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Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: tonyy on July 02, 2010, 03:21:27 PM

Title: No Sound in Firefox and IE8
Post by: tonyy on July 02, 2010, 03:21:27 PM
We are running Avast pro 5.0.594 and I am pleased to say that IE8 now runs in the sandbox.  However there is no sound, nor when using Firefox 3.6.6 in the sandbox.  We tested this on 3 different hardware set-ups - however all running XP SP3.

A couple of our users need their browser to be in the sandbox, but they do view sites with sound.  Business sites with sound include technical webcasts and tutorials.  We have not been thorough in our checks (did not check all types of sound source), but the common sites do not work.  For a quick check You-tube was the reference as it does not require log in.

I have run Firefox in the sandbox for a week and the only amusing problem was watching it trying to update itself, at least IE8 will update outside of the sandbox via Windows update.  As we do not want to have to visit every user weekly we may have to insist on IE8 as I cannot see how to get Firefox updated any other way.  So apart from sound and updates I found no other problem.
Title: Re: No Sound in Firefox and IE8
Post by: bobo1 on July 02, 2010, 05:20:35 PM
No sound problem using avast free on my computer latest version?. Maybe a bug in full version. Check sound properties via control pannel in xp? or use avast free just as good as long as you use a good firewall!
Title: Re: No Sound in Firefox and IE8
Post by: tonyy on July 05, 2010, 10:48:42 AM
Sorry Bobo1,

Sandbox is a new feature of Avast Pro and is a virtual machine for running software isolated from the rest of the system. :)

I also run Avast free at home and have no known problems or side effects ;), that is why we are new customers to Avast Pro (kicking out McAfee).  The main difference in the pro version is that more granular settings are available which are either hidden (e.g. right click not active) or greyed out, plus of course the extra features described on the website (pointless repeating that data here).  From the information available the main engine is the main engine regardless of version.

Our 15 machines are functioning perfectly and are evenly aged over 5 years and all running XP.  There are no problems on any machine except when we try to run the browsers in the sandbox.  Programs outside the sandbox still give sound it is just the browser when in the sandbox which does not.

Oh. If anyone suspects McAfee.  We uninstalled, removal tooled, and sanitised ;D the machines first before installation (we were thorough), except on one machine where a Malware infection was so bad it was vaporised first.
Title: Re: No Sound in Firefox and IE8
Post by: the_slasher on July 05, 2010, 05:50:15 PM
hi tonyy, i have the same experience however it's just in firefox 3.6.6 (i never tested in ie 8) but for me the sound was being diverted to another output. maybe you can open the playback devices while playing youtube to see which one is being used. then disable that leaving only the playback device that points to the speakers.

when this sound diversion happens. I can see that firefox.exe and audiodg.exe are being virtualized. hhm did you install/update to the latest flash player? i only started noticing this after that update (although i don't usually watch on youtube hehe)
Title: Re: No Sound in Firefox and IE8
Post by: tonyy on July 06, 2010, 11:44:14 AM
 :-\ Well I only have one sound device and the settings looked ok.  I can even be playing a sound track in the background (media player) which continues.  Normally the sounds would mix.

 8) Just tried running media player virtualised 8)  It ran but on selecting a track and pressing play it didn't.  Message:"The sound device was either not present or busy".

I tested this pre and post the latest (yesterday) flash update.  However when either IE or Firefox are virtualised there are no other runtimes shown in the virtualisation monitor window
Title: Re: No Sound in Firefox and IE8
Post by: Jon_T on July 12, 2010, 01:11:18 AM
However there is no sound, nor when using Firefox 3.6.6 in the sandbox.  We tested this on 3 different hardware set-ups - however all running XP SP3. ...

Ditto ... This has been the only problem I've had with avast! 5 with IE 8 and Fx 3.6.x on both of my Dell Win XP SP3 systems.

Before first installing avast! 5 IS, I uninstalled Sandboxie just to make sure to eliminate any possible problems/issues. I've tried the uninstall/reinstall of avast! 5 and did not help.  Given the there has been known issues with avast! 5's visualization process I figured I wait to see if newer versions would address the problem -- it has not.  So I've gone back to using Sandboxie until avast! can fix the problem.
Title: Re: No Sound in Firefox and IE8
Post by: pk on July 31, 2010, 01:34:12 AM
@tonyy, the_slasher, Jon_T:

confirmed and I've already fixed it today, sorry for delay -- this happened only under some OSes (WinXP in your cases). When audio library in your browsers tried to access some restricted registry keys, it was blocked by sandbox and thus was not properly initialized (= no sound).
Title: Re: No Sound in Firefox and IE8
Post by: jadinolf on July 31, 2010, 07:04:07 AM
@tonyy, the_slasher, Jon_T:

confirmed and I've already fixed it today, sorry for delay -- this happened only under some OSes (WinXP in your cases). When audio library in your browsers tried to access some restricted registry keys, it was blocked by sandbox and thus was not properly initialized (= no sound).

Really?

No sound here.
Title: Re: No Sound in Firefox and IE8
Post by: ImWarm on July 31, 2010, 07:13:38 AM
@tonyy, the_slasher, Jon_T:

confirmed and I've already fixed it today, sorry for delay -- this happened only under some OSes (WinXP in your cases). When audio library in your browsers tried to access some restricted registry keys, it was blocked by sandbox and thus was not properly initialized (= no sound).

Really?

No sound here.


