Avast WEBforum
Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: redman on September 18, 2004, 08:09:14 PM
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I've only just discovered Avast and I know absolutely nothing about it at the moment. I have put the free version on my old computer to give it a try, since I still have about 6 months of my Norton subscription left on my main PC.
At first glance, the e-mail setting up seems very complicated. On my main PC I use Courier e-mail (from www.rosecitysoftware.com) and this is chained to digiportal's ChoiceMail One (anti-spam utility) which acts as a mail server (for incoming and outgoing mail). ChoiceMail is then chained to 1st Email Antivirus (from www.zzee.com). It's all rather complicated regarding port numbers, etc (I had to change the port number in my e-mail client to something other than 110 [I used 109] and play around with the settings until I got it to work). One thing I didn't have to do was worry about Norton Antivirus - it just continues to work as before. However, the Avast e-mail setup doesn't seem to be so straightforward. Would it work with the setup I have on my computer and if so, what would I need to change?
On a separate point - how does the virus definitions update facility work? Is it fully automatic like the Norton system?
Finally (for now), how does Avast compare with Norton for performance?
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redman,
First of all welcome to the avast forum. If you now have both Norton and Avast on your pc avast will not work properly. You will have to un-install Norton completely for Avast to work properly. As far as the email configuration that you have been using with Norton? I believe you will be able also to do that with Avast. I used to use Norton, McAfee both pay for versions and switched to Avast. I have never regretted doing that as I believe Avast, even the free version to be a superior program compared to the previous two mentioned. ;D I am sure there will be someone else answer your questions more thoroughly than I have. Have a nice day and again welcome to the forum. :)
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Thank you for the warm welcome and encouraging comments about Avast. Just to clarify, I don't have Norton and Avast on the same computer. I have Norton on my main computer and the free version of Avast on an older machine. I may consider buying the pro version of Avast for my main PC if the free version performs well. It's the thought of having to edit lines in an ini file that is my main stumbling block at the moment.
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Hi Redman,
With regards VPS updates on the home edition Avast checks for updates when you conect to the internet and then at 4hr intervals after that.
The pro version has 'Push updates' which allows defs to be 'pushed' in to your computer as soon as they are released.
On both you can of course manually update through the main program or right clicking on the avast blue ball in your task bar and go to 'updating'
Hope this helps
Jlo
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redman
I'm a former Norton user. Changing over to Avast! was one of the best moves I ever made. Don't worry about the ini file. I have no problem editing it even though I've never had to.
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Thanks for the information so far. When I put Avast on my older computer it kept giving me a message that port 110 was already in use (which it was, 1st Email Antivirus listens on port 110). On my main computer I also have 1st EAV + ChoiceMail which uses port 110 on localhost [it also uses localhost for outgoing messages as it automatically adds people I write to to my white list] and passes messages via port 109 to my e-mail client [if I understand it correctly]). I presume I would get a similar error message if I put Avast on my main machine. I suppose to make life simpler, I could turn off e-mail scanning because 1) 1st EAV removes all scripts, web bugs, etc and zips up all attachments (apart from any exceptions I specify), 2) ChoiceMail can be set to block all message with certain attachments types (so I could set it to block all messages with zip attachments passed to it from 1st EAV) and 3) my e-mail client Courier can also be set to remove scripts, etc, so I have three layers of security even without any virus scanner.
One other thing, does anyone know which file I need to use for download managers (I seem to remember that when I selected browse, I saw that there were several exe files in the Avast folder, but I didn't know which one to select)?
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One other thing, does anyone know which file I need to use for download managers?
C:\...\Avast4\ashQuick.exe
Without any other parameter.
About the ports:
Let avast at 110 (default).
Put your email account and your spam killer at 109, for instance.
If you want to follow more instructions with another spam killer (Spamihilator), take a look here: http://forum.avast.com/index.php?board=9;action=display;threadid=3413
I used NAV in the past (like a lot of other users here, including the ones which drop their signature purchase ;D) and do not regret.
Feel free to ask anything more. Wellcome to forums.
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I've had a few attempts at changing various settings, but so far no luck in getting the email scanner to work with Courier/ChoiceMail/1st Email Antivirus. For the moment that's OK as the combination I have is fairly secure I think (1st EAV deals with the e-mail body security risks and ChoiceMail blocks messages with attachments). I wonder why Avast doesn't scan e-mails like Norton does (which doesn't cause any port conflicts) - does anyone know? Also, if anyone wants to help me test the efectiveness of my security system, they could try sending me an e-mail direct (with an attachment) to this address: internet@valencia.plus.com (I'm not sure if that will display or not as some forums remove certain links like that). The attachment should be an exe file if possible (e.g., notepad.exe).
