Author Topic: ashWebSV.exe high memory use  (Read 17207 times)

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lister

  • Guest
ashWebSV.exe high memory use
« on: November 15, 2009, 02:53:14 AM »
I've noticed ashWebSV.exe using a large amount of memory even after closing my browser (Firefox) and no other internet programs running, the memory is not released and stays high (70mb - 10 x what it used to be a couple of updates ago).

Terminating the service and restarting puts it back down to 3-5mb though.

P.S. also have Online Armor (free) and Spywareterminator running.
« Last Edit: November 15, 2009, 02:55:38 AM by lister »

YoKenny

  • Guest
Re: ashWebSV.exe high memory use
« Reply #1 on: November 15, 2009, 03:03:15 AM »
Are you using the latest avast! 4.8 update level that had a fix for high memory use?

udidwht

  • Guest
Re: ashWebSV.exe high memory use
« Reply #2 on: November 16, 2009, 07:52:34 PM »
I've noticed this also. Still doesn't release memory even after new update. If I terminate it and restart the Ashwebsv.exe it will drop to 3,xxx k. If I don't restart the service it will stay at 1x,xxx k - 7x,xxx k.

System specs:

WinXP Media Center 2005 Service Pack 3 (fully updated) clean install
Pentium D 930 3.0GHZ
2GB RAM PC2-DDR2-5300 667mhz
Gigabyte HD Radeon 4670 (CCC-9.10)
Sound Blaster Audigy SE (drivers are current)
Maxtor 320GB SATA HDD -  (214Gb free)
Avast 4.8 Home Edition build Sept2009 - 4.8.1356
OA firewall free edition (4.0.0.10 free)
Windows Defender - (1.1.1593.0)
Malwarebytes 1.41 (free edition)
SuperAntiSpyware - 4.30.1004 (free edition)
Airlink 101 PCI wireless card AWLH3028 (drivers are current)
AR430W Router - firmware is current
« Last Edit: November 17, 2009, 09:48:24 PM by udidwht »

delta925

  • Guest
Re: ashWebSV.exe high memory use - after definition update?
« Reply #3 on: November 29, 2009, 11:32:53 PM »
I have the same problem and it has only started recently.

I have run the program update so ought to have the very latest version.

I will monitor memory usage more but so far my observations using Task Manager are that ashWebSV.exe is using upto around 15M of memory until there is an automatic virus definition update.
ashWebSV.exe is then using about 75M of memory until the computer is rebooted.

This is significant to me as my internet laptop is a P3 with 512MB RAM running Windows 2000. Normally even with Firefox using upto 150M the total usage is under 512M and performance perfectly adequate.
However if ashWebSV.exe is using 75K the total usage goes well over 512M hence the swap file is used and performance drops significantly.

I am also using Comodo firewall and Spyware Terminator.

YoKenny

  • Guest
Re: ashWebSV.exe high memory use
« Reply #4 on: November 29, 2009, 11:53:29 PM »
@delta925

1. Don't use Comodo with avast!
2. Don't use Spyware Terminator with avast! as it is a big resource consumer

delta925

  • Guest
Re: ashWebSV.exe high memory use
« Reply #5 on: November 30, 2009, 07:38:15 PM »
I had a virus definition update about 30 minutes ago.

From Task Manager current memory usage is
ashWebSv.exe using 69M

Spyware Terminator
sp_rsser.exe using 17M
Spyware Terminator using 6M

Comodo Firewall
CPF.exe using 17M

svchost.exe using 10M

Other than Firefox every process (yes I realise some applications including Avast have several processes) is using under 10M

So the issue is ashWebSv.exe not releasing memory once the update is complete.

If Comodo Firewall ( I have no other Comdo applications ) is a potential problem what freeware / Public Domain firewall can you recommend with a Windows 2000 version still supported?

Spyware Terminator has alerted me to an unwanted update or installation several times so I am loath not to use it.
Recently it alerted me asw100m.exe had been added / updated. I have marked this as an allowed file. I'm just wondering if this was correct?

I have run this setup for about 18 months now and it is only recently I have had the problem of increased memory usage.

Mikos

  • Guest
Re: ashWebSV.exe high memory use
« Reply #6 on: December 06, 2009, 12:55:23 PM »
Since people are also having it, I might as well post it here also. It may not be the same as what other people are experiencing. But it has one common point: ashWebSV using high memory.

