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Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: Elwinna on September 08, 2004, 08:46:48 PM

Title: Avast causing OE lockups on hyperlinks and more
Post by: Elwinna on September 08, 2004, 08:46:48 PM
I installed Avast Pro 4.1 just prior to updating my WinXP Home to SP2.  I unistalled Norton 2004 and put in Avast without any problem.  Everything was working fine for a couple days, then my Outlook Express started locking up when I click hyperlinks in emails.  The program would not respond to anything...even control>alt>delete required me to end it manually.  Re-opening did not fix the link problem (though it would return functionality otherwise).  If I reboot it would start up fine for a few hours before the problem came back.  Rebooting when I was getting the freeze problems would also not work properly as I was always getting MCI Command Handling Window (or DDE Server Window) failing to end unless manually ended.  Another problem associated with these previously mentioned is that if I typed a search into my google toolbar then IE would freeze up the same way as the OE did.  Again, rebooting rid me of the problem for a while.

Someone mentioned that the problem could be associated with antivirus so I tried first turning off the script blocking feature but still had the problem.  Then I disabled all 6 providers in Avast (I wasn't ever using the Outlook one anyway) and I haven't had a problem with lockups or strange behavior for several days.

Has anyone experienced this issue or have any suggestions for how I can fix my Avast to work right?  Perhaps because I installed before doing the sp2 update it is messed up.  Should I uninstall the program, then reinstall it?  I'd be happy to entertain suggestions or ideas or post any logs that can help diagnosis.  I really like Avast better than Norton but I almost never reboot my computer so this is driving me crazy.
Title: Re:Avast causing OE lockups on hyperlinks and more
Post by: stoffell on September 08, 2004, 09:07:35 PM
Well..
Since uninstalling and reinstalling isn't the hardest thing to try, in my opinion, could you try it out and let us know if it works after that ?

Cheers....
Title: Re:Avast causing OE lockups on hyperlinks and more
Post by: Elwinna on September 08, 2004, 09:42:24 PM
I uninstalled using the avclear4.exe and now re-installed after reboot.  If the past is any indication, I should experience lockups in a few hours if it is going to go back to its old problems.  I'll update either way....

By the way...I run Avast on my laptop without any issues at all and it has much the same setup.
Title: Re:Avast causing OE lockups on hyperlinks and more
Post by: stoffell on September 08, 2004, 10:07:28 PM
I think 'something' is different between the laptop and that machine. maybe some software or update of windows.... anyway, keep us posted, so we know if it's solved...
Title: Re:Avast causing OE lockups on hyperlinks and more
Post by: Elwinna on September 09, 2004, 04:12:09 PM
Update:  Everything has been running smoothly for a whole day and all OE hyperlinks and google toolbar searches are functioning as they are supposed to.  I haven't rebooted to see if I get the shutdown errors but I am confident they are gone too.  If any problems come back I'll post but otherwise I think the uninstall/reinstall took care of the problem.  Thanks for the quick help!!  I am so glad I can keep Avast running now!! ;D
Title: Re:Avast causing OE lockups on hyperlinks and more
Post by: techie101 on September 09, 2004, 04:30:48 PM
Elwinna,

Please see post below.

Mouse stuck.... ;D ;D
Title: Re:Avast causing OE lockups on hyperlinks and more
Post by: techie101 on September 09, 2004, 04:32:28 PM
Elwinna,

I believe much of your problem was a loss of resouces.

Rebooting a computer from time to time especially when using Windows ME and XP, "reclaims" memory that is being tied up within the system.  Since you said you "hardly" ever reboot seems to explain why it clears up from time to time.

Normally, when the computer no longer needs memory, it should return it to the "bank" for re-use.

Sometimes this does not occur and if you keep using the computer, your memory will get so low, that any function could freeze it up.

This is called "leakage" and occurs more frequently in ME systems than others.

Defragnentation and a Diskscan as part of a regular maintenance routine will keep problems to a minimum.

Good luck.

