Author Topic: home edition not scanning  (Read 15645 times)

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Offline Lisandro

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Re: home edition not scanning
« Reply #15 on: November 21, 2005, 02:15:45 AM »
David, what do you mean by this? "You have to navigate to the avast4.ini file using windows explorer and then open the file with notepad."  How do I navigate avast4.ini file? 
Open Windows Explorer.
Go (navigate) to avast folder (generally, C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\Data\)
Open the avast4.ini file in the Notepad (you can start Notepad this way: Start Menu > Run > write NOTEPAD and click enter)
File > Open > C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\Data\avast4.ini

Do I use Google?
No. Or, at least, Google Desktop.

Do I go to the "Start" button and "search" to find the avast4.ini file?
Ok, it's the same.

Is it at the avast website?
No, it's in your computer.

how do I use notepad to copy or connect with the "ini" file?
Save the file with other name. File > Save as.
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Offline szc

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Re: home edition not scanning
« Reply #16 on: November 21, 2005, 02:27:30 AM »
And that's just because you started few threads on the same topic. This way you confuse technical support, and btw you confuse yourself as well... you don't know where to look for your answer anymore.

See here:

http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=17530.msg149089#msg149089

I gave you step by step instructions and if that's not clear, I don't know how to explain it better... avast4.ini can't be found by Google, it's your avast! ini file, on your local computer... I gave you instructions on how to access and change what's needed to be changed in it.
« Last Edit: November 21, 2005, 02:41:33 AM by S.Z.Craftec »
MB: GIGABYTE GA-Z77X-UD3H Intel 7 Series  - LGA1155, CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K - Quad Core, 3.40GHz (3.80GHz Max Turbo), CPU COOLER: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO Direct Heat Pipe R2, RAM: 16 GB Kingston HyperX Blu DDR3, VIDEO CARD: Galaxy GeForce GTX 560 Ti - 1GB, GDDR5, POWER SUPPLY: Corsair Enthusiast Series TX750 V2 - 750 Watts, HD: Seagate Barracuda - 2TB, 7200RPM, 64MB, SATA 6Gb/s

megaman04

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Re: home edition not scanning
« Reply #17 on: November 21, 2005, 02:46:16 AM »
And that's just because you started few threads on the same topic. This way you confuse technical support, and btw you confuse yourself as well... you don't know where to look for your answer anymore.

See here:

http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=17530.msg149089#msg149089

I gave you step by step instructions and if that's not clear, I don't know how to explain it better... avast4.ini can't be find by google, it's your avast! ini file... I gave you instructions on how to access and change what's needed to be changed in it.

My intent was not to bring confusion to anyone.  I apologize for that.  I was able to follow the most current posts within the three forums that I posted my problems in.  But the only reason why I did that was because I figured my chances of other tech people to help me remedy the problem on my friend's computer would be greater.  A different tech person might give me a different answer or the same answer but is able to present it in a way that would be easier for me to follow.  For example, you wrote this, "I gave you step by step instructions and if that's not clear, I don't know how to explain it better... it's your avast! ini file."  Although you know this, I have no idea what an "ini" file is or where to retrieve that file, etc.  All I did was re-install avast from the avast website.  I didn't keep track of what took place, etc.  I just followed the prompts and allowed the installation process do all the work.  But anyway, I found information from another post in another forum that might help me to change the thing to XML.  Also, Tech posted more specific instructions on what to do too, so that might help me solve my friend's problem.  Thanks, Megaman

Offline szc

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Re: home edition not scanning
« Reply #18 on: November 21, 2005, 02:50:54 AM »
OK, and this wasn't clear enough right ?

Quote
What I suggested was kind of automatic procedure of changing database type from ODBC to XML.

Let's try to do it manually this time. Open your avast4.ini file. By default it's located in C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\DATA\ subfolder.

Simply open it with NOTEPAD. Search for this line:

Database=ODBC

Spot that there is no space in between "=" and ODBC. Simply erase ODBC part and instead of ODBC, type XML. Remember, no spaces in between "=" and XML. So your line should look like this:

Database=XML

DO NOT CHANGE anything else ! Chose FILE from the NOTEPAD's dropdown menu, and click on SAVE. That's it. When you are 100% sure file is saved, restart your computer. See if anything is changed.

