Recently, Avast keeps repeat scanning and slowing down my computer and mouse. I exit out, I stop the scan, I’ve changed the settings, I’ve set it to scan at 12:00am, and nothing works. I’m running Windows 10, HP Spectre 360,16GB RAM. Never had this issue until recently. Sometimes it causes my mouse to jump around (or not respond correctly to my mouse movements, feeling stilted), but I don’t believe it’s the mouse. It all seems to be stemming from the Avast icon continually popping up on my bottom bar showing it’s running a scan, and sometimes a window popping up.
How do I fix this, and still stay safe from viruses? I’ve read about uninstalling using Avast Clear and then reinstalling. Do I really need to do that? Or is there a simpler solution?
First, I’m an Avast user and not an Avast Team member.
There really isn’t much to work with here.
What Avast Program/s do you have installed ?
What scan this you set that is running ?
Typically this could be a Smart scan.
My personal feelings on this.
ON-DEMAND SCANS - With a resident (on-access) scanner the need for on-demand scans is much depreciated. For the most part dormant/inert files are being scanned, the other active files are going to be scanned by the resident shields when they are activated.
I believe it is a Smart scan running. I’m not sure how to tell what Avast Programs are installed - just the free one. Here’s a screenshot attached of my About Avast page. Sorry but the other jargon is a bit over my head about resident (on-access) scanner.
Any advice on how to make the Smart Scan stop - outside of me setting it to 12:00am Daily which I did but didn’t seem to stop it from continually popping up - I’d much appreciate. I do want to make sure I’m amply protected from viruses, but I obviously don’t need Avast doing a continous scan - something it never used to do - and probably started in the past couple weeks - I’m guessing with an Avast update that broke something.
Resident (on-access) scanner is running all of the time scanning activity on your computer
On-demand scans are something that you run manually (over and above what 1 above) is already covering.
The Smart Scan in your settings may be set to run periodically.
You can change the Smart Scan settings for this to manual and run it periodically. I rarely run a Smart Scan as much of what it finds has an Avast Paid solution.
From the Avast UI > Menu > Settings > Protection > Smart Scan - Switch it to Run manually
Now my image above might differ slightly from your avast version as I’m still on avast! free 25.5.10141a
Please note that if you are referring to the avast icon spinning in the taskbar, this does not necessarily indicate that it is performing a smart scan. By default, Avast scans everything you do on your computer and everything that is done in the background.
It may be that avast is “persistently” checking a file/program and using too many resources, which could be the reason for the lag.
Check your task manager’s resource usage to see what is causing the lag.
It may be an incomplete third-party program update or a Windows update that is still in progress.
Otherwise, try repairing avast: menu->settings->troubleshooting->REPAIR APP
