Avast WEBforum
Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: TeapotMan1 on August 01, 2020, 01:45:12 PM
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So Avast updated, and I've noticed in the Scan History, next to all the full scans done (even months prior), there's now a little white ghost and a red exclamation mark. Is this just an icon indicating a full scan rather than a problem? Since all scans going back months show 0 infected files, and a Malwarebytes scan also returned nothing too.
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Can you post (attach) a screenshot of this please, or do you mean the same thing in my attached 1st image ?
If it is, have you opened that scan and then click Detailed Report, on mine they were scans of a USB stick, which obviously wouldn't be permanently attached (my guess for the Ghost icon).
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Can you post (attach) a screenshot of this please, or do you mean the same thing in my attached 1st image ?
If it is, have you opened that scan and then click Detailed Report, on mine they were scans of a USB stick, which obviously wouldn't be permanently attached (my guess for the Ghost icon).
Hi yes exactly the same as where it says full scan for you.
I don't see an option for detailed scan. When I click the drop down arrow on the specific scan, it just says infected files 0 (as per every Full Scan). And as I say, Malwarebytes confirms that.
I ran a smart scan which also said no viruses/malware, but did throw up the usual types of issues that Free Avast often says you should resolve by upgrading (things like getting their VPN etc). Could that be it?
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Whilst I can't say for sure it would seem like the scan history data isn't complete any more.
The smart scan as far as I'm concerned is (with some exceptions) a vehicle for pushing other avast paid products.
With a resident on-access antivirus like avast, the need for frequent on-demand scans is much depreciated. For the most part the on-demand scan is going to be scanning files that would be otherwise be dormant or inert. If they were active files then the on-access file system shield would be scanning them before being created, modified, opened or executed.
I used to have avast set to do a scheduled weekly Quick scan, set at a time and day that I know the computer will be on. But I have ceased this practice for some time now, based in the above.
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Whilst I can't say for sure it would seem like the scan history data isn't complete any more.
The smart scan as far as I'm concerned is (with some exceptions) a vehicle for pushing other avast paid products.
With a resident on-access antivirus like avast, the need for frequent on-demand scans is much depreciated. For the most part the on-demand scan is going to be scanning files that would be otherwise be dormant or inert. If they were active files then the on-access file system shield would be scanning them before being created, modified, opened or executed.
I used to have avast set to do a scheduled weekly Quick scan, set at a time and day that I know the computer will be on. But I have ceased this practice for some time now, based in the above.
By 'not complete' what do you mean exactly (sorry I'm not too tech-savvy).
Based on this then, would you say then there's nothing to worry about given 0 infected files on a Full Scan (and every similar scan in the past year), coupled with a Malwarebytes scan saying the same thing? I've noticed no difference in PC performance and of course no other issues amiss. And as mentioned they appeared on all previous full scans after the most recent update (but they weren't there before).
In your original post the ghost icon is also your Full Scan but I'm guessing the same would apply in that there's no actual issue.
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As in the file doesn't contain the full information.
At the time of the scan this should have been flagged at the end of the scan. Personally I wouldn't be unduly concerned.
You will see that my scan history is complete as the information is there i the Detailed Report information. However, the Full Scan was from over two months ago so the scan history details may not be complete (incomplete) depending on your settings for the old scan (I have mine set to delete after 30 days), hence not getting Detailed Report button.
In that full scan there were no detections, so the ! could be for a notification rather than just an alert.
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Can you post (attach) a screenshot of this please, or do you mean the same thing in my attached 1st image ?
If it is, have you opened that scan and then click Detailed Report, on mine they were scans of a USB stick, which obviously wouldn't be permanently attached (my guess for the Ghost icon).
I realize coming to the party a little late
I would be interested in viewing a Screenshot, not yet provided be the OP
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Can you post (attach) a screenshot of this please, or do you mean the same thing in my attached 1st image ?
If it is, have you opened that scan and then click Detailed Report, on mine they were scans of a USB stick, which obviously wouldn't be permanently attached (my guess for the Ghost icon).
I realize coming to the party a little late
I would be interested in viewing a Screenshot, not yet provided be the OP
Well he has basically confirmed this.
Hi yes exactly the same as where it says full scan for you.