Cheers!

P.S. As Cloussau already mentioned, if you had any other antivirus installed in your system prior to avast! and it's not properly uninstalled, there is nothing that can help you to fix this unless you completely uninstall any single trace of previous antiviruses from your system. In this case, that includes uninstalling of avast! as well. System must be 100% clean prior installing any resident antivirus. As you may already know, two resident antiviruses will juts kill each other, and all you'll have is unbelievable headaches.

What was the previous antivirus that was installed prior to avast! if you had any ?

Literally step by step and I even gave you and example of what exactly you have to change and how. I even attached a screenshot in my reply prior to that one... Well, you chose what's best for you, that's your right. Remember, we are here very long time, and we try to please every single person in here... and it's our good will, we do that for free.  ;)

...
...
...
Although you know this, I have no idea what an "ini" file is or where to retrieve that file, etc...
...
...

Well, that's why I wrote all those step-by-step instructions...

I told you where that file is located (exact location):
Quote by szc:
Quote
Open your avast4.ini file. By default it's located in C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\DATA\ subfolder.

I also told you how to edit it and which program should you use to do that:
Quote by szc:
Quote
Simply open it with NOTEPAD.
I mean everybody knows what NOTEPAD is... at least the person who tries to fix someone else's computer problems (you mentioned in one of your previous posts that you are fixing your friend's PC), is expected to have some basic knowledge and know at least what Notepad is...

...another thing, I showed you exactly what you need to change in that file.
Quote by szc:
Quote
Search for this line:

Database=ODBC

Spot that there is no space in between "=" and ODBC. Simply erase ODBC part and instead of ODBC, type XML. Remember, no spaces in between "=" and XML. So your line should look like this:

Database=XML

DO NOT CHANGE anything else ! Chose FILE from the NOTEPAD's dropdown menu, and click on SAVE. That's it. When you are 100% sure file is saved, restart your computer. See if anything is changed.


See what DavidR answered to you in here...

http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=17530.msg149107#msg149107
« Last Edit: November 21, 2005, 03:24:34 AM by S.Z.Craftec »
MB: GIGABYTE GA-Z77X-UD3H Intel 7 Series  - LGA1155, CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K - Quad Core, 3.40GHz (3.80GHz Max Turbo), CPU COOLER: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO Direct Heat Pipe R2, RAM: 16 GB Kingston HyperX Blu DDR3, VIDEO CARD: Galaxy GeForce GTX 560 Ti - 1GB, GDDR5, POWER SUPPLY: Corsair Enthusiast Series TX750 V2 - 750 Watts, HD: Seagate Barracuda - 2TB, 7200RPM, 64MB, SATA 6Gb/s

megaman04

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Re: home edition not scanning
« Reply #19 on: November 21, 2005, 03:57:49 AM »
OK, and this wasn't clear enough right ?

Quote
What I suggested was kind of automatic procedure of changing database type from ODBC to XML.

Let's try to do it manually this time. Open your avast4.ini file. By default it's located in C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\DATA\ subfolder.

Simply open it with NOTEPAD. Search for this line:

Database=ODBC

Spot that there is no space in between "=" and ODBC. Simply erase ODBC part and instead of ODBC, type XML. Remember, no spaces in between "=" and XML. So your line should look like this:

Database=XML

DO NOT CHANGE anything else ! Chose FILE from the NOTEPAD's dropdown menu, and click on SAVE. That's it. When you are 100% sure file is saved, restart your computer. See if anything is changed.

Cheers!

P.S. As Cloussau already mentioned, if you had any other antivirus installed in your system prior to avast! and it's not properly uninstalled, there is nothing that can help you to fix this unless you completely uninstall any single trace of previous antiviruses from your system. In this case, that includes uninstalling of avast! as well. System must be 100% clean prior installing any resident antivirus. As you may already know, two resident antiviruses will juts kill each other, and all you'll have is unbelievable headaches.

What was the previous antivirus that was installed prior to avast! if you had any ?

