What You Need to Know about Avgrsx.exe

Avgrsx.exe is the Resident Shield component of AVG 8.0 Free Edition antivirus program. Reviews for AVG 8.0 have been mixed. Some have praised it while others have criticized it.

A common concern of computer users running this program is that the application causes the system to slow down significantly, and also dramatically increases CPU usage.

Because computer users need to be protected at all times, it is wise to use a good antivirus program coupled with an anti-spyware program and a good firewall. There are many paid and free programs that users can choose from.  In general, programs that you have to buy offer better support and offer a wider range of features, but free editions can do a good job as well.

If you already have or are planning to get AVG 8.0 Free Edition as your antivirus, the information below might be of some help to you.

Are You Already a User?

Have you noticed that your CPU usage spikes at system Startup? This may be because Avgrsx.exe is running a scan on your system. If you’d like to make your system run a little faster, you may want to disable certain features. Instructions on how to disable generally disliked features on the AVG 8.0 Free Edition will follow later in the article.

Are You a New User?

If you haven’t gotten around to installing AVG 8.0 Free Edition yet, here are a few tips to help you avoid having to fix any error or slowdown issues that might arise.

1. Download the AVG Set-up file.
2. Right-click on the file and select Create a Shortcut.
3. Right-click on the shortcut you have just created and select Properties.
4. In the Target box, enter the text exactly as shown below, one space after the last character: /NOAVGTOOLBAR /REMOVE_FEATURE fea_AVG_SafeSurf /REMOVE_FEATURE fea_AVG_SafeSearch
5. Run the new shortcut.

Setup will be performed according to the parameters indicated in the text above. Linkscanner and AVG Security Toolbar will not be installed. Having both can considerably slow down Web browsing and increase CPU usage. You will not be able to disable each process properly inside AVG. This method is a workaround for that limitation.

If you have already started the installation, then you may perform a custom insulation to prevent certain programs from installing. Here are the steps:

1. In the AVG Setup dialog box, select the Custom option.
2. Clear the following programs to prevent them from installing:
   • Email Scanner
   • Plug-in for Microsoft Office
   • Linkscanner (for newer versions)

Do you already have AVG 8.0?

Users who have already installed AVG on their system need not worry. You can still perform this fix.   By following the steps below you will be able to remove both Linkscanner and the AVG Security Toolbar from your system.

1. Open the Tools menu, and select Advanced Settings.
2. Here, modify the settings as listed below:
   1. Select Appearance on the left panel, and then, clear the Display system tray notifications check box to remove the AVG icon from the system tray.
   2. Next, on the left panel, select Linkscanner and then clear all checkboxes given under it.
   3. Next, select Scans and then clear all checkboxes given under it expect for the Automatically heal/remove infections unchecked. You must keep this option disabled because this ensures that you do not lose any data or file due to false positive reports.
   4. Select Schedules on the left panel, and then clear all options given in it. It may be the better option to update prior to running a manual scan. Also, you must remember to perform manual scan at least once a week to ensure that your PC stays free from malware.
   5. Next , select Resident Shield and clear the Enable Resident Shield option. This function runs in the background but interferes with your computer’s performance levels. However, this tool provides real-time protection from malware infections so you must refrain from disabling it unless you are left with no other option.

AVG also installs AVG8 Watchdog which is an active Windows Service. This should be left at Automatic if you want AVG 8.0 to work. Avgwdsvc.exe and avgrsx.exe both run in the background. They are for the Watchdog Service and Resident Shield services respectively.

3. If you disable Resident Shield, go to \Program Files\AVG\AVG8 and rename the avgrsx.exe file to something different. Renaming the file will prevent the process from starting in the background but will not affect scanning. You also need to get rid of the following files that are related to Resident Shield:
   • AVGMfx86.sys
   • AVGrsstx.dll
   • All incidences of AVG8Shell Extension
4. Restart your PC and ignore any warnings that might display.
5. Open AVG and update its definitions and scan your PC for viruses.

We recommended that the virus definition database be updated prior to running any scan. Users can scan their entire system or just specific files and folders.

Some Other Methods That You May Opt To Use

Other methods have also been suggested to help users regain memory or CPU consumed by the AVG Antivirus tool.

One method is to totally disable Resident Shield. This removes real-time monitoring and may be detrimental to the user. Note that handling very big files might reactivate Resident Shield.

Another method is to make exceptions in the scan. You can set up exceptions in AVG so that certain files and folders will not be monitored. This may speed up the process by reducing the burden on system resources. While setting exceptions, take care to not include the folder where you save software and other data downloaded from the Internet.

You may also choose to disable your Internet while you are scanning with the AVG 8.0 Free Edition. Or, you can schedule virus scans at times, when you don’t work on your PC.

If AVG 8.0 does not work for you, you may opt for more robust and reliable antimalware tools, such as Anti-Virus Plus and StopZilla to keep your PC free from unwanted intrusions. To further keep your PC in tiptop shape, make sure to run periodic scans with a good registry cleaner. Maintain registry integrity with a cleaner like RegGenie and keep your computer relatively free from errors.