Avast WEBforum
Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: chargers on July 03, 2008, 07:15:00 AM
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is the VRDB necessary on avast 4.8 free home edition?im useing windows vista an i read some where in this forum,or someone asking about this but didn't get a direct answer.can someone help me out ,should i disable it or enable the VRDB and what setting should i have it on?idle or when screensaver is running?
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With Vista there is no generation of VRDB when system is idle or when screensaver is running due to security enhancements in the OS that prevent the avast! service from "knowing" what is happening in a user's session.
If the VRDB was considered an essential component, or even remained a highly valuable part of avast!'s anti-malware armory, I'm sure it would be improved and revamped accordingly. The truth is that VRDB and other scanned/safe file database techniques were useful at the time they were first implemented as a new weapon but to some extent their very existence has spurred malware creators to work around them to the point where they have now entered the twilight of their usefulness. :'(
So it is today that I must report, with regret and due ceremony, that I have turned avast! VRDB generation off.
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Hi Vladimyr....
That's a shame, really. :(
I'm hoping that Alwil will still make the effort to make it a functional part within Vista, however. (hint, hint ;))
Best Regards...
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I am disappointed to learn that this feature has little value now---I was feeling mistakenly more secure with my illusion.
Do you think it has any indemnifying benefits?
Does it use any memory or CPU processing power if i leave it on?
Thanks for the help
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I don't think there's any usage problem leaving it on. It's just that in Vista, the VRDB won't be generated unless you do it manually, which our Vista machine's principle user (my wife) will probably and understandably, not do.
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Thanks,
I am using W2K. So if i leave it on, could there be any slight benefit if i get an infection?
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I am disappointed to learn that this feature has little value now---I was feeling mistakenly more secure with my illusion.
Do you think it has any indemnifying benefits?
Does it use any memory or CPU processing power if i leave it on?
Thanks for the help
I'm surprised you mentioned this as the problem (if you can call it that) is related only to Vista.
The problem has been covered in another topic, in that topic it is explained that that is an issue with Vista.
The thing is that on Vista, the service (ashServ.exe) is isolated from the user's session - so, it cannot check if the screensaver is running, it cannot check if the keyboard is being typed, etc.
So... that explains your observations, I guess (if you set VRDB to generate while screensaver is running, it won't ever generate - because the service doesn't see the screensaver running. On the other hand, if you set it to "when idle", it's generated immediatelly - because the service doesn't see the keystrokes...)
The VRDB doesn't make you any more secure, as it is effectively a recovery from infection, in files that it monitors. There is nothing stopping you from running it manually as I do as part of my regular weekly system maintenance, every third week (the default duration) I do a 'Generate Now.'
So there is a limited benefit, in leaving it enabled with win2k as it uses very limited resources. It may help repair a file if it becomes infected and is one covered by the VRDB Generation.
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David,
I was responding to Vladimyr's view on the feature, as quoted below:
If the VRDB was considered an essential component, or even remained a highly valuable part of avast!'s anti-malware armory, I'm sure it would be improved and revamped accordingly. The truth is that VRDB and other scanned/safe file database techniques were useful at the time they were first implemented as a new weapon but to some extent their very existence has spurred malware creators to work around them to the point where they have now entered the twilight of their usefulness. Cry
I hope it does still have some value in recovering from an infection.
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With Vista there is no generation of VRDB when system is idle or when screensaver is running due to security enhancements in the OS that prevent the avast! service from "knowing" what is happening in a user's session.
...security enhancements in the OS??? :D
Anything that would improve security, including Avast's VRDB, the operating system should allow.
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hi all i have the same OS vista that the no generation of VRDB when system is idle or when screensaver is running
it sucks but are they working on a fix for it ??
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hi all i have the same OS vista that the no generation of VRDB when system is idle or when screensaver is running
it sucks but are they working on a fix for it ??
Idle should work on Vista. It's working on mine.
Screensaver does not work.
You can manually generate VRDB from time to time.
It's an old feature, not that much useful nowadays.
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Just did a VRDB now on Vista. Took me 2 hours for about 29.4 GB of files! :D
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Manual is working for me right now...
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hi all i have the same OS vista that the no generation of VRDB when system is idle or when screensaver is running
it sucks but are they working on a fix for it ??
Idle should work on Vista. It's working on mine.
Screensaver does not work.
You can manually generate VRDB from time to time.
It's an old feature, not that much useful nowadays.
ok thanks i just set it to idle
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ok thanks i just set it to idle
You're welcome. Feel free to come back any time you need help or just to change experiences 8)