Ashwebsv "not responding" status is persistant DIAL-UP problem w/ FF-2

[lakrsrool]

For a few weeks now the first time I use the internet after rebooting the Ashwebsv program will have a status of "not responding" in the Task Manager. I have noticed this recently because when I have shut down I get a message that the program "is not responding" and I have to "End Task" the program in order to shut down. When I first boot up Ashwebsv does not have the "not responding" status but it will as soon as I browse the Internet.

I have tried "terminating" and "starting" the Web Shield (I am assuming that Ashwebsv is the program for the Web Shield) and the status remains "not responding" in program status.

But the program appears to be working at all times since the status is always "running" and the scan count changes (increases) and URL's continue to show that they are scanned as I browse the internet.  So while the status shows "not responding" it apparently is working.

It is annoying to always have to stop the program in the Task Manager or get the message from the system that a "program is still running", "Do you wish to stop it" messages if I don't "End Task" the program in the Task Manager every time I shut down. Other than that there doesn't appear to be any other problem other than the "not responding" status that always shows for Ashwebsv.

While I have to stop the program "end task" to shutdown if I "end task" while using the computer (not shutting down) from then on I cannot use my browser since no pages will load after that even if I turn the Web shield "off" and back "on" again. The Ashwebsv program will not show up in the Task Manager again no matter what.  All I can do is reboot the computer to be able to use my (Firefox) browser again.

I am using WIN98SE and Avast build 4.8.1201.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you.

[Tarq57]

Current build is 4.8.1335. I suggest a reinstall from scratch.
-Download latest Avast Home (or Pro) and save it to your desktop, or a folder.
-Download the Avast uninstall utility and save it to your desktop.
-Disconnect from the web.
-Stop on access protection
-Uninstall Avast from the control panel add/remove programs.
-Run the Avast uninstall utility.
- Reboot when prompted, and at least now if not prompted earlier.
-Install latest Avast.
-Reconnect. Get updates. See if that fixes it.

[Lisandro]

lakrsrool, it's difficult to preview (remember) how it was 4.8.1201 specially in Windows 98. Maybe Igor could drop some light, maybe you could update your avast.

[lakrsrool]

Current build is 4.8.1335. I suggest a reinstall from scratch.
-Download latest Avast Home (or Pro) and save it to your desktop, or a folder.
-Download the Avast uninstall utility and save it to your desktop.
-Disconnect from the web.
-Stop on access protection
-Uninstall Avast from the control panel add/remove programs.
-Run the Avast uninstall utility.
- Reboot when prompted, and at least now if not prompted earlier.
-Install latest Avast.
-Reconnect. Get updates. See if that fixes it.

I have done all of the above. In fact I was even able to find and delete three dll's that were left behind by the Avast uninstall utility from a prior Avast 4.6 version a number of upgrades ago by using Clean Sweep which I had used to monitor that install at the time.

I even defragged the disk after completely uinstalling Avast to have a more compressed drive to install the most current version of Avast.

What I found is that the Ashwebsv application seemed OK when I first booted up but the next time I checked the "Task Manager" later on I found Ashwebsv "not responding" once again. As I said before however, I do see Ashwebsv working in that the "scanned count" increases and the Avast ball spins when opening web pages on the Internet even with the "not responding" status in the "Task Manager".  It is just that the application always has the "not responding" status which makes me think that it is not discontinuing something that it should be or something when it runs.  And as I mentioned before I have to always "end task" via either the message I get on shut down or stop the process in the Task Manager before I am allowed to do a shut down.

If I stop/start the Web Shield provider it makes no difference, Ashwebsv still has a "not responding" status in "Task Manager". Also if I just stop the Web Shield Ashwebsv still shows up under Task Manager" when I would expect it to disappear and still has the status of "not responding".

I would add that even if I "cancel" (do not "end" the process) on Shut Down Ashwebsv will then disappear in my "Task Manager" (as if I had asked to "end" the process even though I did not) and Ashwebsv will not start back up even if I stop/start the Web Shield provider. At that time it makes no difference what I do I cannot get a web page to load any longer at all and must reboot to reset whatever it is that is necessary to make my browser work again.

What is even more strange is that if I stop the Web Shield provider (terminated) and reboot the computer Aswebsv is still in my "Task Manager" and does not have an error (NO "not responding" error) but even if I leave the Web Shield OFF and launch my browser with the Web Shield STILL OFF Ashwebsv status in the "Task Manager" will change to "not responding" even though the Web shield remains off and the Avast ball does not turn (which would tell me that Ashwebsv should not be running yet the status becomes "not responding").

Of course as I said before once Ashwebsv has the status "not responding" in the "Task Manager" it stays this way no matter what I do, turning Web shield off/on whatever makes no difference to the status from then on.

So it would seem that a CLEAN install does not make any difference for me.

[Tarq57]

Well, sorry, I don't actually know. But what I would try is selectively disable some of the other items you have, specifically the TeaTimer, SpywareGuard, and maybe Spybots' immunization. (Caution: disabling this- "de-immunizing" - will also affect the protected items in SpywareBlaster.)
If you try this, do one at a time and see if which one allows normal operation.. (If one works.)
Did the computer at any stage have a Norton or McAfee product installed?

[lakrsrool]

Well, sorry, I don't actually know. But what I would try is selectively disable some of the other items you have, specifically the TeaTimer, SpywareGuard, and maybe Spybots' immunization. (Caution: disabling this- "de-immunizing" - will also affect the protected items in SpywareBlaster.)
If you try this, do one at a time and see if which one allows normal operation.. (If one works.)
Did the computer at any stage have a Norton or McAfee product installed?

