ZA 5.5 hang with avast! update

[Lars-Erik]

(this is a copy of posting to the ZA forums, but since it concerns hangs with avast! I'll post it here as well):

Update on the hang issue. Since upgrading with a new faster harddisk the hang problem is back (9 out of 10 times too). So I really gave up, and decided to uninstall ZA 5.5.035 beta :-(

BUT during the uninstall process I got a question if I would downgrade to standard ZA 5.5 (free), and for some reason I pressed Yes.

And after rebooting with standard ZA 5.5 (free) everthing works.
No hangs. The only function from the Pro beta I used (disabled most of them) was the part protecting password, account-numbers etc.

Could this meen that this is what makes it hang, or is it modules loaded by the Pro version that makes it hang together with avast! ?

BTW:  Installed the 5.5.035 beta on my WinXP setup as well, and it didn't hang there (but it didn't start until 30 seconds after the XP desktop appeared, so Internet was unavilable until ZA started. AND when I tried to uninstall on XP I did NOT get a question about downgrading to the free version... Why not? Liked to try there too...

Is there a ZA 5.5.035 free version beta I could test with somewere?

[Eddy]

Well the version of ZA you used is a BETA, so you can expect some problems/errors. Not saying beta's are causing problems, but it can happen that is why they are beta and not a final release.

Have you tried the beta pro version of ZA with Avast 4.5 beta to see if it made a difference?

It looks like it was a problem which a part of the beta pro version from ZA. But more testing/info is needed before we can say that for sure.

[Lars-Erik]

4.5 (free version) works great, 5.0 hangs same way as 5.5 (also the free version). Testet with XP and none seems to hang there, but it takes forever to start (avast is inacitive for a minute after desktop appears, ZA even longer, makes no internet available until over a minute after boot). Has anyone noticed this? Is there any reason for this happening in XP?

[Eddy]

but it takes forever to start (avast is inacitive for a minute after desktop appears

Let me see if I can explain this in easy words.
Thinking, thinking ouch that hurts (just kidding)

When you start Windows (boot up the system) many things are loaded/started. Windows however does not have a way (by default) to let you choose what is loaded 1st, 2nd and so on. It seems to load the things randomly. Windows also doesn't wait for a application to be started/loaded fully at boot time before it loads the next.

Somehow (I don't know the exact technical details) when you have a softeware firewall installed as well as a av application (not only with Avast and ZA) one is waiting for the other to be fully loaded/started before it starts doing its job.

This is likely not a problem with how the firewall or av works, but more like how windows is working.

If I recall correctly there is a application mentioned in one of the threads on this board which will let you change the way and order in which applications are loaded during boot time.

Just a suggestion:
A router with build in hardware firewall is about 40 euro (+/- 40 us dollar) and offers more security than a software firewall. This is about the same amount of money you will have to pay for decent software firewall.

I hope this info will help you.

[Lars-Erik]

I do have a router, but that does NOT stop programs from connecting out from the PC. And your explaination still doesn't explain why it takes over a minute in XP (there's not many autostart programs, the same in 98 takes 5 secs)

[En66]

Might want to try and disable ZA on system start, and see if that helps the boot-up process. If it does help, you would think that the 2 programs interfer with one another on boot-up. I had the same problem, and my solution was a different AV software!

[GYL]

Apparently,Z A  is no  more  configurated for Avast! updates,only american products as ez,norton & mcafee,...it's not  a  worldwide  marketing

[Lars-Erik]

I removed ZA from my XP installation. But the startup is still slow. All other programs start as they should, but avast is shown with a red X for 30 secs before it starts completly, and until then mail-scanning is not available. Seems like avast! is waiting for something in XP.  Any tips?  I have tried to disable all services not needed in XP, but that didn't help much.  Could I move the avast! startup from one "Run" section in registry to another - to make it start earlier?  Anyone?

[Lisandro]

I removed ZA from my XP installation. But the startup is still slow. All other programs start as they should, but avast is shown with a red X for 30 secs before it starts completly, and until then mail-scanning is not available. Seems like avast! is waiting for something in XP.  Any tips?  I have tried to disable all services not needed in XP, but that didn't help much.  Could I move the avast! startup from one "Run" section in registry to another - to make it start earlier?  Anyone?

Lars, I take a lot of time to configure 'Startup Delayer' and make an order to the programs loading. The best I could find is the following:

[Lars-Erik]

Where do I find that utility. Rearranging the startup order would be nice. Not only on my WinXP partition, but on the Win98 as well (to start most important stuff first).

[Lisandro]

Easy: http://www.r2.com.au/downloads/files/startdelay_v2.1b10.exe

But I use the old version, 2.0.
Not that the new one is bad, just a matter of GUI and I was used to that one.

If you want, I can send the setup by email. Oh, it's a freeware:

Description:
 
When Windows loads its startup file, it attempts to load every program at the same time. If you have a heap of programs starting, each program will try and grab the CPU at the SAME time!

If each program tries to load at the same time, a great slow-down occurs as your CPU tries to help each one.

Startup Delayer allows programs to start in a more orderly fashion by setting how many seconds after Windows has started, to load each program.  The effect that this gives is that you gain control of the system much faster, and the program that was launched will launch faster as it does not have to share the CPU with other programs.

For Example:  
Suppose a mail program and virus scanner that startup when Windows starts. Using Startup Delayer, have the mail program start at 10 seconds after Windows startup. Then set the virus scanner to start at 20 seconds after Windows startup. Now each program will startup on its own instead of all at once enabling a smoother, speedier startup.

[Lars-Erik]

I looked at the Task Manager while waiting for avast! to start, and it seems like it's the "ashServ.exe" service that takes time to start. The two other avast! startup items starts before the desktop appears (they are in the "Run" key, not as a service). Seems like maybe the avast! main service starts after all other services. Is there a way to set the order of the startup for services (in the registry or something).

(probably the same that happends with ZA, the true vector service also starts after all other services)

[Lisandro]

Is there a way to set the order of the startup for services (in the registry or something).
(probably the same that happends with ZA, the true vector service also starts after all other services)

Well, I never found a way to this... We need a guru here.
If anybody knows, please post. It will be very good leting that useless services for the end and not at boot  

[Lars-Erik]

Could I move the "ashServ.exe" to the "Run" section instead (as there is no "RunService" in XP as in 98) or will that crash totally (if it works it seems those programs are started before the services, I'd say that is quite backwards, but :-)

[Lisandro]

Could I move the "ashServ.exe" to the "Run" section instead (as there is no "RunService" in XP as in 98) or will that crash totally (if it works it seems those programs are started before the services, I'd say that is quite backwards, but :-)

If something happens, please, boot safe mode and use a backup of the Registry file.
I could test it but, right now, I'll wait for your results  

It will be very useful. ashServ.exe takes a lot of the boot time.