My case is different though. It memory usage jumps up to as high as 80Mb on some occasions after an update is done by Avast. In some instances, its average memory usage is around 30-40Mb, and this happens always after an update of Avast is done. I find it funny actually. The common factor: it always eats up memory ALWAYS after an update is done. Without the update being done or during normal operations, the peak that I have seen is around 20Mb. Which is normal. But once an update is done, memory usage goes up.

I usually fix it by pausing ashWebSv from the Avast Menu, then resume it. Then it acts normally again. It behaves the same on my Windows XP SP3 PC. Same fix as well.

As for my specs:

Core 2 Duo E7300 2.66Ghz, 4Gb RAM, 4Gb ReadyBoost, Intel DG31PR Mobo, using a Windows Vista Ultimate SP2.
For the security Software: Avast 4.8, Online Armor Free. I only use on demand scanners like MBam, SAS and ESET Online Scanner, as back ups. I have also disabled Windows Defender and Windows Firewall (from the control panel). So it basically just Avast and Online Armor running. As for the updates, Avast is always updated.

Perhaps the programmers can also check into this. o:)




Mikos
« Last Edit: December 12, 2009, 06:54:18 PM by Mikos »

cimmind

  • Guest
Re: ashWebSV.exe high memory use
« Reply #7 on: December 06, 2009, 03:44:21 PM »
@delta925

1. Don't use Comodo with avast!
2. Don't use Spyware Terminator with avast! as it is a big resource consumer

Bah!
People should provide reasons while making general statements like these, especially to newbies.
The comment by Mikos clearly shows that the problem is not any speculated conflict with comodo or spyware terminator.
I myself have been using avast with comodo firewall since long now, without any conflicts.


@Mikos and Delta925
yes, i too can confirm the same issue of ashwebserv not releasing memory immediately after an update. I used to shut and restart it to bring it back to normal. I will try out mikos' suggestion that pausing & restarting also works.           

cimmind

  • Guest
Re: ashWebSV.exe high memory use
« Reply #8 on: December 06, 2009, 03:50:50 PM »
If Comodo Firewall ( I have no other Comdo applications ) is a potential problem what freeware / Public Domain firewall can you recommend with a Windows 2000 version still supported?

Hi.
I run avast with comodo firewall (firewall + Defense+) without any problems. I hope you have the Defense+ (optimal protection option) along with the Comodo firewall, as that is the HIPS component.
Are you running the real-time protection of spyware terminator along with avast and comodo? It may be slowing up things, and also i dont think its needed if you have Avast along with Comodo firewall and HIPS active.
One suggestion.. why not shift to Windows XP at least from 2000?      

Edit...
As for your query about firewalls, here is a good comparison of available ones:
http://www.matousec.com/projects/proactive-security-challenge/results.php
An advice though... interpret the results cautiously, as it is not fair to compare stand-alone firewalls with whole suites. The Comodo 100% rating is for the suite, not for the firewall alone.    
« Last Edit: December 06, 2009, 03:56:30 PM by Cimmind »

delta925

  • Guest
Re: ashWebSV.exe high memory use
« Reply #9 on: December 12, 2009, 05:05:43 PM »


I usually fix it by pausing ashWebSv from the Avast Menu, then resume it. Then it acts normally again. It behaves the same on my Windows XP SP3 PC. Same fix as well.

Mikos


I have just tried this. Yes according to Task Manager the memory usage drops back to about 12k. However overall my usage is still high so wondering if the memory has not actually been freed for other processes. Next time I will check overall usage before and after pausing ashWebSv.

@delta925

1. Don't use Comodo with avast!
2. Don't use Spyware Terminator with avast! as it is a big resource consumer

Bah!
People should provide reasons while making general statements like these, especially to newbies.
The comment by Mikos clearly shows that the problem is not any speculated conflict with comodo or spyware terminator.
I myself have been using avast with comodo firewall since long now, without any conflicts.       

Thanks for stating this, as I said originally I, and others I know running this combination, have no problems. I don't know if others are now getting ashWebSV hogging memory - as totally non-computer technical they probably would not realise if they did, just assuming the internet was slow.

I have to do a clean reload on another laptop very soon, just Windows 2000 Avast and Comodo Firewall. I will monitor that to see if ashWebSV hogs memory when a definition update is received.

If Comodo Firewall ( I have no other Comdo applications ) is a potential problem what freeware / Public Domain firewall can you recommend with a Windows 2000 version still supported?

