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Aghast at Avast

Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2019 11:19 pm
by Dave Allen
My SSD drive's space was dropping at a rate of 1gb a day.
Avast had created 10k+ of temp files in Appdata/Local/Temp when I finally figured it out.
If anyone else has this going on - go to the temp folder, search for prb*.tmp and delete them all.
Got about 15gb of storage back. Space, the final frontier! :geek:

Re: Aghast at Avast

Posted: Sat Feb 02, 2019 11:24 pm
by jztemple2
Good gosh, do you know why it is doing it?

Re: Aghast at Avast

Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2019 12:04 am
by Dave Allen
In their forum it looks like a problem with the current build.
Lately I've also been getting pop-ups saying my license is about to expire in X days.
Maybe I should switch to a free version of something else? Suggestions?

Re: Aghast at Avast

Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2019 12:42 am
by jztemple2
I'm using Malwarebytes based upon recommendations from this forum. I did the trial and switched to Premium. So far I have no reason to complain.

Re: Aghast at Avast

Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2019 1:55 am
by Anonymous Bosch
The free version of Bitdefender Antivirus provides solid protection with a simple and unobtrusive interface. In terms of free antivirus products, I think it's preferable to the bloaty features of Avast.

Re: Aghast at Avast

Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2019 10:14 am
by Dave Allen
Anonymous Bosch wrote: Sun Feb 03, 2019 1:55 am The free version of Bitdefender Antivirus provides solid protection with a simple and unobtrusive interface. In terms of free antivirus products, I think it's preferable to the bloaty features of Avast.
Bitdefender Free looks like what I once expected from Avast. I'll give it a try.
FYI, Bitdefender also has individualized removal tools for all their competitors here.

Re: Aghast at Avast

Posted: Sun Feb 03, 2019 6:49 pm
by Dave Allen
I installed Bitdefender and did a system scan. It found a file that was password-protected and asked me to enter a password or skip it.

The interesting thing is that the folder the password-protected file is in does NOT appear at all in Windows Explorer.
I'm pretty familiar with how to change the files & folders options, and I'd swear the folder doesn't exist.

A Windows search comes up with nada. And yet if I create a folder with the same name (in this case "#ignore") it asks me if I want to replace this folder with the current one. No matter what I choose, a folder named "#ignore" never appears.

???

Re: Aghast at Avast

Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2019 12:50 am
by Kasey Chang
I've uninstalled Avast as my Comodo Firewall is also an antivirus (Technically, it's Comodo Internet Security), and personal license is free (they obviously want you to buy the pro version which has extra perks)

Re: Aghast at Avast

Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2019 10:30 am
by Kasey Chang
Dave Allen wrote: Sun Feb 03, 2019 6:49 pm I installed Bitdefender and did a system scan. It found a file that was password-protected and asked me to enter a password or skip it.

The interesting thing is that the folder the password-protected file is in does NOT appear at all in Windows Explorer.
I'm pretty familiar with how to change the files & folders options, and I'd swear the folder doesn't exist.

A Windows search comes up with nada. And yet if I create a folder with the same name (in this case "#ignore") it asks me if I want to replace this folder with the current one. No matter what I choose, a folder named "#ignore" never appears.

???
Apparently this #ignore thing existed back in Win7, and repeated reports of it ever since.

https://superuser.com/questions/538604/ ... re-folder

Re: Aghast at Avast

Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2019 7:00 pm
by Dave Allen
Bitdefender bothers me a whole lot less than Avast - except for one issue:

Image

Bitdefender blocks just about every website I regularly go to, and I don't see any way to disable this specific feature in my free edition. :(

Re: Aghast at Avast

Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2019 9:00 pm
by Anonymous Bosch
Dave Allen wrote: Sat Feb 09, 2019 7:00 pm Bitdefender bothers me a whole lot less than Avast - except for one issue:

Image

Bitdefender blocks just about every website I regularly go to, and I don't see any way to disable this specific feature in my free edition. :(
Try following these instructions for disabling SSL scanning in Bitdefender (scroll down for instructions on the 2019 version if that's what you're using). Doing so should prevent Bitdefender's overprotective website-blocking.

Re: Aghast at Avast

Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2019 1:28 am
by Rumpy
Had a similar issue with NOD32 awhile ago with the SSL scanning. I think this was around the time Google was forcing websites to switch to https, which I think threw these scanners off. Disabling it did the trick, though I think they eventually got it fixed.

Re: Aghast at Avast

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 9:13 am
by Dave Allen
Anonymous Bosch wrote: Sat Feb 09, 2019 9:00 pm
Try following these instructions for disabling SSL scanning in Bitdefender (scroll down for instructions on the 2019 version if that's what you're using). Doing so should prevent Bitdefender's overprotective website-blocking.
These instructions are for the paid versions. The free version is a different animal entirely. There are no settings other than the shield on/off switch and a site-by-site exclusion list I can add to - what a pita. :(

Re: Aghast at Avast

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 2:10 pm
by Anonymous Bosch
Dave Allen wrote: Tue Feb 12, 2019 9:13 am
Anonymous Bosch wrote: Sat Feb 09, 2019 9:00 pm
Try following these instructions for disabling SSL scanning in Bitdefender (scroll down for instructions on the 2019 version if that's what you're using). Doing so should prevent Bitdefender's overprotective website-blocking.
These instructions are for the paid versions. The free version is a different animal entirely. There are no settings other than the shield on/off switch and a site-by-site exclusion list I can add to - what a pita. :(
Wow, that sucks.

