Problem With Avira Scan Shows Ugly Head Again

[Graystoke]

This is my tale of woe with Avira. A while back when Avira added the rootkit scan, I was having a problem with full system scans. It would just stop at 67% in the hidden files scan. After help from the Avira forum and the Avira man himself, I got the scan running. CCleaner seemed to be the answer. Uninstall Avira, run CCleaner, reinstall Avira.

Well it started happening again yesterday when I ran a full system scan. Once again it stopped at the 67% mark during the hidden files scan. I did the uninstall, run CCleaner, reinstall, but that didn't work. The problem occurs with Avira Premium, and Avira SS.

I really liked Avira because of how light it runs, but I don't want to put up with this problem again. I have uninstalled Avira for the last time, and running a suite that I won't name at this time.

Anyone else having this problem with Avira? I'm not sure why this is happening to me, but I guess all I can say is, c'est la vie.
Edit/Delete Message

[JerryM]

Hi Graystoke,
I have had excellent results from AntiVir Premium.
Having said that, I would not put up with problems that were not fairly easily solved. That is the reason I dumped Bit Defender several years ago, and am not currently using Kaspersky.
I do expect KAV/KIS to improve to the degree I can go back to one of them.

I consider that life is too short to fight the problems of troublesome software, unless that is your hobby or profession.
In your case I would dump AntiVir.

Regards,
Jerry

[huntnyc]

Sorry to hear of your problems with Avira. I did not notice any of these while running it but I took it off mainly becaause of the lack of discounts in pricing. Of course, that is Avira's pricing and they have a right to do that and I have a right not to accept it.

I agree with above poster that I get rid of all programs that cause me to have to do too much work troubleshooting their conflicts. But, I still like Avira and hope things change on many levels. Good luck with your suite you are using now.

Gary

[Graystoke]

-{ Quote: "Hi Graystoke,
I have had excellent results from AntiVir Premium.
Having said that, I would not put up with problems that were not fairly easily solved. That is the reason I dumped Bit Defender several years ago, and am not currently using Kaspersky.
I do expect KAV/KIS to improve to the degree I can go back to one of them.

I consider that life is too short to fight the problems of troublesome software, unless that is your hobby or profession.
In your case I would dump AntiVir.

Regards,
Jerry" }-


Hi Jerry.

No, it's definitely not my hobby or profession. :) I have better things to do with my time than spend it trying to figure out why this problem is occurring. Once is ok, but not twice.

[Johnny123]

-{ Quote: "
Anyone else having this problem with Avira? I'm not sure why this is happening to me, but I guess all I can say is, c'est la vie.
Edit/Delete Message" }-

I had the same problem. It always hangs at the same place when it scans the registry. I just uninstalled the rootkit scanner. There's enough of those available that are free, so I don't really care about this. I did notice that in the forum a couple of people made postings about this and even posted the error from the log, but they only answer they got was that it's a known problem. :(

[Rickk]

I also concur.
Disabled the Rootkit add-on a month or so ago, when started having both similar and different problems.
Works like a charm since.

[JerryM]

This is a problem that is not unique to Avira.
I removed KAV and F-Secure from my desktop due to the same problem. I have no idea why, but hope Kaspersky gets it fixed. It may be fixed now, but I won't try it again until my 6 month trial of AntiVir Premium expires. Then I will try KAV again.

I might even go for KIS if my systweek license works.???

Best,
Jerry

[Graystoke]

-{ Quote: "I had the same problem. It always hangs at the same place when it scans the registry. I just uninstalled the rootkit scanner. There's enough of those available that are free, so I don't really care about this. I did notice that in the forum a couple of people made postings about this and even posted the error from the log, but they only answer they got was that it's a known problem. :(" }-


-{ Quote: "I also concur.
Disabled the Rootkit add-on a month or so ago, when started having both similar and different problems.
Works like a charm since." }-


Johnny123 and Rickk.......

My thought on this is, why should I have to disable portions of an AV to get it to perform properly. If those options are included, then it shouldn't affect how the software performs. If there is a known problem, then it should be fixed by the manufacturer. Saying that it is a known problem, and not doing anything about it unacceptable. That's just my opinion.


