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Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: DjJ on September 05, 2004, 06:53:56 PM

Title: Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: DjJ on September 05, 2004, 06:53:56 PM
Okay, I uninstalled Norton & installed Avast.  It's the current version that's available to download.  In the past, I have been able to email large files(2.93mb is average) over my dial-up with no real issues.  
Now...I can't.  I get SMTP errors "no response from server for 60 seconds" continously...and this didn't happen before.  Now I can't even send small files either...without this happening.  It's frustrating.  The files are only jpgs.  

Okay, granted there might be something wrong with my internet provider, but I'm wondering if somewhere in the maze of options within Avast that's causing this.  

I've done a full system virus scan, ran adaware & spybot.  System is clean.    Don't know what else to do, and I'm not as familiar with what all these options mean...
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: Eddy on September 05, 2004, 06:58:46 PM
Do a little search on this board. The answer is explained in several threads. You need to change the timeout setting in avast.ini and/or the email client.
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: DjJ on September 05, 2004, 07:00:48 PM
okay...thanks... :)
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: Sojourner on September 06, 2004, 02:36:36 AM
You need to change the timeout setting in avast.ini and/or the email client.

Eddy, would you please explain what the timeout means? I had three messages re: avast! timeout, tried to do a search on it but couldn't find anything. I don't get those messages any more, but wondered what it means.  ???
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: Sojourner on September 06, 2004, 04:18:56 AM
Hi Bob,
Thank you for the screen shot. I don't know where Internet Accounts is. I still don't know what the Avast! time out means; why do we need to configure it?   ???
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: Lisandro on September 06, 2004, 04:35:10 AM
Hi Bob,
Thank you for the screen shot. I don't know where Internet Accounts is. I still don't know what the Avast! time out means; why do we need to configure it?   ???

Sojourner, the 'timeout' is the period of the time that you allow to avast to scan an email before giving up. Generally it affects 'big' attachments or low connections... You could wait for hours to finish the email download and the scanning of it... So, to not stress your system you can give up earlier, after the timeout.

avast! timeout could be equal or higher than your email program timeout.
Generally, 5 minutes (600 seconds) is more than enough in DSL connections  ;)
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: bob3160 on September 06, 2004, 04:42:11 AM
Sojourner
Sorry, I misread the post. I have removed my post because it referred to time-out settings in OE.
Eddy is talking about the avast ini file usually found here:
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\DATA\avast4.ini
This file can be opened with Notepad or any other text editor.
( Don't make changes in this file with out FIRST making a backup )
After carefully re-reading Eddy's message, the change can be made in either your e-mail client or the avast4.ini file.
My advice is to do it in the e-mail client.
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: Sojourner on September 06, 2004, 05:44:41 AM
 :)OK Technical,
I don't think I need to make any changes; it seems to be working smoothly as is --- I was just surprised to see a message that said Avast! timeout had expired. After the third time I decided to do a screen-shot the next time so I could ask about it, but I didn't get the message any more yet.

Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: Lisandro on September 06, 2004, 05:38:11 PM
I was just surprised to see a message that said Avast! timeout had expired.

Maybe your connection was low at that time or too stressed (downloads, etc.). Or the email attachment was too big. Just do what I suggested, make the avast timeout equal or greater than your email program timeout  8)
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: Sojourner on September 06, 2004, 06:09:37 PM
I was just surprised to see a message that said Avast! timeout had expired.

Maybe your connection was low at that time or too stressed (downloads, etc.). Or the email attachment was too big. Just do what I suggested, make the avast timeout equal or greater than your email program timeout  8)

 ???How do I find this information about my email program timeout and where is the information about the Avast! timeout?  ???
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: Sojourner on September 06, 2004, 07:34:51 PM
[quote author=Technical
Maybe your connection was low at that time or too stressed (downloads, etc.). Or the email attachment was too big. Just do what I suggested, make the avast timeout equal or greater than your email program timeout  8)

 ???How do I find this information about my email program timeout and where is the information about the Avast! timeout?  ???
Quote

