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Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: zivilist on September 30, 2005, 11:07:34 PM

Title: cpu utilisation while using thunderbird 1.0.7
Post by: zivilist on September 30, 2005, 11:07:34 PM
Hello,

while sending a message through thunderbird the cpu utilisation increased from 40%
When receiving a message and look in this mail for the first time the cpu goes to 100% (sometimes "only 70 %")

If I disable avast completely no problem.

With activated avast I disable the outlook provider (I try to switch to thunderbird) although the problem exists.

I'm using windows xp sp2

How can I install the thunderbird provider? If I "change" the installed program I can see only "The Bat!" as an extra provider (can't select bacause its not installed).

thanks
Title: Re: cpu utilisation while using thunderbird 1.0.7
Post by: Lisandro on September 30, 2005, 11:36:07 PM
while sending a message through thunderbird the cpu utilisation increased from 40%
When receiving a message and look in this mail for the first time the cpu goes to 100% (sometimes "only 70 %")
How long does it take? avast! tries to scan as fast as it can and then release the computer to other applications running.

With activated avast I disable the outlook provider (I try to switch to thunderbird) although the problem exists.
MS Outlook plugin just scans MS Outlook (not the Express).

How can I install the thunderbird provider? If I "change" the installed program I can see only "The Bat!" as an extra provider (can't select bacause its not installed).
The provider for TB is the Internet Mail provider.  8)
Title: Re: cpu utilisation while using thunderbird 1.0.7
Post by: zivilist on October 01, 2005, 12:05:29 AM
So I completely remove the provider: nothing.

Quote
How long does it take? avast! tries to scan as fast as it can and then release the computer to other applications running.

approximate 2-3 seconds. If I recording some TV shows (with hardware encoder) the tv application hangs awhile.  :(
Changing the efficiency factor from high to normal with no effect.
Title: Re: cpu utilisation while using thunderbird 1.0.7
Post by: Lisandro on October 01, 2005, 01:28:44 AM
So I completely remove the provider: nothing.
Which one?

approximate 2-3 seconds. If I recording some TV shows (with hardware encoder) the tv application hangs awhile.  :(
Changing the efficiency factor from high to normal with no effect.
In fact 2-3 seconds is not that much but...
Maybe someone from Alwil could say something...
Title: Re: cpu utilisation while using thunderbird 1.0.7
Post by: zivilist on October 01, 2005, 02:07:57 PM
2-3 seconds for a plain text email? It's ok but the cpu utilisation it's not.
Title: Re: cpu utilisation while using thunderbird 1.0.7
Post by: Lisandro on October 01, 2005, 02:12:57 PM
Maybe you can add the following line to the [MailScanner] section of <avast>\data\avast4.ini:

Log=20

Then generate some traffic, simulate the problem (i.e. force the avast mail scanner to time out by sending an email with attachment) and then post here the contents of the file <avast>\data\log\aswMaiSv.log

Details: http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=12234.msg103474#msg103474
Title: Re: cpu utilisation while using thunderbird 1.0.7
Post by: zivilist on October 01, 2005, 02:41:13 PM
here are the results for 1 mail with plain text and attachments:
(sending+receiving)

http://www.informatik.fh-wiesbaden.de/~rvett001/log/aswMaiSv_after_finish_receiving.log
http://www.informatik.fh-wiesbaden.de/~rvett001/log/aswMaiSv_after_sending_mail.log
http://www.informatik.fh-wiesbaden.de/~rvett001/log/aswMaiSv_after_first_time_looked_in.log
Title: Re: cpu utilisation while using thunderbird 1.0.7
Post by: Lisandro on October 01, 2005, 04:58:45 PM
Zivilist, although I've asked the logs I can't analyse them as I'm not the guy for that. Sorry.
I've asked for superior help. Maybe Vojtech. Maybe on Monday  8)
Title: Re: cpu utilisation while using thunderbird 1.0.7
Post by: vojtech on October 03, 2005, 11:26:16 AM
Which particular resident provider needs to be stopped to avoid the problem ?
Title: Re: cpu utilisation while using thunderbird 1.0.7
Post by: zivilist on October 03, 2005, 12:02:47 PM
I must disable the "Standard Shield".
With enabled "Internet Mail" and disabled "Standard Shield" it seems working fine (shows scanned email in Internet Mail) but I need the standard shield.

The CPU utilisation is also high when deleting a mail from thunderbird (with enabled Standard Shield).
Title: Re: cpu utilisation while using thunderbird 1.0.7
Post by: vojtech on October 03, 2005, 12:30:41 PM
It's similar to this: http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=16272.0
Try compacting (emptying) mail folders in TB, or putting TB directory (containing mailboxes) to Standard Shield exclusions.
Title: Re: cpu utilisation while using thunderbird 1.0.7
Post by: zivilist on October 03, 2005, 05:59:04 PM
Does anybody working on a fix (not workaround)?
Can I help you providing some another logs?

