AVG Free v8 Full Scan Time?

[Charliec]

I'm running AVG Free v8 and had it set to perform a daily scan. The
scan takes 2.5+ hours to complete and affects the response time of the
system during this time. I am running WinXP SP3, no other security
software is running in real time (I have a Linksys 4-Port Router that
is set with a hardware firewall). I have a single internal drive
divided into 3 partitions, an external harddrive with 1 partition.

The settings in AVG for the Scan the Whole Computer - is, everything
checked except "Scan for Rootkits" and "Scan for Media Files".

The settings in AVG for Scan specific files and folders - is
everything checked except "Scan Tracking Cookies", "Scan System
Environment", and "Scan for Rootkits".

What could be causing this scan to take so long? I do manual scans
with Spybot, Spy Sweeper and AdAware and they scan the entire system
very quickly (about 1/2 hour). None of these are running in real
time - I manually start them when I want a scan. And then ensure they
are not active in real time after the scans.

Thanks and any insights appreciated.

brunoman
******************************************************
Charliec

 

[Beauregard T. Shagnasty]

I'm running AVG Free v8 and had it set to perform a daily scan. The
scan takes 2.5+ hours to complete and ...

Every day? What do you do with the computer that makes you think you
might infect yourself every day?

Set it to scan once a week on Sunday morning at 3:00 AM.

 

[Charliec]

I have already set it to once a week, but was wondering what takes the
scan so long!

Every day? What do you do with the computer that makes you think you
might infect yourself every day?

Set it to scan once a week on Sunday morning at 3:00 AM.

******************************************************
Charliec

 

[Charliec]

From: "Charliec" <[email protected]>

| I have already set it to once a week, but was wondering what takes the
| scan so long!

There are numerous variables that affects the scan time which includes, but is not limited
to...

The size of your TIF
The amount of junk in the TEMP folders.
The speed of the CPU
The speed of the hard disk
The typse of files being scanned such as all file types or selected file types.
If you are scanning Archive files
Scanning email databse files

Well, as I indicated in my original message, I do full scans
periodically (manual starts) with AdAware, Spy Sweeper, and SpyBot and
they take about 1/4 of the time of AVG - just trying to figure our why
AVG takes so long and other scan programs don't.

What am I missing?
******************************************************
Charliec

 

[Beauregard T. Shagnasty]

Well, as I indicated in my original message, I do full scans
periodically (manual starts) with AdAware, Spy Sweeper, and SpyBot
and they take about 1/4 of the time of AVG - just trying to figure
our why AVG takes so long and other scan programs don't.

AVG is an anti-virus program.
Ad-Aware is an anti-ad program.
SpySweeper and SpybotS&D are anti-spyware programs.

They are all looking for different things, which hide in different
places. You are comparing apples, oranges, and bananas.

 

[1PW]

Well, as I indicated in my original message, I do full scans
periodically (manual starts) with AdAware, Spy Sweeper, and SpyBot and
they take about 1/4 of the time of AVG - just trying to figure our why
AVG takes so long and other scan programs don't.

What am I missing?
******************************************************
Charliec

Hello Charliec:

Along with the good advice from others, you might consider cleaning out
your partitions with CCleaner and following with a good defragmentation
with something as good as JKDefrag.

Would you like to tell us more hardware details? OS? How much are you
storing on each of the three partitions? How much ram does your system
have? Is your system's cache at optimum? How much free space is in the
three partitions. Does your system run about as quickly as it always
has? Are any systems processes running that could be discontinued or
suspended?

Warm regards.

Pete

 

[Dragon]

AVG is an anti-virus program.

Ad-Aware is an anti-ad program.
SpySweeper and SpybotS&D are anti-spyware programs.

AVG 8 is anti-virus AND anti-other-malware by default.
Can be changed in the settings if desired.

Henry

 

[Beauregard T. Shagnasty]

AVG 8 is anti-virus AND anti-other-malware by default.
Can be changed in the settings if desired.

Then that is an even better reason why his AVG takes so much longer to
do a scan, especially since he selected a deep scan of all drives.

Aside: it is a lot easier to just stop using Windows.

 

[Dragon]

Aside: it is a lot easier to just stop using Windows.

Depends on what you want to do.
Have you tried using an Excel workbook, with lots of macros, in Open Office?

Henry

 

[Beauregard T. Shagnasty]

[Beauregard wrote:]

Aside: it is a lot easier to just stop using Windows.

Depends on what you want to do.
Have you tried using an Excel workbook, with lots of macros, in Open
Office?

No, I actually gave up that heavy-duty stuff when I retired seven years
ago. Have you tried using an Excel workbook, with lots of macros, in MS
Excel with Wine or Crossover Office? (No, I haven't either.)

 

[Gaz]

I'm running AVG Free v8 and had it set to perform a daily scan. The
scan takes 2.5+ hours to complete and affects the response time of the
system during this time. I am running WinXP SP3, no other security
software is running in real time (I have a Linksys 4-Port Router that
is set with a hardware firewall). I have a single internal drive
divided into 3 partitions, an external harddrive with 1 partition.

The settings in AVG for the Scan the Whole Computer - is, everything
checked except "Scan for Rootkits" and "Scan for Media Files".

The settings in AVG for Scan specific files and folders - is
everything checked except "Scan Tracking Cookies", "Scan System
Environment", and "Scan for Rootkits".

What could be causing this scan to take so long? I do manual scans
with Spybot, Spy Sweeper and AdAware and they scan the entire system
very quickly (about 1/2 hour). None of these are running in real
time - I manually start them when I want a scan. And then ensure they
are not active in real time after the scans.

Thanks and any insights appreciated.

brunoman
******************************************************
Charliec

AVG 8 is significantly slower then7.5, forget about scanning every day, just
set it to do it once a week and forget about it

Gaz