Author Topic: Bug - Firewall module causes Device Manager to refresh periodically  (Read 2078 times)

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Offline daktyl

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I am a user of Avast Free 21.11.2500 (compilation 21.11.6809.528) with the firewall module, which I have enabled in the Avast installer (it was not enabled by default).

Since then, I have started experiencing periodic stutters in the Tekken 7 game. From what I have read online, the stutters can happen when the game detects a hardware change, because it has to check whether the new hardware is a controller (a HID device). To confirm this theory, I kept the Device Manager open on my second monitor while playing the game, and every time it stuttered, there was a refresh happening on the Device Manager side. The exact same refresh as you would have when you plugged/unplugged a USB device, for instance.

So I have confirmed that something on my system makes Windows think I am constantly plugging or unplugging something and that causes Tekken 7 to stutter. After some investigation, it was the Avast Firewall module. After "modifying" my Avast install, unchecking the firewall module and rebooting, the problem never appeared again. No more random refreshes in the Device Manager, and Tekken 7 works smoothly.

I know it seems strange for the firewall to periodically trigger a "hardware changed" event, but it certainly happens, at least on my setup. It would be nice if the team could take a look at this. The Tekken 7 part of my report is irrelevant. The main point is that when the firewall module is active, Device Manager periodically refreshes the list of the devices, so it thinks that some hardware change has occurred. When the firewall module is not present, it does not happen. The Tekken 7 stutter is just a consequence of that behaviour.

Offline Asyn

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Re: Bug - Firewall module causes Device Manager to refresh periodically
« Reply #1 on: February 06, 2022, 10:23:46 AM »
- OS..? (32/64 Bit..? - which SP/Build..?)
- Other security related software installed..?
- Which AV(s) did you use before Avast..?
W8.1 [x64] - Avast Free AV 23.3.8047.BC [UI.757] - Firefox ESR 102.9 [NS/uBO/PB] - Thunderbird 102.9.1
Avast-Tools: Secure Browser 109.0 - Cleanup 23.1 - SecureLine 5.18 - DriverUpdater 23.1 - CCleaner 6.01
Avast Wissenswertes (Downloads, Anleitungen & Infos): https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=60523.0

Offline daktyl

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Re: Bug - Firewall module causes Device Manager to refresh periodically
« Reply #2 on: February 06, 2022, 12:24:04 PM »
1) Windows 11 Pro 21H2 (compilation 22000.434)
2) No
3) I had been using Avast for some time, then switched to COMODO, then switched back to Avast again. I have always installed one product at a time and I have always used the cleanup utility, both for COMODO and Avast when uninstalling, so I am sure there are no leftovers.

When it comes to the hardware configuration, the basis is:
Intel i7-4770K
G.Skill DDR3 32GB RAM
MSI Z87-GD65

This hardware is not officially supported on Windows 11, but I have managed to upgrade from Windows 10 by using the official registry tweak to bypass the TPM requirement. Everything else works fine, so I don't think it is a reason.

Offline Asyn

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Re: Bug - Firewall module causes Device Manager to refresh periodically
« Reply #3 on: February 06, 2022, 12:40:12 PM »
1. Enable debug logging (Menu > Settings > General > Troubleshooting > Enable debug logging) and reproduce the issue.
2. Follow instructions: https://support.avast.com/article/33/ and post the File-ID or name of the Support-File here afterwards.
W8.1 [x64] - Avast Free AV 23.3.8047.BC [UI.757] - Firefox ESR 102.9 [NS/uBO/PB] - Thunderbird 102.9.1
Avast-Tools: Secure Browser 109.0 - Cleanup 23.1 - SecureLine 5.18 - DriverUpdater 23.1 - CCleaner 6.01
Avast Wissenswertes (Downloads, Anleitungen & Infos): https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=60523.0

Offline daktyl

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Re: Bug - Firewall module causes Device Manager to refresh periodically
« Reply #4 on: February 19, 2022, 10:40:17 PM »
Done. Here is the File-ID: Y0FZQ.

In the support ticket I have also put the timestamps when I have observed the stutters so you could compare them with the logs.

Offline Asyn

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Re: Bug - Firewall module causes Device Manager to refresh periodically
« Reply #5 on: February 20, 2022, 10:40:28 AM »
Done. Here is the File-ID: Y0FZQ.
In the support ticket I have also put the timestamps when I have observed the stutters so you could compare them with the logs.
Hi, I forwarded it, let's see...
W8.1 [x64] - Avast Free AV 23.3.8047.BC [UI.757] - Firefox ESR 102.9 [NS/uBO/PB] - Thunderbird 102.9.1
Avast-Tools: Secure Browser 109.0 - Cleanup 23.1 - SecureLine 5.18 - DriverUpdater 23.1 - CCleaner 6.01
Avast Wissenswertes (Downloads, Anleitungen & Infos): https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=60523.0