Author Topic: using avast to scan files before download  (Read 16448 times)

0 Members and 2 Guests are viewing this topic.

Treazon88

  • Guest
using avast to scan files before download
« on: March 14, 2009, 01:52:19 AM »
I have recently discovered a site where I can download music and movies and such for free I think the site is a type of shareware and I don't want to download anything from anyone until it has been scanned and verified to be free of viruses but I don't know how to make avast scan the files before I download them can anyone help?

Offline DavidR

  • Avast Überevangelist
  • Certainly Bot
  • *****
  • Posts: 88900
  • No support PMs thanks
Re: using avast to scan files before download
« Reply #1 on: March 14, 2009, 02:00:27 AM »
How are you going to download them (Download manager, P2P, etc. how) ?

I would investigate the site using google to see if it has any bad history.

Movies are huge and to scan them with an antivirus is likely to be unproductive as not all are at risk of infection, .wma though have been infected before.
Windows 10 Home 64bit/ Acer Aspire F15/ Intel Core i5 7200U 2.5GHz, 8GB DDR4 memory, 256GB SSD, 1TB HDD/ avast! free 24.2.6105 (build 24.2.8918.824) UI 1.0.799/ Firefox, uBlock Origin, uMatrix/ MailWasher Pro/ Avast! Mobile Security

Offline Confused Computer User

  • Avast Evangelist
  • Advanced Poster
  • ***
  • Posts: 700
  • The answer is 42
Re: using avast to scan files before download
« Reply #2 on: March 14, 2009, 02:09:53 AM »
I find that hard to do. As far as I know there isn't a software that can scan the file before you download. I know avast scans the files I download but only after I have downloaded them (ie I have a local copy on my machine). Also there is the active scanner which I believe is sufficient. However this does not substitute for safe browsing.

Computer Systems:

Intel Pentium 4 641 / 2GB RAM / Vista Home Basic SP2 / avast! 5.0 Home / SAS Free / MBAM Free / Windows Defender / Windows Firewall / Spyware Blaster/ Secunia PSI / Firefox 3.6 / Opera 10.5

Core2Duo T8300 / 4GB RAM / Vista Home Premium SP2 (32 bit version) / Same Software.

Treazon88

  • Guest
Re: using avast to scan files before download
« Reply #3 on: March 14, 2009, 02:16:10 AM »
I find that hard to do. As far as I know there isn't a software that can scan the file before you download. I know avast scans the files I download but only after I have downloaded them (ie I have a local copy on my machine). Also there is the active scanner which I believe is sufficient. However this does not substitute for safe browsing.


Perhaps I misunderstand I thought that the whole point of having a virus program such as avast was to help prevent you from downloading virus's not to find them after you get one (it seems I am also a confused computer user ;D)

Offline DavidR

  • Avast Überevangelist
  • Certainly Bot
  • *****
  • Posts: 88900
  • No support PMs thanks
Re: using avast to scan files before download
« Reply #4 on: March 14, 2009, 03:38:12 AM »
I find that hard to do. As far as I know there isn't a software that can scan the file before you download. I know avast scans the files I download but only after I have downloaded them (ie I have a local copy on my machine). Also there is the active scanner which I believe is sufficient. However this does not substitute for safe browsing.

Well your wrong on that score, as depending on how it is downloaded avast most certainly can.

The avast Web Shield scans http port 80 traffic using the localhost proxy before it is saved to the hard disk, that is the reason I asked how you were downloading it as this would only apply for port 80 http traffic, either using your browsers download function or a download manager.
Windows 10 Home 64bit/ Acer Aspire F15/ Intel Core i5 7200U 2.5GHz, 8GB DDR4 memory, 256GB SSD, 1TB HDD/ avast! free 24.2.6105 (build 24.2.8918.824) UI 1.0.799/ Firefox, uBlock Origin, uMatrix/ MailWasher Pro/ Avast! Mobile Security

Offline Confused Computer User

  • Avast Evangelist
  • Advanced Poster
  • ***
  • Posts: 700
  • The answer is 42
Re: using avast to scan files before download
« Reply #5 on: March 14, 2009, 03:42:24 PM »
Apologies.

Perhaps I misunderstand I thought that the whole point of having a virus program such as avast was to help prevent you from downloading virus's not to find them after you get one (it seems I am also a confused computer user ;D)
Yes this is true but think about it. Every time you go on the web you are downloading info on your machine. Downloading doesn't apply just to actual file transfers (I'm sorry if I am stating something you already know). Avast scans web browsing and warns you if any malicious file is downloading on your computer, before it actually does so. At least this is how I see it. If it's wrong I appreciate any intervention to correct this.

Well your wrong on that score, as depending on how it is downloaded avast most certainly can.


The avast Web Shield scans http port 80 traffic using the localhost proxy before it is saved to the hard disk, that is the reason I asked how you were downloading it as this would only apply for port 80 http traffic, either using your browsers download function or a download manager.


Again, apologies for this. WIRMI (What I Really Meant Is) that I download files from say download.com using Firefox. At the end of the download, with-in the download box I see a message saying that the file is being scanned. I presume that this is being done by Avast. I don't use torrents so I have no knowledge in that aspect.
Also if you can explain this DavidR. When I save something to a folder (download from the internet) I see it and another copy of it but with a different extension. So say I save FILE1.EXE. When I go to the location where the file is being saved, I see: FILE1.EXE and FILE1.PART. The later disappears after the transfer is done. What is this PART file used for?

Thank you and sorry for the confusion.
Computer Systems:

Intel Pentium 4 641 / 2GB RAM / Vista Home Basic SP2 / avast! 5.0 Home / SAS Free / MBAM Free / Windows Defender / Windows Firewall / Spyware Blaster/ Secunia PSI / Firefox 3.6 / Opera 10.5

Core2Duo T8300 / 4GB RAM / Vista Home Premium SP2 (32 bit version) / Same Software.

