Resident protection

[TheScorpion]

Hi, I've just started using Avast (4.7) and have three questions...

1. I set the Resident Protection to "High" (Resident Protection means my pc is continuously being monitored right?) However, when I restart my computer the setting always has changed to "Disabled" and I have to manually set it again!
Surely that is not correct? Do I have to do something else?

2. Also, is my email being scanned as it comes in? (Outlook Express) I can't seem to find anything that confirms this.

3. Is "High" or "Standard"  the recommended setting? Like, will I keep getting false alerts on "High" or a drastically slowed up pc? What do the majority of savvy users set it at?

Thanks for any replies. 

[viruzth]

1. ... ... 

2. As far as i can remember, Avast wont tell u anything until it finds sumthing. Avast will scan ur email, but it gives alert only the mail has a virus. If not, avast will shut its mouth ^^
CMIIW

3. I use only 3 shield protections, Standard, Network, and Web... I put those three at high level and they take my resources only about 3megs average...

[Lisandro]

1. I set the Resident Protection to "High" (Resident Protection means my pc is continuously being monitored right?) However, when I restart my computer the setting always has changed to "Disabled" and I have to manually set it again!
Surely that is not correct? Do I have to do something else?

Losing settings?
Change them and let avast! as you want.
Exit and shutdown all avast! providers (the last option in the system tray menu).
Boot 

2. Also, is my email being scanned as it comes in? (Outlook Express) I can't seem to find anything that confirms this.

To see if avast! is scanning emails, check one of these points:

1) Is the avast icon (the special one of email scanning) be shown in the system tray?

2) Is your email header with the lines X-Antivirus: avast! (VPS 0XXX-X, XX/XX/2005), Inbound message and X-Antivirus-Status: Clean? (Right click the message, choose Properties and Details)

3) Are clean notes added at the bottom of the email? (Internet Mail provider settings)

You can test the security of your email system here: http://www.gfi.com/emailsecuritytest/

To see the Standard Shield and other protection:
1) Is the 'a' blue icon swirling?
2) Right click the icon once and see what are the 'last scanned files'...
3) Use eicar virus test.

3. Is "High" or "Standard"  the recommended setting? Like, will I keep getting false alerts on "High" or a drastically slowed up pc? What do the majority of savvy users set it at?

Normal level is the most suitable for the most users... best balance between protection and performance.

[TheScorpion]

Thanks for the replies Tech and Viruzth.
I think something is not right...

Losing settings?
Change them and let avast! as you want.
Exit and shutdown all avast! providers (the last option in the system tray menu).

I do change the setting every time by moving the slider to "High" but each time I reboot, it has gone back to "disabled"
Do I have to do this every time Avast starts!

To see if avast! is scanning emails, check one of these points:

1) Is the avast icon (the special one of email scanning) be shown in the system tray?

2) Is your email header with the lines X-Antivirus: avast! (VPS 0XXX-X, XX/XX/2005), Inbound message and X-Antivirus-Status: Clean? (Right click the message, choose Properties and Details)

3) Are clean notes added at the bottom of the email? (Internet Mail provider settings)

There is no email scanning icon in the tray.
There is no mention of Avast in my email properties.

Virizth said..

I use only 3 shield protections, Standard, Network, and Web... I put those three at high level

Where do you set these? The only level I can find is for Resident Protection - which I have to keep setting to "High"

 

[DavidR]

Click the More Details... button and you will see the individual providers not a grouping and you should see something like this image.

You only see the icon on the tray as it is actually scanning email.

What is your Operating System ?
Did you try the email security test that Tech gave the link to ?

[TheScorpion]

Thanks for the reply DavidR.
How do you access that screen or the "more detail" button?!
I must be a bit dumb, but I've clicked just about everything I can find and there's nothing like that appearing. It doesn't appear under 'settings' either, which is where I'd have thought it'd be. 

