DO I NEED TO RUN VIRUS SCAN?

General Topics
1

Hello
I use avast anti virus free edition.
Since it is updated auto matically and therefore presumably I am protected, is there any need to run a scan and if so how frequently should I perform this task?
I would be very grateful for any comments
Thank you
gel

2

Hello gel,
Yes, you should run a full scan at least once a week or every 10 days (in my opinion). Why? I’ll give you an example:
Let’s say that on Monday you got a new virus.
Let’s also say that the virus definition file for this partcular virus was added today by avast.
If you don’t scan your system in time, you may find out that you have this virus only after it has (possibly) done too much damage on your system.
Bottom line: Better safe, than sorry. :wink:

3

Hi gel,
You should most definitely run an initial scan and I might suggest you make the first scan
a boot time scan which is the most effective.
Once you’ve gotten a clean bill of health, a monthly scan is probably more than sufficient.
Since we don’t know your browsing habits, it’s really hard for any of us to judge.

4

Thank you for your messages.
I have been running a standard check each morning and a thorough check including archives once a week.May be this is a little over the top since I am very careful where I brouse and never open attachments unless I know the sender.
gel

5

Generally I’ll do a full (standard) scan with avast, ewido, and my anti-spyware stuff once a week. And sooner, if I have any reason to suspect problems on my system.

6

Naaaah, if you keep your antivirus updated and real-time scanner always enabled you don’t have to do scans more often than once every month or if you suspect something weird is going on on your PC.
Scanning every week kinda kills the purpose of real-time scanner.
Besides, real-tim scanner will check files again and again when they are accessed/executed so they’d be cought sooner or later after new VPS updates.

7

Which scan do all of you recommend for my weekly scan, A thorough scan through the GUI or a boot scan?

8
  1. A scheduled one by the Professional version :wink:
  2. If you don’t have, I’ll suggest the thorough scan through the GUI.
  3. I’ll use the boot scan only if you get infected or detect something in the common one (number 2) :slight_smile:
9

I do a weekly Standard scan without archives that should be sufficient, the resident scanners should catch most and as RejZoR said Standard Shield should catch those when they try to run.

Archives by their nature are inert, you need to unpack them and then you need to execute the file/s, standard shield should have become involved before you try to execute anything. I have only ever done one Through scan with archives and that was shortly after installing avast just to give me a clean start state (as best that any one AV scanner can).

I can’t see me doing another through scan in a hurry, it would have to be something suspect, but then if I was suspicious it may well be that avast hadn’t detected something and then the value of a through scan with archives would be negligible if avast hadn’t detected anything in the first place. Then you could be contemplating a back-up scan either an on-demand AV or an on-line scan.

10

Thanks Tech and David.

11
and as RejZoR said Standard Shield should catch those when they try to run
He also said that a scan once a month is more than sufficient. :)
12

Thanks bob.

13

I am most grateful for the time you have all spent in replying to my query.
The advice has been most helpful,
Many thanks,
gel