Why & What is the Screen Saver scan?

[IHate7_Malware0]

I’m a newbie to Avast! (free, 5.1.889 version) & to this forum, so I hope I’m doing this right.
I am using a custom-built PC with Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit, AMD Sempron 3300+ 2.0 GHz processor, 2 GB RAM, IE8 browser. I’m also a “newbie” to Windows 7. (My previous OS was XP.) I had to replace my prior motherboard recently & both hard drives so I now have 1.5 TB total of 2 hard drives. I ALWAYS have ALL real-time shields running unless I physically disconnect from my DSL modem (which is almost never). I’m currently using Window 7 “Bubbles” screensaver.

I was going through the Avast! settings making sure everything’s set correctly when I ran into the screen saver options. So I searched Help where it says:

With avast! installed, it is possible to run a scan even when your computer is not being used and your screen-saver is running. A small window is displayed inside the screen-saver which informs you about the scanning progress, i.e. about the number of scanned files etc.
If you want avast! to scan your computer when the screen-saver is running, you need to locate the screen-saver option in your computer's control panel and then select "avast! antivirus".
To add this scan to the list of pre-defined scans on the Scan Now page, go to the program "Settings" and check the box "Show special scans in avast! user interface". You will then be able to access and adjust the scan parameters as required.

Huh? I must be dense because I don’t understand this at all. Don’t essentially all schedulable AV programs run while the screen saver is also running?? Can’t Avast do a scan while my screen saver is also running? Does it stop scanning if I get back on my PC & the screen saver stops because I opened a program? Does this scan actually scan the screen saver? What does the above really mean??

Because I always set them up to run at night (while I’m sleeping) & / or I leave my PC unattended while waiting for whatever scans I had to run manually to finish, all of my previous anti-malware programs have run at the same time my screen saver was running & I never heard of having to change any settings to make that possible – until now.
I searched the Avast! Free/Pro/Suite section for ‘screen saver, screensaver’ & got so many results my Avast will expire before I get them all read.
Could someone please explain to me in non-geek language what this screen saver mode is all about (i.e., why it exists) & why I have to make changes to my screen saver settings for Avast! to do a scheduled full system scan while my screen saver is running? I would be grateful for the clarification.

I have to leave in a little bit for the evening, but I’ll return tomorrow.

Thanks!
 

[Hermite15]

there's a screensaver called "avast! antivirus" in your list of screen savers. Choose it and test it

[Pondus]

Could someone please explain to me in non-geek language what this screen saver mode is all about (i.e., why it exists) & why I have to make changes to my screen saver settings for Avast! to do a scheduled full system scan while my screen saver is running? I would be grateful for the clarification.

The screen saver scan is the easy way to do a sheduled scan, or you could say instead of a scheduled scan. If you activate it, then the scan starts when the screen saver start, and stop when the screen saver stop.
So instead of doing a daily/weekly quick/full scan or a sheduled one, it will happen when you turn your back to the computer....I use it 

[Nesivos]

Screen Saver scan is a scan that is activated when your Screen Saver is activated.

In Windows 7 and XP you have the options to "Turn Off the Display" and "Put The Computer To Sleep"

So the order is

1.  Set the Screen Saver to come on after so many minutes without keyboard or mouse activity
2.  Set AIS to start a scan when the Screen Saver comes on
3.  Set the Display to go after so many minutes without keyboard or mouse activity.  I set it about 15 minutes after the Screen Saver comes on, which is when the Screen Saver Scan starts.  The Display goes off at that time whether the Screen Saver Scan running or not.

Regular Scans are set to start running at a pre-scheduled time by the clock.  Screen Saver Scans start running when the Screen Saver is scheduled to start running which is after so many minutes without keyboard or mouse activity regardless of the time of day.

The Screen Saver Scan is an additional level of security allowing AIS to begin a scan within so many minutes of your completing your activity; i.e no keyboard or mouse use.  The idea is to add an additional scan during periods of inactivity to scan for stuff that happened during your last period of activity and before your next period of activity despite the time of day.

P.S. If you are using Windows 7 drop IE8 and go to IE9 Beta.  IE8 is one big security risk.

