Avast WEBforum
Other => General Topics => Topic started by: spg SCOTT on January 23, 2010, 01:23:42 PM
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Hi all,
I have noticed a thread (which I can't seem to find ::)) asking about changing the sounds used by avast! I personally like the new sounds very much, especially the voiceover ones, but each is to their own.
I have worked out the method of changing them, and have made a little tutorial:
http://sites.google.com/site/spg20scottsweb/home/changing-avast-5-sounds
I have only tested this in Vista, but I imagine that it will work the same in XP/Seven...
Also, there is a boot time tutorial, I noticed someone asking where it is as well...( I thought it was easy to find, but then I am more involved with the use of it.)
http://sites.google.com/site/spg20scottsweb/home/avast-5-boot-time-scan
Enjoy :)
-Scott-
EDIT: Tutorials moved, they can be found here now: http://spgscott.wordpress.com/tutorials
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I have noticed a thread (which I can't seem to find )
Its in the Beta area:
http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=54047.0
The tutorials are quite good and I like the new sounds as well.
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Good job scott :)
and btw, your personas collection is also good.
Thanks
nmb
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Yep, that's the thread, no wonder I couldn't find it... :)
Thanks guys
-Scott-
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Nice tutorial Scott. :)
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Nice job of it, Scott ! :)
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What if the only sound I want to change is the update voiceover. Her voice grates on my wife's and my nerves so badly I had to shut it off. The man's voice was OK on 4.8, and the woman's voice (virus detected) was OK too. But this new woman's voice makes the little hairs on the back of my neck stand up: cold, authoritative, Achtung!! :o
Can anyone create a more soothing male or female voice for Avast! 5? -kd5-
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Can anyone create a more soothing male or female voice for Avast! 5?
How about the following:
http://mysharedfiles.no-ip.org/avast!5/vpsupd.wav (http://mysharedfiles.no-ip.org/avast!5/vpsupd.wav)
Just rename and replace using the instructions outline in Scott's tutorial.
(This sound file was created by Sasha a long time ago. :) )
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But this new woman's voice makes the little hairs on the back of my neck stand up: cold, authoritative, Achtung!! :o
;D That's funny ;D
God bless :)
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Hi kd5,
I have a proposed method of using the other voiceover sounds, and replacing the update one.
First off, all of the voiceover sounds are located in the '1033' folder in sounds. If they are modified, then (I'm pretty sure) they wont be used, so what you have to do is copy them around a bit.
Use my tutorial to copy the existing voiceover sounds out of that folder into the sounds folder, and then replace the update one with what you want. (Bob's/Sacha's if you want)
Make sure the option about voiceovers is off in the settings and it will use the ones in the sounds folder, even the voiceover ones.
(I also have the avast! 4 sounds if wanted...)
-Scott-
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Exchangable sound files if you don't like the current ones>
The applicable sounds originally used in avast! 4 can be found at:
http://mysharedfiles.no-ip.org/avast!5/Avast4Sounds/ (http://mysharedfiles.no-ip.org/avast!5/Avast4Sounds/)
The applicable sounds originally created by Sasha can be found at:
http://mysharedfiles.no-ip.org/avast!5/avast_sounds_by_Sasha/ (http://mysharedfiles.no-ip.org/avast!5/avast_sounds_by_Sasha/)
Hope that helps. :)
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Replaced the annoying voice with the guys voice from 4.8, so far so good. Thanks... ;) -kd5-
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What about Arnold Schwarzenegger voice......
Blocked website = I'll be back..... 8)
terminated virus = Hasta la vista, baby....... ;D
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What about Arnold Schwarzenegger voice......
Blocked website = I'll be back..... 8)
terminated virus = Hasta la vista, baby....... ;D
The first one is easy the second a little more difficult... ;D
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Hi!
I have read Scotts tutorial (thanks)
But I'm using the Avast5 Internet security version and
CANT find the ladies voice WAV for love nor money.
I WANT TO REPLACE her message.... with a custom one.
I have opened up the folders.... and looked.
On windows7 ultimate.
