Avast WEBforum
Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: BanziBaby on November 21, 2004, 03:16:54 PM
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HI folks :)
I have been followin Avast throughout its 4.5 beta stage to the so called final version & im really dissapointed that a great program now has so many probs & bugs, i had to stop using it cause of some of them & use NOD full time, mostly it the new way of checking mail that seems to be causing most folks probs & mine.
A summery of my probs are the new mail protection not working, also the new mail protection screwing up mailwasher pro (when i try to get mailwasher to check, my firewall (outpost pro 2.5) suddenly asks for a localhost 127.0.0.1 connection despite the fact it has direct access to my pop3 & hotmail accounts meaning that it is never able to check for mail, also when i try to send mail, i get outlook express asking for the same localhost connection, even if i allow it, it still fails to connect & send/recieve mail.
Also the mail provider is not starting up at boottime & i have to start it manually.
I did try the new beta version (529 or so) that is supposed to fix these probs, but suprise suprise it just makes them worse.
I have tried to run the mail protection wiz & it pops up sayin that as the mail is being checked in a diff way the wiz will now terminate, so i cant even use the old way of checking it.
It obvious even just from a quick read here that all versions of 4.5 have probs as there have been many many more posts here askin for help & advice on some of the probs.
I seriously do hope Avast can get these sorted out very quickly before it does to others what it has forced me to do, ie use a different anti virus prog. I might try out a later version to see if all these probs are fixed, but untill then i will just use NOD & only use NOD
A sad former Avast fan who used it for over 3 years :(
BaNzI :(
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Alot of the mail problems are soleved in the new beta version that came out today, please see here (http://forum.avast.com/index.php?board=2;action=display;threadid=9007)
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BanziBaby
Remember that the majority of us haven't had any problems.
Just as in real life, people with problems always yell louder than those that don't have any problems. ;D
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Hi Banzi,
I suppose you have already uninstalled avast so it's pointless to ask for more info but anyway I'll try:
So you have mailwasher, Outpost, and OE and it doesn't work with avast? OE was configured as if avast was not there? Mailwasher was configured manually?
BTW the "provider-not-starting-automatically" thing should be solved in the 529 build.
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@Lee, i mentioned in my post that i had tried the new 529 beta & it didnt make any difference other than me gettin more localhost alerts from my firewall
@Bob, i have been reading of a lot of probs the 4.5 builds have given even forum regulars like Urself, i have just spent an hour tryin to get the new beta to work, i give U a run thru
1)I run mailwasher pro which has direct access to my pop3 account & my hotmail account, when i run it with any version of 4,5 installed, my firewall suddenly says it needs a localhost 127.0.0.1 connection which it has never ever needed before, if i create a rule for it allowing it, it fails to check my accounts (no suprise as it doesnt need the the 127.0.0.1 connection, only with avast 4.5 on does it ask for it
2)I then try to send myself a test mail to see if avast new mail protection works, when i click send, my firewall pops up askin for yet another 127.0.0.1 connection for Outlook express, if i allow it, it fails to check mail, if i allow it once, it then asks for a remote address of 127.0.0.1 with a local address of 127.0.0.1, if i allow them once it eventually avast mail scanner asks for a connection to my pop3 & smtp addys, but only if i click the allow once button a few times, so its hardly a better way of checkin mail
3)Now the new mail protection doesnt need the 127.0.0.1 connection as it monitors the mail ports, so why then am i being asked for it for both OE & mailwasher?
4)Its not a firewall prob as im allowing anythin avast needs, but it still fails to check mail & insert the clean notes & doesnt even insert the X-Anti-virus message into the mails header unless im there to click the allow once button in my firewall's alerts.
4.1 works flawlessly as always, 4.5 just has so many niggles & bugs, considering they are working on a new build to fix all these probs, that tells me 4.5 should never have been released as a final & should have stayed beta.
Now i would try it again & set up the mail manually, but what info do i put in the smtp authenticatiion dialog?
Also judging by the fact this forum has seen a massive increase in folk postin with probs leads mee to think it aint just me & i know how to configure the prog after using it for about 3 years.
My posts aint meant as an attack on Avast makers, just me expressing my probs with all the 4.5 builds & im one of many judging by many of the posts here
BaNzI ;D
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Hi Banzi,
I suppose you have already uninstalled avast so it's pointless to ask for more info but anyway I'll try:
So you have mailwasher, Outpost, and OE and it doesn't work with avast? OE was configured as if avast was not there? Mailwasher was configured manually?
BTW the "provider-not-starting-automatically" thing should be solved in the 529 build.
Hi Vlk :)
Just for U i will unistall Nod again & reinstall Avast 4.5 (build 523) & will post screenshots of the alerts & probs im having.
I know U are a busy man, so will do it right away & thanks for replying :)
BaNzI ;D
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BanziBaby
Also judging by the fact this forum has seen a massive increase in folk postin with probs leads mee to think it aint just me & i know how to configure the prog after using it for about 3 years.
