Ashquick parameters

[TwoShoes]

     I am running Avast! 4.8 Free Home Edition.  I have Task Scheduler set to run ashquick.exe for my scheduled scans.  I would like to reduce the amount of time these scans take as they currently scan my entire C: drive.  First, can anyone recommend things to exclude from this scan?   Second, how do you then pass the exclusion parameters to ashquick.exe? 

[DavidR]

You could start by reading this topic, HOWTO: Scheduled Automatic Scans avast! Home Version! as I believe there are a number of suggestions on what not to scan.

The major disadvantage with the task scheduler trick of using ashquick.exe is, it is the most through of all the scans and will scan every file of the hdd, partition, folder or file that you set it to scan; even those files not considered a potential threat, this can take a long time. It is possible to add certain folders to the exclusions list (Program Settings, Exclusions) for say your media files, etc.

Care should be taken with the paths you want to exclude as this could leave you vulnerable if that folder got infected as it wouldn't be scanned by the on-demand scanner as you have excluded it. However, should you access any infected file in a Folder in the Program Settings, Exclusions, the on-access scanner (Standard Shield) should detect it provided you haven't put the exclusions in there.

The Pro version gives a lot more flexibility and the scan would follow the settings and exclusions, etc. of the regular scan.

With the different levels of protection (Web Shield, Internet Mail, P2P and Instant Messaging) and the fall back of the Standard Shield, I find the need for daily scheduled scans lessened. I prefer to do a manual scan with my regular weekly maintenance tasks.

[TwoShoes]

Thanks for the reply.  I did check out the post you linked to but it seems that it primarily handles inclusions for ashquick versus exclusions.  I will try the program settings to exclude my media files to see if that helps to reduce the overall scan time.  What I was hoping for was that someone may have discovered a way with ashquick to do some kind of wildcard exclusion like for example specifying "*.jpg" to exclude any .jpg file regardless of what folder it was located.

[DavidR]

No it doesn't as the exclusions uses by the ashQuick.exe come from the Program Settings, Exclusions, which apply to 'all' on-demand scans. So you don't have to apply them twice to the regular on-demand scan or the ashQuick.exe scan.

I wouldn't exclude .jpg files as they are exploitable and could be come infected.

[TwoShoes]

No it doesn't as the exclusions uses by the ashQuick.exe come from the Program Settings, Exclusions, which apply to 'all' on-demand scans. So you don't have to apply them twice to the regular on-demand scan or the ashQuick.exe scan.

Not quite sure I understand this part of your reply.  By inclusions I meant that the only parameters that I see are to specify which file(s) you want ashquick to scan.  There is no way to tell ashquick directly to exclude anything.  To do this you must include the file path in Program Settings, Exclusions which then applies to any scan done with the exception of the Standard Shield.  If for example I wanted to exclude any file with the extension of .mp3 on my entire C: drive how would you enter that in the Program Settings, Exclusions list?

[DavidR]

Well firstly I never said inclusions, but exclusions in the program settings as your quote shows. If you place 'any' exclusion be it file, folder, partition, or drive, with or without the use of wildcards it will apply both the regular manual on-demand scan or the use of the ashQuick.exe scan (be that manually initiated or using the scheduled task work around).

I would suggest you never block complete groups of files on both on-demand and on-access exclusions lists as you have no possible fall-back if there happens to be an infected file in that group it won't be found with the on-access scan and when it is run, it won't be scanned by the on-access scan (standard shield), so it has free reign to infect your system.

You already gave an example of using the wildcard to exclude a file type *.jpg that would exclude all .jpg files on all your local drives from scans.

