Author Topic: Does anyone else have huge performance issues with Avast?  (Read 21646 times)

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richmondj93

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I installed Avast a couple of weeks ago and found my laptop to be running VERY sluggish, I un-installed Avast after 2 days of using it! My laptop runs perfectly again?! So i thought maybe this is just a coincidence because all i have ever heard are good things about Avast so i installed it again today and now my laptop is running super slow! Took 10 minutes to load Itunes and then 7 minutes to load "my pictures"! Avast wasn't even running any scans at the time but it was the only other program open!

Laptop isn't great, but still shouldn't be effected so badly!
2.0ghz dual core processor
2gb ram
only 160gb hard drive but with 50gb space free still.


I ran a disk cleanup and disk defrag beofre installing Avast which all ran perfectly and quickly!

Is there something i'm missing?


 :(

Offline CraigB

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Re: Does anyone else have huge performance issues with Avast?
« Reply #1 on: May 24, 2013, 04:21:06 PM »
Is there any other security software installed on the system with avast ?

What AV was used prior to installing avast and how did you remove it - did you use the vendors removal tool to eliminate remnants ?

richmondj93

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Re: Does anyone else have huge performance issues with Avast?
« Reply #2 on: May 24, 2013, 04:25:17 PM »
Nope no other AV's were used before Avast.

I purchased a new hard drive whilst i'm travelling. Did a clean legal install of windows 8 9200 build.

It all works perfectly on my laptop, When Avast isn't installed.

But i really want it because i've upgraded to pro to try and see if that solved the issues which if anything has made it worse.

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Re: Does anyone else have huge performance issues with Avast?
« Reply #3 on: May 24, 2013, 06:11:32 PM »
Microsoft anti-virus is automatically installed with Windows 8, so you would theoretically now have 2 A/V programs running!
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Offline CraigB

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Re: Does anyone else have huge performance issues with Avast?
« Reply #4 on: May 24, 2013, 06:18:50 PM »
Microsoft anti-virus is automatically installed with Windows 8, so you would theoretically now have 2 A/V programs running!
Microsoft anti-virus ( Defender ) would/should be disabled automatically when avast is installed.

Johnny4745

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Re: Does anyone else have huge performance issues with Avast?
« Reply #5 on: May 24, 2013, 06:38:56 PM »
I installed Avast a couple of weeks ago and found my laptop to be running VERY sluggish, I un-installed Avast after 2 days of using it! My laptop runs perfectly again?! So i thought maybe this is just a coincidence because all i have ever heard are good things about Avast so i installed it again today and now my laptop is running super slow! Took 10 minutes to load Itunes and then 7 minutes to load "my pictures"! Avast wasn't even running any scans at the time but it was the only other program open!

Laptop isn't great, but still shouldn't be effected so badly!
2.0ghz dual core processor
2gb ram
only 160gb hard drive but with 50gb space free still.


I ran a disk cleanup and disk defrag beofre installing Avast which all ran perfectly and quickly!

Is there something i'm missing?


 :(

I'm also running windows 7 and have no performance issues with Avast.  I also have Windows Defender, and Windows Firewall running.

The next time your computer slows down, right click on the taskbar and open Task Manager.  Go to processes and see which process has the most CPU usage.

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Re: Does anyone else have huge performance issues with Avast?
« Reply #6 on: May 24, 2013, 06:43:03 PM »
OK, Windows Defender was a terrible name for Microsoft Security Essentials on Windows 8, but for the purposes of this discussion, we shall call it what it is.

When any other A/V is installed on Windows 8, MSE will basically downgrade itself to Defender (like in Windows 7)  So, from my understanding, it is still there, at the Defender level, and should be disabled, just like we do on XP / Vista / Win7. During my entire career (40 years), I have seen 1 time, where Defender actually blocked a malware sample! I have asked this question to 500 different people, and only 1 other Engineer had the exact same experience (only 1) All the rest have never seen it do anything at all!
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Offline CraigB

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Re: Does anyone else have huge performance issues with Avast?
« Reply #7 on: May 24, 2013, 06:44:55 PM »
I'm also running windows 7 and have no performance issues with Avast.  I also have Windows Defender, and Windows Firewall running.

