How Can I Have avast! *Authomatically* Move a Virus to the Chest During a Scan?

[hummel]

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 As the Subject says, how do I set avast! to *automatically* move a virus it finds to the Chest without my getting a dialog box where I have to manually mark what I want done with the found virus?

I have a 10-year old computer that runs slowly compared to current ones and new program versions like the present avast! run even slower on my PC.

I figure a complete scan of my system by avast! is going to take between 6-8 hour, at least.  Of course, if it can run *completely* through.

So I start my avast! virus scan when I go to bed at night, having thought it would complete the scan overnight when I got up in the morning.

I've done this twice now and both times I have have the same rotten problem happen -- a virus is found and the scan stops *completely* while I am suppose to tell it what to do with.  Well, guess what?  I'M ASLEEP!

The first time the scan got about 24% through.  The second time -- last night -- it got about 47% through.

So right now I have done 2 scans and haven't gotten less than 50% through completing the scan.  And, of course, every time I start a *new* scan hoping it will actually be completely, it starts from the very beginning.

This isn't acceptable to me to have to keep running scan after scan after scan just to get a complete one without being able to use my computer during the daytime.

So -- how DO I set avast! to *automatically* move a virus it finds during a scan to the Chest.  And, please, exactly HOW do I do this.  I looked at the Help information and there seems to be some way of doing it, but I sure cannot find WHERE this can be done in all the options.

If I can't do this, I am going to have to uninstall avast! and find some other virus program to run on my PC.  I had Norton for years, but it was really slowing down the general running of my PC; I cannot go back to that (though at least it did move viruses automatically.) 

So if I have to uninstall avast! because of this, does anyone else have suggestions for *GOOD* virus protection software I might want to use instead?!?!
 
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[Bluesman]

Text stolen from DavidR from another thread about this subject

These automated options are only available in the Pro version. This is a limitation of the Home (free) version that it has interactive input requirement, there have to be differences in the Home/Pro version and this is one of them, the programmers have to eat

In the Home version you can check the option "Don't show this window again" when the first virus warning appears, select the "No action" button. This way, no action will be taken and you will given the results at the end of the scan (and you can perform actions from there). Over time this will become less of an issue, as the resident, on-access scanners are designed to intercept infection before it gets into your system.

- There was one suggestion to place something like the eicar test virus at the start of the first drive to be scanned in a file like ~a-eicar.com that should soon be detected and you can do the option "Don't show this window again" when the first virus warning appears, select the "No action" button. So you should have a list of files waiting your action.

does anyone else have suggestions for *GOOD* virus protection software I might want to use instead?!?!

Another software? Huh...does it exist other antivirus softwares?

Asking avast-users to recommend another antivirus program is a dead end

Anyway...you can check the site http://www.av-comparatives.org

If you want free software, so check out Avira AntiVir, and also AVG Anti-Virus is free...but many AVG-users is removing the program and choosing avast instead!

[Lisandro]

I won't use eicar virus test... it will be detected by the resident, will warn you unnecessarily, etc. I suggest you try boot time scanning (sending infected files to Chest, and system infected files ask what to do).

[DavidR]

<snip>

does anyone else have suggestions for *GOOD* virus protection software I might want to use instead?!?!

Another software? Huh...does it exist other antivirus softwares?

Asking avast-users to recommend another antivirus program is a dead end
<snip>

Not to mention with a 10 year old computer; I suspect you are also using an older OS and support for win9x, winME is fast being withdrawn so your options would be very limited and in the 'limited' category your hope for a 'good' anti-virus is also going to be 'very limited.'

[Bluesman]

Ooops...I missed that he had that 10 years old computer

Well, yes, then other software is very limited as you say.

[Pondus]

you can do it in the AVAST screensaver scan,
my settings are REPAIR if fail MOVE TO CHEST........

[hummel]

Well, thanks, people. 

*sigh* 

I sort of thought this might be the case, having to buy the Pro version.  Unfortunately, I am on a fixed (and very low (which is why I am using a 10-year old computer)) income and cannot afford to spend $40 just so I can have a damn virus scan run WITOUT STOPPING.

I might as well just go out any buy Norton's latest anti-virus.  I was using their SystemWorks (and about a 3-year old version of that) so maybe just the anti-virus program would be won't slow down by it.  Of course, again, I don't have the money for that either.

I think I will try the test virus.  (Yeah, I know one of you suggested I don't do that.)  Actually, I never knew until now there WAS such a thing as a test virus.  Makes sense, however, and I am just curious to see it.

Oh and even though I am on a 10 (or it might be 11) years old PC, I am running Windows XP Home and have all its updates.  My PC was originally Windows 98 and while it may have been built for that, in all the many years I have been using XP, it has worked well given my PC's age.