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Also, if anyone wants to help me test the efectiveness of my security system, they could try sending me an e-mail direct (with an attachment) to this address: internet@valencia.plus.com (I'm not sure if that will display or not as some forums remove certain links like that). The attachment should be an exe file if possible (e.g., notepad.exe).
redman
unles you whant to be inandated with all kinds of e-mail, I suggest you edit your previous post. Remember, this is seen by lot's of people not only from this forum. Just a word of caution.
You keep mentioning Courier/ChoiceMail/1st Email Antivirus. Is that an AV program or a Spam checker?
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You keep mentioning Courier/ChoiceMail/1st Email Antivirus. Is that an AV program or a Spam checker?
Courier is my Email client; 1st EAV is a program designed to rewrite the HTML (minus the scripts, web bugs and any other undesirable components) and ChoiceMail is a Spam blocker (it blocks all messages except those I specifically authorise [unknown senders are directed to a Web site where they have to fill in a short form stating why they wish to contact me. If they do, I am then given the choice to accept or reject their message, if they don't, their message never reaches my Inbox, unless I override the default settings for that particular message]).
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is choice mail a program you subscribe to or freeware?
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is choice mail a program you subscribe to or freeware?
There is a free version available but the full version is Shareware (a trial is available). Visit www.digiportal.com for further info. I've not had the program very long but I'm very pleased with it (the Shareware version that is).
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redman
Please explain some of the following son we can resolve your problem.
Is your actual e-mail program Web based or POP3?
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redman
Please explain some of the following son we can resolve your problem.
Is your actual e-mail program Web based or POP3?
POP 3. I have some screenshots of the "nitty gritty" parts of each of the programs showing the current setups but they are too large to upload to this forum. I could email them to your private e-mail address when I get home if you think that would be useful.
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redman why not yust shrink the pictures and post them so everyone can see them. However, pop 3 is havdled thru the internetmail module in avast!. The only thing left to figure out is which ports you need to use.
110 or 111 and 25 or 26 or some other combo depending on your other programs.
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Redman, you complain with scanning ports of avast but you have a 'complex' system of programs:
1. Courier (email client)
2. 1st EAV (program designed to rewrite the HTML)
3. ChoiceMail (Spam blocker)
4. avast
It was promissed that future versions (not the next one, 4.5) could have a new method of scanning. I suggest you disable the 1st EAV for a while and configure ports of Courier = ChoiceMail and different from avast! (that could stay with the default ones).
Will it work?
I use and works like a charm... 8)
1. Outlook Express or Pegasus Mail (email client). pop3 at 120
2. -
3. Spamihilator (Spam blocker). pop3 at 120
4. avast listens the 110
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redman why not yust shrink the pictures and post them so everyone can see them. However, pop 3 is havdled thru the internetmail module in avast!. The only thing left to figure out is which ports you need to use.
110 or 111 and 25 or 26 or some other combo depending on your other programs.
I'll have a go at saving the screenshots as gif files, which should get me within the 150 kB limit. I'll upload these this evening if possible (UK time). In the meantime, if anyone could tell me exactly what lines I would need to add to the Avast INI file to set this up, it would be a great help (let's say that I'm going to stick with my existing ports for 1st EAV (110), ChoiceMail (110/25 [localhost] and Courier E-Mail (109).
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How can you use your spam killer at a different port of your email client?
I presume they are not integrated...
I suggest you disable 1st EAV for a while and configure your system to use just the email program + spam killer + avast as stated above. You can let the default configurations at avast4.ini file.
After you got avast scanning your mail, then let's try to help you with the 1st EAV... ::)
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How can you use your spam killer at a different port of your email client?
There are two places in ChoiceMail to set ports. If I understand the setup correctly, one is for the incoming side (received from 1st EAV using port 110 and localhost) and the other is the output side to my e-mail client (port 109). ChoiceMail also monitors my outgoing messages using port 25. It should be clearer when I've uploaded the screenshots.
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1st screenshot
Well I did attach a screenshot but I don't know what's happened to it. I'll try again.
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redman
What sisze was it? and what file type?
It can't be bigger than 150KB and I always find that a .jpg file works fine don't use jpeg.
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redman
What sisze was it? and what file type?
It can't be bigger than 150KB and I always find that a .jpg file works fine don't use jpeg.
