Same thing every day, in Hardened Mode

[CCV]

Why do I need to keep allowing the same thing over and over again?
And, why does "hardened mode" lose the exceptions already made?

It's always this Cyberlink thing kicks in at a certain time of day.
E.g.: C:\Program Files (x86)\CyberLink\Power2Go8\Power2GoExpress8.exe, and some variations..
Part of my OS, as provided, afaik.

Besides, after allowing such exceptions more than once, Exceptions on Hardened Mode TAB turn up blank.

Any ideas?

[AdrianH]

Because each time this program phones home it creates a new file name ..........

It is a bundled program, not part of the OS.  If you don't know what it is , you probably never use it, and don't need it.

If not used, uninstall.

 Check ALL the programs that start with Windows, remove all unneeded entries. Look at your progam list and get rid of anything you have no use for.

[DavidR]

Are you running avast when signed on as a limited user (not admin, etc.) ?
If running as a limited user avast would generally block changes.

What setting are you using in Hardened Mode - Moderate or Aggressive ?
I suggest you set it to Aggressive if you haven't done so already - That checks the file against the avast cloud database so it may not throw up the alert if the file info is found in the database.

[Hammey]

Hi power2go is cyberlinks write program like Nero. If you go into services you can disable the startup and then it will not try to connect.

[dprout69]

Is it possible to put wildcard characters in the exceptions?  If not, good recommendation for future versions.

[avast@@dvantage77.com]

Yes * is acceptable.

So, instead of C:\Program Files (x86)\intuit\* to exclude QuickBooks,

This can be shortened to *intuit*


So for you,  *Cyberlink* in global exclusions!

Sincerely,
 
J.R. "AutoSandbox Guy" Guthrie

"At this point in time, the Internet should be regarded as an Enemy Weapons System!"

[DavidR]

Is it possible to put wildcard characters in the exceptions? <snip>

Yes, ? is also acceptable as a single character wildcard.

This I find useful when you have duplicate folders (for backup purposes) on a different/2nd internal drive, so I just change the drive letter to ? and that covers both locations.

[CCV]

Thanks people.
Yes, bundled software not OS strictly speaking - sorry for sloppy writing.
I haven't decided if I might have a use for it or not yet. It doesn't run at startup, but "phones home" (or whatever it's doing) sometime in the p.m.. There is a service I could disable, I guess...
There are now five different processes, related to Cyberlink, listed in Exclusions for Hardened Mode. Not just different file names but, different paths as well. I might try the wildcard idea if it keeps adding more. Tho I don't know what it's trying to do, tbh.

My main worry was that, after adding a number of exclusions (via the pop up message arrangement) - and seeing them listed previously - one day the list was gone.

DavidR,
I'm assuming my account type is limited. It's whatever the default is in Windows 8.1, and there doesn't seem to be any way to change it. Doesn't appear to stop me doing administratory things tho.
EDIT: I am the Administrator. (Still finding my way around.)

Hardened Mode is set to Aggressive.
Now I think about that, it demonstrates to me that "Restore factory defaults" (and, Repair - supposedly does the same thing) doesn't actually work.
I checked my Scan and Scheduling settings, and they ain't default either. 
But, hey.. Maybe that's where my Exclusions went.

If I may trouble you with another question now:
One of the Exclusions has a red exclamation mark on it.
Can anyone tell me what that means?
(It was a (updated) Dell software installer, btw.)

[DavidR]

Unfortunately I don't use win8.x so I don't know if default accounts are limited user or not.

The "Restore factory defaults" are different to the Repair as the one reverses changes that you may have made to the default settings, whilst the Repair also checks integrity and doesn't reverse setting changes that you may have made.

The Red exclamation mark, I believe is telling you that although you have an exclusion for that file, but it doesn't exist in that location. So you would need to check if that file is present in that location, if not then you can delete the exclusion.

[Alikhan]

If I remember correctly..

You can not exclude folders in Hardened mode but can only exclude files.

If you were to exclude a folder, you'd get the red exclamation mark.

[CCV]

Oh, yes.. !, in this event, indicates a non-existent file.

With only one account, it is (as always) Administrator.
PC Settings > Accounts don't tell you much. Control Panel > User Accounts > Change your user account type is they way to go - if I needed the bother.

Long story, but.. I used both "Restore factory defaults" and Repair.
I'm fairly near certain I didn't redo Hardened Mode and a few other settings afterward. Would need to test it again to be absolutely sure.
Fyi also, see attached.

[DavidR]

Yes, I know what the Repair window states, but it certainly didn't restore the default settings when I have used it in the past.

[CCV]

I only meant to present what it "says", yes.
What it does, I have no idea. Tho, I do prefer Repairs which don't touch custom options. It did fix a problem with Firewall being turned off, similar to Antispam in beta version, as it happened.

I tested the Factory Reset option and found the problem there was a memory leak (as I suspected), in my head.
It works fine.

[DavidR]

Yes, they could certainly do with editing that text so that it isn't misleading about restoring defaults.

I wonder if it would be worth your while trying the beta version (http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=145192.0) as that has some Performance and Stability issues. There should also be a beta refresh soon I think.

[CCV]

Thanks.
Yeah, I found the latest beta http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=147290.0 before I finished up yesterday.

Wouldn't mind if  i could find some way to be notifid of new betas...