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A V G  9  Free © 2 0 1 0  C opyright A V G  T ec hnologies  C Z, s .r.o. A ll rights  res erved.

1

Document revision 90.15 (15. 11. 2010)

C opyright AVG Technologies C Z, s.r.o. All rights reserved.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

This product uses RSA Data Security, Inc. MD5 Message-Digest Algorithm, C opyright (C ) 1991-2, RSA Data
Security, Inc. C reated 1991.
This product uses code from C -SaC zech library, C opyright (c) 1996-2001 Jaromir Dolecek
([email protected]).
This product uses compression library zlib, C opyright (c) 1995-2002 Jean-loup Gailly and Mark Adler.
This product uses compression library libbzip2, C opyright (c) 1996-2002 Julian R. Seward.
 
 
 
 

AVG 9 Free

User Manual

Summary of Contents for ANTI-VIRUS 9 FREE - REV 90.15

Page 1: ...ers This product uses RSA Data Security Inc MD5 Message Digest Algorithm Copyright C 1991 2 RSA Data Security Inc Created 1991 This product uses code from C SaCzech library Copyright c 1996 2001 Jaromir Dolecek dolecek ics muni cz This product uses compression library zlib Copyright c 1995 2002 Jean loup Gailly and Mark Adler This product uses compression library libbzip2 Copyright c 1996 2002 Jul...

Page 2: ...llation Options 14 4 2 Installation Launch 15 4 3 License Agreement 15 4 4 Checking System Status 16 4 5 Select Installation Type 16 4 6 Activate your AVG License 17 4 7 Custom Installation Destination Folder 18 4 8 Custom Installation Component Selection 19 4 9 AVG Security Toolbar 20 4 10 Close down open applications 21 4 11 Installing AVG 21 4 12 Schedule regular scans and updates 22 4 13 AVG p...

Page 3: ... Virus Interface 36 7 2 Anti Spyware 36 7 2 1 Anti Spyware Principles 36 7 2 2 Anti Spyware Interface 37 7 3 E mail Scanner 37 7 3 1 E mail Scanner Principles 37 7 3 2 E mail Scanner Interface 37 7 3 3 E mail Scanner Detection 41 7 4 License 42 7 5 Link Scanner 42 7 5 1 Link Scanner Principles 42 7 5 2 Link Scanner Interface 42 7 5 3 AVG Search Shield 42 7 5 4 AVG Active Surf Shield 45 7 6 Residen...

Page 4: ...ty Protection 63 8 2 AVG Security Toolbar Options 63 8 2 1 Tab General 63 8 2 2 Tab Useful Buttons 63 8 2 3 Tab Security 63 8 2 4 Tab VIP 63 8 2 5 Tab Advanced Options 69 9 AVG Advanced Settings 69 9 1 Appearance 71 9 2 Sounds 73 9 3 Ignore Faulty Conditions 74 9 4 Virus Vault 75 9 5 PUP Exceptions 77 9 6 Link Scanner 78 9 7 Scans 78 9 7 1 Scan Whole Computer 78 9 7 2 Shell Extension Scan 78 9 7 3...

Page 5: ...AVG Scanning 114 10 1 Scanning Interface 115 10 2 Predefined Scans 115 10 2 1 Scan Whole Computer 115 10 2 2 Scan Specific Files or Folders 122 10 3 Scanning in Windows Explorer 122 10 4 Command Line Scanning 122 10 4 1 CMD Scan Parameters 125 10 5 Scan Scheduling 125 10 5 1 Schedule Settings 125 10 5 2 How to Scan 125 10 5 3 What to Scan 133 10 6 Scan Results Overview 134 10 7 Scan Results Detail...

Page 6: ...A V G 9 Free 2010 C opyright A V G T echnologies C Z s r o A ll rights reserved 6 143 11 2 Update Types 143 11 3 Update Process 145 12 Event History 146 13 FAQ and Technical Support ...

Page 7: ...We will briefly talk about the program installation initial startup configuration and use AVG 9 Free is provided free of charge and its functionality is limited While using AVG 9 Free you might discover you would like to have access to further and extended functionality of AVG as provided within the AVG 8 products Then please visit AVG website http www avg com for information on AVG 9 purchase opt...

Page 8: ...l SP2 Windows XP Professional x64 Edition SP1 Windows Vista x86 and x64 all editions Windows 7 x86 and x64 all editions and possibly higher service packs for specific operating systems 2 2 Minimum Recommended HW Requirements Minimum hardware requirements for AVG 9 Free Intel Pentium CPU 1 5 GHz 512 MB of RAM memory 450 MB of free hard drive space for installation purposes Recommended hardware requ...

Page 9: ... editions and only the following operating systems are supported Windows 2000 SP4 SRP roll up Windows XP SP2 and higher Windows Vista all editions and Windows 7 x86 and x64 all editions AVG Download Manager is available for download at AVG website http www avg com Following please find a brief description of each single step you need to take within the AVG Download Manager 3 1 Language Selection I...

Page 10: ... to establish an Internet connection so that updates can be located You will not be allowed to advance the download process until the AVG Download Manager is able to complete the connectivity test If the test shows no connectivity you will be informed about this status by the following dialog then make sure you are really connected to Internet and click the Retry button to continue ...

Page 11: ...e Internet click the Proxy button to specify your Proxy Settings If the check has been successful AVG Download Manager will go on automatically and you will get redirected directly to the Downloading installation files dialog 3 3 Proxy Settings If AVG Download Manager was not able to identify your Proxy settings you have to ...

