Script Shield and Firefox 25

[Sorzy]

My GOD Avast. I can't even open a thread on this forum or click to the next page unless or until I disable the web shields.

Does someone have a copy of version 8 saved somewhere they can post a link to? About to ask Avast for a refund since I just renewed a couple weeks ago. Because seriously, I can't take this anymore.

[Sorzy]

OKay. FWIW, this is what I just did/tried.

I can't seem to navigate and if it does, it seems to take forever. So, once again I disabled the avast shield controls for 10 minutes. Then, I turned each one on manually and then checked a website that I know takes forever to open if at all when all shields are on. Long story short, the website open fine and as it should until I turned on the last shield, web shield. It seems that's the one causing me all the problems.

And in case you're confused, I apologize. I just realized in previous posts I've been saying or referring to web shields for all of them when it seels there's only one true web shield. The others are, as I'm sure you're all aware, file system shield, mail shield, antispam and firewall. Having those 4 on the laptop seems to run properly and as it should and use to. But once I turn the web shield itself back on, that's when problems start. As I stated above.

So, admitting I'm just a user who learns on the go when problems arise, and who usually forgets what the hell I did when I something happened and I know it's happened before just long enough ago to where I can't remember what I did to fix it, and admitting I'm not a techno geek (no offense intended or meant), can I go to websites and surf the web, pretty much do whatever I would normally do if things within avast worked properly, with the web shield left off? I know, and I feel and believe I shouldn't have to do this just to get and be online, as it should work properly and I should get a properly working virus software, as I use to have, but I'm sick of dealing with this and if I can be online having web shields turned off without fear of something happening, I'll just do that until there's an update that fixes all the bugs version 9 seems to have for some.

[CraigB]

If you want an earlier version of avast then go to filehippo and get the version you want.

Have you tried just disabling the browser addon or is it just that the forum is responding slow, when we are removing spam sometimes the forum can become very sluggish.

[Sorzy]

Well, believe it or not, I seem to have resolved the issue myself. This is what I found and what I did.

As I've said and been saying, web shield seems to be and have been causing all the problems. So, I'd turned it off and have been able to navigate as normal. But having web shields as part of a virus program and not utilizing it seemed to defeat the purpose of having a virus program to protect my system when surfing the net. So, in short, this is what I did and found and changed.

Since web shields, as I said, seemed to be the problem, that's where I started. To make this as brief as possible... I opened Avast, I went into the settings section, then into the active protection section, then into the web shield settings. From there, I went into the exclusions section. And that was where I saw the problem. Or well, cause of my problem. The problem of why I was having issues with websites opening. Especially websites with images.

Because in the exclusions section, under the MIME types to exclude, it had, and excluded image/gif, image/png, audio/* and video/*. WHAT IT DID NOT HAVE, WHAT WAS NOT THERE, WHAT I DID NOT SEE AND THEN WHAT I ADDED WAS .... image/jpg, WHICH APPEARS TO HAVE FIXED MY PROBLEMS?ISSUES. But of course, after adding it, I rebooted yet again and wa-la, low and behold, I can navigate how I use to, as normal, without issue. Strangely, it even resolved the problems I had navigating this forum.

For me all that happened was Avast (program portion only that is) updated automatically, as it always has, (which I've now set to manual update, that is, the program portion only, so I can do a search to see if anyone is having issues with or after an update, and if so, what they are, before I update, to hopefully avoid having to deal with something like this again). Because it was after the update, on this case, to version 9 when I began having the problems, so, after doing a search for others having issues with and after the version 9 update. So I realized I wasn't alone and that others were having problems/issues  and being told to try and do a repair, which I did and which didn't help. Also from that same search I saw people were also being told to do a clean install. So I did that, rebooted and then reinstalled Avast, followed by yet another reboot. Again, only to have and end up with the same problems/issues.

I have no clue as to why, and don't ask me why image/jpg was not excluded. I just know excluding it or adding it to the MIME types to exclude, resolved and fixed the problems/issues I was having. I'm just glad it did. 

