Avast WEBforum
Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: Jelle on December 17, 2009, 11:23:18 PM
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Hi.
I recently had a problem regarding a phis. I was told to activate my windows and had to insert my credit card information. Avast and an antispyware saved my ass. I used a boot time scan from avast to remove it so I could use my computer again.
Now, the boot time scan is grayed out. How come this has happened?
I did search for this issue, and I found out that you cannot boot time scan on a XP/vista 64 bit. Well, I am using XP 64 bit. I know I did do a boot time scan before on this system. It also says in task manager that it is running 32 bit (?), so it should be able to make a boot time scan, right?
I do not know why, but I suddenly got mad and wanted all my anti thingy's to run a complete system scan, and for some reason I cannot get avast to scan more than 1,2k files. Then it stops. It does not crash, it just stops scanning there. It does not stop the scan, it just stops scanning any more files.
Is this a known problem?
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No, the fact that avast is natively 32bit (which can run on 64bit OS) doesn't mean you can run a boot-time scan, the point is you have a 64bit OS and that is currently why a boot-time scan can't be run.
It is being developed for the new version of avast, but it won't be in 5.0, but possibly version 5.1.
Where is it stopping ?
What is your firewall, strange I know ?
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It is stopping at the file number 1225. When it comes to that number, it just stops.
I have only windows firewall but I disabled that since otherwise I can not play online in some of my games, even after making a exception.
So, currently, no firewall.
But What I do have of anti spyware things is:
SUPER Anti spyware
Uniblue registy booster
Malwarebytes anti-malware
As the only things running.
I also turned off windows update since I installed my windows (like 2 years ago), and have never used it (God I hate that waiting time and those warnings in my taskbar!).
I have been searching around, and I cannot seem to find anywhere posted when the new 5.0 comes (nor the 5.1). Has there been made a date yet?
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I also turned off windows update since I installed my windows (like 2 years ago), and have never used it
excuse me ??? or did you just turn off the automatic update and do the check manually ? or are you telling us that you haven't updated Windows since you installed it two years ago :o :D
ps: don't insist too much on the boot scan thing ;), avast bootscan as mentioned by David isn't compatible with 64 bit OS, and won't be before V5.1 is out probably. 5.0 comes after the holidays...so very early next year. 5.1 later, can't tell when at all.
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Yes. I did not update my windows at all. Or well, I remember installing 64 updates when I installed windows, but that is it.
I never check manually for updates, and I do not want to use my time on that. And as it is for now, there is probably 9999 updates available.
Also, I have never seen a computer get more stable, nor more safer to use by installing updates.
Actually, I stopped installing updates since I was repairing a friends computer. I installed like 100 win XP 32 bit updates, and then we had to format it. It got so slow and actually unusable. I do not want that to happen with my computer. I do not have a backup drive big enough for all my backup yet.
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Here is one reason to update you OS
QUOTE Microsoft Security:
Is my computer infected with the Conficker worm?
Probably not. Microsoft released a security update in October 2008 (MS08-067) to protect against Conficker.
If your computer is up-to-date with the latest security updates and your antivirus software is also up-to-date, you probably don't have the Conficker worm.
http://www.microsoft.com/security/worms/Conficker.aspx
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It is stopping at the file number 1225. When it comes to that number, it just stops.
I have only windows firewall but I disabled that since otherwise I can not play online in some of my games, even after making a exception.
So, currently, no firewall.
<snip>
I have been searching around, and I cannot seem to find anywhere posted when the new 5.0 comes (nor the 5.1). Has there been made a date yet?
Unfortunately a number doesn't help, I was thinking of what folder it stops in if it was the same one always ?
Then it could be a very large file in that folder that it may be getting hung on or just takes a very large time to scan.
You certainly like to burn the candle at both ends, don't use windows updates and turn your firewall off at times.
