Firefox Extension issue: Maple and Avast! conflict?

[Will It Work]

Hey everyone.  I've been using Avast! for a few weeks now and I love it, but there are a few issues that are becoming increasing issues.

The most important of which is Firefox.  Reading the previously posted topics, there seems to be some concern regarding it's use, after all, FF is techincally still in beta form.  However, it's pretty stable, and I have duplicated this issue many times.

I am using FF 1.0.4 on a WinXP box with a P4 1.5 with 256 megs of memory (yes, I know that's low).  I am using Avast! Home 4.6.665 with database 0522-5.

There is an extension called "Maple" which allows a user to acces an online database of bookmarks from various computers.  The way it works is it loads a file, maple.xul, which interfaces with the web content.  For those familiar with FF hacking, XUL is the foundation to making mozilla tools run.

When I completely disable Avast!, Maple loads perfectly well and happy.  However, when it is running, it takes anywhere from 20 minutes to 3 hours to load, if at all (often the program hangs).  I think that maybe the web scanner is identifying this as viruslike actiity, and stopping the connection, however, I have excluded the maple.xul file from scanning in both the web and standard scanners.

Is there something that can be done or am I missing something? I need this extension to work, I use it in four different locations, and may have to uninstall
Avast! if I cannot resolve this issue. *sob*

Any input is appreciated.

[alanrf]

I have been using Avast for rather longer and Firefox even longer than that. I have not (before today) been able to detect any problem using Firefox with Avast.

I am not an extensive user of extensions in Firefox (I think the update model of Firefox vis-a-vis extensions is broken as designed - but we won't go there in an Avast forum).

However, in response to your post I just downloaded and installed the Maple extension.  I can confirm that, for me, the problem exists just as described by you.  When the port 80 intercept of Avast is active the Maple extension "hangs".  When the port 80 intercept of Avast is terminated the Maple extension responds immediately.

I do not believe that it is possible to exclude Firefox extensions with Avast.  The executing process in all cases is (to the best of my knowledge) still firefox.exe.  You could exclude firefox.exe but that is just about the same as terminating the Webshield if Firefox is your default browser.

No doubt the Avast team can shed more light on this. 

[Lisandro]

I am not an extensive user of extensions in Firefox (I think the update model of Firefox vis-a-vis extensions is broken as designed - but we won't go there in an Avast forum).

I fully agree... Extensions could be the problem and we can't 'debugg' so easy which one is crashing...  :'(

[Vlk]

I'll try to simulate this in the lab and will let you know.
I'd say we have sufficient "hooks" in the VPS that will allow us to resolve this issue even without a programmatic update (just a routine virus DB update).

Thanks for reporting this. Will keep ya updated.
Vlk

[Vlk]

OK, the problem should now be fixed. Can you please confirm that?

Thanks
Vlk

[Will It Work]

Yup, it works!  Happiness and rejoicing abound.

What seemed to be the issue?