Alas, it seems makers of free antivirus software are increasingly going out of their way to annoy users into 'upgrading' to a functional paid product (be it through ads, or the omission of basic controls and features). Because I'm fairly sure the free version of Bitdefender antivirus previously did allow users to disable SSL scanning.

FWIW, Leo Laporte has suggested avoiding usage of third-party AV software altogether for quite some time, so it's worth considering his advice.

Re: Aghast at Avast

Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2019 7:54 pm
by Blackhawk
That's what I've been doing for years. I've given up on too many antiviruses because they interfered with gaming too much, whether performance wise, deleting files, locking files, etc. Windows AV hasn't caused me any issues, and I don't engage in 'risky' behaviors to begin with.

Re: Aghast at Avast

Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2019 12:54 am
by Dave Allen
Anonymous Bosch wrote: Tue Feb 12, 2019 2:10 pm FWIW, Leo Laporte has suggested avoiding usage of third-party AV software altogether for quite some time, so it's worth considering his advice.
That was fun and informative. In fact it tipped the scale for me. Leo convinced me to leave my Win 7 (and I loved her :wub: ) for Windows 10. And finally putting the AV issue to rest is a real perk.

Re: Aghast at Avast

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2019 12:59 pm
by morlac
I keep a copy of the free malware malbytes around for the occasional time I need to run it to fix something Windows defender can't. This is mostly for PC's I help maintain besides mine....Uncle and nephew I'm looking at you two! Even that is once a year at most nowadays.

Every paid or other free one I've messed with is a bloaty mess praying on fear and stupidity. Free windows defender and more importantly smart usage are the best defense.

Re: Aghast at Avast

Posted: Mon May 20, 2019 2:11 am
by chrispeddler
Also happened to me. It's possible malware. I've uninstalled Avast and used MS Security Essential as replacement.

Re: Aghast at Avast

Posted: Wed Jun 05, 2019 12:20 am
by Hrdina
Dave Allen wrote: Wed Feb 13, 2019 12:54 am
Anonymous Bosch wrote: Tue Feb 12, 2019 2:10 pm FWIW, Leo Laporte has suggested avoiding usage of third-party AV software altogether for quite some time, so it's worth considering his advice.
That was fun and informative. In fact it tipped the scale for me. Leo convinced me to leave my Win 7 (and I loved her :wub: ) for Windows 10. And finally putting the AV issue to rest is a real perk.
Yeah, I think I ditched Avast for Defender not too long after seeing that video (and reading a few follow-up articles).

I felt like Avast was spending more of its time advertising other products/services to me than actually protecting my PC.

Re: Aghast at Avast

Posted: Wed Jun 05, 2019 7:43 pm
by Lassr
I now use the default anit-virus in Windows 10, so nice not to be bugged constantly to upgrade.

Re: Aghast at Avast

Posted: Mon Jan 27, 2020 8:16 pm
by Blackhawk
More reasons to be aghast at Avast.
They show that the Avast antivirus program installed on a person's computer collects data, and that Jumpshot repackages it into various different products that are then sold to many of the largest companies in the world.

Re: Aghast at Avast

Posted: Mon Jan 27, 2020 11:09 pm
by Kraken
That's sad. Avast was a good product in its day. For me, that day ended when it turned into nagware a few years ago.

Re: Aghast at Avast

Posted: Mon Jan 27, 2020 11:25 pm
by Hrdina
Kraken wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 11:09 pm That's sad. Avast was a good product in its day. For me, that day ended when it turned into nagware a few years ago.
Same here. I uninstalled it a year or so ago (after using it for a long time) and just use the MS Defender SW now.

Re: Aghast at Avast

Posted: Tue Jan 28, 2020 1:16 am
by Kraken
Hrdina wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 11:25 pm
Kraken wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 11:09 pm That's sad. Avast was a good product in its day. For me, that day ended when it turned into nagware a few years ago.
Same here. I uninstalled it a year or so ago (after using it for a long time) and just use the MS Defender SW now.
A lot of brands follow that arc. McAfee and Norton used to be names I trusted.

Re: Aghast at Avast

Posted: Tue Jan 28, 2020 1:22 am
by Blackhawk
I gave up Avast for the same reason. It got more and more pushy as time went on until the 'free' version was almost as bad as having a virus. I switched to ESET paid for a year. It was really, really good. It was too good, and frequently threw up false positives or directly interfered with legitimate software, plus it took up resources. When it came time to renew I just went with plain old Microsoft Security Essentials. I'm careful anyway, I'm picky about what I download and run, I use script blockers and ad blockers. MSSE is more than enough AV for my needs, and I haven't had any slowdowns or false positives (or viruses) in years.