avast! at logon time tool for avast! Evangelists

[watchthisspace]

Sounds like a very cool add-on/mod/app for Avast! 

[CharleyO]

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Hi Tech - I have sent you a PM and would be more than glad to help with testing this.   


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[DavidR]

I have done a preliminary scan using the avast! at Logon function, I had previously done a Standard Scan without archives, 24 hours earlier, so I can compare the results for the same scan using avast! at Logon.

Last Scan duration 8min 59sec   -    avast! at Logon   9min 17sec for the same reported data scanned size.

So there would appear to be no real difference in my comparison, though I don't have much open when running a normal SUI on-demand scan. What it did notice was on completion of the scan and closing the SUI my logon completed, I checked the Scanned total: in the Standard Shield details and that was 472 files scanned.

On a normal boot and logon whenever everything had settled my Scanned total: is usually around 109. So there would seem to be a lot of background activity by standard shield this might account for the slightly longer scan duration. I'm somewhat confused at this additional standard shield activity, this might be because I did as suggested and just logged off and back on, perhaps the avast! standard shield boot time optimisations don't take effect ('Scan dynamic libraries on load' and 'Do not scan system libraries').

I will at some point (next reboot) run the avast! at Logon scan again and see if there is any difference on the above data after boot rather than just having logged off and back on.

[Lisandro]

Though I don't have much open when running a normal SUI on-demand scan.

Thanks for your testing David. Anyway, indeed, speed *could* be a difference when you run lots of background programs (remember when people suggest closing all programs to run a defragmentation tool).

I'm somewhat confused at this additional standard shield activity, this might be because I did as suggested and just logged off and back on, perhaps the avast! standard shield boot time optimisations don't take effect ('Scan dynamic libraries on load' and 'Do not scan system libraries').

No... I shouldn't change *any* avast setting, they're there for sure and the service (ashserv.exe) is running at that time. The tool only 'halt' programs loading (not services).
Strange the Standard Shield behavior...
Maybe Alwil team have some seconds to drop some line here.

I will at some point (next reboot) run the avast! at Logon scan again and see if there is any difference on the above data after boot rather than just having logged off and back on.

Thanks David.

[Lisandro]

Just to note: Spybot has this feature natively. Just schedule a scanning at 'the beginning of the system'.
Defragmentation tools have this too: O&O Defrag and PerfectDisk (Raxco), for instance.

In theory, I can make a tool for any other application. Would you have a particular one that want to test?
Maybe the antispyware tools? Which one? I could open a poll to this, but it will be too much noise in my opinion... Just feel free to ask for the one would be good to see.

Oh, test Spybot at logon time 

[Abraxas]

Using Win XP Pro /SP2 / All Updates .
Ran Avast@Logon , said no to Log off/Log back on. Using Win XP Pro /SP2 / All Updates . Avast! Home Edition.
Logged off , / Restarted Computer .
I have Auto logon enabled for my User Account (Admin privledges )
Avast! Simple user interface appeared , I selected a thorough scan of C:\Documents and Settings\"Me"\Local Settings , scan began ; I hit Ctrl, Alt, Delete to bring up Taskmanager , 22 processes running .

Was trying to think how to capture a screen shot of what they were , any how Avast! seemed to
work very well , very quickly .This was just a quick test run obviously . When I closed Avast! Windows loaded as Normal ...
Will test more thoroughly , i.e. do a more thorough scan ;check scan results time against a "Booted up" scan and try a scren shot with "Print Screen" .
I'm curious to see what processes have started as scan is taking place .
Very interesting work Tech , congratulations 

[Lisandro]

I hit Ctrl, Alt, Delete to bring up Taskmanager , 22 processes running .
Was trying to think how to capture a screen shot of what they were

You've almost there... Click CTRL+ALT+DEL than File > Run new task
Then execute your Screenshot tool.

I'm curious to see what processes have started as scan is taking place .

All the ones related to Windows services and 3rd party services.
Only startup applications are circumvented by the tool

[Abraxas]

Tech:

You've almost there... Click CTRL+ALT+DEL than File > Run new task
Then execute your Screenshot tool.

Good tip Tech , thanks for that . 
More testing to do and  info coming soon . I do feel there's a place for this scan format , very different environment to both Boot Scan , and ' Fully Booted ' modes .

[Lisandro]

More testing to do and  info coming soon . I do feel there's a place for this scan format , very different environment to both Boot Scan , and ' Fully Booted ' modes.

Thanks. It is really encouraging for me

[CharleyO]

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Tech -

I have downloaded this without a problem and it is now scheduled to run on my next boot which should be Wednesday morning ... providing nothing goes wrong before then which is almost never. (knock on wood ... lol)   

I'll post the results.   


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[Lisandro]

Thanks for testing

[DavidR]

Update: To my post in reply #32 http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=27213.msg221910#msg221910.

I tried running the avast! at logon scan after boot. I opted to run the scan just before shutting down my system for the night, this morning when I logged on the SUI was displayed and I started the same Standard Scan no archives scan.

Prior to the scan I checked Task Manager and there were 27 running processes (including ashsimpl.exe). The scan took 9min 28sec for the same data size, slightly slower again than the previous one in reply #32.

Closing the SUI allowed the logon to complete, when all had settled the Scanned total: was 117, so a big difference in the scanned total when avast at logon was run having only logged off/on to initiate the scan. So it is strange that even though there are less files scanned in the background by standard shield the on-demand scan was slightly slower.

I checked the task manager processes and that was at my usual of 30 after boot (obviously no ashsimpl.exe), so the avast at logon isn't getting in much before my normal processes, this I have no non-essential programs running at boot.

So overall for me there doesn't appear to be much difference if I do a normal on-demand scan or use the avast on logon scan, it may well make a difference for someone with more programs running on boot/logon.

[MWassef]

Tech,
forgive my ignorance  but does it include an uninstaller? i.e: could we uninstall it? 

[MikeBCda]

Tech,
forgive my ignorance  but does it include an uninstaller? i.e: could we uninstall it? 

I'd already asked Tech about this via IM - he says just delete the files and folder, since it's not installed as such, simply a stand-alone.

[CharleyO]

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Tech -

This program ran when I started my computer this morning without any problems. As others have reported, there is not much different in scan time. Checking the Taskbar after scanning, nothing was there to begin with except avast which always loads first on my computer and probably loaded as I was moving my mouse to bring up the Taskbar which is normally hidden.

On my computer, this application seems to work as expected.   


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