Bob,
I followed your screen-shot even though it doesn't read quite like my computer, and found my email timeout is 1 minute.   :)
Now, I can't figure out where to find Avast's timeout.  ???
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: bob3160 on September 06, 2004, 08:04:23 PM
Sojourner
If you re-read Eddy's and my post, it will guide you right to the avast4.ini file.
Since we used the same operating system, the pictures should be identical except mine have my individual settings.
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: Sojourner on September 06, 2004, 09:02:27 PM
Bob,
I have read everything I can find --- I got as far as DATA and when I hover the mouse over it, the list of contents said the ini file was there, but then I can't find it.
I don't want to change it anyway, but since I read a lot about the ini file and have never seen it, I just wanted to know where it is. Is there any other name for it?
Sorry, I don't want to be a nuisance.
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: bob3160 on September 06, 2004, 11:28:25 PM
Sojourner,
Provided you installed Avast! to it's default installation folder, this where it is:
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\DATA\avast4.ini
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: Lisandro on September 07, 2004, 12:29:42 AM
Now, I can't figure out where to find Avast's timeout.  ???

Advanced tab of the Internet Mail provider  8)
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: Sojourner on September 07, 2004, 01:55:56 AM
Hi Technical,
Thanks to your screen shot, I got it! It is set for 120seconds.   :)

Bob, I don't have an ini file. It is as I said, I get to DATA and it indicates there is an ini file in it, but there isn't.  :(
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: Lisandro on September 07, 2004, 03:12:03 AM
I don't have an ini file. It is as I said, I get to DATA and it indicates there is an ini file in it, but there isn't.  :(

Impossible, you should have: C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\DATA\Avast4.ini

Maybe it's hidden?
In Windows Explorer go to Tools > Folder Options > View (?) the second tab > move the slider down and 'Show all files'  ;)
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: Sojourner on September 07, 2004, 06:19:20 AM
Quote
author=Technical Impossible, you should have: C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\DATA\Avast4.ini
Maybe it's hidden?
In Windows Explorer go to Tools > Folder Options > View (?) the second tab > move the slider down and 'Show all files'  ;)
That was a good suggestion,  Technical, but it didn't make the difference that I needed --- it led me to uncheck another box:"Hide extensions to known files" or something like that --- and that brought out the "ini".  :)

Why didn't you-all tell me it was the Configuration file?  ;)
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: bob3160 on September 07, 2004, 05:54:00 PM
Hi Sojourner,
Quote
Why didn't you-all tell me it was the Configuration file?
That's usually what an ini file is. Unfortunately your settings made you blind to all known file extentions. ;D ;D
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: Sojourner on September 07, 2004, 07:01:04 PM
Bob, I had asked someone a long time ago what an ini file is, and I was told it had some connection to the registry, and I have been warned to not get into the registry, so I accepted that  --- now, that answer seems to have been at least misleading, if not completely off base; anyway, this is to explain that I still didn't know what an ini file is.  :)
I learned a lot yesterday; maybe some others learned a bit about their computers as well.   ;)
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: Eddy on September 07, 2004, 07:10:46 PM
ini is short for initialization.

A .ini file is a Initialization/Configuration File

In simple words it is normally a file that contains some settings for a application.

Create a copy of the file before changing anything so you can put it back if needed.
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: Sojourner on September 07, 2004, 08:29:47 PM
ini is short for initialization.

A .ini file is a Initialization/Configuration File

In simple words it is normally a file that contains some settings for a application.

Create a copy of the file before changing anything so you can put it back if needed.

Thank you Eddy,  :)
I am happy to know the correct definition of "ini".
I noticed that the files in the ALWIL folder are currently backed up, as they should be.  All is well with ALWIL !  :D
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: Lisandro on September 07, 2004, 09:35:56 PM
I noticed that the files in the ALWIL folder are currently backed up, as they should be.

Do you mean automatically or you have an application to do it?
avast do not make a 'backup' by itself  :-\
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: Sojourner on September 07, 2004, 09:52:18 PM
I noticed that the files in the ALWIL folder are currently backed up, as they should be.

Do you mean automatically or you have an application to do it?
avast do not make a 'backup' by itself  :-\

Well, it is just in the DATA folder --- the first thing it says when the mouse hovers is"backup", and every file in the DATA folder has a copy, not just the ini file. I thought these backup files were made when the screen-saver is on, or when otherwise configured?  ???
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: Lisandro on September 07, 2004, 11:36:53 PM
Well, it is just in the DATA folder...

