Hi @giantdave,
Good day to you!
Unfortunately, the debug logging doesn't show all the files that we are scanning. McAfee scans all the I/Os happening on the machine and logging it all down on a log will be causing alot of stress on the machine.
Also, it is best to follow the recommendation from the vendor end as they know which exclusion would help their product to work as expected in the presence of an AV. This is the same case with any product out in the market.
Let us know if you have any further queries.
Regards,
AJ