PS:  You mentioned a "dirty" word...Norton!   ;D
It is not as easy to remove completely as you might think.
If you continue to experience trouble, then we must do an indepth removal procedure for Norton.  You can search the forum for many many posts on Norton removal.
Title: Re:Avast causing OE lockups on hyperlinks and more
Post by: Elwinna on September 09, 2004, 05:43:07 PM
ARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!

It just locked up when I clicked on the link that I got that someone had posted here!!  Interestingly I also just received "your virus database has been updated" right before that.  OK guys back to the drawing board here.

I have WinXP Home with SP2 and have 1 Gig of RAM.  I have Athlon XP 2500+ and I don't overload my system with games or anything that should use a lot of my resources.  I have a 250 gig and an 80 gig HD that are maybe 20% full.  All I have been doing when the problems start is surfing...not using anything major or even running my jukebox.  Just two messenger programs and my OE is always on.  My defrag is run regularly and when I last checked that a couple days ago it said it did not require defrag.  My computer is really in very well maintained condition with no viruses and lots of protection.  

More ideas??
Title: Re:Avast causing OE lockups on hyperlinks and more
Post by: Eddy on September 09, 2004, 05:46:16 PM
Check the Avast log files as well as the system and event logs for errors/warnings. See if they tell something more about what is going on.
Title: Re:Avast causing OE lockups on hyperlinks and more
Post by: Elwinna on September 09, 2004, 05:58:38 PM
Well now the log viewer won't start...I click on it and nothing opens, but the words "avast! Log Viewer" that I clicked are now stuck on my screen!!

My antivirus event viewer in winxp shows no "events" in the past few days other than virus being updated (VPS).

I show no service or application errors since yesterday afternoon at 3:30 pm ET.  Security event viewer shows lots of success audits whatever they are.

I will have to reboot to get the shutdown errors then I can post those here.  It will have to wait a few hours though cause I am going to the Marlins baseball game.  Ill post back late this afternoon.   GRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!

Title: Re:Avast causing OE lockups on hyperlinks and more
Post by: Elwinna on September 09, 2004, 11:08:28 PM
OK I am back (we lost the game :( ) and I am ready to tackle this problem again.  

On shut down I got the same old error message saying MCI Command Handling window can't close.

The only error recorded in my xp event logs:

DCOM error event 10005 "The service database is locked."  attempting to start the service winmgnt with arguments in order to run the server: {8BC3F05E-D86B-11D0-A075-00C04FB68820}

I have no other errors today in the system, antivirus, application or security event logs.  I have again disabled all the Avast providers.  Does that DCOM error event mean anything significant?
Title: Re:Avast causing OE lockups on hyperlinks and more
Post by: Eddy on September 10, 2004, 12:09:02 AM
Are you sure you spelled "winmgnt" correct? Because if you did, you got very likely the Hale Trojan on your system.
Title: Re:Avast causing OE lockups on hyperlinks and more
Post by: Elwinna on September 10, 2004, 12:15:32 AM
Sorry....winmgmt is the correct spelling

NOT what I typed as winmgnt :-[
Title: Re:Avast causing OE lockups on hyperlinks and more
Post by: Eddy on September 10, 2004, 12:20:04 AM
Check if the RPC service is running please.
start > run > services.msc
Title: Re:Avast causing OE lockups on hyperlinks and more
Post by: Elwinna on September 10, 2004, 12:25:35 AM
I have two different RPC

Remote Procedure Call...provides the endpoint mapper and other miscellaneous services Started and Automatic

Remote Procedure Call Locator...manages the RPC name service database Stopped and Manual

And remember, I have Avast in my taskbar but all the providers are currently disabled.
Title: Re:Avast causing OE lockups on hyperlinks and more
Post by: Eddy on September 10, 2004, 12:43:20 AM
Ok, that is normal. I am getting a feeling it is Windows that screws up.