My backup folder (under the DATA one) is empty  :-\
What do you have there? Which files and sub-folders under backup folder?  ::)
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: Sojourner on September 08, 2004, 04:16:54 AM
Well, it is just in the DATA folder...

My backup folder (under the DATA one) is empty  :-\
What do you have there? Which files and sub-folders under backup folder?  ::)

Technical, the backup folder is empty, at least currently; the fact that it is there must have some significance! It does not have a copy; all the other folders, empty or not, and all the files that are not in folders, have copies --- is a copy not the same as a backup?  ??? Anyway, Eddy said to always make a copy, and I meant to say that copies are already made in this case ( it was just an observation).
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: bob3160 on September 08, 2004, 04:33:04 AM
Sojourner
Quote
Eddy said to always make a copy
What he said was:
Quote
Create a copy of the file before changing anything so you can put it back if needed.
Which simply means that prior to making changes in the ini file, back it up so that if something goes wrong, you can always substitute the saved file for the one you messed up.
There isn't any need to make a copy of everything.
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: Sojourner on September 08, 2004, 04:42:04 AM
Hi Bob,
Why are those copies of folders and files there? I didn't copy them, but IF I decided to change something, wouldn't the copy of the file that is there, be sufficient? (just wondering)
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: bob3160 on September 08, 2004, 04:59:11 AM
Hi Bob,
Why are those copies of folders and files there? I didn't copy them, but IF I decided to change something, wouldn't the copy of the file that is there, be sufficient? (just wondering)
You said it yourself, There isn't anything in there.   What backup files??? the backup folder is empty on my system.
Besides this has nothing to do with making a back up. It's regular procedure to make a copy of the original ini or any other file that's important before changing it.
Better safe than sorry. :)
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: Sojourner on September 08, 2004, 05:13:18 AM
Bob,
I am having a problem keeping the words "copy" and "backup" separate. I do have an empty folder that is labeled "backup", but every folder except that one and every file, including the ini file have copies, all in the DATA folder. I thought these were backups (even though they are not in the backup folder) and if not, why are they there? These are not empty files, they are copies of all the files in the DATA folder.  ???
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: bob3160 on September 08, 2004, 05:36:20 AM
Sojourner
What copies? do a search for avst4.ini and see how many copies you find? There is only one. Therefore, there is no back-up or copy.
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: Sojourner on September 08, 2004, 06:03:48 AM
Bob,
I have been looking at it a number of times today, wondering why I can't do a screen-shot. It won't copy into Word or Paint or the clipboard. I don't have any of the screen-shot utilities that were being discussed on a recent thread. I think I should be able to do it with the Print Screen key, but I can't. Do you know why, by any chance?
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: bob3160 on September 08, 2004, 04:30:54 PM
Sorry Sojourner,
I haven't used prntscrn since Windows 3.1. I use SnagIt.
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: Eddy on September 08, 2004, 04:51:13 PM
1] Press the Print Scrn button
2] Open Paint
3] Click on EDIT
4] Choose PASTE
5] Save it as jpg
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: DavidR on September 08, 2004, 04:58:26 PM
Bob,
I have been looking at it a number of times today, wondering why I can't do a screen-shot. It won't copy into Word or Paint or the clipboard. I don't have any of the screen-shot utilities that were being discussed on a recent thread. I think I should be able to do it with the Print Screen key, but I can't. Do you know why, by any chance?

Pressing the Alt+PrintScreen Keys together should copy the active window into the clipboard, this can then be pasted into your image editor (Paint, not familiar with this if it can do it).

This is the freeware screen capture program that I use ScreenPrint (http://www.screenprint32.com/files/sprint32.exe) (Technical recommended it), it is very handy, easy to setup and use, when you click the Prt Sc key it will save it in the file type (.jpg, .gif, etc.) you chose when you setup the program.
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: Lisandro on September 08, 2004, 05:46:24 PM
The 'Copy' folders were not created by avast.
You should accidentally moved your mouse and create that copies...  :-\

They are a 'backup' but, after all, it should be better place them in another folder and not just inside of avast one  :(
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: bob3160 on September 08, 2004, 06:27:05 PM
Sojourner
A backup in the same Folder as the original is not very sound.
If something happens to the original, you loose every thing including your backup.
I can't for the life of me figure out why you would have a backup in the first place? After all, this is a program. As long as you have the install program, no backup is needed.
The ini file is different, it's like data created by a progam and is something that can change and if changed incorrectly, can effect the operation of the program itself.