[TwoShoes]

Sorry about the confusion with the word inclusion as that was my terminology for the parameter that you pass to ashquick where or what you want to scan.  I did try some tests and I am not sure that ashquick looks at the Program Settings, Exclusions list when it executes.  I created a new scheduled task that was only to scan a specific folder and the parameter that was passed to ashquick was as follows in the Scheduled Task Run: field:

"C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashQuick.exe" "C:\Kodak Pictures"

This folder primarily contains jpg files.  Then in the Program Settings, Exclusion list I added C:\Kodak Pictures\*.jpg  thinking that should exclude all jpg files within that folder.   I forced the scheduled task to run and it started in the proper folder but scanned all files including the .jpg files.  Am I putting the exclusion in the proper place? 

[DavidR]

Well to me that a) you might not need the quotes, I have never used this I prefer to do a manual scan, b) that command as I see it would 'only' scan the Kodak Pictures folder assuming that it would work, which I don't believe it would.

That command may also need a backslash to include all files and sub folders in the kodak pictures folder e.g. "C:\Kodak Pictures\" The parameter is for what to scan 'include' and not what to 'exclude.'

However, I really don't know what you are trying to do with this command 'include' the kodak pictures or 'exclude' I hope you see the huge difference.

It is also redundant if you add "C:\Kodak Pictures\*.jpg" in the program settings, exclusions, but as I said I feel it is a big mistake to exclude .jpg files as they can be infected (JPEG Exploit). So there would be no need to tack that on to the command line in the scheduled task, you need to tell it what to scan and allow the program settings, exclusion list to do its job of excluding files.

So you really need to read that topic again for the parameters to add after the ashquick.exe to scan all local drives, which I presume that is what you want to do and let the program settings, exclusions take care of the rest. I'm sorry I can't be any practical help as I have never used this which is why I referred you to the actual topic.

[alanrf]

FWIW,

here is the command line from my weekly scheduled ashquick scan

"C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashQuick.exe" C: E: F: J: K: L: M: N:

ashquick most definitely does obey the avast Program Settings > Exclusions list.

I do exclude .jpg files (and others) in that exclusions list to make the scan complete in a reasonable time but I do not have .jpg files excluded for the On Access scanner.

[TwoShoes]

The reason for the quotes is be cause there are spaces in the file name.  The link you originally provided before tells you that you need the quotes if there are spaces.  As I said in my last post, I was not sure if ashquick did or did not obey the exclusions list.  I would like to do some more testing.  Would you be so kind as to post what you exactly put in the exclusions list?  I may be putting that in wrong causing my problems.

[Lisandro]

Would you be so kind as to post what you exactly put in the exclusions list? 

You need to use the Exclusion lists:

For the Standard Shield provider (on-access scanning):
Left click the 'a' blue icon, click on the provider icon at left and then Customize.
Go to Advanced tab and click on Add button...

For the other providers (on-demand scanning such as the screen-saver or the Simple User Interface):
Right click the 'a' blue icon, click Program Settings.
Go to Exclusions tab and click on Add button...

You can use wildcards like * and ?.
But be careful, you should 'exclude' that many files that let your system in danger.

[TwoShoes]

Thanks, I got it running.  When you use wildcards it seems that you need to add additional "\*" in the exclude path for each layer of sub folders within a given path.

[Lisandro]

When you use wildcards it seems that you need to add additional "\*" in the exclude path for each layer of sub folders within a given path.

Yeah, it's how it works.

[TwoShoes]

Found that out by accident.  In reading the HELP info it was not very clear that you needed additional "/*" for the sub-sub folders and more if you want to get to the bottom of the folders.  Here is the HELP info provided:

"Settings

Add. Adds an empty item to the list where you can write the folder or file to be excluded. If you want to select a folder including all its subfolders, it is necessary to append "\*", e.g. "C:\Windows\*"."

Seems there should be an easier way to do this as you could end up with a lot of "/*" added if you have a folder with many layers of subfolders.

[DavidR]

You only need add one \* as everything after the \ and wildcard * is excluded, files and sub folders, sub sub folders and their contents, which is why you need to exercise extreme care when using wildcards or you could put a large hole in your security.