4.7.1001: causing serious slow-down issues

[therealorion]

Hiya, totally new to the forum.

Ever since the last update, to 4.7.1001, I'm getting severe slow-down issues and I've traced it through the task manager to "ashServ.exe". Every minute or so (literally, ever minute), my CPU usage goes up to 100% and ashServ.exe is to blame. This started happening only with the last update. When I turn off Avast! entirely, the slow-down stops. I'm on WinXP SP2 and this is not a memory or a clock-speed issue (1000Gb of RAM, 1.7Ghz Athlon chip).

Please, someone, tell me how to make it stop doing this, short of finding a new AV.

[alanrf]

Welcome to the forum.

Can you try to narrow down the problem and turn off your avast providers one by one to see if you can isolate a provider that seems to be provoking the high CPU load?

[therealorion]

Weirdest thing. It's not doing it anymore. If it starts to again, I'll do what you say, troubleshoot the individual processes. Otherwise, I'm not going to worry about it.

Thanks!

[grnjelloman]

I've been having the exact same issues all day today... I am running Vista Home Premium.  Also running Office 2007.  I found that sometimes the speed of the system picked up for awhile when I turned off the Web Shield.. but overall it has still been much much slower.  It didn't really start acting up till today really.  I'll try and narrow it down better over the next few days.. hopefully i can reproduce it.

[Lisandro]

I've been having the exact same issues all day today... I am running Vista Home Premium.  Also running Office 2007.  I found that sometimes the speed of the system picked up for awhile when I turned off the Web Shield.. but overall it has still been much much slower.  It didn't really start acting up till today really.  I'll try and narrow it down better over the next few days.. hopefully i can reproduce it.

We will need more information to be able to help you:
- What avast! version and VPS file (virus database) number?
- Which actions have you taken to try solving the problem?
- Do you use a firewall? Which one?
- Do you have any other antivirus installed in your system?
- Any other security programs that could interfere?
- Any useful information into Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Events, specially 'Errors'.

To know how to post a screenshot, see http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=8982.0
You can use Gadwin PrintScreen to get a screenshot (http://www.gadwin.com/printscreen/) or the free version of WinSnap 1.1.10 (http://www.filehippo.com/download_winsnap/?2173).

[grnjelloman]

I am using the following:

  Avast version: 4.7.1001   (didn't start really having any issues until I updated to this version)
  Avast vps file version: 000738-2
  No firewall present on the computer itself (I use a hardware one between my internal network and the outside world)
  No other antivirus.. machine was built from the ground up about 3 months ago and has only known Avast products on it.
  Only other security programs are the Cisco vpn client version 5.0.00.0340 but I was not actively using it when I was experiencing issues with slowdown(but it was installed on the system).
 
  There are a few of the following entries in my events log.. somewhere close to the time I was experiencing a slowdown...
AAVM - scanning error: x_AavmCheckFileDirectEx: avfilesScanReal of C:\Users\jshelep\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook\outlook.ost failed, 00000021. 


Useful info:
  I noticed the largest slowdown when I was working on a site that I was developing that had AJAX in some fields.. It was like typing on a 300 baud modem it was updating what I was typing so slowly.  Once I turned off the Web Shield it did seem to get better.. but still was slower then normal.  This was while use IE 7.
 

[Lisandro]

Avast version: 4.7.1001   (didn't start really having any issues until I updated to this version)
No other antivirus.. machine was built from the ground up about 3 months ago and has only known Avast products on it.

Sometimes, installing from the scratch could help.
Between uninstalling avast from Control Panel and booting, you can use Avast Uninstall for complete uninstallation.

When I was experiencing issues with slowdown

Which is your Standard Shield sensitivity level? (High or Normal).

Once I turned off the Web Shield it did seem to get better.. but still was slower then normal.  This was while use IE 7.

Well, WebShield should take some resources to scan. I browse faster in Linux (without WebShield) than in Windows (with all other security programs needed). But, after all, you need to choose between performance and security.

