Virus Protection

A computer virus is a malicious, but not necessarily destructive, unauthorized, self-replicating string of programming code .  Computer viruses can be a serious threat to your computer and your data. The most likely sources of viruses are floppy disks from other people and files that you download off of the Internet.

All MAPP TeleLearning Centers (computers) have been equipped with an anti-virus program called McAfee VirusScan.  While this software is one of the best in the industry, there are things that the user (that's YOU!) must do to help maintain a healthy, virus-free computer. 

The most important thing that you must do is to update your VirusScan software.  New viruses are created all the time, and in order for you Anti-Virus software to recognize these new viruses, you have to access the McAfee web site and download the new information.
Don't worry! It's easier to do than it sounds.

The first step is to download WinZip from the Internet...you only have to do this once, the first time you update your VirusScan files.

WinZip is a shareware (free) program that is used to compress (or zip) files and to uncompress (or unzip) files.  WinZip is easy to use...the program just comes up when you double-click in a compressed file (these are sometimes referred to as 'archived' files or 'archives').

The files that you will need to download from McAfee are archived, and WinZip will enable you to open up these files and use them to update your VirusScan.

After you have downloaded and installed WinZip, make sure you remember to come back to this page to finish updating McAfee! To learn how to download and install WinZip, follow this link:
WInZip Download and Install

Once you have WinZip downloaded and installed on your computer, here's what you need to do:

1. Determine which version of VirusScan youhave on your computer.   Click the Start button, go up to Programs, select the McAfee VirusScan Console.   Once the program opens, click the Help menu then 'About...'.  A Pop-Up window will appear with information on the 'Scan Engine'.  All you need to check is whether you are running '3.x' or '4.x'.

In this particular case, the computer is running a '3.x' version of VirusScan

2. Download the current VirusScan files.   Follow this link to the McAfee VirusScan download area:

McAfee .dat Downloads

Select the link for the version of VirusScan you have, 3.x or 4.x

Click on the closest Downloading site to your location - probably USA West Coast.

If a Pop-Up window appears asking whether you want to 'Open' or 'Save to Disk', select 'Save to Disk' and click 'OK'.  If a window opens giving you options for 'More Info' or 'Save File...' Select the 'Save FIle...' button.

A new 'Save As' window will appear. 

Saving to your Desktop makes downloaded files easy to find!

Use the Down Arrow in the 'Save in' section to select your Desktop (top of the list that appears!).  Click the 'Save' button.

For more information on viruses, check out these links:
CNET Virus Alert!
Ken Bechtel's Anti-Virus Homepage
Doug Muth's Anti-Virus Help Page