Hello, I’m new to AVAST and new to the forum. In the past I’ve tried NORTON, ANTIVIR and AVG. NORTON sucks, ANTIVIR it’s nice but from time to time I had problems updating. AVG was nice, I had the last 2 years but I don’t like the new version 8. Finally I’ve chosen AVAST because I think it has a satifying scanner, very nice customizable interface and mainly spyware support plus the best prevention shield an antivirus could have. It’s light enough and it’s predefined settings are satysfing so I can easily recommend to my brothers and friendsfor installing it without need to be there to explain things and change settings when they install. The last one it’s important. There are many inexperienced users that just need sth to work. I’m the guy who knows sth more and take care of the pcs of 5-6 people [relatives-friends] when problems occur. It would be better if these people use the same with me. And this the reason that I prefer AVAST. With AVAST they have full protection on every use and I will not confuse them with a second application for spyware.
[If you didn’t undestand already I like talking…typing…whatever it’s called…]
The last month my pc had become too slow. 1,5 year before the last format and I have tested many software. So it was the time. But I took the chance todo some experiments with double booting, registry hacking… things that can really destroy a pc if sth goes wrong.
DUring these experiments I never had hardware-driver problems, blue screen, not now not ever. Keep it in mind it’s important!!!
My pc survived but now it was much slower… What else to do before formatting??? Oh Yes, try some antivirus software and decide in order to avoid install-unistall-reinstall to the fresh pc.
This new AVG is no longer for me. NORTON sucks, heavy and the uninstallation was very hard… I had same problems in the past but I’ve read from many people that this had changed, I shouldn’t listen to them. ANTIVIR a classic solution worked really nice, light and fast. AVAST great!!! Impressing!!! I loved it!!! And it’s free!!! ANTIVIR has also a free version. But with no support for spyware/adware and with problems on updating.
I’ve tried others in the past but I never was so impressed. AVAST is certified from ISCA LABS, AV-COMPARATIVES, WEST COAST LABS, VIRUS BULLET IN. So i stop here.
But there is a little sth… AVAST on the full scan [thorough] caused a blue screen “IRQL NOT LESS NOT EQUAL”. This is usually a hardware problem, mainly caused by the memory module. Or a driver problem or who knows…
But the standard scan with archive files enabled has no problem. The blue screen is probably there because windows xp installation is “old and tired” because of my software experiments. So I go on after format I’ll have no problem…
FORMAT, INSTALL XP PRO SP2, INSTALL ALL SECURITY UPDATES. OTHER SOFTWARE… AVAST, COMODO FIREWALL, SPYWAREBLASTER.
CPU: PENTIUM 4 2.8 HYPER THREADING
RAM: 1024 MB [2 MODULES BUT IT’S NOT DUAL]
MOTHERBOARD: MSI 648FX
GRAPHICS: ATI 9200 128MB
C PARTITION: NTFS 23GB, USED 7GB. ONLY XP AND INSTALLED SOFTWARE
D PARTITION: NTFS 54GB, USED 33GB. JPG, MP3, AVI, DOC, PDF
PROBLEM: BLUE SCREEN [“IRQL NOT LESS NOT EQUAL”] ON Thorough scan with or without archive files
Standard/quick scan with or without archive files ok
Boot scan with or without archive files ok
I also get blue screen using the extension explorer. But as I read on other topics explorer extension scanner it’s the same as a thorough scan with archive files enabled, so it’s actually the same.
The blue screen always comes up while on the D PARTITION but not in a standard file or folder. Some times in the beginning sometimes near the end.
If I do thorough scan or use the explorer extension on C, no problem.
Standard scan with archive files enabled on both partitions 20 minutes, quick scan 12 minutes. Thorough scan the two times that was near to end all files about 40-45 minutes.
BOTH PARTITIONS REFORMATTED BEFORE XP INSTALL. CHECK DISK FIND NO ERRORS INITIALLY. BECAUSE OF THE BLUE SCREEN I BOOT WITH BARTPE AND RUN CHECKDISK ON BOTH BARTITIONS WITH F & R PARAMETERS. BLUE SCREEN AGAIN.
No similar problem with NORTON, ANTIVIR, AVG 7.5 OR 8, that I tried before the fresh install. OF course with settings similar to AVAST thorough scan [all files, inside archives].
I watched the temperatures [EVEREST] and the performance [task manager]. I found out that when the media files I have on the D partition CPU temp and usage goes very high and stays there [temp 65-67 C]. [I also noticed that AVAST becomes too slow when checking these files, while with other antivirus these files were scanned very quickly. Probably the other antivirus do not check such multimedia files even in their hard settings] Probably above 67C Iit’s the stop limit. I really start thinking of hardware failure but I tell that I never had such problems. The only way to get a BLUE SCREEN on my pc till now was too open video editing software, image editing and in general heavy applications and try to do in the same time hard jobs.
Another thought was that my CPU is getting already too hot because it’s already scanning the C parttion SO when reaching at D it’s already too hot. So I’ve tried scanning only D. Again BLUE SCREEN and again not in a some what standard time or folder-file. Sometimes too early, sometimes just alittle before ending. CPU TEMP again reaching 67C.
IF I only scan [thorough-archive] C the max temperature is 64C.
For me the “solution” is to exclude some file types of the scanning mp3, jpg, avi. I could exclude a folder but this is wrong because that way you also exclude hidden and system files. Viruses MANY TIMES ARE HIDDEN FILES. Exluding file types ensures that the scanner will scan other files even if hidden. Don’t even think of excluding a hall partition even if it only has data, because partitions contain hidden-system folders that will not be scanned!!!
IF you don’t know file type just browse to a file. Remember THE LAST THREE LETTERS AFTER THE DOT. THEN REMOVE THE FILE YOU’VE BROWSED AND ADD IT WITH * IN THE BEGINNING. YOUR EXCLUSION LIST SHOULD LoOK LIKE:
*.mp3
*.jpg
*.avi
Because files of diiferent type use the same icon according to the application used to open this is not an absolute solution. For example mp3, wma, ogg use the same icon or avi, mpg, wmv or…
So in windows in folder options you should disable “hide extensions”. But many people not used to it might accidentally make mistakes and get inexperienced peole into troubles.
TO avoid this you can exlude a folder where you will put your data. But to ensure that “no stranger will hide there” from time make a new folder, move your files there, delete the old folder, rename the new one with the old name. Actually the name does not matter butusing the same name ensures tat your mp3 databases will work.
So this is an easy solution for people used to see their files with the extension but not a total solution for everyone.
IN other cases I don’t spend time for an application is not working. I choose a similar that works. But I really like AVAST.
THANKS FOR YOUR TIME.