Page 12: ... to the default value the proxy server will then automatically convey its requirements to you However if you are a skilled user you can also choose Basic required by some servers or NTLM required by all ISA Servers option Then enter a valid Username and Password optionally Confirm your settings by pressing the Apply button to follow to the next step of AVG Download Manager 3 4 Downloading Installa...

Page 13: ... you want to have installed the free program version with limited security options and with no technical support available or whether you prefer to try the full version of AVG Internet Security that provides you with a comprehensive protection During the thirty days of the trial period this edition is available to you free of charge and you can always switch to the AVG Free once the trial period e...

Page 14: ...allation process starts with the Welcome to the AVG Setup Program window In here you select the language used for the installation process and the default language of AVG user interface In the lower part of the dialog window find the Choose your setup language item and select the desired language from the drop down menu Then press the Next button to confirm and continue to the next dialog Attentio...

Page 15: ...he AVG license agreement Please read it carefully and confirm that you have read understood and accept the agreement by marking the I have read license agreement check box and pressing the Accept button If you do not agree with the license agreement press the Don t accept button and the installation process will be terminated immediately 4 4 Checking System Status ...

Page 16: ...commended to keep to the standard installation that installs AVG in fully automatic mode with settings predefined by the program vendor This configuration provides maximum security combined with the optimal use of resources In the future if the need arises to change the configuration you will always have the possibility to do so directly in the AVG application Custom installation should only be us...

Page 17: ...olbar dialog If custom installation was selected you will continue with the Destination Folder dialog 4 7 Custom Installation Destination Folder The Destination Folder dialog allows you to specify the location where AVG 9 Free should be installed By default AVG will be installed to the program files folder located on the system drive usually C In case the folder does not exist yet you will be aske...

Page 18: ...hin the list of components to be installed you can define which language s AVG should be installed in Check the Additional installed languages item and then select the desired languages from the respective menu E mail Scanner plug ins Click the E mail Scanner item to expand and decide on what plug in is to be installed to guarantee your electronic mail security By default the setup detects what is...

Page 19: ...cide whether you want to install the AVG Security Toolbar verification of search results of the supported Internet search engines If you do not change the default settings this component will be installed automatically into your Internet browser currently supported browsers are Microsoft Internet Explorer v 6 0 or higher and Mozilla Firefox v 3 0 or higher a to provide you with comprehensive onlin...

Page 20: ...rs during the installation process only in case there are some other clashing programs running on your computer at the moment Then the list of programs that need to be closed in order to sucessfuly finish the installation process will be provided Press the Next button to confirm you agree to close down the respective applications and to continue to the next step ...

Page 21: ...installation process and does not require any intervention After the installation process is finished and virus database updated you will be redirected to the next dialog automatically 4 12 Schedule regular scans and updates In the AVG Task Schedule dialog define time when the scheduled scan should be launched It is recommended to keep the default values ...

Page 22: ...cide whether you want to keep activated the option of anonymous reporting of exploits and bad sites to AVG virus lab If so please mark the I agree to provide anonymous information about detected threats to improve my security option Further you have the possibility to register to the discussion forum for AVG 9 Free users accessible at http forums avg com which is the main source of information reg...

Page 23: ...ization process by pressing the Optimize scanning now button 5 2 Product Registration AVG 9 Free does not necessarily require registration However it is recommended to register so that you can use the discussion forum of AVG 9 Free or rather in case you want to ask a question or react to one For reading only the forum is accessible without registration To register fill in the online registration f...

Page 24: ...because it is not an actual virus and does not include any fragments of viral code Most products react to it as if it were a virus though they typically report it with an obvious name such as EICAR AV Test You can download the EICAR virus from the EICAR website at www eicar com and you will also find all necessary EICAR test information there Try to download the eicar com file and save it on your ...

Page 25: ...ance Unless you have a real reason to do so do not change the AVG configuration Changes to settings should only be performed by an experienced user Some minor editing of AVG Free components settings is accessible directly from the specific component user interface If you feel you need to change the AVG 9 Free configuration to better suit your your needs go to AVG Advanced Settings select the syste...

Page 26: ...tus Info upper section of the window provides you with information on the current status of your AVG program details Quick Links left section of the window allow you to quickly access the most important and most frequently used AVG tasks details Components Overview central section of the window offer an overview of all installed AVG components details Statistics left bottom section of the window p...

Page 27: ...page of the Anti Spyware component E mail Scanner opens the default page of the E mail Scanner component Identity Protection AVG Identity Protection is an anti malware product that is focused on preventing identity thieves from stealing your passwords bank account details credit card numbers and other personal digital valuables from all kinds of malicious software malware that target your PC It ma...

Page 28: ...nning interface and launches a scan of the whole computer Scan selected folder switches to the AVG scanning interface and allows you to define within the tree structure of your computer which files and folders should be scanned Scan file allows you to run an on demand test over a single file selected from the tree structure of your disk Update automatically launches the update process of AVG 9 Fre...

Page 29: ...or you About AVG opens the Information dialog with five tabs providing data on program name program and virus database version system info license agreement and contact information of AVG Technologies CZ 6 2 Security Status Info The Security Status Info section is located in the upper part of the AVG main window Within this section you will always find information on the current security status of...

Page 30: ...e the report indicates any problem go ahead and try to solve it immediately Otherwise your computer is at risk Note AVG status information can also be obtained at any moment from the system tray icon 6 3 Quick Links Quick links in the left section of the AVG User Interface allow you to immediately access the most important and most frequently used AVG features Overview use this link to switch from...

Page 31: ... bank account details credit card numbers and other personal digital valuables from all kinds of malicious software malware that target your PC It makes sure that all programs running on your PC are operating correctly AVG Identity Protection spots and blocks suspicious behavior on a continuous basis and protects your computer from all new malware Unfortunately AVG Identity Protection is not imple...