[IHate7_Malware0]

Wow! That was a really quick reply! Thanks everybody!
I have previewed it, & saw basically a black screen with a blue box in the lower left corner & a couple of bubbles. I have not run a full scan that way yet. I already have my Avast set to run a thorough full system scan every night. That might be too often, given the great real-time shields are always working. If I initialize the screen saver scan, would Avast then be running two big scans at the same time tonight? (Of course my screen saver will come on a few minutes after I quit using my PC today.) Assuming I configured both the same, is there anything the screen saver scans that the full system scan does not scan?

My evening plans got cancelled, so I'll be here a little while longer.

OK, I set up the screen saver scan & set it to scan "all files" Plus under 'Scan Areas" I added...
All Harddisks
System Drive
Memory
Auto-start programs
Auto-start programs (all users)
Rootkits (full scan)

No additional media (CD, memory stick, etc) will be inserted in my PC tonight.
If I check “loop” in the screen saver settings, does Avast just keep scanning over & over again? If so, does that seem like over-kill to you if I also use the full system scan daily & the real-time shields are on constantly? I have never encountered a feature like this screen saver scanner.

Why I am grateful……
I’m a true believer in malware PREVENTION! In July 2008 I did a stupid thing by clicking on an email in my Yahoo account that contained a Trojan which opened a photo of Mount Ranier in Photoshop (my default photo viewer & editor). I was running completely updated Spybot, Ad-Aware, & AVG at that time. But none of them recognized that as malware. I had no choice but to sit & watch it tear into my PC. It was one of those “Hallmark e-card” Trojans. (The only reason I did that was because I actually was expecting an e-card from someone who I already knew used Hallmark e-cards.) I knew instantly that I had nasty malware, but had no way to stop it. Unfortunately the only place I could find where I could positively identify the thing was MS’s Malware Protection Center. It’s still listed there at http://www.microsoft.com/security/portal/Threat/Encyclopedia/Entry.aspx?Name=Backdoor%3aWin32%2fIRCFlood (photo at bottom), only they had it listed as low severity at the time & changed it to ‘severe” almost a year later. Had I any real-time shields that could detect that Trojan like my new Avast! likely does, that wouldn’t have happened. I’ve seen bad websites with rogue “Windows PC Defender” & similar fake anti-virus software blocked on at least 4 occasions since that Trojan. I am soooo grateful for real-time shields & for anti-malware! I am also VERY grateful for good people like you folks who are willing to help people like me fight the war against malware.

I’m pretty sure I understand a lot more about the screen saver scanner now, Thank you All!!
Thanks, Nesivos, for the IE8 tip too! After a brief search, I see a lot about it - XSS vulnerabilities? I will act on that ASAP!

Thanks so very much!!!
 

[Nesivos]

If I check “loop” in the screen saver settings, does Avast just keep scanning over & over again? If so, does that seem like over-kill to you if I also use the full system scan daily & the real-time shields are on constantly? I have never encountered a feature like this screen saver scanner.

Good question.

On my Windows 7 HP with an Athlon 240 processor and 4GB of memory my screen saver scan takes about 150 seconds to finish the scan of about 33GB of files.  The Screen Saver Scan continues to repeat itself as long as the Screen Saver is on.  Once Windows 7 turns off the Screen Saver by turning off the Display then the Screen Saver Scans stop, however any schedules scan will run with the Display turned off.  If you put your computer to sleep using Windows then there is a feature in AIS in pre-scheduled scans to wake your computer up so that AIS will be able perform the pre-scheduled scan at the scheduled time.  This feature of course does not apply to screen saver scans since the computer of course is not asleep when the screen saver is running.

[Para-Noid]

Another option is to "schedule" a scan to run when you are away from your pc. Avast will run at the scheduled time and put you pc back to sleep. The results will be available when you desire to see them. I have used this option and I like it.

[IHate7_Malware0]

Night before last I set up the screensaver scan. But yesterday morning when I got on my PC, it took the screensaver a very long time – over 5 minutes to stop & let me start working. So I decided to turn off the screen saver scan & turn the full system scan to run at about 1:05 a.m. I also had problems with the former – couldn’t access my screen saver from Control Panel or “Personalize” from Rt-click on the Desktop & couldn't access Task Manager either. Reboot seemed to fix those, though.

This morning the log shows that it ran as scheduled, took less than an hour to scan 112.7 GB (964244 files). I had it set to do the max for all available settings (high sensitivity, all packers, heuristics w/ code emulation, both persistent cache options checked, etc). Since it did so well with the daily thorough full system scan I think I’ll stick with that for now. I haven’t used that “sleep” mode yet, but I will set it up to sleep & do the wake up for the scan – Thanks!