Offline Eddy

  • Avast Evangelist
  • Maybe Bot
  • ***
  • Posts: 31080
  • Watching (over?) you
    • Malware removal, Biljart and other things.
Re: using avast to scan files before download
« Reply #6 on: March 14, 2009, 03:47:55 PM »
The .part is a temporary file used while downloading. A browser downloads a file as a temporary file. After the download is finished completely the browser will (re)name the file to its original name and put it in the download location you have specified.

Offline Confused Computer User

  • Avast Evangelist
  • Advanced Poster
  • ***
  • Posts: 700
  • The answer is 42
Re: using avast to scan files before download
« Reply #7 on: March 14, 2009, 06:11:30 PM »
Thank you.

I was curios about that. Does avast scan this part file or just the finished file.
Computer Systems:

Intel Pentium 4 641 / 2GB RAM / Vista Home Basic SP2 / avast! 5.0 Home / SAS Free / MBAM Free / Windows Defender / Windows Firewall / Spyware Blaster/ Secunia PSI / Firefox 3.6 / Opera 10.5

Core2Duo T8300 / 4GB RAM / Vista Home Premium SP2 (32 bit version) / Same Software.

Offline Lisandro

  • Avast team
  • Certainly Bot
  • *
  • Posts: 67195
Re: using avast to scan files before download
« Reply #8 on: March 17, 2009, 02:13:08 PM »
Remember that Download Managers split the files being downloaded and WebShield could miss detection of downloaded files.
The better is set ashQuick.exe to scan the downloaded file after it finishes.
The best things in life are free.

Offline Confused Computer User

  • Avast Evangelist
  • Advanced Poster
  • ***
  • Posts: 700
  • The answer is 42
Re: using avast to scan files before download
« Reply #9 on: March 17, 2009, 04:34:09 PM »
hmh..I'll look into that although I think that is the case since Firefox tells me at the end of the download that the files are being scanned.
Computer Systems:

Intel Pentium 4 641 / 2GB RAM / Vista Home Basic SP2 / avast! 5.0 Home / SAS Free / MBAM Free / Windows Defender / Windows Firewall / Spyware Blaster/ Secunia PSI / Firefox 3.6 / Opera 10.5

Core2Duo T8300 / 4GB RAM / Vista Home Premium SP2 (32 bit version) / Same Software.

Alan Baxter

  • Guest
Re: using avast to scan files before download
« Reply #10 on: March 18, 2009, 07:03:33 AM »
hmh..I'll look into that although I think that is the case since Firefox tells me at the end of the download that the files are being scanned.

You're not the only one who's confused.  Firefox is lying to you.  Since Avast doesn't register itself as an IOfficeAntiVirus provider, no virus scan actually takes place, even though Firefox displays a message that it is.  Don't be misled by this Firefox bug title.  This Firefox bug report includes the Avast case too.
Firefox appears to run virus scan when no A/V is installed

Offline alanrf

  • Avast Evangelist
  • Massive Poster
  • ***
  • Posts: 3870
  • Just an avast user
Re: using avast to scan files before download
« Reply #11 on: March 18, 2009, 08:08:28 AM »
I use a Firefox add-on called Download Statusbar in which I provide the link to ashquick.exe which is invoked to scan every file I download.

The Mozilla team (in which I include Firefox and Thunderbird ... even though the latter has been ejected from the nest failing to provide revenue) have a very strange and self assured view - however wrong and misguided - about how they think antivirus products should work and designing their products to work according to their misunderstanding.

I can only support the comments of Alan Baxter.   

Offline Confused Computer User

  • Avast Evangelist
  • Advanced Poster
  • ***
  • Posts: 700
  • The answer is 42
Re: using avast to scan files before download
« Reply #12 on: March 18, 2009, 01:49:34 PM »
Thank you Alan Baxter and alanrf,

your comments reinforce my habit to scan files manually after download. Now I will do it for every file without exception. I will look into Download Statusbar and report back about my experience.

Cheers
Computer Systems:

Intel Pentium 4 641 / 2GB RAM / Vista Home Basic SP2 / avast! 5.0 Home / SAS Free / MBAM Free / Windows Defender / Windows Firewall / Spyware Blaster/ Secunia PSI / Firefox 3.6 / Opera 10.5

Core2Duo T8300 / 4GB RAM / Vista Home Premium SP2 (32 bit version) / Same Software.

Offline Confused Computer User

  • Avast Evangelist
  • Advanced Poster
  • ***
  • Posts: 700
  • The answer is 42
Re: using avast to scan files before download
« Reply #13 on: March 18, 2009, 01:54:34 PM »
P.S.

alanrf  this may be tedious but the warning when setting the antivirus option is a bit troubling. Should I think too much of it?

Computer Systems:

Intel Pentium 4 641 / 2GB RAM / Vista Home Basic SP2 / avast! 5.0 Home / SAS Free / MBAM Free / Windows Defender / Windows Firewall / Spyware Blaster/ Secunia PSI / Firefox 3.6 / Opera 10.5

Core2Duo T8300 / 4GB RAM / Vista Home Premium SP2 (32 bit version) / Same Software.

Offline Lisandro

  • Avast team
  • Certainly Bot
  • *
  • Posts: 67195
Re: using avast to scan files before download
« Reply #14 on: March 18, 2009, 02:22:48 PM »
Very bad to Firefox... security sense is worse than no security... it's a lie.
I'm happy to not rely on Firefox but on a real ashQuick.exe scanning.
The best things in life are free.