Page 32: ...or the number of the build License type informs that you are using Free AVG license 6 6 System Tray Icon System Tray Icon on your Windows taskbar indicates the current status of your AVG 9 Free It is visible at all times on your system tray no matter whether your AVG main window is opened or closed If in full color the System Tray Icon indicates that all AVG components are active and fully functio...

Page 33: ...current AVG activities and possible status changes in the program e g automatic launch of a scheduled scan or update a component s status change error status occurrence via a pop up window opened from the AVG system tray icon During the scan running you can use the System Tray Icon quick links Scan Whole Computer alternatively name of the currently launched scan allows you to Set priority of the c...

Page 34: ...can run on the computer Where just a single technology might fall short of detecting or identifying a virus Anti Virus combines several technologies to ensure that your computer is protected from viruses Scanning searching for character strings that are characteristic of a given virus Heuristic analysis dynamic emulation of the scanned object s instructions in a virtual computer environment Generi...

Page 35: ... was last updated Database version defines the number of the latest virus database version and this number increases with every virus base update There is just one operating button available within this component s interface Back press the button to return to the default AVG user interface components overview Please note The software vendor has set up all AVG components to give optimum performance...

Page 36: ...portant protection is to use an always on background scanner Anti Spyware that works like a resident shield and scans your applications in the background as you run them There is also the potential risk that malware has been transmitted to your computer prior to AVG installation or that you have neglected to keep your AVG 9 Free up to date with the latest database and program updates For this reas...

Page 37: ...er source of risks Free e mail accounts are more likely to receive such malicious e mails as they rarely employ anti spam technology and home users rely quite heavily on such e mail Also home users surfing unknown sites and filling in online forms with personal data such as their e mail address increase exposure to attacks via e mail Companies usually use corporate e mail accounts and employ anti ...

Page 38: ...ief text describing the component s functionality information on its current status E mail Scanner is active and the following statistics Total e mails scanned how many e mail messages were scanned since the E mail Scanner was last launched if needed this value can be reset e g for statistic purposes Reset value Threats found and blocked provides the number of infections detected in e mail message...

Page 39: ...r downloading a message scanning the message The advanced configuration of the E mail Scanner component is accessible via the File Advanced settings item of the system menu however advanced configuration is recommended for experienced users only Please note The software vendor has set up all AVG components to give optimum performance Unless you have a real reason to do so do not change the AVG con...

Page 40: ...n possibly even name of the detected object Object object location Result action performed with the detected object Detection time date and time the suspicious object was detected Object Type type of the detected object In the bottom part of the dialog under the list you will find information on total number of detected objects listed above Further you can export the entire list of detected object...

Page 41: ...he exact form of your license number License type specifies the product type installed Number of seats how many workstations on which you are entitled to install your AVG 9 Free Free products are intended for non commercial and home use only and are valid for one license only Control buttons Buy now opens the AVG website http www avg com at the online store where you can purchase the full version ...

Page 42: ... verdict icons are shown Also if you type some address directly into your browser click a link on any website or e g in your e mail it is checked automatically and blocked if necessary AVG Active Surf Shield scans the contents of the websites you are visiting regardless of the websites address Even if some website is not detected by AVG Search Shield e g when a new malicious website is created or ...

Page 43: ...e reporting of detected threats to AVG mark this item to allow back reporting of exploits and bad sites found by users either via AVG Active Surf Shield or AVG Search Shield to feed the database collecting information on malicious activity on the web 7 5 3 AVG Search Shield When searching Internet with the AVG Search Shield on all search results returned from the most popular search engines Google...

Page 44: ...ng over an individual rating icon will display details about the particular link in question Information include additional details of the threat if any the IP address of the link and when the page was scanned by AVG VeriSign Seal Besides the above listed AVG Search Shield verdict icons you can also see the VeriSign icon in your browser However this icon display refers only to pages websites that ...

Page 45: ... your web browser the AVG Link Scanner will warn you with a screen similar to Entering such web site is highly risky and it cannot be recommended 7 6 Resident Shield 7 6 1 Resident Shield Principles The Resident Shield component gives your computer continuous protection It scans every single file that is being opened saved or copied and guards the system areas of the computer When Resident Shield ...

Page 46: ...Resident Shield interface offers some elementary component settings options too The statistics is as follows Resident Shield has been running for provides the time since the latest component s launch Threats detected and blocked number of detected infections that were prevented from being run opened if needed this value can be reset e g for statistic purposes Reset value Resident Shield settings I...

Page 47: ... parcels of text sent by a server to a web browser and then sent back unchanged by the browser each time it accesses that server HTTP cookies are used for authenticating tracking and maintaining specific information about users such as site preferences or the contents of their electronic shopping carts Please note The software vendor has set up all AVG components to give optimum performance Unless...

Page 48: ...e taken now Heal if a cure is available AVG will heal the infected file automatically this option is the recommended action to be taken Move to Vault the virus will be moved to AVG Virus Vault Go to file this option redirects you to the exact location of the suspicious object opens new Windows Explorer window Ignore we strictly recommend NOT TO use this option unless you have a very good reason to...

Page 49: ... object Detection time date and time the object was detected Object Type type of the detected object Process what action was performed to call out the potentially dangerous object so that it could be detected In the bottom part of the dialog under the list you will find information on total number of detected objects listed above Further you can export the entire list of detected objects in a file...

Page 50: ...patches to fix any security holes that are discovered It is crucial to update your AVG regularly The Update Manager helps you to control regular updating Within this component you can schedule automatic downloads of update files either from the Internet or the local network Essential virus definition updates should be daily if possible Less urgent program updates can be weekly Note Please pay atte...

