Having issues with Avast Internet Security not scanning emails

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

Hi, I have the latest version of Avast Internet Security just recently installed on a new computer. I use Hotmail, Windows Live and gmail. I had no issues with this program on my old computer. Avast does not appear to be scanning emails, and seems to be interfering with Windows Live Messenger. I would appreciate any help I can get on this. Thanks!

(Lenovo Ideapad, Windows 7 Home Premium, SP1, Intel Core i5-2450M, 2.50 GHz, 8 GB ram, 64 bit OS)

2

how do you access/read your mail?

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Hi Pondus, I generally access my email through Windows Live/Hotmail

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so you use a mail client…okay…as webmail can not be scanned

hotmails default setting uses the delta sync protocl (google it) and as far as i understand no AV can scan it
it is possible to sett it up as pop

for avast to scan it must be a pop3 or imap account

gmail is a pop3 / imap and is using SSL

how to scan SSL accounts…you should find a video tutorial somwhere in there also
http://support.avast.com/index.php?_m=knowledgebase&_a=viewarticle&kbarticleid=842

info…
microsoft protect all mail accounts with trend micro AV and Google use postini spam/virus filter using twin av engine from authentium and mcafee…so all mails are scanned before you recive it

5

Thanks Pondus for the links and info. I did come upon this when I was researching the answer before I wrote, but it seemed confusing [to my brain anyway :-* ]

I will work on changing the SSL for the google account. However, am I understanding that it doesn’t really matter if Avast scans the email, since they have been scanned before I get them by Windows Live/Hotmail?

Your assistance has been very appreciated, and your tolerance is also appreciated.
Thanks, Lynn

6

Hi Lynn.

You do not have to change anything in Avast! mail because as Pondus said above you are using web mail and avast! can not scan web mail. You need a third mail program like Outlook or Thunderbird for Avast! mail to scan the mail you get through those programs.

7

Love the quote:
“We are all ignorant, but we don’t all ignore the same things…” Albert Einstein

Even though, I’ve been on a computer for decades, and the internet from almost the beginning … I guess what I ignore is “computer-speak,” so I suffer when I have a perceived problem.

Thanks for the help … I’ll go onto worry about something else. :wink:

I’m impressed with the quick response time I got on the forum!
Lynn

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No problems. Always welcome.

Thanks. Everyone pitchs in as best as he can.