Frequently Asked Questions

We would like to inform you that we have started to distribute AVG update files in new format in accordance with release of AVG 9.0. This new format is only accepted by AVG 8.5.288 and newer.

In case you have an older version of AVG, following symptoms will appear upon update:

• avgupdate process will freeze
• avgupdate may produce uncommon output in the terminal when started
• AVG will be in semi-updated state (only some files will be updated) and may therefore be unstable

To fix the mentioned issues, please reinstall AVG using the latest installation package (see FAQ 1741)

It is possible that your AVG for Linux is not fully functional after the recent program update (8.5.289) due to incorrectly updated files. This can result in following issues:

• avgtcpd daemon cannot be started
• MTA cannot process email (because of not running avgtcpd)
• avgscan cannot be started

To solve this issue, please reinstall AVG using the latest installation file as described in FAQ 1741.

Please be informed that the AVG for Linux cannot work properly on 2.4 linux kernels at the moment because of unproper finishing of some of its processes. These may be:

• avgupdate
  After update is finished, prompt is not returned and avgupdate is still running. Therefore, next update cannot be started until all processes of the previous update are killed.
• avgscan
  After scan is finished, command prompt is not returned and process remains running. New scans just add new avgscan processes until all of them are killed manually.
• avgd
  Stopping of avgd usually does not terminate all avg processes (threads) and many of them remain running even if avgd looks like it is stopped.

Therefore we recommend to use AVG for Linux on 2.6 kernels.

1. Software requirements

Linux and FreeBSD editions of AVG 8.5 requires following libraries to be present on system to work correctly:

• Linux:
  • libc.so.6
  • lib32 compat libraries in case amd64 architecture is used
• FreeBSD:
  • libc.so.6 (for 7-RELEASE and CURRENT the compat6x port located in /user/ports/misc is needed)
  • libiconv.so.3
  • lib32 compat libraries in case amd64 architecture is used

For on access scanning, either redirFS with avflt (see FAQ 1749), Dazuko (FAQ 1752) or DazukoFS (FAQ 1753) are needed.

2. Minimum hardware requirements

• 800 MHz i686 or amd64 CPU
• 512 MB (1 GB recommended) of RAM
• 350 MB of free space on hard drive

Note: Systems running FreeBSD 6.4-RELEASE on amd64 are not supported. However it is possible to run AVG with the following lines in the /etc/libmap32.conf file:

[/opt/avg/avg8/bin/]
libthr.so.2 libc_r.so.6
libthr.so libc_r.so

Once you have purchased AVG for Linux/FreeBSD, you need to install it to your computer. The installation consist of several steps. These steps can be found below:

1. Downloading the AVG installation file
It is recommended to always use the latest AVG installation file when installing AVG. Using an old installation file may lead to downloading large update files immediately after installation. The latest installation package also contains fixes to the most recently discovered issues, minimizing the chance of encountering an AVG malfunction in the future.

• AVG installation files can be downloaded from our website:
  AVG for Linux/FreeBSD
• Choose the appropriate installation package (.rpm, .tar.gz, .deb, .sh) for your system and click its link to start the download. (In case you are not sure, please use the tar.gz or sh package - these packages can be used on all distributions).
• When you are prompted, please do not open this file directly from the Internet, but click the "Save" button and choose a location where the installation file should be stored.

2. Installing the AVG program
Once the installation file is downloaded you can start the installation. Move to the folder with AVG installation file and execute the installation by this command (xxxx numbers stand for exact AVG version):

• Linux
  • DEB
    # dpkg -i avg85lms-rXXX-aXXXX.i386.deb
  • RPM
    # rpm -i avg85lms-rXXX-aXXXX.i386.rpm
  • tar.gz
    # tar xzvf avg85lms-rXXX-aXXXX.i386.tar.gz
    # cd avg8{os}
    # ./install.sh
  • sh
    #chmod +x avg85lms-rXXX-aXXXX.i386.sh
    # ./avg85lms-rXXX-aXXXX.i386.sh
• FreeBSD
  • tar.gz
    # tar xzvf avg85fms-rXXX-aXXXX.i386.tar.gz
    # cd avg85fms-rXXX-aXXXX.i386
    # ./install.sh

