Avast! Unable to scan some files

[DizzyBlonde]

Hi

I am a  newbie  (to computers, Avast!, and this forum) so please bare with me.  I installed Avast~home Edition 4.6 on Sunday.  Today I ran a "thorough scan" (Including archives) and came up clean.

The result sheet shows that 46 files could not be scanned.  On all 46 files the result column says:  Unable to scan...Ar

Does "Ar" mean that all 46 files are archived and therefore it is safe to just delete them??  All are Lavasoft Program Files except for 8 that are Windows\AllUsers\ApplicationData\...\sbRecovery.reg~~~ (or) \sbRecovery.ini
Wonder why these files could not be scanned??

Help appreciated! Thanks!

DizzyBlonde
Win Me~~IE6 SP1

[Lisandro]

I am a  newbie  (to computers, Avast!, and this forum) so please bare with me.

Welcome 

I installed Avast~home Edition 4.6 on Sunday.  Today I ran a "thorough scan" (Including archives) and came up clean.

Good 

The result sheet shows that 46 files could not be scanned.  On all 46 files the result column says:  Unable to scan...Ar

Unable to scan could means a lot of things. Generally, nothing to worry: password protected files, files blocked by Windows, etc.

Does "Ar" mean that all 46 files are archived and therefore it is safe to just delete them??

Next time, use the column width slider to see all the message. Could be (Ar = Archives) but I won't delete the files.

All are Lavasoft Program Files except for 8 that are Windows\AllUsers\ApplicationData\...\sbRecovery.reg~~~ (or) \sbRecovery.ini
Wonder why these files could not be scanned??

Both Lavasoft and SpyBot protect their files (signatures and 'target' files) with password. It's ok.

[DizzyBlonde]

Thanks for the welcome  and your quick reply.

Next time, use the column width slider to see all the message. Could be (Ar = Archives) but I won't delete the files.

I still have the "Results of last scan" on my desk top, but I can't find any column width slider on it .  Can you give directions on finding slider and using it please?? Also, if I don't delete the files, what do you recommend that I do with them??

Both Lavasoft and SpyBot protect their files (signatures and 'target' files) with password. It's ok.

That makes sense!!

Thanks for your help!!

DizzyBlonde

[DizzyBlonde]

I don't want to be a pest, but I really do need to know what to do with those 46 files (that I referred in my first post) before I shut down my pc tonight.
 
Can anyone tell me how to find and use the slider to expand the "Result" column on my "Results of last scan" so I can see if all those files are archived?

Thanks for any help!!

Dizzy Blonde

[DizzyBlonde]

Well, I just figured out how to use the slider and expand the column. (SOOOOoooo easy when you know how!!)    Here's what it says in Result column:  "Unable to scan Archive: Archive is password protected."

SOooo, can I delete all 38 Lavasoft archived files?  How about the 8 "Windows\All Users\Application Data"  files~~is it okay to delete them? If not okay to delete, what should I do with them??

Thanks for help!!

DizzyBlonde

[TedNelly]

Well, I just figured out how to use the slider and expand the column.  (SOOOOoooo easy when you know how!!)     Here's what it says in Result column:  "Unable to scan Archive: Archive is password protected."

yep like everythink it's easy when you know how

SOooo, can I delete all 38 Lavasoft archived files?  How about the 8 "Windows\All Users\Application Data"  files~~is it okay to delete them? If not okay to delete, what should I do with them??
DizzyBlonde

What are the names of the Lavasoft archived files?
Are they actually part of the Ad-Aware program? or past scans?
If the files are password protected you are pretty safe leaving them where they are if space on your HD
is not a issue

[DavidR]

Many programs (usually security based ones) password protect their files for legitimate reasons such as AdAware and Spybot Search & Destroy, 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. These are usually password protected, you should do some housekeeping and delete old backup/recovery/quarantine entries (older than two weeks or so), this will reduce the numbers of files that can't be scanned.

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.

Files that can't be scanned are just that, not an indication they are suspicious/infected, just unable to be scanned.

[szc]

Well, I just figured out how to use the slider and expand the column. (SOOOOoooo easy when you know how!!)    Here's what it says in Result column:  "Unable to scan Archive: Archive is password protected."
SOooo, can I delete all 38 Lavasoft archived files?  How about the 8 "Windows\All Users\Application Data"  files~~is it okay to delete them? If not okay to delete, what should I do with them??
Thanks for help!!
DizzyBlonde

No you should not delete anything. avast! didn't say those files are infected, it just informed you that those files can not be scanned. If you erase them, I am sure all you'll get is a trouble with programs which "owns" those password protected files. So, do not erase anything. Just leave it like that and do not worry.

