Broadband connection lost following Avast installation

[JEL]

I have used Avast for a couple of years, and recommended it to my mum.

She uses similar software, so I thought it would be no problem.

However, when it's been installed collecting and sending email and browsing the web fail. Avast cannot update.

Please do not ask if the firewall is interfering, as I have set it to "rules wizard" (Outpost v 2 x), so that the firewall

will ask if anything needs permission to access the net. Additionally, Outposts logs clearly show that the updater has been

authorised access to the web (I entered this into outposts manual interface, just to be sure). As far as Outpost is

concerned everything is hunky dory.

Also note that I have disabled *all* Avast's mail scanning (the firewall takes care of unwanted executables etcetera).

Finally, for the purposes of testing, I disabled web scanning.

Thus I reduced Avast's capabilities to the bare minimum, and it still interrupts connections. Uninstalling and then

reinstalling has no effect. I have tried this three times now, and have tinkered with everything that I can.

I have checked for Spyware using: AdAware, SpybotS&D, Microsoft's adaptation of the Giant programme, Yahoo's programme;

additionally she has Spyware Blaster and Spyware guard.

Disabling the above has no effect.

She does not use a proxy of any sort.

If anyone can advise I'd be grateful, or she'll just go out and buy one, and remain cynical about Avast. I don't want the

latter.

FWIW below is the log from Turnpike (her email client), which is interesting. Dialling up (ADSL) using the connectoid

supplied by BT Internet makes no difference to the problem at all, so it is not her email client.

... trying to connect
Connection failed -
 -- Winsock ERROR : Connection timed out

Thu, 20 Oct 2005 18:04:10 Failed to connect to POP3 server mail.btinternet.com:
[translating host name to IP address]
Host IP address = 217.12.12.124
... trying to connect
Connection failed -
 -- Winsock ERROR : Connection timed out

Thu, 20 Oct 2005 18:04:10 Collecting mail from POP3 server mail.btinternet.com
Thu, 20 Oct 2005 18:04:10 Collecting mail from POP3 server mail.btinternet.com
Thu, 20 Oct 2005 18:04:31 Failed to connect to POP3 server mail.btinternet.com:
[translating host name to IP address]
Host IP address = 217.12.12.124
... trying to connect
Connection failed -
 -- Winsock ERROR : Connection timed out

(Snip of repeats)

[Lisandro]

Please do not ask if the firewall is interfering, as I have set it to "rules wizard" (Outpost v 2 x), so that the firewall will ask if anything needs permission to access the net. Additionally, Outposts logs clearly show that the updater has been authorised access to the web (I entered this into outposts manual interface, just to be sure).

Look, we just ask because the firewall block is due to 99% of connection problems.
Did you disable it to test? Rather than other programs.

Connection failed -
 -- Winsock ERROR : Connection timed out

Two possibilities come to my mind.
Windows system files corruption (winsock). There are tools for repair in the web.
Increase timeouts on both the email program and avast Internet Mail provider settings.