Literally step by step and I even gave you and example of what exactly you have to change and how. I even attached a screenshot in my reply prior to that one... Well, you chose what's best for you, that's your right. Remember, we are here very long time, and we try to please every single person in here... and it's our good will, we do that for free.  ;)

...
...
...
Although you know this, I have no idea what an "ini" file is or where to retrieve that file, etc...
...
...

Well, that's why I wrote all those step-by-step instructions...

I told you where that file is located (exact location):
Quote by szc:
Quote
Open your avast4.ini file. By default it's located in C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\DATA\ subfolder.

I also told you how to edit it and which program should you use to do that:
Quote by szc:
Quote
Simply open it with NOTEPAD.
I mean everybody knows what NOTEPAD is... at least the person who tries to fix someone else's computer problems (you mentioned in one of your previous posts that you are fixing your friend's PC), is expected to have some basic knowledge and know at least what Notepad is...

...another thing, I showed you exactly what you need to change in that file.
Quote by szc:
Quote
Search for this line:

Database=ODBC

Spot that there is no space in between "=" and ODBC. Simply erase ODBC part and instead of ODBC, type XML. Remember, no spaces in between "=" and XML. So your line should look like this:

Database=XML

DO NOT CHANGE anything else ! Chose FILE from the NOTEPAD's dropdown menu, and click on SAVE. That's it. When you are 100% sure file is saved, restart your computer. See if anything is changed.


See what DavidR answered to you in here...

http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=17530.msg149107#msg149107

Thanks for your follow-up.  What I ended up doing and figuring out was this.  I copied and pasted C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\Data\ to the "Search for files or folders" feature from the "Start" button.  It showed me files and folders and I found the "avast4.ini" file.  I right-clicked on this file and selected "Open with...," which gave me the option of opening the file through Notepad.  I double clicked on Notepad.  Then I scrolled down to where I found "Database=ODBC."  Then I replaced ODBC with XML.  I saved what I did, and rebooted the computer.  And it worked.  These are the steps I took.  I used your info and other people's info to help solve the problem.  The avast icon in the "tray" is working.  The red circle and slash is gone.  I'm able to get to the troubleshooting feature through the program setting now.  Thanks for your help, Megaman

Offline szc

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Re: home edition not scanning
« Reply #20 on: November 21, 2005, 04:04:59 AM »
I am glad, and that was our goal in the first place... to help you as well to help anyone with the same problem. The thing is, it is much easier to follow our advices if you made that question in one thread. We all would "hang" in just one thread, instead of jumping from one to another... double work.

Anyway, I'm really glad it worked.

Cheers !
MB: GIGABYTE GA-Z77X-UD3H Intel 7 Series  - LGA1155, CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K - Quad Core, 3.40GHz (3.80GHz Max Turbo), CPU COOLER: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO Direct Heat Pipe R2, RAM: 16 GB Kingston HyperX Blu DDR3, VIDEO CARD: Galaxy GeForce GTX 560 Ti - 1GB, GDDR5, POWER SUPPLY: Corsair Enthusiast Series TX750 V2 - 750 Watts, HD: Seagate Barracuda - 2TB, 7200RPM, 64MB, SATA 6Gb/s

Offline Lisandro

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Re: home edition not scanning
« Reply #21 on: November 21, 2005, 05:31:53 PM »
I used your info and other people's info to help solve the problem. 
Very glad you succeed... See, you can always learn something if you have determination and patience  8)
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megaman04

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Re: home edition not scanning
« Reply #22 on: November 21, 2005, 10:28:12 PM »
I used your info and other people's info to help solve the problem. 
Very glad you succeed... See, you can always learn something if you have determination and patience  8)

Thanks for your help Tech.  The interesting thing about fixing the problem on my friend's computer is that, now her computer runs super slow.  I don't know why it's like that now.  I mean, it's slower than before the avast problem came up.  So I ended up changing the XML back to the OBDC in the troubleshooting section.  The computer is running fast now, but there's no virus protection.  She still uses dial-up to connect to the internet, but that has to do.  Any reason why the speed change?

