I am brand new to Avast 4.7 for home. I have no idea how to scan for viruses; how to find trojan horses popups; basically a total dummy on this program.
Would someone walk me through this step by step? I am running WXPand have AOL dialup. All help will be most appreciated.
Aria ???
Hi Aria :
First off, we should know IF you have or have had any other antivirus program on your
computer ? If yes, what is the NAME and what have you done to "remove" it from your
computer ?
Since you use AOL, do you use them to "surf" the internet, or do you surf by using a program
such as Internet Explorer, Firefox, etc !? I ask because there is a POTENTIAL "conflict" with
those using AOL, which is explained in the "Web Shield Issues" of our "FAQs", found at www.avast.com/eng/faq-avast-4-home-professional.html ; have you read this. particularly :
" Q: I use the ‘AOL browser’ for web browsing and reading emails via the ‘AOL’ Web mail. Does avast! Web Shield work with this program?
When I check the scanned count number on Web Shield configuration page, it always shows 0.
A:
Sorry, Web Shield cannot scan connections from AOL browser. It is however capable of protecting standard browsers (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera, …) used with the AOL dial-up or broadband services. "
Otherwise, when you RIGHT-click the Avast blueist “a” ball in your System Tray and select “Start
Avast Antivirus”, eventually a screen titled “simple user interface” should appear. Read the info
there .
Are you using any of AOL’s “free” security programs ? If yes, which one(s) ?
I had Norton Antivirus on my computer but uninstalled it.
I use AOL to surf the internet and sometimes IE.
I did right click the blue ball to start Avast and nothing happened. I did this while online. Perhaps that is the problem?
I desperately want to learn how to do a virus scan and make sure no trojan horses or other creepy crawlers get onto my computer. I have a difficult time understanding terminology, so please bear with me.
Thank you for responding.
Aria ???
Hi Aria1206 - Welcome to the forum.
When you right click the a-icon you should get a pop up giving you several options. Clicking the one that says “Start avast! Antivirus” will start a memory test followed by the user interface.
[i](If you don’t get these things then its entirely possible there are remants of Norton AV still on your computer. Norton is notorious for interfering with other av software. If this is the case there is a removal tool, SymNRT, you can download here
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2005033108162039
Obviously you will not want to follow the directions to reinstall the Norton products - just use the tool (if needed) followed by a manual hard drive search for any Norton or Symantec files which you can delete.)[/i]
One you do have the avast! interface you should
Select an area to scan (clicking where highlighted below scans your local drives)
Set the sensitivity (your first scan after installation should be thorough with archives. This depth will take a long time and is not necessary for every scan)
Press the start button
http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/5586/scanguiyk5.png
Since you seem particularly concerned about trojans you can supplement the avast! scan with AVG Antispyware. There is a free version you can download here
http://free.grisoft.com/doc/20/lng/us/tpl/v5
Many of us use this combination along with several other security programs, but this should be a good start.
If you have a particular problem you’re trying to solve please post details so we can give more specific help, or ask general questions if you’re just trying to gain familiarity with the program.
You may need to make sure that Norton is totally removed from your system. For, in order to avoid conflicts, we shouldn’t have any two resident virus scanners on our computers. The link below leads to Norton Removal Tool. Please follow the instruction there and remove Norton completely.
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2005033108162039
After that, check if Avast is working. If it is still not responding to clicking, you may need to reinstall it.
I used the Norton url you posted (thanks). I rebooted and then right clicked to get to “Start Avast”. Nothing happened when I clicked to “Start Avast”. When I try to log off I get a message that says something about “Skin…” and I keep clicking on “end now”. My Avast does not look like a radio dial (neat!). I would like to have that look, but I cannot find User Interface, but I am not using the Professional Edition. Would you recommend I uninstall/reinstall?
Thanks for the url for Trojan horses.
Aria :-[
I have uninstalled and am preparing to reinstall. I don’t know exactly what I’m doing but will keep on trying.
Thanks…
Aria
That is one of the default skins.
What happens you run C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashSimpl.exe this is the simple user interface, that you start on-demand scans. You may well get an error message make a not of it for your post.
If you do get an error with ashSimpl.exe try this C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashSimp2.exe this is the skin less interface.
[color=Purple]I have just reinstalled, clicked on the blue ball and cannot find System Interface or how to run a scan or whether I’m supposed to reregister. I am sorry to be such a bother, but I am determined to somehow learn this program. My daughter uses the Pro version at work and loves it. I don’t know what I am doing wrong.
Aria
If there is a system problem then a reinstall is unlikely to change anything.
Did you try what I suggested running the file/s directly and report any errors ?
Try not to use the quote function in its entirety edit out what isn’t being commented on and have your comment outside the quote. With so much text and images what you are saying gets buried amongst what has been said and is no longer applicable. In this case the only information required is the purple text everything else has been covered.
I’m unclear, Aria, when you try to open the program do you get something, but it doesn’t look like the interface I posted? Or do you get only errors and no interface? In this case what do the errors say?
Also, when you hover your mouse pointer over the a-icon without clicking what wording appears?
click the Start button at the bottom left on your screen
click My Computer
double click the drive where your programs are installed (usually C:)
double click Program Files
double Click Alwil Software
double click Avast4
double click ashSimpl.exe
In theory this should open the user interface, but what spyware are you referring to?
quote]
click the Start button at the bottom left on your screen
click My Computer
double click the drive where your programs are installed (usually C:)
double click Program Files
double Click Alwil Software
double click Avast4
double click ashSimpl.exe
In theory this should open the user interface, but what spyware are you referring to?
