I need to check with you guys on how to set or configure certain applications such as messengers or email clients manually (which are not supported by Avast) on scanning files received for viruses.
For example, a particular messenger which is not supported by Avast explicitly, can have the option of its files received being scanned for viruses by a particular Antivirus engine. I would like to know how to configure this under Avast Antivirus Engine? Or how to set the path in the messenger to have its files received being scanned by Avast Antivirus Engine?
Perhaps you can give us a little more information on your needs.
You mention “messengers”. Are you asking about Internet Messaging clients - can you tell which one(s) are of interest to you?
You also mention email clients. For you as a WinXP SP2 user (as descibed in your earlier posts) email scanning (with the Internet Mail provider) should be mostly automatic.
avast does not care too much about email clients (though there are a couple of exceptions). Instead avast just scans any POP3 and SMTP accesses on the standard ports for those protocols without worrying which email client is issuing the requests. Perhaps you can be more specific about the email client(s) of interest and if you have any special cases of email retrievals.
Thank for your reply. Actually, when I was configuring my MSN Messenger, I came across the section “File Transfer” whereby there is an option that allow one to scan files for viruses using a specific path directed at a particular Antivirus Engine. Hence, I was curious how can I set up this path for scanning purpose. By the way, I supposed Avast did not support Internet Messaging Client which are developed by China such as the popular QQ messaging Client, right? In such a case, if file transfer scanning option is available from the Internet Messaging Client itself, how can it be setup and directed the path at Avast Antivirus Engine?
By the way, you mentioned about Avast can scan any POP3 and SMTP accesses on those standard ports for those protocols. In such cases, is it automatically setup or do we need to manually configure it? If it requires manual configurations, does Avast Help files provide the steps in setting it up?
I do not see the QQ client in the list supported by the avast IM provider. However, if the IM service provides you the option to have downloaded files scanned (as many download managers do) then the pathway would normally be:
For WinXP (WinNT, Win2000) users the scanning of standard POP3 and SMTP use (on ports 110 & 25) is automatically set up by the Internet Mail provider of avast and no other action is needed unless you use other specialized mail scanning software (such as spam filters etc). You can also modify the behaviour of the mail scanner by looking at the options within the “Customize” button of the Internet Mail provider.
There are special plugins provided by avast for users of Microsoft Outlook and The Bat mail clients that are exceptions to the Internet Mail provider.
Thanks for the reply. In future, I will direct any downloaded or transferred files that need to be scanned to the path :- C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashQuick.exe (if a manual configuration is necessary).
By the way, you mentioned about the special plugins provided by Avast for users of Microsoft Outlook and the Bat mail client that are exceptions to the Internet Mail Providers. May I know where and how can I get those plugins?
The plugins may be present already, certainly for MS Outlook, the Outlook/Exchange is for that and only needs to be enabled. The Bat is different and I think if you have it installed prior to avast that too might be installed and just needs enabled.
If not Try a repair of avast. Add Remove programs, select ‘avast! Anti-Virus,’ click the Change/Remove button and select Change, click next and follow, you should see a list of provider.plugins with tick boxes beside them, tick the one for the Bat. You need to be on-line to do this.
