Author Topic: Scanning hangs up won't finish  (Read 9904 times)

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sharlahill

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Scanning hangs up won't finish
« on: April 22, 2009, 02:29:29 AM »
Hi there I have been using Avast for months now and all of sudden it has started not responding at different points in the scan and sometimes the only way I can get out is to shut down or restart the laptop.
Could this be a virus that got through or lack of memory? 
It still says it's updating each day though.
I am also running PCtools registry mechanic and spyware.
Is there someway I can tell if I need more memory?
Thanks,
Sharla

Offline Confused Computer User

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Re: Scanning hangs up won't finish
« Reply #1 on: April 22, 2009, 02:38:27 AM »
Hi there I have been using Avast for months now and all of sudden it has started not responding at different points in the scan and sometimes the only way I can get out is to shut down or restart the laptop.
Could this be a virus that got through or lack of memory? 

Not really sure if it's a virus. Generally malicious programs will block the anti-virus altogether rather and stop it mid way in a scan. So in my opinion, there is something else causing this.

I am also running PCtools registry mechanic and spyware.

These tend to chew memory.
Also, slight typo but if you really have spyware on your computer then mystery solved ;)

Is there someway I can tell if I need more memory?

Can you please tell us the specifications of your computer, such as Operating system, Processor speed and total amount of ram?
If you have difficulties with this post back.


Computer Systems:

Intel Pentium 4 641 / 2GB RAM / Vista Home Basic SP2 / avast! 5.0 Home / SAS Free / MBAM Free / Windows Defender / Windows Firewall / Spyware Blaster/ Secunia PSI / Firefox 3.6 / Opera 10.5

Core2Duo T8300 / 4GB RAM / Vista Home Premium SP2 (32 bit version) / Same Software.

Offline scythe944

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Re: Scanning hangs up won't finish
« Reply #2 on: April 22, 2009, 05:25:52 AM »
As Confused computer user said, please post your system info, and we should be able to help.

As for your question,
Quote
Is there someway I can tell if I need more memory?
the answer is yes, but it will take a technician or a google ninja.

Again, as confused computer user said, post your info, and we'll tell you.
For generic computer (not avast) problems, you can also visit my forum for help: http://www.jacobytech.net/forum

sharlahill

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Re: Scanning hangs up won't finish
« Reply #3 on: April 22, 2009, 05:53:09 AM »
I am so sorry I posted this in the wrong section and fogive me I am not that knowledgable with PC stuff either just frustrated at the moment.
So I have a toshiba satellite am running vista home I have a 110 GB hard drive and don't know where to find out how much RAM I have on this PC if you can point me to where to look I will.
I meant to say I am running PC Tool Registry Machanic and PC Tool  Spyware DR as well if that matters.
Thanks,
Sharla

Offline Confused Computer User

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Re: Scanning hangs up won't finish
« Reply #4 on: April 22, 2009, 01:50:27 PM »
Well that helps a bit.

Since you are running Vista you'll get to do it the easy way.
-Simply go to the start button (blue button found at the bottom left corner of your screen).
-Left click on it
-Type the following: "System" (without the quotation marks)
     N.B. no need to select anything, just click the start button and type ;D

You will see in the search results which will gradually appear as you type one that says: "System Information".
Click on it.

You sould now have a window with two panes. On the left you should see "System Summary" highlighted in blue and on the right a list with the following entry in it:
"Installed Physical Memory (RAM)"
The value next to it is your RAM.

I meant to say I am running PC Tool Registry Machanic and PC Tool  Spyware DR as well if that matters.

I am not aware if  PC Tool Registry Machanic has any effect on avast but there might be some issue with PC Tool  Spyware DR. However these are resolvable most of the time with a few clicks.
Computer Systems:

Intel Pentium 4 641 / 2GB RAM / Vista Home Basic SP2 / avast! 5.0 Home / SAS Free / MBAM Free / Windows Defender / Windows Firewall / Spyware Blaster/ Secunia PSI / Firefox 3.6 / Opera 10.5

Core2Duo T8300 / 4GB RAM / Vista Home Premium SP2 (32 bit version) / Same Software.

Offline Lisandro

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Re: Scanning hangs up won't finish
« Reply #5 on: April 22, 2009, 02:05:19 PM »
How exactly does it freeze? Does it happen always approximately at the same place/folder of the scan?
Do you see a hard disk activity (when it freezes)? Is only the program frozen, or the whole computer (possibly with mouse cursor)?

