Avast Pro "Full System Scan" is really NOT "Full System Scan"

I have used the free version of Avast for years. Since they updated the program to not allow any Modifications to “Full system scans” i am disappointed!

Why would they change this?

I scan and the total amount scanned is just over 64k files. Which my computer has well over the 200k-400k mark.

I cannot change the settings to “Scan all files” that is complete BULL!

So i go and download the Avast Pro trial. Thinking well i will see if it works better (Thinking of buying it) But i look and even the trial you can;t change “Full system scan”???

Is this a joke? Scanning is the ONLY main thing that can for sure keep a computer safe. Real time shields are only cosmetic.

This makes me want to change to a different anti virus, no matter if Avast is better or not!

You only need one mistake, to loose customers. And loose them for good.

This is one of those mistakes. No one can feel safe UNLESS scans scan ALL FILES!

Whats the difference in trial vs free version? Only 2 shields.

A trial version of any software has to give the full benefits of the program. Or it is pointless!

Why should i spend money if i cannot see if it is better than the free version?

Looks like i know why your competitor for free anti virus (AVG) has more customers. BECAUSE YOU CAN SCAN ALL FILES!

If this issue isn’t addressed, that is exactly what program i will be turning to, and buying.

Cause at least i can see what the full paid version can do, and not be limited.

Its only a 1 time 30 day trial, as if you would loose any money.

no anti virus is 100% detection rate. So when something gets passed the shields, you have no way of knowing, because you cannot scan all files, or change setting from normal, to high.

Avast used to be able to, but in no way would anyone pay for Avast if they cannot see the difference of a paid version from a free version. 2 extra shields is nothing close to being enough to buy a program “To see” if it is better.

Worst move you could possibly make. Your making computers unsafe without being able to scan all files!

I personally use the Boot-time Scan. It checks all the files and does it before
the system starts to use those files that a regular scan can’t access because the files are in use.

so you did not find the " create custom scan " ? i guess not

Worst move you could possibly make. Your making computers unsafe without being able to scan all files!
I guess the avast! team working with malware 24/7 knows 100 times better then anyone in here what is safe and how this works....

Then if you read the information on that Full System Scan you will see that it is a pre-defined scan, to customise these options, please create a custom scan, see image.

Interestingly not all files on your system actually need to be scanned, as a large quantity will be files that aren’t executable or targeted by viruses/malware, archives are by their nature inert, until you open the archive, extract the files and run any executable, etc. Before this happens, the resident scanner would have scanned them. This is the whole point of having resident on-access protection.

So many files on your system are actually dormant, don’t get used and would only be scanned by an on-demand scan.

On another note, currently the beta version of avast, 5.1.822, allows for the changing of some of the parameters, inclusion of Packers (archive) in the scan. I can’t recall if that is in 5.0.677 or not. But you would be better creating a custom scan if there are other options that you want to change.

In addition to the information David provided, avast also uses other techniques (such as a internal whitelist, referred to as the persistent cache) to shorten the scan time and number of files that are needed to be scanned.

More information can be found in this avast blog post:
http://blog.avast.com/2010/04/25/how-to-make-the-full-system-scan-6x-faster-in-10-days/

That’s nonsense, of course - the opposite would be closer to reality. I mean, how often do you run on-demand scans? Every minute? Hardly - and even if you did, an active malware could do a lot of damage during that time.

Anyway, as already told, you create your own scan - where you can set all files to be scanned, just as you wish. The options in the pre-defined scans are somehow limited, as the heading says - to some reasonable state (no, it’s really not necessary to scan gigabytes of AVI or MP3 files).

You need to understand the antivirus technology better.
On demand scanning could be cosmetic if on access (real time) is always ON in a clean computer.


I really find it hard to believe the OP made that statement. But, there it is in black and white … “Real time shields are only cosmetic.” What does the OP think is protecting his/her computer while he/she is scurrying around the Internet?? The answer is, of course, the real time shields. I suppose the OP has never looked at the real time shields in the GUI to see the shield traffic. ::slight_smile: