I’m using Windows 7 64-bit and updating Avast Free 5.0.667 (clean install on this version) to the latest 5.1.864 through GUI. Restarting my computer after the update and still see the old version number in Avast GUI and Windows Programs and Features (Control Panel). I try updating it through GUI again and it says it’s already updated. Then, I noticed problem with all shields component which shows 0/0 at scanned/infected. Searching this forums and I repair Avast installations using Programs and Features in Control Panel. Restarting my computer and all seems OK (the version number and all the shields).
I do a small test by inserting DVD which contains harmless (music, video, pictures, document, etc) and malware (old and new viruses, trojans, dialers, keyloggers) I’ve found from internet and other sources. Avast 5.0.667 warn me in an instant the moment I open the folder which contains harmless and malware infected files which means the File System Shield warn me about the existence of this malware on access basis. However, the new version didn’t do this.
Perplexed by this, I try to to scan the folder and Avast did find the malware though it missed two infected files (virus kind) which recognized before by the 5.0.667.
I try to copy the malware and malware infected files to my hard drive. Avast warn me and seems to delete the virus and dialers upon arrival (which shows by file with 0 kb size at destination folder), though it missed all trojans and keyloggers. I never tried this before with Avast 5.0.667, so I can’t say much about this.
I can’t test whether the Network Shield and Web Shield running OK, since I don’t want to risk it with unknown dangers (it seems to scan all my web activity and I did try the eicar site, but who knows?).
So, can anyone confirm about this? I’m wondering because I’m going through a bad update.
Excellent Observation :o - I’m too using Win7 x64 - updated via GUI from 5.0.677 to 5.1.864 and noticed that the on-access FileSystem Shield ceased functioning. No spinning tray icon and the statistics graph shows zero activity since the update (Web Shield is OK btw.)
I sent a screenshot and problem description to the GERMAN avast support (because this is my native tongue) and I hope they go into this matter. I can tell from the answer so far that german isn’t their preferred language. So an english Q would sure be helpful
I also strongly encourage you AND everyone else affected to write to the avast support team. I’m pretty sure there are many like us but not all will notice that fact because there is no error message whatsoever and one has to look at the avast built-in statistics function for the FS Shield to see.
ich installier’ mir sicher keine BETA von einem av-Tool. Weiters will ich schon über die GUI updaten (inkrementell) und nicht komplett drüber bügeln. Ich hoffe halt nur dass die avast Leut’ den Fehler auch bei sich reproduzieren können!
@YoKenny: well, good for You. I’m not so lucky - see shot
@all: that shows, once more for me, waaiiiiit some time for an amended version if important sw gets a (major) update if You dont want time eating troubles!
Why don’t you send the virus samples to Virus Total to see what turns up? Also, are these trojans zipped? Avast won’t scan these if they are zipped unless you change the settings in the file shield. Once they are extracted Avast will scan them.
And I can repeat only too: build 874 is not final yet - so its still BETA with maybe more/other bugs in it. AND its not available via GUI! Thats why I’ll wait and would be better off if I never had updated early. Sorry
oli_av, for your information, the problem you’re describing is not in build 864 itself, but instead in the update process from 5.0 to 5.1.
Please go to Control Panel → Programs and Features → avast Antivirus and use the Repair option. Then reboot the computer and hopefully, the problem will be solved.
Well, I do a clean install of Avast 5.1.864 (that’s before I know there’s a new fix) and all the shields seems to work fine except that one problem I mention above about there’s no warning from Avast when I open folder which contains malwares (the old 5.0.677 warns me about this), and I still can copy all the trojans and keyloggers without any interception from Avast.
Anyone got any idea about this? I’m thinking about doing clean install of the old 5.0.677, but I like the ‘now working’ behavior shield and boot-time scan.
Will you read my post above and comment on it? I would like to see if Avast as well as other scanners are detecting it at Virus Total. And would like to know if the files you are copying are zipped.
You’re right about the trojans and keyloggers are in a zip file and my file system shield settings for packers is at it’s default (self-extracting executables, droppers, and NTFS streams). Thanks, that explains about copying.
However, I’m still wondering about on access scanning thing since most of the viruses and dialers are in executable form (not zipped) and I know that the old version of Avast warns me when I open the folder containing this files while the new version didn’t do anything.
Most of the malware samples in my DVD are things which I collect from internet by using Linux and scanning it in Linux, cleaning my friends computer, and from internet cafe. Any security products such as Norton, McAffee, ClamWin, Malwarebytes, SUPERAntiSpyware, Security Essentials, Avast recognize it as virus, trojans, etc.
Avast do recognize it. But, what I’m trying to say is the 5.0.677 warns me when I open the folder which contains this files eventhough I’m not scanning the folder, while the new Avast didn’t do it.
There is no way I can answer this. I don’t know what defaults have changed in the scanning process if any. Maybe someone else will have the answer to this. It seems to be scanning properly as far as I understand it.
