First time, custom install

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

Hi All,

This will be the first time I’m installing Avast and I’ll be doing a custom install and would like to know what basic resident protection should I choose in the setup configuration for web surfing and e-mail only?

I don’t do IM or P2P so I don’t want them installed.

Also what’s the difference between:

  • Network, Web and Standard Shield?
  • Internet Mail and Outlook/Exchange?

What’s The Bat?

Regards,
Jaws

2

Hi :slight_smile:

Well usually all providers can be installed and if you don’t want some provider to work you can just turn it off from the On-access-scanner menu, but that’s depend from you :wink:

here’s some info from avast! help files

Standard Shield checks the programs you start and the files you access. It will not allow an infected program to be started - so, the virus code cannot be activated.

Network Shield provider protects your computer from Internet worm attacks. It works similarly to a firewall, even though it does not fully substitutes it. The Network Shield does not require any user interraction.

Note: This resident provider is available on Windows NT, 2000, XP, and 2003 only.

Web Shield provider protects your computer from viruses that may infect your computer when browsing the Internet - especially when downloading files from web pages.

Outlook/Exchange
This setting affects MS Outlook and MS Exchange mail clients only.

Internet Mail provider is used to protect the e-mail processed by other mail clients than MS Outlook or MS Exchange.

3

Since you haven’t yet installed you won’t be able to refer to the avast help file which explains all you questions fully.

avast is highly customizable and I would suggest you simply install it you can terminate/remove unnecessary elements once installed (it really is easy).
From Add Remove programs, select avast! Anti-Virus, click Change/Remove button and select Change, click Next, untick the elements you don’t require click next and follow. You may need to be on-line to do this.

Network, Web (both provide internet virus and exploit detection/protection stopping infection at source, the web before it gets to your HDD) and Standard Shield (is the main resident on-access scanner) are I would say the three that you need as a minimum.

Internet Mail provides email virus detection before it get to your inbox, this is for any email program using the POP3/SMTP/IMAP email protocols, such as Outlook Express, Thunderbird, etc. Outlook/Exchange is a plug-in for MS Outlook or MS Exchange clients only.
The Bat is a plug-in for ‘The Bat’ email client only.