-{ Quote: "This is a problem that is not unique to Avira.
I removed KAV and F-Secure from my desktop due to the same problem. I have no idea why, but hope Kaspersky gets it fixed. It may be fixed now, but I won't try it again until my 6 month trial of AntiVir Premium expires. Then I will try KAV again." }-


Jerry.......

I'm using KIS 7 now, and I'm not experiencing the same problem as I did with Avira. I have run two full system scans, one just after installing, and another, a scheduled scan, later that evening. Both scans ran flawlessly. Hopefully you will have better luck the next time you give KIS a try.

[trjam]

I took the AV off to put the suite back on. Each time it loaded and the firewall wanted to start asking for permissions to update, BSOD. Clean registry, redownoaded, but no good. Put ESS on this PC to.

[Rickk]

Graystoke,
-{ Quote: "Johnny123 and Rickk.......
My thought on this is, why should I have to disable portions of an AV to get it to perform properly. If those options are included, then it shouldn't affect how the software performs. If there is a known problem, then it should be fixed by the manufacturer. Saying that it is a known problem, and not doing anything about it unacceptable. That's just my opinion." }-

I fully agree, it,s just that I'm too busy right now to go thru the hassle of thoroughly uninstalling avira from my laptop, when this "work-around" is doing the job.

FWIW, I also have KIS (6.0), on the desktop, from the systweak offer. No problems whatsoever.


Trjam, just curious... Do you regularly switch back & forth with other things in your day-to-day living, as often as your AVs??

[Johnny123]

-{ Quote: "Johnny123 and Rickk.......

Saying that it is a known problem, and not doing anything about it unacceptable. That's just my opinion.
" }-

I agree with you, if it's a known problem then they should try to fix it. OTOH, maybe they are working on fixing it, I have no idea. Considering that their forum is "support", you would, however, expect a little more feedback and not just a posting from a moderator saying they know about it.

At any rate, I didn't really care if they introduced this feature or not, so to me it's not a big issue. I've used AntiVir for several years and like the rest of it, which is why I bought it. I can't see wasting the licence I've paid for because a feature that I don't really care about doesn't work, if you know what I mean. To me this is throwing the baby out with the bath water. ;)

[Jarmo P]

There was some problem mentioned in this forum when running Avira and also having SSM as a hips. Some problem with the AntiVir's rootkit scanner installed.

My system runs well with Processguard free as a hips and I run also everything connecting to internet inside Sandboxie. Comodo's latest 2.x firewall also in my PC.

Jarmo

[JerryM]

-{ Quote: "
Jerry.......

I'm using KIS 7 now, and I'm not experiencing the same problem as I did with Avira. I have run two full system scans, one just after installing, and another, a scheduled scan, later that evening. Both scans ran flawlessly. Hopefully you will have better luck the next time you give KIS a try." }-

Graystoke,
Thanks, that is good to know. I have been tempted to try it again but decided that since AntiVir is running so well I will "let sleeping dogs lie." I am pleased that the rootkit detecter is included in it, and it has caused me no problems.
My license expires in October so by then KAV7 should be running well.

I must say that Avira has done so well I will probably buy it if KAV doesn't run well.

Best,
Jerry

[poirot]

for Graystock: after reading the whole thread i dont think it is fair on your part to blame Avira Antivir for your troubles as there are perhaps a million users who didnt experience your difficulties at all.
I include myself in the latter category, as i recently went fom Avast to Avira Premium with total satisfaction in terms of detection and speed,including the rootkit search, and i have other security applications which might have been in the way..
I find very strange that none here hinted at possible difficulties with other security applications in your computer which could have been the reason for the halting of the scan...but there's also another possible reason in some hidden rootkit ....
the fact that installing Kaspersky suite over it didnt yield any result is no certainty of cleanliness.....
I saw with my own eyes how hidden or Gromozon type rootkits can pull the leg of any program....
Why didnt you immediately try a scan with Rootkit Unhooker,Sophos or SysProtAntiRK (or others))?

[JerryM]

Hi poirot,

I think that here we are pooling our experiences and knowledge base to learn, and to make decisions regarding security software.
Each of us knows that some applications do not run well on some systems. In one sense it is not an applications fault, but the combination on the system.

