Avast WEBforum
Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: Fairfielder on June 11, 2009, 02:40:11 PM
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I am running Windows XP Home SP 2 on a laptop. Previously I had Norton Anti-virus running. I uninstalled it, then installed avast Home 4.8. In a browser I can't go to most web sites, but can go to a few. I can ping the web sites in a Command Prompt window. If I turn off Web Shield in avast I can browse. I have another computer on my home network running avast with no problems.
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You need to remove leftovers of Norton...
1) Remove NAV or Norton 360 through Add/Remove programs from Control Panel. Boot.
2) Use Norton Removal Tool for Windows 2000/XP/Vista (http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/Norton_Removal_Tool_for_Windows_2000XPVista/1169144666/1) or Norton Removal Tool for Windows 98/Me (http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/Norton_Removal_Tool_for_Windows_98Me/1169144666/2). Boot.
3) Install avast! (or repair the installation) and boot.
The Norton Removal Tool uninstalls all Norton 2008/2007/2006/2005/2004/2003 products and Norton 360 from your computer.
Which is your firewall right now?
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Windows Firewall
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So, follow the other steps to get rid from Norton ;)
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Windows Firewall
Whilst the windows XP firewall is usually good at keeping your ports stealthed (hidden) it provides no outbound protection and you should consider a third party firewall.
Any malware that manages to get past your defences will have free reign to connect to the internet to either download more of the same, pass your personal data (sensitive or otherwise, user names, passwords, keylogger retrieved data, etc.) or open a backdoor to your computer, so outbound protection is essential.
See http://www.matousec.com/projects/firewall-challenge/results.php (http://www.matousec.com/projects/firewall-challenge/results.php).
- There are many freeware firewalls such as, Comodo (care required now it is a suite not to install the anti-virus element), PCTools Firewall Plus, Online Armor and recently released, Outpost Firewall free 6.5 (2009)
Many forum users are using all of the above:
- PC Tools Firewall seems to have the least user headaches as it doesn't seem to be constantly asking the user questions about this and that.
- Online Armor for the most parts fine but it has caused some users grief after avast program updates and that is something you have to watch out for.
- Comodo is now a suite and you have to do a custom install so as not to install the antivirus element (or use the add remove programs to remove the AV element if already installed), of all the firewalls listed this seems to be the noisiest in asking questions, depending on settings and elements used, so it could be daunting for those not to familiar with firewalls or their systems.
- Outpost Firewall 2009 free, a cut down version of the Outpost Firewall Pro version, which should still provide good protection, http://free.agnitum.com/ (http://free.agnitum.com/). Download, http://www.filehippo.com/download_outpost_firewall/ (http://www.filehippo.com/download_outpost_firewall/)
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Try going to a secure website (something that has S in httpS, such as https://mail.google.com ) and tell us if those load fine.
Avast Web Shield does not scan the secure websites, so this will help us narrow this down to a problem with the Web Shield.
Of course, do this only after you've removed NAV and your browsing performance hasn't improved.
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I did what you recommended:
1) Remove NAV or Norton 360 through Add/Remove programs from Control Panel. Boot.
2) Use Norton Removal Tool for Windows 2000/XP/Vista or Norton Removal Tool for Windows 98/Me. Boot.
3) Install avast! (or repair the installation) and boot.
The problem persists.
Yes, I can log on to my Gmail account and other secure sites.
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Yeah man, this seems to be more common than the people here are willing to admit.
I've been jumping through hoops here
http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=45756.0
Try go through the steps in that thread (substituting my McAfee with your NAV): remove vendor AV with special removal tool, remove Avast with special removal tool, ccCleaner that stuff up, SuperAntiSpyware, download fresh Avast and install.
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Yeah man, this seems to be more common than the people here are willing to admit.
We're open to admit any avast problem.
The only thing that we can think at the beginning was leftovers of Norton.
Now, if the user can use https and not http, for sure the problem is on WebShield.
Maybe repairing avast installation could do the job. Or, like you've said, an installation from the scratch.
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As I said before, I used the Norton removal tool, then uninstalled avast and installed from scratch. No dice.
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Can you activate logging in WebShield?
0. (Disable avast self-defense module: Program settings > Troubleshooting tab of settings.)
1. Edit <avast>\data\avast4.ini file with Notepad (or use step 0 with other text editors).
2. Find the section [WebScanner]
3. Add the line:
EnableLogging=1
4. Restart Web Shield in XP\Vista (terminate and start again) or whole PC in case of Win98
5. Browse (trying to access some webpages)
The log file are <avast>\data\log\ashwebsv.log and ashwebsv.ws.
They would be accessible when WebShield is terminated again.
Post them here or send by mail to rypacek (at) asw.cz
After that, disable the logging to avoid a big log file.
Oh, enable the self-defense module again after that if you have to follow step 0.