I did a boot time scan today and Avast did not scan the rar archive I had put in a folder. Neither with a full system scan nor with a folder scan.
OS = XP sp2 (fully updated)
Avast = 4.5.549
vps = 451-1
Tried it 4 times to make sure I didn’t forget something, but no luck.
The archive is scanned while performing a scan from within Windows.
The boot-time scanner supports only a limited set of archives, in comparison to the “ordinary” program.
Where are my glasses? I misread a thing. My mistake. Igor, you are right.
But I did however found something that should be changed imo. In the help file it says “self-extracting EXE” is supported. A self extracting .exe created with rar isn’t scanned. I think that text should be something like: “self extracting .exe’s created by one of the mentioned archivers is supported also”
The way it is stated in the help currently means that any selfextracting archive will be scanned no mather what archiver is used to produce it. (or at least it can be mistaken this way).
I believe “self-extracting EXE” actually means “exe-packers” here.
These terms should be finally fixed. Its really confusing,one calls AsPack a packer,other one calls it archive,another one calls it Self-Extract EXE…
I explained this many times,so you probably know what i mean…
Correct me if I am wrong, I was always under the impression that boot time scanning is superior to on line scanning as it lets Avast scan unlocked Windows and other files, what is the recommended method proffered by all to achieve the best protection?
Hi,
The best method is to secure your PC, so that you don’t actually get viruses, of course ;D
Malware in Archives is inactive and not directly dangerous, and those files won’t be locked by Windows anyway, so it’s imho not really important that Boot-Time Scan doesn’t scan all archive types 
I know RejZor. Most people are mixing up the term, so I think rewording that frase in the help can help avoid confusion amongst “newbees”.