Avast WEBforum
Other => Viruses and worms => Topic started by: phoenix1 on January 28, 2011, 12:03:43 PM
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Good morning. I got up this morning to check on my nightly scan and found 7 of these messages. The complete title for one was:
c:\program files\alwilsoftware\avast5\defs\11012700\algo.dll Error: the system cannot find the path specified (3)
Is this something to be worried about? Did anyone else get these messages too?
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c:\program files\alwilsoftware\avast5\defs\11012700\algo.dll
i think this happens if the scan happens at the same time as avast is doing an update
run a quick scan and see
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No, nothing to be worried about.
avast has cleared up the previous days virus definitions in between them being called up for the scan and being scanned. That is the reason for the error
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I think this should be a knowledgebase article... ;)
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Thanks guys! Just ran the quick scan and it's all gone ;D
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Good morning. I guess I spoke too soon, my nightly scan once again picked up the Errors. Could it be possible they won't show on quick scan? I know it's nothing to worry about, but is there any way to keep from getting them? Should I change my scan time...I have it set to run at 1 am (eastern time)?
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I don't think there is a set time to avoid the defs being deleted...since (AFAIK) there is a no set time that they are removed. Just something you have to live with I suppose...
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Good morning. I guess I spoke too soon, my nightly scan once again picked up the Errors. Could it be possible they won't show on quick scan? I know it's nothing to worry about, but is there any way to keep from getting them? Should I change my scan time...I have it set to run at 1 am (eastern time)?
Personally I feel a nightly scan it over the top. This is the whole point of resident 'on-access' protection, it scans files (depending on file type, risk, etc.) when they are either created, modified, opened or run. So the rest are effectively dormant or inert and it is these that are likely to be scanned in an 'on-demand' scan.
I have a weekly scheduled Quick scan (default settings) and a monthly scheduled Full System Scan (default settings) that for me I feel is more than enough. Though that choice has to be yours.
But again even if I were to get them (I can only recall it happening once) I know there is nothing untoward as avast is housekeeping and I ignore it.
What actually is your nightly scan ?
As that only implies a scheduled scan not what scan, pre-defined Quick, Full System Scan or a Custom scan and what parameters (for the Custom scan).
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I do a nightly full system scan. It's just something I've always done, maybe it was because I had AVG before and it's something that got carried over. I do a weekly Malwarebytes and Spybot scan and have Spyblaster running in the background. Maybe it's just paranoia on my part :-\ LOL. Since it runs when I'm asleep it doesn't bother my computer time.
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I run a scan every time I leave the computer long enough to complete a scan. Why not? I don't like that these "System cannot find the path specified" errors take the place of the actual result I'm interested in: "Was the system clean of viruses?" I think this is a glitch in the avast gui that they should take care of, as it feels pretty kludgy at this point. Should "Move to Chest" all the files that Avast cannot find?
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How is it possible to move files anywhere that it can't find !
The avast UI has nothing to do with the security aspect of the program, it is just the interface between the user and program, so no I don't think it is a problem with the gui.
You don't give any supporting information on exactly what it is that can't be found or more crucially, if it simply can't be scanned.
Files that can't be scanned are just that not an indication they are suspect or infected so why would you want move it to the chest as that could impact on your system.
EDIT: Typo
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Should "Move to Chest" all the files that Avast cannot find?
avast is a antivirus program....and will only take actions on files infected
files that can not be scanned (for whatever reason given) does not mean they are infected
anyway....files not found are difficult to move ;)
I run a scan every time I leave the computer long enough to complete a scan.
why not activate the screensaver scan ?
and you have a virus program with realtime protection.....meaning evrything that happens in the computer when on is silently checked by avast
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I, too, get this message a lot. I do not understand its purpose since I can not respond to it by repairing or moving or anything else. I have researched this issue a few different times and I cant seem to find any definitive response on what it is; why it is; and what to do with it. Again, if it's not important, why does it occur? What can I do to make certain I don't see this message ever again, especially if it's pointless?
Thank you.
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I, too, get this message a lot. I do not understand its purpose since I can not respond to it by repairing or moving or anything else. I have researched this issue a few different times and I cant seem to find any definitive response on what it is; why it is; and what to do with it. Again, if it's not important, why does it occur? What can I do to make certain I don't see this message ever again, especially if it's pointless?
Thank you.
It isn't pointless, the scan report aside from any detections also shows files that can't be scanned and why they can't be scanned.
I don't know what you mean by you can't find a definitive answer, though this topic is unlikely to provide it as the streaming feature wasn't in older versions. But there are many such more recent topics that tells you why the entry is present.
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Those are are files in old virus definitions folders and avast is doing some housecleaning to keep the size used on the hard disk to a minimum. Avast now has streaming updates indicated by the _stream sub-folder name in the defs folder (in your changed subject title).
When there is a new virus definitions update, this includes the previous streaming updates so the old _stream updates are redundant and are cleared; this can happen if there is an avast update during a scan (not unusual), so the files are no longer present.
I feel that you are only seeing because you are probably doing frequent on-demand scans, something that really is unnecessary in a resident antivirus, the more frequent the scans the more likelihood you will come across this.