I just installed Avast4 Home on my Windows ME system. Prior to backing up my system, I clicked the Stop and Exit. The processes stopped but Avast remained running. It ended up that the Avast files were busy and not backed up. Yikes!
Is that Stop and Exit statement misleading, that is it never really Exits, or is there something else I have to do to get it to shutdown completely?
TIA!
TJ
Hi AKAsTJ, welcome to the forums,
Yes, the wording could use a re-work, but the reason it doesnât completely exit, is with avast totally closed your email program wonât work (remember the account settings are adjusted so avast can intercept and check email).
even though the program is still loaded, it is inactive and shouldnât interfere with your backup, does it interfere?
I would recommend downloading RejZorâs avast! External Control program, besides having a tool to close avast and exit, it also has a restart option too, not to mention many other useful controls.
Some of the tools only work with W2k and XP, you will have to check his documentation when you download it.
HTH David
Thanks very much David. Iâm downloading it now and will give it a try.
Methinks they should include a revision to incorporate something similar into Avast Home⌠
TJ
When you right click the blue ball with the âAâ, at the bottum of the menu it says âstop on-access protectionâ It could be a matter of interpretation, but imho it doesnât say âstop Avast completely from runningâ it only says âstop on-access protectionâ
I admit this may be confusing, especially to people whom (likely I spelled that wrong:D ) natural language isnât English. Perhaps something for Alwil to change?
Ok for the spelling (creates misunderstandings).
But for âcompleteâ stop and exit, even RejZor application (which works) could bring trouble on shuttind down services. It was discussed in the past: itâs not that easy to shut down an application like an antivirus :
The problem is not the âstop on-access protectionâ but the words âand Exit.â In anyoneâs language and common in with ending many programs, Exit means just that, close the program.
In most programs the shortcut Alt F X (alt File eXit, the menu Drop down list File eXit) closes the program. This is mine and many others interpretition of Exit.
My Firewall Outpost uses similar wording âExit and Shutdown Outpost.â
I appreciate there can be problems closing down an AV, but the person wants to do it and is confused why it didnât exit when he expected it to.
End the confusion and remove the âand Exitâ from the right click menu.
David I fully agreed with you :-[
I never run a system backup when connected to the Net, so why would I need any AV to protect my email, or anything else for that matter, while Iâm running a backup⌠???
I tried the External Remote Control. The Avast! Main Control routine contained therein doesnât work in Windows ME. Only in Windows 2000/XP/2003, per the message received at execution. Dâoh!
I had been running McAfee VirusScan version 8 on my ME system until today and it allowed me to completely exit the process when I chose to do soâŚ
OT but related. Since Windows XP has a built-in Shadow File process and allows a backup without the need to shutdown/disable processes like Norton AV 2003 (I know because I have a XP/Home system that I use regularly and it works like a champ with my backup software!), I donât understand the need to even have this External Remote Control for that purposeâŚ
Anyway, Iâm back where I started⌠
I guess I need to start looking for another solutionâŚ
TJ
I am assuming by backing up you mean making a restore point. It is a pain but you could left click blue ball, terminate each avast system, then exit. Go to start, run misconfig, selective startup and uncheck everything to do with Avast. Then reboot, you have to anyway to make a restore point. Then restart Avast after. I have made restore points with Avast running and never had any trouble. I guessâŚ
You donât need reallyâŚ
CTRL-ALT-DEL should be enough on ME to close the majority of the programs related to avast.
I really suggest you download and run from a floppy Process Explorer 8.41 and close all other programs that could be related to avast.
ashdisp.exe, ashMaiSv.exe, ashServ.exe and aswUpdSv.exe
For technical information, see: Stop On-Access Protection and ExitâŚno Exit ?!?. Here you will find what I told about dificulties on shutting down an antivirus: Sorry, but itâs not possible to free the memory completely - your computer may stop working. Some operations are hooked by the resident providers, your e-mail program may be redirected to the avast! resident protection module (so that it can check the mail), etc. Itâs simply not possible to unload all the modules. In that case, you wouldnât be able to send or receive your e-mail anymore, and the operating system may suffer from other malfunctions. The best thing we can do is tell the resident protection not to scan anything and pass all the requests untouched.
When I refer to a system backup I mean running software that copies my hard disk drives to a tape cartridge (utilizing compression). Not creating a System Restore checkpoint.
Running anything from a floppy in this day and age seems archaic. :-\ Except maybe flash updates. However, thanks for the idea.
Iâll try testing Avast! Home some more today, but I am already considering other solutions (a different AV) as wellâŚ
TJ