How to Schedule Daily Virus Scans using Avast! Free Edition

This article applies ONLY to Microsoft Windows and Avast Antivirus. I performed this on Windows XP Home Edition, and your version of Windows may vary slightly or drastically from mine. I claim no responsibility for the use or misuse of this information and whatever consequences it may render on your machine or in your life.

That being said, I hope this helps:

1. Select "RUN..." from your start menu and type in "tasks".
2. Run the "Add Scheduled Task" item.
3. When the window comes up, click NEXT, then click "Browse" and go to "C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashQuick". Selecte AshQUick and click "OPEN"
4. Schedule it to run daily. Click NEXT.
5. Select a good time to scan. I leave my PC running all day and night, so I just have it do maintainence when I'm asleep, like 3am or so. Once you're done, click NEXT.
6. If you're the type of person that has to LOG OUT of windows whenever you're not using it, type in your username and password (your username should already be typed in). If you stay logged in all the time, just click NEXT. In fact, either way, click NEXT.
7. On the next screen, check the box that says "Open advanced properties for this task when I click "Finish". Click FINISH. You might get a pop-up that says "Access denied" or something like that... ignore it, and click "OK".
8. Now you should be looking at the advanced settings window. Where it says "Run:" edit the contents of that field so that it reads:
"C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashQuick.exe" c:\
9. Again, if you're the kind of person like me who doesn't ever log out of Windows (see step 6 above), check the box that says "Run only if logged on"
10. Make sure the "Enabled" box is checked. Click OK

Enjoy a much more secure, safe computer.

-Bryce L. Tomlinson

This post can be republished ONLY with written permission from its author, Bryce L. Tomlinson