Avast "locks up" when connecting to internet

[partsgal]

I am running Avast 4 home version. My OS is Windows ME and my ISP is Earthlink 5. I do not run the taskbar from earthlink, using just the standard dial up and their browser (which is Explorer supported). Since I installed Avast I have been having a problem logging on to the internet. I will get connected and my home page will load and then nothing. The Avast icon on the taskbar will stop responding. Took me awhile to figure out but it appears it is locking up. If I do the CTRL, ALT, DELETE and tell it to end task on Avast it will unlock my computer and I can reconnect, otherwise I have to reboot. But then it does it again. Ending task on Avast seems to work fine, it doesn't stop avast but "unlocks" it and then it continues to work fine. Any ideas what could be causing this? How can I stop it from locking up?
Thank you for your help.

[techie101]

 

This is not an easy one to diagnose without more detail.
Usually, when a system locks up, one of the more commom problems is the system resources become too low.  This occurs mostly on the internet.

How does you system perform with Avast running when you are not on the internet?  Shut down Avast, and check your system resources:  Right click on My Computer, then Performance.  A good % is 80 before internet hookup.  If you see it much lower, you have a program, or programs pulling it down.
Then with Avast running and connection to the internet, the system no longer has enough resources to run.

You can try to shut down other non-essential programs....leave Avast running and try connecting to the internet.  See how it does.  If it no longer freezes, then you may have to decide which programs you need to have running and which you do not.

Can't think of anything else to do right now based upon your info.

As a last measure, try to perform a DiskScan and Defrag to make sure things are at their best.

Good Luck