Author Topic: Avast 4.8 Home Compatibility Problems with MSN Browser and Internet Explorer 7  (Read 11829 times)

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bobunky

  • Guest
Less than a week ago, I downloaded:

Avast 4,8 Home Edition.

I have had numerous problems connecting and keeping a connection for both the MSN Browser and for Internet Explorer 7.

Either the msn browser will not connect or if I can connect the Internet Explorer, it will not log in.

Being plagued with this problem I tried closing things and re-opening them.  Today I tried the Avast and now everything is working well.  Is there some way I can tweak the Avast so that I can turn it back on?

Thank you.

olddog

  • Guest
bobunky,

Welcome to the forum,

You haven't said what operating system you are using, or importantly what firewall.
Your firewall needs to be set to allow the following:-

Quote
From Tech
Into the firewall settings, the following programs should be allowed to connect:

C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashWebSv.exe (avast! Web Scanner)
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashMaiSv.exe (avast! e-Mail Scanner Service)
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\Setup\avast.setup (avast! Update executable). This is a temporary file that just appears when an update (check) is about to launch, and disappears again afterwards.

Also What providers do you have running in Avast, and how do you connect on line (dial up, cable ADSL etc)?

« Last Edit: August 01, 2008, 04:20:54 AM by olddog »

bobunky

  • Guest
Old Dog:  Thank you for the welcome and the prompt reply.  I hope you can teach "the new dog" to the forum!

I will join the forum at Comodo to learn how to add the connections you sent.  I could not figure how to do so on my own.

OS = XP Home, SP 2
Firewall =  Comodo
Providers running on Avast =  It says seven
Connection =  Dial Up, using MSN

Will get back to you after learning about the connection additions.

Thanks again,

Bobunky

bobunky

  • Guest
Old dog:  All the connections for Avast were/are allowed.

Next?

Thanks,

Bobunky

olddog

  • Guest
Bob,

I have not used Avast in a dial up situation, nor have I used MSN so I'm hoping someone who uses MSN on dial up will step in and add their advice.
First though, can you right click on the "a" ball, click on Program Settings, click on Update (Connections), then tick "I only Connect to the internet using a dial up modem".

Can you advise whether your automatic updates are working, or if you have Update (Basic) set to manual, whether you can get the iAVS update by right clicking on the "a" ball, then "Updating" then "iAVS Update"

How do you get your emails, via MSN as web mail, via Outlook Express, or via Microsoft Outlook?

The fact that you are posting to this forum indicates you do have some internet access, but your first post suggests that might be with Avast turned off . Can you clarify what the situation is now your Firewall is set to allow the necessary Avast items. Are you able to access the internet via Internet Explorer with Avast On Access protection running.

If not, can you try just disabling the Webshield for the time being - left click on the "a" ball, click on the "Details" button at the bottom of the box, scroll the icons in the left column until you see the Webshield icon, click on it, then click on the terminate button. Answer Yes to the "Persist the changes" message. Can you advise whether you can now access the internet with the other shields running.

Incidentally, if you don't use Microsoft Outlook/Exchange, you can terminate the Outlook/Exchange shield  (this is only used for Outlook, not Outlook Express), also if you don't use P2P you can Terminate that shield too - You can restart these if your situation changes in the future.

OK - back to you
« Last Edit: August 04, 2008, 03:48:12 AM by olddog »

bobunky

  • Guest
Old Dog:  Thanks for the reply and help!

Crazy but, we were without power for ten hours last night to this AM, and when I got the computer back together and connected, everything is working fine with Avast running.  Go figure, tomorrow, who knows?

Anyway, in answer to your questions:

I have been getting updates even when Avast was not running (?).

I did now tick on "I only connect to the internet using a dial up modem"

We get the e-mails via web mail.  I seldom use Outlook Express.

There were times that I could not access the internet, others when it was accessed, but could not send or receive mail.  Both instances required me to "quit" Avast to get MSN to work.

I did close the Outlook Shield but could not find the P2P one.

