Using Avast free, machine not recognizing it.

I used AVG free for several years on the awesome advice I have always received here - this site is awesome and I recommend it to anyone I know with computer issues.

But I am on a very old computer using system resource hogs (several Adobe products) and so when sometime last year one of the new versions of AVG caused my computer to slow down immensely I had to change to something else for virus protection.

I downloaded and installed Avast free and for one reason or another (most likely user error, I'll be the first to admit....) I have never felt as confident about the protection as I did with AVG. A couple weeks ago my computer became infected for the very first time, and now it is infected again......

No one else is using my computer and my web browsing habits haven't changed, so I need to get to the bottom of what's going on - I either need a different antivirus program or I need to make sure I'm using this one correctly.

My first question - does Windows recognize Avast free? I occasionally get a pop up from the security center saying I may have no antivirus installed and when I go check, it says firewall is on, auto updates is on, but virus protection is not found. There is a little note that does say Windows may not recognize all antivirus programs though, so I don't know if this is a problem or not. When I hover my mouse over the Avast icon in the system tray it says that of the 7 providers, 6 are running.

Is there any way to know if I've installed incorrectly or have incorrect settings checked? I don't want anything I don't need turned on (resources), but I've obviously left a hole somewhere that's allowed recent infections.

Any help is greatly appreciated!! Thanks, Amy

 

I suggest you click on this link http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=208809 and follow all instructions then post required logs into the malware forum, then be patient and don't bump, the malware fighters will get round to sorting you out !
If there's anything you can't do, don't worry just continue , and don't be afraid to ask if you get stuck !

The best malware fighters on the web patrol these forums as you already know !


Rusty !

 

Thanks Rusty!

Yep, already posted logs over there. Thought I would start trying to figure out how to prevent this from happening again while I wait to get sorted out!

 

You said old system. What OS, how much RAM? This will determine what you can use.

 

I just realized last year that my computer is 8 years old - time flies! It has XP SP3 and 2 GB.

 

Amym,

I had Avast on one computer and it was recognized without any problem. Windows should recognize it.

I have the exact same problem with security center on the laptop in my current thread: http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=209397. Thought there is that the old antivirus may not have been completely removed before the new was installed (Avira in my case as compared with Avast in yours) and that caused interference with recognition by security center. Did you completely remove AVG before you installed Avast?
Has it been this way from the beginning or is this something recent?

That is correct as I understand it. The boot scan (provider 7) runs only if you schedule it.
And, at least you have a systray icon; I don’t. But I am guessing the solution is going to be similar for both of us.

 

2 G of ram? That's a lot, you must have added some because I don't think that existed 8 years ago.
And do you have all the updated, SP3 if home addition?
After you are fininshed in the Malware section do the following.
From the MG front page, search for and download cCleaner. Then search for and download Startupcpl. (Your slowness problem may very well be related to autorun programs).
Run cCleaner, default settings.
Run Ccleaner's registry cleaner. Make back-up when prompted.
Go to cCleaner tools, startup, take a picture of the startup programs, post here. In case you need to know, to take picture, hit ctrl and print screen keys, open paint, then edit paste. Post back.

 

You say you were infected twice, so I have to ask if your definitions have been updating every day. You can't expect your AV to catch everything any way. You need a layered approach. I am running Avast! V5, MalwareBytes on demand, Superantispyware Pro in real time, and SpywareBlaster running in the background. I also use Sandboxie and/or Shadow Defender virtualized apps when I surf in unknown waters. Added to that is my Outpost Firewall. :cool

 

Sounds like you still have the old version, it's been updated and includes an anti-spyware type behavior scanner as well as it's old functions.

Avast!5

My computer is comparable to yours, it is 7 years old, so I can attest that Avast! works fine for me.

You say you have many Adobe products. Have you tried alternatives to them?

For Adobe Reader: FoxIt

For Adobe Acrobat: OpenOffice or any Word type program, and CutePDF Writer or doPDF

Here's some more alternatives for Adobe Creative Suite:

Free Open Source Alternatives

Say Goodbye To Adobe Creative Suite

Media Production on a Budget

Hope that Helps!

 

Hi Brandypeppy! Thanks for your reply

*I did add some RAM about a year ago, originally I had 1 GB.
*I should be up to date on my OS, I have auto updates enabled and haven't run into problems with that in the past - wouldn't hurt to double check though, eh?
*I have had CCleaner on my computer for I don't even know how many years now....I use it all the time!
*I have had issues in the past with my computer running slow so I do regularly keep an eye on startup programs - that's not the issue I'm having now though.....

Thanks again, Amy

 

Hey Heyyou! Yes, whether or not all the updates are going smoothly with my antivirus and scanners is something I am wondering about too....

I know AV is not foolproof and can't possibly catch everything out there BUT, my web browsing and internet use is so G-rated and cautious...my habits and the places I visit haven't changed in years. The only thing that HAS changed is my AV and the fact that I've gotten 2 viruses w/in 2 weeks and I've NEVER had one before. Just seems coincidental and makes me question the AV and how I may have things set up. Running everything you're running would probably slow my computer to a grinding halt and be overkill for what I need.

Thanks again, I'm definitely going to check my AV updates more closely!