Avast WEBforum

Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: quickg on March 07, 2010, 12:48:56 PM

Title: how to enable the mail shield
Post by: quickg on March 07, 2010, 12:48:56 PM
My free avast has mail shield disabled and I can't enable it. How to fix it?
Title: Re: how to enable the mail shield
Post by: Lisandro on March 07, 2010, 10:37:48 PM
Did you use any other antivirus before avast? (mainly AVG)?
Did you change any setting of avast or the avast services?
Title: Re: how to enable the mail shield
Post by: quickg on March 08, 2010, 09:14:23 AM
I have use other AV program (not AVG) before but I have uninstall it.

When I install Avast few days ago, it worked fine and all shield enabled. I haven't changed any setting. It just changed the mail shield on last Friday.

I am also using the PC Tools Firewall.
Title: Re: how to enable the mail shield
Post by: Lisandro on March 08, 2010, 12:45:48 PM
Can you use a specialized tool to remove leftovers of that antivirus?
I also suggest an installation from the scratch:

1. Download the latest version of avast! Uninstall Utility (http://www.avast.com/eng/avast-uninstall-utility.html) and save it.
2. Download the latest avast! (http://www.avast.com/eng/programs.html) version and save it.
3. Uninstall avast from Control Panel (if possible). If, for any reason, you can't run it, try booting in Safe Mode (http://www.pchell.com/support/safemode.shtml) and doing it from there. Anyway, boot after that.
4. Run the avast! Uninstall Utility saved on 1. If, for any reason, you can't run it, try booting in Safe Mode (http://www.pchell.com/support/safemode.shtml) and doing it from there. Anyway, boot after you've run it.
5. Install avast! using the setup saved on 2. Boot.
6. Register your free copy or add the license key for Pro.
7. Check and post the results.
Title: Re: how to enable the mail shield
Post by: quickg on March 08, 2010, 07:27:59 PM
followed exact what you said

No. Mail shield is still disabled.

But registration and updating both work fine.
Title: Re: how to enable the mail shield
Post by: DavidR on March 08, 2010, 07:37:59 PM
I have use other AV program (not AVG) before but I have uninstall it.
<snip>

What was the other AV, many still leave remnants even after being uninstalled and that can cause issues such as this ?

The forum is full of such problems with previous AV remnants, so if you tell us what it was we have links to specific tools to ensure that all remnants are removed.
Title: Re: how to enable the mail shield
Post by: quickg on March 08, 2010, 08:29:39 PM
I know the problem, it is the PC Tools Firewall. Once I shut it down I can enable the Mail shield.
Title: Re: how to enable the mail shield
Post by: DavidR on March 08, 2010, 08:39:17 PM
Also check the PC Tools program control (if that is what it is called) - Does it allow avastSvc.exe internet access ?
- If it does delete the entry for it and reconnect to the internet, this should force the firewall to ask permission again.
Title: Re: how to enable the mail shield
Post by: cadremis on March 08, 2010, 08:41:45 PM
Pc Tools Firewall And Avast 5 work very well together, just allow Avast to update...rm
Title: Re: how to enable the mail shield
Post by: quickg on March 08, 2010, 08:45:51 PM
Also check the PC Tools program control (if that is what it is called) - Does it allow avastSvc.exe internet access ?
- If it does delete the entry for it and reconnect to the internet, this should force the firewall to ask permission again.

it allows avastSvc.exe internet access , so updating the virus DB or program is not a probelm
all other shields are also OK
Title: Re: how to enable the mail shield
Post by: DavidR on March 08, 2010, 10:20:47 PM
That is why I said if it allows it, delete the entry and force it to ask again as the Mail Shield is also under that avast service...
Title: Re: how to enable the mail shield
Post by: quickg on March 09, 2010, 11:40:48 AM
No. I can enable mail shield ONLY IF I shut down the PC Tools firewall. If the firewall is working the Mail shield is disabled.
Title: Re: how to enable the mail shield
Post by: Sesame on March 09, 2010, 11:51:28 AM
No. I can enable mail shield ONLY IF I shut down the PC Tools firewall. If the firewall is working the Mail shield is disabled.
It's probably not the firewall of PC Tools Firewall but application blocking.  I don't have a pc which has both Avast! and PC Tools here, so, I cannot confirm which component is blocked but could you check the application blocking section in PC Tools FW?
Title: Re: how to enable the mail shield
Post by: quickg on March 09, 2010, 12:35:53 PM
It is very hard to communicate here.

