Author Topic: Some files are password protected and cannot be scanned  (Read 10623 times)

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KNRover

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Some files are password protected and cannot be scanned
« on: November 27, 2011, 09:01:40 PM »
I've used Avast for over 2 years now. Until Nov. 14, I never got the message "Some files could not be scanned" at the end of a scan. Since that day, I now get that message every time. When I look at the scan log, all the unscanned files are in C:\System VolumeInformation\restore; i.e., they'resystem restore files. I realize it doesn't mean they're infected; it just means Windows denies Avast's access to them.

I've always had system restore files (never shut that function off). So why beginning 2 weeks ago did Windows suddenly decide to lock these files, and is there as way to unlock them so Avast! can scan them?

Offline Lisandro

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Re: Some files are password protected and cannot be scanned
« Reply #1 on: November 27, 2011, 09:06:10 PM »
Run a boot time scanning and avast will have full access to that files.
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Offline Pondus

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Re: Some files are password protected and cannot be scanned
« Reply #2 on: November 27, 2011, 09:11:07 PM »
Run a boot time scanning and avast will have full access to that files.
are you sure...they are still password protected...or   ???

Offline Lisandro

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Re: Some files are password protected and cannot be scanned
« Reply #3 on: November 27, 2011, 09:14:33 PM »
are you sure...they are still password protected...or   ???
You're right. But password protected? Isn't it strange?
I was thinking on denied access and not password protected. Sorry.
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Offline Pondus

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Re: Some files are password protected and cannot be scanned
« Reply #4 on: November 27, 2011, 09:26:23 PM »
Quote
You're right. But password protected? Isn't it strange?
it depends what they are for....something that may be difficult to say when they are in system restor
But why worry...as you know it does not mean they are infected
if you ever have to use that restore point...then they will be scanned when unpacked

Offline Lisandro

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Re: Some files are password protected and cannot be scanned
« Reply #5 on: November 27, 2011, 10:20:34 PM »
if you ever have to use that restore point...then they will be scanned when unpacked
Is avast loaded when Windows unpack them?
I think avast will only detect that later...
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Offline Pondus

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Re: Some files are password protected and cannot be scanned
« Reply #6 on: November 27, 2011, 10:51:39 PM »
Quote
I think avast will only detect that later..
detect what.....password protected does not mean infected

ady4um

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Re: Some files are password protected and cannot be scanned
« Reply #7 on: November 27, 2011, 10:55:44 PM »
If your system is working correctly (so you currently don't need old restore points), then disable System Restore, then reboot, re-enable System Restore, then reboot again. This will delete ALL System Restore Points.

You may want to manually create a new Restore Point at this point, since all the old ones are gone.

If the same message from Avast reappears in the future, please come back to report it.

KNRover

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Re: Some files are password protected and cannot be scanned
« Reply #8 on: November 28, 2011, 01:43:17 PM »
Well, per Tech's suggestion, I ran a boot-time scan, and sure enough, ALL files were scanned; no "Some files could not be scanned" message. But after that, I immediately ran a Quick Scan with Windows fully loaded...and the restore files again could not be scanned. The specific message under the Status column in the log is "Error: Archive is password protected (42056)".

I realize this is a nuisance, not a serious issue, but I'm suspicious when a program behaves one way for almost 2 years, then suddenly starts behaving differently on a consistent basis. I will try zapping all the restore points, create a new one, then run another scan to see if it scans the new RP or continues to skip it. 
« Last Edit: November 28, 2011, 01:53:02 PM by KNRover »

Offline Asyn

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Re: Some files are password protected and cannot be scanned
« Reply #9 on: November 28, 2011, 01:45:05 PM »
Anyway, it's nothing to worry about...!!! ;)
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Offline Asyn

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Re: Some files are password protected and cannot be scanned
« Reply #10 on: November 28, 2011, 02:19:24 PM »
I realize this is a nuisance, not a serious issue, but I'm suspicious when a program behaves one way for almost 2 years, then suddenly starts behaving differently on a consistent basis.

Well, avast! did behave like this before, but lately Adobe started to pw-protect it's updates, that's most probably the reason you didn't encounter this before. ;)
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KNRover

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Re: Some files are password protected and cannot be scanned
« Reply #11 on: November 28, 2011, 02:55:42 PM »
OK, I turned System Restore (SR) off, which zapped all the restore points, rebooted, created a restore point, then ran a scan. Same result; every file in the System VolumeInformation/_restore subfolder is password protected. Now that there's only one restore point in it, most of the files are .png (portable network graphics) or .js (JavaScript) files.

That these files are suddenly not scanable is not a big deal, but it signals that something in my system or the Avast software changed 2 weeks ago, and that's what bothers me.

Offline Asyn

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Re: Some files are password protected and cannot be scanned
« Reply #12 on: November 28, 2011, 03:00:57 PM »
So how can we help you..??
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KNRover

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Re: Some files are password protected and cannot be scanned
« Reply #13 on: November 28, 2011, 03:56:17 PM »
Don't think you can. I was looking for an answer to the question, "What caused Avast to suddenly lose access to the system restore files." The one suggestion to delete all the SR points, create one new point, then try a scan did not give Avast access to the files. If this forum had a "Solved" button for threads, I would click it, since I think I've gotten about as much information as I'm going to.

Thanks.

ady4um

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Re: Some files are password protected and cannot be scanned
« Reply #14 on: November 28, 2011, 04:28:02 PM »
Maybe you missed something that was posted. Your first suspicion is that Avast is behaving differently. Maybe.

But maybe some other software is now behaving differently (Adobe password - protecting files) and that's the reason. System Restore would be building the backups from the same files tahn before, but now those files are password protected, and Avast can't do anything about it.

This is one possibility, already mentioned above. I'm just expanding the explanation.