Also, the firewall settings were in place before I was having the problems with Avast, I was looking in the wrong place.

Again thank you for the help, if I have more problems I will send again.  Do you have any idea why the power failure made a difference in Avast and my connection problems?  I guess the new dog did learn some tricks.

Bobunky


olddog

  • Guest
 bobunky,

I've no real ideas at all about the power failure. I assume the computer was running when it occurred and had a rather uncontrolled shut down, which may have left something not saved.

From your last post, and since you get your emails via your browser as Webmail, it would tend to suggest the problem possibly being in the area of the Web shield itself, so if the problem does reoccur I would shut down you browser, terminate the webshield only (Left click on "a" ball, click on detail, scroll through the shield icons in the left column until you can see Web Shield, click on it to highlight it then click on Terminate. Restart your browser and see if it has fixed the problem. If it doesn't you can restart the Web shield again.

Please post any developments back to the forum as that way we can all continue to learn. :)

bobunky

  • Guest
Mad Dog:  I just knew I wrote too soon about the Avast working well yesterday.  This AM it was back to the same problem.  I tried disabling the web scanners and that did not help, the only thing that works is to turn off Avast itself.  I have been careful with the web sites I choose, but am unhappy with having no Anti Virus program running.

I can connect to the internet, I can get my home page and inbox.  I can click a link, but will get "navigation cancelled" or the link will not work at all when Avast is open. 

Could it be that my computer does not "like" Avast?  Should I try another program?  I do hope that we can solve the problem and soon.

I think the Avast working yesterday was just a fluke with the computer re-booting, I certainly do not want to go through that every time.

Thanks,

Bobunky

Bobunky

olddog

  • Guest
I'm olddog Bob, not mad dog, or at least I hope I'm not completely round the bend yet!

First, I am surprised than no one else has offered any suggestions - is there no one running MSN on dial up? Please don't be shy.

I have done some reading about MSN. One of the things I found was this statement "Transmission protocol and port: The MSN Installation Wizard uses HTTPS over port 443. Otherwise, the transmission protocol is HTTP and the port is 80." So as far as browsing and the ports for Web Shield is concerned, it should operate in the same manner as Internet Explorer.

So that started me thinking. In lieu of any other suggestions, can you start out with Avast fully operative and after confirming your problem is present, Terminate the shields one by one, starting with the Network Shield, then the Web Shield, then the Standard Shield, then what ever other shields are running. Close the browser each time before terminating a shield and reopen it again to do the test. Can you then post back here and let us know at what point the problem ceased.

If it didn't cease, then restart the shields again and finally check that clicking on Stop on access protection in the right click menu of the "a" ball still stops the problem as it apparently has been doing. I am aware that there is risk in doing these tests because at some stage you will have no AV protection, but I gather that is basically the situation anyhow.

If we can narrow down what part of avast needs to be inactive to prevent the problem it may help us get closer to the cause. Because the problem doesn't seem to be a complete loss of access, I'm starting to wonder whether timing has anything to do with it, and whether any additional processing delay introduced by an avast component is enough to push it over the hill.

Edit: Can you perhaps also look at your modem log file and see whether there is anything that might indicate a marginal connection?.
« Last Edit: August 07, 2008, 05:52:59 AM by olddog »

bobunky

  • Guest
OLDdog:  I am so sorry about your name.  I will admit to laughing about my mistake, hope you did too.

I am in a bit of rush today, so will work on your suggestions tomorrow and get back to you on the results.

I found the modem log, if it is the correct one, it only lists for today.  There do not seem to be any problems, but that may be because Avast is/has not run(ning).  I will check it tomorrow to see what it "says" after trying the different closings.

Thank you olddog.

Bobunky

bobunky

  • Guest
OLDdog: Just an update, on Friday I started working on your suggestions with shutting down different aspects of Avast.  After the first try and shutdown, I completely lost the ability to sign in to MSN and had to use a different connection and can only use Internet Explorer 7.  Avast does not work here either.

