Every time I do a scan I get a log with 22 Unable to scan files entries.
C:\docs & Settings\All Users? can’t remember\sb recovery.reg for one line, the second line is the same except the last bit is .ini
It doesn’t seem to cause any problems but i’m just curious.
Hi Derby4, welcome to the forum.
There are often these types of entries following a scan. The reason is usually that the files/archives are password protected and Avast has no way of knowing the password, nor opening the archive to scan even if it did. (Such a password is usually set by the program that created it, in this case, Spybots’ protected or quarantine area.)
Such a message is not an indication that there is anything wrong with the files, just that they can not be scanned. Expanding the scan report and moving the headers to reveal more of the file path/name will usually indicate whether further research is wqorth carrying out or not. In this case, I would say not.
Tarq57, Thank you for your reply, I have tried clicking on the entries but all it does is highlight then I can’t open them any further, my feeling was that it was not a problem but I just checked up for some further information.
Derby4
I have tried clicking on the entries but all it does is highlight then I can't open them any further.....Try expanding the scan report to full size, to give you more room to play with, and then drag the column headers left/right, which should in most cases let you see the path and file names, and the last column being reason, is usually "archive is password protected..." Generally not a threat when you see paths that belong to other security programs, and sometimes windows volume information (system restore.)
These are Spybot S&D’s backups of what it removed previously and as such are protected.
Many programs (usually security based ones) password protect their files for legitimate reasons such as AdAware and Spybot Search & Destroy, there are others (and avast doesn’t know the password or have any way of using it even if it did know it).
When you run scans with the above programs and you delete harmful entries that they detect, a copy is kept (in quarantine/restore/backup) in case you need to reverse what you did. These are usually password protected, you should do some housekeeping and delete old backup/recovery/quarantine entries (older than two weeks or so), this will reduce the numbers of files that can’t be scanned.
By examining 1) the reason given by avast! for not being able to scan the files, 2) the location of the files, you can get an idea of what program they relate to. You may need to expand the column headings to see all the text. If you can give some examples of those file names, the locations and reason given why it can’t be scanned might help us further ?
Files that can’t be scanned are just that, not an indication they are suspicious/infected, just unable to be scanned.
Thanks to all for your information, I’ll have a look after my next scan, but I can’t do anything with the display I see, it is about 15 centimetres square and fixed size no square box for full screen, I have tried both left and right clicks on the items but all that does is highlight then no dropdown menus appear, I suppose I could do a search for theses files.
I have got both Spybot and Adaware so it looks like these ar probably the culprits.
Derby4
You can drag the bottom right corner to expand the windows and you can do the same to expand column widths (click and hold the column divider, drag it right).
You don’t have to wait get rid of the olde restore/recovery points in S&D.
AdAware is pretty much a waste of hard disk space, check out these applications, which are I believe better than S&D too.
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- MalwareBytes Anti-Malware, On-Demand only in free version http://download.bleepingcomputer.com/malwarebytes/mbam-setup.exe, right click on the link and select Save As or Save File (As depending on your browser), save it to a location where you can find it easily later. - 2. SUPERantispyware On-Demand only in free version.
David, I have had a look and all the items are Spybot ones, so no problem there, I have Malwarebytes already but it rarely finds any items, I have also seen it reccomended on another site, the other one you mentioned id a new one to me I’ll check it out.
I have had the Adaware anniversary edition for about six months now it usually finds something but there are problems with some of the displayed information on the home page regarding the Last Scan date, mine says “Not done yet” and the Last update line is always showing the wrong date, abot 3 - 4 days behind, I have been debating trying something else.
I like the Avast programme though it was recommended to me by a mate who used to be in IT.
It took me a while to become familiar with it but I wouldn’t change now.
I had AVG before which rarely found anything, my first Avast scan found a couple of items AVG missed, and AVG was automatically updated daily.
Derby4