Avast 4.8 Home - How To CXL Prev Scan Results

[Raymond_67]

 Hi Friends,

 I just registered avast! Home Edition 4.8 - the most comprehensive antivirus freew I've
 ever seen. Compliments to the avast team and the 50 millionth registration - and thanks!


 However, could anyone please offer assistance? I would love to make this softw work!

 I did a Standard scan on local drives and avast found over [50] items and following
 recommendations, placed them all in the Chest. On inspection, I found that I didn't know
 what to do with them on an individual basis - fearing that deletion may result in softw 
 relating to some items may not afterwards, work. They're still there -no softw problems yet.

 I then thought of doing another scan and try to heal each item after detection. When I
 reached the infected parts, there was no detection, probably because they were already
 secure in the Chest.

 1. Is there a way of "removing" the results of the previous scans so as to
    restore my computer to its prior infected condition and attempt to heal as I go along?

 2. Would it not be useful after placing items in the Chest to have an option to attempt
    to heal? Or am I missing something?

 In short, I don't know what to do with an item in the Chest, and the Help does not give
 advice. I understand that given the variables, this may be difficult to advise on.

[DavidR]

1. The status 'Infected' relates to the current scan as it has detected something, if you close and open the Simple User Interface, that status will no longer apply.

2. Files that can be repaired or attempted to repair would have the 'Repair' button option active (e.g. not greyed out), so if it wasn't available at the time of detection it is unlikely to be available later. Not all files can be repaired, this is especially true of trojan detections as the complete file is malicious so the repair would be effectively sending to the chest and deletion at a point in the future.

You have done the right thing, 'first do no harm' don't delete, send virus to the chest and investigate.

There is no rush to delete anything from the chest, a protected area where it can do no harm. Anything that you send to the chest you should leave there for a few weeks. If after that time you have suffered no adverse effects from moving these to the chest, scan them again (inside the chest) and if they are still detected as viruses, delete them.

[Raymond_67]

Dear DavidR,

I think I can work with that!

Thanks for advise and prompt response.

Raymond_67

[Tarq57]

As a semi-intermediate user (read= not far off beginner) I've found that leaving the files in the chest, for a week or two, or at least several VPS updates, works well, in combination with a bit of a test run of most (or all) of the installed programs, just to be sure.
As DavidR reports, they can do no harm from within the chest.
Periodically scan from the chest by right-clicking each "infected" file.

[DavidR]

Dear DavidR,
I think I can work with that!
Thanks for advise and prompt response.

No problem, glad I could help.

Prompt is the usual signature of the avast! forums.

Welcome to the forums.

[Raymond_67]

 To DavidR and you too Tarq5 -thanks for your input also,

 I hate to be a pest, but after my "thank you" post, I have had many freezes with no mouse
 movement. I got my PC in a mess, did a restore of a recent Acronis True Image [my savior]
 but still, the freezes. In 8 yrs I never had persistent freezes.

 Dave, I forgot to tell you in my 1st post that in the Sys Files in the Chest I have 4 dll's,
 two-kernel32.dll's and two-winsock.dll's. I restored two-OK, but I can't remember if it was
 one of each or two of the same name. I also ran SuperAntiSpyware and got only Adware.

 Anyway, after changing my FW template and re-setting all my permissions, I got the PC to
 boot on a regular basis. That is until I changed a setting in an app called "tinySpell" from
 Snapfiles that checks your spelling on the fly on any app [I write alot].

 The freeze started [intermittent again] but here's the kicker- this "tinySpell" is linked to
 a Rootkit in the Chest.

 1. Overall, the PC is nearly OK -it "will" boot every other time or so. But if I'm doing
    some intricate editing in Audacity and it decides to freeze, all my work's out the window.

 2. Obviously there's a conflict somewhere [I don't expect you to sort that out] but I think
    it's time for some action in the Chest. I can't work on Audacity with this?

 3. I downloaded and installed the avast Virus Cleaner. Is this conflicting with avast?

 4. I could uninstall that "tinySpell" but miss it [most likely culprit]

 Gees, I tried to keep this short. Sorry. Any suggestions appreciated from either of you.

 Raymond_67

[Lisandro]

Dave, I forgot to tell you in my 1st post that in the Sys Files in the Chest I have 4 dll's,
 two-kernel32.dll's and two-winsock.dll's. I restored two-OK, but I can't remember if it was
 one of each or two of the same name. I also ran SuperAntiSpyware and got only Adware.

Why did you restore them? They're there just for backup purposes... you don't have to restore them

Anyway, after changing my FW template and re-setting all my permissions, I got the PC to
 boot on a regular basis. That is until I changed a setting in an app called "tinySpell" from
 Snapfiles that checks your spelling on the fly on any app [I write alot].

 The freeze started [intermittent again] but here's the kicker- this "tinySpell" is linked to
 a Rootkit in the Chest.

Nothing is 'linked' to files into Chest. Files into Chest are safe, encrypted, can't harm and can't be accessed by outside.

3. I downloaded and installed the avast Virus Cleaner. Is this conflicting with avast?

If you have avast antivirus installed, you don't add any feature or protection using the Virus Cleaner that is integrated into avast antivirus.

