Avast WEBforum
Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: budds78 on January 10, 2005, 09:48:02 PM
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Can someone please answer my post. I am completely lost.
There are times when I receive an e-mail and attachment from someone that I am expecting and the following occurs:
I receive the e-mail and can open the attachment with no problems but i do not receive the text of the message so I do not know what the person is writing to me. I only get the following stamp indicating the message was clean and nothing else:
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avast! Antivirus: Inbound message clean.
Virus Database (VPS): 0502-0, 01/10/2005
Tested on: 1/10/2005 3:02:18 PM
avast! - copyright (c) 1988-2004 ALWIL Software.
And there seems to be no rhyme or reason to it b/c sometimes I can get e-mails with attachments from someone and the next day I cannot.
Anyone know what exactly is happening?
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This happened before... it will take a little to browse and search the board anyway.
Which is your operational system, firewall, email program...?
Welcome aboard 8)
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Windows XP
Microsoft Outlook
Behind a corporate firewall.
Thanks for the welcome.
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Microsoft Outlook
About the clean notes into the message body, can you try 'Settings' on my signature?
UseAlternateRtfSyncing value under [MailScanner] section:
Another mechanism for inserting notes into the body of emails in Microsoft Outlook. RtfSyncing is concerned with Rich Text Format. In emails, the user typically save both Rich text (HTML) and plain form of message. When you modify one type of message, RTFSync is the right function to synchronize text of message to the second form. Disable = 0.
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I am sorry you totally lost me. I am a complete boob with these things.
I am writing as an end-user b/c my boss downloaded avast to scan our e-mails and I don't want to ask him for help unless I absolutely have to.
Is it a setting in my Microsoft Outlook prohibiting me from getting the text of my messages and just leaving me with the "stamp"
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Budds, we can guide you...
See, did you click on 'Settings' in my signature?
There is the location of avast4.ini file (generally C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\Data\avast4.ini).
Open it in your computer with Notepad. Or double click it...
Browse for the section [MailScanner] into brackets.
Add the following line:
UseAlternateRtfSyncing=1
Boot.
Does it work?
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I am sorry. I might have wrote this on the wrong forum.
My boss had us change our pop3 & smtp servers b/c I think he downloaded what apprently may be the professional or corporate version of avast.
There is no such directory on my machine b/c I think he manages it from a server here.
I've tried to talk to him about it but he just dismisses me. I really need to see the text of these messages though and I never had the problem before he used avast to stop SPAM at our company.
Is there anything I could change in my Microsoft Outlook settings on my end that would make a difference?
Sorry for the confusion I'm just a noob.
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Also, I notcie for the most part the e-mails that have attachments where I do receive the text also include attachments labeled either avast info or virus info in the form of a text file and an html file. When I dont get the text, I dont get these attachments.
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budds78
Can you make a screen shoot of one of the e-mail so we can see what your talking about?
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budds78,
I don't know if Microsoft Outlook e-mail has this option that Outlook Express has?? If it does and works like the option in Outlook Express that may be the problem. I don't have or use Microsoft Outlook. But, in Outlook Express if you go to Tools>Options>Security> you will see a option that states: "Do not allow attachments to be saved or opened that could potentially be a virus". This when ticked will not usually allow attachments in that program to be opened. You may want to check this possibility out. :)
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I would like tot hank everyone for their help. My problem is still not resolved but if anyone is willing, I'd like to continue the process of solving it.
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I have a few screenshots saved to my desktop, in microsoft word format, that illustrate the problem I am talking about. Only thing is I don't know how to post it here.
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When you type a post here there is underneath the box something called "Additional Options".
Click on it and you can attach a picture your post.
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This is an example of when I receive an e-mail with an attachment. I can open the attachment without incident. The problem is I do not receive the text of the message. The only thing I receive is the avast "Inbound Message Clean" stamp.
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This is an example of an e-mail where not only can I open the attachment. But I can also read the text of the message. You will also notice that I am also receiving twoe xtra attachments labeled avast info.html & avast info.txt
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Can anyone please help me?
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If you are unable to apply the fix that Technical mentioned earlier http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=10269.msg87110#msg87110 and your comment.
My boss had us change our pop3 & smtp servers b/c I think he downloaded what apprently may be the professional or corporate version of avast.
There is no such directory on my machine b/c I think he manages it from a server here.
Then he needs to apply the fix, you need to show him the information on this thread. If it is happening to you it could happen to others using the system.
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Have you read my previous posts?
Do you recognize my problem for sure?
Is this is the definite solution to my problem, I will go to him and explain what he needs to do.
However, it's not the guy is going to yell at me for butting into his business.
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Yes I have read your posts, there have been a number of threads where this was a symptom (no body text) and the solution that worked for them. Do a forum search for UseAlternateRtfSyncing and see if there is something there that replicates your problem.
However, I can't give a categoric assurance that this is the solution, as there may be other factors, like the email program used, not to mention your avast version (probably server edition). Since this possible solution was given by Technical a very experienced user, I would certainly try it.
Unfortunately since you don't have control of the avast settings you can't do that, then someone who has access will need to try the possible fix. The avast4.ini may be in a different location to the standard, that depends on how avast was set-up, try a search of your system and see if you can find avast4.ini.
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Since this possible solution was given by Technical a very experienced user, I would certainly try it.
In fact, it belongs to Igor 8)
If I remember correctly, it won't be easy to solve this problem :-[
The avast4.ini may be in a different location to the standard, that depends on how avast was set-up, try a search of your system and see if you can find avast4.ini.
