Avast slowing down PC a lot

[Satsuko]

Hey,

avast suddenly started slowing down my computer. :/
Whenever I start a program it scans thousands of files (.dlls and everything probably used by that program while starting) and my computer usage goes up to 100% which means I can't do anything else while waiting for a simple program to start. Program starts take very long now, too.
I don't know if it scanned all those files before when starting a program or refreshing the desktop or anything, I just noticed it as my pc started to slow down a lot.

There have been no changes on my computer as far as I know - no new stuff installed or else.
I use Windows XP with SP2 and avast! 4.6 Home Edition.

Any help?

[DavidR]

What is your Standard Shield sensitivity, Normal is the default and that gives the best compromise between performance and protection. If you increase that more files will be scanned.

What is your firewall ?

I assume you would see something similar on boot, do you have any other security programs running on boot, e.g. anti-spyware, etc. ?

Somehow or other I doubt it scans thousands of files when you start a program, can you give examples of the Scanned Count: before and after launching a program ?
What program is it that you launch that would have this kind of file access activity that would require avast to scan the file/s ?

[Satsuko]

Everything is on Normal.

I'm using Zone Alarm 6.1.737 and nothing else, only AdAware and SpyBot which I have to start manually. Nothing else should run on boot but Zone Alarm and avast!.

I don't know how many files exactly are scanned but I think it's a lot. As far as I know it scans only while starting a program like I start Firefox or Outlook Express and it scans files before I see the program and when Firefox is running it doesn't scan anything anymore? Concerning Outlook Express it scans the incoming mails which is perfectly fine and which doesn't slow down the pc.

It scans the files whenever I start any program, be it Firefox, Outlook Express, Trillian, Winamp or any other program.
I start Trillian and it scans trillian.exe, files located at c:\windows\system32, quicktime files, .dlls like vfwwdm32.dll and even the trillian.ink located on the desktop ... I think it were 10 to 20 files. :/

Like I said it happens with all programs and everything I do .. but I think it didn't a week before? I never noticed my pc being so much slowed down by avast!. I don't know what happened and like I said I don't think I changed anything. :/

[Lisandro]

What is your Standard Shield sensitivity, Normal is the default and that gives the best compromise between performance and protection. If you increase that more files will be scanned.

Can you answer David's question?

Edit: sorry, I see the first line now 
Any other change in the default avast settings?

[DavidR]

When I start firefox I thing avast scans about 20+ files, there are a lot of files being opened by firefox on start, extensions, user.js, profile info, etc.

For me even on boot the total files scanned is between 250 and 300, so I can't see where all this activity is coming from simply by opening a program.

As I have said avast only scan files that are accessed it doesn't just launch into scanning files. Perhaps if you monitor the start and end Scanned Count: as I mentioned to get a better idea of numbers and enable 'Show detailed info on performed action' that will show what file are being scanned. This may give a clue as to why they are being scanned if you see anything that may give an indication of what is causing it.

[CharleyO]

***

Welcome to the forums, Satsuko.   

What Icons are in the Taskbar after start-up is completed?


***

[dSwift]

Hey,

avast suddenly started slowing down my computer. :/
Whenever I start a program it scans thousands of files (.dlls and everything probably used by that program while starting) and my computer usage goes up to 100% which means I can't do anything else while waiting for a simple program to start. Program starts take very long now, too.
I don't know if it scanned all those files before when starting a program or refreshing the desktop or anything, I just noticed it as my pc started to slow down a lot.

There have been no changes on my computer as far as I know - no new stuff installed or else.
I use Windows XP with SP2 and avast! 4.6 Home Edition.

Any help?

I too have been experiencing this slow-down.  I recall it occurring after upgrading from 4.6.744 to 4.6.763, nut cannot say for certain as I've been putting up with this for a while and just recently started investigating.  I have since uninstalled and reinstalled several times trying to ensure clean environment, but still I get slow-down with most program starts.  It seems to be intermittent, however.  In some cases opening an app is slow, close and re-open and it opens fine, but the close and re-open some time later and it's slow again - the slowness affects entire machine as stated in original post.

1.4 ghz, 768 mb, XP SP2, XP Firewall on, MS Antispyware (yes, I've tried shutting MS Antispy to no affect on PC performance).

Any suggestions?

[SherriBabee]

Hi Folks,

I've have to agree with the poster as well... I've noticed the slowdown only since I updated to v4.6.763 ..
I can't do anything else when it's updating as it seems to freeze my system.  When downloading Thunderbird email, all applications are frozen until it's done scanning.  I've been running with Avast for over a year now, and this last update is the one i've noticed the big difference.

