Firefox users, can you help please, does avast work ok without Firefox lagging

[Cyberpunk]

Windows 7 Home Premium x64 SP1
avast! Free Antivirus 7.0.1426
Online Armor Free 5.5.0.1616
Mozilla Firefox 13.0.1
Shockwave Flash Plugin 11.3.300.265

Build .1451 was a complete disaster, both IE and Fx freezed, so I was glad that .1456 came out so soon... but that turned out to be a disaster as well and avast! staff seems to choose to ignore this problem. When I first installed .1456 surfing appeared to be ok, but Fx freezed when trying to open websites with Flash content. I uninstalled avast! using aswclear.exe and reinstalled (about 20 times or so), but it didn't work.

A poster suggested to me to uninstall and reinstall OA Free as well. Uninstalling avast! and OA and then reinstalling avast! (not OA) seemed to solve the problem. Fx functioned ok. But then problems started again when I installed OA (I set up exclusions rules in both avast! and OA to ignore each other).

Shutting down avast!'s Behavior Shield also solves the problem. Of course, uninstalling avast! completely solves the problem too.

I've been using avast! for many years, I've installed it elsewhere and advised users to install it. I never had any problems (except for that one time when there was a case of false positives). I've downgraded to .1426 which is working fine, but if this problem isn't solved, then I'll probably have to dump avast! and switch to Avira. And one other thing, users on this forum (and avast! staff as well) seem to ignore that people are having problems. I too have encountered systems that are working fine with the latest avast!, but it's also clear that several people are having problems.

[John99]

I believe Firefox is scheduled for an upgrade on the 17th of July so listing the version will be important.
As of right now the current version of avast is 7.0.1456 and the current version of Firefox is 13.0.1.

There were issues with Firefox, Adobe flash player 11.3 and Realplayer. Crashes while going full screen and
crashes while closing Firefox. Has this been ruled out?

I would also question which add-ons are installed in Firefox. Have all add-ons been disabled to see if it may be an add-on causing this?
Enable one at a time to see if the problem persists.

Conflicting security software?

Please ask this person if he updated over the top or if it was a clean install of avast. Most recent version of avast?

I don't notice any problems with Firefox and Avast.

edit: I just read this person's post. It seems he has many more problems than just Firefox freezing. Also, he is using Firefox 11. I don't think I would waste the energy trying to track this down if this person is going to use outdated software. How many other people have had this complaint with avast and Firefox lagging on the Mozilla forum? Advanced System Care should not be installed along with avast. Spybot with teatimer should not be used with avast. Overkill and too many conflicting security solutions. Keep avast free and malwarebytes pro and scrap the rest.

I agree the poster with the problem has an odd setup that seems likely to be susceptible to all sorts of problems.
I am just trying to debunk the suggestion from that thread that the problem is due to use of Avast.
 
Flash 11.3 issues
The FlashPlayer 11.3 and any related RealPlayer problems are separate issues, although if a Firefox user is unwilling to troubleshoot it is in some circumstances almost impossible to say what the causes of problems are. In some instances we are currently recommending Flash 11.3 Firefox Windows users should downgrade to Flash 11.2  or    10.3

Note there was a new Flash release on about 11th July ,  although I am not yet sure what if anything that solves.

[Gopher John]

Note there was a new Flash release on about 11th July ,  although I am not yet sure what if anything that solves.

What's supposedly fixed is at the beginning of that Adobe thread.  http://forums.adobe.com/thread/1024504?start=0&tstart=0  However, in reading the thread it seems Adobe missed the mark again.

[MikeBCda]

No problems here, with Firefox and avast (free) fully up to date.

Admittedly, if there seems to be a correlation between Flash-using sites and Fx crashes, that could explain my "luck".  I keep the Flash plug-in disabled except on the rare occasions when I need it to watch a video, or when updating Flash (update won't "take" if the plug-in's disabled).

[Gopher John]

Adobe Flash Protected Mode is not enabled when installed on WinXP, and that alone will prevent a lot of the Flash/Firefox issues.  I've never had a crash when using Flash, and it is enabled all the time.  However, I use NoScript in Firefox, so Flash won't be invoked unless the site is whitelisted in NoScript.  I currently have Adobe Flash 11.3.300.265 installed, and have had no problems with it and Firefox.

[lakrsrool]

Voted: Avast  seems ok with Firefox, I have not noticed problems.

