Avast WEBforum
Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: TheScorpion on December 12, 2009, 11:39:56 PM
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I have an Asus laptop, AMD Athlon xp-m. with XP Pro.
I am running the latest versions of Avast, Comodo, Firefox and my email prog is OE.
I have startup applications pruned right down.
Lately my pc gets as far as the desktop and then seems to hang indefinitely with the hd light periodically showing and the Avast icon periodically revolving.
If I try to start my browser or email program, no luck This lasts for maybe 20 minutes or more before I give up and reboot. After rebooting the pc will 'usually' load more or less as normal.
I have a feeling that the Avast process is causing this.
I tried disabling Avast to see if my startup would improve but using services.msc to select manual or disable is denied.
I unchecked Avast in msconfig, but Avast still started at bootup and the check had been replaced.
I tried checking the delay startup function in Avast's troublshooting menu but still the same problem.
Anyone else experiencing this?
Any suggestions?
Thanks.
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What is the RAM of this laptop?
Is it the Comodo Firewall you have installed, or the suite?
What AV installed before Avast?
What is the disk (percentage) used?
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What is the RAM of this laptop?
Is it the Comodo Firewall you have installed, or the suite?
What AV installed before Avast?
What is the disk (percentage) used?
Thanks for the reply.
RAM 512mb
As far as I know it is just the Comodo Firewall. Not sure what you mean by suite. If I look under configurations it has a check alongside "Proactive Security updated updated updated" Proactive defence is set to 'Clean PC'
I've had Avast running for about two yrs with no problems. Prior to that I used AVG but I thought it started becoming too bloated .
I have 60GB disk space of which 35GB is used.
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The Comodo firewall used to be a standalone application. What you downloaded, you got. Now an entire security suite - including AV - is included in the download package, from which you should install only what is wanted: the firewall in your case. Can you remember what you installed when you ran the file?
See this page (http://uninstallers.blogspot.com/) (with thanks to another forum member) for a tool to complete the removal of AVG, in case that is a factor.
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Checked out Comodo and it looks like I installed it ok without the AV.
Also ran the AVG removal tool just in case there was some residue left, although this problem is a fairly recent one.
Still no change in extremely slow boot. :-[
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What is the speed of the AMD CPU?
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What is the speed of the AMD CPU?
2.00 gigahertz AMD mobile Athlon XP-M
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Well, it's no boy racer, but it should be able to run alright without these freezes.
What happened around the time of these freezes? Any other symptoms? Tried putting Comodo in training mode?
Tried any antispyware demand scans? MBAM (http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php) is very good, and recommended by many here.
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I've done all sorts of malware scans etc. Once I get over the slow boot, the pc runs as good as usual and everything else is ok. I might try uninstalling and re-installing Avast and see if that does anything.
Is there any way I can disable Avast (without uninstalling) to try a boot up and see if it Avast that is causing the problem?
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I've done all sorts of malware scans etc. Once I get over the slow boot, the pc runs as good as usual and everything else is ok.
OK, but with what applications have you performed these scans? I might try uninstalling and re-installing Avast and see if that does anything.
Wouldn't hurt, or you could try repairing it. I don't think there is enough info here to say whether re-installing it will do any good or not.
Is there any way I can disable Avast (without uninstalling) to try a boot up and see if it Avast that is causing the problem?
No, sorry. Or not that I know of. Avast isn't intended to be used that way. It's either on or uninstalled. I have read about workarounds, usually in the situation of someone who just wanted to use it as a demand scanner, but the workarounds are never really satisfactory.
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What other applications are set to auto start?
START-UP APPLICATIONS
DO YOU REALLY NEED ALL OF THEM?
http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_content.php
Go to PROFILE then Modify Profile then Forum Profile Information then Signature: and put information about your system if you like just like my sigature.
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I've done scans with...
Windows Defender
SuperantiSpyware
Spybot S&D
Avast
I also have SpywareBlaster installed.
My startup prog's really are pruned down. I've gone through Services.msc and msconfig deactivating things I know are unnecessary, and also deactivating others that I wasn't sure of by investigating and finding unnecessary from various internet list sources. (Black Viper etc)
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Do Windows Defender and SAS start with windows?
How long since you did a disk cleanup and defrag?
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- Set Windows XP to Performance mode
- Change security software that has less RAM requirement
- Check Startup & Service
- Increase Pagefile
- Disable System Restore (not recommended)
P.S. Would there be problem when shutdown after restarting to BIOS instead of restarting to Windows, and turn on computer afterwards? ~
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Do Windows Defender and SAS start with windows?
How long since you did a disk cleanup and defrag?
SaS doesn't.
Just looked at Defender in Services and it was set to auto - have just set it to Manual so will see if that helps. Also just noted something called Adsched.exe that was in Msconfig startup - not sure what that is, but have unchecked it so will see if these make any difference when I boot up tomorrow morn.
Appreciate the help & suggestions.
Did a disk cleanup and defrags regularly and did one again today.
(Also clean out temp files etc)
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Unchecking things in msconfig/startup is potentially dangerous, as you are attempting to disable things for which a registry entry is usually pointing the computer to try and run, but I guess you might have already known that? BlackViperExplains. (http://www.blackviper.com/AskBV/XP25.htm)
Do you have a program called Autocad Startup Accelerator installed? That is probably what that msconfig item you just recklessly disabled is pointing to. Tried re-installing the program, or disabled it from within its own program settings?
I wonder if you might have inadvertently disabled/deleted something that is actually needed, and that is what is causing the problem? You can fair bork your computer tweaking it too much. A good idea is to keep a diary in the form of a text file, of every individual change you make, and the day you made it. Makes troubleshooting/ putting it back much easier.
