problem with webshield

[shek]

I have a problem with webshield. Every time i start the computer, the webshield doesn't work. the blue icon becomes white, says 0 protection running. if I click on the webshield option, the terminate button is highlighted, but actually the web scanner doesn't work at all. If i stop the on-access protection and restart it again, the blue icon will come back and webshield will work again.  Another way to work around is to terminate the webshield and start it. After reenable the webshield, the system works fine.

When I install avast(the latest version), I only choose webshield module, all the others including standard protection are unchecked. I have antivir 7, jetico, MJ regwatcher, SSM running with avast webshiled in the win xp pro sp2. This setting worked great and no problems at all when i tried it several times before. But when i reinstalled avast yesterday, the webshield problem came up. I also uninstalled/installed avast for several times. the problem is still there.

I found two error events in the event viewer.

Event Type:   Error
Event Source:   Service Control Manager
Event Category:   None
Event ID:   7023
Date:      7/16/2006
Time:      1:00:54 PM
User:      N/A
Computer:   XMU-E531E4D884C
Description:
The avast! Web Scanner service terminated with the following error:
Cannot create a file when that file already exists.


Event Type:   Error
Event Source:   Service Control Manager
Event Category:   None
Event ID:   7023
Date:      7/16/2006
Time:      12:39:35 AM
User:      N/A
Computer:   XMU-E531E4D884C
Description:
The avast! Web Scanner service terminated with the following error:
An invalid argument was supplied.


How could I fix this problem? Thanks in advance.

Shek

[DavidR]

Have (or did) you have another AV installed in this system, if so what and how did you get rid of it ?

What other security based software do you have that might block new startup entries, e.g. Spybot S&D (TeaTimer), AdAware (AdWatch), SpySweeper, PrevX, WinPatrol, ProcessGuard, etc. ?

You could also try a repair of avast. Add Remove programs, select 'avast! Anti-Virus,' click the Change/Remove button and scroll down to Repair, click next and follow. You need to be on-line to do this.

[shek]

DavidR---

Thanks for your reply.

I have antivir7 in my system. Then I install the avast, as i said it's webshield only. No other modules at all. This setup worked before, but yesterday when i tried it again, the problem showed up. Btw, the versions of this two apps don't change within this period.

In my system, the only two apps which could block the startup entries are regwatcher and ssm. I put them into accept mode and learning mode respectively before install/uninstall avast. The webshield actually starts as a servies (manual), I also tried to set it as automatic. But it didn't help. 

As i said, I have tried to uninstall/install avast several times already. For uninstallation, first i tried to use add/remove button, then manually deleted all the related avast folder/files/regstry entries. I also tries to use the uninstall tool(aswclear.exe) provided by avast. Neither way helped.

[DavidR]

The old version 6 of AntiVir worked in conjunction with avast (so yes it used to work before) as it was purely an on-demand set-up. However, the latest version of AntiVir has resident functions and it isn't advised to have two resident on-access AVs installed on the same system. There are too many chances that the two will conflict and because of that when avast installs it checks for the presence of other resident AVs and will disable elements to avoid conflict.

avast isn't designed for this type of crippling as it has services, drivers and legacy registry keys that you would have to kill to avoid conflict (the web shield isn't a stand alone process, it also uses ashServ.exe the scanning engine, which will have to be running and in registry, etc.).

avast and antivir 7 can't co-exist on the same system as many have found. So you may have had a failed/compromised install that is also causing uninstall issues.

You could try a repair of avast. Add Remove programs, select 'avast! Anti-Virus,' click the Change/Remove button and scroll down to Repair, click next and follow. You need to be on-line to do this. This may replace any missing files, but I'm not hopeful even if it were you are still left with the two resident AVs on the same system.

[shek]

DavidR----

As i said in the above post, at least in my machine, avast did work with antivir7 by disabling most of the module and leaving webshield only. It worked flawless two weeks ago. Even now it still work. The only problem is I have to stop and restart the webshield to make it fuctional. That's why I post here to find a solution for it.