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I realize coming to the party a little late
I would be interested in viewing a Screenshot, not yet provided be the OP
Hi yes my screenshot wouldn't add anything. It's exactly the same as that image provided by DavidR.
Others have shared exactly the same as well in a different threads: https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=236971.0 and https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=236842.0
All the same icon (white ghost, red exclamation mark) beside full scans with 0 detections.
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I have one Win10 pc that throws up the Pac-Man Ghost on each full scan and my full scans are using just the hard disk option. There is nothing detected each time.
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Come on Avast what does this packman ghost symbol actually mean??
I can find no avast official "help" describing this, and everyone here just seems to be guessing.
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Hi guys, (for testing) I did run a full scan today with the latest beta and got no ghost, so it seems to be fixed there.
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I just wonder if it could also be a UI version issue. As the UI is possibly a different version in the Beta also.
Interestingly I ran a Full Scan, but it was done instantly, blink and you missed it.
Have just fired it up again and this time it is running at about its normal pace.
EDIT: It finally finished after 22 minutes, also longer than the last full scan months ago. No alerts or notifications and Ghost icon present.
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I just wonder if it could also be a UI version issue. As the UI is possibly a different version in the Beta also.
Hi Dave, latest UI version in beta is currently the same as in stable build (544).
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I just wonder if it could also be a UI version issue. As the UI is possibly a different version in the Beta also.
Hi Dave, latest UI version in beta is currently the same as in stable build (544).
The UI hasn't updated on this installation despite a few VPS and Program Update checks, still on 1.0.541.
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I just wonder if it could also be a UI version issue. As the UI is possibly a different version in the Beta also.
Hi Dave, latest UI version in beta is currently the same as in stable build (544).
The UI hasn't updated on this installation despite a few VPS and Program Update checks, still on 1.0.541.
You need to reboot your system now and then, else the UI won't update. ;)
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I just wonder if it could also be a UI version issue. As the UI is possibly a different version in the Beta also.
Hi Dave, latest UI version in beta is currently the same as in stable build (544).
The UI hasn't updated on this installation despite a few VPS and Program Update checks, still on 1.0.541.
You need to reboot your system now and then, else the UI won't update. ;)
I'm sure I have (more than once) since the last Program Update or that too would be incorrect.
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I just wonder if it could also be a UI version issue. As the UI is possibly a different version in the Beta also.
Hi Dave, latest UI version in beta is currently the same as in stable build (544).
The UI hasn't updated on this installation despite a few VPS and Program Update checks, still on 1.0.541.
You need to reboot your system now and then, else the UI won't update. ;)
I'm sure I have (more than once) since the last Program Update or that too would be incorrect.
Sometimes it helps to reboot twice. For latest UI and build#, see: https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=236705.0
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I just wonder if it could also be a UI version issue. As the UI is possibly a different version in the Beta also.
Hi Dave, latest UI version in beta is currently the same as in stable build (544).
The UI hasn't updated on this installation despite a few VPS and Program Update checks, still on 1.0.541.
You need to reboot your system now and then, else the UI won't update. ;)
I'm sure I have (more than once) since the last Program Update or that too would be incorrect.
Sometimes it helps to reboot twice. For latest UI and build#, see: https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=236705.0
I have, that it what is annoying, at least once for win cumulative update and also another program update (not avast). I also do a periodic reboot every couple of weeks or so if I haven't had to do a restart.
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I forced another restart and the UI has finally updated to 1.0.544, only to find this is not a UI issue but a Program Version issue. Now we have to wait for the beta to be released.
Can anyone see why I rarely if ever do on-demand scans outside of forum related questions.
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Can anyone see why I rarely if ever do on-demand scans outside of forum related questions.
Yes, same here.
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I have one Win10 pc that throws up the Pac-Man Ghost on each full scan and my full scans are using just the hard disk option. There is nothing detected each time.
I just looked at my scan history again and the Pac-Man ghosts are gone from all but one targeted scan. Interestingly in the previous screen shot I posted, I noticed full weekly scans 7/12 and 7/19 aren't even listed but today when I look at scan history they are listed.
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Ghost & red exlamation mark, malady.
What is associated to this issue is Malwarebytes service, wanting an update & reboot that causes problems. Malwarebytes Clean uninstall tool, can take care of it. BUT the problem persists with this Ghost.
