How do I restore files from chest? (Avast Free Antivirus)

system · 2017-08-04T09:07:31.000Z

I have an old XP machine with Avast Free Antivirus that I use occasionally because it has some programs that won’t run on later versions of Windows.

Yesterday when I booted it up I was asked to update Avast Free. I gave the OK and Avast updated and then ran a scan. It said that there was a possibility of some malware and asked me to reboot and let it do a thorough boot up scan. I did this and it showed that it had found some questionable items. I noticed however that some of them appeared to be Windows files. I was given several option to choose how to proceed. I choose option “3-No” because I did not want the files isolated, But Avast then went through the entire drive and locked out quite a few files anyhow (I believe to a chest or something like that).

Now I can’t boot my machine. Windows starts but then locks up. How do I restore these files? I got my computer to boot into safe mode and started Avast, but I cant seem to be able to find any option to restore these files. :-\

Right now my computer is useless to me and I am not happy at all! >:(

Asyn · 2017-08-04T09:11:33.000Z

Using the Virus Chest: https://www.avast.com/faq.php?article=AVKB21

system · 2017-08-04T09:24:18.000Z

I am using Avast Free, not Premiere. I can not find any such screen. Also, remember that I can only start my machine in safe mode at the present time.

Asyn · 2017-08-04T09:26:16.000Z

OK, best you wait for one of the guys with XP (I dropped it a while ago).

Cluster-Lizard2014 · 2017-08-04T12:41:58.000Z

‘Virus Chest’ where stuff is quarantined:-

https://blog.avast.com/2015/03/19/how-to-use-the-avast-virus-chest/

If restoring the files from that doesn’t work:-

Are there any pre-AVAST update or pre-scan Restore Points available? Using Restore Points is one of the main purposes of Safe Mode?

It is considered good practice to put in a Restore Point manually before installing or updating ANY program.

Most good programs that may affect/interact with Windows system files put in a pre-update/install Restore Point by default. With AVAST I don’t know if it does this now but I do know that at one time it did make using Restore Points more difficult than it should be. I won’t comment on that bloody stupid decision. Oops.

Anyway using a Restore Point can, usually, be reversed if it doesn’t help.

In that case then I’d try a scheduled Chkdsk repair scan which should run on the next boot and fix any indexing errors that might be causing the problem.

If neither that or the Restore Point solution works and you have a recovery partition this maybe the time to use it. Alternatively, if you have the original XP installation discs available, then as a last resort I’d try running System File Checker to repair whatever damage has been done.

DavidR · 2017-08-04T13:13:45.000Z

jgabele post:3:

I am using Avast Free, not Premiere. I can not find any such screen. Also, remember that I can only start my machine in safe mode at the present time.

It shouldn’t matter what avast program type you have (Free, Pro, AIS or Premier), the actions in the virus chest should essentially be the same.

The only difference might be that there is a different avast version, meaning that the User Interface may have changed, but the underlying options in the virus chest are most likely the same. That shouldn’t change for different versions of Windows either, I have Win XP Pro SP3, Win7 and Win10 systems and provided they are all using the same avast version (build) the interface should be the same.

I suspect that part of the problem here is you are also using an old version of avast ?
The current version is 17.5.2303, that will have changed considerably if you are using an old avast version. As can be seen in the old avast blog link given by Cluster-Lizard2014.

When in safe mode avast doesn’t run by default, that is intentional as safe mode is generally for resolving problems/conflicts, etc. When you manually start avast from safe mode do you have an avast tray icon displayed ?

If so right click on it and select Virus Chest, when it opens right clicking on the file in the virus chest and select Restore or Restore and add to exclusions (or avast could well detect it again).

My big question would be why do you want to restore files from the virus chest ?
If they are legitimate/valid detections, why would you want them back on the system.

system · 2017-08-04T15:01:06.000Z

My big question would be why do you want to restore files from the virus chest ?

Because Avast (don’t know what version) scanned his computer and locked some files away and not it does not work.

This happened to me once, but I don’t know if it will help.
I disconnected from the Internet, disabled Avast, went back to a restore point I knew was good and restored Windows, I had to go back a few restore points before it worked again.
Did a new restore point and also did one with another programme just in case.
After that I connected to the Internet, updated Avast.
I did a scan after that reluctantly, Avast ignored everything except Adobe?
I uninstalled Adobe and then any new programme I had put in, then re-installed Adode.
Did another scan and all was fine.
Did an online scan as well and nothing more found.
It may be that you installed something that has Malware on it that makes use of Adobe.
it might not work for you, but it is worth a try.

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