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I had an old XP Home system that was 2.4GHZ P4 with 512MB RAM and it was reall slow but I sold it when I bought this Windows 7 system.
Its now running quite happily at my friend's place and since he has had a stroke and not concerned about speed.
It replaced his old Win98SE system that did not work with a new Lexmark copier/printer/scanner combo that he purchased.
Adding at least 256MB RAM or even 512MB RAM would really help the system speed and crucial.com can help select suitable RAM:
http://www.crucial.com/index.aspx <== select SCAN MY SYSTEM to download the small scan application
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Yep, thanks, I was aware of that and usually use 'services' however 'adsched' was not listed there.
I have a feeling that the adsched entry is from a program that I uninstalled a long time back. (Advanced Diskinfoscope)
Anyhow, since unchecking that and putting Defender on 'manual' my pc booted up at a reasonable speed this morning! :) (seven minutes from powering up to reading emails)
Maybe when Windows Defender was on 'auto' it was vying with Avast.
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Windows Defender shouldn't be conflicting with Avast, but on startup all the programs trying to load will be demanding of the resource available, which isn't a lot, in your case. 5 years ago, it was, now it's not. I'm using 2G of RAM in my XP system.
So it appears it was either WD or adsched.exe that may have been causing the problem. Try re-enabling them (WD first) in turn, and see if you can replicate the problem with just one of these disabled from starting.
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Windows Defender shouldn't be conflicting with Avast, but on startup all the programs trying to load will be demanding of the resource available, which isn't a lot, in your case. 5 years ago, it was, now it's not. I'm using 2G of RAM in my XP system.
So it appears it was either WD or adsched.exe that may have been causing the problem. Try re-enabling them (WD first) in turn, and see if you can replicate the problem with just one of these disabled from starting.
Yep, could be I need more RAM, the old 'state of the art' laptop isn't so stately nowadays!
Will do as suggested and see if I can nail it.
(Thing is, it is always the initial bootup of the day that seems to take the longest, so will have a true check tomorrow)
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Ok. Booted up today with WD activated and adsched.exe deactivated.
Again the pc slowed right up and I eventually gave up and rebooted.
Before I rebooted I hit ctr/alt/del to see what processes were running (as the HD was constantly working).
After about 3 min the Task Manager finally appeared and AshWebSV.exe (Avast file) was listed 23 times, all using memory. So it looks like it is Avast that is somehow playing up, surely that file shouldn't be listed that many times.
Any idea what would cause that?
If there are no clues there, my next step I suppose is to uninstall/install. :-\
EDIT: I didn't mention that there was also a process showing that was using lots of memory and that was MsMpEng.exe I've just googled that and found it is a file associated with Windows Defender and it has been known to conflict with some processes and cause problems. I'm now wondering if Avast or even OE is one of them.
The long thread in this ms forum discusses various aspects, amongst them WD 'looping' when in conflict. That certainly seems to be what could be happening in my case with the HD constantly working and everything freezing...
http://social.microsoft.com/Forums/en/onecaregeneral/thread/d3e8381a-52e8-40a1-bd6f-820113e0e4b3
I've just disabled WD in Services and my bootup went ok. If this continues, I shall keep WD disabled and enable it periodically to scan.
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Just confirm your Avast build (version) is in fact 4.8.1368? (At this time, that's the current one.)
I would think that some kind of conflict with WD is possible, but others run the combo OK..maybe it's the low RAM/CPU exacerbating it?
It would not hurt to try a full reinstall of Avast. Check first that there are no files in the infected or user section of the chest that you may want. Make sure a copy of your license has been kept. (This would have been emailed to you after your initial install of Avast, and re-sent (on request) every 14months. ) I'd leave WD disabled while you do this.
-Download the full Avast file setupEng.exe from here. (http://www.avast.com/eng/download-avast-home.html) Do not download the universal setup file. The file you download should be ~39Mb.
-Download the Avast uninstall utility from here. (http://www.avast.com/eng/avast-uninstall-utility.html)
-Go offline. Stop on access protection. Go to "program settings>troubleshooting" and disable the self protection module.
-Uninstall Avast from the control panel. Reboot. If there were any problems, reboot into safe mode.
-Run the uninstall utility. Reboot.
-Install Avast using the new setup file. Reboot if prompted. You may opt out of doing the boot scan..it takes quite a while, and is appropriate for new users of Avast, or where an infection is suspected.
-Reconnect. Get updates. Let us know if it helps or makes any difference.
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Yes I had the latest version. Anyhow, I've just followed those instructions, uninstalled and installed and registered again.
Same problem with WD running. Wading through treacle and again in Processes MsMpEng.exe heavy use with nine AshWebServ.exe listed too.
I think I'm just going to have to disable WD. :(
Thanks for all the assistance.
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I don't know what else to suggest, in order to fix the problem.
I can suggest that instead of using WD, you try out MBAM as a demand scanner, very good. http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php
You're welcome for the assistance.
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I can suggest that instead of using WD, you try out MBAM as a demand scanner, very good. http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php
You're welcome for the assistance.
Will do. Thanks again.
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Had the same problem since 4.8 update. The fix I found was to go to troubleshooting menu in settings and tick "delay loading of avast services afterother system services". Don't know what the cause is , but this fixed it.
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Had the same problem since 4.8 update. The fix I found was to go to troubleshooting menu in settings and tick "delay loading of avast services afterother system services". Don't know what the cause is , but this fixed it.
I'd tried that, but in my case it didn't work. The solution for me has been to get rid of Windows Defender. Everything has been fine since then.
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my laptop boots slowly too and it seems to be because of avast 5
ive been reading up on another thread and that seems to be a big problem
but i still havent figured out how to make it better