Thanks for the reply... 

It seems this problem goes all the way back to 2005 for WIN98/ME users. http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=14950.0

It also doesn't seem to be a problem that is necessarily universal for all since I have NEVER had this problem until just the past month or so.

As far as trying not using those Spyware programs I haven't used Spybot for over a year now since data base updates stopped working for my system. I haven't changed anything with either of the other two for many months if not years and this problem is fairly current with Avast for me.

As far as Norton or McAfee is concerned I have used both in the past but again not for well over 5 years and I used many software applications to clean both out as well as removing all registry items that relate to either.

I find it odd that this problem just started for me recently and others have had this issue going back many years.

The only thing I can think of that I've done different with my computer for many years now is to change Outlook Express to accommodate my Internet Service Provider (ISP) change to the use of Gmail servers for email (which btw now prevents Avast from scanning for my POP mail because I cannot set the email server address to what Avast needs it to be and still get my email from my ISP. Sadly a lot of ISP's are now contracting with Gmail for email server access.

[lakrsrool]

What I have found is that when Avast needs to send the pop up message that an AVS update is available then Ashwebsv changed to the "not responding" status. Now I know from reading in this forum that Avast uses RPCSS.exe (RPC) to function properly as far as various components of Avast are concerned i.e. Update process, virus chest etc.  It is also well documented that the ports that are open for RPC are ONLY open for LOCAL connections only and this is supported by the fact that I have these ports blocked by my firewall which does not impact the proper function of Avast in any way.  That is to say that Avast internally uses RPC to do its job (namely it uses it for communication between its components).

What I also found is that when the browser is launched this process by Avast to give me the message that an AVS update is available is run at the same time as my start page is also being loaded.  I had recently added a module to my start page that gave me Stock Market Index information and I noticed that this process was not ending properly on the start page (which only happens when Avast is sending the AVS pop up message for an update). Again I have the open ports that use RPC blocked so my guess is that there is perhaps a LOCAL conflict between the module I added and when Avast uses RPC to process the AVS update message.

If I do not launch my start page and just connect to the internet and receive the AVS update message from Avast alone then there is NO problem with Ashwebsv getting a "not responding" status or if I do not get an AVS update message from Avast because there is non available for update then the start page will load completely without Ashwebsv getting the "not responding" status.

So all of what I have found would suggest that the module I added perhaps uses RPC locally and that when Avast needs to also use RPC locally to process the AVS update message then problem arises with Ashwebsv.  By removing the module for the Stock Market Indexes I presume my issue will be resolved.  Of course the other alternative of setting Avast to not get the AVS message from Avast would presumably work as well.  (Btw, I have Avast set to only give me the AVS update message instead of update automatically so that I can chose when to run the AVS update myself since it virtually brings my computer to a halt as far as doing anything else during the update).

In conclusion: It would appear that this issue with Ashwebsv "not responding" will occur if any other process might happen to need to use the RPC executable locally at the same time Avast needs to use it locally. I presume why this combination of events impacts Ashwebsv in this way by leaving it in a "not responding" status is perhaps because the web page that Ashwebsv is scanning does not end properly because of the conflict regarding the use of the RPC executable locally.

[lakrsrool]

UPDATE:  All of the assumptions I have made regarding an RCC conflict may not be true at all, I really have no idea since the problem actually still persists. When I connected to the internet FIRST (which eliminated the problem) I assumed that what was happening was that Avast was checking for AVS updates right away (like it usually does on connection) and since the connection was established before the browser was launched there was some kind of RCC conflict with my start page (I have found that it is not my start page since the problem persists with even the FF default start page)...

... BUT.... that said...

I HAVE FOUND ONE CONSTANT FACTOR THAT WILL ELIMINATE THE PROBLEM OF THE ASHWEBSV "NOT RESPONDING" STATUS IN THE TASK MANAGER.

If I launch the browser (FF-2) as the first step by clicking on the Firefox icon the dialer is then launched because as dial-up user there is no connection established. VIRTUALLY EVERY TIME I DO THIS THE PROBLEM PERSISTS...

If I dial up the connection FIRST and then launch the browser AFTER the connection is established then THE PROBLEM NEVER HAPPENS.

I will leave it to ANYONE who has a BETTER UNDERSTANDING of what goes on with DIAL UPS as far as why:

1. Dialing up a connection first before launching the FF browser eliminates the problem

2. Launching the browser FIRST which then starts the dialer to connect creates the problem.

One last note is that for me this issue has only been occurring for the past 2-3 months and has been happening with Avast version 4.8.1201 and the current version 4.8.1335.

Hopefully someone with better knowledge than I can explain why this is occurring... thanks in advance.

[lakrsrool]

^ Regarding the above post. The problem ONLY exists for FireFox Browser. I have tried Internet Explorer 6 over and over around 10 times and I can launch the browser from the IE icon.

So the problem only exists if I launch FireFox 2 browser using the FireFox icon (connect to dial-up not yet made in that circumstance).

Using IE-6 under any circumstance or FF-2 if dial-up connection already established all works just fine.  It is ONLY when the FF-2 browser needs to connect that Ashwebsv goes to "not responding" status.

[DavidR]

I always establish the connection (dial-up) before opening firefox as I use The session manager to open up tabs that were open when I last closed firefox (3.5.2).

If I don't do that however, I don't get anything, certainly not the web shield not responding. So I'm  not sure how this differs, a you have to set the browser manually use the web shield proxy, where mine is transparent on XP Pro...