Can I run Smadav and Avast? Here's how to configure them to avoid conflicts
Smadav Softrev - Yes, you can I run Smadav and Avast on the same computer, but the secret to success lies not in simply installing them, but in a precise and deliberate configuration. Running both with their default settings is a direct path to system slowdowns, crashes, and security conflicts. This definitive guide provides the exact, step-by-step instructions to properly configure Avast and Smadav, transforming them from warring rivals into a coordinated, conflict-free security team.
Imagine the engine of a high-performance vehicle. It is an assembly of powerful, complex components. If you were to simply throw them together without proper timing and synchronization, the engine would seize, sputter, and fail catastrophically. The result would be a loud, chaotic mess, not a powerful machine. The same principle applies with striking accuracy to high-performance security software within the delicate ecosystem of your computer’s operating system.
Avast and Smadav are both powerful tools, each engineered to be highly effective at its job. However, their jobs, by default, are identical: to be the sole, vigilant guardian of your system. When you install both and let them run unchecked, you are not creating a stronger defense; you are starting a turf war for your computer’s most critical resources. This guide is not a debate about if you should use them, but a technician's manual on how to tune them for a stable, secure, and harmonious partnership.
The Ground Rule: Understanding Why Conflicts Happen
Before we adjust a single setting, it is essential to understand why these conflicts occur. The issue stems from a function called "real-time protection." Both Avast and Smadav are designed to be your system's primary real-time scanner. To do this, they must integrate deeply into the operating system, hooking into the kernel to inspect every file you access, the moment you access it.
When both programs are active, they both try to be the first to scan a file, creating a digital traffic jam. This leads to the common symptoms of a dual-antivirus setup:
Severe Slowdowns: Your system's CPU and storage drive are overwhelmed by redundant scanning processes.
False Positives: The programs identify each other's security activities as malicious, leading to a loop of alerts and quarantined files.
System Crashes: The constant conflict can lead to critical errors, application freezes, and the infamous Blue Screen of Death (BSOD).
To avoid this, we must adhere to the single most important principle of this process: Only one program can have active, real-time control. Our entire configuration will be built around enforcing this rule.
Step 1: Establishing Avast as the Primary System Guardian
Our first step is to clearly define Avast's role as the undisputed, always-on protector of your system. It will handle all automatic and background scanning, providing the 24/7 defense your computer needs.
A Fresh Start: Installation and Verification
For the most stable result, it is best to install Avast on a system before installing Smadav. Once Avast is installed, the first thing you should do is verify that it has correctly registered itself with the operating system. You can do this by opening the Windows Security Center. It should clearly state that "Avast Antivirus is on." This confirms that Microsoft Defender has correctly stepped back into a passive mode, ceding real-time protection duties to Avast and preventing a conflict with the OS's built-in security.
Reviewing Avast's Core Shields
Open the Avast application and navigate to the "Protection" tab. Ensure that the main "Core Shields" are all active. This includes the File Shield, Behavior Shield, Web Shield, and Mail Shield. These components form the foundation of your real-time defense, and they must remain enabled at all times. With this confirmed, Avast is correctly set up as your system's primary guardian.
Step 2: Taming Smadav – The Core of the Configuration
This is the most crucial part of the guide. We will now reconfigure Smadav from an active antivirus into a passive, on-demand tool. It will become a specialist that you call upon manually, rather than a guard that is always on patrol.
Disabling All Real-Time Protection Modules
Follow these steps precisely to avoid any conflicts.
Launch the Smadav application. You can open it from your desktop shortcut or the Start Menu.
Navigate to the "Protect" Tab. On the left-hand menu of the Smadav interface, you will find the "Protect" section. Click on it. This is the control panel for all of its active scanning features.
Turn Off Every Real-Time Shield. You will see a series of green buttons or toggles. You must systematically click each one to turn it off. Pay close attention to the main background scanner and any specialized features like "Smad-Lock (Anti-Ransomware)." The button should turn from green to red, indicating it is disabled.
Verify the Overall Status. Once all shields are disabled, the main status display in Smadav should change to red and clearly state "Protection is OFF." This is your visual confirmation that Smadav is no longer running any real-time processes.
Preventing Smadav from Starting with Windows
As an additional, expert-level step, you should prevent Smadav from launching automatically when your computer starts. This ensures it remains fully dormant until you need it.
Right-click the Start button and select "Task Manager."
Go to the "Startup apps" tab.
Find "Smadav Antivirus" in the list.
Right-click on it and select "Disable."
With these steps completed, you have successfully transformed Smadav into a manual tool that will not interfere with Avast.
Step 3: Creating Harmony – Setting Up Mutual Exclusions
The final configuration step is to formally introduce the two programs to each other and tell them to ignore one another. This is done by setting "exclusions" (also known as exceptions), which is the ultimate way to prevent any and all conflicts.
How to Make Avast Ignore Smadav
This tells Avast that the Smadav program is safe and should never be scanned or flagged as a potential threat.
Open Avast and go to Menu > Settings.
Navigate to the Exceptions tab.
Click the "Add Exception" button.
A new window will open. Click "Browse" and navigate to the folder where Smadav is installed. By default, this is usually
C:\Program Files (x86)\SMADAV.Select the entire SMADAV folder and click "OK". The folder path will now be listed in your exceptions, ensuring Avast leaves it alone.
Optional but Recommended: How to Make Smadav Ignore Avast
Even with Smadav's real-time protection off, setting an exclusion for Avast within Smadav can prevent any potential issues during a manual scan.
Open Smadav and go to the "Settings" tab.
Find the exclusion or "Exception List" section.
Add the folder path for Avast's installation, which is typically
C:\Program Files\Avast Software\Avast.
The Final Result: Your New, Conflict-Free Workflow
Congratulations. By following this guide, you have successfully configured a stable and effective dual-scanner system. Your PC's security workflow will now be seamless and efficient.
On a day-to-day basis, you will not notice anything different. Avast will work silently in the background, providing world-class protection against all threats in real-time. Smadav will remain completely dormant, consuming zero system resources.
When you need Smadav's specialized skills, your workflow is simple and manual. For example, to scan a suspicious USB drive, you will plug it in, right-click on the drive in File Explorer, and select "Scan with Smadav." To get a second opinion on your system's health, you will double-click the Smadav icon on your desktop to launch a manual scan.
The initial question—can I run Smadav and Avast—is ultimately a question of control and configuration. By taking the time to define their roles and tune their settings, you transform a combination that is potentially chaotic into a strategic asset. You have created a security system where a powerful, always-on guardian is supported by a specialist operative, ready to be called into action on your command. In the world of cybersecurity, this level of thoughtful configuration is what separates a vulnerable machine from a truly resilient one.