Avira, for example, seems to have some update problems, and also did or maybe still does have problems with the guard starting or showing in the tray.
I had the latter problem earlier, and removed it on my laptop.

While it may not be the fault of Avira, just for example, and if it were installed on a clean machine it would run perfectly, no one has such a computer unless just purchased. Even then it comes with installed software.

So in one sense it is not the fault of AntiVir, in another sense if it does not run well on a particular system for whatever reason it is not a good application for that system. Many of us do not want to do much trouble shooting.
That information is useful to others of us who might have had the same problem or are attempting to decide on what AV to install.

So I think the post is legitimate, and while I do not blame Avira, it is germane in the decision of what to install. We can say that about any AV or other application.
I think it is useful to developers to know what problems users are encountering so as to either make needed changes if they desire.

Regards,
Jerry

[the Tester]

FWIW, I never had the scanner stick or experienced trouble with the rootkit scanner.

I wouldn't rule out buying Premium somewhere down the road either.

[Mele20]

I can't use the rootkit scanner. I can't even have it installed. But I don't care about it so it doesn't matter to me.

[Graystoke]

-{ Quote: "for Graystock: after reading the whole thread i dont think it is fair on your part to blame Avira Antivir for your troubles as there are perhaps a million users who didnt experience your difficulties at all.
I include myself in the latter category, as i recently went fom Avast to Avira Premium with total satisfaction in terms of detection and speed,including the rootkit search, and i have other security applications which might have been in the way..
I find very strange that none here hinted at possible difficulties with other security applications in your computer which could have been the reason for the halting of the scan...but there's also another possible reason in some hidden rootkit ....
the fact that installing Kaspersky suite over it didnt yield any result is no certainty of cleanliness.....
I saw with my own eyes how hidden or Gromozon type rootkits can pull the leg of any program....
Why didnt you immediately try a scan with Rootkit Unhooker,Sophos or SysProtAntiRK (or others))?" }-


poirot.....As a matter of fact, I did run two other rootkit scanners after uninstalling Avira. I also ran HiJackThis. Nothing was found. If I can't blame Avira, who can I blame? They know there have been these problems. They never say they are working on a fix. Maybe they are, I don't know. When and if they do fix this, maybe I'll give it another try. I'm not getting on Avira's case just to be some mindless basher. I liked everything about Avira before they added the rootkit scanner. That's when my problems started. I'm not going to spend hours every day, running rootkit scanners, registry cleaners, etc, to try and fix this. I did this once before. If that didn't fix the problem, then good bye. I'm not picking on Avira, if any other AV/Suite would give me this much trouble, I'd remove them also.

[QBgreen]

Running Avira PE Premium here alongside OA2. XP Pro SP2 Box. All settings maxed out, all performing flawlessly including the rootkit scan. The problem is apparently system specific.

[Jarmo P]

Graystoke, I tried to look on your posts what other security programs are on your system?
If you are not specifying them, it is as told rather futile to try to see why you have your problems with Avira AntiVir.

[Graystoke]

-{ Quote: "Graystoke, I tried to look on your posts what other security programs are on your system?
If you are not specifying them, it is as told rather futile to try to see why you have your problems with Avira AntiVir." }-


When I ran Avira Premium, the only other security programs I had was my firewall, Sunbelt Kerio, and SuperAntiSpyware-on demand only. When I ran Avira Security Suite, only other security program was SuperAntiSpyware-on demand only. That's it.

[Jarmo P]

I have also SuperAntiSpyware (free) on my system.
Been a while since I have been scanning my puter with AntiVir or that antispyware prog. Now it is so hot my darn CPU fan starts resonating and cannot take the noise, but I will check later and if I can confirm your findings I will post back later to this reply.
Jarmo

EDIT
Nothing found:
I went to my admin user account and started SuperAntiSpyware = SAS. It updated itself and there was also some program updates cause I had not used it in perhaps 2 months. But it did make itself start always after every reboot. The thing I had disabled with CCleaner's Tools/Startup settings. So I never had that small "bug" in systray running. Scanned with SAS and nothing found of course. I never (almost) install anything and always use internet programs sandboxed, which I of course emptied. No use try to find stupid cookies when they can be deleted "manually".

