Maybe this is a little outdated now - I didn’t know a newer version was available.
Still, for what it’s worth:
Boot Scan (the only kind of scan I do, usually), using 4.8, gets stuck on Deleted “[INFECTED]” emails.
First, if it finds them in Outlook Express Deleted Items folder, the scan will freeze - no keystrokes, not even Esc, will work. The only way out is to hit the Power button to turn off puter - not the best move, by the sound of things, but there’s no option.
You can empty Deleted Items folder, of course, but the next scan will find the ‘same’ things stored in some weird place - like, C:\Docs and Settings<user>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail\Storage Folders\Deleted Items… and freeze up again in the same way.
I don’t use Live Mail anyway, so I don’t know what my stuff is doing in there.
You can delete everything in that folder too, but, then, you must empty Recycle Bin or the next scan will freeze again on the same items. :
Anyhow, I got version 5 now (and finally decide I should pay for it).
Boot Scan seems fine now. Only difference was that it found one “[INFECTED]” item in my Inbox, which Deleted OK - didn’t seem to be bothered by any Deleted ‘infected’ items, if there was any.
Don’t worry, I know where these ‘infected’ are coming from - part of a mailing group Spam filter where I have some Administrative privilege.
I would never delete infected email on a boot-time scan as you are trying to extract a file from within a database file (.dbx file), which could corrupt the database file with the possible loss of all emails in that file.
Since it appears to be in the deleted items email folder I suggest that you periodically clear out your deleted emails folder in OE. You should then compact the email folder as this truly removes the contents.
Are you sure you don’t use WLM or hadn’t installed it previously, if you did install it ensure you uninstall it. I don’t have that folder, I use OE and have never installed WLM.
@ DavidR
I guess WLM must’ve been installed before I got the machine - I’ll have a look at uninstalling it, thanks.
The problem with the boot scan is you can’t do anything once it finds these infected emails. I would probably choose Ignore, under the circumstances, but can’t do that either. Nothing works.
@Tech
Yeah. I bought AIS by mistake, sort of… I’m more accustomed to OA so chose, for the moment, to keep it and turn off firewall component of AIS. There’s a bit about it in this other thread.
The problem with the boot scan freezing up has nothing to with that tho. It was happening when using avast! antivirus (free). Version 4.8 that is. I don’t know if version 5 would be different.
And, sorry guys. Looks like I posted in the wrong section of the forum.
I suspect that you are using a USB keyboard ?
If so a problem with win XP is that USB keyboards aren’t recognised in the boot-time scan.
I have always opted for a wired, PS2 keyboard as I don’t feel USB or wireless keyboards are without problems. So you might try getting an old/cheap PS2 keyboard. I use a Benq X-Touch 800 keyboard that I got on ebay, the postage cost more than the keyboard (99p) it was just an old modle but brand new boxed and works fine.
But then, why did it seem to work without a problem when I tried it on Avast! 5?
Tbh, I’m not sure if boot time scan ever found anything since I got this rig. Looking at Chest transfer times makes me think it possibly did. That would’ve been using 4.8 too.
So, from my perspective, inexpert as it is, it just looks like a problem peculiar to stuff in Deleted Items folder.
I’ll quite happily stand corrected.
Oh, and thanks for the advice about not deleting infected email during boot scan.
This is what I mean:
Yesterday I did a boot time scan, using 5, and it found an infected email - in my Inbox this time - I hit 1 (I think it is) to Delete. Deleted fine and scan continued merrily on it’s way.
Plus, tho I can’t be absolutely sure, I’d say I have used boot time scan successfully to Move to Chest with the exact same keyboard and all on at least one occasion previously.
So, if a USB keyboard won’t work for boot time scan, why did it (apparently) do so yesterday or any other time?
Ahhah!
This machine doesn’t have any PS2 sockets - for keyboard or for mouse.
So, USB must work in any case - and, it does.
Did another boot time scan. Found one in my Inbox marked as spam but also, apparently, infected [Trj gen x]. Hit 7 to Ignore - no problem. Hit Esc later and that works fine too.
Avast! 5 seems to ignore infected files in Deleted Items folder - I know there’s one in there.
So, it goes back to what I said in the beginning - 4.8 boot-time scan gets stuck on those Deleted Items.
That was on the free Home edition; I don’t know if the Pro version of 4 would do the same or if Free version of 5 would either.
Otherwise, also as I said in the beginning, this whole topic might be outdated by now.
I’m only passing on what one of the Alwil team mentioned about XP and USB keyboards in relation to the boot-time scan.
PS2 sockets were hardwired, a kind of legacy port on the motherboard that should work in all instances. Since your MB doesn’t have these PS2 sockets (1 for the mouse and 1 for the keyboard) in newer motherboards, then I can only presume that the USB port that you have your KB attached is in similar way hardwired to the MB and able to work outside of windows.
Yes, I understand your point.
My even older machines have PS2 ports.
I don’t know much about this system, but I guess it would be pretty silly to build a machine like it without some basic on board, or ‘integrated’, support for USB keyboard. How would you get on trying to do a clean install, for instance?
If memory serves, a driver was required to be installed for USB on another machine…
For this machine there isn’t a driver specifically for USB available. The driver install procedure doesn’t mention anything about USB either. I’d have to guess that any USB drivers required are bundled in the “Chipset” thingy.
