Author Topic: Avast search -some files could not be scanned Why?  (Read 13195 times)

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KCav

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Avast search -some files could not be scanned Why?
« on: May 05, 2013, 02:40:27 PM »
I performed a full scan with Advast 6 and 17 files could not be scanned.   All were in my Downloads folder and were from Adobe.  A mssage said, Select required acction ... click Apply.   I chose Delete and no files were deleted.  How can this be  ???

Offline DavidR

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Re: Avast search -some files could not be scanned Why?
« Reply #1 on: May 05, 2013, 03:50:46 PM »
Files that can't be scanned are just that, not an indication they are suspicious/infected, just unable to be scanned.

Many programs (usually security based ones) password protect their files for legitimate reasons, there are others (and avast doesn't know the password or have any way of using it even if it did know it).

When you run scans with the above programs and you delete harmful entries that they detect, a copy is kept (in quarantine/restore/backup) in case you need to reverse what you did.

By examining 1) the reason given by avast! for not being able to scan the files, 2) the location of the files, you can get an idea of what program they relate to. You may need to expand the column headings to see all the text.

Adobe has taken to password protecting its files for its updates, no problem with that.
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KCav

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Re: Avast search -some files could not be scanned Why?
« Reply #2 on: May 06, 2013, 02:46:08 PM »
All I know is a Avast Full scan detected 17 hidden files on my hard drive.  I clicked Delete and there was no change.   :o  The files were not sceen using Windows Exploerer.  :o   I ran Wipe in Piriform, CCleaner and that did not remove the files.  :o 

How can this be?  ???

Offline bob3160

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Re: Avast search -some files could not be scanned Why?
« Reply #3 on: May 06, 2013, 02:50:43 PM »
All I know is a Avast Full scan detected 17 hidden files on my hard drive.  I clicked Delete and there was no change.   :o  The files were not sceen using Windows Exploerer.  :o   I ran Wipe in Piriform, CCleaner and that did not remove the files.  :o 

How can this be?  ???
It detected 17 files that it could not scan.   There is a difference between not being being able to scan a file as David has already explained to you and a hidden file.
Deleting is never a good move. If it turns out to be a false detection, you have no recourse.
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Offline DavidR

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Re: Avast search -some files could not be scanned Why?
« Reply #4 on: May 06, 2013, 02:58:09 PM »
Again I can't stress enough reaching for the nuclear option, deletion is not a good first option you have none left. The fact that they are hidden doesn't mean they are suspect/infected etc. but hidden and there may be a legit reason for this.

But to make that determination we need information on the file name/s and location. If these are the same Adobe files, I doubt they are hidden, but password protected.

You can look at the scan log for the information, avastUI > Maintenance > Scan Logs, select the relevant scan log and click the View results button.
Windows 10 Home 64bit/ Acer Aspire F15/ Intel Core i5 7200U 2.5GHz, 8GB DDR4 memory, 256GB SSD, 1TB HDD/ avast! free 24.2.6105 (build 24.2.8918.824) UI 1.0.799/ Firefox, uBlock Origin, uMatrix/ MailWasher Pro/ Avast! Mobile Security