Page 51: ...e latest update files is crucial for proper functionality of any security software Further you can define a specific time when the update should be launched By default the update is set for 17 00 every day It is highly recommended to keep this setting unless you have a true reason to change it Please note The software vendor has set up all AVG components to give optimum performance Unless you have...

Page 52: ... or greater and Mozilla Firefox version 3 0 or greater Once you have decided you want to install AVG Security Toolbar during the AVG installation process you were asked to decide whether or not you wish to install the component the component will be located in your web browser just under the address bar The AVG Security Toolbar consists of the following 8 1 1 AVG logo button This button provides a...

Page 53: ...ry Searches done through the search box are analyzed using the AVG Search Shield protection 8 1 3 Page Status Directly in the toolbar this button displays the evaluation of the currently displayed web page base on criteria of the AVG Active Surf Shield component The linked page is safe with Yahoo search engine within AVG Security Toolbar this icon will not be displayed Page is somewhat suspicious ...

Page 54: ...ttons the button opens the editing dialog where you can specify parameters of the AVG News button displayed within the AVG Security Toolbar o Button name you have the option to change the button name as it will be displayed within AVG Security Toolbar o Show messages change the desired number of messages that are to be displayed at a time ...

Page 55: ... o Button shows in this field you can select the respective news categories that you want to have displayed in your news overview within AVG Security Toolbar click this button to close the currently opened news overview 8 1 5 News Similarly directly from within the AVG Security Toolbar this button opens an overview of the latest news from selected media divided into several sections In the right u...

Page 56: ...web page providing the latest AVG related press release Current Threat Level opens the virus lab web page with a graphical display of the current threat level on the web Virus Encyclopedia opens the Virus Encyclopedia page where you can search the specific viruses by name and get detailed information on each one Upgrade My AVG 9 Free opens the webpage offering the option of upgrade to the full pro...

Page 57: ...r select the server name from the drop down menu within the Other item at the moment you can use this option if your account is on Yahoo Mail or Hotmail If you are not sure what e mail server type your account uses try to find the information from your e mail provider or your internet service provider Login In the section below provide the exact form of your e mail address and the respective passw...

Page 58: ... 3 6 hours in your selected destination directly within the AVG Security Toolbar interface Click the button to open a new info panel with detailed weather overview Following find the editing options Change location click the Change location text to display a new dialog called Search for your location Fill in the name of your desired location into the text field and confirm by clicking the Search b...

Page 59: ... invitation appears click again to open the Facebook login dialog In the dialog provide your access data that means your e mail address and password and press the Connect button If you do not have a Facebook account yet you can create one directly using the Sign up for Facebook link Further go to the following Facebook dialog where you will be invited to allow the AVG Social Extension application ...

Page 60: ...1 VeriSign Identity Protection On the right side of AVG Security Toolbar you can see the VeriSign button referring to VeriSign Identity Protection VeriSign Identity Protection principles VeriSign Identity Protection VIP helps protect your accounts and your identity by requiring a unique security code in addition to your user name and password to access your online accounts VIP is based on so calle...

Page 61: ...or all non VIP member sites or VIP member sites that the Toolbar does not recognize This basically means that the VeriSign Identity Protection can only be activated on websites that are members of the VIP programme VIP member sites VIP network A VIP member site is a website maintained by a company that offers an additional layer of protection to their users with VeriSign Identity Protection For ov...

Page 62: ...gister each toolbar to the member sites you would like to use To gain your VIP credential click Next to continue to the following dialog After you register your VIP credential at the VIP member site the next time you enter the site your VIP credential ID will be recognized automatically the following dialog will pop up displaying your registered VIP credential and a specific security code For your...

Page 63: ...se you want to have displayed the respective button Further find described the functionality of each of the toolbar buttons Page Status Button the button offers the possibility of having displayed the information on the currently opened page security status within AVG Security Toolbar AVG News Button the button opens a web page providing the latest AVG related press release News Button the button ...

Page 64: ...ty Toolbar panel E mail Notifier Button the button allows you to have displayed your newly arrived e mail messages within the AVG Security Toolbar interface 8 2 2 Tab Useful Buttons The Useful Buttons tab allows you to select applications from a list and have their icon displayed in the toolbar interface The icon then serves as a quick link enabling to launch the respective application immediately...

Page 65: ...rvice Ratings select graphical symbols used for search results ratings by the AVG Search Shield component that you want to use o page is safe o page is somewhat suspicious o page containing links to positively dangerous pages o page contains active threats o page is not accessible and so could not be scanned Mark the respective option to confirm you want to be informed about this specific threat l...

Page 66: ...tion mark this option to activate the VeriSign protection Always display the VeriSign button on the toolbar this option is only activated in case you marked the previous Enable VIP for secure authentication option If checked the VeriSign logo appears on the AVG Security Toolbar Other wise the logo will be hidden Next these two control buttons are available Restore Messaging when navigating to a re...

Page 67: ...e displayed again However if in the future you decide to change this settings and you will want to restore displaying the member site info for all VIP websites press the Restore Messaging button to get back to the default settings for all registered domains Reset use this button in case the time synchronization on client and server fails for instance when switching to daylight saving time etc then...

Page 68: ...earch as the search provider for Address bar if marked this option allows you to type a search keyword directly into the address bar into your Internet browser and the Google service will be used automatically to search for relevant websites Let AVG make suggestion on browser navigation errors 404 DNS if when searching the web you run into a non existing page or a page that cannot be displayed 404...

Page 69: ...f the window 9 1 Appearance The first item of the navigation tree Appearance refers to the general settings of the AVG user interface and a few elementary options of the application s behavior Language selection In the Language selection section you can chose your desired language from the drop down menu the language will then be used for the entire AVG user interface The drop down menu only offer...