Type of device (netbook, multicore desktop etc): Both a HP Pavilion G series Laptop and HP Presario SR1710NX desktop
Type and version of Avast: Version 7.0.1456
Operating system and version: Windows 7 and Windows XP service pack 3
Firefox version (e.g fx13 or fx14 or ESR): Version 13.0.1

Caveat: The only issue I have is Dial-up related that has to with an occasional series of 17 Dial-up connection prompts that will cause freeze up problems if the connection is used (must be cancelled) of which I really doubt is related to the issue discussed here in as much as only a handful of people are likely using Dial-up in the first place.

[vsub]

Works fine here but my FF is little different
1.It always work at low priority
2.I don't use the newest flash player
3.Don't save cache to the hdd
4.Don't use the WebRep plugin.

PC
Avast Home 1456
Windows XP
FF 13.0 with more than 50 add-ons installed and a lot of other modifications but it still load everything fast

[John99]

As Flash 11.3 issues are now being mentioned maybe it is ok to comment on that. So some more Firefox related information

• protectedmode
• it is possible for the user to turn protected mode on and off by editing one of the .cfg files
• not a problem for XP users, or for Linux users (Flash development effectively ceased on Linux)
• some different Adobe Flash installers may specifcally enable or disable protected mode,even when installing the same version of Flash
• look for a second instance of Flash running as an quick indication that you are in protected mode
• protected mode could have a negative impact on some software, but remember it is intended as a security enhancement
• documentation and links,
  remember content subject to revision, and work-arounds may be temporary, but I do not see any news yet of proposed permanent fixes
• Firefox's official KB s should be updated as the situation evolves, but the process is slow and cumbersome, some items
• Flash 11.3 crashes this currently includes detailed downgrade instructions. Users may have reason to downgrade Flash for reasons other than just crashes
• Flash 11.3 doesn't load video in Firefox
• Fix problems with RealPlayer add-ons includes some specific Flash 11.3 related advice.
  as a matter of interest  note Firefox blocklisted some RealPlayer software; including the Release of about 11thJuly; but as a SOFT block, users may re-enable.
• general information only Flash Plugin - Keep it up to date and troubleshoot problems
  CARE - following upgrade advice from that or the plugincheck link could recreate Flash 11.3 issues if you have downgraded.
  You may also wish to consider temporarily turning of Flash Player's automatic upgrading


• Mozillazine's KB articles on this matter may well be more up-to-date, and more suited to technically aware users
•   http://kb.mozillazine.org/Flash#Flash_Player_11.3_Protected_Mode_-_Windows
•   http://kb.mozillazine.org/Flash#Disabling_Protected_Mode_in_Flash_11.3
•   http://kb.mozillazine.org/RealPlayer#Flash_11.3_issues
• Adobe and other
• How do I troubleshoot Flash Player's protected mode for Firefox? http://forums.adobe.com/thread/1018071?tstart=0
• Adobe Secure Software Engineering Team (ASSET) Blog http://blogs.adobe.com/asset/2012/06/inside-flash-player-protected-mode-for-firefox.html
• Flash Player 11.3 Status - Updated 7/11/12 http://forums.adobe.com/thread/1024504?start=45&tstart=0
• I do not seem to have a link to hand for the Firefox "plugin" extension of RealPlayer that was released a few days ago (1st week? in July )
• Real Players customer help https://real.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/9930/~/realplayer-plugin-blocked-by-firefox
• listing of blocklist https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/blocked/  each item is a further link
• Adobe uninstaller my be recommended, but watch for unintended consequences.
  It could remove more than intended, and be implicated in breaking other software &/or remove IEs Flash

 

[Asyn]

No problems here.

[John99]

Thanks for all the replies.

I conclude Firefox should work ok with Avast.

Obviously with all software some users will have problems, and inevitably some will be using Avast and Firefox whilst seeing problems, but it appears there are many experienced users who are able to use both together without any problems.

I will go back to the original Firefox forum thread and mention that in my opinion the problem  is NOT due to use of Avast, and I will point to this thread as information or anyone who considers Avast is a problem with Firefox.

[vsub]

1.Did you tried starting FF in Safe Mode - this to check if some add-on is doing this
2.Did you tried running FF in Private Browsing Mode - if the FF history or session store is corrupted
3.Check in avast file shield settings in the exclude settings if *\firefox\profiles\*sessionstore*.js exist and only write is checked

[Cyberpunk]

Adding

ProtectedMode=0

to mms.cfg should not be necessary, because mozillaZine states (stated?) 11.3.300.262 disables Protected Mode by default. I'm assuming .265 does the same.