Then I scanned with Avira AntiVir and scan went trough. Then I did also rootkit scan which went also fine through. So all seems working on my system with these 2 programs.

I sure disabled SAS from starting automatically after reboot with CCleaner again. Perhaps there is some automatic update with free version that needs to have it starting or why to have it there otherwise? For me SAS is not at all important program. So it does not need to start at all unless I say so.

[poirot]

As Jarmo showed that just having Antivir and Superantispyware brings no conflict, i can also testify that i run SAS in both computers,one with Antivir free and the other with Premium with no problem at all.

I take notice Graystoke used other antirootkit scanners so he's relatively trouble-free on that side, but the fact he's using Kerio Sunbelt firewall makes me think this might be the real culprit....
a firewall which ,if you make a netstat -an,will show three times more entries than any other firewall, either listening or active, super -BSODS prone and with a Behavioural blocker apparatus.........

Also, if i were to experience a sudden stop or fading away of a scan with a security program i'd first try to uninstall-reinstall it,before saying anything about it. I'd first think the download was somehow ,somewhere corrupted, as it so often can happen, before throwing away everything and change the program for something else.

[Graystoke]

-{ Quote: "As Jarmo showed that just having Antivir and Superantispyware brings no conflict, i can also testify that i run SAS in both computers,one with Antivir free and the other with Premium with no problem at all.

I take notice Graystoke used other antirootkit scanners so he's relatively trouble-free on that side, but the fact he's using Kerio Sunbelt firewall makes me think this might be the real culprit....
a firewall which ,if you make a netstat -an,will show three times more entries than any other firewall, either listening or active, super -BSODS prone and with a Behavioural blocker apparatus.........

Also, if i were to experience a sudden stop or fading away of a scan with a security program i'd first try to uninstall-reinstall it,before saying anything about it. I'd first think the download was somehow ,somewhere corrupted, as it so often can happen, before throwing away everything and change the program for something else." }-


Poirot, I'm getting the feeling from reading you posts, that you can't believe that Avira might be at fault. Hey, that's ok. I've been through the uninstall/reinstall route. I did that several times along with all the other things I've mentioned in the above posts.

Yes, I was upset with Avira when I started this thread. Why wouldn't I be? My goal was, after stating the facts about what I was going through, that someone else might be having the same problem, and therefore have a possible solution. My intentions were not to come here and bash Avira. It might have sounded that way because like I said, I was pissed when I started this thread. I will just resign to the fact that Avira and my computer don't like each other, for whatever reason.

I'm almost sorry I started this thread. I'm tired of trying to get one piece of software to run properly on my PC. Time to move on. I'm using a suite that runs great on my computer, and that I'm very happy with. The mods may close this thread if they like.

Thanks to all who offered their thoughts on this subject.

[poirot]

Just a little add-on before mods listen to Graystoke's closing will...

I understand and appreciate your attitude and style,Graystoke,but you're a bit too secretive in this thread: you didnt mention what applications you had and now you dont want to reveal what Suite is bringing you joy....
I agree its better to stop the thread then....
Best of luck to you,anyhow.

[Johnny123]

-{ Quote: "Just a little add-on before mods listen to Graystoke's closing will...

I understand and appreciate your attitude and style,Graystoke,but you're a bit too secretive in this thread: you didnt mention what applications you had " }-

Take a look at posting #21, he does say what he was running at the time. I have the same problem with the rootkit scanner and all I have is Spybot S&D and a router for security, so I think it's most likely something else. On the Avira forum people have posted the scan log with the errors, but they didn't get any response, so he has a point about this. I personally don't care if the rootkit scanner works, there are enough free ones available. But I can also understand how someone may be upset if he bought it and this was one of the features he was interested in having.

[Graystoke]

-{ Quote: "Just a little add-on before mods listen to Graystoke's closing will...

