Memory Test

[remoted]

I only have one small gripe with Avast, otherwise it works fine. I'd like to know if it's possible to turn off the automatic Memory Test after each download? That's all.  Thanks,  Ted

[tsilo]

Right click on Avast! tray icon, click Program Settings, unchek test memory during application start-up

[DavidR]

I only have one small gripe with Avast, otherwise it works fine. I'd like to know if it's possible to turn off the automatic Memory Test after each download? That's all.  Thanks,  Ted

Avast doesn't check the memory after a download only the file that is being downloaded, what makes you think it is ?

Can you expand on what it is you are doing, How are you downloading, downloader, browser, P2P, Instant Messaging, etc. and what is it your downloading ?

avast will check memory when you start the Simple User Interface and tsilo indicates how to stop that.

[remoted]

Well. That was simple enough. I just unchecked it and it doesn't check the memory any more.
Thanks a bunch. I should have thought of that myself.
  I'm a bit red faced about this.
Thanks again.    Ted

[DavidR]

I wouldn't be embarrassed if what you checked 'test memory during application start-up' then this has absolutely nothing to do with downloads, only checking the memory before the simple user interface starts.

[nweissma]

Avast doesn't check the memory after a download only the file that is being downloaded, what makes you think it is ? avast will check memory when you start the Simple User Interface

please explain what the avast "memory test" is.

[DavidR]

When you want to do an on-demand scan you launch the Simple User Interface. Before that starts it scans all programs, files, etc. that are loaded into your system memory (RAM).

If it finds a virus in the memory it will suggest that you do a boot-time scan (before windows starts and loads files into memory).

If there was something in memory then it would still be there when you ran the on-demand scan, that may be hiding other malware, that would make the scan of less worth.

[nweissma]

If it finds a virus in the memory it will suggest that you do a boot-time scan (before windows starts and loads files into memory).

please elaborate on "boot-time scan." what is it, and how do i enact it?

[Rick F]

Well, I'm not David, but...

If a 'boot-time scan' is selected, it runs first after you reboot and before a lot of other stuff is loaded.

(From the help menu) Schedule Boot-Time Scan. Displays a dialog allowing you to schedule virus scanning before the operating system start. You can remove the virus before its activation this way, because almost all viruses start along with the operating system. During this test, avast! creates a report file named aswboot.txt in C:\Program Files\ALWIL Software\Avast4\Data\Report. This function is available on Windows NT, 2000 and XP only.

[nweissma]

avast will check memory when you start the Simple User Interface and tsilo indicates how to stop that.

for what reasons would i not want the memory check?

[Lisandro]

for what reasons would i not want the memory check?

If you open the avast antivirus program many times, you need to wait for a memory scanning when, actually, your computer is clean. So, to get access to the program quickly, maybe you could disable it, like me

[DavidR]

avast will check memory when you start the Simple User Interface and tsilo indicates how to stop that.

for what reasons would i not want the memory check?

Personally I wouldn't stop it before I ran an on-demand scan.
If I want to access the avast antivirus program many times (and I do for reference and usually to help others on the forums), I created a desktop short cut to launch the simple user interface directly (C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashSimpl.exe) no memory check.

[Rick F]

for what reasons would i not want the memory check?

It's good to check memory first because if a virus is active on your computer, it will probably be in the computer's memory.  If avast didn't check memory first, and it found a virus on your HDD, the virus in memory could re-infect your HDD.  One of the worst viruses in history (The CIH or Chernobyl virus) worked this way. If avast detects a virus in memory, it will suggest that you do a 'boot time' scan so that your memory will be cleaned out when you reboot -- and then do a scan.

I wouldn't disable memory scanning myself.  I feel it's important. It doesn't take that long.

[Lisandro]

I wouldn't disable memory scanning myself.  I feel it's important. It doesn't take that long.

I don't think this is necessary if you do NOT disable the on-access (resident) scanning for nothing...
But I'll think about doing what David said (create a direct link to the GUI).

[Caryl]

If a 'boot-time scan' is selected, it runs first after you reboot and before a lot of other stuff is loaded.

I know you can stop the boot scan by pressing esc, but is it possible to program it so it does not start at all?

I am using the home version of avast! and Windows XP Home Edition.

Thank you.