Content Encoding Error After Update

[Hectic4409]

After updating through the Avast program to the newest 2014.9.0.2011 on my Windows 7 laptop a little bit ago, I got the error that states "Content Encoding Error" in Firefox. When I tried IE9, the pages would not even load...or were very slow loading. I turned off the shields and both browsers worked perfectly fine. Turned the shields back on and the problem was there again. I uninstalled Avast by using the cleanup utility and reinstalled the new version from a download from the avast site, but again, the same thing happened. So I uninstalled it once again and went back to 2014.9.0.2008. It worked good and then I only updated the Virus Definitions......NOT the Program. So far there has been no issue with the old version after going back to it.

My son updated as well on his Windows 8 laptop and some of his websites were also VERY slow to load through Chrome as well as IE, if they loaded at all. He uninstalled and went back to the previous version he had and updated the Virus Definitions as well, and everything was back to normal.

Any ideas as to why this problem occurred?

[Staticguy]

Hello Hectic4409,

Before fixing any issues not related to avast. Check the following below:

1) Can you check for me which version of Firefox you are using? Are you using the latest version? The latest version is 26.0
2) I see you are using IE9. The latest version of IE is 11. Make sure you upgrade it.

Note: If you don't have the latest version for both Firefox and IE, I suggest you install the latest version and make sure your computer is fully updated via Windows Update.

As for your Avast issues, I see you have used the Uninstall Utility and it didn't work. There is also another Cleanup Tool for Avast that you can give it a try. Please do the following:

1) Uninstall avast via add/remove. At the end it will ask you to restart. Restart it.
2) Use this tool avast uninstall utility http://www.avast.com/en-nz/uninstall-utility. Run this tool in safe mode and follow the instructions.
3) Use this tool called Avast Cleanup Tool from here http://rejzor.wordpress.com/avast-cleanup-tool/. Scroll down that page a bit and you will see a download link called Avast Cleanup Tool.
Note: Run the Avast Cleanup Tool in normal mode, don't run it in safe mode. Run it in normal mode and after it has been done. Restart your computer manually.
4) Finally download and install a fresh copy of Avast. After installation is complete avast will do a startup scan. Once the startup scan has been completed. Restart your computer manually again. After restart, register your copy of avast.

[Hectic4409]

I am pretty sure the Firefox and IE versions are not the problem as I have the same versions on one of my desktops and there is no problem there. Also on my sons laptop, he has the newest version of Chrome as well as IE11. And he had the same problem. I have looked at some other threads on here where many others have mentioned the slowness of webpages loading (or other problems after updating), so it seems to be widespread. Just how much, I don't know. But they also said they went back to a previous.

With the previous version of Avast, since it is updating fine, I may just stick with it. The things I see in the new "Program" is things that I don't really need or would probably never use.

[Staticguy]

Hello Hectic4409

Sometimes having old version of program such as IE, firefox, and etc can have a significant/minor issue(s), best way to do that is to upgrade.

You do what you think it is best for you by sticking with the previous version of Avast. As many forum members like us and Avast team say that latest protection is the best way to tackle malwares. New program version has better/ new protection methods.

[jwoods301]

From Mozilla...

http://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/945251

[setomas]

I posted a similar ticket yesterday and tried some of the above posted remedies without any success.
I finally found that during the installation of the new Avast Internet Security my ZoneAlarm firewall had blocked some outward requests done by the Avast install program. I uninstalled both ZoneAlarm and Avast and made a new installation of Avast and then the problem was gone. I think the Avast installation program should have noticed if the downloading or installation was incomplete so I'm not sure the problem was because of ZoneAlarm but I think I will do without ZoneAlarm in the future..