3. Registering the AVG program
After the installation is finished, the AVG program needs to be registered. You can do it this way:

• # avgctl --register <your license number>

To uninstall the AVG for Linux/FreeBSD from your computer, please use these commands:

• Linux
• DEB
  # dpkg -r avg85lms
• RPM
  # rpm -e avg85lms
• tar.gz/sh
  # /opt/avg/avg8/bin/uninstall.sh
• FreeBSD
• # /opt/avg/avg8/bin/uninstall.sh

If you want to upgrade your AVG for Linux/FreeBSD from version 7.5 to version 8.5, follow these simple steps:

1. Uninstall AVG 7.5

• Linux
• DEB
  # dpkg -r avg75lms
• RPM
  # rpm -e avg75lms
• tar.gz
  # /opt/grisoft/avg7/bin/uninstall.sh
• FreeBSD
• # /opt/grisoft/avg7/bin/uninstall.sh

2. Install AVG 8.5
The exact steps how to install the AVG 8.5 for Linux/FreeBSD are described in FAQ 1741.

To upgrade your AVG 7.5 for Linux/FreeBSD to the latest AVG 8.5 and to keep on-access scanning feature enabled, please follow these steps:

• Upgrade the AVG 7.5 program to the latest 8.5 version
  Accurate steps how to upgrade your AVG program are listed in FAQ 1743.
• Change configuration of AVG
  Default.oad.dazuko.paths.include=
  Default.oad.use=avflt
  to
  Default.oad.dazuko.paths.include=|<any path>|
  Default.oad.use=dazuko
  
  Example:
  # avgcfgctl -w Default.oad.dazuko.paths.include="|/home|"
  # avgcfgctl -w Default.oad.use=dazuko
• Start AVG 8.5
  # avgctl --start

Note: If you upgrade your kernel version too (to 2.6.25 and newer), the Dazuko module cannot be recompiled (recompilation is needed after kernel upgrade). In this case we recommend you to use our avflt based on redirfs solution. Please see FAQ 1749 to see detailed instructions.

If you want to use the AVG 8.5 for Linux/FreeBSD on-access scanning feature, it is needed to use two kernel modules (avflt and redirfs). Please follow the steps below to install and setup these modules:

• Download redirfs and avflt packages
  Packages are available here: http://www.redirfs.org
• Unpack both tar.gz archives (X character stands for version number)
  # tar xzvf redirfs-X.X.tar.gz
  # tar xzvf avflt-X.X.tar.gz

Redirfs

• Enter the extracted redirfs directory
  # cd redirfs-X.X
• Run make command
  # make -C /lib/modules/`uname -r`/build M=`pwd` modules
• Switch to "root" account using the "su" command (if you are not logged as root already)
• Install module
  # make -C /lib/modules/`uname -r`/build M=`pwd` modules_install
• Load redirfs.ko module
  # modprobe redirfs

Note: It may be necessary to update module dependencies before module loading. Please use the following command: # depmod -a

Avflt

• Enter the extracted avflt directory
  # cd ../avflt-X.X
• Copy the redirfs´s Module.symvers file to this avflt directory
  # cp ../redirfs-0.6/Module.symvers ./
• Compile the module
  # make -C /lib/modules/`uname -r`/build M=`pwd` EXTRA_CFLAGS=-I<path to the redirfs> modules
  Note: <path to the redirfs> represents the path to the dir with source files of redirfs as extracted during the previous steps.
  Example: # make -C /lib/modules/`uname -r`/build M=`pwd` EXTRA_CFLAGS=-I/root/redirfs-0.6 modules
  
• Install module
  # make -C /lib/modules/`uname -r`/build M=`pwd` EXTRA_CFLAGS=-I<path to the redirfs> modules_install
  Note: "EXTRA_CFLAGS=-I<path to the redirfs>" refers to the same dir as previous command.
• Load avflt.ko module
  # modprobe avflt

Note: It may be necessary to update module dependencies before module loading. Please use the following command: # depmod -a

Final steps

• Change the AVG configuration
  Please change Default.oad.avflt.paths.include option
  Example:
  # avgcfgctl -w Default.oad.avflt.paths.include="|/home|"
• Start AVG
  # avgctl --start

Note: In default configuration, Default.oad.use=avflt option is already set so it is not necessary to change it.

Detailed information regarding the modules installation can be found in the INSTALL file.

If you want to use the AVG 8.5 for Linux/FreeBSD on-access scanning feature, it is needed to install and configure the Dazuko kernel module. Its usage is recommended for kernel versions lower than 2.6.25 and for FreeBSD system. Please follow the steps below to perform the installation and initial configuration of this module correctly:

• Download the Dazuko module
  The latest version of the module can be downloaded here: http://www.dazuko.org
• Extract the module (X characters stand for version numbers)
  # tar xzvf dazuko-X.X.X.tar.gz
• Enter the extracted Dazuko directory
  #cd dazuko-X.X.X
• Run the configuration script
  # ./configure
• Run the make command
  # make
• Swith to the "root" account using the "su" command (if you are not already logged in as root)
• Run the make install command
  # make install
• Load Dazuko
  # modprobe dazuko
  Note: It may be necessary to update module dependencies before module loading. Please use the following command: # depmod -a
• Change AVG configuration
  Please change these values:
  
  Default.oad.dazuko.paths.include=
  Default.oad.use=avflt
  to
  Default.oad.dazuko.paths.include="|<any path>|"
  Default.oad.use=dazuko
  
  Example:
  # avgcfgctl -w Default.oad.dazuko.paths.include="|/home|"
  # avgcfgctl -w Default.oad.use=dazuko
• Start AVG
  # avgctl --start

Note: If the static /dev is used, the dazuko char device has to be created manually with the following command:
# mknod -m 600 /dev/dazuko c `grep dazuko /proc/devices | sed "s/ .*//"` 0

If you experience any issues during compilation or installation of the Dazuko module, please check the HOWTO section of Dazuko website: http://dazuko.dnsalias.org/wiki/index.php/Installation_HOWTO

If you want to use the AVG 8.5 for Linux/FreeBSD on-access scanning feature, it is needed to install and configure the DazukoFS kernel module. It is an alternative solution to the redirfs module and should be used only in cases when you cannot use redirfs. Please follow the steps below to perform the installation and initial configuration of this module correctly:

• Download the DazukoFS module
  The latest version of the module can be downloaded here: http://www.dazuko.org
• Extract the downloaded module (X characters stand for version numbers)
  # tar xzvf dazukofs-X.X.X.tar.gz
• Switch to the extracted DazukoFS directory
  # cd dazukofs-X.X.X
• Run the make command
  # make
• Install the module
  # make dazukofs_install
• Load the module
  # modprobe dazukofs
  Note: It may be necessary to update module dependencies before module loading. Please use the following command: # depmod -a
• Change AVG configuration
  Please change this value:
  
  Default.oad.use=avflt
  to
  Default.oad.use=dazukofs
  
  Example:
  # avgcfgctl -w Default.oad.use=dazukofs
• Start AVG
  # avgctl --start
• Enable the on-access scanning feature on requested directories (valid only till restart of the computer)
  # mount -t dazukofs /<folder name> /<folder name>
  

Note: Dazukofs has been written for particular kernel. If you are not using kernel mentioned in README file, you have to patch dazuko sources first (before running make, etc) using patches from patches subfolder (dazukofs-X.X.X/patches). For example, if you are using kernel 2.6.26 then you need to patch it with 2.6.26 patch:
# patch -p1 < patches/patch-linux-2.6.26

It is not possible to stack DazukoFS over the root filesystem (/). Stacking over pseudo filesystems (/proc, /dev, /sys) has not been tested and should be avoided. The kernel will crash if you attempt to mount DazukoFS to a file instead of a directory (various kernel patches handle this error).

You may want DazukoFS to be mounted over certain directories when the machine boots. The easiest way to do this is to add the mounts to the end of /etc/fstab. They would look something like this:

/usr   /usr   dazukofs   defaults   0   0
/opt   /opt   dazukofs   defaults   0   0

Of course, the dazukofs module must be loaded in order for this to work.

Please note that AVG 8.5 for Linux/FreeBSD currently does not scan the following directories:

• /proc
• /sys

This is due to unexpected behavior of the system while AVG scans these directories. The hardcoded exclusion on these directories will be removed in future program versions of AVG 8.5 for Linux/FreeBSD. Please accept our apology for any incovenience.

If you need to work with the AVG for Linux/FreeBSD scan return codes, you can find all of them below:

• 0 = everything is OK
• 1 = user cancelled/interrupted scan
• 2 = any error during the scan
• 3 = any warning during the scan
• 4 = potentially unwanted program (PUP) detected
• 5 = virus detected
• 6 = password-protected archive

To get the return code it is enough to run the avg scan and to use the following command after its completion:

# echo $?

If you need to enter some addresses or domains into AVG for Linux/FreeBSD anti-spam blacklist or whitelist, it is needed to do the following:

• Add addresses/domains to blacklist/whitelist files
  There are special blacklist and whitelist files after the installation of AVG 8.5 for Linux/FreeBSD:
• Whitelist
  /opt/avg/avg8/var/antispam/approvedsenders
• Blacklist
  /opt/avg/avg8/var/antispam/blockedsenders

You can enter needed addresses/domains directly into respective file to be approved/blocked.

You may have noticed some unknown files in the /opt/avg/avg8/var(mcvar)/run directory while using AVG for Linux/FreeBSD:

• Example:
# ls -la  /opt/avg/avg8/var/run
total ..
drwxrwxrwt 2 avg avg 4096 2009-04-07 12:00 .
drwxr-xr-x    4 avg avg 4096 2009-04-07 12:00 ..
srwxrwxrwx 1 avg avg    0 2009-04-07 12:00 18BDADB7-190D-4251-869F-1A05CD133BC2
srwxrwxrwx 1 avg avg    0 2009-04-07 12:00 18BDADB7-190D-4251-869F-1A05CD133BC21
srwxrwxrwx 1 avg avg    0 2009-04-07 12:00 215c9b87-a53c-48ed-b71f-22cf1431d4df
srwxrwxrwx 1 avg avg    0 2009-04-07 12:00 3cb3dce4-0bfc-4b72-81df-c54fcc9bd344
srwxrwxrwx 1 avg avg    0 2009-04-07 12:00 6a4da305-43e2-499e-b149-35d47e10e794
srwxrwxrwx 1 avg avg    0 2009-04-07 12:00 6b8a8d68-59b3-4374-8180-1fcd6315f94b
srwxrwxrwx 1 avg avg    0 2009-04-07 12:00 78820c57-c070-4ec0-924d-bde083f761cc

These are unix domain socket files used in internal communication subsystem. Their existence does not pose any threat or risk to your computer.

Please let us inform you that values of configuration parameters with special characters need to be written in quotes. This prevents evaulating of the special characters by command interpreter (shell). Please see the example below:

# avgcfgctl -w Tcpd.scan.Options.InfectableExtensions="|jpg|mp3|bmp|"

In case the command is executed without quoted special characters, shell is waiting for more inputs from the console, so the command is not performed. It is only possible to cancel the command by using Ctrl+C combination.

At the moment there is no user manual related to the configuration of AVG for Linux/FreeBSD, however there are man pages for all AVG components including their description and all related configuration options.

The list of the most important man pages can be found below:

• avgcfgctl - AVG command line configuration controller
• avgoad - AVG On-Access Daemon
• avgscand - AVG Scan Daemon
• avgsched - AVG Scheduler Daemon
• avgspamd - AVG Anti-Spam Daemon
• avgtcpd - Mail filter for virus/spam/phishing scanning
• avgscan - AVG command line scanner
• avgupdate - AVG command line update
• avgctl - AVG command line controller

In order to access these man pages please use the man <man_page> command.

• E.g. man avgoad

Should you still have any questions regarding the configuration of AVG for Linux/FreeBSD, please do not hesitate to contact AVG Customer Services.