Page 70: ... would like only certain notifications related to a specific AVG component to be displayed you can define and specify your preferences by checking unchecking the following options Display system tray notifications check uncheck this item to turn off on the display of all balloon notifications When turned on you can further select what specific notifications should be displayed o Display tray notif...

Page 71: ... be displayed Gaming mode This AVG function is designed for full screen applications that need to communicate over Internet and possible AVG ask dialogs would affect the application minimize it or corrupt its graphics To avoid this situation keep the check box for the Enable gaming mode when a full screen application is executed option marked default setting 9 2 Sounds Within the Sounds dialog you...

Page 72: ...ctive event from the list and browse Browse your disk for an appropriate sound you want to assign to this event To listen to the selected sound highlight the event in the list and push the Play button Use the Delete button to remove the sound assigned to a specific event Note Only wav sounds are supported ...

Page 73: ...e icon appears with a yellow exclamation mark text description of the existing problem in the Security Status Info section of the AVG main window There might be a situation that for some reason you need to switch a component off temporarily this is not recommended you should try to keep all components permanently on and in default configuration but it may be happen In that case the system tray ico...

Page 74: ...iew in the AVG main window 9 4 Virus Vault The Virus Vault maintenance dialog allows you to define several parameters regarding the administration of objects stored in the Virus Vault Limit Virus Vault size use the slider to set up the maximum size of the Virus Vault The size is specified proportionally compared to the size of your local disk Automatic file deletion in this section define the maxi...

Page 75: ...such a program on your computer you can define it as a potentially unwanted program exception The Potentially Unwanted Programs Exceptions dialog displays a list of already defined and currently valid exceptions from potentially unwanted programs You can edit the list delete existing items or add new exceptions The following information can be found in the list for every single exception File prov...

Page 76: ...parameters of the new exception to be created o File type the full path to the file that you want to mark as an exception o Checksum displays the unique signature of the chosen file This checksum is an automatically generated string of characters which allows AVG to unequivocally distinguish the chosen file from other files The checksum is generated and displayed after successful addition of the f...

Page 77: ...ked ahead the content of sites returned by the search engine Enable AVG Active Surf Shield on by default active real time protection against exploitive sites as they are accessed Known malicious site connections and their exploitive content is blocked as they are accessed by the user via a web browser or any other application that uses HTTP Enable reporting of detected threats to AVG on by default...

Page 78: ...he entire computer Shell Extension Scan specific scanning of a selected object directly from the Windows Explorer environment Scan Specific Files or Folders standard predefined scan of selected areas of your computer Removable Device Scan specific scanning of removable devices attached to your computer 9 7 1 Scan Whole Computer The Scan whole computer option allows you to edit parameters of one of...

Page 79: ...n be misused for malicious purposes later This is an additional measure that increases your computer security even more however it can possibly block legal programs and is therefore switched off by default Scan for Tracking Cookies this parameter of the Anti Spyware component defines that cookies should be detected HTTP cookies are used for authenticating tracking and maintaining specific informat...

Page 80: ...usage By default this option value is set to the medium level of automatic resource usage If you want the scanning to run faster it will take less time but system resources usage will increase significantly during the scan and will slow down your other activities on the PC this option can be used when your computer is switched on but nobody is currently working on it On the other hand you can decr...

Page 81: ...s Scans Scan Whole Computer Compared to Scan whole computer dialog the Shell extension scan dialog also includes the section named Other settings related to AVG User Interface where you can specify whether you want the scan progress and scan results to be accessible from the AVG user interface Also you can define that the scan result should only be displayed in case an infection is detected during...

Page 82: ...reserved 82 All parameters set up in this configuration dialog apply only to the areas selected for scanning with the Scan of specific files or folders Note For a description of specific parameters please consult the chapter AVG Advanced Settings Scans Scan Whole Computer ...

Page 83: ... computer By default this scanning is switched off However it is crucial to scan removable devices for potential threats since these are a major source of infection To have this scanning ready and launched automatically when needed mark the Enable Removable device scan option Note For a description of specific parameters please consult the chapter AVG Advanced Settings Scans Scan Whole Computer 9 ...

Page 84: ...activate the scheduled test temporarily and switch it on again as the need arises Next in the text field called Name there is the name assigned to this very schedule by the program vendor it is not possible to change this name In this dialog you can further define the following parameters of the scan Schedule running Here you can specify time intervals for the newly scheduled scan launch The timin...

Page 85: ...should should not be launched if the computer is in low power mode or switched off completely Once the scheduled scan is launched in the time you have specified you will be informed on this fact via a pop up window opened over the AVG system tray icon A new AVG system tray icon then appears in full color with a white arrow see picture above informing a scheduled scan is running Right click on the ...

Page 86: ...led automatically if a cure is available If the infected file cannot be healed automatically the infected object will be moved to the Virus Vault or deleted Report Potentially Unwanted Programs and Spyware threats on by default check to activate the Anti Spyware engine and scan for spyware as well as for viruses Spyware represents a questionable malware category even though it usually represents a...

Page 87: ...ant to have scanned All file types with the possibility of defining exceptions from scanning by providing a list of comma separated file extensions that should not be scanned or Selected file types you can specify that you want to scan only files that are possibly infectable files that cannot get infected will not be scanned for instance some plain text files or some other non executable files inc...

Page 88: ...ne dialog window called Scan reports where you can tick several items to define what scan findings should be reported Click the Additional scan settings to open a new Computer shutdown options dialog where you can decide whether the computer should be shut down automatically once the running scanning process is over Having confirmed this option Shutdown computer upon scan completion a new option a...