It was a gif file (9 kB). I'll try uploading a jpg file. If that works, I'll upload the other three screenshots.
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Actually, I have 5 screenshots, so here's another attempt at uploading the fisrt one. In each case, the name I have given the file should explain what it is.
Oh well, that didn't seem to work either.
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Actually, I have 5 screenshots, so here's another attempt at uploading the fisrt one. In each case, the name I have given the file should explain what it is.
Oh well, that didn't seem to work either.
Oh... we're waiting... what's up with your posting? ::)
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I've no idea, I put the details in the attach box and it seems to accept it but when I look at the post there are no attachments there. ???
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I put the details in the attach box
You mean the full path of the picture, I suppose ::)
Something like this C:\My pictures\ScreenShot1.gif
Am I right? Is the file below 150k, is the file a .gif one?
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Q1: Yes
Q2: Yes, the first attempt this evening was a 9 kB gif file. I then tried a 39 kB jpg file. Both failed.
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a test file
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Redman I don't know what your doing but the problem isn't at the forum as you can see by the previous test.
when your ready to post the pictures, type your discription of what your sending as usal then at the bottom of the message window there is a line with the heading:
Attach: at the end of that imput window is the word Browse...
When you click on the word Browse, it opens up a window to allow you to navigate to the file of your choice. Highlight the file you want and select open. That will transfer the info to the Attach: line.
Now all you need to do is click on the word Post
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I know exactly what was the wrong thing he was doing... we discussed it in some very old threads long time ago. If you wanna attach some file in your post, you should never ever never pres PREVIEW button. You will loose your attachment in a second. Always click POST when you attach some attachments, never Preview.
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OK, I'm going to try an experiment from my office PC and I won't use preview (I can't remember whether I was doing that from home or not). If it works, I'll repeat the exercise from home this evening with the intended screenshots.
By the way, has anyone tried the new BitDefender 8 Antivirus? It seems to be pretty effective as well as being easy to use. What extra features does Avast have that justifies the higher price?
Back to the upload, here goes with a gif file...
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OK. let's try this from my home PC.
Screenshot 1 (hopefully)...
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Success! So here's screenshot 2.
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and 3
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and 4
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And last but not least, screenshot 5
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redman
Unless I'm missing something, 1st_Email_Antivirus is being used as your e-mail antivirus program. If you intend to leave it that way, then you simply leave your old settings in tact and disable the Mail Protection.
In your case, I would disable your e-mail and 1st Email and then got to:
start> Programs> avast! Anti Virus> Mail Protection Wizzard
Then follow the picture.
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What extra features does Avast have that justifies the higher price?
Well, we're giving you free help and support... will you receive this into BitDefender Free version? Maybe I'm bitter today, maybe this is not the most sympathic thing to read, I mean, I'm feeling a bit stupid :P
About your settings, seems ok but you should try the combinations and test as you get the port conflict. I can't see any suggestion that I've not posted yet, except:
1. Disable and remove the HTML converter you use.
2. Configure your email account to work without avast.
3. Then, let avast port be different from your spam killer, set the pop3 and smtp servers to 127.0.0.1 and test how should you write the user name:
username#pop.server
username@pop.server#pop.server
for instance.
After you can receive emails, we'll go to the outbound (smtp) ones...
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What extra features does Avast have that justifies the higher price?
Well, we're giving you free help and support... will you receive this into BitDefender Free version? Maybe I'm bitter today, maybe this is not the most sympathic thing to read, I mean, I'm feeling a bit stupid :P
The BitDefender version I was talking about is shareware and the support questions I have asked have received a very rapid response, so no complaints there.
Given the complexity of setting up this e-mail thingly, I think I'll do one of two things, either use Avast without the scanner until the newer way of scanning e-mail is implimented (as has been suggested, although not in the next version) or go with BitDefender 8 Standard, which seems to be an excellent alternative. Whichever I decide, I've certainly made up my mind not to return to the Norton fold as their support is appalling.
I'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has contibuted to this particular drawn-out thread - it is appreciated.
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By the way, has anyone tried the new BitDefender 8 Antivirus? It seems to be pretty effective as well as being easy to use. What extra features does Avast have that justifies the higher price?
Here is answer to your question:
http://forum.avast.com/index.php?board=9;action=display;threadid=7350;start=msg58914#msg58914 (http://forum.avast.com/index.php?board=9;action=display;threadid=7350;start=msg58914#msg58914)
Read my reply number 8...
As I said, you shouldn't press PREVIEW if you attach some files... ;)