Well, I never heard that the avast4.ini file could be in another location (for Home/Pro versions) than the default one.
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The avast4.ini may be in a different location to the standard, that depends on how avast was set-up, try a search of your system and see if you can find avast4.ini.
Well, I never heard that the avast4.ini file could be in another location (for Home/Pro versions) than the default one.
If you don't install avast in the default location (I didn't), C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4, then it follows that avast4.ini won't be in the C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ folder. It would appear that budds78 wasn't the person who installed avast and it may also be a server version of avast. We don't know because he hasn't confirmed this.
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I am almost certain my boss installed the server version of avast.
As soon as hew gets in, I'm going to march in there confidently and give him this solution to my problem.
Hopefully it works and I don't get my head bitten off.
I will keep everyone posted.
Also, I would like to thank everyone who has offered to help me. It is much appreciated.
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If you don't install avast in the default location (I didn't), C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4, then it follows that avast4.ini won't be in the C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ folder.
Sorry, you're right.
I wrote it bad: I should have wrote the default path is the folder data into avast directory 8)
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I got my boss to add the entry into the Mail Scanner tag of the avast.ini file as was suggested.
It did not work.
My boss and I discussed it and I think we both agree not only is this problem only occuring with users who have both Norton Antivirus and Microsoft Outlook. But the first time it happened can be traced back to the exact date I downloaded and installed Service Pack 2 for Windows XP.
I'm not sure this can help anyone firgure out my problem but this is what I came up with.
Anyone else put this together? Does it even make sense? If so, anyone got something else I can try?
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We both agree not only is this problem only occuring with users who have both Norton Antivirus and Microsoft Outlook. But the first time it happened can be traced back to the exact date I downloaded and installed Service Pack 2 for Windows XP.
Are you using Norton Antivirus and avast at the same time in the same machine?
Well, if so, it won't work :P
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Yes.
My e-mail application is Microsoft Outlook.
My personal antivirus solution on my desktop is Norton Antivirus. However, my company runs Avast on our mail server. My e-mail comes through the mail server here and Avast does its thing. Then I get my e-mail from the server once it is done and Norton runs on my end.
Is there any reason why that will not work?
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budds78
In theory, that should work fine. The problem is which AV program is deleting your text?
and the only way to find out is to stop your scanning. This should be perfectly safe since your e-mail is already being
scanned by avast! at the server end.
If by stopping the scanning of your e-mail by NAV, you now receive your text, then we know the answer, :)
If you still don't receive your text, we also know the answer. :'(
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I will disable Norton on my end now and report what happens.
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Remember to just disable your e-mail scanning. :)
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I just disabled File System Realtime protection on the Norton icon in my system tray.
Is that wrong? Is there somewhere else I need to go to disable this?
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In the settings there should be a section for e-mail protection. Disable that and leave the Realtime protection in tact.
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I just risked it and diabled my entire real-time file system protection.
I got another e-mail where I can't get the text so my problem still has not been resolved.
Any other suggestions?
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Anyone have any new suggestions regarding my problem?
Disabling my entire real-time protection for Norton did not solve my problem.
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Just checking again to see if anyone has any new suggestions?
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Disabling my entire real-time protection for Norton did not solve my problem.
I used NAV before.
It's very (but very) hard to say what is happening in a system with NAV and other antivirus...
Can't you uninstall NAV, clean Registry and try other antivirus?
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Technical
He doesn't have another AV. All he has is NAV
The server uses avast! and he uses NAV so there isn't any conflict.
What we need is someone from Alwil to take a look at this problem.
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Do I have to do anything to get ALWIL to look at my problem?
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Most like the reason Alwil hasen't responded is because you really aren't using avast!
You should actually bring your problem to the attention of your Server and have someone from there contact Alwil since they are the avast! users.
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I got my boss to add the entry into the Mail Scanner tag of the avast.ini file as was suggested.
It did not work.
My boss and I discussed it and I think we both agree not only is this problem only occuring with users who have both Norton Antivirus and Microsoft Outlook. But the first time it happened can be traced back to the exact date I downloaded and installed Service Pack 2 for Windows XP.
I'm not sure this can help anyone firgure out my problem but this is what I came up with.
Anyone else put this together? Does it even make sense? If so, anyone got something else I can try?
This is a total guess and somewhat dependent on the format of your incoming messages.
Have you checked the security settings for Internet Explorer?. I don't use Outlook myself, but I believe the IE security setting can also affect the way Outlook deals with content control in Outlook.
Try looking through the settings in Outlook under Tools -> Options -> Security -> Zone Settings etc.
Many of these settings changed with the update to SP2.
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Any specific setting in zone security settings you suggest I change on my end?
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Any specific setting in zone security settings you suggest I change on my end?
Budd78,
I wouldn't suggest, because as I mentioned I do not personally use Outlook.
Obviously it depends on what settings you have already set and also, as mentioned, what format your incoming mail takes. I can't recall, did you say 'some' mail gets through?.
You need to look through the settings and see if any applies to your situation. You could 'if you have an otherwise secure machine/installation', try putting all of the zones to the low settings and then run a few test mails. This should tell you if my 'guess' holds any water and if it proves anything you can then track down the particular setting.
Reset your security when you've finished.
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i have been following this thread for the last month or so b/c i was having the same problem. i think this belongs in the server section not the personal user section. anyhow, it seems once the inbound clean message stamp was taken out of incoming e-mails altogether on the server side, the problem we had here reading the body of our e-mails has gone away.
i'm still curious about why this is happening. anyone have any thoughts as to why it works when the inbound clean message stamp is taken out as opposed to when it is enabled?