Author Topic: Suggestions and questions  (Read 3781 times)

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matt621

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Suggestions and questions
« on: January 29, 2009, 08:19:17 PM »
Hello,

I was having a problem with another av software pkg so decided to try yours. So far it's resolved the problems the other one had (exccessive cpu/hd load) but avast does have some issues of its own that may keep me from purchasing it.

1. I use eudora for my mail. When it finds a msg with a virus/trojan, etc. it wants to delete the entire inbox, not just the msg that has the problem. Clearly this cannot be done. every other av software I"ve used just deletes the problem MSG, not the entire mailbox (in eudora every mailbox is just one huge file.)

2. When scanning, there needs to be a way to just scan the whole drive and give a report at the end with options. As it is now, I run it at midnight and get up the next am only to find it went 30% of the way found somethign and stopped. So nothing was done after that. Again, other av software I"ve used just gives a report and then we can go from there, but the scan (which takesup the time) is done w/o user intervention.

3. It did find some problems others missed, but it can't disinfect or disable the virus found. It really needs some method other than delete the entire mailbox/file.

The user interface, while "pretty" does not seem to be very intuitiave or functional. maybe it's me getting used to a new product, but it does seem it could do with some additional dialogue boxes to inform me of what each thign does.. and speaking of which, the whole system seems to be several pieces kinda stuck together to form a pkg. That does have it's advantages, but it does make it harder to learn the new system.

all in all a nice piece of sofware. if you can address these issues, I'll probably buy it for the 5 machines we have in the office.

thank you.

Online DavidR

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Re: Suggestions and questions
« Reply #1 on: January 29, 2009, 09:13:43 PM »
1. The problem is your previous AV didn't detect malware in the email folders, avast shouldn't delete the folder it will alert you to the infection and you decide how to take action.

The problem being email folders are nothing more than a single database file (so eudora is no different in this regard) and extraction of an infected email in this could corrupt the mailbox. Because of this some people recommend excluding the mailbox files from on-demand scans (program settings, exclusions, add)

2. 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 ;D

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 virus test file 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.

3. You would effectively have to manually find the infected email, delete it, empty the deleted emails folder and compact the folders.

4. UI - You can use the skinless option (Program Settings, Common, see image) or choose a different Skin (right click the skin, Select Skin, Get more), the default one the car radio does take a little getting used to.

Version 5.0 when released will have a new GUI as there will no longer any skins, don't ask I don't know (my mind reading act) the release date.
Windows 10 Home 64bit/ Acer Aspire F15/ Intel Core i5 7200U 2.5GHz, 8GB DDR4 memory, 256GB SSD, 1TB HDD/ avast! free 24.2.6105 (build 24.2.8918.824) UI 1.0.799/ Firefox, uBlock Origin, uMatrix/ MailWasher Pro/ Avast! Mobile Security

matt621

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Re: Suggestions and questions
« Reply #2 on: January 29, 2009, 09:42:00 PM »
1. The problem is your previous AV didn't detect malware in the email folders, avast shouldn't delete the folder it will alert you to the infection and you decide how to take action.

The problem being email folders are nothing more than a single database file (so eudora is no different in this regard) and extraction of an infected email in this could corrupt the mailbox. Because of this some people recommend excluding the mailbox files from on-demand scans (program settings, exclusions, add)


Excluding the no. source of virus/malware on my system is not the solution I was looking for. Certainly it could indentify the sender or something in the email so that I can then go and find it and delete it from eudora's mailbox/folder. That would be acceptable.


2. 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 ;D


I'm not trying to make anyone go hungary. I just want to make sure the progrm will suit my needs before I pay for it.


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 virus test file 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.


Not sure like like the "ignorance is bliss" approach to system security. :)


3. You would effectively have to manually find the infected email, delete it, empty the deleted emails folder and compact the folders.


Without any identifying information, that would be impossible. I have 3gig of email folders.



4. UI - You can use the skinless option (Program Settings, Common, see image) or choose a different Skin (right click the skin, Select Skin, Get more), the default one the car radio does take a little getting used to.