My posts aint meant as an attack on Avast makers, just me expressing my probs with all the 4.5 builds & im one of many judging by many of the posts here
I never said it was just you. I just meant that even though there are problems for some users including some who usually know how to fix their own problems, most of us are problem free.
By the way the only difference between your system and mine seems to be that I use ZA and you use Outpost.
By the way that's also the case with Technical setup and he's also having problems. I don't know if that has any bearing on this problem????
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K Vlk, i have uninstalled NOD, then rebooted & installed Avast 4.5 (build 523), then updated to the beta build 529.
When i run mailwasher pro, i get this firewall alert (even though mailwasher has direct access to my mail accounts, ie no proxies or localhost)
(http://www.banzibaby.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/avast/mw.jpg)
If i create a rule allowing that connection, i get this from mailwasher.
(http://www.banzibaby.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/avast/mwerror.jpg)
If i just click allow once, then i get this alert for avast mail scanner.
(http://www.banzibaby.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/avast/mail alert.jpg)
If i create a rule for that, then i get another alert for the mail scanner finally asking for pop3 rule which then allows me to check mail in mailwasher, but only if i click allow once on the first mailwasher alert.
Now onto OE, i will PM Vlk with the link to a 3mb video of me tryin to send & recieve mail & the resultant alerts as it includes my real name & email account names.
This is on XP SP2 with the latest build of outpost pro 2.5.370.4626 (370) in which all probs with the localhost connections have been fixed (ie i havent had any probs, only when avast is installed.
Thanks for the help, now off to PM Vlk the screen video i made of it :)
BaNzI :D
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I would really like to reproduce the problem. On my test PC I have the Outpost firewall (Outpost Firewall Pro ver. 2.5.370.4626 (370)), latest avast! build (4.5.529).
When I try to send/receive mail from Outlook everything works fine, with or without SMTP authentication.
Of course, I had to permit MSIMN.EXE access to localhost, and avMaiSv access to my POP3 and SMTP servers. Either Allow Once (hardly usable) or Create as rule works fine.
Will install MailWasher in a minute.
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I forgot to note explicitly that outgoing connections to localhost to ports where Internet Mail provider listens (12110, 12025, 12143 in fresh new installs) are perfectly normal and you have to permit them in your firewall settings.
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Cheers Lukor :)
Ur using the same version of Outpost as me, but as shown by my posts, im having trouble :(
I could set up my accounts the old way (127.0.0.1) but i would need to know what the mail protection wiz uses to fill in the outgoing mail server/my server requires authentication, specifically the account name & pass boxes as avast used to fill up the pass box with a long string.
Thanks for Ur help
BaNzI ;D
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lukor
I'm still wondering if all the people who are having this same problem are using Outpost?
I don't have the problem but, I'm using ZA.
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I forgot to note explicitly that outgoing connections to localhost to ports where Internet Mail provider listens (12110, 12025, 12143 in fresh new installs) are perfectly normal and you have to permit them in your firewall settings.
I have created a rule that should allow the local host connection, but everytime i try to send/recieve mail, the firewall blocks it with this info
MSIMN.EXE localhost:loopback 12110 MSIMN Localhost 0 Bytes 0 Bytes 0 bps OUT REFUSED 16:29:12 03 sec(s) localhost:loopback TCP 1554 ---
BaNzI ;D
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So I installed MailWasher, configured my account in it - pop3.myisp.com, port:110. Clicked 'Check mail', Outpost poped up with the message that MailWasher is connecting to localhost:12110, I allowed and evertyhing works fine.
It works with 'Allow once', or create a rule. No problems. ??? ??? ???
I would be really interested what is causing your problems, Banzi. I am not able to reproduce it, and I believe now I have the same configuration. Just you didn't mention your OS. Mine is Windows XP, Sp1.
Anyway, you can configure it manualy, of course. Edit avast4.ini, add AutoRedirect=0 into the [MailScanner] section and then run PopWizard from avast folder. It is ashPopWz.exe.
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Just curious. I know that at the Agnitum website they say Outpost Pro version 2.5 is compatible with WinsXp SP2. Wonder if the XP security center officially recognizes this latest version of Outpost as being part of the firewall software? I know that with Outpost 1.0 free version my pc with WinXP Home, SP2 in the security center said it did not recognize Outpost although a valid firewall COULD be present on the pc and still not be named by the security center. If not recognized I wonder if this could have something to do with anything?
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I have created a rule that should allow the local host connection, but everytime i try to send/recieve mail, the firewall blocks it with this info
MSIMN.EXE localhost:loopback 12110 MSIMN Localhost 0 Bytes 0 Bytes 0 bps OUT REFUSED 16:29:12 03 sec(s) localhost:loopback TCP 1554 ---
BaNzI ;D
Blocked it would not be working. Believe me!
