Avast 2015 freezing my PC while using web browser..!!

[REDACTED]

Same issue here...installed update 2015, freezing while online (Chrome & Firefox). Restore to before update=computer is fine. I have k9 and want to keep it.

[CraigB]

Same issue here...installed update 2015, freezing while online (Chrome & Firefox). Restore to before update=computer is fine. I have k9 and want to keep it.

No need to mention it twice, you already started a topic about it and received a reply https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=163237.0

[REDACTED]

how about avast and k9 should merge it will be a great product without conflicting they're both important & free

[REDACTED]

I am also having this problem with a newly purchased PC. I am running Avast! on my desktop computer (running Windows 7 Pro 64 bit) and I have had no problems with blue screens or freezing.

However, my laptop (brand new, running Windows 8.1) is freezing (mouse cursor stops working and everything else freezes on screen) every time a browser is opened, and I am also getting a bksd.sys BSOD (blue screen of death) crash every 10 minutes or so.

If I disable Avast! Web shield, however, these problems go away.

Before the latest Avast! update, I did not have these problems.

I am hoping that Avast takes care of this, and soon. I will be watching this thread to see if and when an update is posted that resolves this issue.

[REDACTED]

Just in case this works: I found this post from K9 Web Protection's facebook page and I will be trying it out.
I will report back if it works for me:

It appears that an update to Avast Antivirus is causing a conflict with K9. If you have Avast and K9 installed, and are having problems connecting to the Internet, please try the following steps:
1. Go to the Avast Console.
2. Click on [Real-Time Shields].
3. Next Click on [Web Shield].
4. Click on [Expert Settings] and then [Exclusions].
5. Next add "k9filter.exe" (without the quotation marks) to the "Processes to Exclude" list.
6. Click [OK]
You may need to wait a minute for the setting to take effect, but it should resolve your issue. If you have some other antivirus installed, or are having other issues with K9, please contact our support team at http://www1.k9webprotection.com/support/contact - and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.

[REDACTED]

Unfortunately this fix does not work as of the latest version (1/23/2015)

[DavidR]

Unfortunately this fix does not work as of the latest version (1/23/2015)

Having read your previous post on a possible fix, item 5:

Next add "k9filter.exe" (without the quotation marks) to the "Processes to Exclude" list.

If you have only entered the executable name ?
I think that you may need to enter the full path and executable name or use the wildcard *.k9filter.exe in the Processes to exclude.

I don't use K9 so I can't check the above or speak from personal experience.
If that doesn't work, I don't know if there are any other executables involved in the filtering (?), which may need to be added.

Something else to try in the avast settings:
AvastUI > Settings > Active Protection > Web Shield > Customise > Main Settings - try checking the 'Scan traffic from well-known browser processes only' option.

[REDACTED]

David - I did make sure that the k9filter.exe was the full directory from my Program Files folder.

I will try your suggestion and report back regarding the web filter settings. I have already tried a few things in that regard, but none have worked thus far.

[REDACTED]

Still crashing even with the suggested changes.

I really hope Avast! fixes this problem soon.

[DavidR]

Sorry they were the only other things that I could think could possibly have an interaction.

I have to say I'm somewhat surprised now you mention K9 crashing - a conflict between the two, I'd have thought would result in no web pages displayed.

[REDACTED]

It is more the way they work as I believe K9 also uses a proxy of sorts.

The web shield also uses proxy/redirection, but as you know its primary function is malware protection - this is what I consider a greater threat.

There are other options to K9 - You can use a DNS server option such as https://www.opendns.com/ this you can use the dashboard function to set up for use as parental control - limiting the types of site that can be viewed.

I wanted to reshow this post.........OpenDNS is terrific alternative.
I'm not saying Avast should not fix the issue with K9, nor should exclusions not work, BUT.....as you layer software A/V-Malware-Firewall-etc on your systems you are increasing the complexity of them working and also the conflict potential goes up.  I won't go down the path of what the best combo is.....my signature has mine, but to this topic using OpenDNS is in the cloud and you can uninstall K9.  Simply put, you change your DNS address in your router (not PC) to point to OpenDNS and they see your IP address come across and apply your account settings......as stated you can setup which sites, categories, etc......very simple. You can use it free or $19/year (more configs but free covers alot) and this covers your whole family/home since at router/cloud level.

[cdaragorn1]

OpenDNS is certainly a useful tool. I use it together with k9 on every computer in my home.  It is not an alternative to k9, though. It doesn't do anywhere near as good a job as k9 does. It's also a lot easier to route around than k9 is.

Using more than one service that monitors low level network traffic can certainly cause some odd behavior, particularly slowing things down with 2 different processes asking to have a look at each packet every time. Freezing up the entire computer, however, is not something that should ever happen no matter how many antivirus/antimalware/parental control programs you have running.

Avast has already said that they know what is causing the problem in their software. I wish they would put out the promised update to fix it soon, but I understand that those of us using k9 are a small audience compared to all Avast users.

I've just decided to turn off Avast's web shield for now. For the most part, OpenDNS and k9 both block sites that like to shove malware on your computer, so I don't consider that a huge need from Avast. That's not to say I don't want to be able to turn this back on, just that it's not as big a need as it sounds once you know that k9 helps in that area as well.

[bob3160]

Sorry but the Webshield is probably the most important shield in Avast.
Turning it off leaves you vulnerable while on the internet since you've in essence disable the part that monitors online traffic.
As David said, your machine, your choice. Certainly not one I'd ever make.

[REDACTED]

I finally gave up and uninstalled the Avast, I got tired of it constantly freezing my computer. It was even blocking some of the web sites I used a lot. I put it on my new laptop and it froze it too. I switched to AVG and haven't had a single problem and now have complete access to all my websites with no freezing. I used to love Avast, it's too bad they made a mess of it. Oh, I didn't have K9 so it's not just people that use that that's having a problem.

[bob3160]

I finally gave up and uninstalled the Avast, I got tired of it constantly freezing my computer. It was even blocking some of the web sites I used a lot. I put it on my new laptop and it froze it too. I switched to AVG and haven't had a single problem and now have complete access to all my websites with no freezing. I used to love Avast, it's too bad they made a mess of it. Oh, I didn't have K9 so it's not just people that use that that's having a problem.

Since this is your first post, you never had your problem analyzed.
It's not the same problem and without knowing more about the problem,
it can't be solved.
Your computer, your choice. Certainly not mine.