4.8 Virus scan/ cpu shutdown

[celticfrost]

Hello, hope someone can help me out. This is my first time on here. I have used Avast for a few years with no problems at all. I noticed recently that when I run a virus scan that the cpu usage shoots up to 95-100% and will shut the computer down after only a few minutes of the scan as taken place. It will never complete a scan at this point. Perhaps im doing something wrong, I don't know. If anyone has a hint or help I would appreciate it. Im on XP by the way. Thanks

[alanrf]

Welcome to the forum.

Can you please tell a little bit more about your system, processor(s) speed, memory etc?

Which version of avast are you using? 

What type of scan are you running (Quick, Standard, Thorough) and with or without archive scanning? 


Ooops ... I see the subject tells us you are using avast 4.8

[celticfrost]

Thanks for the reply. OK, I am doing "thorough" scan. It is a AMD Athlon 64 processor 3500+, 1 gb of ram. I have had it a couple years so maybe it is starting to creak a little but I just didn't expect it to shutdown during virus checks. And I had the archive box clicked when I did the check. Any help appreciated. Thanks.

Welcome to the forum.

Can you please tell a little bit more about your system, processor(s) speed, memory etc?

Which version of avast are you using? 

What type of scan are you running (Quick, Standard, Thorough) and with or without archive scanning? 


Ooops ... I see the subject tells us you are using avast 4.8

[alanrf]

Hmmm ... I see your point.

I had my old system up to look at another issue from the forum.  That is a 1GHz processor with 512Mb and WinXP Pro SP3.  Forthe first 5 minutes or so the CPU was hardly below the high 90's - now it seems to have settled back to around 80%.

In a multi-processor system I recall the team saying that the rule would be that they would use n-1 processors for scanning (where n is the number of processors).  I am not sure if there is intended to be any self limitation on avast in scans on a uni-processor system.  Hopefully a team member will chime in.

As I continue to write here my other system is certainly continuing to run into periods of high 90's during the scan and other actions are decidedly sluggish. 

I do not have an avast 4.7 system up at the moment - I will take a look and see if there is difference in the CPU consumption with 4.7 on the same system later in the day (it is 4am here and way past time I got some sleep).       

Final note - the system doing the scan has maxed at solid 100% CPU for more than 5 minutes now.

[Lisandro]

I run a virus scan that the cpu usage shoots up to 95-100% and will shut the computer down after only a few minutes of the scan as taken place.

Can go to the program settings and turn on the creation of the report file (with "OK files" to be included as well in the report). This way, you can find out where the scan really stopped (it's going to be close to the end of the report).

The report file created (if you turned it on in program settings) will be (default location) at <avast4>\Data\Report\Simple User Interface.txt

[Marc57]

Have you cleaned your system recently? ( opened the box and blew it out with a can of air) This sure sounds like an overheat issue. Also make sure all fans are working.

[alanrf]

I am guessing that the original poster was referring to excessive CPU utilization "locking out" the system rather than shutting it down.

This sure sounds like an overheat issue

Not to me it doesn't not when it is coincident with installing avast 4.8 - that is stretching credibility a little too far.

I have, as promised, run a series of thorough scans on the system I described earlier.  The only difference being the version of avast that was installed. Following are the CPU use graphics (remember same time on the same system is pictured in each scan)

The scans are with:

avast 4.7 (last production release)
avast 4.8 (current production release)
avast 4.8 (1178 - the newest beta release)

[alanrf]

With avast 4.8

[alanrf]

With avast 4.8.1178

Although CPU is still high a noted improvement over the current 4.8 production release.

[Marc57]

I'm not saying that this isn't being caused by Avast 4.8. What I'm saying is that if Avast is really pushing the CPU hard (which seems to be the case thanks to your tests) if there were a problem with a fan or dirty case, it can cause the system to either freeze or completely shut down due to over heating.

[alanrf]

Sorry ... I am not convinced by the freeze ... I have been using these things since they were invented and I have yet to see it.  The actual shutdown is much more plausible to me  ... we'll have to await the original poster.

[Marc57]

No problem alanrf, It's just a difference of opinion, We're both trying to help. Have a good evening.

[celticfrost]

I really appreciate you guys helping me out. Just to clear up the "shutdown" part, Yes I did mean the computer actually shuts off. I think someone suggested creating a report file also. I can try to do that. I have not cleaned the computer on the inside so I can do that just to eliminate that. Is another option to "downgrgade" to 4.7 or ?. Thanks

[alanrf]

I think that, after trying marc57's suggestion, it would be worthwhile for you to try the new beta offering (see the post at the top of the forum).

If the new beta offers no relief then would would be the time for you to consider reverting to avast 4.7 release.  If you need to do so please see this post.

[mfarmilo]

Certainly sounds like a heat problem to me. I repair PCs and I've often seen ones with a heat problem switch off when trying to do a virus scan, particularly laptops which are notorious for developing problems as they draw fluff into the vents. And yes, during a virus scan is just the time I'd expect to see it. Most scanners I've used (not just Avast) will go over the 90% cpu mark - particularly during compressed files.

I'm not saying it *is* heat - but with those symptoms heat would be at the top of my list, and I have often seen it before. A software problem would normally cause a freeze or a reboot, not a power off.