I did this and IT WORKED! I made a shortcut and put it on my desktop. My “Interface” which I assume is called “Resident Protection” is what appears when I double click on the a blue ball. It does not look like the front of a radio like yours does. How can I make mine look like yours. And THANK YOU for walking me through so I could find the scanning program!
Now if you would be so kind as to walk me through how to change how “Resident Protection” (?) looks.
Thank you so very much for all your help.
Aria
Ok, please RIGHT click on the 'a" icon. You should get a pop up menu, select start avast antivirus. You should get the interface pictured above.
Double left clicking the icon (or even single left click) will bring up the resident scan interface. You are looking for the simple user interface. ;D
As oldman says, you need to right click the a-icon.
There are two (maybe even three) buttons on your mouse. When we say “click” on something we mean press the left button once. When we say “double click” we mean press the left button twice, quickly. But when we say “right click” we mean a single click of the right mouse button. Sorry if this is too basic - just want to make sure we’re all doing the same thing
If, when you right click the a-icon you get options that include On-Access Protection Control and Start avast! Antivirus then we’re on the right track for both of your questions.
I know the difference between right click and left click. When I right click on the a ball I get a menu which includes many things. When I click on “Start avast! antivirus nothing happens. When I left click on the a ball I get “avast! On Access Scanner”. I have to click a blue ball with an “S” on it which is on my desktop to run a scan. That is the avast! Simple User Interface”. It does not look like a radio. I found it as previously described in an earlier post. It has the numbers 1-4 down the left side and places to check where one wishes to scan; short, standard and thorough scan.
If this is all I need, then I the interface will never look like a radio. I am not using the Pro version I am using the free home version.
If there is more I need to do please let me know. Thank you all for helping me get this far.
With gratitude,
Aria
What you are seeing is the No Skin Simple User Interface, which you have to have selected or you are using the wrong file name in your shortcut ashSimp2.exe is the skinless and ashSimpl.exe is the skinned version of the SUI.
The fact that the options on the right click menu don’t appear to work, there is something wrong with your installation.
Try a repair of avast. Add Remove programs, select ‘avast! Anti-Virus,’ click the Change/Remove button and scroll down to Repair, click next and follow. You need to be on-line to do this.
If that doesn’t work (right click selections don’t work) try, uninstall, reboot, install, reboot.
It would probably be best to download the latest version of avast and save it to your HDD, somewhere you can find it again. Use that when you reinstall.
The skinless SUI works fine for me. However when I try to open the command without the 2 in it, it doesn’t work.
I did the repair online but there are no noticeable changes to my eyes.
The installation of this program has done something to my computer and I cannot explain what it is. I forgot to mention that I use Zone Alarm - not Windows Firewall. I am unable to uninstall ZA.
Since I am a simple person - disabled senior citizen - I will attempt to keep this program up and running. If it doesn’t work I don’t know what I will do. I have uninstalled/downloaded Avast four times and don’t intend to to it again. When I ran the scan it took one hour and 25 minutes. My computer is a Dell with an 80GB hard drive; 5 hundred something DRAM; no sound card and no speakers (my decision). I am a writer so I need the internet for research purposes and AOL gives me a deep discount.
Thanks to all for helping me. If anyone has something to add I would be grateful.
Aria 
Its frustrating for us too, Aria. We want it to work as much as you do
Can you try to describe what’s different about your computer now? It doesn’t need to be technical.
Are you using Zone Alarm Free or Pro? There is an issue with Zone Alarm’s Privacy Shield and avast!, but that’s only in the Pro version.
I don’t know how to explain what the difference is in my computer. It seems to be sluggish; slower in opening any files from Desktop but not online. It is a very nebulous thing and since my computer terminology is very weak that’s the best way I can describe it. I dread the fact that I might have to eventually do a master restore (is that the correct term?). This computer is only a year old and I simply cannot afford to purchase a newer one and try to learn Vista (egad!).
As for Zone Alarm, I use the free version.
I would really like my SUI to look like the front of a radio, but I simply do not know how to do it, much less where to search for instructions or even how to follow them if I found them. That is pathetic, but it is what it is.
Thank you so much for your caring response.
Aria ???
If you compare the computer performance without an antivirus to the performance with one, it will always be slower to some degree with the av installed. Almost all the files you open are being checked for malware and this will use some memory and processor power. Compared to Norton, however, avast! is much easier on resources.
You could check to see if your protection is set higher than you need. If you right click the a-icon and click On- Access Protection Control you should get a window that looks like this
http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/175/scannerok9.png
If there’s a button at the bottom that says “Details >>” click that to get more detail, then highlight “Standard Shield” in the left hand column. Normal sensitivity is usually sufficient for most users.
Close the settings window and click the a-icon again. Then click Program Settings. Make sure Enable Skins for Simple User Interface is checked. If its not, put a check in the box
http://img157.imageshack.us/img157/6963/avastsettingsou7.png
Does any of that help?
EDIT When you have a chance would you look at this thread
http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=26490.0
and see if you’re getting similar errors (in your native language, of course).