Page 89: ...o scan tab you can define whether you want to schedule scanning of the whole computer or scanning of specific files or folders If you select scanning of specific files or folders in the bottom part of this dialog the displayed tree structure activates and you can specify the folders to be scanned ...

Page 90: ...irus database update scheduling is covered within the Update Manager component Within this dialog you can set up some detailed parameters of the virus database update schedule Next in the text field called Name there is the name assigned to this very schedule by the program vendor it is not possible to change this name Schedule running In this section specify the time intervals for the newly sched...

Page 91: ...r update settings Finally check the Run the update again after the Internet connection is available option to make sure than if the internet connection gets corrupted and the update process fails it will be launched again immediately after the internet connection is restored 9 8 3 Program Update Schedule On the Schedule settings tab you can first check uncheck the Enable this task item to simply d...

Page 92: ...y be done by defining an exact date and time Run at specific time interval Advanced schedule options This section allows you to define under which conditions the program update should should not be launched if the computer is in low power mode or switched off completely Other update settings Check the Run the update again after the Internet connection is available option to make sure than if the i...

Page 93: ...tial viruses Tick the Modify subject of virus infected messages checkbox and change the text respectively default value is VIRUS Scanning properties specify whether the heuristic analysis method should be used during scanning Use heuristic whether you want to check for the presence of potentially unwanted programs Report Potentially Unwanted Programs and Spyware Threats Report enhanced set of Pote...

Page 94: ...a message is identified during scanning define whether the detected infectious object should be moved to the Virus Vault 9 9 1 Certification In the Certification dialog you can specify exactly what text the certification note should contain and in what language This should be specified separately for Incoming mail and Outgoing mail ...

Page 95: ...off If you decide to activate it all e mail message attachments detected as infectious or potentially dangerous will be removed automatically If you want to define specific types of attachments that should be removed select the respective option Remove all executable files all exe files will be deleted Remove all documents all doc xls files will be deleted Remove files with these comma separated e...

Page 96: ...pecify the maximum size of the log file in MB Log level threshold the medium level is set up by default you can select a lower level logging elementary connection information or higher level logging of all traffic Folder used to store log files define where the log file should be located 9 9 4 Servers In the Servers section you can edit parameters of the E mail Scanner component servers or set up ...

Page 97: ...il server used for incoming mail o Automatic Login will be carried out automatically according to your e mail client settings o USER COMPUTER the simplest and the most frequently used method for determining the destination mail server is the proxy method To use this method specify the name or address or also the port as part of the login user name for the given mail server separating them with the...

Page 98: ...ure mail server login This makes sure that the E mail Scanner uses an alternative method of forwarding the user account password for login sending the password to the server not in an open but in an encrypted format using a variable chain received from the server Naturally this feature is available only when the destination mail server supports it o Connection in the drop down menu you can specify...

Page 99: ...for outgoing mail o Automatic login will be carried out automatically according to your e mail client settings o Fixed host in this case the program will always use the server specified here Please specify the address or name of your mail server You may use a domain name for example smtp acme com as well as an IP address for example 123 45 67 89 for a name If the mail server uses a non standard po...

Page 100: ...nu you can specify which kind of connection to use regular SSL SSL default If you choose SSL connection the data sent is encrypted without the risk of being traced or monitored by a third party This feature is available only when the destination mail server supports it Administrative server shows the number of the port of the server that will be used for the reverse delivery of administration repo...

Page 101: ... be activated Scan for Tracking cookies on by default this parameter defines that cookies should be detected during scanning HTTP cookies are used for authenticating tracking and maintaining specific information about users such as site preferences or the contents of their electronic shopping carts Report Potentially Unwanted Programs and Spyware threats on by default check to activate the Anti Sp...

Page 102: ...legal programs and is therefore switched off by default Scan files on close on by default on close scanning ensures that AVG scans active objects e g applications documents when they are being opened and also when they are being closed this feature helps you protect your computer against some types of sophisticated virus Scan boot sector of removable media on by default Use Heuristics on by defaul...

Page 103: ...ialog it is possible to configure which files will be scanned by specific extensions Decide whether you want all files to be scanned or just infectable files if so you can further specify a list of extensions defining files that should be excluded from scanning and also a list of file extensions defining files that must be scanned under all circumstances ...

Page 104: ...ot excluding any directories The dialog provides the following control buttons Add path specify directories to be excluded from the scanning by selecting them one by one from the local disk navigation tree Add list allows you to enter a whole list of directories to be excluded from the Resident Shield scanning Edit path allows you to edit the specified path to a selected folder Edit list allows yo...

Page 105: ...ield scanning If this is not essential we strongly recommend not excluding any files The dialog provides the following control buttons Add specify files to be excluded from the scanning by selecting them one by one from the local disk navigation tree Add list allows you to enter a whole list of files to be excluded from the Resident Shield scanning Edit allows you to edit the specified path to a s...

Page 106: ...anning are skipped The settings dialog offers two options Caching enabled on by default uncheck the box to switch off the Cache Server and empty the cache memory Please note that scanning might slow down and overall performance of your computer decrease as every single file in use will be scanned for viruses and spyware first Enable adding new files into cache on by default uncheck the box to stop...

Page 107: ... update immediately By default the immediate update option is selected since this way AVG can secure the maximum safety level Scheduling an update for the next PC restart can only be recommended if you are sure the computer gets restarted regularly at least daily If you decide to keep the default configuration and launch the update process immediately you can specify the circumstances under which ...

Page 108: ... update before each AVG program update launch a system restore point is created In case the update process fails and your operating system crashes you can always restore your OS in its original configuration from this point This option is accessible via Start All Programs Accessories System tools System Restore but any changes can be recommended to experienced users only Keep this check box ticked...

