Question about scan configuration

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

I just completed my first full scan of my system, and with about 50% of system resources free on my old 400 MHz PII system (running W98), it still took 12:09 to scan 5.5G on my C: drive. (It said it had scanned 10.5G, but I assume that must indicate the “real size” of some compressed files.) The number of files/folders scanned was 250,585 files, 2218 folders, which is a lot, inflated by my having inadvertantly saved a couple of different large backups of Application Data, including all saved emails.

I’d rather not run such extremely long scans routinely, so I wondered if it might have been safe/advisable to uncheck “scan compressed files” or, maybe more to the point, to exclude the backup files in WinRescue 98 next time. I usually automatically assume that opting for the maximum (types of file extensions, areas to scan, etc.) is best, but this seems to have been a bit extreme. How do you, the experts, tend to configure your routine scans, and how often do you do them? Do you ever use Quick Scan instead of Standard Scan?

Thanks for your help.

2

crdenny, daily (or frequent, routine. I do once a week the routine ones) scanning could be restricted to non-archive files and excluding some folders that you do not change. From time to time, usually at night, you can let it running a full scanning (for me, once or twice a month).
The Quick Scanner I use with my download manager 8)

3

Thanks, Technical. That makes sense. You’ve helped me twice now! And you must be the fastest replier in history. Much appreciated…

4

You’re not used to avast! forum speed ;D
Welcome 8)