[Solved: it was the Gigabyte app] Hidden initial scan after install/update?

(Solved?) So, After doing an update and restarting my PC, my computer was running HORRIBLY. I also noticed AvastSvc.exe was stuck at 12% and 13% and that even disabling Avast or putting it in Passive Mode and rebooting, had zero effect. I rebooted several times and tried scanning with several malware/antivirus programs and used CHKDSK and SFC /Scannow and it found no issues. I submitted the AvastSvc.exe to Virustotal and found no issue. I did several searches online and could not find an answer. I also talked directly with people, trying to get help. The only solution I had, was to uninstall Avast, which got my PC working normal again. I was seriously considering switching to another Antivirus, but I didn’t have confidence in the alternatives. I was really stressed out. Some people posted specific changes they did, solved their problem, but none worked for me. Eventually I decided to contact Avast through Facebook, but it sent me to the Forum. I then registered for the forum and instantly, the CPU usage dropped to 0%.

I had read on an old post, that Avast does a scan after install/update, however when I looked at Avast, there was no scan being done. I set the icon to animate, but the icon doesn’t animate. I was worried I had a bad virus and was going to re-install windows and all my programs. When the app finally hit 0%, I came to the assumption that Avast must be doing a HIDDEN and UNSTOPPABLE scan. If this is correct, then this is VERY BAD, because this made me (a tech expert) assume that Avast had become a horrible antivirus program that slows down your PC and uses constant CPU no matter what you do. If I am correct in that it is doing a hidden and unstoppable scan after install/update, you NEED TO give an indication in the program that this is being done, even if you block the users ability to pause or abort the scan. This will prevent people from assuming your software is broken or turned into garbage.

I’ve been using Avast for a minimum of 8 years and I install it on EVERYONE’S computer I work on. I was about to go around checking my friends and families computers and consider replacing Avast with another Antivirus, due to this issue. Please don’t keep a mandatory scan as a hidden scan. You MUST let users know WHY the program is using CPU usage when no program is running and not connected to the internet. I’ve been stressing out for the last 3 days, trying to solve this issue. I have attached an image below to show i had it in passive mode and the CPU was still in use.

(Note: I use Malwarebytes Premium and I have set exclusions in both Avast and Malwarebytes, but that didn’t make any difference at all.)

What other resident AV’s do you have running??? Till they are removed,
Avast installs in passive mode. Only one resident AV.

I solved the issue.
For some reason, if you install the Gigabyte Software App Center (or whatever they call it) for your motherboard, it causes your PC to run slower. If you close it, your PC instantly speeds up. I believe I had close out of it and used my PC for a while, then when there was an Avast update that needed to restart, the Gigabyte software auto-ran at the startup and I didn’t remember the discovery. I found a post someone did that mentioned this software is horrible to install.

https://linustechtips.com/main/topic/770212-computer-is-very-slow-when-i-have-gigabyte-app-center-installed-but-fine-without/

After uninstalling it (which took forever) and also disabling some extra things in startup, I reinstalled Avast and that AvastSVC.exe ran at the 10-13% for a few minutes, then dropped to 0% and stayed at 0%. I restarted my PC and it finished doing the other stuff, but then my internet wasn’t working, so I restarted again and everything is working fine and no 10-13% constant cpu usage anymore.

The only issue left, is Sandboxie still seems to launch my browser slowly, but that isn’t related to Avast in any way, because excluding it didn’t matter and new version releases of Sandboxie fix temporary issues.

Anyway, sorry for assuming the worst, but I was very upset. The one things I learned from all of this, is that Avast is by far, ranked as the #1 Antivirus company (as far as protection goes) and I can relax now, knowing Avast is running active on my computer again.

Thanks so much for trying to help. I felt ignored with the response I was given, but you had the right assumption that it was some other software that was causing an issue, not Avast, because it WAS other software (just not other antivirus software).

You’re welcome. It’s not always the obvious. Glad you dug a bit deeper. :slight_smile: