Any Outlook users offer some advise please

[Walker]

Guy's... Vlk was going to enlighten in a past post, but I think he's forgotten.  

I'm not a normal Outlook user (have been a Pegasus fan for years), but I've recently started using Outlook.

Could any of you Outlook guy's tell me how Avast interacts with Outlook (I'm using 2002 not Express).

What I am finding strange is.... when I click 'Send and Recieve' in Outlook, the 'Progress' menu usually appears for a split second and then dissapears as though all of my mail operations have been completed successfully. But it is dissapearing too quickly to have really checked all (9) of my accounts!. The 'Send and Recieve' message in Outlooks lower right corner continues to indicate activity for a normal (longer than the progress window) amount of time.

Perhaps every third time I check for mail, the 'Progress Menu' stays open and runs through my accounts for a more realistic period of time.

I'm used to Pegasus running fairly sedately and indicating what it is doing. I'm also wondering if the answer to this has anything to do with Outlook sending the mail commands to Avast (local host 127.0.0.1) and the actions are being performed in memory, which is why the Progress menu dissapears so quickly.  

Can anyone please tell me how Outlook functions on your machine?.

Thanks for any info.

[Lisandro]

Perhaps every third time I check for mail, the 'Progress Menu' stays open and runs through my accounts for a more realistic period of time.

Try an eicar test, I mean, send an eicar test virus to yourself into Outlook and see if you get the message back  
I'm not surprised that avast! is fast but maybe you can see your configurations (sensibility, heuristics, and so on). Hope it helps  

[Walker]

Hi Technical,

Thanks for replying.

Sorry I might not have been clear in what I'm trying to say  

All I was trying to establish is how Outlook actually functions with Avast.

It's the speed at which the progress menu (box) pops up and then dissapears again. It's much too quick to have proccessed all my mail accounts unless it is being done in memory, which I assume could be because it's all being sent/recieved by Avast to 127.0.0.1 etc.

[bionic]

Cant offer much info or solution, but atleast ive got the same problem(only outlook xp).
I know for sure that when the progress is fast outlook doesnt check mail at all. My temp solution is exiting and restarting outlook, sometimes several times before it actually connects to the mail server. This started sometime after the 235 release.
Also It dont really go away when uninstalling.
Have tried different avs and firewalls to no avail.
What firewall do you use ?

[Walker]

Hi Bionic,

Thanks for the input. Sorry that you have the same problem, but it kind of help me to know that I'm not alone with it

At the moment I'm trying out Sygate Personal, but I've had this with other firewalls.

I think it is something to do with the interaction between Outlook and Avast.

Perhaps the Avast team will chime in, but lately I've noticed they pick and choose what questions to answer  

[Vlk]

1.

Guy's... Vlk was going to enlighten in a past post, but I think he's forgotten

Sorry, Vlk has been busy lately. Really...

2.

Perhaps the Avast team will chime in, but lately I've noticed they pick and choose what questions to answer

More precisely, I've chosen the questions that I could answer immediately, almost without thinking. Reason? See item 1. above

Anyways, now it's the weekend and I finally have some time to do some work, right?

OK Walker, let me explain the avast/Outlook interactions in more detail.

avast has it's own Outlook plug-in ("add-in" in MS parlance) that's being loaded into the Outlook process (Outlook.exe) and exposes some well-defined APIs for communication with Outlook. E.g., Outlook itself calls the plugin whenever a new mail is received to scan it. The point here is that it works transparently, with no extra config requirements. NO changes to pop/smtp servers! (No 127.0.0.1 trick - so if you've set up Outlook mail accounts to use 127.0.0.1, you simply have it wrong. The Mail Protection Wizard explicitly ignores Outlook accounts, of course.).

Now, back to your problems. I don't quite believe the problems are related to avast. I've tried searching the Usenet (via Google Groups) and found a couple of guys with the same problem - but unfortunately, no straightforward solution. Anyway, it should be quite easy to find out whether it's avast or not - just disable the avast add-in and see what happens. To do this, go to Outlook Tools menu -> Options -> Other -> Advanced Options -> Add-in Manager, and uncheck avast. Restart Outlook - this time, the avast plugin won't load at all. If it solves your troubles, then I have a problem; otherwise, you have a problem. Deal?

Take care,
Vlk

[bionic]

I have also come to the conclusion that avast is probably not to blame. Have tried most solutions (also yours vlk). Makes no difference.
Its not a big problem, just annoying.
Will have another go at it but the solution is probably just a clean os install

[Walker]

Sorry, Vlk has been busy lately. Really...

More precisely, I've chosen the questions that I could answer immediately, almost without thinking. Reason? See item 1. above

OK Walker, let me explain the avast/Outlook interactions in more detail.

Deal?

Hi Vlk,

I've guessed you've been busy, that's why I through the question open again.

Nope, I followed the plot last time you clarified my mistake directing Outlook through the local host. So no 127.0.0.1's in my Outlook pop/smtp configs.

Ok... you have a 'deal'... I'm off to check your suggestions. I can pre-guess that your gonna be right... clever clogs  

Let you know  

[Walker]

1. I have a problem; otherwise, you have a problem. Deal?

Take care,
Vlk

Ah... got ya  

I did what you suggested... took the 'add-in' out of Outlook and got the following message;.....

"Outlook is now running perfectly, since the disableing of the Avast Plug-in"

and now the 'progress window' stays visible for longer.

So, so, so Vlk  

[Walker]

No it didn't really  :'( :' it's the same with the add-in disabled  

Ok I concede... you got me  

Thanks Vlk  

Edit by Vlk: NICE TRY!  

[Vlk]

I personally hate Outlook. I don't really understand why but I am using it, though (version 2K3). I mean, it does have some neat features and I pretty much like its interface (and I use the calendaring/planning features) but otherwise I consider it an incredible mastodont, very unsuitable for running in the 'Internet Mail only' mode... Even Outlook Express performs much much better in this mode (but unfortunately it lacks the time-planning features...).

Vlk

[Vlk]

Hey Walker aren't some of your 9 accounts hosted on the same server? I've found someone with this problem, but his accounts are located on the same server (and this is what is causing the problems).

[Walker]

Hey Walker aren't some of your 9 accounts hosted on the same server? I've found someone with this problem, but his accounts are located on the same server (and this is what is causing the problems).

urrm not sure what you mean.... some accounts are straight forward isp others are on my website domain hosting provider... can't see how this would affect it... any more on that Vlk?

I'm getting close to giving you a karma for to-days work.... it's the 'smite' button isn't it ?  

[Vlk]

urrm not sure what you mean.... some accounts are straight forward isp others are on my website domain hosting provider... can't see how this would affect it... any more on that Vlk?

I was asking if at least two of the nine accounts are on the same server (provider, ISP...) - like two hotmail accounts etc.

I'm getting close to giving you a karma for to-days work.... it's the 'smite' button isn't it ?

I don't know -- so I tried that on your account


Vlk

[Walker]

Yep I have the 'domain' accounts and some accounts on with the same isp.

Do you know if this is just a problem to live with or why it happens?

back at ya.... were do you get all them karma's  ;