Virus Warning

[wdc202]

I have Avast 4 Home on my Dell 3000 pc ith XP.

I just was notified  of a virus attack and tried to dump the file to my Virus chest. But got this message:

" Avast: The process cannot access this file because it is being used by another process.

Cannot process C:\Documents and Settings\Ss\Local Setup\Temporary Internet Files\Content IE5/K9U70DYR/xpladv534[1].waf" file."

Can someone please tell me what I ought to do? Thanks you.

[DavidR]

Windows in its infinite wisdom protects files in use (even malware) or in system folders, so it is likely that avast! can't delete or move files in use. So schedule boot-time scan in avast's menu if you have XP, win2k or NT, otherwise boot into safe mode and run an avast scan. This should ensure that the file isn't in use and avast should be able to deal with it.

To  enable a boot time scan. Right click the avast icon, select Start avast! Antivirus, Menu, 'Schedule boot-time scan...'

You should also consider cleaning your Temporary Internet Files.

Two handy tools, ClearProg - Temp File Cleaner or CCleaner - Temp File Cleaner, etc.

[bearhead001]

the same answer for you with  DavidR

[wdc202]

Thank you both.

Following your suggestion I ran an Avast scan in Safe Mode, with these results:

Infected files: 0 .                     However 41 files (of the form C:\ProgramFiles\Lavasoft\....\arrow1.bmp) showed "Unable to scan: Archive is password  protected."

How do I handle these? How do I un-password protect these files?

[Bluesman]

Thank you both.

Following your suggestion I ran an Avast scan in Safe Mode, with these results:

Infected files: 0 .                     However 41 files (of the form C:\ProgramFiles\Lavasoft\....\arrow1.bmp) showed "Unable to scan: Archive is password  protected."

How do I handle these? How do I un-password protect these files?

You can't, they are password protected by the program they belong to (in this case I think it is Ad-Aware)

[DavidR]

You don't have to.

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. You may need to expand the column headings to see all the text.

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

I assume you also cleared the Temporary Internet Files ?

[wdc202]

Ok, I won't worry about those files.

But <I assume you also cleared the Temporary Internet Files ?>

I am not sure I know how to do that. Could you please ellaborate?

[DavidR]

Not temporary files but "I assume you also cleared the Temporary Internet Files ?"

IE, Tools, Internet Options, General Tab, Temporary Internet Files, Delete Files button.

There are other tools to help, ClearProg - Temp File Cleaner or CCleaner - Temp File Cleaner, etc.

[Tarq57]

Do you happen to recall the name of the parasite Avast warned about, before you got the message "...is being used by another process"?