I’d like to run a thorough scan overnight, but can’t find a setting that will automatically delete any found viruses. Can anyone help? Ta
These advanced automated options are only available in the Pro version.
My own feeling on this is you should use the default interactive action. This way you know exactly what is going on with your system. If you are getting so many warnings, that you want to automate this process, I believe you should review your security practice - filter emails at source, delete from server rather than download them, review the sites they visit, etc.
However, after your first (and in my case only) thorough scan the requirement is lessened in my opinion.
I have only ever done a through scan with archives once shortly after installation just to ensure a clean start state, but with XP for example avast will do a boot-time scan after installation if you select it, this I believe will be quicker and reasonably effective. Like everything in life things are a compromise.
Archive (zip, etc.) files are by their nature are inert, you need to extract the files and then you have to run them to be a threat. Long before that happens avast’s Standard Shield should have scanned them and before an executable is run that is scanned. Thorough is also by its design very thorough and perhaps a little overkill for routine use, were a Standard scan without archives should be adequate.
With the different levels of protection of and the fall back of the Standard Shield, I find the need for thorough scans lessened. I prefer to do a manual scan with my regular weekly maintenance tasks.