Ad Muncher

[greenhatch]

Does Ad Muncher clash with Avast,  I mean, are they compatible? The Webshield has not indicated any web activity since I installed Ad Muncher on a trial. If I deactivate Ad Muncher, the Webshield shows web activity as usual. Is there otherwise a way to configure Avast or Ad Muncher to allow the Webshield to work? Thanks.

[DavidR]

I would assume that AdMuncher uses some for of proxy to achieve the removal of ads, if so then avast wouldn't scan its proxy port, you would need to add its proxy so avast's web shield would scan it along with the normal port 80.

However, there are browsers that also deal with ads like firefox with its adblock extension, this doesn't use a proxy and web shield works fine with that.

[greenhatch]

I'd much rather use IE than Firefox which I do not like much.
I found this advice from Lukor in a thread of 14 months ago. http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=14440.0
This involves apparently a manual edit to the .ini file (whatever and wherever that is) which I'd be loathe to do as I'm not very computer-savvy and I'm bound to muck something up, unless I could be steered with precise instructions. Would that be the only method available, do you think? I would hope that information on my problem could maybe have updated since Lukor's post, as both Avast and Ad Muncher have had program updates since then.

[DavidR]

Well Lukor's instructions aren't complex but I shall expand them.

1) turn the proxy off
double click the avast icon, in the on-access scanners list, select the Web Shield provider and click Terminate. You will be asked if you want to persist the changes, answer No.
2) edit avast4.ini, in the section [WebScanner] add OptinProcess=admunch.exe
The file is in this location "C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\DATA\avast4.ini", first copy the file and save it in another folder so if you mess up (unlikely) you have a copy.
Open the avast4.ini file using a text editor like notepad.
Find the section starting with [WebScanner] and add this line "OptinProcess=admunch.exe" (without the quotes) and save the file and exit.

3) restart webshield
double click the avast icon, in the on-access scanners list, select the Web Shield provider and click Start. You will be asked if you want to persist the changes, answer Yes.

[greenhatch]

Very helpful David, thankyou. All sorted now. Avast Webshield is working in harmony with Ad Muncher (which is pretty good by the way).

[DavidR]

No problem, glad I could help, welcome to the forums.

[tbird]

I use Ad Muncher also.  Could you tell me how to check to see if Web Shield is working?  I haven't had any problems but I don't want to be under false hope.
Thanks

[DavidR]

The avast icon should rotate when web pages are scanned and open the on-access scanners window and check the Web Shield, Scanned count: should increase. However, I doubt it is working based on greenhatches comments so you should follow the avast4.ini edit instructions.

Another test is to test a harmless jpeg exploit test if web shield is working you will know if not you won't hear or see anything.
http://www.nod32.de/download/jpegcompoc.jpg
http://www.nod32.de/download/jpegcompoc.zip

[tbird]

David I want to thank you for helping me.  I am less computer literate than greenhatch.  I turned off Web Shield but wasn't asked if I want to persist the changes.  Went to C:Program Files and when I got to avast4.ini.  I could not find it.  I know I must be doing something wrong but I don't know what.  I have turned off AdMuncher so that Web Shield works but I really like the program.  I have been using it for a couple of months and it scares me to think of what could have happened.  Any help you can give me will be appreciated.

[greenhatch]

No problem, glad I could help, welcome to the forums.

Haha, I've been around for a few months now David (you've helped me before).

Tbird, if I may butt in; just enter  ''C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\DATA\avast4.ini" (without quotation marks)  in your browser address box, the .ini file should open up for you (it opened for me as a Notepad page, I use IE). The [WebScanner] section is near the bottom of the list.

[tbird]

Thank you David and greenhatch.  I have everything working fine now.  Greenhatch if you had never asked this question I would never have known.   I am very thankful for this forum.  Thanks again.

[DavidR]

No problem, glad I could help, welcome to the forums.

Haha, I've been around for a few months now David (you've helped me before).

Must have been hit by the c-nile virus that day

[DavidR]

David I want to thank you for helping me. 
:
I turned off Web Shield but wasn't asked if I want to persist the changes.  Went to C:Program Files and when I got to avast4.ini.  I could not find it. 

Don't worry if the option wasn't displayed, just so long as it is enabled now and it is working.

You could have copied the path I gave you into windows explorer (not your browsers) address window and that would likely have opened it in Notepad, but would depend on if you had notepad associated with ini files. The reason of doing it the long way is to ensure you first save a copy before editing the original and to ensure that you use a text editor (like notepad) not a word processor otherwise you could get strange word processing characters in the ini file which could mess it up.

Windows in its infinite wisdom hides some file extensions the bit after the dot, e.g. .ini because it feels that they are common/known files that we know the purpose, unfortunately that isn't the case in new users. In windows explorer, click Tools, Folder Options, View tab and scroll down so you can see Hidden Files and Folders and select Show hidden files and folders (see image)