AVAST-UNable to scan:

Annie,

Here is a response from DavidR of the avast! forum [where this question has been asked a few times before], interspersed with a few comments of my own:

Many programs (usually security based ones... such as AdAware and Spybot Search & Destroy) password protect their files for legitimate reasons [to try to protect these files against being tampered-with by malware, or accidentally erased by the user].... (and avast doesn't know the password, or have any way of using it even if it did know it).

When you run scans with the above programs and you delete harmful entries that they detect, a [backup] copy is kept (in quarantine/vault/restore) in case you need to reverse what you did. These are usually password protected [to keep the virus/malware from further infecting your system];...    [if you wish] you (c)ould do some housekeeping and delete old backup/recovery/quarantine entries (older than two weeks or so), this will reduce the numbers of files that can't be scanned.

By examining 1) the reason given by avast! for not being able to scan the files, 2) the location of the files, you can get an idea of what program they relate to.

Files that can't be scanned are just that, not an indication they are suspicious/infected, just unable to be scanned.

ky331, Thanks for this information. I removed the quarantine items in SuperAntispyware.  I seem to be having some problems with AVAST and these problems occurred after I updated to the 4.8 program.  When I try to view any Quarantine Items from the program I receive this message: 

Quarantine Access is denied. Application "avast" Simple User Interface cannot run external program. c:\programfiles\alwi\software\avast4\ashChest.exe  Cannot view log viewer

I get a similar message when I try to view the log viewer.  This program is working differently since I updated.  I use ZoneAlarm Pro for my firewall on the computer with AVAST. I have been getting a lot of permission messages from ZoneAlarm  for the ashSimpl.exe file which I have been giving permission to. 

Also I ran a virus scan overnight with AVAST and it took over 11 hours. Something does not seem right-maybe a setting somewhere that got changed with the update?   Should I uninstall and reinstall or is there a setting I should be looking at? 

Post number 2

ky331. "removing the quarantined items from SAS should take care of the "avast can't scan - password protected archive" issue"---yes it did. Thanks for the tip on this one.

As far as the other problems with AVAST-I think it has something to do with the permissions in ZoneAlarm Pro.  I updated the version of ZoneAlarm Pro the same day as the Avast Program update so I think there is a connection here.    I will get back to after I do a bit of looking at this more closely.  Thanks for your fast reply. I can always count on you!   Hugs, Annie

Annie,

i just updated my last post (in bold) to indicate you should first be sure you have the latest avast build (1296) before attempting anything else. just wanted to make sure you didn't miss my edit while you were posting.

as mentioned, i don't use zone alarm... if you believe that's the source of your conflict, by all means, investigate/pursue it... at the avast forums, as well as the zone alarm forum (i assume they have one).

Annie, i just updated my last post (in bold) to indicate you should first be sure you have the latest avast build (1296) before attempting anything else. just wanted to make sure you didn't miss my edit while you were posting. as mentioned, i don't use zone alarm... if you believe that's the source of your conflict, by all means, investigate/pursue it... at the avast forums, as well as the zone alarm forum (i assume they have one).

I do have the latest version (1296 build) of AVAST.  Annie

AVAST is running normally again. It took 43 minutes to run a scan.  The AVAST file, ashSimpl.exe, needed ZoneALarm Pro's permission to run. It took me awhile to figure this out.  Since I have run both AVAST and Zone Alarm Pro on this computer for some, this was the first time I encountered permission for this file.  Either the new AVAST or the updated ZoneAlarm Pro were behaving differently this time with the updates. 

Yes, Zone Alarm does have a forum. I did post there but have heard nothing so far.  The problem is now solved.

Ky331-thanks for your help!  Annie

Zone Alarm must work a bit differently. I have

ashMaiSrv = e-mail scanner service

ashWebSv = Web scanner

avast.setup

with permission as well as several other avast files. I also am using Outlook Express on my main machine with no P2P programs.  I am guessing that you still like Comodo. I know I have discussed this with you previously (on the old forum).  I haven't tried this Comodo yet because I have read that this program has a high learning curve.  Also I was able to renew my Zone Alarm Pro free of charge because Zone Alarm was celebrating an anniversary and made the program available for free for a year. There was a 24 hour time period where you could sign up although Zone Alarm made me jump through some hoops to get this free.   Since I was familiar with the program and its quirks I decided to continue using it for a year on this computer. 

