Avast! Web Shield stopped working

[sded]

It has a message on the provider page saying it is waiting for a subsystem to start.  Tried starting the service manually, said it didn't have proper permissions to write to a socket.  Other providers are all fine.  4.8.1290

[Lisandro]

How is the service configurated to start? Manual or Automatic?
Did you pause the provider? Stop it?
Does booting solve?

[sded]

Nothing helped, but traced the problem to Online Armor.  Somehow in trying to trace the Opera crash problem when both avast! and OA are running, something got corrupted.  Turned off OA, started Web Shield with no problems, restarted OA.  Doesn't show as blocked anywhere in OA, but now need to chase it from that end.  Thanks; Ed.

[Lisandro]

Well... it's becoming difficult to find a proper Vista firewall...
Comodo has troubles with Windows Updates from time to time.
PCTools was bought by Symantec... anyway, it's beta 5 is out.
OA is crashing WebShield...

[Styx]

Vista comes with an excellent Firewall and 99% of the hype about it are false. Start - Search - type in Firewall and select Windows Firewall with Advanced Security. Added that many of us have a Router which also adds hardware protection. For most home systems, as well as most small businesses, the Windows Firewall is all that is needed. Truth is if you really need more security/features than Vista Firewall offers then you need to purchase a really professional model.

[Lisandro]

Vista comes with an excellent Firewall and 99% of the hype about it are false. Start - Search - type in Firewall and select Windows Firewall with Advanced Security. Added that many of us have a Router which also adds hardware protection. For most home systems, as well as most small businesses, the Windows Firewall is all that is needed. Truth is if you really need more security/features than Vista Firewall offers then you need to purchase a really professional model.

Right now, I use Vista firewall...

[essexboy]

Vista firewall is all I use as well, as all the other did something not nice to my system

[harrys]

Vista's firewall is configured by default to only work on incoming data, so it won't block a keylogger that tricked its way into your PC. Now it can be configured to block outgoing data, but now you have to write  rule sets to permit allowed programs and block arbitrary programs, which is  difficult for even advanced users.  I don't know why Microsoft hasn't released a firewall add-on. Could be some good money on it.

On the other hand, Vista's default security is better at preventing that arbitrary program from being installed.

I didn't know that Comodo was still having issues with windows updates. When I tried it last January, that was indeed a problem, but I thought they fixed it. I don't know because I stopped using it after that. I had an extra McAfee license, so I use that for now on my Vista PC.

Meanwhile, I'm also having a problem with Online Armor holding up the new Avast release from starting.

[sded]

BTW, I fixed the problem by removing ashwebsv.exe from the OA firewall rules and program lists and rebooting.  Maybe do the same thing and set OA to learning modefirst ?

[Lisandro]

I don't know why Microsoft hasn't released a firewall add-on. Could be some good money on it.

Maybe antitrust measures...