Application/octet-stream error

[neiby]

I just updated to the latest version of Avast and I also upgraded to the latest version of Comodo Personal Firewall, so I don't know which one is causing this problem. Intermittently, when I go to a web page the page won't load. Instead, I get a popup message saying that I'm trying to download a file in the format application/octet-stream, then I'm asked if I want to save it or download it. This is happening in IE6 and FF 1.5. It doesn't happen all the time, though, so it's hard to troubleshoot.

I was on the Comodo forum and heard of someone with the same problem. Someone else responded asking if that person was also using Avast Web Shield, so I thought perhaps there was a problem with Web Shield in the latest update.

Have any of you heard of this problem?

Thanks,
John

[bdan]

Hey there !

I'm dealing with the same problem as we speak. When browsing a forum for example, and trying to access a thread, I get a 'do you want to download'-type of question, just like you. I have a print screen of the task........

Everything works fine when I shut off Avast - so my guess is that's where the trouble is.....

[neiby]

I've discovered that I can recreate this easily and the problem is definitely with Web Shield. I use the Google Notifier application, which creates an icon in the tray that I can click when I want to check my email. I get the error I mentioned earlier if I click the icon to open my email account. With Web Shield on, the page never loads. If I turn Web Shield off and try it again, it loads immediately.

This was not happening prior to the recent update. Is there any way to get the old version back?

[alanrf]

I'm using the 4.7.892 release of avast on Win XP SP2 and I have the Webshield running. 

To try to take a look at the problem I just installed Google Notifier.  As you mentioned it creates a tray icon.  When I click on the icon it instantly opens a page in Firefox that is  the regular GMail web interface page for my account. 

So this is not something that is repeatable for everyone and must involve some other factor.  Are you using any other filtering or proxy connection for your internet access?

You can probably find the previous release of avast at www.filehippo.com. 

 

[bdan]

filehippo only got the latest version it seems 

[neiby]

I'm using the 4.7.892 release of avast on Win XP SP2 and I have the Webshield running. 

To try to take a look at the problem I just installed Google Notifier.  As you mentioned it creates a tray icon.  When I click on the icon it instantly opens a page in Firefox that is  the regular GMail web interface page for my account. 

So this is not something that is repeatable for everyone and must involve some other factor.  Are you using any other filtering or proxy connection for your internet access?

You can probably find the previous release of avast at www.filehippo.com. 

 

I'm using Comodo Personal Firewall, which was also recently updated. In fact, I updated the firewall and then immediately updated Avast, so I don't know for certain which is causing this problem. However, the problem does go away if I turn off Web Shield.

[alanrf]

I have the previous release install file - English only.  Let me see if I can upload it to a file sharing site and post the URL back here. 

I am not using Comodo - at least not right now.  I am just using the Windows XP firewall at present.

[alanrf]

I have posted the setup file - of course - have avast scan it when it is downloaded.

http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=B6122C6F51523F6B

[neiby]

I just noticed something that may help Alwil troubleshoot this problem. When it's happening, pausing Web Shield does not resolve the problem. I have to actually stop the Web Shield for things to act normally again.

This is a very intermittent problem, but once it begins, the only way to fix it is to completely stop Web Shield.

Were any changes made to Web Shield in the latest update?

[alanrf]

Pausing the Webshield does not stop the intercept that avast uses, it merely stops the the scanning of the data passing through the intercept. 

Stopping the Webshield terminates the intercept.

As to changes - I must defer to the avast team.

[neiby]

Pausing the Webshield does not stop the intercept that avast uses, it merely stops the the scanning of the data passing through the intercept. 

Stopping the Webshield terminates the intercept.

As to changes - I must defer to the avast team.

Interesting. Then it makes some sense that simply pausing the service doesn't resolve the problem. I'm betting that there was some change made to Web Shield. On another interesting note, the pages that have the problems are usually Google pages like www.google.com and mail.google.com. It doesn't happen all the time, but when it does happen it usually seems to begin with those pages. Then again, I use those pages a lot.

John

[bdan]

that was the first thing I noticed after the installation of new Avast. Once I clicked on the IE icon to open google which is my first page, I got a pop-up indicating that I wanted to download the page as a file....as stated earlier. After browsing this forum I found this thread and the I tried stopping web-shield and the problem went away.

Pausing does not help, only terminating the 'shield' is the only option for me (and for Neiby).

The problem occurs on most pages that have forums like these. When trying to access a thread, my comp prompts me to download the link to that specific thread - or, in some sircumstances, I get a page with only gibberish and strange signs instead of the regular interface.

So, in conclusion, the WebShield - once terminated - solves my IE browsing troubles....but am I 100% safe ? I bet 10 bucks I'm not   

[neiby]

I sure hope this is fixed soon. Web Shield is one of the main reasons I love Avast. I'd really like to be able to turn it back on soon.

[alanrf]

I use Firefox and IE as well.  I am not experiencing this problem.  If there were any significant number of avast users seeing it we would probably see quite a few more "me too" posts. 

Logic suggests it may be a combination of factors that is contributing to the problem you are seeing.  Can you give us a bit more information about your systems?

The regular stuff:

Operating system
Browser/version
Firewall used
any other antivirus software currently installed
other security software products installed

[neiby]

I use Firefox and IE as well.  I am not experiencing this problem.  If there were any significant number of avast users seeing it we would probably see quite a few more "me too" posts. 

Logic suggests it may be a combination of factors that is contributing to the problem you are seeing.  Can you give us a bit more information about your systems?

The regular stuff:

Operating system
Browser/version
Firewall used
any other antivirus software currently installed
other security software products installed

Windows XP Home, fully patched
Firefox 1.5.0.7
Comodo Personal Firewall (which was also updated recently)

I first thought this was a problem with the Comodo firewall, but someone on their forum said that they were aware of a problem with Avast Web Shield that would cause these symptoms. That's why I checked here. It's possible that this might be caused by a bad interaction between the two applications, but I do know that the problem goes away when I turn off Web Shield.