I just started using Avast on a trial basis.
Avast moved my whole thunderbird inbox to the chest cause of 1 lame phishing trojan I knew not to open. I restored the whole inbox once, now it won’t let me do it after a second scan. I want my email back!!!
I like this product so far, except for this. Why does it remove the whole inbox???
This has been explained in various threads.
Please use the search option on this board.
This problem is due to Thunderbird. In their website there is FAQ section explaining that.
The way of TB stores the messages into one file seems to be the ‘bad guy’ here.
What do you mean by the ‘second scan’?
I got my inbox restored again, now to find and delete the offending attachment, then I’ll scan again.
The offending attachment was in my inbox prior to installing Avast
Once it is working, scanning incoming email, when it encounters virus it will not remove the whole inbox again right?
Thanks
Many major email clients store the messages in one file (OE, Outlook, Lotus Notes). Actually Thunderbird, unlike most of them does not do this.
Thunderbird stores each folder as a separate file. The problem with Thunderbird, unlike the other mail systems, is that it stores the mail in a non-encrypted format. So when Avast scans the mail files in an on-demand scan it can find the virus. The other mail systems will have encrypted the virus and Avast would not be able to find them.
So, unfortunately, Avast will lock away the particular folder (too frequently the inbox) that is infected.
The best solution is always prevention rather than cure. If you run the Internet Mail scanner it will detect and stop the infected message before it ever touches your mail file.
Using Thunderbird, when you detect and delete the infected message it is vital that you compact the folder before running any more Avast scans on it.
Another approach to “hiding” bad files is to zip them with a password. They are then harmless and avast! can’t find them.
Dave88,
one more thought … your question … why does it take the whole inbox when only one message is infected?
The inbox in Thunderbird (and every other folder) is a separate file. The Avast on demand scanner is just scanning the files on your system. It finds a virus signature and it takes action.
It has no idea that this file, just named “Inbox” by the way - no file type - is part of your Thunderbird mail system.
Even if it did do you expect Avast to understand the way every single mail client ever created stores messages (every one of them differently), dissect it and just snip out the infected message?
I know that doesn’t, in any way, relieve the frustration you’ve been through; but spare a thought for the guys, facing issues like this, who have to develop and deliver this product to you.
Please run the mail scanner and let Avast do the great job it does of keeping the bad stuff out of your mail files in the first place.