Annie,

Good detective work... glad to hear you've solved your problem.   43 minutes indeed sounds normal.

Looking at my avast/comodo interaction, I see that i needed to give comodo permission for the following 3 avast files:

ashMaiSrv = e-mail scanner service

ashWebSv = Web scanner

avast.setup

[I use Outlook Express (not Outlook) on this particular machine, and have no P2P programs, so the related avast modules have never run.]

I have not directly given ashSimpl.exe (=virus scanner) any permission via Comodo... however, I see that ashSimpl is one of the "parent" applications that in turn calls on avast.setup.

"Since I was familiar with the program and its quirks I decided to continue using it..."

Annie,

familiarity --- comfort --- ease of use:   are all key factors in deciding which program is "best" for YOU.   along with:

rule #1:   "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!!"

I have a win-ME system for about 8 years now.   when I first got it, I don't believe there was much talk about firewalls.   eventually, when i read/learned about them, I decided to give it a try.   my first experience was with zone alarm.   unfortunately, for me on my ME, it resulted in a highly UNstable (crash-prone) system.   My choice was then:  do i keep a "secure" system which was clearly unstable? --- or do I risk running a (seemingly) stable system which was not secure?   for better or worse, I took the latter option.

at some later point, I tried another firewall on my ME... I believe it was Sygate, but I'm not sure at this point.   With a similar result:  my ME became unstable.   So again, I removed the firewall.

I was on dial-up at the time.   about 3 years ago, I finally switched to DSL (when I realized i'd actually be paying less, overall, than for dial-up).   As part of the package, I received a router, which included a NAT (Network Address Translation) firewall, which provides protection against incoming threats.   At that point, my ME system (as well as any other home computers on that Network) were finally firewalled for good.

Nowadays, with Windows XP and Vista including built-in Windows firewalls --- which should cause no conflicts/instability --- there's no reason why XP/Vista users shouldn't take advantage of firewall protection.

As for alternative ("third-party") firewalls, there's much debate.   their advantage is that they offer OUTgoing protection, and are highly configurable/customizable.   on the other hand, Bugbatter maintains that the built-in Windows XP/Vista firewalls are very good.   Moreover, the Windows firewalls have a critical advantage over many third-party firewalls:   the included Windows firewall starts up with Windows itself, so there's no time interval when the computer is unprotected.    in contrast, third-party firewalls need to be loaded at some point during the boot-up process.   Depending on just how soon they are loaded, and how quickly they can get initialized (and start their protection), you may find that there's a (short?) time interval between the moment you start up your PC until the time the third-party firewall fully "kicks-in", during which you're unprotected.

One way around this is to use a hardware/router firewall [which I keep running 24/7] in addition to any software firewall (of your choice):   the router firewall offers you instantaneous/continual protection, even during any interval when the software firewall might not yet be fully functional.

Joe called our attention to the firewall evaluation/testing... first to Scott Finnie's [at least partially subjective] articles, and then to Matousec's [objective] tests.   at the time I started following things, Comodo 2.4.x seemed to be emerging as Scott's clear favorite.   I tried it on two XP systems, and after a minimal "learning curve" --- realizing I had to determine which applications I was going to allow to have permission to access the internet --- I was up-and-running, and never looked back.

for the record, I did encounter one problem:   while comodo 2.4 installed without issue on the first XP machine, it did not appear in the security center on the second XP system.   turns out I had a "corrupt repository".   Upon fixing that, comodo then appeared in my security center, and all has been well.

not long thereafter, there were two "newsworthy" events:    1) Scott Finnie was so impressed by his experiences with (new-found) Online Armor that it took first-place in his final analysis; and 2) comodo came out with version 3.x, which was Vista compatible, and highly enhanced [including "Defense+"/HIPS (Host-Intrusion Prevention System)].

Unfortunately, even Joe soon concluded that comodo 3.x with HIPS was not for the average user.   [there was an additional "issue", that comodo has recently started to include a non-related, non-required toolbar with its installation]

as noted above, I installed/tried the earlier/simpler comodo 2.4.x, and have never "updated" to 3.x.   the comodo website itself kept 2.4 around for quite a while, targeted specifically at windows 2000 users, for whom 3.x was not an option.   XP (but not Vista) users could still obtain 2.4 during this time.    But the last I checked, the comodo site no longer offers 2.4.   [i'm assuming someone may reply with an alternative site that still offers "old(er)" versions.