[Raymond_67]

 To Tech,

 Ref:-

 1. "Dave, I forgot to tell you in my 1st post that in the Sys Files in the Chest I have 4
    dll's, two-kernel32.dll's and two-winsock.dll's. I restored two-OK, but I can't remember
    if it was one of each or two of the same name. I also ran SuperAntiSpyware and got only
    Adware."

    Answer to comment on above: 
   
    [Because nothing in the Help tells you what to do in the Chest. You have the advantage of
    experience. I didn't know why the dll's were there. It seemed the logical course of
    action to attempt a restore considering these are vital service dll's and no advice in
    the Help].


 2. "The freeze started [intermittent again] but here's the kicker- this "tinySpell" is
     linked to a Rootkit in the Chest."

     Answer to comment on above:

    [By "link," I obviously mean that the Rootkit has some relation to "tinySpell" as
    indicated next to "tinySpell" in the Chest. I know the connection is safe. The question
    is, what do I now do with the Rootkit (ref: Comment below)].


 3. "I downloaded and installed the avast Virus Cleaner. Is this conflicting with avast?"

     Answer to comment on above:

    [This was speculation. The Cleaner is a separate app. I understand that it can sometimes
    remove "certain" malware that (presumably) avast can't. If the Cleaner is not needed,
    why is it offered? My assumption therefore, is that I should then uninstall it!?]


 Comment: Given the range of items picked up by the scan that we are advised to put in the
          Chest, it would be helpful to novices and easier on others if the developers gave
          some general advice in the Help as to how to process the Chest.


 Thank you for your comments and as always on this Forum, your prompt response.

 Raymond_67

[Raymond_67]

 Hi Folks,

 Well, I've re-scanned each item in the Infected Files in the Chest, got a "virus" read on
 each [33], and as DavidR suggested, deleted them including a Rootkit and a Beagle wrm.

 No problems with the app that had the Rootkit and other stuff so I'm seeing how to deal with the
 Chest, but I'm still getting some freezing on bootup and whilst running some apps. This freezing up
 thing is all new to me. Never really had it before in 8 computing yrs. Maybe avast and my
 PC apps or setup just don't like each other. I'd hate that, but I don't give up easily.
 I kinda have my heart set on avast. 50 million people can't be wrong.

 Most frustrating problem is that I can't proceed with some work until I stop this freezing.

 My registry appears clean on all 4 registry cleaners so the only thing I can think of now
 is to do another scan, and or check the Net for folks who I've seen had this problem.

 Cheers to DavidR, Tarq57 and Tech for all the input.

 Raymond_67

[DavidR]

You're welcome.

[Tarq57]

Raymond, for next time you get a freeze up running apps, Have "taskmanager" (ctr-alt-del) open, and see which apps are using the most cpu cycles.
Might point to the problem areas.
Not applicable for boot, of course.
Hope it will  give us a clue.

[Lisandro]

Beagle wrm.

Take care of this worm... it can destroy avast installation.
I suggest you run an on-line scanning with other antivirus:
Full computer on-line scanning:
Kaspersky (very good detection rates)
ESET NOD32
Trendmicro housecall
F-Secure
BitDefender (free removal of the malware)

My registry appears clean on all 4 registry cleaners so the only thing I can think of now
is to do another scan, and or check the Net for folks who I've seen had this problem.

Registry cleaner just remove invalid entries on the registry. They do not scan the registry against viruses (hope I'm not being evident on saying this...).

[Raymond_67]

 Tarq57,

 Thanks for that suggestion. But how do I interpret the most cpu cycles? Also, as you say,
 it doesn't explain the freezes on bootup!


 Tech,

 Thanks for your suggestions also and the work you put in establishing those links.
 That Beagle must be some bastard. Even though it deleted -I guess you feel it could still
 be active. [I know it is posted on the homepage list as one of the most dangerous].
 As you suggested, I will try another antivirus.

 What [I'd] thought of prior, is uninstalling avast, then seeing if the affected apps now work.
 This to me would suggest something is conflicting with avast itself. I can do this before
 installing another antivirus.


 Gentlemen [I presume], thanks again for your efforts,

 Raymond_67

[Tarq57]

It would be advisable to follow Tech's advice first, to be sure the computer is clean.
You might find that following this the freezes no longer occur.
If they do, then we'll talk about CPU cycles..which is easy enough to learn about.

[Raymond_67]

 Dear Folks at the Forum,

 The original title of this thread appears to have reverted into oblivion!!!

 I have been busy.

 First, thanks to all those who have helped with suggestions. But it was something Tech said
 about the Beagle worm that alerted me to something:

 "Take care of this worm... [it can destroy avast installation."]

 I had already deleted this worm, but still the "freezing." I got to thinking about the
 installation, or more specifically, the download file. I had downloaded and installed this
 file three times, when I wondered why the file came from CNet and not direct from AVAST.
 CNet is a big site and downloader of alot of software. WHAT IF THE FILE ITSELF IS INFECTED?

 I found a page at avast website where I could download the freeware DIRECT. It turned out
 to be single language versions only. Whilst installing, I saw to my dismay; "Home Edition Pro."
 But after installation, when I checked "Advanced" it said the usual; "Only for Pro versions."
 After my Registration was accepted, I "erased" the old CNet file.
 
 For insurance, I downloaded the file to another drive and installed it from there, and later,
 after no problems, from the usual location. NO MORE FREEZING FROM THE START!

 Does this suggest that the obtained file from the "CNet redirect" IS INFECTED?

 Raymond_67