In order to make sure it's not the problem of antivir. I uninstalled the antivir7, left the avast in my system and rebooted. After the restart, the problem still existed. So I did the uninstallation/installation for avast again. But the issue was still there, as you could see from the attched picture. Then I just followed your suggestion to make an repair for avast and restart my computer. It didn't help either.     

[mauserme]

shek, avast! looks for the presence of AntiVir in the registry and typically disables providers on the second reboot after a concurrent installation.

You might be able to accomplish what you're trying if you rename AntivirService to something like REMAntivirService in HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services.  But make sure you don't run AntiVir and avast! both resident or you might mess up your system.  Back up your registry of course, before making any changes.

I've used this successfully to run avast! resident with AntiVir as an on-demand scanner and I suspect the reverse will work too.

[DavidR]

I don't know what to suggest other than to try the avast uninstall utility. Download the avast! Uninstall Utility, find it here use the add remove programs, reboot, run the uninstall utility to ensure all registry keys, etc. are cleared and start again.

However, as I said avast isn't designed to work like this and there may possibly still be conflict even if it did work for two weeks. Many others in the forums have tried and failed to get it to work with antivir, they may well have had more providers enabled but the end result was conflict.

I doubt there will be a solution when there is potential for conflict with another AV installed how do you fault find, with great difficulty. One of the reasons why many don't advise two resident AVs.

[mauserme]

Many others in the forums have tried and failed to get it to work with antivir, they may well have had more providers enabled but the end result was conflict.

David, I've been doing it for over two months with no conflict.  But as you say its certainly not designed for this. 

[shek]

DavidR & mauserme---

Thank you for the reply.

My purpose is to try every possible av combination to make them work together. Of course i fully understand the potential incompatibility issues involving. antivir has an excellent file scanner and avast webshield might be a good complement for it. Both are free. That's why i want to try this setup.

As you could see from my previous post(reply post #4), the problem does not relate to antivir. Even there is avast only(antivir had been uninstalled completely and avast is a fresh install), the problem still exists. Therefore, i think it might be a bug for avast. btw, i have tried the avast uninstall utility already, which didn't help.

[mauserme]

Well, as I said I've done essentially the reverse of what your trying to do so I can't say for sure your goal is still attainable.

I would try this:

Save both installation packages to your hard drive but don't install either yet
Go off-line
Uninstall both AV products, reboot, run a registry cleaner like TweakNow or Eusing
Manually delete any program remnants
Reboot again
Install avast! and enable your internet connection before the reboot.  If successfully installed go off line again and disable to providers you don't need
Install AntiVir and make the registry change after the first but before the second reboot

Or, why not just try avast! for a while with AntiVir as a back up scanner.  I know that can be done.  Just don't install the AntiVir Guard and make the same registry change as above.

[shek]

I would try this:

Save both installation packages to your hard drive but don't install either yet
Go off-line
Uninstall both AV products, reboot, run a registry cleaner like TweakNow or Eusing
Manually delete any program remnants
Reboot again
Install avast! and enable your internet connection before the reboot.  If successfully installed go off line again and disable to providers you don't need
Install AntiVir and make the registry change after the first but before the second reboot

I have tried all of these, but they didn't work.

I just found out the problem actually was the ashwebsv.exe could not start up correctly. I have to try to start it manually through mmc twice before the problem was gone. the first try would give me an error, saying" error 10022, an invalid argument was supplied". Then a second try would be successful.

[mauserme]

I just found out the problem actually was the ashwebsv.exe could not start up correctly. I have to try to start it manually through mmc twice before the problem was gone. the first try would give me an error, saying" error 10022, an invalid argument was supplied". Then a second try would be successful.

Do you have to do this every time you start your computer or is the "fix" persistant?

[shek]

I have to do it every time i start my computer.