Avast! Ahoy! Heave to!

[mxyplx]

I can disable Avast couple different ways no problem to that point. The problem is I cannot connect a browser to the net with Avast disabled.

Since the email is connecting it means the DSL connection is good but something (Avast presumably) is blocking the browsers even with Avast supposedly disabled. How come? Any work around?  (Thrashnig around in the register don't bother me none.)

W/XP SP2, Zone Alarm, IE6, Opera

[DavidR]

Why are you disabling avast in the first place ?

Doing so shouldn't have any impact on your ability to connect as you have effectively taken avast out of the loop.

Does Zone Alarm allow ashWebSv.exe internet access ?
- If it does delete the entry for it and reconnect to the internet, this will force the firewall to ask permission again.

Exactly what parts of avast are you disabling and how ?

[mxyplx]

My problem is/was when opening a post on some forums or especially an a MAC forum or MAC store (Apple.com) the page would come right up but it would take a real long time to load like up to 30 seconds. This did not happen on all forums or sites. Some were right snappy. I thot it might be the new antivirus programs' improvements (I spect they are all about the same) so wanted to run barefoot to see if it made a difference. That's why I tried to disable Avast, my currently installed AV. That's when I couldn't connect with a browser but could with email.

Long story short, I went to the LAN settings and unchecked "Use a Proxy server....." and 2 things resulted.
1. I could connect with Avast disabled.
2. The pages loaded fast, fast enough, or at least not with super long delays.

Restarting Avast and leaving the "Use a Proxy server..." unchecked eliminates the big long loading delay.

Now I have no idea what will result by leaving that unchecked.
=======================================

Another weird thang:
2. When I uncheck (ashdisp) in msconfig > start > reboot it comes back checked. And running - can't beat it to death. In fact one time I unchecked it and it came back checked but everything else was unchecked?
====================================

Anyway for at least right now I don't have to count to 27.6 waiting for pages to load. :-)

[DavidR]

The ashDisp.exe is the avast icon and is only an interface to the program settings and the on-access providers, it has absolutely no interaction with your web browsing, so even if you managed to kill it (disable self-defence as I mentioned) there wouldn't be any difference.

The one direct web browsing interface is the Web Shield and if you terminated that from the on-access scanners or right click menu from yes you guessed it the avast icon, Stop Provider, Web Shield (that you are trying so hard to disable), then there shouldn't be any interaction between your browsing and avast.

The one thing that does surprise me is why you had the Use a Proxy Server enabled in the first place (it is off by default) ?
Unless you have to use a proxy to connect to the internet, as a requirement of your ISP etc.

By just terminating the web shield you at least have a fall back of the standard shield (depending on your settings and file types), so you aren't completely unprotected with your trousers round your ankles whilst on-line.

[mxyplx]

"why you had the Use a Proxy Server enabled in the first place"

I dunno, beats the Pi - uh- Proxy out of me. Proxy Server don't mean didley to me. Only thing I can  think of is it got checked when I installed something. Trouble started after installing something. Here is the order of my fevered attempt to regain control of my very own payed for el cheapo readymade computer:

Inst SP3, Uninst AVG 7.5, Inst AVG 8, Uninst AVG 8, Inst AVG 7.5, Uninst SP3, Uninst AVG 7.5, Inst Avast 4.8.

The instructions at this site

http://support.avast.com/index.php_m=knowledgebase&_a=viewarticle&kbarticleid= 

may be a clue but I don't recall doing what it says there or having any reason to even look at it. It refers to ZA but it must mean ZA Pro and Me run ZA Free.

The AVG 8 caused a different problem - if I opened 3 browsr windows - ie 3 sites - it acted like the comp was out of resources which it couldn't have been since it has 40gigs free HD and 1 gig ram and I don't do photos, music, dvd burning, TV, multimedia stuff of any sort etc etc just take care of personnal business.

Incidentally I initially went into Services and disabled all the Avast services. Even then clcking on the desktop shortcut starts the memory test. Can't beat it to dea-- Oh I already said that.

Well thats the end of my tale of woe - you can start breathing again. Thanx for the come back.

[DavidR]

avast has a self-defence module to stop you beating it to death and as I have said if there are things like stopping elements of it you have to disable the self-defence module. This is an option in the Program Settings, Troubleshooting.

Though there should be no requirement to stop services, etc. so no need to disable the self-defence module.

ZA has some issues on slowing connection with the latest version, but I'm not sure if this is just with Vista or with XP as well. I abandoned ZA free many years ago and haven't looked back since.

I assume you are talking about the Web Shield and Zone Alarm compatibility question that is really only about the ZA Pro version.
However, the most important question remains unanswered, did you do as I suggested and ensure ZA wasn't blocking ashWebSv.exe (as in my first reply) you never answered that question ?

