Wireless Printer Issues

[thePCdoctor]

I have installed Avast Free on my Windows 7x64 system. The features/shields installed are: Web, Scripting, File. The system is fully patched (all MS updates etc), the printer is an HP 8500 with the latest drivers and software. I have confirmed that the software is up to date with HP support and in fact, we even removed all the software (HP Removal Tool for the HP 8500) and rolled the software back to the original CD version.

Everything installed without incident and teh printer is available. The Control Centre disappears randomly and the only way to get it back is to remove and re-install.

At 4:00 am MST I spent 2 hours on the phone with HP Support and we decided to remove Avast. Since the Avast removal and a re-installed the complete HP Printing system, I have had no issues at all. I've rebooted 15 times, turned the printer off, then on and all manner of tests. So, it seems that there is something in Avast that is causing issues.

I use Avast on all our Office PC systems (it is one of my Cardinal Rules) and am the second of two users that have this printer installed. I checked with one of my senoir developers and he has exactly the same issue with the printer (printer works fine, no Management Control Center).

I have confirmed that we have the abosulte latest version, engine and updates for Avast Free.

I hope someone can assist as I'd hate to have to roll every one back to MS Security Essentials.

Thanks

ps: if further informaiton is required, please let me know and I will be more than happy to provide it.

[mikaelrask]

hey and welcome to the forum. do you have uninstall MS Security Essentials before installing avast? it could be that cause the issues with the printer.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2435760/en instruction on how to remove ms security essentials. after you sure it's uninstalled reinstall avast again.

does this solve your problem with the printer?

[thePCdoctor]

Thanks for the welcome. I'm not sure about your question. I did not have MSE installed, I had Avast installed. What I was tyring to indicate is that I don't want to move my entire company and client base back to MSE. I like many of the features of Avast, so the object of this excercise is to identify the issue with Avast and (from our recent testing) the scripting piece.

We have since discovered that we have two clients that also exhibit the same issue. One client had the junior support fellow remove Avast, install AVG and they have no problems at all. So from our testing and from what we've gathered from our client, Avast's Scripting piece seems to cause issues.

Since my post this am, I have removed Avast and re-installed MSE (file scanning only) and AVG (which I hate, but am using the Web and Mail pieces). Since that action, I have absolutely no issues.

So, at this point we are going to investigate a little further, and failing a resolution to this issue, will most likely move away form Avast and back to the 'Old Faighful" setup we've had in the past.

Having that said, we are going to setup a brand new laptop this evening and install Avast with File, Web and Scripting, then install this printer and see what happens.

Thanks again for the reply and we will certainly post more intel as it develops.

Cheers.