Page 109: ... at the same time Then in the first item of the Update settings Proxy dialog you have to select from the combo box menu whether you want to Use proxy Do not use proxy server default settings Try connection using proxy and if it fails connect directly If you select any option using proxy server you will have to specify some further data The server settings can be configured either manually or autom...

Page 110: ...p this way check the Use PROXY authentication option to verify that your user name and password are valid for connecting to the Internet via the proxy server Automatic configuration If you select automatic configuration mark the Auto option to activate the respective dialog section then please select where the proxy configuration should be taken from From browser the configuration will be read fro...

Page 111: ...g s fields are inactive until you check the Use dial up connections option that activates the fields Specify whether you want to connect to the Internet automatically Automatically open this connection or you wish to confirm the connection manually every time Ask before connection For automatic connection you should further select whether the connection should be closed after the update is finishe...

Page 112: ... V G T echnologies C Z s r o A ll rights reserved 112 9 12 3 URL The URL dialog offers a list of Internet addresses from which the update files can be downloaded In this free version these servers are predefined and can t be changed ...

Page 113: ...porary update files press this button to delete all redundant update files from your hard disk by default these files are being saved for 30 days Revert virus database to previous version press this button to delete the latest virus base version from your hard disk and to return to the previously saved version new virus base version will be a part of the following update ...

Page 114: ... Scan for threats dialog In this dialog you will find the following overview of predefined scans two types of scans defined by the software vendor are ready to be used immediately on demand or scheduled o Scan whole computer o Scan specific files or folders Schedule scans section within your AVG 9 Free you are not allowed to add new scan schedules neither delete the only predefined scan Therefore ...

Page 115: ...irus can be found on your computer In the AVG 9 Free you will find two types of scanning predefined by the software vendor 10 2 1 Scan Whole Computer Scan whole computer scans your entire computer for possible infections and or potentially unwanted programs This test will scan all hard drives of your computer will detect and heal any virus found or remove the detected infection to the Virus Vault ...

Page 116: ... editing You have the option of editing the predefined default settings of the Scan of the whole computer Press the Change scan settings link to get to the Change scan settings for Scan whole computer dialog It is recommended to keep to the default settings unless you have a valid reason to change them ...

Page 117: ...atically during scanning Additional scan settings the link opens a new Additional scan settings dialog where you can specify the following parameters o Computer shutdown options decide whether the computer should be shut down automatically once the running scanning process is over Having confirmed this option Shutdown computer upon scan completion a new option activates that allows the computer to...

Page 118: ...that you keep it so unless you have a real reason to change it Files with no extension are rather suspicious and should be scanned at all times Scan process priority you can use the slider to change the scanning process priority By default the priority is set to medium level Automatic scan that optimizes the scanning process speed and the use of system resources Alternatively you can run the scann...

Page 119: ...les or folders can be launched directly from the scanning interface by clicking on the scan s icon A new dialog called Select specific files or folders for scanning opens In the tree structure of your computer select those folders you want to have scanned The path to each selected folder will generate automatically and appear in the text box in the upper part of this dialog There is also a possibi...

Page 120: ...ic files or folders dialog It is recommended to keep to the default settings unless you have a valid reason to change them Scanning parameters in the list of scanning parameters you can switch on off specific parameters as needed for detailed description of this settings please consult chapter AVG Advanced Settings Scans Scan Specific Files or Folders Additional scan settings the link opens a new ...

Page 121: ...t will reduce the scanning time even more because these files are often quite large and are not too likely to be infected by a virus Again you can specify by extensions which files are those that should always be scanned Ø Optionally you can decide you want to Scan files without extension this option is on by default and it is recommended that you keep it so unless you have a real reason to change...

Page 122: ...lected areas AVG 9 Free also offers the option of quick scanning of a specific object directly in the Windows Explorer environment If you want to open an unknown file and you cannot be sure of its content you may want to have it checked on demand Follow these steps Within Windows Explorer highlight the file or folder you want to check Right click your mouse over the object to open the context menu...

Page 123: ...avgscanx The only obligatory parameter is SCAN to specify what areas of the computer should be scanned For a more detailed explanation of the options see the command line parameters overview To run the scan press Enter During scanning you can stop the process by Ctrl C or Ctrl Pause CMD scanning launched from graphic interface When you run your computer in Windows Safe Mode there is also a possibi...

Page 124: ...rus Vault QT Quick test MACROW Report macros PWDW Report password protected files IGNLOCKED Ignore locked files REPORT Report to file file name REPAPPEND Append to the report file REPOK Report uninfected files as OK NOBREAK Do not allow CTRL BREAK to abort BOOT Enable MBR BOOT check PROC Scan active processes PUP Report Potentially unwanted programs REG Scan registry COO Scan cookies Display help ...

Page 125: ...m any possibility of getting infected and you will not have to worry about if and when to launch the scan You should launch the Scan whole computer regularly at least once a week However if possible launch the scan of your entire computer daily as set up in the scan schedule default configuration If the computer is always on then you can schedule scans out of working hours If the computer is somet...

Page 126: ...arameters of the scheduled scan Unfortunately within AVG 9 Free you are not allowed to add new scan schedules neither delete the only predefined scan However these extended options are available in AVG full version www avg com 10 5 1 Schedule Settings If you wish to edit your scheduled scan settings enter the Settings for scheduled scan dialog click the Edit scan schedule button within the Schedul...

Page 127: ...launch after a certain period of time Run every or by defining an exact date and time Run at specific time or possibly by defining an event that the scan launch should be associated with Action based on computer startup Advanced schedule options this section allows you to define under which conditions the scan should should not be launched if the computer is in low power mode or switched off compl...

