Antivirus "full scan results" shows inflated number of files!

I have an unexplained anomaly which I recently noticed with every antivirus software I use, which includes Windows Defender, Bitdefender and Kaspersky. My full system scans have gone from approximately 500,000 files to over 3 million. This is only happening on full system scans! Additionally, this is on 3 separate computers. I do not use more than one antivirus at a time on any of the computers and all the scan results show no infection on any of the systems. I am not concerned about having an infection, just the unusual number of increased files.

Searching the web has not produced any meaningful results. This may be due to most users only doing a quick scan which, on my systems, does not replicate the issue; ie, no increase in the number of files scanned.

In conclusion, I am just curious why this is happening and if anyone else has noticed it.

Learn how much space files on your computer taking.

In this guide, you will learn the steps to understand the space usage on Windows 11.


Clean up temporary files and clean up the Component Store (WinSxS folder) to reduce its size in Windows 11.

I use TreeSize and the actual number of files is 436,751. See attachment for an image.

That size of files is for Windows directory, add others up to see how much space files are taking.

FreeBooter said:

That size of files is for Windows directory, add others up to see how much space files are taking.

Click to expand...

The size of files listed at the top, the largest number, is the total number of files on the "C" drive. The list simply provides a breakdown of how many are in different folders.

My question was intended to have other users do a full scan with their AV and check the results of the number listed, as being scanned, against the actual number of files. But I didn't get much response.

It's no big deal, just a point of curiosity.

In my own Cleanup.bat program (batch file) I first run a command that counts all the files on the C: drive.
At the end of the cleanup, the same command runs again and again the file count is recorded, and then the computer calculates the difference in the two readings, giving me the net result.
Here is the report from a recent Cleanup. This one is from "Cinco de Mayo".

It seems like my total file count is way higher than what y'all are quoting, for your own PC's.
But, this is after all, Windows 11/Pro/64 with a decent number of additional programs installed.

The number of files deleted, as shown here, is typical after about two days of use.

I've used many AV programs over the years, and I've never trusted their file counts.

Sir_George said:

I have an unexplained anomaly which I recently noticed with every antivirus software I use, which includes Windows Defender, Bitdefender and Kaspersky. My full system scans have gone from approximately 500,000 files to over 3 million.

Click to expand...

Defender will scan all the files inside each 'archive type' of file. For example, a single .cab, .zip, .wim or .iso file will add every single file it contains to the scanned files total. This is the result of scanning just one file, Macrium Reflect's boot.wim.

Sir_George said:

I use TreeSize and the actual number of files is 436,751.

Click to expand...

mine says 302,033....

Sir_George said:

My question was intended to have other users do a full scan with their AV and check the results of the number listed, as being scanned, against the actual number of files. But I didn't get much response.

Click to expand...

I'm not surprised. A full custom scan of the C:\ drive can take a very long time.....

Bree said:

Defender will scan all the files inside each 'archive type' of file. For example, a single .cab, .zip, .wim or .iso file will add every single file it contains to the scanned files total. This is the result of scanning just one file, Macrium Reflect's boot.wim.

View attachment 59652 View attachment 59655


mine says 302,033....


I'm not surprised. A full custom scan of the C:\ drive can take a very long time.....

View attachment 59654

Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply, I truly do appreciate it!