Avast difficulties on other user's desktop

[bob3160]

There is no security tab in mine and I'm using XP Home with SP2.

[Shae]

Hi Eddy!

If memory serves me right ... the NTFS rings a bell.  Where do I look to make sure?

Nan

[Eddy]

My computer > right click the drive > properties

[DavidR]

There is no security tab in mine and I'm using XP Home with SP2.

But, did you upgrade to XP Home and if so did you retain the fat32 format? If you did (like I did), you will not see the security tab (only on NTFS format), as Vlk explained when I raised the same question.

[bob3160]

David it's an upgarade to XP and the file format is NFTS.

[DavidR]

That's weird, unless it has something to do with doing an upgrade rather than a clean install, because that is the only thing we have in common, (I'm on XP Pro, your on XP Home, I'm on fat32, your on ntfs and neither of us have the security tab).

Perhaps there is something else in the mix as to why the security tab is visible?

[Eddy]

Nothing weird about it at all. FAT32 doesn't have the security tab because it lacks the specific options that are available on a NTFS system. XP Home doesn't have it while it only has Simple File Sharing. You only have the security tab on XP Pro, NT and the W2x systems, since those are the only onces who allow you to set file specific security options.

[bob3160]

Thanks Eddy. Mystery solved.

[DavidR]

Thanks Eddy, looks like we and Nana2 (who has XP Home) have been chasing our tails trying to find something that isn't there by design.

[Eddy]

Many people knows this. I guess the people at Alwil also knows this. But people tend to try to solve problems with their own OS in mind. Normally this isn't much of a problem, but in cases like this (XP home vs XP Pro) there are some (small) differences which one easy forgets.

I remember a call from someone who is in the same business like me. He said he had a system with a MS sticker on the site (XP key) and it corresponded with the key entered in the installation, but still some things where lacking and he couldn't get them enabled. At first he thought he had found some rare illegal version of Windows Pro. So he asked me to have a look. He forgot that Windows was installed on FAT32. 'Problem' solved by me within 5 minutes

[Shae]

I have solved my problem.

At least I've solved it to my satisfaction ... sort of.

I made my husband an Administrator also.  As soon as I did that, I was able to run AVAST from his desktop. 

I was able to do that "extra" file check from the folder I've added to his desktop for checking attachments that come in emails.

Regarding my computer.  XP was on it when I bought it new.  It is not something I've added. 

I did do a clean install a couple of months ago (heaven only knows if I did that right ... everything seems to work).

I am an NTFS.

[Shae]

Back to the drawing board! :'(

My husband announced this morning that my "new" system does not work.  He had tried to run an attachment through the folder that I put on his desktop to hold files that need a second run through the virus checker.

When I tred to do it ... it wouldn't work.  There is no sign of the path to his desktop!

This is the screen I'd get.


So, I got rid of his Administrator status and gave his side a password ... all sorts of things.  Nothing worked.

Then the light came on!  All I needed to do was uncheck that box that says it might interfere with the program (which it certainly was!) .... and voila!  I could run AVAST through the attachment in the folder.  Before I did that ... there was no sign of any of the folders on the desktop.

So, I've been able to remove the Administrator designation from the other users of the computer, and done away with the passwords.

At this point in this saga you have likely all totally lost interest ... but I'm like a cat with a rat till I solve a "problem."

Why my "other" new system worked so well the other day ... and today it didn't work at all ... I have absolutely no idea!

Anyhow ... the saga continues ...

Nan