I don't think Avast had anything to do with losing MSN, but then again you never know.  So I am still stuck without an anti-virus.   I am thinking I should remove Avast and possibly try it again and if that does not work, to try another one.  Do you agree or do you have any other suggestions?

Thanks,

Bobunky

olddog

  • Guest
bobunky,

I'm not sure I understand the bit where you say you "had to use a diffent connection", however:-

As I see it, you currently don't have an antivirus that works with either browser, so your computer is at risk
Your MSN browser no longer works at all
Internet Explorer 7 does, but with problems with Avast ??

As I said earlier, I'm not sure that avast is the main problem, but since it isn't working anyhow, you are not going to be any worse off if you un-install it. I would first carry out a full boot time scan with avast to make sure you don't currently have any infections. Right click on the "a" ball, select Start Avast Antivirus, then in the simple interface click on Tools then Schedule Boot time scan. If you do have anyt current infections then these need to be removed before going further, and you may need to get help from someone who specialises in that field.

If it's all clear, then I would initially uninstall Avast via the Window's add & Remove and then run aswclear.exe (available from the link at http://support.avast.com/index.php?_m=knowledgebase&_a=viewarticle&kbarticleid=12) to ensure it is all gone.

Once you have done this, and rebooted, I would do a very brief test to ensure IE7 is able to go on line and work, then have another look at MSN. If it still doesn't work you may need to un-install and re-install it. When both browsers are working, then re-install Avast and see where that gets you.


 

OldRebel2

  • Guest
I have used Avast (including the latest version) with MSN dialup from time to time (most recently-last week).  There have never been any problems browsing or using MSN Explorer. In fact, there was NO indication that the web shield was even scanning anything when using MSN Explorer. The only time there were files counted at scanned was when I was using IE itself. In the past I even tinkered with the Avast .ini file (with help from this forum) and still could not get Avast web shield to show that it was scanning with MSN Explorer. BTW - my last configuration where Avast was working with MSN was Avast, Windows Defender, SpywareBlaster and MVPS Hosts, and only the Windows firewall. I have found the *most* 3rd party firewall products seem to cause problems for MSN dialup.  Could the connection problems this OP is having be caused by Commodo? For example, I had no problems using McAfee firewall or KIS firewall set to 'low', but Online Armour was a PITA with MSN even with all MSN programs listed as 'allowed' and 'trusted.' I personally don't know about Commodo, but there is an upgrade this month to MSN 9.6, so it is possible that the OP *might* be experiencing a borked up upgrade to the new version. Behaviour controllers (like in Commodo) tend to bork up MSN upgrades. If bobunky can connect using MSN Connection Center or manual DUN but not with MSN Explorer, then that is even more indication that something other than Avast is blocking MSN.
« Last Edit: August 11, 2008, 05:07:01 PM by OldRebel2 »

bobunky

  • Guest
OLDdog:  I may have neglected to write that I was on with MSN over this before I went to this forum and they felt it was Avast causing the problem, they could not come up with any solutions after being on the phone with them for over two hours.  My problems started several days after downloading Avast, I have had Comodo for over a year.

I have a temporary connection through MSN, as I stated earlier I could get the msn browser but after trying your suggestions lost that connection.  Yes, I have the same problems with IE7, mainly that I cannot use the tab browsing or connect (click on) a link.  I cannot only access my inbox with Avast running.

I am waiting for msn to send me a disc for the new version to see if that will make a difference and will proceed with the uninstall and install following your directions.

Previously I had NAV and had none of the problems I am facing now.

I will get back to you after I have tried and hopefully successfully complete everything.

Thanks

bobunky

  • Guest
OldRebel2:  Thank you for adding your thoughts to my post.

I have had Comodo for over a year and even though some of their repeated popping up with their security alerts have not had a problem with MSN.  The problem started 2-3 days after downloading Avast and has continued to get worse (especially not having any anti-virus program running).

I am waiting for the upgrade disc to come so I can download it and see what happens.

I am using a temporary connection number provided by MSN, since their feeling is that Avast is causing the problem.

We'll see what happens.

Thanks again.