Looked in programdata and program files under 1033 folder and EVERYEWHERE else....
where is SHE hiding ;)
Thanks!
Any help appreciated.
Ivan
;D
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That is interesting, I thought (perhaps wrongly) that the sounds were located in the same locations for all of the platforms...
So the sounds are not in: C:\ProgramData\Alwil Software\Avast5\sounds\ ?
-Scott-
EDIT: Wrong picture... ::)
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apparently not Scott. The sound files are SOUNDS, just that, not voices.
And I thought those were just in my head ;)
I'd prefer to have 'the guy' back over the girl announcing the database download was complete.
Has anyone figured out where these are stored as yet?
Thanks
Ivan
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The sounds are located where i said, and the voiceover ones are located in the 1033 folder, but as my tutorial says, there is no need to alter them.
if you want the old sounds back, then you will need to get them from somewhere* and replace it in the sounds folder.
*Bob has posted a link to the avast! 4 sounds that you can use to replace the sounds you use.
-Scott-
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SO embarased... I had hidden folders or the like in windows 7 enabled....
I moved to windows 7 from XP just 2 weeks back.
the folder looked empty.
had to open it and do some security 'stuff'
OOPS
::)
Well, now I'll just make a little WAV file and 'fix her'
:)
thanks Scott.
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You're welcome :)
let us know if you need more help.
-Scott-
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...I can't disable the self-defense module.
But... why?
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Do you get any errors? Or is the setting just not retained?
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When I disable it and close the window/click OK, it just gets enabled again if I checked. If I try to replace the sound files, it says access denied, which is because the self-defence module gets activated, again.
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Thanks for the old voice prompts. If you have a hearing loss, the woman's voice is the hardest to hear. That's why old radio announcers had those deep voices and were always men until equal rights arrived. But the male voice is the prefered and I added that to the forum on what we wanted in a new version. You saved me from installing an old version and first finding one to install. Thanks from a hearing impared person. It does make a difference.
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Hi patcoghm,
I'm glad that this has helped you, it was definitely worth the effort for that :)
Cakedoer2,
I've only just seen this post...don't know why...
Maybe it is a UAC thing in Seven, I remember people mentioning some settings are not retained because of it. Does it work in an admin account?
-Scott-
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I opened up file 1033 and it's not showing ANY wav type files at all. I'm using XP SP2, BTW.
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I opened up file 1033 and it's not showing ANY wav type files at all. I'm using XP SP2, BTW.
Hi,
What is the location of this folder?
The confusing thing is that there are two...
In XP the one you want is:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Alwil Software\Avast5\sounds
Although the files that you are going to replace are not the ones in that folder, but the ones in the sounds folder.
-Scott-
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Thanks, I found it and replaced them. "Threat has been detected" was replaced with the "Caution, a virus has been detected" and of course, "virus database has been updated" was replaced with the 4.8 version. I turned off the voice over option, so all's right in the world. ;D
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@ Humanity_Blows
It seems to me that your world could be a bit better. ;)
I see you are still running XP Windows Service Pack 2 so you should install Windows Service Pack 3 that has been available for over a year and a half that contains several Critical Security updates plus performance improvements.
Go to Control Panel then Automatic Updates then select Automatic (recommended) or at least Notify me but don't automatically download or install them.
Go to Secunia Online Software Inspector then run it to see what other applications are vulnerable:
http://secunia.com/vulnerability_scanning/online
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Yeah, I guess I'm going to have to do that, someone here mentioned that Microsoft won't be supporting XP SP2 later this year so I guess I may as well get it over with.
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Sorry to reawaken this thread.
OK, I've read this from beginning to end and have downloaded the old sounds from the link provided earlier.
I cannot change sounds, it keeps saying access denied despite disabling the protection as described in a link earlier.
You have to disable the shields control before unchecking that item in Troubleshooting for the item to stay unchecked by the way.
(Right click the taskbar icon and choose that from the menu).
I want to change the female voice for the old male one and this definitely is in the 1033 folder, but I get access denied.
This is on my notebook that has XP SP3 by the way and Avast Free. I want to do this because my roomie borrows it when he travels and he is hard of hearing.
