Avast blocks Web access once more

[Gswiss]

Under W2k-SP4, Avast prevents me from accessing the Web. This situation popped up on July 11th, probably after an update of the virus data base. If I deactivate the Web Shield, things are ok.

This situation already occurred between early November and December 20th (cf. http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=24658.0;topicseen).

This does not appear to be the case with XP.

I'm using 4.7.1001 Home Edition

[Vlk]

Do you have any firewall installed?

[Lisandro]

The firewall is Sygate 5.6 Build 2808. "Allowed" Avast programs are ashServ.exe, ashMaiSv.exe, ashWebSv.exe.

Into the firewall settings, the following programs should be allowed to connect:

C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashWebSv.exe (avast! Web Scanner)
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashMaiSv.exe (avast! e-Mail Scanner Service)
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\Setup\avast.setup (avast! Update executable). This is a temporary file that just appears when an update (check) is about to launch, and disappears again afterwards.

Don't need rights to connect:
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashServ.exe (avast! antivirus service)
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\aswUpdSv.exe (avast! Update Service)

Sygate could be messing the connection... delete the avast entries into Sygate settings, browse and update to 'add' them again.

[Gswiss]

The problem appears to lie with Avast. Even when I shut down Sygate, the problem is still there.

For my mail, it's even worse. I stop Avast completely in order to get it. I even shut down MailWasher. I'll have to refine this aspect and shut down the services one after the other since another shield besides Web Shield is blocking the mail.

[DavidR]

I have mailwasher ignored by the internet mail scanner as I feel the risk is negligible, see below. Though I don't believe this will have any effect on your problem and apart from your original topic I haven't seen this in the forums.

MailWasher doesn't download the complete email to do its analysis, it only downloads the headers, a small part of the body, it doesn't download images or attachments and it views what is downloaded in text only. Based on this I personally don't feel that any negligible risk worth scanning duplication, but the choice is yours.

By editing the avast4.ini file, [MailScanner] section using a text editor like notepad. It is best to save a copy of avast4.ini to another location in case of any problem, you can then copy the original back.
[MailScanner]
IgnoreProcess=MailWasher.exe add this line if you don't already have an IgnoreProcess line.

[Gswiss]

The problem disappeared this morning after an Avast update.

Please note that I have been using Avast and Sygate side-by-side for the past 5 years approximately, both under w2k and xp. No problem at all popped up except for the two instances mentioned in this thread.

Thanks to all for your suggestions.

[DavidR]

Your welcome, though I'm baffled how a VPS update could have any effect as that shouldn't change anything in the web shield provider.

I would still suggest you do as suggested with mailwasher being ignored.