Let me state clearly what is happening.

Whenever the PC tools firewall is running on my PC (using Windows XP), the Mail Shield of Avast 5(free version) would be disabled by some unknown reason. I can't enable it by clicking the "Fix it" or any other buttons. All other shields (web, P2P ...) are fine and enabled and I can update the Avast virus DB and program (with PCT firewall running at the same time).

I check the control list of the PC tools firewall , there is only one entry for Avast. I choose the option to allow all the in and out traffic of the Avast entry. But this method can't sort out the above problem of the Mail Shield .

Now I shut down the PCT Firewall (use the Firewall of Windows instead), the mail Shield can be enabled.
Title: Re: how to enable the mail shield
Post by: Sesame on March 09, 2010, 12:52:58 PM
Whenever the PC tools firewall is running on my PC (using Windows XP), the Mail Shield of Avast 5(free version) would be disabled by some unknown reason. I can't enable it by clicking the "Fix it" or any other buttons. All other shields (web, P2P ...) are fine and enabled and I can update the Avast virus DB and program (with PCT firewall running at the same time).

I check the control list of the PC tools firewall , there is only one entry for Avast. I choose the option to allow all the in and out traffic of the Avast entry. But this method can't sort out the above problem of the Mail Shield .

Now I shut down the PCT Firewall (use the Firewall of Windows instead), the mail Shield can be enabled.
I had reckoned your issue.  My point was:  Considering you cannot start MailShield, rather than letting it connect to the net, I believe it is not about firewall but application control function related issue, where (a) component(s) necessary to start MailShield is (are) prevented from starting.  The problem here is the component(s) may not be identified easily...

[Edit]If there is a person who knows the name(s) of the component(s) here, it would be very helpful but, if it is not the case, you can check it by making PCTools log about the probable components in the applications list of PCTools FW and trying to turn on MailShield, which may be bit laboring, though.[/Edit]
Title: Re: how to enable the mail shield
Post by: gs2088a on March 17, 2010, 12:29:11 AM
I'm had a similar situation with Comodo.  The Windows FW was off, and every time I rebooted my PC, MS would be disabled/inactive.  I would reactivate it, reboot again, and it was disabled/inactive.  Luckily I had a ghost image of my computer before I tried to change to it, so I restored my computer.  What the heck is going on?
Title: Re: how to enable the mail shield
Post by: gs2088a on March 21, 2010, 12:19:58 AM
DATE WRITTEN UP: 18 Mar 2010, 11:06
===================================
I attempted to go to Avast5 and Comodo4. After several days of fustration, it looks like I will be staying with Comodo3.x and Avast 4.x for a bit. However before I explain why, I have to set something up, so you understand some of my comments.

When I get a new computer, I repartition it and format the partitions. On my notebook the HDD is partitioned out as:

1. Partition name (SYSTEM): The normal stuff
2. Partition name (INSTALLS): Most of my install distributions (e.g. CDs copied to directories, to make installs quicker). Examples:

\00-INSTALLS\00-CURRENT_CONFIG\(FREEWARE)_CCLEANER
\00-INSTALLS\00-CURRENT_CONFIG\(FREEWARE)_MOZILLA
\00-INSTALLS\00-CURRENT_CONFIG\(FREEWARE)_SPYBOT
\00-INSTALLS\00-CURRENT_CONFIG\(RETAIL)_PERFECTDISK_7_RETAIL_CD

