Exclusion for my Startup.bat is ignored, after a big update

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

Previously, Avast put my Startup.bat, which I have in the Startup folder, in the Virus Chest.

So, I set an Exclusion for it.

After I made it an Exclusion, this no longer happens, but after a big Avast update, it is ignored, and does not run.

The only way I can get it to work again, is to delete the Exclusion, and then put the path back in. Why does it require me to do this?

Here is what it runs (screenshot attached):

START “” “C:\Program Files\PowerMenu\PowerMenu.exe”

START “” “C:\Program Files\Notepad++\notepad++.exe” “C:\X\01\scratch.txt”

START “” “C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe” "https://us-mg5.mail.yahoo.com/

START “” “C:\Program Files\SeaMonkey\seamonkey.exe” -mail

START “” “C:\Program Files\naturalsoft\naturalreader9\NaturalReader9.exe”

EXIT 0

2

Are you saying that a BAT file with this specific content gets detected when not on the exclusion list?

3

1.) Before I had it as an Exclusion, yes, it was detected, and put in the Virus vault.

2.) After I put it on the Exclusion list, it runs fine.

3.) After a big Avast update, the Exclusion is still there on the list, but it is ignored, and not run.

4.) I have to delete it from the Exclusion list, and then put it back on, then it works again.

Another question:

As seen in my screenshot, I specify the whole “Startup” folder as an Exclusion, which I don’t want to do, for security reasons.

I would like to just have my particular file, “Startup.bat,” as being excluded, by adding the file name at the end, like this:

C: \ ProgramData \ Microsoft \ Windows \ Start Menu \ Programs \ StartUp \ Startup.bat

. . . but when I do this, the DOS windows that pops up, shows all of the programs loading slowly - and it launches some of them twice. Any idea why?

4

And “the Exclusion is still there on the list, but it is ignored, and not run.” means that the file is detected when you run it? What is the detection name?
I’m asking because I wanted to try to reproduce the behavior, but the content you posted is not detected.

5

. . . And “the Exclusion is still there on the list, but it is ignored, and not run.” means that the file is detected when you run it?

No, it is not detected, either - meaning that it does not put it in the Virus Chest. Quite simply, it just doesn’t do anything with it. It ignores it, and remains in the Exclusions list.

. . . What is the detection name?

n/a, it is not detected, but I’m talking about my “Startup.bat” file.

. . . asking because I wanted to try to reproduce the behavior, but the content you posted is not detected.

After I post this, I’ll remove my “Startup.bat” from the Exclusions list, that path, and do a Restart to verify that Avast puts it in the Virus Chest. I bet it will. I will then Restore it, and put the path back.

I re-tried putting then file name “Startup.bat” in the Exclusions path, and it works as expected - there was no double-opening of programs - so something got fixed! Here’s the path:

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\StartUp\Startup.bat

So, this means that anything in the Startup folder, that is not “Startup.bat,” will be put in the Virus Chest, I asume.

6

I figured it out.

Compare what happens if your Exclusion is the “whole Startup folder” vs. specifying “Startup.bat”

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\StartUp*

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\StartUp\Startup.bat

1.) When you delete the “whole Startup folder” Exclusion vs. “Startup.bat,” you will see that this causes the computer to choke a lot harder - the computer is not easily recoverable vs. recoverable.

2.) When you delete the “Startup.bat” Exclusion, it puts it in the Virus Chest as virus “IDP.Generic,” with no notice - it would be nice if it said something.

3.) When you have the “whole Startup folder” as an Exclusion (and not specifying “Startup.bat”), the programs in “Startup.bat” are not ignored, but taking an extra 3 minutes to load. Why?