So... Um... When's this getting fixed?

[fiskonian]

I was having a problem with my computer. I was getting huge delays in applications starting. When they closed, the process would stay in RAM and prevent another instance from being started. Internet was inaccessible eventhough I could ping websites. I rebooted in safemode w/ networking and I got internet... Knew it had to be an application at that point.
I ran Avast while the computer ran, thinking maybe I got computer AIDS. Nothing.
I ran AVG from a bootable thumbdrive thinking maybe it was rootkit. Nothing
I ran Spybot... maybe its messed up adware/spyware/grayware... Nata.
System Restore. F it, cant find the thing. It worked fine yesterday. "System restore unable to complete - Your Anti-Virus may be blocking the application."... Cool. Turned off Avast. Instant internet, no more memory dumps, smooth sailing.

I've been using avast for 4 years. Always worked great. You guys are awesome but you definitely botched this one.

Win 7 x64 Home Prem.

[jadinolf]

Why don't you uninstall and reinstall or at least do a repair?

Give it a shot.

[fiskonian]

Nope. Thats letting them win with their botched patch. 

[marc-d-l]

Letting who win what??  The only user here would be /(guess)

[Gopher John]

@fiskonian

Are you running a software firewall?  What you are experiencing sounds like AvastSvc.exe isn't allowed internet access.  AvastSvc.exe acts as a local proxy for traffic to/from the internet to your various internet programs in order to scan it, so if it's blocked there is no access for these programs.

AvastSvc.exe, AvastUI.exe, and avast.setup should be allowed access thru the firewall.

[fiskonian]

I am using zone alarm. All avast programs are allowed through. Its definitely the patch, everything worked fine up to the point that avast updated. The internet issue aside, even the explanation about the firewall wouldnt make sense for the memory leaks.

[Gopher John]

The firewall issue is separate.  Try removing the Avast allowances from ZoneAlarm, restart Windows and then reallow the Avast programs anew.  ZoneAlarm has been known to not ask when there has been a file checksum change, thereby stopping internet access silently.