OKay, i'll give it a try.


Online DavidR

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Re: Suggestions and questions
« Reply #3 on: January 29, 2009, 10:54:05 PM »
It isn't offered as a solution, some have done it (I don't with my email folders/database files and there really is little in the way of risk as you would have to open the infected email, probably run the infected attachment at which time avast would alert again, but unless you do something to remove manually the email avast would continue to detect the infection.

avast normally gives information on the detection normally the subject line and possibly the attachment name also, why this isn't the case with eudora I don't know, I have never used eudora and I'm just an avast user like yourself, trying to give you some options to get round the issues you mentioned.

You could have downloaded the Pro trial version, which would give 60 days unrestricted use. This would allow you to try the automated rather than interactive actions.

I haven't got the slightest idea what you mean by your "ignorance is bliss" comment ???
How is placing a harmless virus test file to trigger an alert, where you can set it to take no action, but present you a list of detections at the end of the scan (so you don't have to get up and find the scan at 30%) at that point you chose which action to take on the list of detections. So you aren't ignoring them, just postponing any decision to the end of the scan, exactly what you were asking I thought.
Quote from: DavidR
So you should have a list of files waiting your action.

As I said I don't know why you didn't get any additional information - Check the avast! Log Viewer (right click the avast 'a' icon), Warning section, this contains information on all avast detections. C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashLogV.exe
Windows 10 Home 64bit/ Acer Aspire F15/ Intel Core i5 7200U 2.5GHz, 8GB DDR4 memory, 256GB SSD, 1TB HDD/ avast! free 24.2.6105 (build 24.2.8918.824) UI 1.0.799/ Firefox, uBlock Origin, uMatrix/ MailWasher Pro/ Avast! Mobile Security

sonnyh_tatonka

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Re: Suggestions and questions
« Reply #4 on: January 29, 2009, 11:09:53 PM »
I would like to make a very good suggestion for the people that make AVAST ANTIVIRUS program:  I beleive it would be optimal to have the OPTION to have the Anti-virus prgram scan upon reboot.  REASON: Upon updating AVAST, the ability to scan upon reboot would be able to detect "ACTIVE" areas (IE) which it cannot do nothing with due to the program being "IN_USE". 
Thank you

Online DavidR

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Re: Suggestions and questions
« Reply #5 on: January 30, 2009, 03:43:49 AM »
Spamming the forums with 42 identical posts is hardly going to win you any friends to visit the forums you are spamming.
Windows 10 Home 64bit/ Acer Aspire F15/ Intel Core i5 7200U 2.5GHz, 8GB DDR4 memory, 256GB SSD, 1TB HDD/ avast! free 24.2.6105 (build 24.2.8918.824) UI 1.0.799/ Firefox, uBlock Origin, uMatrix/ MailWasher Pro/ Avast! Mobile Security

Offline scythe944

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Re: Suggestions and questions
« Reply #6 on: January 30, 2009, 06:51:23 AM »
Spamming the forums with 42 identical posts is hardly going to win you any friends to visit the forums you are spamming.
LOL
I agree.  I reported it an hour ago or so, but it looks like they've been doing this for a while.  Hopefully someone will delete his a$$ soon.
For generic computer (not avast) problems, you can also visit my forum for help: http://www.jacobytech.net/forum

Online DavidR

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Re: Suggestions and questions
« Reply #7 on: January 30, 2009, 02:45:11 PM »
[off-topic]
I reported it too - As you should now see, that is exactly what they did. I honestly can't understand the mentality of people like this, do they really expect that this spam is going to do any good.

When I get spam of any sort the last thing you should do is visit the place/product they are promoting.
[/off-topic]
Windows 10 Home 64bit/ Acer Aspire F15/ Intel Core i5 7200U 2.5GHz, 8GB DDR4 memory, 256GB SSD, 1TB HDD/ avast! free 24.2.6105 (build 24.2.8918.824) UI 1.0.799/ Firefox, uBlock Origin, uMatrix/ MailWasher Pro/ Avast! Mobile Security