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Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: greenhatch on January 19, 2010, 09:27:41 PM

Title: Admuncher and Avast 5.0 Free
Post by: greenhatch on January 19, 2010, 09:27:41 PM
It appears that 5.0 still does not work with Admuncher out of the box, which is surprising considering it is the most popular paid-for ad blocking program.
For 4.8 I was able to configure avast by editing the avast4.ini file by inserting 'OptinProcess=admunch.exe' under webscanner. I presume that I can repeat the process in 5.0, however I could not readily pick out the equivalent file to edit in my 5.0 folder. Could I be pointed to the precise file to edit please?
Title: Re: Admuncher and Avast 5.0 Free
Post by: DavidR on January 19, 2010, 09:32:20 PM
If you can, and I presume so, then it would be in the new WebShield.ini not sure if this is created automatically, it wasn't in some beta builds. Try a search for it in explorer.
Title: Re: Admuncher and Avast 5.0 Free
Post by: spg SCOTT on January 19, 2010, 09:36:16 PM
In Vista it is here:
C:\ProgramData\Alwil Software\Avast5\webshield.ini

It's a hidden folder...

(Don't know what the equivalent for XP is though...if someone could post, it would be good...)

This was also discussed in the beta section a little while ago... http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=52657.msg448280#msg448280
Title: Re: Admuncher and Avast 5.0 Free
Post by: greenhatch on January 19, 2010, 09:52:59 PM
Thanks for the information. I use Vista and searched for the webshield.ini file successfully :)
Title: Re: Admuncher and Avast 5.0 Free
Post by: spg SCOTT on January 19, 2010, 09:56:09 PM
I have seen posts suggesting to change some of the 'expert settings'
For example, the 'packers' or the 'actions' have an entry in the webshield.ini and should create a webshield.ini if not there when changed...
Title: Re: Admuncher and Avast 5.0 Free
Post by: greenhatch on January 19, 2010, 10:18:06 PM
Having located the webshield.ini file, I tried to edit it by inserting 'OptinProcess=admunch.exe' but when I tried to save it, the edit would not save. Any ideas please?
Title: Re: Admuncher and Avast 5.0 Free
Post by: spg SCOTT on January 19, 2010, 10:21:43 PM
What are you using to edit it?

You have to use notepad, and when saving you should be prompted by the Self Protection module to allow it.
Title: Re: Admuncher and Avast 5.0 Free
Post by: DavidR on January 19, 2010, 10:24:52 PM
In Vista it is here:
C:\ProgramData\Alwil Software\Avast5\webshield.ini

It's a hidden folder...

(Don't know what the equivalent for XP is though...if someone could post, it would be good...)

This is where the various .ini files ar on my install on XP Pro SP3:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Alwil Software\Avast5
Title: Re: Admuncher and Avast 5.0 Free
Post by: greenhatch on January 19, 2010, 10:25:17 PM
Yes I used notepad and allowed it through the self-defence prompt.  I'll try a reboot.
Title: Re: Admuncher and Avast 5.0 Free
Post by: DavidR on January 19, 2010, 10:28:16 PM
Having located the webshield.ini file, I tried to edit it by inserting 'OptinProcess=admunch.exe' but when I tried to save it, the edit would not save. Any ideas please?

Strange, what error, if self-defence then notepad as Scott mentioned should have got round that ?

Other text editors can only open in read mode not write mode. You may have to disable the self-defence module.
Title: Re: Admuncher and Avast 5.0 Free
Post by: yaslaw on January 19, 2010, 10:28:17 PM
In my case even after adding it to ini file ad muncher is not scanned by avast www shield at all. As I was told on their forum, ad mucher is using various ports, so it's impossible to forward and set one port - that should be scanned..
Title: Re: Admuncher and Avast 5.0 Free
Post by: spg SCOTT on January 19, 2010, 10:32:28 PM
Thanks for the location David.
Title: Re: Admuncher and Avast 5.0 Free
Post by: greenhatch on January 19, 2010, 10:43:45 PM
A reboot didn't help. So I'm going to revert back to 4.8 for now. Thanks for your comments all.
Title: Re: Admuncher and Avast 5.0 Free
Post by: DavidR on January 20, 2010, 01:15:37 AM
Did you uncheck the Ignore Local Communication or if admuncher uses a proxy (if so that would also have to be entered), since that would be a local communication once you optinprocess ?

I'm not entirely sure this is required, as I don't use any adblocker, never found the need with firefox and adblock plus.
Title: Re: Admuncher and Avast 5.0 Free
Post by: ioyuioynx on January 20, 2010, 02:27:52 AM
I use AdMuncher also. I was just about to put Avast Free Anti-Virus Beta 5.0.377 onto my main machine, but after seeing that AdMuncher doesn't work with it, I will hold off until Avast works properly again with AdMuncher.
Title: Re: Admuncher and Avast 5.0 Free
Post by: lighthouse on January 20, 2010, 03:46:33 AM
I posted something regarding Admuncher and Avast over a year ago, but unfortunately no one was able to make things clear.

I basically wanted to know if by using the OptinProcess method to force Avast to scan web data when using Admuncher, it will negate one of the benefits of Admuncher - that of saving bandwidth from not having to download ads.

Fundamentally if using the OptinProcess, will Avast actually scan a file, eg. video, image etc. and only there after would Admuncher filter out the ads?

Unfortunately bandwidth in my part of the world is limited per month and the reason for my query.
Title: Re: Admuncher and Avast 5.0 Free
Post by: greenhatch on January 20, 2010, 08:22:31 AM
I just want to say that when I reinstalled 4.8 I had no problem editing the avast4.ini file again for 'optinprocess=admunch.exe' to enable the working with Admuncher. Therefore I am bound to conclude that 5.0 will not work with Admuncher simply by trying to edit the webshield.ini file, because of the difference in files arrangement in 5.0 compared to 4.8. For instance there is no avast5.ini file as such but several separate ini files for each shield.