Exclusion entry: C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Application Data\Thunderbird\*
works
Title: Re: cpu utilisation while using thunderbird 1.0.7
Post by: alanrf on October 03, 2005, 09:35:11 PM
Sounds like you are allowing the size of your Thunderbird folders get too large.  Have you looked at the folder sizes, especially for the trash folder(s)?
Title: Re: cpu utilisation while using thunderbird 1.0.7
Post by: zivilist on October 03, 2005, 09:51:35 PM
Trash is always very small. Each folder consists of 5-900 mails. Where is the problem?
With outlook there are no limitations of mail folder (and size).
Title: Re: cpu utilisation while using thunderbird 1.0.7
Post by: Lisandro on October 03, 2005, 11:36:23 PM
2-3 seconds for a plain text email? It's ok but the cpu utilisation it's not.
Where do you keep the 5 to 900 emails, in the inbox?
If so, I won't be surprised about 2-3 minutes but I almost can't believe it take so few time...
Title: Re: cpu utilisation while using thunderbird 1.0.7
Post by: zivilist on October 04, 2005, 12:05:39 AM
No! Every email folder keeps 5-900 mails.
Avast scans only when opening a mail, not the whole folder?!?!
In Inbox normally max 100 mails...

BTW: I meant 2-3 seconds not minutes (plain text email)
Title: Re: cpu utilisation while using thunderbird 1.0.7
Post by: Lisandro on October 04, 2005, 12:21:17 AM
Avast scans only when opening a mail, not the whole folder?!?!
I won't be so sure as the email folder is a packed archive.
avast! or any other antivirus will scan the pop3/smtp traffic AND the Standard Shield will scan the whole file (specially if you're using the High sensitivity level).

In Inbox normally max 100 mails...
BTW: I meant 2-3 seconds not minutes (plain text email)
Well, I meant minutes if you're keeping all that number of emails in TB.
By the way, take a lot of care: if ANY email comes infected and when warned by avast! you delete it, ALL YOUR INBOX will be deleted.
Search the board and you'll find this TB limitation (in TB forums you'll find the same).

Do you use any spam killer?
Are these emails with attached files?
Are you using the IMAP protocol?
Title: Re: cpu utilisation while using thunderbird 1.0.7
Post by: alanrf on October 04, 2005, 12:59:29 AM
I seem to be unable to repeat the CPU utilization issue with Thunderbird and avast.

I am running the Standard, Internat Mail and Web shields all at "normal" sensitivity.

I just tried deleteing some messages from my largest Thunderbird folder (which is 26Mb). There was no noticeable CPU spike at all (and my processor is only a 1GHz).

CPU did rise to about 50% for a couple of seconds when I then compacted the folder from which I had made the deletions.

CPU did peak very briefly at 100% when scanning the 4 new emails that arrived when I opened Thunderbird.   

Just one last thought.  You have stated that your trash folder is empty.  Have you also compacted the folder?  Thunderbird does not actually reclaim the disk space of a folder until that folder is compacted.  It can still show as having no mail in it and still be occupying 50Mb on disk (that would be scanned by the Standard shield).
Title: Re: cpu utilisation while using thunderbird 1.0.7
Post by: zivilist on October 04, 2005, 09:34:22 AM
I won't be so sure as the email folder is a packed archive.
avast! or any other antivirus will scan the pop3/smtp traffic AND the Standard Shield will scan the whole file (specially if you're using the High sensitivity level).
I'm using high sensitivity level in Internet Mail and Standard Shield.

Well, I meant minutes if you're keeping all that number of emails in TB.
By the way, take a lot of care: if ANY email comes infected and when warned by avast! you delete it, ALL YOUR INBOX will be deleted.
Search the board and you'll find this TB limitation (in TB forums you'll find the same).
Try sending me a test virus and only the attachment deleted in the file not the whole inbox folder (test email sorted in Inbox)

Do you use any spam killer?
Are these emails with attached files?
Are you using the IMAP protocol?
1) no
2) yes same issue: the long delay
3) no pop3
Title: Re: cpu utilisation while using thunderbird 1.0.7
Post by: zivilist on October 04, 2005, 09:37:36 AM
I seem to be unable to repeat the CPU utilization issue with Thunderbird and avast.
I am running the Standard, Internat Mail and Web shields all at "normal" sensitivity.

Are you protected in a good level? I don't know  :-\

I NOTICE: That the standard shield is the problem: changing to normal prevent delays (Internet Mail setting to high sensitivity)
Title: Re: cpu utilisation while using thunderbird 1.0.7
Post by: mariusz24 on October 04, 2005, 05:30:20 PM
Some time ago I had problem with slow mail deleting in Thunderbird. Deleting each mail tooks several seconds and during this  Avast icon was spinning.

I discovered that default Avast configuration of Standard Protection allowed scanning of modified files with a preconfigured file's extension list.
On the list there is "MS?" mask. And in the Tunderbird mail folder there are *.msf files.

Avast checks these files each time thunderbird modifes them.

Disabling the extensions list solved the problem.

--
Mariusz
Title: Re: cpu utilisation while using thunderbird 1.0.7
Post by: alanrf on October 04, 2005, 09:44:04 PM
The .msf files are just indexes of the mail held in the corresponding mail folder.  The main folder has no filetype, it is just "Inbox", "Sent" or "Trash".  The "Inbox.msf" file is just the index of messages in the "Inbox" file and is usually very much smaller than the folder. 

I suspect that excluding the .msf files will have very little effect on scanning time by avast.

The best thing that most users can do to reduce the overhead for scanning Thunderbird folders is to turn on the "compact folders to save space" option which will periodically compact large folders where space can be reclaimed.