AVG detects a virus that isnt there....

[Pollux]

Whenever i leave my PC for a while, like overnight or a couple ours, whenever i wake it up from the screensaver/idle mode AVG says there's 4 viruses in my system volume information file. however, when i scan the file with avg, it says there are none. what should i do?

 

[Pollux]

ive already scanned it with housecall, and it picked up nothing. i dont understand why avg would say a virus is there, then not detect anything when i actually scan it.

 

[redduc900]

I would guess a virus has infected your System Restore files, which are contained in the _System Volume Information directory. To clear it, open System Restore and create a restore point | Open the Disk Cleanup utility (Start | Run | Type cleanmgr.exe and click OK) | Pick the drive that the virus was on (you'll have to do this for each drive that it was on) | 'More Options' tab | 'System Restore'-->'Clean up' button...then allow it to delete all but the last System Restore point | Re-scan your system using AVG.

If that doesn't work, you can disable System Restore in System Properties | 'System Restore' tab | Reboot, then re-enable it | Re-scan your system using AVG. The following is a quote from the AVG FAQ...

Files placed in the _System volume information folder are source files for the system restore function that is available in Windows XP operating system. Files that were healed were moved in their original INFECTED state into this folder and it is necessary to DELETE them by following these steps:
1. Close all open programs. Then right-click My Computer on the Windows desktop
2. Click on Properties
3. Click on the System Restore tab
4. Check Turn off System Restore on all drives
5. Restart the system
Go through the first four steps again and uncheck the item mentioned in step 4.

 

[Pollux]

hmmm, i just got back from work (4 hours) and i was greeted with the virus message. i havent done anything yet. if it doesnt do it overnight, ill be satisfied.

 

[PCGUY112887]

AVG tends to like to do this sometimes. It has told me I have had a virus, I scanned and it found nothing. Then the next day it said it again. I scanned again and found nothing. But ever sience then I have seen nothing like it. Updateing AVG may help (they are always comming out with new updates, not just refrence file updates.

 

[diehrd]

Just turn off system restore .. You need to do this because the virus you cannot find is stored in a restore point and will enter the system continually if you do not turn off system restore.

Basicly when you turn off restore it erases all retore points there by eliminating any trace of the virus,DO NOT create a new restore point BEFORE turrning off the restore feature. When you reboot go back and turn on the restore feature..