Unable to scan: Archive is password protected, Question

[Karizma]

Hey guys,

I am just starting to use avast today and I did my first thorough scan on local disks and 42 Items came up saying "Unable to scan: Archive is password protected".

All of the File names begin with

C:\Documents and settings\All Users\Application Data\MCA12F.tmp\(and after this they all end pretty much different)

Should I be concerned? Thanks!

[Lisandro]

Many programs (usually security based ones) password protect their files for legitimate reasons such as AdAware and Spybot Search & Destroy, there are others (and avast doesn't know the password or have any way of using it even if it did know it). Do you use any other security based programs ?

When you run scans with the above programs and you delete harmful entries that they detect, a copy is kept (in quarantine/restore/backup) in case you need to reverse what you did. These are usually password protected, you should do some housekeeping and delete old backup/recovery/quarantine entries (older than two weeks or so), this will reduce the numbers of files that can't be scanned.

But that path is strange... seems temporary files...
Maybe you can upload MCA12F.tmp file to www.virustotal.com

[nellieg]

Hey guys,

I am just starting to use avast today and I did my first thorough scan on local disks and 42 Items came up saying "Unable to scan: Archive is password protected".

All of the File names begin with

C:\Documents and settings\All Users\Application Data\MCA12F.tmp\(and after this they all end pretty much different)

Should I be concerned? Thanks!

[DIrrgang]

I asked this same question weeks ago and never really got a good answer except "Don't worry about it" They told me that all it meant was just that, unable to scan but I was concerned that it never finished my scans so I didn't know if I was ok or not.  I let it go and the other day my computer crashed.  When that was fixed, I ran a new Avast Scan and it is working fine.  It could be a coincidence but to me, it now seems like it was a warning sign.  Don't know if this will happen to you or not, I'm just posting what happened to me.  Diana

[DavidR]

I beg to differ about you (never really got a good answer except "Don't worry about it") as I posted a link to information about legitimate reasons why files couldn't be scanned.

See http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=35347.msg297170#msg297170 this topic for more information on why files can't be scanned.

So did you read the information on the link ?
This is what is on it:

Many programs (usually security based ones) password protect their files for legitimate reasons such as AdAware and Spybot Search & Destroy, there are others (and avast doesn't know the password or have any way of using it even if it did know it).

When you run scans with the above programs and you delete harmful entries that they detect, a copy is kept (in quarantine/restore/backup) in case you need to reverse what you did. These are usually password protected, you should do some housekeeping and delete old backup/recovery/quarantine entries (older than two weeks or so), this will reduce the numbers of files that can't be scanned.

By examining 1) the reason given by avast! for not being able to scan the files, 2) the location of the files, you can get an idea of what program they relate to. You may need to expand the column headings to see all the text. If you can give some examples of those file names, the locations and reason given why it can't be scanned might help us further ?

That particular topic went on for a long time with me trying to help you locate and remove the folders with the files that couldn't be scanned, my last post on that was 3rd Jan 2009 but you never responded. So I'm a little miffed at the amount of time I spent trying to help you with this for you to turn round and say:
- I asked this same question weeks ago and never really got a good answer except "Don't worry about it"

[kwamectc]

I have the same problem when I full scan my system, the log says "unable to scan: archive is password protected" to all the scanned files in my system. I have malwarebytes here I just turn off its Protection mode because maybe it is the reason, but after that it still reports this message.

  Very confused now.

[Hally]

Hi 

I'm pretty sure all Anti-Vius / Anti-Spyware scanners are the same 

The Only Difference... They Don't Tell You! 

I know that AVG is exactly the same.
But you only get told what it couldn't scan.. If you scan with AVG in - Safe Mode 

Top Tip!
Un-Tick .. Scanning Of - Archived Files
And you should no longer get the list at the end of the scan... Telling you what Avast couldn't scan   
Archived Files is NOT ticked by Default anyway.
Possibly For Good Reason .. This Reason! 

[DavidR]

I have the same problem when I full scan my system, the log says "unable to scan: archive is password protected" to all the scanned files in my system. I have malwarebytes here I just turn off its Protection mode because maybe it is the reason, but after that it still reports this message.

Did you read the information in the link I posted in the quoted text posted above yours ?

Repeated here, "See http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=35347.msg297170#msg297170 this topic for more information on why files can't be scanned."

It most certainly isn't for 'all' scanned files as the report only shows up the files that couldn't be scanned, not those which were scanned.

[Lisandro]

I have the same problem when I full scan my system, the log says "unable to scan: archive is password protected" to all the scanned files in my system. I have malwarebytes here I just turn off its Protection mode because maybe it is the reason, but after that it still reports this message.

  Very confused now.

avast can't scan files that are password protected, it doesn't know the password.
There are many legitimate reasons why a file was password protected. For instance, Lavasoft Ad-aware and SpyBot store their data in a password-protected ZIP archives (to prevent other similar tools from messing up with them). It's really nothing to worry about - it's normal.

In AdAware and S&D, when you fix/remove things it keeps backup/recovery information so you can restore anything that was mistakenly fixed/removed, etc. After a reasonable time your system has suffered no adverse effects, you can get rid of the older recovery/backup points. This should reduce the number of protected files.

Files that can't be scanned are just that, not an indication they are suspicious/infected, just unable to be scanned.

[Naamafantti]

I also have a lot of files that can't be scanned because they are password protected. Part of them are files of a spyware scanner, which was explained above. But most of them are in a folder C:\System volume information\_restore{- long serie of numbers-}\RP5\A0001787.exe\{app}\tools\ or very similar to that. The names of the files relate to codecs, there are for example CodecTweakTool-0.bin and ffmpegmt.dll and such files. I have downloaded and installed a k-lite codec pack. Is this something to worry about?

[Lisandro]

I have downloaded and installed a k-lite codec pack. Is this something to worry about?

The folder C:\System volume information\_restore is used by Windows Restore feature.
If you disable, then enable again this feature, all restore points will be deleted and the detections will disappear.
So, shortly, you don't have to worry with that files.

avast can't scan files that are password protected, it doesn't know the password.
There are many legitimate reasons why a file was password protected. For instance, Lavasoft Ad-aware and SpyBot store their data in a password-protected ZIP archives (to prevent other similar tools from messing up with them). It's really nothing to worry about - it's normal.

In AdAware and S&D, when you fix/remove things it keeps backup/recovery information so you can restore anything that was mistakenly fixed/removed, etc. After a reasonable time your system has suffered no adverse effects, you can get rid of the older recovery/backup points. This should reduce the number of protected files.

Files that can't be scanned are just that, not an indication they are suspicious/infected, just unable to be scanned.