You can go to the program settings and turn on the creation of the report file (with "OK files" to be included as well in the report). This way, you can find out where the scan really stopped (it's going to be close to the end of the report).

After avast! disappears, check the end of the report file - the "troublesome" file is likely to be close to the end (close in the sense that this particular file will probably not be written in the report, but the previous one will be the last line, so it shouldn't be hard to guess). They would certainly like to have this file - if it really causes problems to avast! - so that they could fix the problem.

The report file created (if you turned it on in program settings) will be (default location) at <avast4>\Data\Report\Simple User Interface.txt

Also, let's say clearly: if during an avast! scan,
1. avast! freezes or crashes, it's probably avast! problem.
2. The computer freezes or restarts, it could be e.g. a conflict with some other program, or a hardware problem.
3. The computer powers down - it's probably a hardware problem (e.g. overheating). The scan generates a lot of hard disk activity (and is also CPU intensive), which may increase the temperature of your hardware. I suggest to check the coolers in the case.
4. If you get a blue screen, it could have a bug in avast! drivers (but then, there is not a power down).
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Offline scythe944

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Re: Scanning hangs up won't finish
« Reply #6 on: April 22, 2009, 03:44:28 PM »
Quote
Since you are running Vista you'll get to do it the easy way.
-Simply go to the start button (blue button found at the bottom left corner of your screen).
-Left click on it
-Type the following: "System" (without the quotation marks)
     N.B. no need to select anything, just click the start button and type Grin

You can also right-click on your "My Computer" or "Computer" Icon, and click properties.

You can also just press and hold your windows key on your keyboard, and press the Pause / Break key.

Just an FYI
For generic computer (not avast) problems, you can also visit my forum for help: http://www.jacobytech.net/forum

Offline Confused Computer User

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Re: Scanning hangs up won't finish
« Reply #7 on: April 22, 2009, 04:56:50 PM »
Quote
Since you are running Vista you'll get to do it the easy way.
-Simply go to the start button (blue button found at the bottom left corner of your screen).
-Left click on it
-Type the following: "System" (without the quotation marks)
     N.B. no need to select anything, just click the start button and type Grin

You can also right-click on your "My Computer" or "Computer" Icon, and click properties.

You can also just press and hold your windows key on your keyboard, and press the Pause / Break key.

Just an FYI

True. I should have thought about the easy part but I think these method gives a better picture since you can get much more than just the amount of RAM you have.
It also shows you the total amount of RAM you can install on your computer amoung other things.
Computer Systems:

Intel Pentium 4 641 / 2GB RAM / Vista Home Basic SP2 / avast! 5.0 Home / SAS Free / MBAM Free / Windows Defender / Windows Firewall / Spyware Blaster/ Secunia PSI / Firefox 3.6 / Opera 10.5

Core2Duo T8300 / 4GB RAM / Vista Home Premium SP2 (32 bit version) / Same Software.

rk01701

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Re: Scanning hangs up won't finish
« Reply #8 on: April 22, 2009, 05:10:11 PM »
I am having the same problem. It doesnt hang up in the same place all the time but at different % locations. There is disk activity based upon disk activity light on front panel.  :'(

rk01701

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Re: Scanning hangs up won't finish
« Reply #9 on: April 22, 2009, 08:41:21 PM »
I was having the same problem. I got around this hanging up issue by disabling my SpyWare Doctor and also disabling the 7 on-access providers. After the successful, I enabvled bothe Spyware Doctor and the 7 on-access providers.

Offline Confused Computer User

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Re: Scanning hangs up won't finish
« Reply #10 on: April 22, 2009, 10:03:39 PM »
I was having the same problem. I got around this hanging up issue by disabling my SpyWare Doctor and also disabling the 7 on-access providers. After the successful, I enabvled bothe Spyware Doctor and the 7 on-access providers.

this seems a bit invasive. I hope you were not connected to the internet when you were doing this.
Computer Systems:

Intel Pentium 4 641 / 2GB RAM / Vista Home Basic SP2 / avast! 5.0 Home / SAS Free / MBAM Free / Windows Defender / Windows Firewall / Spyware Blaster/ Secunia PSI / Firefox 3.6 / Opera 10.5

Core2Duo T8300 / 4GB RAM / Vista Home Premium SP2 (32 bit version) / Same Software.