Avast WEBforum
Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: JohnnyBob on March 02, 2011, 04:45:29 AM
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I just updated to the new free avast 6 version and the result was the following problem with Outlook Express on Windows XP Home SP3. I then uninstalled avast 6 and the problem went away immediately, so that was definitely the cause.
I've been using avast antivirus for many years but I don't have time to troubleshoot such things, so I am installing Microsoft Security Essentials as the replacement protector for this computer.
Sorry, but adios amigos...
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It didn't take long to figure out that Microsoft Security Essentials was unsatisfactory, so I'm back to avast 6. Unfortunately the same script bug happens with Outlook Express whenever I open it, as described above. That's double confirmation that the cause is indeed avast 6. So how do I get rid of it?
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Turning off the avast script shield doesn't fix it, although I suspect that's the area where the bug resides. Somehow avast is interfering with proper operation of the script to read the opening page of Outlook Express ("frntpage.htm").
Proof: If I check the box in Outlook Express settings for "When Outlook Express starts, go directly to my Inbox", the script error doesn't happen.
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I don't have Outlook Express so I can only offer limited help. You may want to contact Avast regarding this problem here http://www.avast.com/contact-form.php?loadStyles (http://www.avast.com/contact-form.php?loadStyles) since no one has helped you in the forum as of yet. Thank you.
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I don't have Outlook Express so I can only offer limited help. You may want to contact Avast regarding this problem here http://www.avast.com/contact-form.php?loadStyles (http://www.avast.com/contact-form.php?loadStyles) since no one has helped you in the forum as of yet. Thank you.
OK, SafeSurf, I did as you suggest. It's now in their capable hands... :)
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There is no separate frntpage.htm file. It is data defining that document within the msoeres.dll file; that is, the page gets extracted from that DLL file.
See http://windowsxp.mvps.org/oescript.htm for information (found just by Googling: http://www.google.com/search?q="frntpage.htm"). It certainly appears script blocking now added in v6 of Avast could be causing the problem but it also looks like you can undo the change it made to the Internet security zone settings.
UPDATE:
I just installed v6 and did the required reboot. The "binary and script behaviors" option for Internet Options did not change from before. It was Enabled and still is. If this option got disabled, maybe you have some other security software that made the change. I also started OE6 after the Avast v6 upgrade and reboot and it doesn't have the frntpage.htm error that you reported.
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Thanks for the insights. It's now in the hands of the avast! tech crew complete with a hijackthis.log etc. This error message with Outlook Express goes back a long ways, 5-6 years at least, according to google searches. Fortunately I never encountered it before. As far as I know, nobody else has confirmed it happening with avast!6, so maybe I've got a weird computer!?
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I'm back to version 5.1.889 and the problem with Outlook Express disappeared. So version 6 is definitely the cause. This already greatly exceeds my interest. I don't want to have to spend so much time on antivirus software.
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Why not just leave OE set to go directly to the inbox? Mine has been set that way for years now.
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Because if it causes this script error, it will probably cause other errors I haven't seen yet...so better to be rid of it. Also it's a 134 MB installation for the 5.1.889 version vs a 195 MB installation for v6. Etc. I just don't like v6.
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Avast 6 is a 55 meg download and unpacks to 153 meg on harddrive.
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My MB numbers are from the Add or Remove Programs list. The custom installation of v6 below comes to only 137 MB (vs 195 MB for the typical install).
As some others have suggested, and after some meditation and sleep, I decided to try a custom install of v6, omitting the WebCal thingie, the Mail Shield, the Scripts Shield, and then disabling the sandbox thingie. I don't need the Mail Shield because all of my email gets bounced through google (gmail) and they catch all of the bad stuff. The Scripts Shield is the probable cause of my Outlook Express opening script problem, although that isn't proven absolutely hereby. And I don't want any sandboxes nor the WebCal to interfere with proper operation of my computer.
Result: the script error when opening Outlook Express is gone.
I also note that avast5.ini remains even in v6 (why didn't they rename it avast6.ini?) so I can enter the further custom modifications I want thereby.
This makes v6 acceptable to me...
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My MB numbers are from the Add or Remove Programs list.
Well, as a side note - this feature shows completely junk figures more often than the correct ones. For half of the SW installed here it shows no size at all. That includes stuff directly from MS, such as Office 2010.
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No idea why you get that 195 meg reading as i have the full install of the free version and its 153 meg, if you place your curser over the avast program file that should give you the correct size. Did you do a clean install.
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Did you do a clean install.
I think so. I scrubbed it with your uninstaller, as well as RevoUninstaller, and also looked for remnants manually.
A further note...
Updates are now speedy with my custom install of v6, only a few seconds. Previously with the typical install it took at least 3-11 minutes for them to process and recognize the simple fact that the program/engine/virus definitions were already up to date. So I suspect that your new Script Shield was interfering here too!?
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Submitting it to avast! tech support was a waste of time. Here's a copy of their reply (properly munged, of course), and my response (duly censored for bad language)...
----- Original Message -----
From: "avast support center - AVAST Software" <techsupport@avast.com>
To: <me@mydomain.com>
Sent: Friday March 04, 2011 07:32
Subject: [ASW #KJO-237663]: Message from contact form - Technical issues
Dear customer,
thank you for contacting avast! Support Team. According to the information you provide us, we investigated, that your issue isn't related to avast! software but 3rd party software you have installed on your PC. For solution please contact your 3rd party SW vendor or your PC/network administrator.
Kind Regards
"V. N."
2nd level technical support
AVAST Software a.s.
http://support.avast.com
video tutorials: http://public.avast.com/supp
Notice for UK, Canada, US and Australian users:
You can also get free phone support from our partner iYogi phone number (USA) 877-314-5079, UK customers call 0808-101-9216
Ticket Details
===================
Ticket ID: KJO-237663
Department: 2nd Level Tech Supp
Priority: Default
Status: On Hold
Nonsense!
It's almost certainly a bug in your new Scripts Shield.
Proof: I custom reinstalled v6 without the Scripts Shield and the problem with an Outlook Express opening script error disappeared. This also greatly speeded up the avast! Updates of engine/virus definitions/program, which the Scripts Shield is probably also interfering with.
JB
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Correction: I see now why the Updates are so slow...
The avast.setup process runs at BelowNormal priority, which means it takes much too long to complete (more than 10 minutes, rather than a few seconds). I usually have a higher priority application running with intensive processor use, which means that the avast update process can't get enough processor time to finish. So how do I set the avast update process to run at Normal priority?
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Well that is intentional, if it is set to a higher priority it could well impact further on your system performance, particularly on the first check after boot. Once a connection is available, avast will check for updates and that can happen relatively early on in a boot, which could slow the overall boot duration.
I don't believe that there is any way to increase the priority in the UI or in the Task Manager as the self-defence module would most likely have something to say about that.
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I would have to agree with what Avast! told you. It has to be a problem somewhere else. I run Outlook Express and Avast! in XP SP3 without problems. I even changed the settings to not have it go directly to the inbox and OE loads perfectly without any errors of any kind. I would suggest uninstalling all other security related apps and just leave Avast! and the XP firewall. Then see if you still get the errors. I'm almost certain you won't.
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I uninstalled the Scripts Shield (via a custom reinstall of v6), which fixed the problem with Outlook Express, which means the cause was a bug in the Scripts Shield, as far as I'm concerned. I don't plan to do anything more. I've already spent far too much time on this silly antivirus software.