Therefore may I ask Alwil to advise a revised method of getting 5.0 to work with Admuncher please. Thanks.

Title: Re: Admuncher and Avast 5.0 Free
Post by: MaB69 on January 20, 2010, 11:33:31 AM
Hi,

I'm an AdMuncher user too and added the optin for AM process in Webshield.ini. Saved the file, restarted the webshield and both are fully working now : AM blocks ads and Webshield shows a filtering activity and blocked eicar DL

Thank you all for the great tip

Regards,

MaB
Title: Re: Admuncher and Avast 5.0 Free
Post by: greenhatch on January 20, 2010, 01:54:34 PM
Hi,

I'm an AdMuncher user too and added the optin for AM process in Webshield.ini. Saved the file, restarted the webshield and both are fully working now : AM blocks ads and Webshield shows a filtering activity and blocked eicar DL

Thank you all for the great tip

Regards,

MaB

So you were able to edit the webshield.ini file in 5.0? I was competely unable to do that, hence my post above requesting further advice from Alwil. I will have to give it another try then perhaps with a new 5.0 download.
Title: Re: Admuncher and Avast 5.0 Free
Post by: yaslaw on January 20, 2010, 02:48:13 PM
I can confirm. It works!
I just
a) disabled self-defence
b) killed avast service (both process)
c) edited ini and added optinprocess
d) restared avast
Title: Re: Admuncher and Avast 5.0 Free
Post by: greenhatch on January 20, 2010, 02:54:41 PM
I can confirm. It works!
I just
a) disabled self-defence
b) killed avast service (both process)
c) edited ini and added optinprocess
d) restared avast

Well I downloaded a fresh 5.0 program, installed it over the existing 4.8, but was still unable to save an attempted edit of the webshield.ini file.
I'll follow your steps yaslaw and see if that works for me.
Title: Re: Admuncher and Avast 5.0 Free
Post by: greenhatch on January 20, 2010, 03:02:10 PM
I can confirm. It works!
I just
a) disabled self-defence
b) killed avast service (both process)
c) edited ini and added optinprocess
d) restared avast

Well I downloaded a fresh 5.0 program, installed it over the existing 4.8, but was still unable to save an attempted edit of the webshield.ini file.
I'll follow your steps yaslaw and see if that works for me.

I followed your steps yaslaw but still could not save the attempted edit :(
  Could you please tell me if your webscanner entries looked like this after editing:

[WebScanner]
OptinProcess=admunch.exe
HttpRedirectPort=80
IgnoreAddress=
IgnoreLocalhost=1
[Common]
ProviderEnabled=1

Thanks
Title: Re: Admuncher and Avast 5.0 Free
Post by: Chris Thomas on January 20, 2010, 03:12:37 PM
Is Admuncher better than Adblock Plus?  ???
Title: Re: Admuncher and Avast 5.0 Free
Post by: MaB69 on January 20, 2010, 04:10:54 PM
Hi,

I added optin line before [common] section without deactivating avast self protection. Avast warns me when i saved the file and allowed the modification . Using Final Avast on Windows 7 x86

Regards,

MaB
Title: Re: Admuncher and Avast 5.0 Free
Post by: greenhatch on January 20, 2010, 04:22:23 PM
I have now been able to save the edit to webshield.ini ! I followed yasnaw's suggested steps but this time, I started the procedure by opening Notepad as 'run by administrator' first, then opening the Avast5 folder and the webshield.ini, which seemed to allow Vista to save the edit. What a palaver! My 5.0 is now working fine with AdMuncher. Thanks for your forebearance everybody.
chris thomas: AdMuncher is not necessarily better than AdBlockPlus for Firefox but AdMuncher also works on Internet Explorer and Opera.
Title: Re: Admuncher and Avast 5.0 Free
Post by: MaB69 on January 20, 2010, 04:28:24 PM
Is Admuncher better than Adblock Plus?  ???

Hi,

Answer from the cow (http://www.admuncher.com/faq.shtml#f0)  ;D

Regards,

MaB
Title: Re: Admuncher and Avast 5.0 Free
Post by: petusalem on March 07, 2010, 01:52:43 PM
Why Alwill is IGNORING this major flaw?  :o
Title: Re: Admuncher and Avast 5.0 Free
Post by: Sesame on March 07, 2010, 02:48:00 PM
Why Alwill is IGNORING this major flaw?  :o
???  What do you call "the major flaw"?
Title: Re: Admuncher and Avast 5.0 Free
Post by: petusalem on March 07, 2010, 05:13:58 PM
Why Alwill is IGNORING this major flaw?  :o
???  What do you call "the major flaw"?

Ad Muncher and Avast does not work together. And developers of Avast are too lazy/
arrogant to fix it, or tell us why they wont fix it.  :-\
Title: Re: Admuncher and Avast 5.0 Free
Post by: Sesame on March 07, 2010, 05:42:19 PM
Ad Muncher and Avast does not work together.
They work together but not by default.  I wouldn't call it a major flaw.  For, if it were a major flaw, anybody could come up with a reasonably popular HTTP application "unsupported" by default, and claim the "incompatibility" as a "major flaw."

Alwil team may be going to add it in the list of supported ones since, at least, I came across with a few threads about this specific application.  Alternatively, some people suggested the user should be able to add their favorite apps through GUI.  This, again, may/may not be implemented in the future version.  At least, I haven't come across with any official reference for the possibility.