AVG V6.0. Free Edition.

[mike2002]

In AVG Control Centre/Email Scanner/Advanced Settings there is an option to 'Certify incoming messages'. My Outgoing messages contain this certification, but there is no such text in any received messages. Should it be visible? I have the 'Use Outlook Express 5 Plugin' box ticked.
I'm also running Zone Alarm, and have turned off the 'Basic MailSafe' setting just in case it conflicts with AVG.
Windows version is 98SE with Outlook Express.

[ErnieK]

Mike
I have just checked my mails and like you no indication but it does can incoming mail. There is NO clash with AVG and the Zone Alarm "Mail Safe"

[Vic 970]

only see it on 'replies' to my e-mails.

[mike2002]

Thanks a lot guys. Something strange also happened to AVG. I was in the process of downloading the latest Update, when it suddenly said
that the download was complete. I knew that the time taken was too short. Anyway it told me to restart the computer, which I did. As soon as it rebooted it flashed up the same message again, and continued to do so unpon subsequent reboots. It also stated that it was up to date,
but still showed the previous update. Nothing for it but to uninstall the program, reinstall it, then get the latest update. This time all went well, and the update 'unpacked' itself - which it hadn't done the
first time round.

:)

[Paul Komski]

You can go to www.grisoft.com and read up the faqs to get answers to your questions. Did this a while back so this is from memory.

Although the plug-in checks incoming mail it doesn't write in the certification. AVG was first configured for Outlook and not OE and this is a hangover from this.

Also if your inbox is not kept empty then AVG may not detect infected eMails in transit into the inbox. Some viruses can also mask themselves in some eMails. AVG may also not detect a viral attachment until it is saved independently to disk and scanned on its own.

However if eMail protection is on, such infections will be caught as soon as any attempt to use them is made. Have watched it do this with Klez, Bugbear and Opaserv, so although it can be alarming AVG, has trapped and quarantined all of them as soon as the file was "touched".

[kayofcircles]

"although it can be alarming"...I assume that would be similar to that "sinking panicking feeling" one gets looking at a BSOD? :eek: I have actually had no experience whatsoever with AVG actually working..and have often wondered if it is..lol. But haven't had any viri, so assume it's doing its job and I am doing mine by not giving my "home" address out to hardly anyone!:)

I don't use the Update feature in my AVG 6. I go and get the download, and then check the "size"..make sure what AVG said for size matches what I have downloaded..and then stick it in the appropriate folder in Windows Explorer. Run AVG, and it automatically finds the file and updates itself. Sometimes it calls for a reboot, and other times not. The reason I do it that way is because sometimes I get knocked off the Net before finishing a download.

[david eaton]

Actually Kay, I seem to remember it's a RED screen of death! Surprising, but not meant to be missed.

David

[Paul Komski]

He He; yup no missing it. Screen goes Black and then a big red message.

I regularly save these files to disk just to find out which virus it actually is and so that I can hopefully advise the offending pc owner of what their problem is. Even if the sender's name is spoofed I can usually detect my regular contacts from the originating computer name/isp in the message headers. (One very good reason Kay for the message ID identifying the originating pc's name!).

Just make sure that AVG is uptodate and that the Resident Shield is definitely turned on.

If anyone wants to see the AVG warning message, then with the shield on, create an empty text file from notepad and then rename it by adding a .pif extension so that it would look like filename.txt.pif (except that the pif bit will be hidden when you have finished). AVG won't like it with this hidden extension and you should get a warning about accessing it: agree NO and then just delete it.

I'm actually thinking of send a few of these "fake viruses" to contacts that might benefit from a practical lesson. I would also include a javascript popup warning in the html, which they would only get to see if they still had javascript turned on. Anyone got any other embellishments for such test-your-system-out emails!.

[kayofcircles]

No, no suggestions, but think that's a good idea. I did test somewhere a long time back..can't remember where..and it sent about four emails to me. ZA caught two of them, and on the other two, got a Windows message about not having a program to open them, and did I want to assign a program to open them..whereupon I said "no". So, have never seen the Red Screen of Death..and probably should.

Your comment about the screen going black has spooked me. Happened twice one week when locking up online..did a ConAltDel, screen went black, but then nothing. Had to go ahead and hit the Reset button. But guess I am easily spooked, cuz come to think of it, I have run two virus scans since then..and found nothing. Whew.