Exclude NovaBACKUP Files and Directories from Active Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware Scanning (21.x and newer versions)

Exclude NovaBACKUP Files and Directories from Active Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware Scanning, mainly regarding the "real-time protection" feature of the AV related software in that case (21.x and newer versions)

Occasionally, certain Anti-Virus software may incorrectly flag or interfere with your NovaBACKUP (21.0 and newer versions) software from properly running. This can result in a failed backup job, unusually slow backup speed (transfer rate), failure for the application to start entirely, or the inability to see destinations to backup your files to.  Please also confirm no files shown here have been quarantined by your Antivirus software if you cannot find the file in the listed location.

If you are running NovaBACKUP 20.x and older legacy versions, not the 21.x and newer versions, we have an equivalent guide for that here.

Please see the files below and add the following folders to your Antivirus exception lists if you are experiencing any of these issues and are running an Anti-Virus related software on your machine.

Note: NovaBACKUP 21.x software currently only supports Windows 10 and above for Workstation OS and Windows Server 2016 and above for Server OS.

File Types to Exclude: (File Extensions)

.DAT 
.NBD 
.NDD 
.NDF 
.NDI

Executable Files (for the default install file path values) to Exclude: (Processes or Executables)

C:\Program Files\NovaStor\NovaStor NovaBACKUP\engine.exe
C:\Program Files\NovaStor\NovaStor NovaBACKUP\LogCollector.exe
C:\Program Files\NovaStor\NovaStor NovaBACKUP\LogViewer.exe
C:\Program Files\NovaStor\NovaStor NovaBACKUP\ManagementServer.Agent.Service.exe
C:\Program Files\NovaStor\NovaStor NovaBACKUP\NovaBackX.exe
C:\Program Files\NovaStor\NovaStor NovaBACKUP\nsCtrl.exe
C:\Program Files\NovaStor\NovaStor NovaBACKUP\nsService.exe
C:\Program Files\NovaStor\NovaStor NovaBACKUP\vssnbk.exe
C:\Program Files\NovaStor\NovaStor NovaBACKUP\DR\DRBackup.exe
C:\Program Files\NovaStor\NovaStor NovaBACKUP\DR\x64\drdiag.exe

Folders to Exclude (Program Folders):

C:\Program Files\NovaStor\NovaStor NovaBACKUP\ 

AND 
C:\ProgramData\NovaStor\NovaStor NovaBACKUP\

plus the Temporary Files directory, if not the default of
C:\ProgramData\NovaStor\NovaStor NovaBACKUP\Temp\

FYI: The Temporary Files directory can be set to a custom folder in the Default Settings -> Advanced Options -> "Temporary Files directory:" option setting, inside NovaBACKUP software, this folder will also need to be added to your exclusions.

Useful Links

• Windows Defender: How to exclude NovaBACKUP from Windows Defender Antivirus to speed up backups
• Symantec: How to create an application exception in the Symantec Endpoint Protection Manager
• Avast: Excluding certain files or websites from scanning in Avast Antivirus
• Trend Micro: Excluding a file or application from the anti-malware scan of Worry-Free Business Security Services (WFBS-SVC)
• Kaspersky: How to add an application to the Trusted list in Kaspersky Total Security
• Webroot: Blocking or Allowing Files
• AVG: Excluding certain files or websites from scanning in AVG Antivirus
• Bitdefender Home: Adding exclusions in Bitdefender
• Bitdefender Business: How to add application or process exclusions in Bitdefender Control Center 
• Sophos Home: Setting scan exceptions
• Sophos Enterprise: Global Exclusions
• Avira: How do I exclude files or processes from scanning?
• Panda: Creating exclusions for Adaptive Defense and Endpoint Protection products
• SentinelOne: How To Configure Exclusions And Include Them In SentinelOne Policies
• Threatlocker: Threatlocker Application Allowlisting (Whitelisting) (Video tutorial) and Threatlocker Allowlisting FAQ (written article). I don't see any actual documentation links for Threatlocker that I include here other than those two former items unfortunately. Special Note concerning if Threatlocker is utilized on a backup client machine (as a Threatlocker client): If any of your backup client machines have the "Threatlocker" app installed on them, you will need to add the NovaBACKUP 21.x Anti-Virus exclusions to Threatlocker in that case, otherwise the backup client "Automatically update before rurnning a backup" option / function (otherwise known as "auto-update") will likely not work properly, and in that case it will interfere with the ability for the client installer routine to run its process correctly, and it will tend to delete the NBK client services and .exe files, and block licensing and activation related functions, and it may create duplicate "Agent" entries in the CMon UI as well. Read the KB article that lists all of the executable files (or the program paths) to exclude in Threatlocker (or any AV software) here. You will need to add both the process names, and the folder paths that are stated in this KB article, otherwise Threatlocker may still end up blocking some items. You may also in the end ultimately be required to temporarily disable the Threatlocker client app protection on a particular client that will need to "auto-update" or install or upgrade normally even so, if the exclusions don't work in Threatlocker for you (and then re-enable it after that).