Yesterday I ran into a couple more issues: a false positive, an update issue, & this morning a memory warning issue. So I will probably be posting about at least some of these issues soon.

You guys are GREAT! Thanks so much for all your help!
 

[Para-Noid]

Night before last I set up the screensaver scan. But yesterday morning when I got on my PC, it took the screensaver a very long time – over 5 minutes to stop & let me start working. So I decided to turn off the screen saver scan & turn the full system scan to run at about 1:05 a.m. I also had problems with the former – couldn’t access my screen saver from Control Panel or “Personalize” from Rt-click on the Desktop & couldn't access Task Manager either. Reboot seemed to fix those, though.

This morning the log shows that it ran as scheduled, took less than an hour to scan 112.7 GB (964244 files). I had it set to do the max for all available settings (high sensitivity, all packers, heuristics w/ code emulation, both persistent cache options checked, etc). Since it did so well with the daily thorough full system scan I think I’ll stick with that for now. I haven’t used that “sleep” mode yet, but I will set it up to sleep & do the wake up for the scan – Thanks!

Yesterday I ran into a couple more issues: a false positive, an update issue, & this morning a memory warning issue. So I will probably be posting about at least some of these issues soon.

You guys are GREAT! Thanks so much for all your help!
 

You might want to uncheck the "All Packers" option during a scan. If you don't you could get a "some files cannot be scanned" message. Some packers are archive or password protected and are by nature inert and pose no threat to your pc. Another thing, I found a daily scan is too often. I personally scan two to three times a week. You might think about MalwareBytes and Super Anti-Spyware for day to day scans. http://filehippo.com/search?q=malwarebytes and http://filehippo.com/download_superantispyware/  PS...Glad we could help. Come back anytime. Good luck!

[IHate7_Malware0]

Thank you, Para-Noid. I’ll consider your suggestions. I believe I already have MalwareBytes on my PC. Is there such a thing as scanning too often if doing so doesn’t decrease the usability or shorten the life of a PC? I have always done full scans nightly. I have seen how rapidly malware can get spread around the globe & into my PC. (Once was enough!) I don’t know how often Avast! comes out with new virus database definitions, but you probably do.

What exactly is a “packer” – a file or files within some kind of package (like a zip file or a Trojan)?
Thanks!

Do I have to get our of "Newbie-ville" before I can add a flag or photo? Or are those just for the wonderful helpers on this forum?
 

[Pondus]

I don’t know how often Avast! comes out with new virus database definitions, but you probably d

normaly 2 times a day or more if needed   http://www.avast.com/virus-update-history

What exactly is a “packer”

zip / 7zip / rar /..........and many more

Do I have to get our of "Newbie-ville" before I can add a flag or photo? Or are those just for the wonderful helpers on this forum?

you need 20 post

[Para-Noid]

I don’t know how often Avast! comes out with new virus database definitions, but you probably d

normaly 2 times a day or more if needed   http://www.avast.com/virus-update-history

What exactly is a “packer”

zip / 7zip / rar /..........and many more

Do I have to get our of "Newbie-ville" before I can add a flag or photo? Or are those just for the wonderful helpers on this forum?

you need 20 post

I think what Pondus is trying to say is when you download software it comes "packed". When you run the set-up the file is "unpacked". The packed file remains inert since it is non-executable. I run a MBAM and SAS every other day and only a "quick" scan. A full scan of MBAM and SAS monthly. You should be able to run a full scan with avast about once a week. Other than that two or three times a week will do. On your scans set the sensitivity to normal and performance to high for better results. Most of the time a "quick" scan will suffice.

Pondus, I'm sorry if I stepped on your toes.

[IHate7_Malware0]

Thanks! That's pretty much what I thought a packer is. I will take your advice on the settings. That's a very reasonable requirement for earning the ability to decorate my forum screen name.

I do really appreciate all the help! 

[Pondus]

Pondus, I'm sorry if I stepped on your toes.

yea...i am mad at you now... 

[Para-Noid]

Pondus, I'm sorry if I stepped on your toes.

yea...i am mad at you now... 

I'm shaking in my skin and my bones are rattling.