Avast WEBforum
Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: gtc on January 18, 2011, 12:04:33 AM
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Avast is running a longish scan every day at 4am, however I cannot see where that is scheduled. The only scheduling screen I can find has the data fields grayed out.
I have also looked in the Windows Task Scheduler and cannot see any reference to Avast in that.
How do I find what is scheduled and when?
Version is 5.1.889 (paid for) running on XP-Pro.
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I don't run a scan every day as the resident shields provide adequate protection.
I run a scan about once a week.
It would help to PROFILE then Modify then Signature: and put information about your system just like my signature about your system just like my signature so that the helpers can offer pertinent advice then you would not have to keep posting your system parameters.
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It doesn't do it of its own volition, the scans aren't scheduled, someone has to set them up. Whilst I only have the avast free version, I don't believe that is any different.
You don't say where you see this scheduling ?
Check the avastUI, Scan Computer, Quick or Full or Custom (if you set one up) scans, click the More details, Settings button, Scheduling.
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It doesn't do it of its own volition, the scans aren't scheduled, someone has to set them up. Whilst I only have the avast free version, I don't believe that is any different.
You don't say where you see this scheduling ?
Check the avastUI, Scan Computer, Quick or Full or Custom (if you set one up) scans, click the More details, Settings button, Scheduling.
Thanks. I looked at the scheduling tab for each of the scan types (Quick, Full, Removable Media, Custom) before posting my query. They are all blanked/grayed out, that is nothing is scheduled. Yet there is a scan log for every day, commencing at 4am.
It's got me bluffed.
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As far as I'm aware that is the only way to schedule the scan.
Are you absolutely sure this is an avast scan, not wishing to insult you, but I can see nothing in the avast free information.
What does it say in the avast Pro Help Center about scheduling scans.
I do see that under the Command-line-scanner, that you can schedule a scan, but I can't see where they might be stored so as they can be run in the future.
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As far as I'm aware that is the only way to schedule the scan.
Are you absolutely sure this is an avast scan, not wishing to insult you, but I can see nothing in the avast free information.
Yep:
(http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u218/gtc_photos/Temp%20X/Avastscanlogsscreenshot.jpg)
What does it say in the avast Pro Help Center about scheduling scans.
I do see that under the Command-line-scanner, that you can schedule a scan, but I can't see where they might be stored so as they can be run in the future.
There's nothing in the help center on the scheduling topic that I haven't tried. Time to contact Avast direct I think.
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Well an unnamed scan, is a bit strange as I have some Quick scan scheduled weekly for 00:11am (image1) and those scans reflect the scan type. So have you got an unnamed Custom scan, that is what they start out as, see image2.
- There is a new on-line contact form, http://www.avast.com/contact-form.php?loadStyles (http://www.avast.com/contact-form.php?loadStyles) for: * Sales inquiries; Technical issues; Website issues; Report false virus alert in file; Report false virus alert on website; Press (Media), issues.
This one I would say falls under Technical issues.
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Well an unnamed scan, is a bit strange as I have some Quick scan scheduled weekly for 00:11am (image1) and those scans reflect the scan type. So have you got an unnamed Custom scan, that is what they start out as, see image2.
Yep, but there is no evidence of it in the Avast custom scan section's scheduler, so it's a phantom task of some sort.
Thanks for that link. I'll submit a technical query.
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You're welcome, hopefully they will get to the bottom of it quickly.
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@David
Wouldn't reading through the Avast5 configuration file help? See if there is an unnamed scan there that is not showing in the GUI.
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Mine has 8 tasks listed at the start of the avast5.ini, but they are undecipherable CLSID style numbers not names and I haven't got 8 scheduled scan tasks, just two, so I don't know if this retains historical info if I set any test scheduled scans.
However, these are expanded further down the [Scanner] section, the first I see shows Weekly in the listing, but I can't see the scheduled time that I can decipher. The second shows a Monthly scan schedule, so it looks like the first two relate to my scheduled scans, the others I'm not too sure about.
So it may be possible to find one with a Daily schedule, but what to do about it is the next question. Whilst editing the avast5.ini is possible I with notepad, don't know if deleting the entry details for the Daily scan and the associated Task at the top would do it. That would then have a list of Tasks at the top that may be out of their numeric order, I don't know if that is important or not.
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I created an unnamed scan and this is what shows in configuration file. At the top of the file task number 8 was created and at the bottom the following. Just wonder if there is something like this in the OP's file. I don't know if it could be done either. Safe mode is the only way I can think of doing it (deleting these without self defence and GUI active.
[{A9A36730-EC45-4530-BD76-243D582DEF54}]
Label=Unnamed scan
Comment=
ScanAreas=AllHarddisks
ScanType=Content
ScanTypes=Default
What would you think about a clean install to wipe everything clean including this ghost scan?
