Hi
Just wondering if avast free is totally compatible with Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit. I’ve only just noticed, but it seems that avast is trying to scan non-existant directories and I get a notification window at the end of a scan to say so.
I have windows 7 64-bit and i have no problems here 
As I said, I’ve only just noticed this. I haven’t experienced it before now. The only thing I’ve changed recently on my system is to install SP1.
Strange lol
Try going into program and features and doing a repair of avast!
Thank you. I’lll see if that helps.
It’s not such a big deal anyway. I was just curious.
HiJust wondering if avast free is totally compatible with Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit. I’ve only just noticed, but it seems that avast is trying to scan non-existant directories and I get a notification window at the end of a scan to say so.
I am using windows 7 64 bit home basic…
These type of errors maybe caused by the locked files which avast will not be able to scan
I also have 2 or 3 locked files which was not scanned by avast…
Or try a boot time scan…
They aren’t locked files or folders. Those paths shown in the attached image do not exist on my system. They seem to be the usual paths for say Win XP, but for example, there is no C:\Documents and Settings in Windows 7, which avast seems to be trying to scan.
Are you saying that this started appearing only after you installed SP1 - and didn’t appear before? We’ve seen it quite a few times, but I always assumed the problem must be present since the installation of the OS.
The problem is not in avast!, but rather in your Windows installation - the filesystem links on the system partition point to a non-existent location (probably a different drive letter).
You can either ignore these errors, or uncheck the option “Follow links during scan” on the Sensitivity page of the particular scan’s settings.
Not sure what you mean to a different drive letter. They point to C, which is my system drive, only the folders don’t exist… It’s weird. I’ve never come across anything like it before.
I’m now wondering why they should have for example C:\Documents and Settings showing (if it is a problem with my Windows installation), as that might presume an update from an older operating system, but this laptop is only 2 months old and came pre-installed with Windows 7, so has C:\Users\Username and not C:\Documents and Settings. I don’t know where the older paths could be coming from.
I don’t really believe they point to the right partition, just to a non-existent folder - that would be even weirder. (Not that it would change anything though.)
The thing is that there is no C:\Documents and Settings folder - there is a link of that name, normally pointing to C:\Users.
What if you open a command-line console and type the following command:
[b]dir /A:L C:[/b]
- what is the output?
I see what you mean…
C:\Users\Michael>dir /A:L C:\ Volume in drive C has no label. Volume Serial Number is F048-507DDirectory of C:\
14/07/2009 06:08 Documents and Settings [E:\Users]
0 File(s) 0 bytes
1 Dir(s) 330,737,291,264 bytes freeC:\Users\Michael>
That points to E:\Users
I don’t have an E partition. lol
I have a partition of 199MB which has no drive letter and is a hidden system partition
C which is my main partition
D which is the HP Recovery partition
and a hidden 103MB HP Tools partition with no drive letter
It must be a funky Windows 7 thing. ;D :
Just for general information, Windows 6.x has those links, with no relation to any update from XP. A new clean install has them too.
In my case, for example, they are pointing to “C:…”, not “E:…”.
To “see” them in Windows Explorer, I select to show all hidden files and folders, and NOT to hide protected OS files. With these settings, you can see “old links” to “Documents and Settings”, “Start Menu”, “Default User”, “Application Data” and so on.
Windows 6.x uses new locations, and sometimes new names, for those folders.
Those are there for compatibility with older programs and settings, and “normally” you have no access to them, even when you can see them in Windows Explorer.
As Igor said, those are “links”, not real folders, so there is nothing to worry about, from a security point of view.
I see that a number of these are either hidden or not accessible to users. Under control panel/folder options/view do you have “show hidden folders, files” checked, and the “hide” options unchecked?
I have it set so that I can view hidden folders and files. If I unhide protected OS files etc, I can see those folders, but I get access denied if I try to open them.
Thanks everyone for your help.
I’m still wondering… did this really start with SP1 installation? Or is it possible that you just didn’t run the full scan before?
It’s on a quick scan. I haven’t run a full scan yet.
Same here, check my signature.
OK, by “full scan” I actually meant something enumerating the whole system drive - could be the “Quick scan” as well.
I’m just curious if the target of the links was really changed by SP1 installer, or if it was wrong since you got the machine (which would be my guess for sure).
It was fine until just the other day. I never got a result like that until then, so it can’t have been since I got the laptop. Strange though that it seems to coincide with me installing SP1, or round about that time.