I downloaded avast 4.8 free edition
and when it finished scanning it told me for each item scanned
unable to scan password is protected
why am i getting this an how can i fix this so it can scan properly with out wasting my time by telling me it was unable to scan
this happened in the past an i uninstalled it.
Hi therock, welcome to the forum.
Often there is such a list at the end of a scan. It most certainly not be for each item scanned; only those that were unable to be scanned. A tiny percentage. Such items often belong to the quarantine of a demand scanner (such as Spybot) or certain protected Windows folders.
When the scan report appears following a scan, maximizing it and moving the headers so as to see the file name and path will often reveal the reason, and at the same time give an indication as to whether more investigation is indicated.
The answer in such cases is most often not. “Unable to be scanned” means just that; not an indication the file is infected.
A solution is to regularly “houseclean”. If you have items in another scanners quarantine, and you are sure you don’t need them again, they can be deleted.
So to answer you last question, it probably is scanning correctly. Unless what you post is actually the case, that it can not scan any single thing on the computer. In that case I would suspect the presence of another antivirus program, or a severe malware infestation.
What was the last AV you used? How was it removed.
There is another option, don’t scan archives. I also suspect that you ran a Thorough scan.
Thorough is also by its design very thorough (it scans all files) and perhaps a little overkill for routine use, were a Standard scan without archives should be adequate. Archive (zip, rar, etc.) files are by their nature are inert, you need to extract the files and then you have to run them to be a threat. Long before that happens avast’s Standard Shield should have scanned them and before an executable is run that is scanned.
I have only ever done a Through Scan with Archives once shortly after installation just to ensure a clean start state, but with XP for example avast will do a boot-time scan after installation if you select it, this I believe will be quicker and reasonably effective. Like everything in life things are a compromise.
Hi
I had done a fresh install of win xp sp 3,
an installed rise antivirus an then removed it as i wasnt realy keen on it
when i uninstalled it ,it asked me if id wanted to delete its profiles etc…
so i did.
Ill have a look for any quarantine files or the such from rise antivirus an then do another scan prob late tonight.
thanks for replying to my post.
ill keep yas posted later on