Avast Updates Freezing Firefox

[LaGuera25]

Hi,

I've been using Avast 4.8 since November with no problems, but over the past week, Avast updates have begun to freeze Firefox every time a new update installs.  I've scanned with Avast and SAS and found nothing, but when I check the task manager, FF is suddenly using 20% of my CPU and frozen or hanging.  As soon as I end Firefox from the task manager, the CPU usage drops to 7% and stays there...until the next Avast update.

What is going on?  Are Avast and FF just peen jousting?

[DavidR]

Well the avast updates don't use any browser, so they aren't responsible for any spike in firefox. I don't see this on my system and firefox is my default browser.

What are you doing with firefox at that time ?
If it is just starting and you have lots of add-ons, etc. those plus the various files that firefox loads can use a fair amount of CPU for a period of time.

Unfortunately we know nothing about your system, OS, CPU, RAM, etc. ?
What is your connection method, dial-up/broadband ?

[LaGuera25]

Well, I'm usually just surfing LJ and band forums.  I'm using Windows XP(SP2) desktop with a broadband connection.  The computer is ancient--2003--but it's never given me a problem.  I have no addons or extensions for FF, but FF has begun to hog increasing amounts of CPU of late.

FWIW, the CPU is an AMD Athlon 2800+ with 512MB SDRAM and a 120GB hard drive.  Like I said, ancient.

[DavidR]

I think the firefox CPU spikes are unrelated to avast, but when you check the task manager what CPU activity does the avast services have they begin with ash and asw and the most crucial one being avast.setup, if that isn't there in the task manager, avast isn't updating.

I would suggest that you download the latest version of firefox 3.6.3 if you don't already have it and uninstall and reinstall it. Export your bookmarks if you don't want to lose them.

[LaGuera25]

I'll let an update run and let you know.  It might just be that the computer is older than dirt and needs a good defrag and cache purge.  I'm really lax about that, alas.

[DavidR]

A defrag would probably make a difference, certainly for firefox as over time with new updates it will get fragmented. This is also one of the reasons I suggested a clean reinstall.

How long does firefox take to load when you first start it ?

[LaGuera25]

It has an update that won't go through because I'm on a limited account, so...10-12 seconds.  I suppose I should just switch to admin and let the update go through.

[DavidR]

If that is about a firefox update, then yes.

If related to avast - Well the VPS Updates should go through even on a limited user account, only program updates in 4.8 require admin privileges.

Personally I would suggest that you update to avast 5.0, you can't do it directly from the 4.8 program update process (I don't think), you would need to download the avast 5 installation file and install (admin group user account required) it over 4.8, that will retain the existing registration info, remove the 4.8 and install 5.0.

Free AV: http://files.avast.com/iavs5x/setup_av_free.exe

[CharleyO]

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LaGuera25 is also using XP SP2 when SP3 has been available for more than a year. An update is surely needed. I think it would also help if he doubled the computer's RAM as 512 mb might be a little low for most of today's applications.


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[DavidR]

Well come July this year XP will no longer get security updates unless they have installed SP3, so the clock is ticking