur during inbound replication of Active Directory in Windows 2000 Server and in Windows Server 2003
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/837932
Anti-Virus folder exclusions have not been configured (Exchange)
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/exchange/Analyzer/9fb755f5-5f0b-4817-a584-70c76a62eae2.mspx
Process: Manage Antivirus Software on Domain Controllers
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/solutionaccelerators/cits/mo/winsrvmg/adpog/adpog3.mspx#
2.) %systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution\Datastore
Refer to the following article for information:
KB822158 – Virus scanning recommendations for computers that are running Windows Server 2003, Windows 2000, or Windows XP http://support.microsoft.com/kb/822158
3.) Any Network Drives that are mapped.
The following steps are Server Role specific:
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1.) If your system is also a Domain Controller (DC) / DNS / DHCP also exclude the following from Anti-Virus Scanning:
a.) %systemroot%\Sysvol folder (include all the sub-folders and files)
b.) %systemroot%\system32\dhcp folder (include all the sub-folders and files)
c.) %systemroot%\system32\dns folder (include all the sub-folders and files)
d.) %systemroot%\ntds
Refer to the following article for information:
KB822158 – Virus scanning recommendations for computers that are running Windows Server 2003, Windows 2000, or Windows XP http://support.microsoft.com/kb/822158
2.) If File Replication (NTFR) service is running on your system, make sure your Anti-Virus software is compatible:
KB815263 – Antivirus, backup, and disk optimization programs that are compatible with theFile Replication Service
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/815263
And exclude:
a.) %systemroot%\ntfrs folder (include all the sub-folders and files)
b.) Files that have the .log and .dit extension
3.) If you have IIS installed, exclude:
a.) The IIS compression directory (default compression directory is %systemroot%\IIS Temporary Compressed Files)
b.) %systemroot%\system32\inetsrv folder
c.) Files that have the .log extension
Refer to the following knowledge base articles for reference:
KB817442 – IIS 6.0: Antivirus Scanning of IIS Compression Directory May Result in 0-Byte File
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/817442
KB821749 – Antivirus software may cause IIS to stop unexpectedly
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/821749
4.) If you have SQL installed, you may want to exclude the SQL folder and databases files (or database file types) from scanning for performance reasons:
KB309422 – Guidelines for choosing antivirus software to run on the computers that are running SQL Server
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/309422
5.) If you have Exchange installed, perform the relevant file-based scanning exclusions listed in Knowledge Base articles:
KB328841 – Exchange and antivirus software
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/328841
KB823166 – Overview of Exchange Server 2003 and antivirus software
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/823166
KB245822 – Recommendations for troubleshooting an Exchange Server computer with antivirus software installed
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/245822
6.) If you have Cluster services, make sure your Anti-Virus software is compatible:
KB250355 – Antivirus Software May Cause Problems with Cluster Services
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/250355
NOTE: If you have a SQL cluster, make sure that you exclude these locations from virus scanning:
a.) Q:\ (Quorum drive)
b.) %systemroot%\Cluster
c.) SQL Server data files that have the .mdf extension, the .ldf extension, and the .ndf extension
7.) If you have Sharepoint installed, you should exclude:
a.) Drive:\Program Files\SharePoint Portal Server
b.) Drive:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Web Storage System
c.) Drive:\MSDEDatabases (particularly on SBS) (where Drive: is the drive letter where you installed SharePoint Portal Server)
Refer to the following knowledge base articles for reference:
KB320111 – Random Errors May Occur When Antivirus Software Scans Microsoft Web Storage System
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/320111
KB322941 – Microsoft’s Position on Antivirus Solutions for Microsoft SharePoint Portal Server
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322941
8.) If you have a Systems Management Server (SMS), you should exclude folders:
a.) SMS\Inboxes
b.) SMS_CCM\ServiceData
Refer to the following knowledge base articles for reference:
KB327453 – Antivirus programs may contribute to file backlogs in SMS 2.0 and in SMS 2003
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/327453