By the way, Weatherbug can contain Adware,Spyware so be careful.
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: Eddy on September 08, 2004, 07:01:47 PM
WeatherBug displays the current weather conditions from a network of school-based stations across the USA. WeatherBug is ad supported and shows banners and pop up advertisements. There is also an ad-free version, WeatherBug Plus. (usd 19,95/year)
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: Sojourner on September 08, 2004, 07:39:38 PM
Technical,
I might be able to accidentally copy a file instead of move it, but not all those files! I certainly did not even know they were there until yesterday, so I don't know how long they have been there. Is there any possibility that when I was preparing to download SP2 and Microsoft was making copies of everything, this could have been a sort of accidental result? I have looked other places and don't find any other files copied ---- it is a mystery if Avast! didn't do it! ???

Bob and Eddy,
We have been warned about Weather Bug, and that it is almost impossible to completely Uninstall; we discussed it and decided to wait and see --- we like the way it displays the local weather, a feature not available with all of the other weather programs since we live in a small city. We are hoping it will continue to behave on our computer --- if not, we will give it the boot!  ;)
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: Lisandro on September 09, 2004, 12:55:49 AM
Technical,
I might be able to accidentally copy a file instead of move it ... Is there any possibility that when I was preparing to download SP2 and Microsoft was making copies of everything, this could have been a sort of accidental result?

I won't say that it will have a possibility...
Almost for sure you did it by accident... Never mind, just delete the 'Copy of' folders.
You can backup in another folder the skins, the avast4.ini file, avast4.mdb and deftasks.xml  ;)
If you edit your added notes to email body, please, make a copy of the aswInfTg.html, aswInfTg.txt, aswClnTg.html and aswClnTg.txt  ;)
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: Sojourner on September 09, 2004, 02:36:11 AM
If you edit your added notes to email body, please, make a copy of the aswInfTg.html, aswInfTg.txt, aswClnTg.html and aswClnTg.txt  ;)

Technical,
Can you rephrase or detail that, please? I don't understand --- ??? What does "If you edit your added notes to email body" mean? Do you mean put the new copies some place in Outlook Express? Where should I put them?  :-\
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: Lisandro on September 09, 2004, 03:49:13 AM
The Internet Mail provider and the Outlook/Exchange plugin of avast have the possibility of adding notes into 'clean' and/or 'infected' files.

You can edit the format of these notes, both in txt and html format.
The edited notes were saved into 4 files: aswInfTg.html, aswInfTg.txt, aswClnTg.html and aswClnTg.txt.

So, you can backup these files to not lose your notes format.

Default notes format are on the help file > Setting up the Mail Protection > Format of Inserted Notes.

Did I make myself more clear?  8)
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: Sojourner on September 09, 2004, 04:14:51 AM
Technical,
I have to look into this --- I'll see you next year!

Well, maybe it won't take quite that long !? :-\
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: Sojourner on September 09, 2004, 05:18:45 PM
You can backup in another folder the skins, the avast4.ini file, avast4.mdb and deftasks.xml  ;)
If you edit your added notes to email body, please, make a copy of the aswInfTg.html, aswInfTg.txt, aswClnTg.html and aswClnTg.txt  ;)

OK, Technical ---
I have backed up the files in another folder.
Is it OK to delete empty folders that are in the DATA folder?
I have not edited any of the html or txt files (should I have?) so I don't need to do anything more, right?  ;)
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: DavidR on September 09, 2004, 05:34:12 PM
Sojourner:
Quote
Is it OK to delete empty folders that are in the DATA folder?

I would advise against it, they may be empty now, but may be required in the future and if not there may stop some action.

The empty folders will not be taking up disk space, so there is little point in removing them.
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: Lisandro on September 09, 2004, 05:44:34 PM
Just delete the 'Copy of' folders.

Please, read carefully what I posted...
Title: Re:Got a question about Avast with Outlook Express
Post by: Sojourner on September 09, 2004, 08:32:53 PM
Hi David R,
That is the answer I expected; I thought someone had asked recently about that, but asking if he could delete files, and was told it was OK to delete the files in question, but not the folders.
Thank you for confirming that.    :)