I have XP Prof IE6 OE6
Haven't tried the email security link as I'm obviously not set up right as yet so there's not much point I suppose - in the meantime I'm using my current AV prog. (I have been disabling this when manoevering in Avast)

[Lisandro]

How do you access that screen or the "more detail" button?!

Left click the 'a' blue icon on system tray.

Make your changes, save, close (and exit) avast.
You'll stay unprotected for a while. Boot.
Enable avast again.

The settings should be saved if you follow this...

[TheScorpion]

There is No 'a' icon in my system tray. (near the clock bottom right of screen)

There is an  "Avast! Simple User Interface" tab that appears next to "Start" along bottom left of screen. Clicking this just puts the interface alternatively up or off the screen. 

[Lisandro]

There is No 'a' icon in my system tray. (near the clock bottom right of screen). There is an  "Avast! Simple User Interface" tab that appears next to "Start" along bottom left of screen. Clicking this just puts the interface alternatively up or off the screen. 

Your avast installation is pretty bad 

Do you use any other antivirus in your computer?

Can you try to repair your installation?
Go to Control Panel > Add/Remove programs > avast! antivirus > Remove. Then choose Repair function in the popup window (Repair). You must be connected to the internet while repairing.

If this does not help, can you uninstall / boot / install / boot again?

[DavidR]

There is No 'a' icon in my system tray. (near the clock bottom right of screen)

Now at last we are getting somewhere, as Tech said there is something wrong with your installation.

Aside from Tech's question bout other AVs do you have any other security software like, adaware, spybot S&D or anything that monitors or might block the creation of new startup entries ?

If you try the repair and reinstall and there is still no icon as a temporary measure you can create a desktop shortcut for this file C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashDisp.exe (the avast icon and interface to the providers. This will at least give you access to the providers interface.

[TheScorpion]

Thanks for the advice.

I am running another AV program, but I disabled it before installing Avast and also I've been disabling it whilst running and trying to configure Avast.
Don't have any programs running that should block an installation in any way.
(have Adaware and Spybot but they only run on demand)

I tried the Remove/Repair function but no change in results.
I'll  have a go at d/loading again and installing again later.
Thanks.

[DavidR]

Having two resident AVs is not recommended, simply disabling one doesn't remove the registry entries or drivers which are loaded and may cause the conflict.

Nothing repair/uninstall and reinstall will overcome this, when avast is installed it is looking for the presence of other AV and if it finds them often it won't fully install to avoid conflict that could lock-up your system and leave you vulnerable to attack.

You don't mention what the other AV is ?
You have to make a decision on which resident scanner should be installed, uninstall both AVs reboot and install the one you made the decision to go with.

[Lisandro]

I am running another AV program, but I disabled it before installing Avast

Disable is not enough in a lot of cases. Low level drivers, Device registry keys, etc.
To further help you I need to know what else antivirus you have installed in your computer.

Don't have any programs running that should block an installation in any way.

No... not all the times. avast will detect the residents of 'some' antivirus and not the other parts of it (possibly).

(have Adaware and Spybot but they only run on demand)

These two programs won't conflict with avast.
TeaTimer and Ad-watch residents of these applications should be disable while installing avast or avast items should be fully allowed to be installed.

[FreeCell]

Hey Guys,
I Been watching these post, and I too am NOT seeing any evidence that avast is scanning my inbound or outbound mail. The little blue icon is not turning and there are no alerts or messages pertaining to scanning email. There is nothing in the details window showing any files have been scanned.
I am using Thunderbird/Mozilla email program and will try to tweak it a little more, but Avast settings should be where to set these options-in the Email tab(in Avast)I have selected to "Insert note into clean message" is checked, but not getting the note in my emails.
Obviously, my question is how to know if Avast is scanning when I cant get any alerts or messages......Am I doing something wronge? HELP!!!

[DavidR]

Although this isn't directly related to this Topic as it is about the Standard Shield provider, so your question would probably be best in its own New Topic.
In that you could also let us know what your Operating System is.