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Pondus: I am pretty sure that I do not have any worms. I checked with SUPER anti spyware. It deleted some cookies and 3 other stuff I can not remember, but it was not harmfull. And to be honest, I really don't want to spend 10 hours in updating my computer, only to find out that it will to so slow I have to format.
DavidR: I use drive E as windows drive. It scans my B drive where I have all my movies and such. This drive is a 500GB with only 1,5GB left of space on it. I stops when it gets to the movie folder. I can not see witch file it is scanning, it just stops there.
Well, we are in the Christmas time, so why not burn some candles?
Anyway, As I wrote to Pondus, I really don't want to spend my time on updating windows. As for the firewall, it has been turned off since I installed my windows, witch is about 2 years ago.
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so why bother with any security software after all, ditch the AV too ;D
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<snip>
DavidR: I use drive E as windows drive. It scans my B drive where I have all my movies and such. This drive is a 500GB with only 1,5GB left of space on it. I stops when it gets to the movie folder. I can not see witch file it is scanning, it just stops there.
<snip>
There is nothing stopping you from doing a selective scan, @Folder Selection' instead of all Local Disks, select the partitions you want scanned and don't select the movie folder.
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Logos: Because I had a phis on my computer. I HAD to activate windows, otherwise I could not use my windows. Then I had to insert credit card information. Microsoft has nothing to use that for. It was here where I installed avast to get my system cleaned. I have thought of uninstall it, but I might as well let it run, it has cached allot I was downloading as virus.
DavidR: That does not help he scan my movie folder. Not sure there is anything in there, but I just never scanned it.
Now, I let it stand for like 3 hours while I was playing cs 1.6. Can it really be that after 3 hours it only scanned 200GB? It seems slow to me. When I scan with SUPER anti spyware it usually takes an hour to scan C: E: and B: drives.
I have in total 1,1TB of files on my computer. And as I said, only 1 hour for SUPER anti spyware.
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SAS doesn't scan files greater than 4MB, so you really can't compare the two scans.
On my system a Quick SAS only scans 7000 or so files, where a standard scan without archives (if you are enabling archives, I wouldn't bother they are inert) scans 4 times as many files and I don't have a huge amount of data.
You have never clearly stated what type of scan it is that you are doing, Thorough, with archives ?
Thorough is also by its design very thorough (it scans all files) and perhaps a little overkill for routine use, were a Standard scan without archives should be adequate. Archive (zip, rar, etc.) files are by their nature are inert, you need to extract the files and then you have to run them to be a threat. Long before that happens avast's Standard Shield should have scanned them and before an executable is run that is scanned.
I have only ever done a Through Scan with Archives once shortly after installation just to ensure a clean start state, but with XP for example avast will do a boot-time scan after installation if you select it, this I believe will be quicker and reasonably effective. Like everything in life things are a compromise.
In the window of the scan it shows the last file scanned, that should give a reasonable idea of the folder it is in and the likely next file if it follows the same sort of order as explorer.
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Detection of SAS is much much lower than a full antimalware product like avast.
So, two scannings can't be compared.
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Oh okay, I see, thanks.
I have enable archives scanning and set it to thorough scan. Since I just for a month ago got avast as the first anti virus on my computer for 2 years. But I am very sure that I did a boot time scan to remove that phis I had. And as you say, boot scan is faster.
However, I set it to normal scan and see where I end up. Thank you for your time to explain it.
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You're welcome.
A Standard scan without archives should make a considerable difference I believe.
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Bad thing having an unpached XP computer go to SP3 at least as Trojans will get in the ports as you are online on the web it is like driving a car over glass and sooner or later you will get all four tyres punctured! ;D
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DavidR: I will try that. Thanks.
Bbob1: Well, I do not believe anything can come in as it is now. Avast scans everything that I download and open. If the virus is in the avast database, then it will surely be deleted. No need for SP3 then.
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DavidR: I will try that. Thanks.
Bbob1: Well, I do not believe anything can come in as it is now. Avast scans everything that I download and open. If the virus is in the avast database, then it will surely be deleted. No need for SP3 then.
