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Overview
How to configure your Anti-Virus for MediaPortal if you use it on the same PC.
Anti-Virus Settings
There is some controversy among MediaPortal users about whether or not you should/need to use Anti-Virus software on your MediaPortal PC.
Remember the days when Anti-Virus software interfered with everything? Even today, Anti-Virus software often works on the kernel side and it can hog your CPU on a much higher priority than even Windows Task Manager. So, if you want to be sure no frames are dropped and you get the best media playback possible, then it is best not to use Anti-Virus software on your HTPC.
However, what happens if you use your PC for internet access?
Internet Access
Most access to the internet performed by MediaPortal or extensions, such as data and image scraping, or 'phoning home' should be safe. In this case a firewall, ad blocker and using NAT (Network Address Translation) in your router, should provide enough protection and still ensure top quality playback.
However, if you use browser plugins, or surf the net on the same PC, then you will likely wish some protection against possible viruses and malware.
Free virus scanners
For personal use, you don't have to pay in order to get a really good virus scanner. Here are a few good ones:
Using Anti-Virus Software
OK, so you really need protection and your media playback is good enough. What settings should you use?
- Disable Heuristics
- Exclude folders or directories (see Virus Scanners below):
- media drives
- SQL/MySQL folders
- TV Recording folders
- Timeshfting folders
Excluding folders
A virus scanner will check a file for viruses every time it is accessed. During recording or time shifting, the files in the recording or time shifting folders, which you assigned in TV Server Configuration, are constantly changed.
The constant scanning by virus scanners will impair the system performance and may cause stuttering or jolting in the viewed and recorded file. To avoid this problem the directory should be excluded from virus scanning.
Example: If you set your recording directory to D:\recordings\ you should exclude that directory from scanning. Please read your scanners manual to learn how to do this.
Note: Some Anti-Virus software will not allow you to exclude folders. In this case you need to exclude by program or file extension.
If your Anti-Virus Software allows excluding running programs then MediaPortal.exe, Mtn.exe and TvService.exe should be excluded.
Make your Anti-Virus Software 'silent'
Most Anti-Virus Software displays information about status, like updates or weekly security scans. When watching media files this is mostly disturbing. Look at your configuration in your Anti-Virus Software and switch off all options for reporting status information. Often they have balloon tips for information about status. But don't deactivate the options for a positive find of a virus.
Avira AntiVir Personal
Click in Configuration on General and Warnings. Here you can deactivate the options for balloon tips.
To deactivate AVNotify you must use the local security policy (it is only available on Win Pro / Enterprise / Ultimate). You have to add a new Software Restriction Policy and put a new path rule with the AVNotify.exe in the installation directory.
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