[cyberdelicat]

Hi-
I am also having serious CPU problems since updating to 4.7.xxx; i also get strange errors in the avast setup log such as 'failed fixing security on....'. Furthermore, the icon that normally shows up when i request a scan on a specific file (by right-clicking on a file) is gone.
My CPU temp gets really hot and is using 99% of resources.
I run avast 4 home edition windows XP and firefox for browsing. I keep my machine lean on programs, but i think i saw something about issues with cisco VPN, which i recently setup. Could there be an issue there??
thanx much in advance!

[kernelcored]

well, it's happened to me too. To me..this has becoming too serious that i hope fellow admin and developer could please take a debugging step to overcome this problem.
i'm doing some video rendering/encoding at home then suddenly ashserv.exe once in every 15-20 seconds; keep using too much CPU and yes, it was very disturbing.
i was excellent until last night; but today when i woke up to resume my work, it's becoming way too annoying.
please help. i'm sure there were many out there are having such similiar problem.

[Lisandro]

i was excellent until last night; but today when i woke up to resume my work, it's becoming way too annoying.
please help.

Isn't it just related to Windows Update Tuesday patch...? All the same problem every Wednesday day-after...

[jmart]

What is the fix to this problem?

I've been running Avast AV for a couple of years now, and have been totally impressed.  I have a laptop and desktop running Avast, and since this morning both have suffered chronic slow down problems.  I'm talking two minutes to open IE.  Both laptop and desktop are good spec systems, and usually open any application in a couple of seconds.  I run a second laptop for work, installed with Norton, and it's business as usual today (I'm using that laptop to post this because I can't be bothered for the other systems to open programs).

I would be really grateful if you could tell me what the fix is for sure?  It's not just a Windows Update problem if the problem is only happening on machines running Avast.

Should I uninstall Avast and do a fresh install?  I've done a system restore to two days ago, and the system was working fine.  Then, I get the message that Avast needs to restart my syste after an update.  I restart, and then straight back to the problem of waiting 2 minutes to open IE.

This is so frustrating...help!!!

[Vlk]

The guidelines for solving of the problem "ashServ.exe using too much CPU" has always been the same:

1. check if the avast tray icon is spinning (while CPU usage is high)
2. if it is, click it (wait for the dialog box to open), and check which file is being scanned (the Last Scanned field); the Scanned Count value should be increasing (spinning icon means a scan is in progress)
3. find out which of the providers is scanning the file (click "Details >>" and check out the Last Scanned value for each of the providers). The most common providers that may cause this are Standard Shield, P2P Shield and IM Shield.

Thanks
Vlk

[romppainen]

I have exactly same problem, ashServ.exe begins to hog all system resources (and kill internet bandwidth occasionally) shortly after computer is booted. Problem started after latest Avast engine update.

The guidelines for solving of the problem "ashServ.exe using too much CPU" has always been the same:

1. check if the avast tray icon is spinning (while CPU usage is high)
2. if it is, click it (wait for the dialog box to open), and check which file is being scanned (the Last Scanned field); the Scanned Count value should be increasing (spinning icon means a scan is in progress)
3. find out which of the providers is scanning the file (click "Details >>" and check out the Last Scanned value for each of the providers). The most common providers that may cause this are Standard Shield, P2P Shield and IM Shield.

Unfortunately these guidelines doesn't apply this time: Resource usage continues even when all shields are completely disabled, only way to get rid of it is to disable ashServ service manually from XP's services panel. When enabling it again problem continues immediately.

- Avast 4.7.1001, Virus Database 000739-0
- Windows XP SP1
- Sygate Personal Firewall Pro, Peerguardian 2

[Lisandro]

Resource usage continues even when all shields are completely disabled, only way to get rid of it is to disable ashServ service manually from XP's services panel. When enabling it again problem continues immediately.

Conflict symptoms... Which other antivirus did you have in the past in this computer?
What happens when you disable your firewall?

[tonyweir]

I just upgraded to 4.7 and the only problem I am having is that MS Outlook is running VERY slow. When I click on an a message in the inbox, it takes 15-20 seconds to display in the preview pane.

When I compose a new message or reply to an existing one, I can type a whole paragraph before the text shows up on the screen. It's like the computer is trying to catch up with what I'm doing.

The upgrade has only affected Outlook, everything else runs fine.

Thanks