Author Topic: avast!: Connection timeout (Read 24553 times)

JohnnyBob · « **on:** February 01, 2006, 07:24:54 AM »

avast!: Connection timeout
Internet connection timeout elapsed. Continue waiting?
Yes/No
--------------------
I keep getting that popup at odd intervals, for example starting maybe 45 minutes after going online. It doesn't matter whether I click Yes or No, it may come back every few minutes, then it may stop for an hour or more. Right now it's coming up every few minutes (maybe every 5 minutes, just a guess).

I have a dialup connection with the usual port 25 for SMTP. It's working OK for other things such as browsing the internet, email, ftp, NNTP, etc.

avast! version 4.6 Home Edition
Build Feb2006 (4.6.763)
Current version of virus database: 0605-2, 01/31/06
Update check scheduled every 4 hours
Database and Program both set for Automatic Updates

So it looks like I'm getting updated OK.

Why do I suspect my ZoneAlarm 6.1.737 firewall? Maybe that's a totally wrong hunch, but I'll suggest it for possible consideration anyway. I don't know why - just a Lone Ranger hunch...

How do I fix the anomalous 'timeout' popup?

JohnnyBob

JohnnyBob · « **Reply #1 on:** February 01, 2006, 07:43:26 AM »

I see where it's probably coming from.....

One of the POP3 email accounts that I'm polling automatically with Outlook Express every 20 minutes isn't connecting. Outlook Express also puts up a popup to let me know that POP account isn't connecting. Why does Avast bother to do so also?

I would like to get rid of that Avast! email timeout popup entirely, because it's superfluous and I don't need it. How?
JohnnyBob

..::ReVaN::.. · « **Reply #2 on:** February 01, 2006, 07:48:20 AM »

You left out the most important part and that is what program is causing this? You can see that in the timeout message eg. Internet connection timeout elapsed. Continue Waiting?(javaw.exe -> xxx.xxx.xxx:xx)

Also if you do a search on the forum with the keywords connection timeout you will find out that this problem is very common and has been answered many many times so you are likely to find a solution much faster with a forum search.

JohnnyBob · « **Reply #3 on:** February 01, 2006, 08:18:39 AM »

"Internet Connection Timeout" is very general wording and gave me no clue what was causing it. This has been happening for a fairily long time and I never figured it out nor had a clue. I thought it was probably the update scanner, trying to update the avast database or program. If it has said "Email Scanner Timeout" or something similar, then I would have known fairly quickly. So I would suggest that popup should be renamed to be more descriptive.

However, I finally got lucky and saw the Outlook Express popup shortly after the Avast! timeout popup. The cure is probably to set my Outlook Express timeouts to a little less than the avast! timeout, so the latter will never occur. I had my Outlook Express timeouts set for 2-3 minutes, while the avast timeout appears to be about 2 minutes. I've already tested that theory and it looks like the solution.

In a perfect world I would have searched the avast database, but I'm not always in an organized frame of mind. Also if it is a very common problem, as you say, then maybe it's time to change the title of that little email popup timeout notifier so people will know immediately what it is!

Thanks for your reply and help.
JohnnyBob

alanrf · « **Reply #4 on:** February 01, 2006, 08:27:01 AM »

I regret that you have not paid attention.

As you have been clearly advised ... avast does not give this timeout message without giving you the process name that was timed out, and either the IP address or URL name and port on which the connection timed out.

So, please avoid the rambling discourse and give us the exact details so that we may assist you further.

Peace also be with you.

JohnnyBob · « **Reply #5 on:** February 01, 2006, 08:45:33 AM »

Well, now you have lost me. I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about! Also it sounds like you only want to be abrasive, not help, but I'm really not in a mood to argue with you about it.

My prior notion of a possible fix by changing the timeout durations for email scans in Outlook Express did not fix the problem. The unwanted annoying timeout popup from avast continues.

It didn't happen before in the several years I've used avast, and nothing else has changed on my system to cause it. So I consider this to be a bona fide avast bug, sufficient to change antivirus software unless you fix it soon.

Johnny Bob

JohnnyBob · « **Reply #6 on:** February 01, 2006, 08:54:02 AM »

I think I understand your vague chatter, but you are wrong! You say that:

"As you have been clearly advised ... avast does not give this timeout message without giving you the process name that was timed out, and either the IP address or URL name and port on which the connection timed out."

However, it does NOT give any such information! Here is an exact picture of the popup...

So where is this mysterious extra information that you mention??
JohnnyBob

alanrf · « **Reply #7 on:** February 01, 2006, 09:09:55 AM »

You are preaching only to another avast user ... however abrasive ... but one who is willing to admit that you have confounded him with your snapshot. It is indeed the first time I have ever seen such a popup without the inclusion of further details.

OK ... having admitted myself covered with confusion ... will you go a step further to try to identify this issue?

It will probably be useful to create (for a while) a more detailed avast! log of your mail connections.

You can get the mailscanner to log your connections by editing the avast4.ini file (in Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\DATA folder).

In the section headed:

[MailScanner]

add the line:

Log=20

and save the updated file.

The log will be in Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\DATA\log\ashmaisv.log

If you are then willing to share the log ... please first obscure any personally identifiable information in it ... we shall have a better chance of understanding exactly what is causing the timeout you are encountering.

By the way ... just trying to "turn off" the warning may, as many others have found, be ignoring malware that has invaded your system.

JohnnyBob · « **Reply #8 on:** February 01, 2006, 10:05:22 AM »

Yes, I'll do as you suggest. Should I email the log somewhere? It's probably longer than would post here neatly.
JohnnyBob

alanrf · « **Reply #9 on:** February 01, 2006, 10:19:46 AM »

If it exceeds the limits allowed by the forum please advise, then I'm sure a member of the avast team will post further recommendations.

If forum limits allow (perhaps assisted by zipping the file) more of us will be able to try to assist.

alanrf · « **Reply #10 on:** February 01, 2006, 10:58:59 AM »

Additional questions.

Are you using any peer to peer connection such as azureus or utorrent?

Have you made any change to the default ports being monitored by the avast Internet Mail scanner?

Is your mail client permanently active ... if so can you please advise the client used?

Thanks.

vojtech · « **Reply #11 on:** February 01, 2006, 11:32:12 AM »

I just find out that the extra info (program and address) is by mistake not displayed if user disabled the mail icon (in Internet Mail/page Advanced). Is it your case ?

alanrf · « **Reply #12 on:** February 01, 2006, 11:36:35 AM »

vojtech,

it is good that you are several thousand kilometers from me ... ok ... just kidding ... really.

How soon will this "mistake" be fixed?

alanrf · « **Reply #13 on:** February 01, 2006, 11:50:32 AM »

JohnnyBob,

it seems possible that the lack of extra details may well be due to the "mistake" reported by vojtech and that you (as you thought) have identified a problem that the avast team needs to fix (and thereby thanks are due to you).

It may easier for you to delay taking action until the correction is available that could provide the extra process/address/port information that we are used to seeing in the popup you reported.

vojtech · « **Reply #14 on:** February 01, 2006, 03:02:33 PM »

It will be fixed in the next update. I don't think it's much serious and an easy workaround is to enable the icon.