Page 128: ...alid reason to change these settings we recommend to keep to the pre defined configuration Automatically heal remove infection on by default if a virus is identified during scanning it can be healed automatically if a cure is available In case the infected file cannot be healed automatically or if you decide to switch off this option you will be notified upon a virus detection and will have to dec...

Page 129: ...nces or the contents of their electronic shopping carts Scan inside archives off by default this parameters defines that the scanning should check all files even if these are packed inside some type of archive e g ZIP RAR Use Heuristics on by default heuristic analysis dynamic emulation of the scanned object s instructions in a virtual computer environment will be one of the methods used for virus...

Page 130: ...ion this option is on by default and it is recommended that you keep it so unless you have a real reason to change it Files with no extension are rather suspicious and should be scanned at all times Scan process priority you can use the slider to change the scanning process priority By default the priority is set to medium level Automatic scan that optimizes the scanning process speed and the use ...

Page 131: ...ng interface default dialog Therefore if you wish to configure the test parameters on all tabs press the button to save them only after you have specified all your requirements Cancel cancels any changes you have performed on this tab or on any other tab of this dialog and switches back to the AVG scanning interface default dialog 10 5 3 What to Scan On the What to scan tab you can define whether ...

Page 132: ...s folder o for Win XP C Documents and Settings Default User My Documents o for Windows Vista 7 C Users user Documents Shared Documents o for Win XP C Documents and Settings All Users Documents o for Windows Vista 7 C Users Public Documents Windows folder C Windows Other o System drive the hard drive on which the operating system is installed usually C o System folder Windows System32 o Temporary F...

Page 133: ...n this tab or on any other tab of this dialog and switches back to the AVG scanning interface default dialog 10 6 Scan Results Overview The Scan results overview dialog is accessible from the AVG scanning interface via the Scan history button The dialog provides a list of of all previously launched scans and information of their results Name scan designation it can either be the name of one of the...

Page 134: ...anning Infections number of virus infections detected removed Spyware number of spyware detected removed Warnings number of detected suspicious objects Scan log information information relating to the scanning course and result typically on its finalization or interruption Control buttons The control buttons for the Scan results overview dialog are View details press this button to switch to the S...

Page 135: ...ayed only if some potential threats are detected during scanning such threats are mostly comprised of the tracking cookies but some hidden files are also occasionally detected as warnings Information this tab is displayed only if some potential threats were detected but these cannot be classified as any of the above categories then the tab provides a warning message on the finding 10 7 1 Results O...

Page 136: ...nfections Tab The Infections tab is only displayed in the Scan results dialog if a virus infection was detected during scanning The tab is divided into three sections providing the following information File full path to the original location of the infected object Infections name of the detected virus for details on specific viruses please consult the Virus Encyclopedia online Result defines the ...

Page 137: ...n it o Potentially dangerous object the object was detected as potentially dangerous but not infected it can contain macros for instance the information should be taken as a warning only o Reboot is required to finish the action the infected object cannot be removed to remove it completely you have to restart your computer Control buttons There are three control buttons available in this dialog Vi...

Page 138: ...Virus Encyclopedia online Result defines the current status of the object that was detected during scanning o Infected the infected object was detected and left in its original location for instance if you have switched off the automatic healing option in a specific scan settings o Healed the infected object was healed automatically and left in its original location o Moved to Virus Vault the infe...

Page 139: ...ed infections use the button to move the selected finding to the Virus Vault Remove all unhealed infections this button deletes all findings that cannot be healed or moved to the Virus Vault Close results terminates the detailed information overview and returns to the Scan results overview dialog 10 7 4 Warnings Tab The Warnings tab displays information on suspected objects typically files detecte...

Page 140: ...VG scan is able to detect files which may not be infected but are suspicious These files are reported either as Warning or as Information The severity Information can be reported for one of the following reasons Run time packed The file was packed with one of less common run time packers which may indicate an attempt to prevent scanning of such file However not every report of such file indicates ...

Page 141: ...are asked to decide what is to be done with the suspect object The recommended solution is to move the object to the Virus Vault for further treatment The Virus vault interface opens in a separate window and offers an overview of information on quarantined infected objects Severity distinguishes finding types based on their infective level all listed objects can be positively or potentially infect...

Page 142: ... control buttons are accessible from the Virus Vault interface Restore removes the infected file back to its original location on your disk Restore As in case you decide to move the detected infectious object from the Virus Vault to a selected folder use this button The suspicious and detected object will be saved with its original name If the original name is not known the standard name will be u...

Page 143: ...ormed any time the need arises Scheduled update within AVG it is also possible to pre set an update plan The planned update is then performed periodically according to the setup configuration Whenever new update files are present on the specified location they are downloaded either directly from the Internet or from the network directory When no newer updates are available nothing happens 11 3 Upd...

Page 144: ...rved 144 case the update process fails and your operating system crashes you can always restore your OS in its original configuration from this point This option is accessible via Start All Programs Accessories System tools System Restore Recommended to experienced users only ...

Page 145: ...s that occurred during AVG 9 Free operation Event History records the following types of events Information about updates of the AVG application Scanning start end or stop including automatically performed tests Events connected with virus detection by the Resident Shield or scanning including occurrence location Other important events Control buttons Empty list deletes all entries in the list of ...

Page 146: ...e FAQ section of AVG website http free avg com faq You can also use the discussion forum for AVG Free users accessible at http forums avg com Unfortunately using AVG 9 Free you are not entitled to technical support provided to full versions of AVG products You may want to consider buying the full version of AVG then please visit the AVG website http www avg com for information on AVG 9 purchase op...

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