Have you already removed/reinstalled OE?
control panel > software > windows components

And run sfc?
start > cmd > sfc /scannow
Title: Re:Avast causing OE lockups on hyperlinks and more
Post by: Elwinna on September 10, 2004, 01:30:25 AM
I just ran a full system scan with Avast and also ran Adaware.  Everything is clean.

I am running the scannow and it asked for my CD and keeps saying I need to click retry for putting in dll files.   I am doing so now.

I have not uninstalled or reinstalled OE.  I didn't think that would help because I am also having problems with IE browser locking up when I do a google toolbar search.

OK scannow is done I guess....ummmm it just finished but I didn't get a report or anything of what it did.  I should turn Avast back on and see if I continue to get lockups??

Edit:  Well OE on the Add/remove windows components only changes the start menu access.  I did attempt that and had to do it again to get the menus back.  Avast is back running on the desktop and I will see if the scannow did anything (it seemed to be doing something).  Unless anyone has any other ideas I guess I will have to decide if I want to reinstall windows xp or change antivirus.
Title: Re:Avast causing OE lockups on hyperlinks and more
Post by: rambolito on September 10, 2004, 11:20:09 AM
I had some problems with opening pages by clicking links after installing SP2. I had some DLL-files reregistered and my problems were solved. Maybe it's possible your problem is of the same kind?

Checkout this link, you can either do things manually or download an executeable that does do it for you.

http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/IEFIX.htm  (http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/IEFIX.htm)

Good luck!
Title: Re:Avast causing OE lockups on hyperlinks and more
Post by: Elwinna on September 10, 2004, 04:44:45 PM
Thanks rambolito!  Part of those instructions were run in the sfc/ scannow that Eddy suggested and it seemed like some dll files were taken off my winxp disc so I think it was doing something (hopefully something necessary!!).  I'd already re-registerd a couple of those files they recommended on the link you provided, but not all of them (missed Actxprxy.dll, Oleaut32.dll, Shell32.dll).  Since I did the scannow yesterday afternoon it hasn't locked up...fingers crossed...so I am going to wait before I re-register the other dll files.  I know it won't hurt to do them but I want to be able to figure out which of the "fixes" works in case someone else has the same problem later on and is trying to fix their system.  My lockups usually occur within 24 hours.  Those dll's will be my next try if problems persist.

I have no idea why running the Avast is messing up the hyperlinks...perhaps I didn't wait long enough to get the lockups but it was off for a couple days and nothing locked.  As soon as I turned it back on the lockups started in a couple hours.  I do want to make it clear that Avast is on two other winxp sp2 computers I have with similar setups and I haven't had any lockups at all so it could be very unique to some small corruption/incompatibility on this computer.

Thanks...updates as I determine things here!!
Title: Re:Avast causing OE lockups on hyperlinks and more
Post by: Elwinna on September 13, 2004, 07:00:40 PM
Final update!!  (I hope)

I think we finally have the lockup problems fixed...I was trying to play a DVD a couple days ago and PowerDVD wouldn't play because of what it called "video card settings and copyprotection".  When I played it in my updated Windows Media Player my computer programs all locked up just like the problems I was having before updating to sp2.  I got to thinking it seemed like my video card was having a problem displaying the DVD so I should see about updating the drivers.  I have an Nvidia Geforce 3 and in the past it was a little iffy to keep changing drivers if the one you had was working fine.  Lately they've updated so that all the Nvidia cards can use the same driver with winxp and it seems to be very much necessary if you have installed the sp2.  I now have the newest driver and I have been trying my best to use as much resources as possible...running DVD's, video capturing and editing, making rar files, running music programs etc.  Nothing has locked up since.

My apologies for thinking Avast was somehow contributing to the lockups :-[.  I think it was a coincidence and perhaps turning off the Avast was saving just enough of the memory (albeit a small amount) to keep me surfing for a long enough time that I thought the problem was fixed by turning it off.  I am a happy camper right now with Avast dutifully  running 5/6 providers and keeping me protected!! ;D

Thanks for all the help folks!