Avast does not allow secondary AV's

[Outsider]

Hello;

Have been searching the board but can't find info on following issue:

 I (as surely a lot of other users) would like to use Avast as primary, resident AV, and Antivir/Norton Corporate Edition/AVG as secondary/non-resident/only on demand/back-up scanners.  Second opinions are nice.

As from version 4.1 on I guess (as it used to work in the old days) Avast shuts down it's resident functions when it 'smells' presence of Antivir or Norton.  Important: Even when services related to Antivir or Norton are shut down completely (via both the Antivir and Norton settings ('do not install resident scanning', as well as via services management console in XP for the residual update services related to both)

Then what is Avast seeing from these other AV's as a 'resident scanner'-functions?

Is there a way around this?  Meaning, can Avast be prevented from doing the 'test for presence other AV'-check?

Thanks for your help!

Outsider

[igor]

As from version 4.1 on I guess (as it used to work in the old days) Avast shuts down it's resident functions when it 'smells' presence of Antivir or Norton.  Important: Even when services related to Antivir or Norton are shut down completely (via both the Antivir and Norton settings ('do not install resident scanning', as well as via services management console in XP for the residual update services related to both)

Then what is Avast seeing from these other AV's as a 'resident scanner'-functions?

It is checking for the driver registry entries.
The reason is that when the registry entries are present, the service may be started a milisecond later - and the computer would freeze. So, it's simply not enough to check for running services - they may be started in a while  (the autostart order is rather indeterministic in Windows).

[Outsider]

Hello Igor,

Thanks fast reply.  From your answer I  understand then that there is no way around it?  

As, removing the other AV's registry entries, would mean as much as uninstalling them?  Or would the trick be to find out those registry entries that only indicate 'start resident functions at startup'?

Can't imagine there isn't a lot of people that use Norton as back-up, or to stay in the freeware realm, Antivir?  AVG does not conflict with Avast when installed as on-demand scanner.  But from the comments on the board towards Grisoft's AVG, I didn't see much enthousiasm towards AVG 6.

It's also a pity, as although I understand that possible conflicts could occur when using 2 or more resident scanners, I am quite sure (by testing with eicar e.g.) that the other AV's resident functions really are not functioning at all in the set-up I described in my first mail.  

Thanks again anyway,

Outsider

[igor]

Well, I guess you could just delete the registry entries... try to search the forum, "cleaning" Norton Antivirus and resident protection conflicts were discussed here multiple times (sometimes, the registry entries are kept even when the program really is uninstalled... so maybe you could delete the entries without uninstalling the program - and hope that Norton will not restore them).

[whocares]

Hi,

another piece of advice coming from alwil on this issue was to RENAME the ServiceName (not the path/filename) in the registry.
This should be somewhere in Controlsets/Services or SYSTEM/Services or so
-> Board-search should help..


This allowed me to use e.g. AntiVirPE as secondary scanner here..

 

[Outsider]

Thanks igor, whocares.  

Will start search.  If you're running Antivir, whocares, there must be solution.  

[whocares]

well,...
 i know it was discussed here, and the above renaming-solution was put forward by ALWIL

I don't know if it really worked thus, cause I just checked my settings & ..:
- I have only the AntiVir-Update Service listed in the services panel, NOT the ANTIVIR(Guard)service, so maybe I just uninstalled & reinstalled AVPE WITHOUT the AVPE-guard (don't remember, but try the search..)

But the updater & on-demand-scanner work this way, anyhow--

[Outsider]

Thanks whocares, am still searching... but your last remark is strange because that's how I installed Antivir as well (and then the conflict happened).   At install one gets the options 'install only new files / create group / ... / ... / activate Antivir Guard / ...).  It's only the Activate Guard.. I did un-check, maybe have to uncheck someting else, will try again.  Sounds bizar but anywho. Thanks already.

[Negeltu]

I installed Antivir as my secondary OD scanner.  I am running Avast as my OA scanner.  I have never had any troubles.  Just make sure that Antivir's resident guard isn't set to run WHEN YOU INSTALL.  

[Max M.Wachtel III]

I just wanted to say-
Put AVG in the recycle bin. Detection is ok but it does't seem to do much else that is helpful It repeatily allowed
my computer to be infected about 10 times before I got wise to avast.
Norton and the rest of the "big boys" are nothing but "bloatware, taken over my computer!, whatever".
Avast and Kapersky are the only ones I would consider paying for.
Use online scanners for backup.
And install some good scanners such as spyware blaster and spybot s+d
I have links to these and more on my site.
-max

[.: Mac :.]

max on the contrary,
there are other great scanners worth paying for

Command (very small resource usage, one of 2 backup scanners for me)
F-Secure (very good detection, my Backup of choice)
Norman Virus Control (sandbox technology is not perfect but they have great support staff)



and of course it goes without saying avast is worth the money

[Lisandro]

avast Pro as on-line scanner.
BitDefender (free) and AntiVir (free) as backup scanners.
Also on-line scanners from time to time.

AVG 6 is not compatible with avast at Windows XP (only in 9x).
AVG 7 is compatible as a backup scanner in XP with avast.  

[whocares]

Activate Guard.. I did un-check,

didn't you never ever have AntiVir on the PC beforehand WITH the GUARD installed ?

->

It is checking for the driver registry entries.

you might try uninstaling the AntVirGuard-DRIVER "avgntdd.sys"
via ControlPanel -> system -> Hardware -> deviceManager -> view? -> show hidden devices -> Non-PnP-drivers(devices?) ->
Rightclick on avgntdd --> UNINSTALL
(P.S.: don't click on anything there if you're not sure; very sensitive area)

REBOOT

this MIGHT work, otherwise removing such currentcontrol/legacy .. services/driver-remnants includes pretty ugly registry-hacks, e.g. regedt32 & setting regkey-rights..

 

most of this needs to be done as the REAL "Administrator" !!

[whocares]

P.S.:
here's the thread on renaming the AntiVirservice (seems it DID work smoothly just as Vlk suggested)

http://forum.avast.com/index.php?board=2;action=display;threadid=4679

P.S.: board-search is a wonderful thing....

[Amerk_5]

I recommend BitDefender Free. It's got a great detection rate, it's free, & it doesn't have a resident scanner.

madmax,
SpywareBlaster only prevents certain spyware. To remove it use both Ad-Aware & Spybot S&D.