3. Partition name (GHOST): Images of my computer at stragetic points during the build process:

01-BASIC WINDOWS XP PRO
02-DRIVERS
03-SP3
04-SP3-AVAST-VNC
05-SP3-GHOST-ZIP-TXTPAD-ACRO-PTR
06-SP3-WIN-UPD
07-SP3-WIN-UPD-SETTINGS-CHGD
08-SP3-OFC-(2007)-PRO-OFC-UPD
09-SP3-APPS-AVS-PSE-NO-BDS4(JCL3)_MYSQL
10-SP3-BDS4(JCL3)_MYSQL
11-SP3-BDS4(JCL3)-FF3-RF-PSE-AVS_MYSQL-FF3
12-CATCHUP

I have these ghost images, plus my backup files also on external HDD (two copies [other than the above] of each of the ghost, and the last 6 backups).

Periodically I backup my computer (files I have chosen, plus other things) into ZIP files. Before major changes are made to my computer, the computer is also backed up via ZIP files, and also a GHOST image made.

Finally, before talking about AVAST/COMODO, let me explain one more thing. When I add software (say for instance new "apps" in this example), I will backup my computer, restore to step 08 above, and complete the install process from that point, ghosting it at the same points. In this way, I have pristine copy of my computer in the event something goes wrong.

For instance, say my computer crashed two days after my last backup. I would take step 12, restore my computer in a pristine condition then recover my files via WINZIP, and I'm back in business, with only a couple of days of lost data. But, when it comes to e-mail, I still have copies on the server, that I can restore them from. If I do a lot of work on the computer, I then perform an incremental backup (files that have changed since the last full backup), and so my loss of data is minimal.

I know the above was a lot of info, but it was needed to understand what I'm not going to say about COMODO/AVAST.

A couple of days ago, I was upgrading to AVAST5/COMODO4. So, using the above, I restored "03" and moved forward from there. Each time AVAST disabled the MailShield when I rebooted the computer. At first, I just blew it off, waiting until I completed step "08" (Office - thinking it was because office wasn't installed). However, even with Outlook AND Avast properly configured for SSL scanning, my computer on boot up would have the mailshield disabled. I would re-enable it, it would work fine. I would reboot, and it was disabled again.

So, I restored my computer with the previous build step "12", recovered by files, and went on. At this point I was on Avast4/Comodo3. Last night I decided to try it again. Since I hadn't deleted the previous ghost images from trying to install AVAST5/COMODO4, I ghosted my computer as it was (with everything in place), when restored step "08" from the AVAST5/COMODO4 build.

The same thing occurred. Since I had multiple e-mail accounts, some using SSL, some not, I did the following:

1. Removed all SSL accounts, rebooted 12 times, mailshied was enabled each time.
2. Restored the e-mail accounts (via registry script) back to what they were before #1.
3. Deleted all non-SSL accounts, rebooted 8 times, mailshied was disabled each time. I confirmed after the first reboot, that all SSL accounts in outlook was configured as AVAST help file said to.
4. Restored the e-mail accounts (via registry script) back to what they were before #1.
5. Rebooted 10 times, mailshied was disabled each time. Confirmed before the first reboot that the SSL setting were as instructed by AVAST.

So, at this point, I used the ghost image I took before this test to restore my computer.

I'm not the only one with this problem. I've Googled it, and there are other having similar problems. So at this point, I don't recommend going to AVAST5.
=============================
It would really be nice if AVAST would explain what the scoop is!
Title: Re: how to enable the mail shield
Post by: Asyn on March 21, 2010, 12:58:21 AM
I'm had a similar situation with Comodo.  The Windows FW was off, and every time I rebooted my PC, MS would be disabled/inactive.  I would reactivate it, reboot again, and it was disabled/inactive.  Luckily I had a ghost image of my computer before I tried to change to it, so I restored my computer.  What the heck is going on?

had same issue here - 2 restarts fixed it...
don't know why. but worked.
asyn
Title: Re: how to enable the mail shield
Post by: Asyn on March 21, 2010, 01:02:31 AM

I attempted to go to Avast5 and Comodo4. After several days of fustration, it looks like I will be staying with Comodo3.x and Avast 4.x for a bit.

advice:
use avast 5.
use comodo 3.14 till errors from 4.x r removed.
asyn