Hi.
I run avast with comodo firewall (firewall + Defense+) without any problems. I hope you have the Defense+ (optimal protection option) along with the Comodo firewall, as that is the HIPS component.
Are you running the real-time protection of spyware terminator along with avast and comodo? It may be slowing up things, and also i dont think its needed if you have Avast along with Comodo firewall and HIPS active.
One suggestion.. why not shift to Windows XP at least from 2000?     

I purely have the Comodo firewall v2.4.18.184 which is the last version to work with Windows 2000. I have Spyware Terminator for the HIPS function.

I have kept to Windows 2000 as I assume memory requirements is less than for XP, also I have licence for 2000 but not for XP. I'm sure XP with SP3 will be slower than Windows 2000 and I don't get bugged with the continual XP updates.




dominumds

  • Guest
Re: ashWebSV.exe high memory use
« Reply #10 on: December 12, 2009, 06:07:32 PM »
@delta925

1. Don't use Comodo with avast!
2. Don't use Spyware Terminator with avast! as it is a big resource consumer
:o According to Process Explorer:
cmdAgent (Comodo Firewall's service): Private Bytes 74164K, Working Set 1452K, WS Private 896K
ashWebSv: 35072K, 16100K, 2836K  ;D

All under Windows Vista SP2, 1GB RAM, at the time of this post.
Personally, I've never had a single problem with avast! + COMODO. They all work like a charm in my computer.

Offline JuninhoSlo

  • Avast Evangelist
  • Advanced Poster
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  • Posts: 849
Re: ashWebSV.exe high memory use
« Reply #11 on: December 12, 2009, 08:02:38 PM »
@delta925

1. Don't use Comodo with avast!
2. Don't use Spyware Terminator with avast! as it is a big resource consumer

I've never had any problems with Comodo and Spyware Terminator

delta925

  • Guest
Re: ashWebSV.exe high memory use
« Reply #12 on: December 20, 2009, 02:28:15 PM »
I have been watching memory usage with Task Manager for the last week.

For me pausing ashWebSV.exe doesn't actually free up memory.
When I pause it then restart the listed memory usage specific to ashWebSV.exe indeed drops from around 70M to 10-15M. However the overall memory usage only drops by 15-20M while ashWebSV.exe is paused and is back to the previous level as soon as ashWebSV.exe is restarted.

Hence as I suggested last week another 50M or so of memory is not made available to other applications.

I note YoKenny and dominumds comments that they have no problems with Comodo firewall and Avast either so I really think this is an Avast issue alone rather than any compatibility issue.

Offline patrice58

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  • Posts: 678
  • I'm a llama!
Re: ashWebSV.exe high memory use
« Reply #13 on: December 21, 2009, 01:43:49 AM »
If Comodo Firewall ( I have no other Comdo applications ) is a potential problem what freeware / Public Domain firewall can you recommend with a Windows 2000 version still supported?

Hi.
I run avast with comodo firewall (firewall + Defense+) without any problems. I hope you have the Defense+ (optimal protection option) along with the Comodo firewall, as that is the HIPS component.
Are you running the real-time protection of spyware terminator along with avast and comodo? It may be slowing up things, and also i dont think its needed if you have Avast along with Comodo firewall and HIPS active.
One suggestion.. why not shift to Windows XP at least from 2000?      

Edit...
As for your query about firewalls, here is a good comparison of available ones:
http://www.matousec.com/projects/proactive-security-challenge/results.php
An advice though... interpret the results cautiously, as it is not fair to compare stand-alone firewalls with whole suites. The Comodo 100% rating is for the suite, not for the firewall alone.    

No the rating for CIS and all firewalls is just for the firewall alone, tho before doing the test they put each firewall on maximum protection ie the firewalls strongest setting then they run the test.
Vista Home Premium 32 bit (user account) CISC 4.1.150349.920 + CAV (On Access) + Sandbox,V-Engine 2.7.0.37, SpywareBlaster 4.3, SAS (free), a-squared (free) MBAM (free) Finjan Secure Browsing, Windows Defender (scanner only), Zemana AntiLogger 1.9.2.206,

mattcsh

  • Guest
Re: ashWebSV.exe high memory use
« Reply #14 on: December 21, 2009, 09:39:58 AM »
the AshWebSv.exe also comsume a lot  Memory too. Even updated. Is it the program fault?