The next time your computer slows down, right click on the taskbar and open Task Manager.  Go to processes and see which process has the most CPU usage.
The OP is using Windows 8 and defender on Win8 ( full Anti-virus ) is different to Defender ( Anti-spyware ) in Win7, checking processes is a good thing to look into though.

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Re: Does anyone else have huge performance issues with Avast?
« Reply #8 on: May 24, 2013, 06:47:48 PM »
OK, Windows Defender was a terrible name for Microsoft Security Essentials on Windows 8, but for the purposes of this discussion, we shall call it what it is.

When any other A/V is installed on Windows 8, MSE will basically downgrade itself to Defender (like in Windows 7)  So, from my understanding, it is still there, at the Defender level, and should be disabled, just like we do on XP / Vista / Win7. During my entire career (40 years), I have seen 1 time, where Defender actually blocked a malware sample! I have asked this question to 500 different people, and only 1 other Engineer had the exact same experience (only 1) All the rest have never seen it do anything at all!
No Defender is disabled completely when any third party AV is installed on Win8.

Johnny4745

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Re: Does anyone else have huge performance issues with Avast?
« Reply #9 on: May 24, 2013, 07:34:05 PM »
OK, Windows Defender was a terrible name for Microsoft Security Essentials on Windows 8, but for the purposes of this discussion, we shall call it what it is.

When any other A/V is installed on Windows 8, MSE will basically downgrade itself to Defender (like in Windows 7)  So, from my understanding, it is still there, at the Defender level, and should be disabled, just like we do on XP / Vista / Win7. During my entire career (40 years), I have seen 1 time, where Defender actually blocked a malware sample! I have asked this question to 500 different people, and only 1 other Engineer had the exact same experience (only 1) All the rest have never seen it do anything at all!
No Defender is disabled completely when any third party AV is installed on Win8.

You are right.  I checked under services, and it is stopped, and I can't start it.  Avast has it blocked.

All this time, I thought it was running.  I have done scans in Windows Defender, that part must not matter.

Offline CraigB

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Re: Does anyone else have huge performance issues with Avast?
« Reply #10 on: May 24, 2013, 08:11:48 PM »
You are right.  I checked under services, and it is stopped, and I can't start it.  Avast has it blocked.

All this time, I thought it was running.  I have done scans in Windows Defender, that part must not matter.
You have totally missed the point, I'm discussing Win8 here as that is what the OP has installed, you have Win7 Defender and that is completely different to the Windows Defender installed on Windows 8.

Your Defender is probably turned off because it was disabled manually through services as it is not needed, avast does not automatically disable Defender on Win7.
« Last Edit: May 24, 2013, 08:14:57 PM by craigb »

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Re: Does anyone else have huge performance issues with Avast?
« Reply #11 on: May 24, 2013, 08:18:24 PM »
We will test on a current version, but our initial load on day of release, Windows 8 still had Defender components memory resident, and had to be manually disabled!

"I don't like hearing that the Action Center doesn't report that Defender is off. In MS's "wisdom", they refuse to show the Defender status icon in the tray. Now they won't alert you if you have no AV. Great!!"
 
 
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Offline CraigB

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Re: Does anyone else have huge performance issues with Avast?
« Reply #12 on: May 24, 2013, 08:25:32 PM »
We will test on a current version, but our initial load on day of release, Windows 8 still had Defender components memory resident, and had to be manually disabled!
I don't have to setup a test, as you can see from my signature I'm using Win8 so I know for a fact that Defender is Disabled automatically once your install third party AV's.

See pic, avast and all other AV's I've tested set Defender to stopped on Win8

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Re: Does anyone else have huge performance issues with Avast?
« Reply #13 on: May 24, 2013, 08:31:25 PM »
We will test on a current version, but our initial load on day of release, Windows 8 still had Defender components memory resident, and had to be manually disabled!
I don't have to setup a test, as you can see from my signature I'm using Win8 so I know for a fact that Defender is Disabled automatically once your install third party AV's.