Offline Lisandro

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Re: home edition not scanning
« Reply #23 on: November 22, 2005, 02:03:45 AM »
Now her computer runs super slow. Any reason why the speed change?
Maybe you can just set the sensitivity of the Standard Shield provider to Normal level (instead of High).
Right click the 'a' blue icon on the system tray. Choose the first option at the top (on-access protection control).
If you see the Standard Shield provider at left, choose it and set the slider to Normal.
If you don't see, click 'Details', and then click over the Standard Shield provider at left and set the slider to Normal.
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megaman04

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Re: home edition not scanning
« Reply #24 on: November 22, 2005, 08:05:17 PM »
Now her computer runs super slow. Any reason why the speed change?
Maybe you can just set the sensitivity of the Standard Shield provider to Normal level (instead of High).
Right click the 'a' blue icon on the system tray. Choose the first option at the top (on-access protection control).
If you see the Standard Shield provider at left, choose it and set the slider to Normal.
If you don't see, click 'Details', and then click over the Standard Shield provider at left and set the slider to Normal.


Okay Tech, I'll try that.  Thanks, Megaman

Offline szc

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Re: home edition not scanning
« Reply #25 on: November 22, 2005, 09:00:11 PM »
Of course her computer is going to work slower when avast! is working properly. Resident providers are finally Active, isn't that what you tried to do in the first place ? Those providers running in the background requires some certain system resources and they use them, it's natural.

Setting back database type to ODBC and completely disabled avast! did absolutelly nothing good for her. She doesn't have antivirus protection. Why have it then anyway ? She could easily proceed with uninstall of avast! and that would be practically the same as running avast! on her PC with ODBC and all providers disabled and non-active.

If she has pretty slow, one of those older machines, well that's how things goes... that's why we all try to be up to date because new programs requires new machines with more resources, and there is nothing strange with that. Antiviruses and firewalls tend to slow down people's computers and that's how they work... some almost unnoticeable and some more noticeable.

Of course tweaking of some setting inside avast! can help her a bit, but nothing significantly. Also disable VRDB generation or at least set it to run only when computer is idle or screensaver is running. Those settings are under VRDB option when you right-click on avast! blue sphere in the system tray.
« Last Edit: November 22, 2005, 09:02:50 PM by S.Z.Craftec »
MB: GIGABYTE GA-Z77X-UD3H Intel 7 Series  - LGA1155, CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K - Quad Core, 3.40GHz (3.80GHz Max Turbo), CPU COOLER: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO Direct Heat Pipe R2, RAM: 16 GB Kingston HyperX Blu DDR3, VIDEO CARD: Galaxy GeForce GTX 560 Ti - 1GB, GDDR5, POWER SUPPLY: Corsair Enthusiast Series TX750 V2 - 750 Watts, HD: Seagate Barracuda - 2TB, 7200RPM, 64MB, SATA 6Gb/s

megaman04

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Re: home edition not scanning
« Reply #26 on: November 22, 2005, 09:30:53 PM »
Of course her computer is going to work slower when avast! is working properly. Resident providers are finally Active, isn't that what you tried to do in the first place ? Those providers running in the background requires some certain system resources and they use them, it's natural.

Setting back database type to ODBC and completely disabled avast! did absolutelly nothing good for her. She doesn't have antivirus protection. Why have it then anyway ? She could easily proceed with uninstall of avast! and that would be practically the same as running avast! on her PC with ODBC and all providers disabled and non-active.

If she has pretty slow, one of those older machines, well that's how things goes... that's why we all try to be up to date because new programs requires new machines with more resources, and there is nothing strange with that. Antiviruses and firewalls tend to slow down people's computers and that's how they work... some almost unnoticeable and some more noticeable.

Of course tweaking of some setting inside avast! can help her a bit, but nothing significantly. Also disable VRDB generation or at least set it to run only when computer is idle or screensaver is running. Those settings are under VRDB option when you right-click on avast! blue sphere in the system tray.