Move msimn.exe to your trusted apps. Or if you insist on rule, the one that's working for me is here:
(http://www2.asw.cz/~rypacek/msimn.png)
Lukas
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and with msimn and mailwasher between trusted apps:
(http://www2.asw.cz/~rypacek/trusted.png)
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@Lukor, in Outpost i have the Allow loopback global rule disabled (as advised by the outpost forum) If i clear the rules from both Mailwasher & OE, then run mailwasher, it asks for the same connection it asked U for, but if i allow it or create a rule allowing it, it fails to connect to my pop3 server usually with the error Unable to connect to host/unable to resolve host name, same with OE & that is with me allowing the ports it asks for.
Following Ur advice on setting it up manually, i only get one promt for a remote/local address of 127.0.0.1 which i allow & it then checks & downloads my email.
It a pity that the new way of checkin mail seems to be so problematic, i always kinda prefered the old 127.0.0.1 way of doing it, just seemed more secure & it worked.
@Lee, Outpost 1 free version is very old & its doubtfull it will ever be updated, as far as i know it isnt detected by the security centre whereas version 2.5 pro is.I do know i had major probs with the first version of 2.5 & went back to 2.1 till version 370 came out, not had any probs with it since (apart from avast.
Cheers :)
BaNzI ;D
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I don't know Outpost pretty well, but from the short time I am now using it I have observed in several situations the error: unable to resolve host name - for perfectly correct remote hosts. (eg. when connecting to my VPN). I also noticed logged "attack" in outpost logs. Then, for some time, Outpost blocks access to this remote host (perhaps as some confused anti-attack measure.) even if I later correctly add the required rule. Not even 'ping' or 'nslookup' was allowed.
Couldn't your problems stem from the same source? Eg. Outpost considering localhost:12110 - which is perfectly correct Internet Mail Provider's port - as a source of attack (due to your strict security settings) and then blocking for some time (don't know how long) access to this address (port) ?
I would also be very interrested to know if enabling "Localhost loopback" in global rules would solve your problem. Would you mind checking it?
In all cases, you can alway revert to the oldstyle mail scanning as I mentioned above.
Bye Lukas.
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Lukor, i have been using outpost since version 2.0 & think it one of the best firewalls goin (specially compared to ZA)
U might have found the DNS cache plugin bug, a lot of folk asked about this at the outpost forum & it was recommended to disable it, i had probs with it myself till i disabled it.
The previous 2.5 version did have major probs with My Address attacks (127.0.0.1) i had lots of them just using firefox, when i got one i havd to unblock it & then close FF & reopen it to get it to do any browsing, since i installed version 2.5.370, i havent had anymore probs at all till i decided to try Avast again (it was these probs that made me move to NOD after all version of 4.5 didnt allow me to get my mail.
I am now using the OE rule U posted a screenie off & have added the same ports as U did both to OE & mailwasher & now finally it all seems to work using the new mail protection (i changed it back to the new way to try Ur advice.
I did try enabling the global allow loopback rule in the system settings & rebooted, but it didnt make any difference at all (i was still prompted to make a rule for locahost.
Many many thanks for Ur help Lukor & to others that posted, thanks to U it now seems sorted.I will trial it over the next couple of days to make sure everythin is ok & then move back to using the best AV out there :)
Cheers :)
BaNzI ;D
PS, i will post a link to this thread at the outpost forums incase anyone else has been having probs, im also a big enough man to admit i was wrong to blame avast when it looks like it was outpost's fault, so to Avast team a big sorry for thinkin it Ur prog at fault, & a big smack for outpost for not askin for the other ports :)
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Of course I meant that when asked, you would create the rule - or had you and yet Outpost asked again?
Anyway, I don't pretty understand why be so strict to guard every connection to/from localhost. It's all programs you are already running on your pc, some of them communicate with them selves via network (localhost) and other perhaps communicate by other means you know nothing about from your firewall. Localhost address is not accessible from anyother computer than yours.
But I'm happy to hear that it could be solved by configuring the firewall.
Good day.
Lukas.
U might have found the DNS cache plugin bug, a lot of folk asked about this at the outpost forum & it was recommended to disable it, i had probs with it myself till i disabled it.
Hmm, I think I'll be better uninstalling the whole think quickly :P
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Hi Lukor :)
Yee, when prompted i created a rule for it that included the 12110 that it asked for & allowed it, but in the network activity pane i could see both the localhost rule for mailwasher & OE was being blocked for some reason despite it being allowed, i was only prompted for port 12110 & even tried creating a rule with no ports soecified which should have allowed it access to any port/ports it needed.
The reason i have the global allow localhost rule unticked is it is advised to do so in the faq for creating a secure config at the outpost forums, if U use any kind of proxy, then it can be a security risk, the thread is located here http://www.outpostfirewall.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9858 (http://www.outpostfirewall.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9858)
When configured right, it is a very powerfull firewall, the default config for it can be a bit sparse, but then they have to make a default for non technical users :)
Hmm, I think I'll be better uninstalling the whole think quickly :P
LOL, give it a try, U never know U might like it, the DNS cache plugin is just a bit flakey,but once disabled there no probs :P
Cheers again for all the help :)
BaNzI ;D