virus chest?

[i_dont_no]

I'm not very computer tec but i was looking a my virus chest and the last thing that was scanned was on the 6/9/2009 and it was C:\user\user1\appdata\local\microsoft\windows\temp ""etc and it was a virus called JS:Redirecttor-E [Trj] and theres nothing else in the chest after that date, should i be worried? also when i do a quick scan it say a scanning error in C:\ is that related?

[swarnava]

i know that! but my main concern is that theres nothing Else in the chest since like a year ago?

does any notification are coming? could you post the exact notfication?

[i_dont_no]

what do u mean by does any notification are coming? every time i do a Scan it say it scanned complet but the results say "error the system cannot find the path specified (3) " in c:/users/allusers

[schmidthouse]

Hi i-don't-no:
Just a couple of questions. What product and version are you using? Some Operating System info would be helpful(XP,Vista etc.)
 I don't know if I would be as concerned about nothing being in your chest as I would be that you can't scan! Can you do a Full Sytem scan? Or Do a Scan in Safe Mode? If you can then try doing a Boot Time Scan under the Scan options. Also has Avast found anything from previous scans and if so was it put in the Chest or Deleted...if deleted it obviously won't be in the virus chest.
This information could help in resolving the issue
Thanks

[Para-Noid]

i know that! but my main concern is that theres nothing Else in the chest since like a year ago?

Could you give more info. Have you found a virus since then and what was deleted? If you do a scan on a regular basis, what kind of results have you received? If you scan at least once a day and nothing pops up I would think everything is fine. More...what happens if you run a "quick" scan or a "Full System" scan? Be sure you use default settings. Another thing what "actions" are you using. Also what version are you using. Correct me if I'm wrong...avast no longer supports 4.8.

[DavidR]

OK - You're wrong, avast still supports 4.8, but it isn't a permanent situation.

[Para-Noid]

OK - You're wrong, avast still supports 4.8, but it isn't a permanent situation.

No surprise here. I'm wrong more than I want to be.

[SafeSurf]

@ i_dont_no,

1. What version of Avast do you have?  5.0.677 is the current (non-beta) version.
2. What product of Avast do you have?  Free, Pro, AIS?
3. What type of scans do you run?  Quick, Full, Custom, Boot-time?
4. Have you changed any of your default settings in Avast, including actions to take if malware is detected?
5. Are your Avast definitions up to date?

<snip> the last thing that was scanned was on the 6/9/2009 and it was C:\user\user1\appdata\local\microsoft\windows\temp ""etc and it was a virus called JS:Redirecttor-E [Trj] and theres nothing else in the chest after that date, should i be worried?

You shouldn't, but it may depend on the answers to my above questions.

<snip> also when i do a quick scan it say a scanning error in C:\ is that related

It depends on the answers above.  Again, did you change any default settings in Avast?

[i_dont_no]

I'm using avast 5.0.677 free, no beta, i do a quick scan once a week, a full/boot scan about once a month and the results always come back cant Scan (usually c:\ stuff) ,i haven't really changed settings,what should they be? the actions are sent to chest-repaire-delete. and definitions r up to date,nothing else has been in thr chest since that last date.this even happened with the previous avast,

[Para-Noid]

I'm using avast 5.0.677 free, no beta, i do a quick scan once a week, a full/boot scan about once a month and the results always come back cant Scan (usually c:\ stuff) ,i haven't really changed settings,what should they be? the actions are sent to chest-repaire-delete. and definitions r up to date,nothing else has been in thr chest since that last date.this even happened with the previous avast,

One question comes to mind. What are the "Packer" settings? The "All Packers" box should be left unchecked. As I found out from SafeSurf and DavidR and Tech some files are by nature inert or, password protected. These file will do no harm to your computer. Password protected files include those you download then unpack to run...ie, avast, MBAM, Super-Anti-Spyware, OpenOffice and others. These files will not harm your computer either. Note: you should run a "Full Scan" at least once a day.

[DavidR]

A daily Full Scan is IMHO unnecessary, that really is the whole point of resident on-access protection.

The on-access scanner scans files that are 'active', e.g. they are being opened/run, etc. So files that aren't being run don't present an immediate risk. The on-demand scan will not only scan files that would be scanned by the on-access scanner and the rest would in effect be dormant.

I have a Full System scan scheduled once a week and I think that is possibly more than is necessary. I could drop that down to a weekly/fortnightly Quick scan as that scan those file which a) present an immediate risk if run or b) are file types that are subject to attack.

[Para-Noid]

A daily Full Scan is IMHO unnecessary, that really is the whole point of resident on-access protection.

The on-access scanner scans files that are 'active', e.g. they are being opened/run, etc. So files that aren't being run don't present an immediate risk. The on-demand scan will not only scan files that would be scanned by the on-access scanner and the rest would in effect be dormant.

I have a Full System scan scheduled once a week and I think that is possibly more than is necessary. I could drop that down to a weekly/fortnightly Quick scan as that scan those file which a) present an immediate risk if run or b) are file types that are subject to attack.

So...I've been wasting my time. I thought a daily scan was recommended. Also, what does IMHO mean? Answers should be "dummy downed" for me.

[essexboy]

In My Humble Opinion 

I must admit I am worse than David

I only scan when my screensaver is running

[Para-Noid]

In My Humble Opinion 

I must admit I am worse than David

I only scan when my screensaver is running

I'm sorry I can't resist. Both of you must be British. Please don't forget I'm just a "dumb" American. What do we know? FYI (I do know what that means), I do a "Custom Scan" daily. My custom scan does scan more files than a "Full System Scan". If there is no threat I can always delete the results. I believe it's better safe than sorry. And besides I don't even notice the scan is running.

[DavidR]

<snip>
So...I've been wasting my time. I thought a daily scan was recommended.

Only you can determine if it is a waste of 'your' time, especially if you have it run as a scheduled scan, then you physically aren't wasting time as you don't have to be present during the scan

However, by running an on-demand scan every day you are more prone to hitting a false positive now and again. By extending the delay of your on-demand scan to a weekly/monthly scan you are limiting that potential as there is a greater likelihood that any FP would have been corrected in the interim time frame.

I have just reset my Full System scan to once a month on the 1st day of the month at a time that I know a) my system will be on and b) I won't be using it for anything processor intensive.