Mystery of Avast 22.5 and later versions slowing my Toshiba P200 Satellite Pro

[loungehake]

I imagine that Avast devs read this forum.  I have a Windows 10 64bit Toshiba P200 Satellite Pro 1.8MHz Core Duo powered system.  It worked very well with Avast 22.4 but with every release since (22.5 and later) it runs much more slowly.  I reckon that most devices running with Avast are quick enough that this behaviour is not noticeable but old hardware is obviously affected.  That makes me think that there is an issue with Avast that no one bothers about because it is not noticeable and so they do not report it, but presumably it is still there.  I hazard a guess that improved security features use more system resources.  Reinstall Avast 22.4 and the zing returns and then it really does run very nicely.

I guess that some change occurred after Avast 22.4 (version 22.5 and after) which increases the system overhead imposed by Avast.  I have tried each new version since 22.4 and the result is the same: a sluggish system.  Is this issue the result of an intended quality improvement or is it a result of code changes which have not been assessed for performance impact?

I guess that I will have to stick with Avast 22.4 and hope that Secure Browser does not have problems with 22.4 when Secure Browser becomes incompatible.

Avast One 22.10 also exhibits this issue on my dear old Tosh laptop.

[r@vast]

Hi,

Perhaps you can submit a performance recording (running Avast22.10). https://support.avast.com/article/antivirus-performance-recording-faq/#pc

[loungehake]

Thanks r@vast.  I attempted to use the performance report tool but it seems to consume a lot of processor power and also only runs for less than half a minute before halting the performance evaluation.  I have no idea if a report was actually submitted.  It seemed to be hanging indefintely.

[loungehake]

Definitely not required, not requested and Avast Free version update set to manual, Avast sneaked Avast One Essentials onto my geriatric Toshiba.  It is even more sluggish than Avast 22.10 on this 16 year-old device.

[r@vast]

Thanks r@vast.  I attempted to use the performance report tool but it seems to consume a lot of processor power and also only runs for less than half a minute before halting the performance evaluation.  I have no idea if a report was actually submitted.  It seemed to be hanging indefintely.

It runs for a few seconds by design. Did you include an email address, and was it performed on the 4th?
Can you include a support package, please?

[r@vast]

Definitely not required, not requested and Avast Free version update set to manual, Avast sneaked Avast One Essentials onto my geriatric Toshiba.  It is even more sluggish than Avast 22.10 on this 16 year-old device.

Please provide a support file ID, and we can check it.

[loungehake]

Hi r@vast,  My hardware is too slow for use of the reporting tool to be practical.  It froze the system for a considerable time so that I effectively lost control of the procedure.  I will continue with Avast Free 22.4.  Modern devices rnning Windows 10 do not grind to a halt with the reporting tool and run efforltessly with later versions of Avast.

It's my fault for being stupid and enjoying using ancient hardware.  Some people like driving old cars.  It's the same for me with computers which are 16+ years old.  I am sorry to have wasted your time.

I am content to continue with Avast Free 22.4 since I am told that Avast uses algorithmic anti-vsrus data and I expect that Avast 22 will continue to receive anti-virus data updates for a few years to come.  I do regular full Avast Free system scans.