[mxyplx]

Sorry about that.

Nothing in ZA that contains avast is blocked. Only allow and question. ashWebSv.exe is checked 'allow' in service column; question in the Server column. I didn't delete the entry etc as all seems well now and I'm done with it.

Only thing blocked in the entire list is ZA Updating Client and that's blocked just in the server column.

I finally found the 'disable self defence module' check box which I must say doesn't exactly announce itself to the uninformed. 'Troubleshooting' seems to be conveniently located at the bottom of the settings list instead of hidden out in the open by itself.
=========================================
So! What's better than ZA and free? I'm game. :-)

[Lisandro]

So! What's better than ZA and free? I'm game. :-)

For a lot of users, Comodo or PcTools.

[DavidR]

Sorry about that.

Nothing in ZA that contains avast is blocked. Only allow and question. ashWebSv.exe is checked 'allow' in service column; question in the Server column. I didn't delete the entry etc as all seems well now and I'm done with it.

Only thing blocked in the entire list is ZA Updating Client and that's blocked just in the server column.

Which is why I suggested deleting the entry as ZA has a nasty habit of getting amnesia and even though an application has allow it doesn't get through, forcing it to ask again (by the deletion) usually resolve the problem. However, if it is working now leave it, but bear it in mind should it happen again.

I finally found the 'disable self defence module' check box which I must say doesn't exactly announce itself to the uninformed. 'Troubleshooting' seems to be conveniently located at the bottom of the settings list instead of hidden out in the open by itself.

I too would tuck it out of the way if I were responsible for its positioning as I certainly wouldn't want the uninformed having easy access to disabling the self-defence module as don't see that many occasions where I think it might need to be disabled, especially by the uninformed as you mention.

So! What's better than ZA and free? I'm game. :-)

Almost anything, sorry couldn't help my self, Tech give two good options and there is also online armor, though I don't use any of them, I use Outpost Pro which is a paid option.

See http://www.matousec.com/projects/firewall-challenge/results.php and check out the ZA free rating. It isn't even on the list and the Pro version considering you have to pay for it is beaten by a number of free options, all of those suggested above.

[mxyplx]

That's an interesting list. Thank you.

I tried to wade thru the tests and found the pass fail rating seemed arbitrary. 50% is a pass on one test level while 90% failed on another. I did not find a clear explanation of this - just a statement XX% is passing......

The whole thing is not completely independent from the venders.

ZA Free is one of the most popular FW's around and not even mentioned? At least it should have been shown to be completely worthless if indeed that is the case.

I did find dates on the test reports that seem to be current and the version of Comodo I downloaded was 3.0.25 vs the tested version 3.0.22 which would tend to indicate recent tests (I think).

I have absolutely no bias one way tuther cept I am very suspicious of any test independent or not.

I have no way to personally verify one FW vs another.

I will try Comodo. It may or may not be more convenient for me to use than ZA.  But how will I ever know if it is doing a better job than ZA? I won't.

[DavidR]

These test results are relatively recent. ZA Free was tested in an earlier firewall test and believe me it wasn't pretty, unfortunately the historical data/results of the previous test isn't available.

You have to bear in mind that the free version is restricted in its protection levels in the hope you will buy the Pro version and the Pro version doesn't do well in these tests either. So you have a comparison of sorts in the ZA Pro version results and the fact that the free version
is going to be less than that as it is restricted in its protection level.
I don't know if it was a case of ZA free wasn't tested or did so badly it wasn't listed.

[mxyplx]

Point well taken.

I'll get rid of that stinkin worthless ZA ASAP. Maybe even B4 I buy a MAC.

[rdmaloyjr]

mxyplx,

I don't think you have a problem.  avast! forums sometimes loads very slow, there have been a few threads about it here.   Some sites are slower than others, there are several factors for that, high trafic, maintenance, server quality, etc.

ZA free is a good firewall!!!  ZA free was the first one I've used.  I left it for a while to try several others.   I've tried some of the top rated FWs.  I looked back & went back to ZA free.  ZA free has served me well.  Intruders have tried to shut down ZA free & failed, ZA free held strong!  My systems have not been compromised!  If my DSL modem didn't ping, I probably wouldn't have been attacked.  I'm with cable internet now & my modem & router don't ping.

Since I'm been with avast! & ZA free I've only had two malware, both were trojans (they may have been FPs).  Since Opera has been my default browser I've been clean.

What more do I need to say

[mxyplx]

Gulp! I almost shxt-canned the best FW there is (ZA Free) in favor of the top rated Comodo.  Hmmm. What to do? What to do?

[Lisandro]

Gulp! I almost shxt-canned the best FW there is (ZA Free) in favor of the top rated Comodo.  Hmmm. What to do? What to do?

Go ahead