Avast Web Shield blocking most traffic

[REDACTED]

Hey

Long time Avast user here, been using Avast for over a decade now without much problems. Since building up my new PC today (Windows 8.1) and installing Avast as the first thing I've noticed something quite problematic with it. Avast Web Shield seems to be blocking so much of my internet traffic that browsing the net is a complete pain; images don't load proper, can't download any files without transfer error, even sites may not load before tapping F5 a few times. Disabling Web Shield instantly removes all and any problems, so it's obviously because of it. I can reproduce the issue as many times I want by enabling then disabling the shield, always instantly breaks/fixes everything. Happens on all browsers, and even on other applications - such as Steam - anything that moves traffic.

Mmh, quite hilarious that I am unable to even update Avast virus definitions while Web Shield is activated Same thing as with other programs, download starts only to get stuck then or at 99%.

Tried reinstalling a few times, doing a clean install etc but alas to no avail.

It's such a glaring problem that I'm forced to look elsewhere unless I can find a fix soon, but decided that since I've been using Avast for so long it'd be worth a shot to write about this on the forums. Maybe, just maybe, someone has some ideas. 

[Eddy]

Welcome to this webboard mudjeh.

Have you installed all drivers for your system prior to installing avast?
Have you booted several time after installing avast?
Please check if Windows defender is disabled.
Disable the windows firewall and see if it makes a difference.
What exact version of avast do you have?

[REDACTED]

Welcome to this webboard mudjeh.

Have you installed all drivers for your system prior to installing avast?
Have you booted several time after installing avast?
Please check if Windows defender is disabled.
Disable the windows firewall and see if it makes a difference.
What exact version of avast do you have?

Thanks for your reply.

Yeah, I've booted several times, no help. Windows defender is disabled. I tried turning off firewall, problem persists eitherway. I was using 9.0.2021, and now tried 2015 RC1 - both generate the same issue. It's like it's letting data through occasionally and then the next second not, since websites work after a few refreshes etc. Images can load up looking messed up, since the data is not going through proper.

I tried customising Web Shield and turned off everything there is that can be turned off, adding browsers and addresses to exclusions - yet, the problem persists. Only when I completely disable Web Shield part of Avast does the problem instantly go away. I'm really at a loss here, I can't figure out what could possibly be causing such issues. Obviously there is something terribly wrong somewhere, since it's even blocking its own traffic, but I can't figure out what could be wrong.

[essexboy]

Definitely sounds like a firewall problem not allowing avast through, are you using the windows firewall ?

[REDACTED]

Definitely sounds like a firewall problem not allowing avast through, are you using the windows firewall ?

Yeah, I thought the same. I am using Windows Firewall, tried manually adding Avast to make sure it's letting it through - didn't help. Turned off Windows Firewall - didn't help. As the latest resort I started a 30 day trial on Avast Firewall while keeping Windows Firewall off - didn't help. Amazing.  Never had this problem before jumping to my new computer and Windows 8.1 yesterday, so it's definitely some new conflict here somewhere, but I am running out of places to look. Tried connecting to the internet without router as well, didn't help.

[Pondus]

see instructions here  https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=53253.0
scroll down to Farbar Recovery Scan Tool .... follow instructions and attach the two diagnostic logs in your next reply here

[essexboy]

We could run a command to reset the firewall to default to see if that helps

[REDACTED]

see instructions here  https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=53253.0
scroll down to Farbar Recovery Scan Tool .... follow instructions and attach the two diagnostic logs in your next reply here

Here you go.

http://www.elisanet.fi/mmmu/FRST.txt
http://www.elisanet.fi/mmmu/Addition.txt

[essexboy]

A little bit of adware in chrome, I will reset the winsock and firewall to see if that cures it

CAUTION :  This fix is only valid for this specific machine, using it on another may break your computer

Open notepad and copy/paste the text in the quotebox below into it:
 

CHR HomePage: Default -> hxxp://www.trovi.com/?gd=&ctid=CT3321459&octid=EB_ORIGINAL_CTID&ISID=M84B55164-EE75-4571-A523-F80FB114698E&SearchSource=55&CUI=&UM=6&UP=SP30E30D65-0DF0-4365-829E-D3D9DF7AB04B&SSPV=
CHR StartupUrls: Default -> "hxxp://www.trovi.com/?gd=&ctid=CT3321459&octid=EB_ORIGINAL_CTID&ISID=M84B55164-EE75-4571-A523-F80FB114698E&SearchSource=55&CUI=&UM=6&UP=SP30E30D65-0DF0-4365-829E-D3D9DF7AB04B&SSPV="
CMD: netsh advfirewall reset
CMD: netsh advfirewall set allprofiles state ON
CMD: ipconfig /flushdns
CMD: netsh winsock reset catalog
CMD: netsh int ip reset c:\resetlog.txt 
CMD: ipconfig /release
CMD: ipconfig /renew
EmptyTemp:
CMD: bitsadmin /reset /allusers

 
Save this as fixlist.txt, in the same location as FRST.exe
Run FRST and press Fix
On completion a log will be generated please post that

[REDACTED]

Thanks for all your help, but unfortunately it did nothing to fix the problem. I have no idea what's up with my Avast Web Shield  Absolutely mindboggling.
Well, atleast we got rid of the adware.

http://www.elisanet.fi/mmmu/Fixlog.txt

[essexboy]

Hmm baffling as the firewall is now reset to default and all IPs are flushed along with the DNS

As a thought could you go to task manager > start-up  and temporarily disable  Akamai NetSession Interface from starting
Reboot and see if the problem is still present

[REDACTED]

Thanks for all your help. As expected, no help. Uninstalled the whole Akamai Netsession, since I had no need for it anymore anyway. Well, I'm really out of options here, something is just bugged to eternity and back with my Web Shield. It smells like a conflict of some sort, but since Avast was one of the first programs I even installed, the probability of one is low --- add to that all the attempted fixes and it's looking like something is just bugged, I'm not sure. Such a shame, but maybe some future update will fix it.

[Eddy]

Have you installed all drivers for your system prior to installing avast?
Was this a fresh install of windows, a recovery or... ?

[REDACTED]

Have you installed all drivers for your system prior to installing avast?
Was this a fresh install of windows, a recovery or... ?

Yeah, drivers were installed - at least the vital ones. It's a completely new build and a completely fresh legit install of Windows 8.1 on it.

[Eddy]

Also the non-vital ones must be installed prior to installing avast.
I have seen it that only one driver was not (correctly) installed and it gave problems with avast.
I'm not saying this is the problem, but it can be.

- Disconnect from the Internet (pull out the cable)
- Install windows (format the drive)
- Install ALL drivers for your system
- Disable Windows Defender (avast should do that, but check if it really is disabled)
- Install avast
- Connect to the Internet
- Install all updates security/drivers (especially the security updates/service pack)
- Install the applications you are normally using
- Make settings/configurations changes is you want/need
- Create a image of that drive

That last one will safe you a lot of time in case you need to/want to reinstall windows again.