And I will likely look at that site that does anti-virus comparsions.  In addition to everything else about this old PC, I am still using a modem for Internet connections and I consider myself lucky if I get a speed of over 40 Kbps now and then.

Oh, well.  The US economy just sucks and it looks like unemployment levels will reach 6% by year's end; they are already damn close to that now.  So I don't think I can expect to find a job again for some time to come and hope for a newer PC is a long ways away. 

Thanks again, everyone. 

*sigh*

   
                               

[DavidR]

It isn't a test virus as such but a file which is recognised by all virus scanners as a test file and all AVs should alert when it is detected and say it is the Eicar Test - NOT Virus.

It is just designed to ensure that your AV is set-up correctly and so you can see how it alerts, see image.

So this would give you a work around for your wanting to do an unattended scan. avast! is relatively light on resources compared to many AVs as you no doubt saw when you switched from your previous AV to avast.

I'm on dial-up too so I know the problems.

[Mike Buxton]

Hi hummel,

My computer is also more than a decade old. It stills runs well, using W98SE, am I'm lucky enough to have broadband.

I find Avast scans quickly when, very rarely, I do on demand scans. Its Web and Standards shields are very efficient and my on demand scans have only ever found a couple of False Positives.

If you were to do custom scans of different parts of your computer on say, three concsecutive nights
with the eicar test near the start of each of the three scans there is every chance you'll be pleased.

My regards and good luck

[wyrmrider]

HI
I'm on W98 SE
AS you will find out AVG does not support W98 any more, neither does Antivir
NORTON  OMG!  your system would not even run

For on demand scanning I sort would tend to the boot time scan but it is not available on W98 (or Vista:)

So the ecair trick should work

luckuly with Avast's good on on access scanner frequent full system scans are not necessary

on your 10 year old system
can you scrounge some additional memory- it will feel like a new system

[DavidR]

The boot-time scan does work on Vista (the 32 bit version), but not 64bit OSes which included Vista and XP Pro 64bit.

[oldman]

I won't use eicar virus test... it will be detected by the resident, will warn you unnecessarily, etc. I suggest you try boot time scanning (sending infected files to Chest, and system infected files ask what to do).

Exclude the file from the resident scanner or you will, as Tech notes, have unnecessary warnings.

[hummel]

on your 10 year old system
can you scrounge some additional memory- it will feel like a new system



Hey,

It's got all the extra memory it can have.  I use an excellent computer technition who started in the field when computers were still using vacumn tubes.  In addition, he helped to design the commands for the first modems.

Anyway, years ago my PC got hit by 2 viruses at once.  (Had ant-virus software then too.)  That's when I met this guy.  Anyway he put in all the extra memory he could at that time.

I had to call him again last week because my DVD disc drive wasn't working -- and I do use it to watch DVDs when my roommate is watching TV.  He came over, tried to work on it but couldn't do much there, so took it with him.  I got it back a few days later.

He replaced the DVD drive (gave me a burner too, but my system is too underpowered to use that).

I has also asked him to try to see if he could speed it up.  For example, it might take up to 10 minutes just to get this full-up so I could use it.  That is when he dumped my NortonSystem Works and replaced it with avast!

He tried to add more memory but found he couldn't add more than what he had done a few years ago.  So my PC's speed now is about the best it can be now.

But your's was a good suggestion.  Thanks.

[hummel]

Well, the EICAR test didn't help.

I went online and found it, but when I got the warning, all I got was an avast! warning just to break the connection.

Tried downloading it to my PC so I could use it during a scan, but I didn't find anyway to do that without it just triggering the "break the connection" warning.

The avast! site had the actually script and said to put it into a file, but the only way I know how to do that is put it in a text file and that resulted in *nothing* happening.  I even tried scanning just that text file and didn't get any warning at all.

All and all, I am getting fairly disgusted with avast! and NOT being able to do something which should be what I feel should be on the home edition.  What the hell good is doing a virus scan on your PC if you CANNOT run it all the way through without it stopping when it finds a virus!!!

I'm starting to look for now another anti-virus program that isn't going to charge me $40 just to do a complete system scan.   

         

[Mike Buxton]

Hi hummel,

I can assure you that Avast Home is a superb program and you can get round the problems you have if you persevere and follow the quality advice available through this thread.

If, however, you are determined to find another free program then that is your business but you may still encounter problems.

It might be an idea to start with your scanning speed eg how big is your drive, how much space is used and when did you last defragment it?

My technical ability is at best intermediate level but even I could fix your current problems.

My regards