After the last engine update. I’ve noticed avast scans everything exe related whenever I open a folder. I wouldn’t see this normally as a problem. But some folders have all my tools in them and it freaks out upon opening these folders. Avast never did this before the last update and seems to throw a hissy fit when I open game folders as well.
It took me 10 minutes to delete a exe game that is clean. Because avast wouldn’t stop scanning it!
It did so automatically and I had difficulty even clicking on it, NOT executing it! Just one left click on it to delete. I had to delete it because avast kept scanning it taking 100% of one cpu core over the course of 10 minutes. This is completely unacceptable for any AV program.
Avast never did this before so can anyone explain why it scans these files upon opening a folder full of them, without even clicking or executing them???
I use vista64 latest version. I was thinking it maybe the OS at first. But when I thought about it. The changes to avast are the only thing different.
The FSS does the scanning whenever I open a folder. I may have missed it. But it took so long to scan through each executable (which wasn’t executed =/). That I could watch it under the FSS scanning it.
It never did this before with as far as I remember the same settings I had 2 months ago before avast was changed around.
I’m also curious if you have this happen?
The option for “Scan when Opening” I set to scan all files is ticked. But I don’t see how that pertains to opening a folder. The english of it maybe slightly mis translated or needs to very specifically state its for opening of folders.
It maybe something small like that. But if that is NOT what that function is for. Then I do not know what avast is doing =/
EDIT:
Yeah, it was the “Scan when Opening” option in the FSS.
I feel rather silly now. But this still makes me think it should specifically state;
Scan all Files (When opening a folder. This option will scan all executable files within the first branch; excluding sub-folders. Sub-folders would be scanned when accessed)
At least I found and solved the problem. =D
To avast team. Could what I wrote be added to avoid this confusion?
File System Shield;
Scan when Opening;
Scan all Files = option
Scan all Files (When opening a folder. This option will scan all executable files within the first branch; excluding sub-folders. Sub-folders would be scanned when accessed)
I like this option. I just didn’t understand it auto scanned when I accessed a folder =D
That is your problem, scan all files when open, when you open a folder there is an interaction between explorer and the file in it, for a start the icon of the .exe file etc. is extracted from the file. To do this the file would have to be opened. I don’t know if there is any further optimisation/interaction in explorer, like indexing and or reading ahead to speed opening or not when you open a folder.
Essentially there is no need to scan a file on opening (or no doubt avast would have that as a default setting) and executables are scanned before they are allowed to run.
So restoring the default setting you have found that all is calm again, without putting you at any appreciable risk.
Yeah thats what I was thinking. Would like the scan all option clarified. If I get confused. I’m sure some other people do as well XD
I keep it on for the time being and scan the folders ahead of time when I have it off I suppose.
I think it maybe fine. But I also thought what you had. About the OS extracting the icon. I don’t think this has any exploits. But ya never can tell I guess.