[wright3279]

If the antivirus software I'm using (Avast) says it has a resident scanner, does that mean it scans files on my computer before I can open them? For instance if I open a word processing file, is the file and program scanned every time I open them? Seems like a waste of time and resources. What do I turn off just to scan incoming stuff?

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try this


Start the AVAST32 3.0 program.
Switch to the enhanced User Interface.
On the "Task" page click with the right mouse button on "Resident protection" task and select Modify from the displayed menu. A dialog allowing to edit changes will appear.
Check the "Advanced configuration" check box on lower part of a window
Click on the "Scheduling" item and check or uncheck the "Start task with Operating system" check box.
Click on the "OK" button, close AVAST32 program and restart Windows.

[wright3279]

I don't have that version of Avast.

[computerwiz12890]

Seems like a waste of time and resources.

Absolutely not! If you download a file that is infected, Avast will automatically scan it and warn you. If you turn this feature off, you can easily become infected behind your back!

You'd have to remember to scan everything you download before you run it! In addition, Avast's resident scanner can scan infected e-mail, instant messenging infections, P2P infections, and even web browsing infections. So Avast's resident scanner can protect you from quite a lot!

I highly recommend you leave it active! If you are having a resource issue, you may need to upgrade your RAM. Or your computer may just need a good cleaning. Let's go ahead and give it a good cleaning with Tune Up:

Download and install Tune Up 2006 Trial

Click on Clean up & Repair. Run TuneUp DiskCleaner. Delete all junk files. Afterwords, return to the Main Screen.

Click on Clean up & Repair. Run TuneUp RegistryCleaner. Fix all errors. Afterwords, return to the Main Screen.

Click on Optimize & Improve. Run TuneUp RegistryDefrag, which will take a few minutes and need a reboot.

After the reboot, start Tune Up again. Click on Optimize & Improve then click on TuneUp System Optimizer. In the menu to the left called "Wizards", choose System Advisor. Note some of the advice it tells you.

Let me know if you have any further questions or need any further assistance.

Edited by computerwiz12890, 05 September 2006 - 12:27 PM.

[wright3279]

But my questions remain: Are the files already on my computer scanned every time I use them? What is a resident scanner?

[computerwiz12890]

But my questions remain: Are the files already on my computer scanned every time I use them? What is a resident scanner?

Yes, it will scan the files that are already on your computer but only when they are accessed. And once scanned, it will leave them alone as you use it, so it is only a very short temporary use of resources.

That is what a "resident scanner" does, it protects your computer from threats that are trying to activate, whether they try to activate automatically or by you accidentially activating them. Without real-time protection, you'd have to scan every file manually before you open it or download it, which would be a real pain in the rear.

[wright3279]

I don't see the need to scan a file on the hard drive every time I access it. Once should be enuf. And are the programs such as a word processor also scanned?

[dsenette]

don't see the need to scan a file on the hard drive every time I access it. Once should be enuf. And are the programs such as a word processor also scanned?

the problem here is that...sure your document may be fine today...but let's say you somehow get a virus on your computer that then infects ALL your word documents...you clean up the initial infection and all is well...but then you decide to work on one of those documents...bam...reinfected and back to square one...the overhead used for normal on access file scanning is very low...MOST files that you will be accessing will be smaller than 1Mb and wont take long to scan...and even files larger than that...don't exactly take ages to scan...more than 2 seconds would surprise me...unless you're noticing something that you can WITHOUT A DOUBT attribute to the resident scanner...leave it alone...it's doing it's job