AVG 9.0 creates Usn Journal

[Phenomic]

AVG 9.0 created a Usn Journal on all my volumes. Scan time improved from 13 min down to 4. AVG claims to keep track of "safe" files so it doesn't scan them every time. I have a paid version btw.

[guoqiang]

AVG 9.0 created a Usn Journal on all my volumes. ...

Me too. Mine is a Free Edition. Their file sizes varied differently from each volume. I wonder why AVG uses this mechanism to ensure 'safety net' while requesting for frequent downloading its definition daily or every 4 hours each day?

[Phenomic]

Usn Journal speeds up virus scanning, but --

- Is it safe to use USN to keep track of "safe" files?

- Does it slow down the file system?

- Can a malware app simply include itself in the USN as a safe file?

[guoqiang]

Usn Journal speeds up virus scanning, but --

- Is it safe to use USN to keep track of "safe" files?

- Does it slow down the file system?

- Can a malware app simply include itself in the USN as a safe file?

AVG9 uses its Cache Server engine, i.e. avgchsvx.exe , to store .dat files in each partition making hard disk works harder and slowing down overall system performance. The cached data contains AVG9 shielded code to quicken virus/spyware check, however, this process is inefficient method.

[Phenomic]

You mean the .dat files in \$AVG? Those are rather small and probably contain just file pointers to the Usn Journal. But the Usn Journal is constantly tracking changes to all files, it can grow huge and fragmented, and defrag utilities can’t defragment it.

[GrofLuigi]

I hope some clever antivirus company employee* creates a virus that sticks inside the dreaded good-for-nothing-except-for-bloat USN journal. That'll teach them lazy programmers not to play with fire (user's cpu cycles).

*noone can't convince me that they aren't the ones that write the nastiest viruses

GL

Edited May 10, 2010 by GrofLuigi

[dencorso]

Where, exactly, does it put this journal, and which filename does it use, please?

Of course, all your volumes are NTFS, right?