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Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: chuckcald on December 05, 2003, 11:51:09 PM

Title: Avast Scheduled scan
Post by: chuckcald on December 05, 2003, 11:51:09 PM
I am new to Avast.  I was wondering if it is possible to schedule a scan and a certain time and day.  

I have Avast 4 Home with winXP.

Title: Re:Avast Scheduled scan
Post by: igor on December 06, 2003, 01:28:27 PM
It's a feature of the Professional version.
In the Home version, you may use the Microsoft Windows Task Scheduler on the ashQuick.exe file.
Title: Re:Avast Scheduled scan
Post by: stevejrc on December 06, 2003, 01:30:37 PM
I dont think home version can do scheduled scans, but you might be able add the quick scan to the windows task sceduler:

(win 2k)
start>programs>accessories>system tools>scheduled tasks

add a path like:

"C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashQuick.exe" "*MEMORY" "*STARTUP"

(this scans memory and startup, not sure about other folders/files, ask one of the tech. guys)

I have this target in a shortcut in startup folder and a desktop button.
Title: Re:Avast Scheduled scan
Post by: stevejrc on December 06, 2003, 01:31:23 PM
igor, you beat me too it... hehe
Title: Re:Avast Scheduled scan
Post by: chuckcald on December 06, 2003, 08:51:05 PM
Igor

I set up Microsoft Windows Task Scheduler with ashQuick.exe  but when   the scan opens it says initializing and then the program quits.  It never scans anything.  Is there a something else I need to do?

Title: Re:Avast Scheduled scan
Post by: .: Mac :. on December 06, 2003, 08:57:04 PM
hmmm I dont see why it would quit like that. but I agree that file scans the memory not the hard drive ( correct me if Im wrong)
Title: Re:Avast Scheduled scan
Post by: igor on December 07, 2003, 12:04:22 AM
It should scan whatever you say it to... if you call "ashQuick.exe C:\", it should scan the C drive.

As for scanning and not scanning... isn't it possible that the memory and startup items are scanned so fast that you didn't notice? Probably not... but just in case, what are your avast! settings of the Explorer Extension - is it configured to show results even when no virus is found?
Title: Re:Avast Scheduled scan
Post by: chuckcald on December 07, 2003, 01:49:41 AM
Thanks Igor.  Your last post worked.  I was not defining what drive to scan.  

I have two other questions:

1)Now that I can get it to scan a drive, is there a way to make it scan multiple drives in one task (i.e.  "ashQuick.exe  C:\, D:\" )  or do you have to set up a scheduled task for each drive?

2)After a scheduled scan, how do you make the results show?  I want to be able to see that the scan ran, so if I am not around when I scan starts and finishes, I will know it ran.  

Any help would be appreciated.  Thanks.




Title: Re:Avast Scheduled scan
Post by: MikeBCda on December 07, 2003, 03:11:26 AM
As for scanning and not scanning... isn't it possible that the memory and startup items are scanned so fast that you didn't notice? Probably not... but just in case, what are your avast! settings of the Explorer Extension - is it configured to show results even when no virus is found?

I dunno if AshQuick is that much different from "regular" Avast, since I've never tried the former.  (Although isn't that what the Explorer context-menu "scan" option uses?)

When I'm starting up Avast, the splash-screen scan of memory and running processes typically takes around 10 seconds on my 2.2 ghz system running XP Home, before it starts the "main" program.
Title: Re:Avast Scheduled scan
Post by: igor on December 07, 2003, 01:37:27 PM
Yes, it is possible to define multiple scan targets; I don't remember the exact format right now, but the areas should be separated by somethine like space, colon, semicolon... (it should be easy to find out :D).

As I said - in program settings, you can turn on displaying the results even when no virus is found (ashQuick.exe is the "Explorer Extension", so that's the item to configure).
Title: Re:Avast Scheduled scan
Post by: Lisandro on December 07, 2003, 06:37:43 PM
Yes, it is possible to define multiple scan targets; I don't remember the exact format right now, but the areas should be separated by somethine like space, colon, semicolon... (it should be easy to find out :D).

Igor, I think that to specify the area(s), the typed paths should be enclosed in quotes, and if they are more, separated by semicolon. For example: "C:\Windows";"C:\Program Files".
Title: Re:Avast Scheduled scan
Post by: chuckcald on December 08, 2003, 04:29:32 AM
I have gotten it  to work.  Thanks for all the help.   I appreciate it!!