i know very little about computers but i ran the scan and deleted 6 known viruses BUT…
1a. …then there are those 100 files that cant be scanned. i know at least some if not all are a virus cause about five of them have suspicious names like free music downloads and such (i stupidly let my roommate use the computer earlier). i deleted 5 of them to the recycle bin, but when i checked the bin, it was empty. is that ok?
1b. but more importantly, how do i know those unscannable files arent supposed to be on my computer? i dont want to damage anything.
a side problem, but is it related?- apparently 50g are missing on my computer and i have no idea where they went. my ipod has more memory! whats going on?!
someone please explain to me what i’m supposed to do or at least give me some pointers.
If avast can’t unpack some files, if the files are password protected, if the files are corrupt, if files are in use…
There are a lot of reason for avast can’t be able to scan some files and they, most probably, are clean.
Delete by avast is not ‘send to Recycle bin’. Safer is send the file to Chest.
Let them there. Post the name and path of them here. And, if you want to do something, add them to Chest before deleting.
ok so apparently i’m not missing memory… i contacted dell and they said i had less capicity that i’d previously thought.
thanks for the link though. i’m learning all sorts of stuff about computers lately (i’m really computer illiterate.)
ok so avast listed some stuff on under “system files”. i dont know what it means, but i searched the names online and i found some rambling about rootkits and blacklight (which i ran… found nothing). anyway should i worry about these?:
sorry if i repeated them, i tried to erase the ones i remembered repeating. actully maybe what i typed here is’nt even helpful. i dont know what any of it means. but anyways, i couldnt move any but one into the chest. i hope thats not a bad sigh.
the items in the System Files are copies avast made of important system files just in case the original get infected they are a back-up.
Your clue is SB Spybot S&D they are password protected files. Since you don’t give the reason why they can’t be scanned I can’t hazard a guess about the rest.
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.
Files that can’t be scanned are just that, not an indication they are suspicious/infected, just unable to be scanned.
Ok files. Like David said, they’re there for backup purposes.
Indeed seems to be strange files listed there…
I suggest, a step by step procedure for general cleaning:
Disable System Restore on Windows ME or Windows XP. System Restore cannot be disabled on Windows 9x and it’s not available in Windows 2k. After boot you can enable System Restore again after step 3).
Schedule a boot time scanning with avast. Start avast! > Right click the skin > Schedule a boot-time scanning. Select for scanning archives. Boot. Do not delete files, but rather send them to Chest. Don’t touch in ‘system’ files, we can manage them later.
It will be good if you download, install, update and run AVG Antispyware. Some users recommend SUPERantispyware, Spyware Terminator and/or a-squared (take care about false positives).
If any infection is detected, better and safer is send the file to Quarantine than to simple delete than.
Also, if you still detecting strange behaviors or you want to be sure you’re clean, maybe making a HijackThis log to post here and, specially, scan and submit to on-line analysis the RunScanner log would help to identify the problem and the solution.
After you’re clean, use the immunization of SpywareBlaster or, which is better, the Windows Advanced Care features of spyware/adware cleaning and removal.
Finally, when you’re clean, check for insecure applications with Secunia Software Inspector to update insecure applications and avoid reinfection.