Craftec, that's a good point about updates and how they work with newer computers.  Her computer is over 4 1/2 years old.  I'll do that to the VRDB feature.  What I've done to and I heard this from other people is that, I've done a "msconfig" and unchecked some of the "startup" features in the "registry" section.  I know that helps to speed up the system, but I don't know if I've turned off features that are needed to run the system better.  Thanks for your help, Megaman

Offline szc

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Re: home edition not scanning
« Reply #27 on: November 22, 2005, 09:36:53 PM »
No problem just be careful with msconfig and disabling certain services, especially those that came from Microsoft (those are crucial for the stability of your system, although some of them like Indexing service are complete nonsense).

Best thing you can do, is to post a list of services you disabled and some of us will tell you what needs to stay enabled and what can be disabled. Then at least, you'll sleep more peaceful not wondering you maybe disabled something very important  ;D

Regards
MB: GIGABYTE GA-Z77X-UD3H Intel 7 Series  - LGA1155, CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K - Quad Core, 3.40GHz (3.80GHz Max Turbo), CPU COOLER: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO Direct Heat Pipe R2, RAM: 16 GB Kingston HyperX Blu DDR3, VIDEO CARD: Galaxy GeForce GTX 560 Ti - 1GB, GDDR5, POWER SUPPLY: Corsair Enthusiast Series TX750 V2 - 750 Watts, HD: Seagate Barracuda - 2TB, 7200RPM, 64MB, SATA 6Gb/s

megaman04

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Re: home edition not scanning
« Reply #28 on: November 22, 2005, 10:38:10 PM »
No problem just be careful with msconfig and disabling certain services, especially those that came from Microsoft (those are crucial for the stability of your system, although some of them like Indexing service are complete nonsense).

Best thing you can do, is to post a list of services you disabled and some of us will tell you what needs to stay enabled and what can be disabled. Then at least, you'll sleep more peaceful not wondering you maybe disabled something very important  ;D

Regards

Okay, I'll post a list.  What I did before I disabled some of the services was this, I did a ctrl-alt-del, and the "close program" window popped up, and I wrote down all that was there.  The "new" services that I saw that wasn't there before, I disabled.  Anyway, I'll get a list.  Thanks, Megaman

p.s.  I finally was able to scan my friend's computer with avast's home edition.  Two Trojans (Trojano-1152) had infected her computer.  I'll post the problems and what I did in the Virus and Worms forum.  I wanted to post it here, but it's not the correct forum, I guess.

megaman04

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Re: home edition not scanning
« Reply #29 on: November 23, 2005, 08:01:36 PM »
No problem just be careful with msconfig and disabling certain services, especially those that came from Microsoft (those are crucial for the stability of your system, although some of them like Indexing service are complete nonsense).

Best thing you can do, is to post a list of services you disabled and some of us will tell you what needs to stay enabled and what can be disabled. Then at least, you'll sleep more peaceful not wondering you maybe disabled something very important  ;D

Regards

Craftec, here's a list of what is in the "Startup Tab" by their "groupings," and the ones that are checked.  The rest are unchecked and disabled.  The "P" indicates checked.  I copied and pasted it from Word, but the "check" symbol did not carry over to this post.  Thanks for your help.  Megaman

Loaded from Registry (Per-User Run)
Taskbar Display Controls  P
SpySweeper   P
E6Task Panel   P
MoneyStartUp
Umrigcr
SurfSideKick 3
Uate
CAS2

Loaded from Registry (Per Machine)
ScanRegistry   P
TaskMonitor   P
System Tray   P
Keyboard Manager   P
MMTray  P
Delay   P
MotiveMonitor  P
WorksFUD  P
Microsoft Works Portfolio  P
HPLogiFinder  P
WheelMouse  P
QuickTime Task  P
LoadQM  P
LoadPowerProfile  P
avast! Web Scanner  P
ashMaiSv  P
PCHealth
hpsysdrv
APD123
SurfSideKick 3
Command

Loaded from Registry (Machine Service)
StillImageMonitor  P
LoadPowerProfile  P
SchedulingAgent  P
avast!  P
SSDPSRV

Loaded from Startup Group
Webshots  P
Event Planner Reminders Tray Icon  P
Microsoft Office StartUp  P
RealDownload
BonziBUDDY
Event Planner Reminders Tray Icon
ZIPscript
Webshots
Reality Fusion GameCam SE