Hi
I probably have the same problems because avast used to slow down my entire machine especially when I first open an applications, files and pop-up menu. A blue ball keeps spinning like it goes crazy and all applications take a little time to open than Norton 2004 and McAfee 8 do, my machine is Laptop Windows XP Home, Celeron 2.2 GHz,256 MB of RAM. But these problems don't make me stop loving this sleek and robust antivirus application.
If your system meets ( some of ) the following requirements.
- You're always do an safe computing practice
- You're always patch up Windows, IE, Outlook with critical patch
- You're behind a personal firewall
- You use Opera, Mozilla instead of IE
- You use some spyware applications such as Ad-aware, Spybot S&D, etc.
- ...
You don't have to let avast scans all folders, files on you machine as a realtime, you can let avast scans a critical area only ( area that virus can get to your machine ) such as IE's temporary internet files, Opera's cache, My Documents folder, Desktop folder, downloaded folder and all removable drives.
Personally, I don't let avast on-access scanner scans a following folders
C:\WINDOWS\*
C:\Program Files\*
This can improve a system performance and let my Windows XP gets speed as fast as it can, because files in these 2 folders are always scanned by avast on-access scanner when you open an applicatons, files and will slow down your system. You can simply add a folder that you don't want them to be scanned by avast on-access scanner by add them in a resident task settings tab like this: standard shield > customize > advanced (last tab)...
I haven't had any problems since, if I always keep doing a safe computing practice I think this will fine.This may or may not appropriate to you but hope this helps.
Thanks