To paraphrase a popular Idiom:
A fool and his computer are soon infected
http://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/a+fool+and+his+money+are+soon+parted.html
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look Jelle, your way to deal with your computer won't convince anyone here but yourself. No firewall, no win/update, no service pack, and in normal times no AV either, this is suicidal. Your windows install should be ditched and redone from scratch with everything needed. I wouldn't use a system like yours even if I was paid for it.
Now I agree, but this is the XP exception (doesn't happen on Vista), that a service pack install can be a disaster. I've seen it happen with SP2 on XP. But there's a solution, and it's called slip-streaming >>> if it's still available there was a software to merge your current WinXP CD with SP2 and make a new install CD out of that. Worked like a charm for me.
Since I haven't used XP for ages, I don't know if SP3 has the same issue, but I doubt it. MS must have learned from their SP2 errors in the meantime (I assume you already got an XP/SP2 CD ...if not, I'm not sure if SP3 requires SP2 or SP1 already installed, see here: http://www.winsupersite.com/faq/xp_sp3.asp ).
Once service packs installed, there won't be as you said 9999 updates ... and windows updates don't slow down PCs unless your system is already broken somehow. This just doesn't exist.
Do you seriously think MS makes update for fun or just to make the users feel better or what ??? NO. These updates are there to fix security flaws as they happen and they are discovered, AND USED BY MALWARE. So please drop the bs and understand that all this is not bloatware, all this is needed for stability and security reasons that you must acknowledge.
No firewall is mad, and tweaking a router's firewall (or did you turn this one off as well ?) won't do the job unless you're a qualified technician, which is not your case, and unless your router offers the needed tools, which is not always the case. So you do need a software firewall to control inbound and connections and avoid that your system might be used as a relay by web hackers, to control outbound connections to avoid trojans from connecting, all this exist and happen, browse this forum and others, and enjoy the feedback.
Every time I have checked computers from friends who didn't bother to protect their systems properly, I found malware, and OS slow downs because of the presence of malware. That's a reality. A computer is not a freaking TV that you can turn on and off and expect to keep running properly forever. It needs maintenance, on a regular basis, updates, scans etc...
Oh one last thing, use an AV in a permanent way too ;) If your system had been in use the way you described for two years, chances are it is infected with at least tens of spyware. Up to you if you don't want to change that. But then why come and ask for help here when you don't respect the most basic rules, doesn't make sense ::)
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My original xp cd disk is SP1 and you can download a full SP3 SETUP FILE from the web and jump to SP3 if your windows product key is valid without installing SP2.
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My original xp cd disk is SP1 and you can download a full SP3 SETUP FILE from the web and jump to SP3 if your windows product key is valid without installing SP2.
yeah, I stopped using XP before SP3 came out...just wondered because on Vista, you can't install SP2 directly on a no-SP install. SP1 must be installed first. That's what I went through on a reinstall of Vista on another computer >:( ...took ages ::)
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Logos: When you buy a winXP 64 bit, you cannot get it without SP2, so ofc. I have this service pack.
The system setup I had before the phis (no antivirus etc.) was working perfectly fine. My computer never hung or was lazy to start up. When I wrote my password, it just opened up, took it a maximum time of 10 seconds, and it was ready to use.
Now, after antivirus and stuff, It has to load all of these at the startup. Witch makes it take even longer for it to startup. That I cannot take, and that is why I close down all antivirus. except avast. And as you say yourself, installing a SP can lead to an almost unusable windows, witch I would not like happen to me. Since I have 700GB of data I need to save on my system drive, and I just do not know how. All my backups are full.
I do not think that MS makes an update for fun. But as we all should know, we have not been too lucky regarding MS. As it is, I simply do not trust them and their silly updates. I have never, EVER, run a windows update where the windows would actually get better. What happened is that it got really slow. And no, I did not just try this once. I have done it allot of times. Even on vista it got slower. A benchmark easily cleared that up. So, from my experience it has never worked as it should be.
