Windows 10: Enable Windows Defender Scan Removable Drives in Windows 10

Discus and support Enable Windows Defender Scan Removable Drives in Windows 10 in Windows 10 Tutorials to solve the problem; How to: Enable Windows Defender Scan Removable Drives in Windows 10 [img] Information Windows Defender helps protect your PC against malware... Discussion in 'Windows 10 Tutorials' started by Brink, Apr 13, 2017.

  1. Brink
    Brink New Member

    Enable Windows Defender Scan Removable Drives in Windows 10


    How to: Enable Windows Defender Scan Removable Drives in Windows 10

    Enable Windows Defender Scan Removable Drives in Windows 10 [​IMG]
    Information Windows Defender helps protect your PC against malware (malicious software) like viruses, spyware, and other potentially unwanted software. Malware can infect your PC without your knowledge: it might install itself from an email message, when you connect to the Internet, or when you install certain apps using a USB flash drive, CD, DVD, or other removable media. Some malware can also be programmed to run at unexpected times, not only when it's installed.

    You can set a group policy that allows you to manage whether or not Windows Defender scans for malicious software and unwanted software in the contents of removable drives, such as USB flash drives, when running a full scan.

    Removable drives can always be scanned during a quick scan and custom scan.

    This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable Windows Defender to include scan removable drives during a full scan in Windows 10.

    You must be signed in as an administrator to enable or disable scan removable drives during a full scan.

    CONTENTS:
    • Option One: To Enable or Disable Scan Removable Drives during Full Scan in PowerShell
    • Option Two: To Enable or Disable Scan Removable Drives during Full Scan in Group Policy
    • Option Three: To Enable or Disable Scan Removable Drives during Full Scan using a REG file

    EXAMPLE: Windows Defender

    Enable Windows Defender Scan Removable Drives in Windows 10 [​IMG]






    OPTION ONE [/i] To Enable or Disable Scan Removable Drives during Full Scan in PowerShell
    1. Open an elevated PowerShell.

    2. Enter the command below you want to use into PowerShell, and press Enter. (see screenshots below)
    (Enable)
    *Arrow Set-MpPreference -DisableRemovableDriveScanning 0

    OR

    (Disable)
    *Arrow Set-MpPreference -DisableRemovableDriveScanning 1
    3. When finished, you can close PowerShell if you like.


    Enable Windows Defender Scan Removable Drives in Windows 10 [​IMG]


    Enable Windows Defender Scan Removable Drives in Windows 10 [​IMG]





    OPTION TWO [/i] To Enable or Disable Scan Removable Drives during Full Scan in Group Policy

    Enable Windows Defender Scan Removable Drives in Windows 10 [​IMG]
    Note Local Group Policy Editor is only available in the Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions.

    All editions can use Option One or Option Three.

    1. Open the Local Group Policy Editor.

    2. In the left pane of Local Group Policy Editor, navigate to the location below. (see screenshot below)
    *Arrow Computer Configuration/Administrative Templates/Windows Components/Windows Defender/Scan


    Enable Windows Defender Scan Removable Drives in Windows 10 [​IMG]

    3. In the right pane of Scan in Local Group Policy Editor, double click/tap on the Scan removable drives policy to edit it. (see screenshot above)

    4. Do step 5 (enable) or step 6 (disable) below for what you would like to do.


    5. To Enable Scan Removable Drives during Full Scan
    A) Select (dot) Enabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)
    6. To Disable Scan Removable Drives during Full Scan
    A) Select (dot) Not Configured or Disabled, click/tap on OK, and go to step 7 below. (see screenshot below)

    NOTE: Not Configured is the default setting.


    Enable Windows Defender Scan Removable Drives in Windows 10 [​IMG]

    7. When finished, you can close the Local Group Policy Editor if you like.




    OPTION THREE [/i] To Enable or Disable Scan Removable Drives during Full Scan using a REG file

    Enable Windows Defender Scan Removable Drives in Windows 10 [​IMG]
    Note The .reg files below will add and modify the DWORD value in the registry key below.

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Scan

    DisableRemovableDriveScanning DWORD

    0 or (delete) = enable scan
    1 = disable scan

    1. Do step 2 (enable) or step 3 (disable) below for what you would like to do.


    2. To Enable Scan Removable Drives during Full Scan
    A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

    Enable_scan_removable_drives_in_WD_full_scan.reg

    Download

    3. To Disable Scan Removable Drives during Full Scan
    NOTE: This is the default setting.
    A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.

    Disable_scan_removable_drives_in_WD_full_scan.reg

    Download
    4. Save the .reg file to your desktop.

    5. Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.

    6. If prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.

    7. Restart the computer to apply.

    8. If you like, you can now delete the downloaded .reg file.

    That's it,
    Shawn


    Related Tutorials

    :)
     
    Brink, Apr 13, 2017
    #1
  2. BRIAN CAB
    Brian Cab Win User

    Windows defender custom scan does not scan external drives

    Hi Joe,

    to scan external drives using Windows Defender, follow the steps provided below.

    • Open Windows Defender.
    • Go to Settings tab.
    • Select the Advanced option.
    • tick the checkbox for Scan removable drives.

    Regards.
     
    Brian Cab, Oct 26, 2019
    #2
  3. BRINK
    Brink Win User
    Remove Scan with Windows Defender


    I've updated step 3 in OPTION ONE below. It should work for you now. Enable Windows Defender Scan Removable Drives in Windows 10 :)

    Scan with Windows Defender Context Menu - Add in Windows 10
     
    Brink, Oct 26, 2019
    #3
  4. JOEJY
    JoeJY Win User

    Enable Windows Defender Scan Removable Drives in Windows 10

    Windows defender custom scan does not scan external drives

    I have Defender Windows 10. I tried using custom scan to select and scan external drives. The screen listing the drives comes up, but the "OK" button remains grayed out so unable to scan any of the drives listed. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
     
    JoeJY, Oct 26, 2019
    #4
  5. JOEJY
    JoeJY Win User
    Windows defender custom scan does not scan external drives

    I tried the custom scan in Defender Windows 10. It brings up the list of drives but the "OK" button remains grayed out when I select any drive in the list, so still unable to scan external drives... Any suggestion would be appreciated.
     
    JoeJY, Oct 26, 2019
    #5
  6. JSFITZ54
    jsfitz54 Win User
    Windows 10 Anniversary Update Issues

    Problems with W10 Anniv auto update:

    Mom's: (x58 Xeon 5677) Windows Defender was not turned back on automatically (it was "on" in the 1511 edition) and she had a Trojan. Full system scan to eradicate.
    Her Epson printer was knocked off, had to uninstall by Device Manager pull USB cable and reconnect cable. W10 did the rest.

    Step-mom's: (HP pre built) Windows Defender not turned back on by default. Her USB Seagate Expansion Drive 2Tb was offline so all backup routines were halted. Had to rerun backup plan. Had her do a full virus scan.

    Step-dad's: (Dell Optiplex tweaked upgrades) Windows Defender not turned back on by default. Full Scan.
     
    jsfitz54, Oct 26, 2019
    #6
Thema:

Enable Windows Defender Scan Removable Drives in Windows 10

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