AvastSvc.exe suddenly took 1 gb RAM !!!

[yongsua]

Hmm..Weird.I thought 1gb ram for Windows Xp should be quite enough than Vista and 7.

[avragorn]

Yes, it is weird, and it happens approximately 15 minutes after each computer start
Maybe a belated update 

[DavidR]

Well '8' minutes after the boot the avast anti-rootkit scan does its thing, but that is normally a very quick scan, but it might use resources, though I wouldn't have though that much. For me that scan lasts a few seconds and I don't really notice any adverse resource use, on my XP Pro system with 2GB of RAM and a relatively fast processor.

Check the C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\AVAST Software\Avast\log\arpot.log and the C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\AVAST Software\Avast\log\aswAr.log files they should give you an idea on what was scanned and how ling it took. They won't however give you any idea on RAM use.

[avragorn]

Thank you very much
I started again the computer, it happens again
I don't find the arpot.log, but here is the aswAr.log : http://cjoint.com/?AFdxcskEtgK
Scan started at 22:53:50, scan finished at 22:57:21.

[DavidR]

Well that really is very slow at 3min 31, so it shows, what I believe is a lack of resources. You also have to remember avastsvc.exe is the main scanning engine and it is responsible for all the resident shields and of course the anti-rootkit scan. So it is hard to determine which shield or AR scan is using the most resources. So you could be on-line, etc. when the AR scan kicks off or downloading a file or P2P, etc.

My last anti-rootkit scan started 10:53:16 ended at 10:53:24, 8 seconds. So I think you can see the difference in system specs I have XP Pro, with 2GB of DDR2 800 (PC2-6400) RAM. I also have a reasonably fast Intel dual core CPU, so I don't notice this so much as it takes only 8 seconds.

The whole idea of having RAM is that it will be used, windows controls what is used, so it being used in itself isn't an issue, should another application be running at the same time the two of them would be sharing the total available ram.

For you with only 1GB of RAM it is a physical impossibility for it to be using 1GB of ram. So where are you getting this information from ?

If Task Manager, which value are you reading ?
The VM Size and Mem Usage columns tend to be a more reasonable/accurate representation of what memory they are using.

When you run MBAM and run a scan the avast scanner will also be working overtime, as when mbam opens files to be scanned so to would avast be scanning much of that content (duplication). I used to advocate pausing the old standard shield to avoid conflict and duplication of scanning when running another security scan. But now with the file system shield (we have a different setup) I tend not to do that.

[avragorn]

Thank you very much,

Yes, I have readen the informations from Task Manager. AvastSvc exactly takes until 800 mb RAM (between 730 and 780 mb RAM) during approximately 1 minute. What is strange too is that in the total RAM, it goes to 990 mb RAM approximately before AvastSvc.exe goes to 800 mb RAM !!! But it stays at 990 mb RAM, it is like if the Task Manager would know how much RAM AvastSvc.exe will take before it takes it !
And what is strange is that I have the problem only since this morning. I didn't change anything.
Could it a problem of RAM chips ? I bought my both 512 mb RAM chips 2 years ago.
If I uninstall AVAST and install it again, could it resolve the problem ?

Well, it is too late now, I must go to bed

Good night,

Thank you very much

- avra -

[yongsua]

Well '8' minutes after the boot the avast anti-rootkit scan does its thing, but that is normally a very quick scan, but it might use resources, though I wouldn't have though that much. For me that scan lasts a few seconds and I don't really notice any adverse resource use, on my XP Pro system with 2GB of RAM and a relatively fast processor.

Check the C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\AVAST Software\Avast\log\arpot.log and the C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\AVAST Software\Avast\log\aswAr.log files they should give you an idea on what was scanned and how ling it took. They won't however give you any idea on RAM use.

Maybe Avast! can come out with something like"Start Up Scan Delay".For instance,currently my notebook is using the ESET version 5 BETA and they have a feature called "Start Up Scan Delay"in order to save the resources.Scheduled startup scans are delayed until the CPU consumption calms down after a system start so that more CPU resources are available to other applications.

[avragorn]

Thank you very much

I don't if it is important, but I did a full scan thursday, so less than 12 hours before the problem came, and there were a few things from AVAST that the scan didn't can to scan, it listed them, I don't know if it is important ... I don't find what things there were, I don't know if I can find a log somewhere ...
And could CCleaner remove some essential things in AVAST ? On the french AVAST forum, a specialist advised to not use CCleaner because he wrote that it can remove essential things.
I use CCleaner every 2 days approximately, so ... maybe it removed something ?

[DavidR]

Well '8' minutes after the boot the avast anti-rootkit scan does its thing, but that is normally a very quick scan, but it might use resources, though I wouldn't have though that much. For me that scan lasts a few seconds and I don't really notice any adverse resource use, on my XP Pro system with 2GB of RAM and a relatively fast processor.

Check the C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\AVAST Software\Avast\log\arpot.log and the C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\AVAST Software\Avast\log\aswAr.log files they should give you an idea on what was scanned and how ling it took. They won't however give you any idea on RAM use.

Maybe Avast! can come out with something like"Start Up Scan Delay".For instance,currently my notebook is using the ESET version 5 BETA and they have a feature called "Start Up Scan Delay"in order to save the resources.Scheduled startup scans are delayed until the CPU consumption calms down after a system start so that more CPU resources are available to other applications.

I think 8 minutes is rather generous before running the anti-rootkit scan, if you leave it any longer it gives you time to be running many more applications, browsing the internet, downloading, etc. etc.

There really isn't a good time and the longer it is left the less benefit it might be, personally I would like to see it run earlier. But I guess avast! took the decision on 8 minutes based on not being too close to the boot.

You can only do so much older systems with limited resources.

[avragorn]

I agree, but why does it happen only since yesterday ?

[DavidR]

I don't if it is important, but I did a full scan thursday, so less than 12 hours before the problem came, and there were a few things from AVAST that the scan didn't can to scan, it listed them, I don't know if it is important ... I don't find what things there were, I don't know if I can find a log somewhere ...
And could CCleaner remove some essential things in AVAST ? On the french AVAST forum, a specialist advised to not use CCleaner because he wrote that it can remove essential things.
I use CCleaner every 2 days approximately, so ... maybe it removed something ?

You have to get used to taking down the information as you see it as without the information on what files, we can't offer detailed information, just speculation on what it might be.

My best guess:
Those are likely to old virus definitions folders and avast is doing some housecleaning to keep the size used on the hard disk to a minimum. This just happens to have occurred between the time you started the scan and it reaching that old defs folder. See image example of the contents of a defs folder.

~~~~
CCleaner, isn't something that is likely to remove anything from avast that is crucial/important. For a start there is the avast self-defence module and secondly you can look into its settings and change options.

I think another area in ccleaner is that is doesn't remove some temp files less than 24hours old, to ensure they might not still be in use. I can't see that documented anywhere though.

[avragorn]

Thank you very much for the details

Today it didn't happen, but after starting the computer I waited 20 minutes to use it, so it is maybe the reason.

[yongsua]

personally I would like to see it run earlier.

Same as me,i prefer it runs earlier.