AVG Free Anti Virus

I unchecked the two items in Link Scanner but resident shield is still running and has been for 45 minutes. So I rechecked them. I have had AVG for a long time and never had a problem with Resident Shield. Now it seems to run daily and last for hours.
I read the other links you sent me but am totally confused by their reference to set the scan. My AVG is set to scan once a week but I don't understand what that has to do with resident shield.
And just to aggravate things Free Zone Alarm has sstared coming up with a window trying to get me to buy ZA and I have to say no thanks every time I start up my computer. I realize that I am using free programs, but I sure wish they would not make changes that cause these problems. Thanks for your reply. I guess I am just stuck with these problems.

stayed with version 7.5 or use another antivirus (AntiVir or Avast), Auggie.

Their free AVG forum as you know have similar reports like yours but not much has helped to fix it unless they will keep trying to:
1. Remove LinkScanner
2. Fresh install AVG but do not install LinkScanner
3. Disable scheduled scan and just run the full scan manually once a week
There are maybe other tweaks.

Bottom line: AVG need to fix the issue instead of people to keep tweaking

Donna I went ahead and uninstalled my AVG 8.5 and then redownloaded and installed it. It did not geve me the option not to install Link Scanner just the option not to install the toolbar. Thanks for your help.

Aggief did that uninstall and re-install solve the problem for you?

I've upgraded to AVG 8.5, (without the Link Scanner), and I see the same performance hit that you did, especially at startup.

I see in another thread here in the Spyware forum that another member, having the same problems, uninstalled and re-installed, and they said it solved the problem.

Mark

I think it has helped. I will let you know if it takes over again. I am still confused by the reference to Link Scanner inasmuch as I didn't have the option to not intall Link Scanner. The only option I had was the toobar which I unchecked.

If you wish to uninstall the LinkScanner component from AVG 8.5 Free Edition, please proceed as follows:

* Download the AVG 8.5 Free Edition installation package from our website.
* Run the installation file by double-click.
* Proceed through the installation wizard and in the Select Setup Type window please select the Add or remove components option.
* Then proceed through the steps of the wizard to reach the Component Selection window and uncheck the LinkScanner component.
* Afterwards complete the rest of the steps of the installation wizard. The LinkScanner component will be removed from AVG.


If there is no AVG on your computer yet, then please proceed this way:

* Download the AVG 8.5 Free Edition installation package from our website.
* Run the installation file by double-click.
* Proceed through the installation wizard and in the Select Installation Type window please select the Custom installation option.
* When you reach the Component Selection window, uncheck the LinkScanner component.
* Finish the installation wizard. AVG will be installed without the LinkScanner component.

http://free.avg.com/faq.num-1241#faq_1241

I hope you won't see the slowing issue anymore after you re-installed AVG 8.5 without the toolbar.

>>>I am still confused by the reference to Link Scanner inasmuch as I didn't have the option to not intall Link Scanner. The only option I had was the toobar which I unchecked.

The toolbar that you unchecked during installation of AVG 8.5 is the AVG security toolbar which include LinkScanner and Search.
More info at http://free.avg.com/faq.num-1252#faq_1252

after the re-install without the AVG toolbar (which have Linkscanner, Search).

Resident shield has been running for 10 hours. I've had enough. Donna I assume both AntiVir and Avast are free programs. Which one do you recommend I download and install.

Yes, AntiVir and Avast are free. You can try one of them then go to the other if the first one is not OK.

I suggest to try to download and install AntiVir 9 first. If you are OK with the user interface, updating and performance, you can keep it but note only that AntiVir free have ads when updating.
You can stop the ads by doing the guide here:
http://www.wikihow.com/Remove-the-Popup-Ads-in-Avira-Antivir
I personally have Antivir v9 on my laptop. No problem so far.

Go to Avast only if you have problem with AntiVir. Avast detection is good also (especially the web protection) but I personally have issue in running it on my laptop and desktop (last time I tried is February this year) because it slow down in opening Control Panel and My Computer then the taskbar freeze often for some reasons. I don't know though if you'll see the same. Other Avast users do not have that issue so it's maybe my system only have issue on Avast

Donna, I had to uninstall AVG Free and I installed Avira AntiVir9 as you suggested. I don't see any reference to it checking email for viruses. Does It?

but any infection in e-mail will be detected by AntiVir if you will try to access/view an email with malicious content that is known to AntiVir signatures.

Just make sure that your AntiVir configuration is set as:
Expert Mode:
Guard>Scan mode>Scan when reading and writing is selected.

Also don't forget to check all files to scan instead of files extension list only.

The same in Expert Mode>Scanner, please choose "Scan All files" and all boxes at the right under "Additional settings"

BTW, I was testing AVG 8.5 today and found out that AVG 8.5 installer will continue to install LinkScanner modules even if you will not install AVG Security Toolbar. This is maybe the reason you still see the 100% CPU usage of AVG because LinkScanner is still there.

That the method to remove LinkScanner is to use "Custom" installation method, uncheck "LinkScanner" in the installation wizard then the next window will show AVG Security Toolbar which you can uncheck also.
I thought only to share with you that I found out the above after testing it (just in case you will try AVG 8.5 again).

I'm confused. It doesn't have an email scanner but then you say it will detect an infection if I try to view an email with malicious content.
Also if I decide to go back to avg free and usethe custom nstallation and uncheck LinkScanner and Avg toolbar, will that stop
Resident Shield from running and using up all the CPU?

Even though there is no e-mail scanner component in AntiVir, the AntiVir "Guard" should detect any malicious files in your email folders (or anywhere in your HD) "if" you configure AntiVir to scan all files when reading and writing in the hard-drive.

As to high CPU usage of AVG, I don't see high CPU usage when I did not install LinkScanner and AVG Security toolbar. You will only lose the rating icon in the browser if you will not install LinkScanner.

You can give it a try but use "Custom" installation method instead of typical method.

I'm not sure if you will see the same result but other people (in BBR and BleepingComputer forums) reported the same after they removed LinkScanner or did not install those (Linkscanner and AVG Security Toolbar).

When I did the custom and unchecked Link Scanner after it was installed it said I needed to turn on resident shield.
I just went back to the standard installation and will have to live with resident shield problem until AVG fixes it,
What I can't believe is that for the first time, after I installed AVG 8, I did not get an icon on the desktop. But I dod have the small icon on the taskbar.

As long as the icon in the systray is running, it's OK. Just move it out from taskbar to the desktop if you want it in the desktop.

The same in Expert Mode>Scanner, please choose "Scan All files" and all boxes at the right under "Additional settings"
I can't find Additional settings.

for "Expert Mode". You should see "Expert mode" at the top left hand of the "settings" window.

Just want to make sure this will be your settings (if you will keep Avira AntiVir)

Expert Mode:
Scanner:
Scan>Files>All Files
At the right, put a check on all boxes under "Additional Settings"

Guard:
Scan mode>Scan when reading and writing
Files>All Files
Archives> Put a check in the box for "Scan archives"

I went back to avg 8.5. I now have a new question. Everything is activated except ID Protection. What is that?? Why isn't it automatically activated? Do I need to activate it?

They will charge $19.95 if you will try to activate it. Just ignore that component. It's not part of AVG Free. It's their way to advertise their paid service (in addition to the nagware at the bottom of AVG v8.5).

See also: http://freeforum.avg.com/read.php?12,186371,backpage=,sv=

I didn't mean to be such a pest on this subject. Thanks again for all of your help. Hopefully I won't have too mcuh problem with Resident Shield.

Yeah, I hope they'll fix that issue when another program update is released.