As for online armor (unless they've changed things), the FREE version does NOT recall any user-trained settings when you install a program update... meaning either you have to refuse to update it, or else, re-teach it every time about which programs you want to allow to have internet access.

so what's the bottom line --- You yourself said it all:   "Since I was familiar with the program and its quirks I decided to continue using it..." is precisely how I feel about comodo 2.4.   i'm used to it, and it works for me.   [and as noted, I additionally have my router's NAT firewall protecting me].    So if you're happy with ZA, and it's working for you without conflicts [now that you've figured out the one re: avast], you might as well stick with it, regardless of what i'm "clinging" to.

I just typed a long reply to you ky331 and when I posted it I got the SORRY message-ahhhhhhhhhhhh. I just am not growing fonder of this forum. 

Annie,

it seems it now takes me about 3 attempts to post before it finally "sticks"... (and the worst case took me over 30 tries!)    like you, i have lost some major efforts in the process.   so now, I make it a point to COPY my entire work before hitting post [and often, i even paste it into a word processor, just in case IE crashes], so that if i get that error message, i can go back, and paste-it-in, and try to post again.

ky331,  When I have a nice block of time someday I am going to try Comodo. I have an IBM ThinkPAD laptop that I use to test new programs. I would like to give this program at least a try.

Zone Alarm has problems everytime a new version comes out.  I have learned to wait a few months before installing new versions.

I used to have a Dell Dimension 4100 with Windows ME. I really learned a lot using that computer and especially how to trouble shoot. This computer is still being used and has been updated to XP.  I donated this computer to a senior center. They call me once in awhile to trouble shoot some problem. The 4100 was a great workhorse of a computer. 

I used to have dial up-guess many of us did.  Once you have the faster connections you can never go back.  I support a few people's computers who have the dial up connections-so painful to update anything.  Right now I have a router and a cable modem connection.  My next set up will be a wireless connection so I can use a laptop in all rooms. 

Posting is still very frustrating. I try to remember to copy my posts first before posting, however I did not do it the last time. I find it takes me two or three efforts to post. 

Thanks for your lengthy post. I always learn so much from you.  Do you ever post in the old VIP forum? The old one had so many great posts, the new one not so many. 

Annie,

while you're certainly welcome to experiment as you see fit with firewalls (or other security programs), let me point you to the latest report on firewall leak tests, as posted courtesy of Red Dawn here:

http://en.community.dell.com/forums/t/19244526.aspx

in particular, Joe53, whose opinion i strongly respect stated there:

"Comodo Firewall Pro 3.x has morphed into Comodo Internet Security 3.5 (essentially a suite), and has fallen from the top rung. I have resisted upgrading to CIS, and have lost faith in Comodo for several reasons; I will likely dump it for OA [=Online Armor]".

==============================

my ME system was also a Dimension 4100.   i never upgraded it to XP (since it has only 128 Mb RAM... and between upgrading the RAM and O/S... not to mention replacing a presumably small hard drive... I just figured it would make more sense to buy a current system when i needed to.)   my router offers both ethernet cabling as well as wireless.   since my ME did NOT have an ethernet card, upon getting the router, I purchased a USB wireless adapter for the ME system --- figured that was simpler than having to open it up and physically install a wireless card.  

since then, i've purchased two laptops, so I can use them throughout the house (as well as take them along when traveling).

==============================

the inability to post on the first try --- which still continues to be a problem THREE WEEKS after the new forum opened --- was the main reason i expressed my intent to be on "indefinite hiatis".   while i'm still "around", it's clearly to a lesser extent.   I'm making fewer posts, taking on less problems than in the past.   however, i intend to do my best to reply to people like you who have sought out my assistance.

in the old forum, i used to keep my eye on several of the software-related forums, as well as make a rare post in VIP.   however, given the frustation in posting successfully... combined with the slowness of the new forum (even with DSL)... i have limited myself to only virus-spyware [discussions] in the new forum.

Thanks for sharing the post by Joe53 relating to Comodo Internet Security 3.5. He is the expert in this area.  I do appreciate your assistance. I also always look forward to the updates you provide in the Virus and Spyware Forum.  Keep doing great things. Many people read each and every one of your posts-in fact we have come to expect this good information to help keep some of our programs updated.

I too am still have trouble posting.  Many users are so frustrated using this forum and I fall into that category also. I used to be here every evening for long periods of time but have been going elsewhere to post, help, and learn.

POST #2