I understand and appreciate your attitude and style,Graystoke,but you're a bit too secretive in this thread: you didnt mention what applications you had and now you dont want to reveal what Suite is bringing you joy....
I agree its better to stop the thread then....
Best of luck to you,anyhow." }-


Geeez poirot. Secretive! ??? I mentioned in my post #21, what I was running while I had Avira Premium and Avira SS installed. That's it, that's all, that's everything, nothing else. No other security software at all. Period.

I was not being secretive about what suite I'm running now. If you check my post #8, you'll see what I'm currently using. I didn't want to bring KIS into this. I didn't want people to think that I'm just some KIS fan trolling Avira. That was not and is not my intention. The only reason I even mentioned KIS was to reply to JerryM's concerns in his post, #7.

[trjam]

Greystoke is one of my friends and a very upfront and straight forward person. He has given to and anguished as much as I, with assisting Avira. Please do not question is integrity. I know lets get this thread back on track.

Hey Greystoke, trust me on this one, try out Bitdefenders new beta suite this week, you may just find the answers to your questions.:D

[Graystoke]

-{ Quote: "Greystoke is one of my friends and a very upfront and straight forward person. He has given to and anguished as much as I, with assisting Avira. Please do not question is integrity. I know lets get this thread back on track.

Hey Greystoke, trust me on this one, try out Bitdefenders new beta suite this week, you may just find the answers to your questions.:D" }-


Hi trjam. Thanks for the kind words. I appreciate that very much. :)

I have signed up for Bitdefender's beta. I'm just waiting for their e-mail telling me I can start using it. I'm looking forward to trying it out.

[fredra]

@graystoke
It will be available on June 12 (tomorrow), check the Beta page on that day.
Cheers :)

[Graystoke]

-{ Quote: "@graystoke
It will be available on June 12 (tomorrow), check the Beta page on that day.
Cheers :)" }-


Thanks fredra. :)

[poirot]

-{ Quote: "Greystoke is one of my friends and a very upfront and straight forward person. He has given to and anguished as much as I, with assisting Avira. Please do not question is integrity" }-

Never had the slightest doubt and absolutely NEVER 'questioned his intergrity'......

anyone could have understood that,otherwise i wouldnt have wished him all the best......

[trjam]

-{ Quote: "Never had the slightest doubt and absolutely NEVER 'questioned his intergrity'......

anyone could have understood that,otherwise i wouldnt have wished him all the best......" }-
No problem, I more then likely, over reacted.;)

[DVD+R]

Bassically, in my Opinion you should :dry: Install it, Update it, and dont Bloody Fiddle with it :dry: having said that, its Silent like a Panther on my System 8) ready to bash the Living Horace out of any Nasties and Thingymajiggys :lurking: I set it to Scan All files, and Repair/Delete Option, it Scans perfectly :shifty:

[fredra]

-{ Quote: "Thanks fredra. :)" }-

OOPS!!!! :(
@Graystoke
They just changed the release date to June 19th.
Cheers :)

[Graystoke]

-{ Quote: "OOPS!!!! :(
@Graystoke
They just changed the release date to June 19th.
Cheers :)" }-


Yeah, I just read that in the Bitdefender 2008 Beta thread. A little disappointing, but it's better that they get everything right before releasing it. :)

[trjam]

Very true as this new one is going to be a "tad" different.;)

[fredra]

-{ Quote: "Very true as this new one is going to be a "tad" different.;)" }-

Hmmmmm :-\ ::)
How different is "tad"?
Just couldn't help that.... me bad ..... lol ;D ;D ;D ;D
We now return to regular programming, already in progress .. lol
Cheers :)

[PierreF]

I agree with Graystoke, antivir isn`t as good as it used to be.
If it is not working try another one, if you still like it thats ok too.

[Graystoke]

-{ Quote: "I agree with Graystoke, antivir isn`t as good as it used to be.
If it is not working try another one, if you still like it thats ok too." }-


Well, I think it's a good product as far as anti-virus/anti-malware products go. It has a very good detection rate. It runs very light, doesn't slow down the computer during start ups and browsing. There is just this scanning problem that affects some, not all, customers. If you read the Avira forum, you will see that there is a known problem, but nothing seems to be getting done to fix it.

There is this other little pet peeve I have about Avira, but that's for another day. ;) ;D