[Sorzy]

Hold that thought. As, websites with lots of images seem to still open pretty dame slow. Much slower then previously that's for damn sure. Looks like I'll still have to play around with it and if it keeps up, find, get and go back to the previous version?

Unless anyone else has any ideas? Can someone check the exclusions, MIME types, URL's (only one I have listed is avast), and any others listed and under in the settings for the web shield?

If it matters, this is the one URL listed...  http://api*.webrep.avast.com/*

[DavidR]

The reason the MIME image/jpg isn't in the exclusions by default, is that .jpg files can be infected, which is why they should be scanned.

However, if this were truly the issue then surely all avast users would be effected as .jpg files are scanned by default.

[Sorzy]

DavidR...All I know was adding image/jpg helped. That is, temporarily. As the laptop, HP Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit,, my bad, previously thought and said it was Ultimate,  which, is what I've been using as the guinea pig to resolve this, and sadly, for me anyhow, adding image/jpg doesn't seem to have helped as I thought and as at first, it did. And I've had to resort to disabling all 5 shields. Why? What's in or not or with or not with mine compared  to others?

I'm serious. websites with lots of thumbnails and images open slow as hell if at all. And adding image/jpg changed it. For a while anyhow. Now as I said, back to everything opening slow as hell if at all.

On a side note, is avast in cahoots with Google? As I notice they're offering it as an optional install and have been for some time. Wonder if those using it are having any problems? I mean, IE won't open or navigate properly for me nor will Mozilla. And I'm not about to install google chrome or anything else just to find out. Personally, I can't stand google. I think they're intrusive and would and do sell, and give your information to anyone who asks/asked. Unfortunately in and with some things, I can't get away from it. IE, my android phone. Unless of course I fork out a few hundred and go Apple. But then, in my book they're not much better. But I digress.

I'm at wits end here and just don't know what the hell to do to fix this. Just know it wasn't happening until the last program update. Just know I can't navigate the web as I once could.

[bob3160]

@Sorzy,
You are certainly entitled to your opinions.
Not a thing wrong with the Google's Chrome browser.
It gives away no more information that IE or Firefox.
When served with the proper papers, all of them have to comply.
I have no problems opening sites regardless of the browser used.
When is the last time you've cleaned out all of the browser clutter using the browsers tools or,
a program like Ccleaner

[Sorzy]

I clean the browser, as best your, as best a typical user can. I don't use cleaners because when crap like, removing this could harm your system or removing this could make other programs not work properly or whatever else, being just a user, I'm not confident enough to use them.

Again, all I know is up until the last avast program update, EVERYTHING WORKED FINE. Now, when it doesn't, I have to restart my laptop (as that's what I'm currently using and what I mainly use), just to get things to work as it once dud/use to. Then, and only then it only works or fixes it temporarily. If I close my browser, again, in this case Firefox 25.0.1, it doesn't navigate properly. Websites take longer then normal to open. And if they have a lot of pictures or thumbnails, they take forever and sometimes and more usually than not, don't open properly if at all. And I have to restart. I should not have to restart just to get things to work properly. And no, it;s not the laptop. Because if it was, I'd of had the problems I'm now having, all along. The problems I speak of only started happening after the update/upgrade (to Avast Internet 2014 version 9 I have to assume.

I don't know why I'm the only one having this issue. My luck I suppose. But why do I have to restart my, in this case, laptop is all else fails? And by all else, that means, when disabling all 5 shields doesn't work? And why do I have to disable all 5 shields? Why do doing that work? Which the fact that in and of itself works, says the problems or issues I'm having are within and due to AVAST!!!

As for Google/Google Chrome, Firefox, IE or Microsoft and all the rest, yes, when handed a subpoena, they must comply. Problem is, for me, Google is still intrusive. Why you think there are commercials about getting and being scroogled? Or rather, Don't get scroogled? Haven't seen don't be zilla'd.

Look, I know they're all intrusive. Some, to me, way more then others. My humble opinion, thanks to the constitution, I'm entitled to.