Oh, and by the way, there is ALWAYS like 6 updates it cannot install for some strange reason. Even tried that after just installing windows. Just the way MS made it all, it just doesn't make sense to me.
About the firewall. My router does not have a firewall, it is so old. I can't even access it to make something like port forwarding. And once again, this also, never made any sense to me. If I play a game, want to play it on the internet, I HAVE to click on "unblock". What is up with that? Why not just make the connection. That is really like vista. Asking you like 10 times if you are really sure you want to do something tiny with windows. It really annoy me those things, and I just can't live with it.
Now you mention your friends without protection. My computer has been running unprotected for almost 2 years. SAP found 11 spywares, and avast only found the phis and deleted that (including registry). Some of the spywares SAP found I knew I had and I wanted to keep, since I know what it is, and I need it.
This computer has been 100% like a TV, you turn it on and off like you want to use it, it is fast to start up, it is fast to do whatever I want to do, and just feels so smooth and relaxing to sit with.
Just for the record, whatever you say wont change my mind. We all do things the way we want to do it, and we can't really do something about that. I just believe that protection is just something that slows you down in ANY way possible.
Also, I have another computer for my net bank to keep that protected. It has run avast from the very beginning, together with two other AV. So I really do not have anything people can steal from me on this one. This is just my fast and reliable computer witch I use for gaming and having fun.
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what are your system spec, CPU, RAM, Graphics Card, HDD ?
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MSI k9n platinum I believe it is. It is the best k9 card they made for AM2+, I know that for sure.
2x Club3d GeForce 7950GX2
AMD phenom X4 9950BE @ 3Ghz + 1,4V
1x 1TB samsung SATA2 32mb cache hdd
2x 500GB maxtor SATA2 32mb cache hdd
1x 200GB maxtor SATA2 32mb cache hdd
4GB corsair 800Mhz CL5 (overkill I know, but I got the last 2GB for free, so why not use it?)
SeaSonic 600 watt PSU
I run with stock cooler, but I have 4 fans running to suck and blow air in and out, so it has a good flow.
Just at the top of my head.
And I know the GFX is really old and outdated, but it runs anything I trow at it, so I do not need to update that yet.
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OK, so your system is obviously fast enough to install and run everything I suggested. If you don't and still pretend that would slow down things, then either your Windows install is broken already, or the problem is not computer related ;)
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It is fast yes, but it will still take time to startup all those programs you mentioned. That time I really hate to wait. When I start my computer, I want it to start fast Normally takes 5 - 10 seconds for it to startup. I am not going to ruin that by installing tons of software witch I already think is unnecessary for my use.
I do not think my windows install is broken. As we all know, there comes a time for windows when you really have to format and reinstall, because it gets so slow, even on fast computers. This has not happened yet.
And as I wrote earlier, I do not have a hard dive big enough to put my last 700GB of backup on. If my windows installation goes down, I am practically screwed.
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It has run avast from the very beginning, together with two other AV.
Do you have more than one AV on your computer?
Using more than one anti-virus program is not advisable.
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/index.php?s=af6ac0e3511b498b0442d1e98c9921cd&showtopic=260844&view=findpost&p=1441638
Multiple Antivirus Apps on One PC?
http://tech.yahoo.com/blog/null/39904
Clash Of The Antivirus Apps
http://www.smartcomputing.com/editorial/article.asp?article=articles/2003/s1407/38s07/38s07.asp
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What I mean by AV, is that it is running ad-aware, spybot s&d, and avast.
I know you shouldn't have more than one AV installed.
But thanks for the effort.
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AdAware (apart from not being very effective) and Spybot S&D are anti-spyware and not AVs and that is where the confusion arose when you said you were using two other AVs.
MBAM and SAS are better anti-spyware/malware solutions.
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Oh thanks. I'll keep that in mind.