Clean Question!

system · 2007-06-21T01:47:59.000Z

I read that avast! home not only scan but also clean files! Is that true? In order to clean a file do I have to do something or Avast! Home automatically clean the viruses that it found? Do Avast! home clean spyware and adware or just virus?

Vladimyr · 2007-06-21T02:54:25.000Z

During CPU idle time (at default settings), Avast! creates a Virus Recovery DataBase (VRDB) which it will use as a reference for repairing infected files, so just leaving the machine on will allow it to be constructed. The settings for this can be altered by right-clicking on the blue and white “i” icon in the system tray.

Avast! is mainly detecting viruses, worms, trojans. Some spyware will be detected but using a specialist antispyware app alongside Avast! is adviseable.
At least Windows Defender. Other suggestions http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=28834.0 3rd post down by “Tech”.

system · 2007-06-21T03:00:21.000Z

Vladimyr post:2:

During CPU idle time (at default settings), Avast! creates a Virus Recovery DataBase (VRDB) which it will use as a reference for repairing infected files, so just leaving the machine on will allow it to be constructed. The settings for this can be altered by right-clicking on the blue and white “i” icon in the system tray.

Avast! is mainly detecting viruses, worms, trojans. Some spyware will be detected but using a specialist antispyware app alongside Avast! is adviseable.
At least Windows Defender. Other suggestions http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=28834.0 3rd post down by “Tech”.

good!!!

system · 2007-06-21T03:55:58.000Z

This mean that if a file is not in the VRDB it can not be cleaned? As far as I know most antivirus programs can clean a file without having a copy of it. I read that by default the VRDB is recreated every 3 weeks. What happen if one of my files become infected in the meanwhile? The file wont be cleaned beacuse it is not in the VRDB? What about if somebody hand me over a USB drive with some MS Word files that I need but a virus is found on those files? Wont AVAST clean them beacause they are not in the VRDB?

Vladimyr · 2007-06-21T05:23:00.000Z

artificer post:4:

What about if somebody hand me over a USB drive with some MS Word files that I need but a virus is found on those files?

An AV program can ‘clean’ an infected file if (a) a reference copy has been made (VRDB), or (b) it knows exactly what the virus does, can determine changes that have been made to the file and undo them.
VRBD only works for executable files so for all others, including MS Word, there’s only option (b). AFAIK, the cleaning function of Avast! Pro & Home is limited to those listed here http://www.avast.com/eng/avast-virus-cleaner.html though it’d make sense that if Avast! determined that clean/repair was possible for a particular Word Macro or other virus during a scan that cleaning would be offered as an option.

artificer post:4:

I read that by default the VRDB is recreated every 3 weeks.

This is true (30,240 minutes) though it can be altered by editing or adding the appropriate line to the avast4.ini file under [VRDB] as follows:

[VRDB]
RunInterval=10080

Note: Default is 21 days (60 x 24 x 21 in minutes = 30240 , 10080 is 7 days)

Lisandro · 2007-06-21T20:47:14.000Z

Vladimyr post:2:

During CPU idle time (at default settings), Avast! creates a Virus Recovery DataBase (VRDB) which it will use as a reference for repairing infected files, so just leaving the machine on will allow it to be constructed. The settings for this can be altered by right-clicking on the blue and white “i” icon in the system tray.

Only executable files are protected (.exe, .com, etc.) and could be cleaned.

artificer post:4:

This mean that if a file is not in the VRDB it can not be cleaned?

Yes. Only file infectors ‘mess’ the original file and could be restored. Other infections, the ‘whole’ infection is removed (file, registry key, etc.), so no reason to repair.

Vladimyr post:2:

What happen if one of my files become infected in the meanwhile?

You won’t be able to restore. Reduce the VRDB period. Although, the last three versions of the files info are stored. If you use a shortest period you will lose the ability to clean because there won’t be a ‘correct’ version to get back.

Vladimyr post:2:

The file wont be cleaned beacuse it is not in the VRDB? What about if somebody hand me over a USB drive with some MS Word files that I need but a virus is found on those files? Wont AVAST clean them beacause they are not in the VRDB?

MS files aren’t cleanable. You need a backup of them.

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