Only E-mail Scan and Virus Definition Update

[Culpeper]

This poster has a similar problem with Avast setup.  Is this what you looking for?  Seems like it is a manual thing, which kind of defeats the purpose.

http://www.avast.com/forum/index.php?board=2;action=display;threadid=550;start=%200#msg2674

[fhn]

The Avast e-mail scanner will not shut down even after I've terminated Outlook Express AND Outlook Exchange.

F.  

[Culpeper]

Okay

[Vlk]

The Avast e-mail scanner will not shut down even after I've terminated Outlook Express AND Outlook Exchange.

This is because it has no way of determining if an e-mail program is stating up (because it is totally external). And since the mail programs are reconfigured to use 127.0.0.1 instead of the real servers, it needs to stay resident in memory...

lk

[fhn]

Thank you for the feedback.

I've noticed thru the ZoneAlarm Pro 4.0 firewall program that the Avast e-mail scanner will be "active" (auto launch) when it first sees the initialization of Outlook Express.  But when Outlook Express is turned-off, the Avast e-mail scanner still remains active.

Note that the Avast e-mail scanner is not active when I boot/reboot the PC.

I know that with this same computer running Windows 2000 Pro, ZA Pro 4.0, and Norton AV 2001, the  Norton e-mail scan utility will shut down when Outlook Express is no longer active.

I remembered that Norton AV also used 127.0.0.1.  Let me verify this and post back.

I still believe that there should be a stand-alone program that updates the virus definition (i.e.auto lauch, check for update, then shut down).  The virus definition file is the heart and soul of any AV program.  Please remember that some PC users DO NOT need the full time protection of AVAST.  Please DO NOT integrate the auto virus definition update feature into the main Avast program.  The implementation of this feature will make Avast a MUCH better product than Norton AV.  

F.  

[vojtech]

I've noticed thru the ZoneAlarm Pro 4.0 firewall program that the Avast e-mail scanner will be "active" (auto launch) when it first sees the initialization of Outlook Express.  But when Outlook Express is turned-off, the Avast e-mail scanner still remains active.

No, avast mail scanner starts when you log on to Windows. If you want to start and stop mail scanner with Outlook Express, try to configure it in Outlook Express. Yes, I think it is not possible, but I don't see any other way to accomplish this. Anyway, mail scanner is not able to work without resident scanner (ashServ.exe) running.

[fhn]

I agree that the resident scanner must be active (checked in MSCONFIG) to scan mails for infected files.

Let's say I added the resident scanner to the STARTUP list.  After a reboot and connection to the internet, the system resources and physical memory read 85% and 332MB, repectively.  These readings should reflect the presence of the resident scanner running in the background.  Now when I launch Outlook Express, these readings will drop to 75% and 325MB.  That is normal.  If I shut off Outlook Express, then shouldn't these readings return to 85% and 332MB, or something very close to these numbers?

I will provide more details with my next post.

thanks for your input.

F.  

[fhn]

I went back and analysed all running processes with Process Viewer.  The e-mail scanner was working properly.  I misinterpreted the data shown by ZA Pro 4.0.  

We're now down to ONE issue:

-It took 25 seconds from the time I launch the Avast program to the point where I can click on the update button to MANUALLY check for new virus definition.  Please note that I DO NOT prelaunch the main AVAST program during PC boot.  To fix this problem, we need to separate the auto update of the virus definition from the main AVAST program.

The virus definition should update automatically even when the main AVAST program is TURNED OFF.  Having an active AVAST e-mail scanner running in the background without the most up-to-date virus definition is not very smart.  Norton Antivirus lacks this capability.  Think outside the box.