# Password protected access to computer

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/password-protected-access-to-computer/521262>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 14, 2009, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/password-protected-access-to-computer/521262 "2009-12-14T20:12:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\
**Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/password-protected-access-to-computer/521262/1 "2009-12-14T20:12:04Z")

</div>

If a person logs off a password protected computer, will automatic downloads and virus scans still run as they should? Or does the logged off status interfere with the functions I mentioned?

Thanks in advance for any inputs.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\
**Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/password-protected-access-to-computer/521262/2 "2009-12-14T20:25:21Z")

</div>

Name the apps or utilities being used to perform the downloads and scans in question and we may be able to provide factual answers.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\
**Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/password-protected-access-to-computer/521262/3 "2009-12-14T20:32:32Z")

</div>

> [@Mr.Slant](#):
>
> Name the apps or utilities being used to perform the downloads and scans in question and we may be able to provide factual answers.

I have MicroSoft Automatic downloads enabled, as well as AVG Anti-Virus, which is scheduled to scan the computer nightly and, of course, at a much different time from the automatic downloads.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\
**Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/password-protected-access-to-computer/521262/4 "2009-12-14T20:57:07Z")

</div>

I’ve verified that in XP, Automatic Updates runs as a service and as such is unlikely to require user intervention unless configured so that it requires you input to make it work.  
At least some versions of AVG can scan while you’re not logged in [1]. It’s highly likely yours can too.

[1] [avgforums.com](http://www.avgforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=1658&sid=e5af010410820a71db973db135b843e4)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\
**Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/password-protected-access-to-computer/521262/5 "2009-12-15T09:46:34Z")

</div>

> [@Mr.Slant](#):
>
> I’ve verified that in XP, Automatic Updates runs as a service and as such is unlikely to require user intervention unless configured so that it requires you input to make it work.  
> At least some versions of AVG can scan while you’re not logged in [1]. It’s highly likely yours can too.
> 
> [1] [avgforums.com](http://www.avgforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=1658&sid=e5af010410820a71db973db135b843e4)

Thank you; your help is greatly appreciated. (I wish I knew enough to find this sort of thing myself.)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\
**Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/password-protected-access-to-computer/521262/6 "2009-12-15T12:22:49Z")

</div>

Eh, learning computers is nice, but I’ve made it my vocation, and sometimes I wonder WHAT I’d be doing without it. Might be a lot worse, but… might be a lot better.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![qazwart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/5fc32e/32.png) [@qazwart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/qazwart)\
**Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/password-protected-access-to-computer/521262/7 "2009-12-15T16:02:35Z")

</div>

If the _virus_ is running as your user account and under your user session, logging off will probably stop the virus.

However, most viruses use administrator or root account and don’t run in the user session, but in the background. These viruses cannot be stopped by simply logging off or by deleting the user’s account.

Anti-virus software usually uses the administrator or root account and runs in the background, so it can work even if you’re not logged in. As long as the computer is on, they should still work.