Avast WEBforum
Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: bascrapr on March 31, 2010, 07:06:28 PM
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Since I installed Avast Free edition 5.0, I am having trouble opening many websites. Some are ok and pop right up. Many webpages that I've opened successfully before are not opening in at all, or if they are opening, I cannot access links on the pages. I can't even open Avast.com! I got to this forum through a "back door" Any ideas? Thanks!
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Check this: http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=57443.msg484431#msg484431
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What is your firewall ?
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.
Can you give some examples of the sites you can't access ?
If this is limited to security related sites your HOSTS file could have been modified.
- HOSTS file redirect a common malware tactic to block AV sites making it difficult to remove malware - 127.0.0.1 check your HOSTS file using notepad or a text editor of your choice, C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc\hosts or do a search for HOSTS to find it if not there.
Once open you are looking for entries with avast.com on the line, you may well see other AV sites, post the contents of the hosts file. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hosts_file (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hosts_file)
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Response 1- well, I didn't feel comfortable being in the registry file, but I did look. It seems that the "temp" folder is there. I'm not real computer savvy, but I tried! Thanks
Response 2- I just have windows firewall and I temporarily disabled it - still can't get certain web pages to open. I did look for hosts, but all I find is this:
# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows.
#
# This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each
# entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should
# be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name.
# The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one
# space.
#
#
#
# For example:
#
# 102.54.94.97 rhino.acme.com # source server
# 38.25.63.10 x.acme.com # x client host
127.0.0.1 localhost
I don't think this is what you need, and when I opened the Host "service" file, it listed a bunch of words that didn't make my sense, but nothing referring to Avast.
One of the webpages I can't get open is Avast.com as well as a bunch of random ones and most of them I doubt would be security risk. Can I try anything else? Thanks!!
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That's the host file alright. But that is perfectly okay.
So, the C:\Windows\Temp folder is present on your HD and it is set in your registry as %SystemRoo%\Temp?
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Please state your OS, any security software running besides avast, any antivirus sw that was installed prior to avast.
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That's the host file alright. But that is perfectly okay.
So, the C:\Windows\Temp folder is present on your HD and it is set in your registry as %SystemRoo%\Temp?
yes- all looks good. I am using Windows XP. No other antivirus running now. I previously had AVG free edition, but it would get hung up trying to update, so I uninstalled it and promptly installed AVast. Thanks again
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Okay, so you should clean out AVG completely. Check this: http://uninstallers.blogspot.com/
Most AV-software leaves a lot of stuff behind, even when uninstalled. The link above provides for cleaning tools.
Also run CCleaner to clear up the registry after the above step.
Then follow this: http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=57646.msg485911#msg485911
Add a reboot between step 5 and 6.
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Okay, so you should clean out AVG completely. Check this: http://uninstallers.blogspot.com/
I started running this AVG uninstall program now for about half an hour and its only about 1/4 of the way done. Should it be taking this long? Any idea?
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I really don't know, I am not an AVG user, never was.
Never ran that program.
As long it is working - I'd say let it do.
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well, one problem leads to ten! I can't run the avg remover. I followed the instructions including disabling the firewall, and now it tells me that this is not a valid win32 application, so it won't run. It looks like I am SOL. I've now spent a good part of a work day trying to get this fixed. I think my only solution is to uninstall AVast as well and start over. Thanks for the help.
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I am really sorry to hear your problems don't go away.
Seems something wrong with your system?
Have you considered a full system reinstallation?
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I am really sorry to hear your problems don't go away.
Seems something wrong with your system?
Have you considered a full system reinstallation?
No! that sounds really scary! I'll keep trying. Just like I fixed our fax machine today- don't know how I did it, but it eventually worked. Thanks anyway.
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Would you put a hijackthis logfile here?
Just to see what is running on your machine?
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Would you put a hijackthis logfile here?
Just to see what is running on your machine?
don't know what that is. Have to log off for now & leave. I'll check this forum later. Thanks
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Okay. I hope we get that straightened out for you.
HijackThis: http://go.trendmicro.com/free-tools/hijackthis/HijackThis.exe
Download and save to C:\Hijack (preferably create that folder prior to download)
Run it.
Click on "Do a system scan and save a logfile".
Post logfile here.
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1.Try Crapcleaner and do reg scan and clean scan to remove all remains of AVG,
2.Or edit the registry, Search using F3, type AVG and del all the keys ref to AVG and try avast again.
3 Run Malware bytes free anti spyware (mbam) & check for spywares or use spybot search & destroy.
4 if all this fails try repair of windows try and go to your earliest restore point & reboot or try and repair windows with the XP CD rom. If that fails re-format & install windows easy way to cure this depending what files you have on the hard drive, save all your important data before formatting!.
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I would not recommend a restore... lot of troubles with avast and restoring the system. 8)
This is an issue that must be fixed soon.
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also look if there's a LMHOSTS file on your machine (other than lmhosts.sam) if lmhosts is activated in the network tcp/ip preferences (under WINS)
asyn
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I am unable to download anything, including the hijack software. Yesterday, for some reason I was able to download long enuf to get Spybot. Ran that, found problems- deleted them, still nothing. I do not have any "LMHosts" present. I tried to uninstall Avast, but that failed- couldn't uninstall. I am not computer literate enough to know how to reformat or restore. I guess I'll have to get Computer Geeks or something unless anyone else has an idea.