I had to completely format my hard drive and re install windows 10. No other cure, and it took care of it. Hot keys, Windows key - Shift - s, and you can screen shot it, like this one to see if it is the same thing.
The whole scientific community uses your description as the person who first coined the Ghost & red exclamation mark as the official malady. I was LOST as what to call it.
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I think I figured out what the ghost icon means. It is essentially Avast saying that while there are no viruses or malware detected, there are nonetheless potential threats detected. I ran a full virus scan again on my system today but this time had the option for Avast to generate a scan report enabled. The scan concluded with 0 viruses or malware detected, as it did with the other times the ghost icon appeared. Upon checking the report file, it marked 4 items inside of 3 different ZIP files as compression bombs (ZIP bombs). (In this case though it was a false positive, the 3 zip files were just games that had unusually high compression ratios. One of the games, for example, is ~700 MB extracted but only ~150 MB for the ZIP file size. Ive extracted and ran all 3 games plenty of times with no issue, not to mention the extracted games scan completely clean with no ghost icon)
Basically, enable the option for Avast to generate a report file and then check the file to see what it is detecting as a threat on your system. Personally I feel stuff like this should be displayed as the scan conclusion though, if it were a real compression bomb that was detected it would be important information
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White Ghost & exclamation mark, is what would have been an infection. It should have
shown at least one infection to delete. Nothing indicated as an infection but this icon showing.
Run a targeted scan on OneDrive You may see it only on that and your C: drive. Originally, This PC is scanned. On one computer, I deleted the files in my documents folder and it stopped
showing this icon on a full scan. On a boot time scan nothing, but only a full scan and then one folder or another.
You mentioned when an update of Avast now this is happening, and not before. I have it on five computers and I do not even use them much. A computer that I kept off line, does not have this problem as if being online may be the reason.
Keep looking into this and let me know too.
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Go to menu, settings, general, troubleshoot. REPAIR APP. Afterward, you should not
see the White Ghost, Red Exclamation Point, ICON.
(0) infections, but the icon for an infection. Targeted scans may show, files in your document folder as where this issue is. or OneDrive cloud storage.
Scan after you repair app, and it shows no White Ghost, Red Exclamation Mark, Icon.
Is that what you get as a result also?
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Long awaited answer from Avast (r@vast team member) re Ghost/pacman icon in scan history items:
https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=237353.msg1558883#msg1558883
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Exception in the Virus Macro, is a new message on a boot time scan never before seen.
Also, a decompression bomb, is another.
After "repairing app" it comes back, and all the Icons for an infection, using the macro of a White Ghost with red exclamation mark, come back within a few days.
AVG, a similar anti virus product, does the same thing with full virus scans and boot time scans.
Maybe the "exception in the Virus Macro" has this as a result. On selected target scans, if I deleted my DOWNLOAD, OR DOCUMENT FOLDERS and all the files, this does not happen anymore
on one of my computers. I have it on 5 computers, but not the ones I do not use connected to internet.
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White Ghost & exclamation mark, is what would have been an infection. It should have
shown at least one infection to delete. Nothing indicated as an infection but this icon showing.
<snip>
See quote from another topic:
<snip quote>
Hi,
The icon indicates that something went wrong (error in file scanning but no threats were found).
It is normal behavior and no need for concern.
We apologize for any confusion caused.
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Ghost with red exclamation point after running full and boot time scans. When I called Avast they said I have other anti virus programs that aren't compatible with Avast. They wanted $110 to resolve the issue. I said no, I was transferred and offered $49 to fix the issue. I said no again. Don't I pay enough to Avast to get an answer? I don't have any other anti virus programs listed in Programs.
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Ghost with red exclamation point after running full and boot time scans. When I called Avast they said I have other anti virus programs that aren't compatible with Avast. They wanted $110 to resolve the issue. I said no, I was transferred and offered $49 to fix the issue. I said no again. Don't I pay enough to Avast to get an answer? I don't have any other anti virus programs listed in Programs.
I suspect that you called the avast 3rd party telephone support and they have a very limited free support they are contracted to provide. Outside of that they are trying to get you to sign up to a support contract of single charge. I would recommend you have nothing to do with them, the support forums or the support ticket system is better.
As you can see from this topic the Ghost with exclamation point is nothing to worry about.
As from the quote from an avast team member in my post above yours.