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No the self-defence module will allow you to edit it with notepad (only exception) and when you come to save it it will ask for confirmation.
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Well, Avast tech support emailed me this reply:
"please delete the Scan with pus on button Delete Scan"
and included the attached image.
Not much help given that there is no scan showing to delete, as I explained.
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I don't know what you mean by there is no scan to delete when your image shows there is an Unnamed scan ???
If your image is just as an example, which other than for the example doesn't exist -
I would go back to them, reply to the email and give them the URL for this topic if you haven't already done that.
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I don't know what you mean by there is no scan to delete when your image shows there is an Unnamed scan ???
If your image is just as an example, which other than for the example doesn't exist -
I would go back to them, reply to the email and give them the URL for this topic if you haven't already done that.
What the OP is saying (if I'm not mistaken) is that yes, the image shows that there is an unnamed scan running every day at 4AM, but it's in the LOGS. There is no actual scan setup though.
Hence, he cannot delete the scan.
*edit*
I guess I missed the second image that he posted. Unless that scan is one that he created afterwards just to test. I think I'm confusing myself.
I'll go away now. :-[
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No problem you can now join the ranks of the confused in this topic ;D
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I don't know what you mean by there is no scan to delete when your image shows there is an Unnamed scan ???
If your image is just as an example, which other than for the example doesn't exist -
I would go back to them, reply to the email and give them the URL for this topic if you haven't already done that.
No, as I said in my post Tech Support emailed me that image as a general example of how to delete a scan.
In my case, as per the topic, I have no such view showing a scheduled daily scan.
My version of that screen shows this:
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What the OP is saying (if I'm not mistaken) is that yes, the image shows that there is an unnamed scan running every day at 4AM, but it's in the LOGS. There is no actual scan setup though.
Hence, he cannot delete the scan.
That's correct.
*edit*
I guess I missed the second image that he posted. Unless that scan is one that he created afterwards just to test.
Nope, that's part of the reply I got from Avast Tech Support.
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I don't know what you mean by there is no scan to delete when your image shows there is an Unnamed scan ???
If your image is just as an example, which other than for the example doesn't exist -
I would go back to them, reply to the email and give them the URL for this topic if you haven't already done that.
No, as I said in my post Tech Support emailed me that image as a general example of how to delete a scan.
In my case, as per the topic, I have no such view showing a scheduled daily scan.
Sorry missed that, in which case you need to get back to them and give them the link to this topic so they really can get a handle on what your problem is what we have said to date.
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Did you ever figure this out? I'm having a similar issue with the free version 6.0.1000. It scans between 2,500 and 4,000 files around 1 AM every day, or later in the morning if I shut down before 1 AM. The quick and full scans are not marked as scheduled. There's nothing in the Windows Task Scheduler either. Unlike the poster, nothing appears in the scan logs. I only see the activity in the traffic history when it spikes.
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Similar, I'm not certain about that.
There may be some other scheduled task run at 1AM and that because of its activity would cause the avast File System Shield to scan files.
I presume that this is file system shield related otherwise how would you know the figures ?
What other security software do you have installed (perhaps this could be being updated) ?
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It's the File System Shield. All of the other shields are disabled, and there's no other security software.
Thanks for the suggestion about other tasks. In the Task Scheduler logs I found something called ProgramDataUpdater running around the same time as the spikes in avast! activity. The description is "Collects program telemetry information if opted-in to the Microsoft Customer Experience Improvement Program". I'll do some more research and see if disabling that task eliminates the avast! activity.
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Well the FSS doesn't imitate scans it responds to activity as it is an on-access scanner.
So it certainly looks like that ProgramDataUpdater task has something to do with that activity. Personally I would opt-out of the Microsoft Customer Experience Improvement Program, as I can't see it being as much use to you as it might be to MS. http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Microsoft+Customer+Experience+Improvement+Program (http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Microsoft+Customer+Experience+Improvement+Program)
http://www.microsoft.com/products/ceip/EN-US/default.mspx (http://www.microsoft.com/products/ceip/EN-US/default.mspx)
I would have to wonder what it is doing if it is accessing that many files, avast won't normally do anything if it is just read activity, but if those files are opened with write permissions then avast would first scan the content.
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I checked Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program via the Control Panel, and I was already opted out. Apparently the ProgramDataUpdater task ignores that setting and scans (or whatever) a few thousand executables anyway. I've disabled a few related tasks manually and will see if that works. Thanks again.
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The spikes in activity have stopped after disabling the WCEIP tasks. Thanks.
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You're welcome, thanks for the update.
Nice that MS take no notice of your choice on the Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program, which for me kind of confirms it has nothing to with a users view of a better Windows Customer Experience Improvement.