Author Topic: I don't understand the results of scan !  (Read 6490 times)

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fiddler

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I don't understand the results of scan !
« on: June 02, 2004, 03:53:25 PM »
I have just done a thorough scan of my system, but I don't understand the results!
           I was going to paste and copy the result page, but I can't  
           Anyway, in the 'result'column of every file, it starts:-
                 'Unable to scan'.........
           I got 152 results, but I don't know what to do with them !!
           Can anyone throw some help my way?
                               Thanks  ??? ??? :'(
« Last Edit: June 02, 2004, 03:58:53 PM by fiddler »

Offline igor

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Re:I don't understand the results of scan !
« Reply #1 on: June 02, 2004, 04:34:11 PM »
What is the reason, following the "unable to scan" message?

fiddler

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Re:I don't understand the results of scan !
« Reply #2 on: June 02, 2004, 05:09:40 PM »
I can't tell, it reads   'unable to scan T....' or something like that.
           If I hover my mouse over it, it doesn't display the full line.
           If I right click it, it just displays the avast options menu, and if I choose 'scan' for example, I get a box telling me that an error has occured in 1 file.

muzzy

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Re:I don't understand the results of scan !
« Reply #3 on: June 02, 2004, 05:17:19 PM »
You can make the columns wider to read the reason why they can't be scanned. Usually they can't be scaned if:

1. They have disable access
2. They are in use in an odd way prevent any readout - sometimes it may happen that if a application uses a file than it makes the file inaccessible for any other application.

The only thing I'm concerned is the very big number of these files - usually I get about 2-5 of them for about 200 000 files on my hard drive. They mostly occur in temporary folders. Look at the files that couldn't be read and see what they are and try to think of any reason why access to them could be totally danied.

Offline igor

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Re:I don't understand the results of scan !
« Reply #4 on: June 02, 2004, 05:23:46 PM »
You should be able to resize the columns with your mouse - to see the rest of the message.

Offline MikeBCda

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Re:I don't understand the results of scan !
« Reply #5 on: June 02, 2004, 07:13:46 PM »
Muzzy's right, that's an unusually high number of files -- on my XP-home, I'll typically get around 20 or 25 files "in use by another process", usually system files.

But obvious you (and we) want to know why your list can't be scanned, and you'll need to resize your columns to be able to see that.
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Offline igor

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Re:I don't understand the results of scan !
« Reply #6 on: June 03, 2004, 09:44:18 AM »
I don't think it's an unusually high number... if the results are password-protected files of some spybot-like tool, it may be even higher.

fiddler

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Re:I don't understand the results of scan !
« Reply #7 on: June 03, 2004, 01:17:29 PM »
I havn't got any password protected files.
        By expanding the columns to be able to read the full name of the file, and the error report, I assume that you mean drag the sides of the box to enlarge it? if that is the case, when I do that, the box will enlarge, but the message stays the same, ie, shortened!!
          I have managed to delete all but 16 of the reported files to the recycle bin with no ill effects (yet). But the remaning 16 ( all on my G drive) wont budge.
           I still don't know what they ( or the ones I deleted) are,  friend or foe, lol. :-\ :-\ :P

Offline igor

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Re:I don't understand the results of scan !
« Reply #8 on: June 03, 2004, 01:39:48 PM »
I didn't mean to enlarge the whole window (well, you can, but it won't help much) - only the make the column wider. Just move your mouse cursor to the vertical line between "Result" and "Operation" (in the title) - the cursor will change and you will be able to change the column width.

In any case, I think there is no reason to delete such files. "Unable to scan" usually doesn't mean any infection.

Offline Lisandro

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Re:I don't understand the results of scan !
« Reply #9 on: June 03, 2004, 04:02:37 PM »
Please, take it slowly... probably you are not infected. Do not delete files that you are not sure that are harmless... Wait, send them to Chest to further analysis. Like Igor said, unable to scan does not mean infection. Take care  ;)
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fiddler

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Re:I don't understand the results of scan !
« Reply #10 on: June 03, 2004, 04:47:41 PM »
ok, I've managed to expand the columns this time and not the whole window (duh!) . And it reads like this:- Unable to scan: Archive is password protected.
              As I said previously, I have never (knowingly) password protected any file, so I don't understand what 's going on.
               Those files that I have already deleted to the recycle bin........I can't find them....!
              Nothing seems to be going wrong , so hopefully they aren't important :-\
               Thanks for all your help so far, and for being so quick to respond ;D ;D

Offline DavidR

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Re:I don't understand the results of scan !
« Reply #11 on: June 03, 2004, 07:15:36 PM »
You may not knowingly password protect archieves, but there are many software programs that do to protect them, some of the anti-spybots and online antivirus scanners I believe. So this could be what it was.

If it happens again try to make a note of the directory location.

David
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Offline Lisandro

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Re:I don't understand the results of scan !
« Reply #12 on: June 03, 2004, 07:30:29 PM »
Unable to scan: Archive is password protected.

David gave you the reason.
You have even less reasons to be worried. You're clean.
Other programs automatically password their files to avoid 'false alarms'. These files contains 'signatures' of warms, viruses (if they are from an antivirus program) and so on.
Be happy. Wellcome to the family  8)
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fiddler

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Re:I don't understand the results of scan !
« Reply #13 on: June 04, 2004, 06:38:08 PM »
Thanks for all the help guys, I really appreciate it.
 p.s. Systems still running sweetly :) :) :)
               Thanks again,
                                      fiddler