He probably fixed it in the private build
Title: Re: No Sound in Firefox and IE8
Post by: jadinolf on July 31, 2010, 07:43:24 AM
@tonyy, the_slasher, Jon_T:

confirmed and I've already fixed it today, sorry for delay -- this happened only under some OSes (WinXP in your cases). When audio library in your browsers tried to access some restricted registry keys, it was blocked by sandbox and thus was not properly initialized (= no sound).

Really?

No sound here.


He probably fixed it in the private build

What does that mean? Not familiar with the term.
Title: Re: No Sound in Firefox and IE8
Post by: Dch48 on July 31, 2010, 07:55:27 AM
It means he fixed it for the next release of Avast! not in the present one.
Title: Re: No Sound in Firefox and IE8
Post by: jadinolf on July 31, 2010, 03:35:53 PM
It means he fixed it for the next release of Avast! not in the present one.

Ah... thank you.
Title: Re: No Sound in Firefox and IE8
Post by: Dch48 on July 31, 2010, 09:55:11 PM
This points out why I do not use any form of sandboxing and won't unless I'm forced into it. It just causes too many headaches.
Title: Re: No Sound in Firefox and IE8
Post by: pk on July 31, 2010, 10:53:46 PM
This points out why I do not use any form of sandboxing and won't unless I'm forced into it. It just causes too many headaches.

Well, it takes some time to iron out the kinks.. I usually test it under 7 different OSes with different applications, but I'm not able to reveal all bugs unless someone reports it here or by email. Some of them are not present only on specific OSes, etc.
Title: Re: No Sound in Firefox and IE8
Post by: Rednose on August 01, 2010, 01:56:07 AM
Petr,

You are doing great :) But I assume it is no surprise hearing that from me ;)

Greetz, Red.
Title: Re: No Sound in Firefox and IE8
Post by: Dch48 on August 01, 2010, 02:34:09 AM
It wasn't a criticism of Avast! by any means. I haven't used the sandboxing it has but my experience with it in Comodo was a headache to say the least and has left me with trepidations about ever employing the technology. The sound issue is something apparently easily fixed and it has been already so kudos to Avast!
Title: Re: No Sound in Firefox and IE8
Post by: dubhdara on August 04, 2010, 04:52:35 PM
I have the free version 5.0.594 and as of today, August 4th, my sound has stopped working (it was working this morning). I do not have the sandbox as that is only in the upgrade version (according to the ad). I've not changed anything on my PC and so assume an Avast! update has caused this...rebooting my PC creates no resolution to this problem. It's particularly annoying right now because my neighbour is playing loud music and I have no headphones to block it out  ::)

Please advise.
Title: Re: No Sound in Firefox and IE8
Post by: Dch48 on August 04, 2010, 09:10:49 PM
Check in Device manager to see if the sound card is listed, it may not be being detected for some reason. If it's there and everything looks okay, then check in the mixer panel of your sound card and see if anything is being muted or if the volume is turned down. If there are no problems there I would suggest removing the sound card from Device Manager and rebooting the system. Windows will detect it and reload the drivers and that may return your sound.
Title: Re: No Sound in Firefox and IE8
Post by: dubhdara on August 04, 2010, 09:45:02 PM
No, I've been through all that and no difference. Thanks anyway  ;)

The only things that have changed have been updates from Avast! and possibly a Windows update. I did start using a new router but this was several days before I had any problem with my sound.
Title: Re: No Sound in Firefox and IE8
Post by: Dch48 on August 04, 2010, 09:52:49 PM
One last thing that maybe you've already checked as well. Maybe the speakers or headphone have gone bad?
Title: Re: No Sound in Firefox and IE8
Post by: dubhdara on August 04, 2010, 11:59:33 PM
I am using a headset. I never could work out how to get my monitor speakers working - there's a cable that connects to my PC but no sound comes out the speakers...

Some day "plug and play" things will actually do what they say on the box. I spent 5 phone calls to technical support for my router (which was not working). I was told that no software etc. needed to be installed and that it was just a question of plug and play. They had me doing all these strange things (which I had already done). In the end I worked it out myself - the network card had not been installed! They never said anything about that!
Title: Re: No Sound in Firefox and IE8
Post by: SafeSurf on August 06, 2010, 08:41:33 AM
delete
Title: Re: No Sound in Firefox and IE8
Post by: Dch48 on August 06, 2010, 09:59:49 AM
Posted this in the other thread but maybe it will be seen here first. I found a link for the sound drivers for that motherboard. Maybe installing them will help.

http://support.asus.com/download/download.aspx?SLanguage=en-us
Title: Re: No Sound in Firefox and IE8
Post by: SafeSurf on August 06, 2010, 10:58:39 AM
Thanks Dch48.
Title: Re: No Sound in Firefox and IE8
Post by: Jon_T on August 08, 2010, 11:47:52 PM
@tonyy, the_slasher, Jon_T:

confirmed and I've already fixed it today, sorry for delay -- this happened only under some OSes (WinXP in your cases). When audio library in your browsers tried to access some restricted registry keys, it was blocked by sandbox and thus was not properly initialized (= no sound).
pk,

Thanks for the reply/info.  Any workarounds to have the avast! sandbox not to block these restricted registry keys until the "fix" is included in the next avast! release?

Thanks,
Jon
Title: Re: No Sound in Firefox and IE8
Post by: Jon_T on August 08, 2010, 11:51:59 PM
This points out why I do not use any form of sandboxing and won't unless I'm forced into it. It just causes too many headaches.
To each his own -- seen people post that they won't use a software firewall for the same reason.

Been using Sandboxie on my three Win XP systems without any issues.  ;)