See pic, avast and all other AV's I've tested set Defender to stopped on Win8

@Craigb
That is/has been my experience as well. ;) :)

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Re: Does anyone else have huge performance issues with Avast?
« Reply #14 on: May 24, 2013, 08:39:39 PM »
This is similar to what we experienced.  Other statements acknowledged that SOME AV products do NOT disable Defender, while other statements say that it is inconsistent with the same AV on different Windows 8 systems. That inconsistency actually indicates Windows 8 is still buggy (no service pack yet) and for this reason most businesses will NOT use Windows 8.

"A couple of weeks ago, I saw a thread where someone stated that if a third party AV was installed in W8 it automatically disabled Defender.
Imagine my surprise this morning when, on my PC with Avast, Defender popped up saying it had identified a problem (Hackfile or somesuch) and was cleaning it."

Read more: http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/forums/1/tech-helproom/4214708/windows-defender-v-avast-in-windows-8--hmmm/#ixzz2UEgaQBRK

"How to completely remove windows defender on windows 8 machines
It really problem and direct prohibition does not help here. You can to disable it, turn off and also disable this service at all, but every time You start Windows You'll get the notification, that Windows Defender is turned off and can't protect Your system.
If you want to install another anti-virus program, I recommend you do so:
Open your Windows Defender, then open the "Settings" and uncheck box before "Turn on Real-Time Protection ..." and then "Save changes" . Then go to the "Administrator" and remove the label before "Turn on Windows Defender" and again the "Save changes".
Now close Windows Defender completely. Suggested: open the "Task Manager" => MSASCui.exe => right click on it => "End Process Tree" , on a pop-up window click "End Process Tree"

Now start Windows in safe mode,
To do this, open the "Configure System" (C:\Windows\System32\msconfig.exe) and select "Boot" => "Safe Boot" => Minimal => 'Apply' => 'OK' => Select Restart now . (back : just the opposite of the same act - you choose the "General" => "Normal Startup" => "Apply" => "OK" and restart ...)
NB! (If your Windows is located elsewhere than on disk C:\, then replace this letter).
Now go to the "C:\Program Files" folder and rename the folder "Windows Defender", such as "Old Windows Defender" or whatever you like.
You need to have administrator rights, and you may need to disable the Windows protection, if You can't rename this folder.
Usually, however, it is not necessary to prohibit any more, because it has already been banned.
If it is neede, then after the PC has rebooted in Safe mode open a new Command Prompt as Administrator and type net stop sppsvc to stop the Software Protection Platform service (sometimes you can get a message that it's already stopped and not running)
(Winkey + R => type there "cmd" or "cmd.exe" (without the quotes) and "OK" )
Now you are completely ignored/turned off the "Windows Defender" , but it may be restored at any time. There no more pop-up messages that speaks about "Windows Defender can't .." and you can safely install the antivirus program of your choosing.
This solution works on one my computer with Bitdefender Windows 8 Security.
I suggest making a restore point before, though it hardly needed. And do not forget - all the commands without the quotes.

Add: Over some time, Windows may solve this problem itself, and you may have no more problem with Windows 8 Defender and with another anti-virus program, what is used/added by user (by You), but it is the case today. (And it is not just mine problem, this is a common problem. Many asking today, how to use some other antivirus without problems and conflicts with Windows Defender in W8. These are lucky people, who can't discover these problems, it does not mean, that these don't exist.)
Sorry, if I'm disturbed by anyone once again, who do not have this problem. Trying to learn something more and do not write anything more style "how to do", if it is so disturbing and irritating.'

http://forum.raymond.cc/tutorials/34406-how-to-get-rid-of-windows-defender-windows-8-a.html
Sincerely,
 
J.R. "AutoSandbox Guy" Guthrie

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