Settings for most complete deepest full scan

[REDACTED]

Are these the settings for the most complete full system scan?

Scan Areas:
All harddisks
Auto-start programs and modules loaded in memory
Rootkits (full scan)

I'm not sure if "Auto-start programs (all users)" should be added as an area to scan as well?

Files Types:
Scan all files [is ticked]

In General
Scan for potentially unwanted programs (PUPs) [is ticked]

Thanks!

BTW off-topic slighty:
When you create a custom scan the "Auto-start programs and modules loaded in memory" is not listed neither is "Rootkits (very quick scan)". They only appear in the default scans such as Smart scan and Full System Scan et al. Why?

[Pondus]

selecting evrything may make the scan slow as molasses        you may also see weird scan results and false positives

remember, avast has done this for 20+ years and know what works, so for a problem free avast i recomend default scan settings and only add PUP detection


avast support and FAQ  https://support.avast.com/support/home

[Pondus]

Why You Don’t Need to Run Manual Antivirus Scans (And When You Do)
http://www.howtogeek.com/154536/why-you-dont-need-to-run-manual-antivirus-scans-and-when-you-do/

[mchain]

Why You Don’t Need to Run Manual Antivirus Scans (And When You Do)
http://www.howtogeek.com/154536/why-you-dont-need-to-run-manual-antivirus-scans-and-when-you-do/

Couldn't agree more.  If the intruder is already inside your house, an inch-by-inch search (full-bore disk scanning) is not going to prevent damage or theft, as the point of a good antivirus is really prevention (blocking), or stopping all threats at the front door.   The only thing a full-bore scan will do is find malicious files and remove them.  It won't prevent anything.

[Pondus]

The only scan i do is with Malwarebytes once a month or less

also i dont use mail scan, because i use webmail and all mail providers have spam / virus scanner at the mail server (have never seen one that dont) and i check any attachment at www.virustotal.com before opening

Why You Don't Need Your Anti-Virus Program to Scan Your E-Mail
http://thundercloud.net/infoave/tutorials/email-scanning/index.htm

[bob3160]

Why You Don’t Need to Run Manual Antivirus Scans (And When You Do)
http://www.howtogeek.com/154536/why-you-dont-need-to-run-manual-antivirus-scans-and-when-you-do/

Totally agree with the advice but not the product used for an example.

[DavidR]

I have been saying this for years and generally it follows the howtogeek.com article, but a lot shorter:

- With a resident on-access antivirus like avast, the need for frequent on-demand scans is much depreciated. For the most part the on-demand scan is going to be scanning files that would be otherwise be dormant or inert. If they were active files then the on-access file system shield would be scanning them before being created, modified, opened or executed.

I used to have avast set to do a scheduled weekly Quick scan, set at a time and day that I know the computer will be on. But I have ceased this practice for some time now, based in the above.