Avast normal mode: Standard Shield, *NetworkShield, Instant Messaging
Avast custom mode:  Internet Mail, P2P Shield
Avast disabled:  WebShield, , Outlook/Exchange
 

My System:
IBM 2153E3U, AMD K6-2, 350 MHz, 40gig, 256mb;
WinXP-Pro SP2, MSN-9 dialup, U.S.Robotics Modem (5660A-BP), TCP Optimizer v2.03,
Firefox v1.5.0.1, Thunderbird v1.5, IE 6.0.2900.2180 (Windows updates only);
SPF v5.5.2710, Avast v4.6.763, SpyBot-S&D (No Teatimer), Ad-Aware SE,
SpywareBlaster, CCleaner, RegCleaner, Webroot SpySweeper (not run resident, scans only),
A-Squared Free, Windows Worms Doors Cleaner

Love the service tho and wont switch, maybe just go back to previous version..

Rgds
Sherri

*Modified after reading up on this Forum 

[alanrf]

SherriBabee,

I have no problems with downloading megabytes of Thunderbird email with the current versions of avast & Thunderbird - my system (which is now over 5 years old) doesn't miss a beat. 

Thunderbird is very inefficient in the way it manages mail folders. I think you might find that downloading your Thunderbird mail will be a lot faster if you:

1) Empty the trash mail folders.

-then-
 
2) Compact all of your mail folders (and set the option to compact regularly to save space).   
 
By the way are you having avast scan the mail you download with the Webmail extensions?

[SherriBabee]

Hi Alanrf

Yes, using Webmail extensions, but I only have 1 email currently installed in TBird at the moment, having problems with  sending mail.. Nothing to do with Avast tho...

The slowdown tho was prior to installing TBird tho...
As far as the TBird, thats just an error on my part or Corrupt profile...

Are you thinking that the extension(s) are the problem, this 1 in particular for getting/sending email?
(I do keep a rather tidy empty box lol ... Only cause I got just the 1 acct going currently, and have the Compact Folders setting on the default, 100 kbs I believe)

Oh and I don't run anything else on startup besides Avast and Sygate either

Rgds,
Sherri

[alanrf]

SherriBabee,

sorry the question about the Webmail extensions was by the way and I am certainly not suggesting that is part of the slowdown (we can take having that mail scanned by avast offline).

The most important issue to get across to you is the absolutely essential role of emptying trash folders and compacting other mail folders to avoid excessive scanning overhead by antivirus solutions (including avast).

Really this has nothing to do with scanning the email - it is an issue for avoiding overhead in the Standard Shield when the mail folders are being updated.

[SherriBabee]

Alanrf

Naaaa, no problem.... Like I said, maybe it's my profile is corrupt.. But I did notice when it updates when I first signin it was harder on resources.. Thats the main thing I noticed from the start when the I updated the version to 4.6.763

Tks Sweetie, 
Rgds
Sherri

[Satsuko]

Well, by only starting and opening Firefox it already scans 692 files which takes a long time.
My pc freezes, too, when starting Outlook Express and downloading mail.
I'm also using version 4.6.763 - maybe that's the problem?

After start-up there are 2 icons of avast in the taskbar.

I've also noticed that my pc takes a very long time to start now, I see the "Windows XP" screen for like 5 minutes and then a black screen for a minute and then finally the log in screen. After clicking on the username it takes a while to complete the start, too, and sometimes it freezes after clicking on the log-in username.

[Lisandro]

I see the "Windows XP" screen for like 5 minutes and then a black screen for a minute and then finally the log in screen. After clicking on the username it takes a while to complete the start, too, and sometimes it freezes after clicking on the log-in username.

For me, it seems:
1. Hardware incompatibility or drivers missing. Can you check into Control Panel > System > Hardware, if any device is being deactivated?
2. Antivirus & Firewall & other low level program interaction or incompatibility. I need more info about your programs and system to help 

[Satsuko]

There is nothing deactivated in Hardware, seems like everything is working normal.

I had Norton on my pc before but it should be deinstalled now, though I have no idea if there are still parts of Norton somewhere on my computer..
Concerning antivirus and firewall I only use avast! and Zone Alarm. Other stuff started on booting: Windows Audio and other Microsoft stuff, some Symantec Network Driver Service (at least msconfig says so - this is something concerning Norton, right? :/).
Seems like there are a lot of other useless programs started - I'll deactivate some now and try to restart and see if my pc still starts or if it won't... though I doubt this'll change anything.
(edit: ok, no major changes.. still takes a long time to start and avast slows/freezes the pc)

Is there a program or something to list all processes that are started on booting?