I’ve recently re-installed Avast after trying Avira and not being satisfied with it only to find that Avast in its latest version (4.8) keeps running a system scan on what seems to be a daily basis right when I’m in the middle of doing something. I’ve tried to figure out where I can change or disable these scheduled system scans, but haven’t had any luck. I also tried searching google and these forums again without results, so I thought I’d make a post.
I just ran a full system scan yesterday, but I’ve now had to pause Avast today as its trying to run a scan right now and is slowing down my entire computer.
I’m running avast home, I’m not sure if the icon was rotating, but when the system starts to slow down, I right click on the avast and choose On-Access Protection Control and where it says Scan Count it shows a section of my hard drive that its currently scanning and is very obviously searching through my computer and also the Scan Count numbers are going up.
And when I pause the scanner, my computer’s speed goes back up to normal.
That would lead me to believe that its scanning my system, and seeing as how I didn’t tell it to, that would also lead me to believe its doing it as a scheduled scan.
I also don’t remember what time it was exactly today, but I noticed the slow down around 7:00am. Not sure when it did it a few days ago, but I don’t think it was 7am cause I was sleeping. It was late at night though.
That is the on-access scanner so it is only scanning files that themselves are being accessed.
Unlike an on-access scan which would be user originated or scheduled in the Pro version (or a work around to use the task scheduler in the Home version), but these can pretty much be discounted as you would recall setting this up.
So what other security software do you have ?
If any one of those is doing a scan, avast would intercept files being opened bay the other scanner and scan them first.
Not running anything else for security. And it seems to be chruning through the entire hard drive if only scanning files in use is the case. The only thing I can think of is that I’m using photoshop and its installed on my H:\ drive so Avast is deciding to scan the entire drive?
I didn’t really catch whether or not it was scanning anything other than H which is my programs folder (IE where I install all software I run)
avast doesn’t decide anything, it only scans files that ‘are being accessed’ so we have to find what is responsible for this access.
Do you have any other applications that might have a scheduled run to access files, I’m thinking back-up software perhaps, etc. ?
This option, ‘Show detailed info on performed actions’ is off by default, so enable it temporarily to see what is being scanned, that may perhaps give an idea of what may be accessing them.
What is the sensitivity of the Standard Shield, Normal is the default, any higher and more files will be scanned when accessed ?