I normally use my PC which has Vista and Windows 7 installed.
I renamed the sound files to exactly what is shown in the 1033 folder and that setting was most definitely disabled but something is still blocking my access.
I'm signed in as Administrator.
Any ideas?
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Oh?
Are you sure you've disable the avast self defence module?
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Positive - Avast was throwing up all kinds of warnings, and I forgot to mention that I checked file permissions and I am the owner and have full permissions in all those files, so I'm a little puzzled by this.
I should also add that I've been used to Vista and Windows 7 for so long it's taking a bit of getting used to XP again. I was just given this notebook as a gift.
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Solved by doing the copy and paste in Safe Mode...no disabling of anything needed.
Thanks.
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Hi Ex_Brit,
Glad you finally got it working :)
Some people have reported some issues with the self defense module If I remember correctly...
Welcome to the forum :)
-Scott-
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Thanks Scott. I hope it works, have yet to get an update coming in. Time will tell!
It's been quite a while since I used Avast and I welcome the version 5 interface. Simpler and easier than before.
(I moderate the forums for a certain very well known security software maker beginning with "M" who shall remain nameless but whose software fails miserably on my Dell Inspiron Mini 10 Notebook, hence my use of Avast......shhh, don't tell a soul!!).
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You're welcome :)
I noticed that you said you put the sound file in the 1033 folder?
If so, I am not too sure that it will work (from what I remember if they are changed, they are not used...) If it doesn't, then you will have to copy the voiceover ones that you still want to the \sounds folder and also the older one for the update...
Let us know how it goes.
-Scott-
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The one in the 1033 folder was the only updater one that had the female voice in it so I assumed that this was the correct one to replace, the one in the general sounds folders just had the chime sound.
Did I do wrong?
If so I'll have to uninstall/reinstall as I didn't keep the old one.
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The one in the 1033 folder was the only updater one that had the female voice in it so I assumed that this was the correct one to replace, the one in the general sounds folders just had the chime sound.
Did I do wrong?
When you follow the tutorial, you tell avast! to not use the voiceover ones, but the ones in the sounds folder so you put the ones you want to use there. If you still want some voiceover ones, then you copy them from 1033 to sounds, then they should be used.
If so I'll have to uninstall/reinstall as I didn't keep the old one.
Old what? Sounds?
No need to re-install.
I had a feeling some may forget to back them up:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3105891/avast5Sounds.zip
-Scott-
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All information including instructions and sound files (old and new) are also available at:
MySharedFiles (http://mysharedfiles.no-ip.org/) in the avast!5 (http://mysharedfiles.no-ip.org/avast!5) folder.
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OK, thanks guys. It would expedite matters if I didn't have to sign in again every time I visit here (using IE8).
Logically (or so I thought) the virus_db_updated wav file in the 1033 folder was the one with the female voice. I figured simply replacing it would work.
I'll reverse my actions if it doesn't work and then I'll start over exactly as you stated.
Thanks again and for the link to the old files ;-).
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The one in the 1033 folder was the only updater one that had the female voice in it so I assumed that this was the correct one to replace, the one in the general sounds folders just had the chime sound.
Did I do wrong
No, I don't think you did wrong. That is how I did it and it works. I simply removed the self defense mode replaced the female voice in the 1033 folder with the previous male voice, and renamed it exactly as it was before the exchange. (virus_db_updated.wav) re-enabled self defense mode and all is fine.
As an aside - if you want to get the original voice files back simply delete the new ones and do a "repair" and it will reinstall the original voice files
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Well thanks for that. I have yet to turn on that notebook to see what happens. Will do that in a bit.
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It works...thanks everyone. It worked either way, so no harm done and we all learn something as a result.
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Very interesting, thank you jwa.
When I first tested this, I was pretty sure the behavior was different, but your observations have proved mine to be wrong :)
(I'm wondering if maybe something in the behavior of the program with regards to the sounds has changed since I first looked at this...)
I think something has changed at least, because I accidentally lost the original sounds myself, and a repair didn't restore them...
Glad it works for both of you :)
-Scott-