Just few days ago I already posted something about that in here:

http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=18376.0

And this is a direct link to my answer with a screenshot:

http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=18376.msg156226#msg156226

[DizzyBlonde]

Hi

Thanks for you replies.  It got late last night and I shut down my pc before any of you posted.

[Quote from: P3t3rbOnn]

What are the names of the Lavasoft archived files?
Are they actually part of the Ad-Aware program? or past scans?
If the files are password protected you are pretty safe leaving them where they are if space on your HD
is not a issue

Well, I can't see the "Scan Result" at all today, so I can't tell you the exact name of the Lavasoft files.   When I look in Program Settings,  the icon for "Last scan result" is grayed out.  So, when you close Avast!, you lose the ability to see the last scan result? Is there a way to save the last scan result so you can see it next time you open Avast!??

Before shutting down I did try to put all the entries into the vault, but kept getting an error~~cannot be moved to vault.  Does the vault not accept files from archives?   Or, does the vault only accept only files with a virus? Thanks!!

DavidR~~

Thanks for the explanation about password protected files~~very helpful!

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. These are usually password protected, you should do some housekeeping and delete old backup/recovery/quarantine entries (older than two weeks or so), this will reduce the numbers of files that can't be scanned.

Okay, I am a newbie and have no idea how to delete old backup/recovery/quarantine entries (older than two weeks or so). I would like do as you say; so, please~~can you tell me how to delete those files??   Thanks for your help!!

 
S.Z.Craftec~~

Thanks so much for the links & screenshot.  The screenshot looks like my scan result for Lavasoft looked~~I think it is exactly the same, but not  sure, and I can't pull the scan result up now to check.

I did not delete the files, so I assume that they will all show up again in my next scan result~~~unless I find out how and delete them in meantime, as DavidR suggested.

This is a great forum!! Thank so much guys for your help!!



DizzyBlonde

[DavidR]

Run SpywareBlaster and click the Recovery Tab, if you have any Recovery entries older than two weeks old, select them for deletion.

Run Ad-Aware and click on the Lock Icon, check for any old entries, select for deletion.

The same should be very similar with any of the other programs I mentioned, you have to open them and look for the backup/recovery/quarantine section (what ever it is called in that program) and remove old backups, etc.

[DizzyBlonde]

 

Thanks DavidR~~I have Adware SE, Spybot S & D, SpywareBlaster, and  a2~~I'll check them all.  I'm on my way to do it now~~I'll let you know how I make out.  

Thanks Again!

DizzyBlonde

[DavidR]

SpywareBlaster is a preventative tool and doesn't have a scan function so this won't be relevant.

[DizzyBlonde]

Hi davidR~~

Deleted all items listed in Adaware~~guess we'll see how many Lavasoft files show up in the Avast! "Scan Result" after next scan.  Only one item in Spybot S and D and I deleted it. I couldn't find any quarantine/restore/backup in a2 or the "Recovery Tab" in SpywareBlaster, so I didn't delete anything in either of them.

What about the 8 files that are Window Files: Windows\AllUsers\ApplicationData\...\sbRecovery.reg~~~ (or) \sbRecovery.ini?

They were also listed in the Scan Result as:  "Unable to scan Archive: Archive is password protected."

 I have no idea how to find them to delete them, or if I even should delete them.  If they show up in my Scan Results after next Avast! scan, should I delete them then??

BTW, how often do suggest doing an Avast scan?

Thanks so much for you help!!

DizzyBlonde

OOOPS!! I didn't see your last post about Spwareblaster until now.

[Lisandro]

What about the 8 files that are Window Files: Windows\AllUsers\ApplicationData\...\sbRecovery.reg~~~ (or) \sbRecovery.ini?
They were also listed in the Scan Result as:  "Unable to scan Archive: Archive is password protected."

It's ok. These files are password protected by the proper SpyBot application.

I have no idea how to find them to delete them, or if I even should delete them.  If they show up in my Scan Results after next Avast! scan, should I delete them then??

No, you don't have to delete them. They're safe and clean (I mean, they contain parts of Spybot that must be 'protected' by password). Don't worry.

BTW, how often do suggest doing an Avast scan?

At least a month 

[DavidR]

Hi davidR~~

What about the 8 files that are Window Files: Windows\AllUsers\ApplicationData\...\sbRecovery.reg~~~ (or) \sbRecovery.ini?

They were also listed in the Scan Result as:  "Unable to scan Archive: Archive is password protected."

 I have no idea how to find them to delete them, or if I even should delete them.  If they show up in my Scan Results after next Avast! scan, should I delete them then??

As I said before, files that can't be scanned are just that, not an indication they are suspicious/infected, just unable to be scanned. Providing you are aware of the reason they can't be read and the program associated with them no problem.

Personally I do a scan every week (all Local DrivesStandard scan No Archives) as a part of my regular system maintenance.