Can I reinstall AVAST 4.8 please?

[Graphicool]

What it actually showed was...

Windows firewall is off
firewall process from PCSecurityShield/BitGuard Personal Firewall detected

With no mention of anything else?

[Gopher John]

When you ran EnumProcess, did Ashampoo Firewall show in Windows Task Manager | Processes?

If you don't remember installing PCSecurityShield/BitGuard Personal Firewall, it may be a malware parasite.  Download MalwareBytes free from http://www.malwarebytes.org/

I PMed Trolly about what EnumProcess found, and am waiting for an answer.

[Graphicool]

Right here we go, I've done a bit of digging. The name of the '.exe' for...
'PCSecurityShield/BitGuard Personal Firewall' is 'firewall.exe'. Which is also the '.exe' file name of 'Ashampoo Firewall'!? In other words they're one and the same. That's why enum didn't point up 'Ashampoo' as well.

After all that, it looks as though I'm back to square one again. But with what looks like an undisputable culprit. So then, where do I go from here? It seems I have two choices, I can either...
(1) - Keep my Ashampoo firewall. Remove Avast and use Clam AV, that comes with Spyware Terminator.
(2) - Keep Avast, remove Ashampoo and look for a replacement. But how many would I have to go through to find one that is compatible with Avast?   

[Graphicool]

And in answer to your question, while I was posting...

"did Ashampoo Firewall show in Windows Task Manager | Processes?" - No, but firewall.exe did.

[Asyn]

(2) - Keep Avast, remove Ashampoo and look for a replacement. But how many would I have to go through to find one that is compatible with Avast?   

I would pick this option...
Use PcTools, Comodo, etc. (search the forum for more free firewalls, running well with avast)
asyn

[Graphicool]

Hi Asyn

Comodo, I've tried that, we didn't get on, it was making me paranoid! Have you got something against ClamAV?

[Asyn]

Hi Asyn
Comodo, I've tried that, we didn't get on, it was making me paranoid! Have you got something against ClamAV?

Did you try comodo 4.1 (firewall only) yet..?? Much easier to handle for unexperienced users...
(I don't even want to talk about ClamAV...!!)
asyn

[Gargamel360]

If you are looking for someone to tell you to drop Avast! in favor of another A.V.,  you might be in the wrong place  

As Asyn said, you can use Comodo just as a plain firewall, no D+, if you wish.

Outpost also has a free FW.

Any of the three mentioned to you here I have not seen any problems reported with Avast!5.
(the other of the 3 mentioned being PCtools)

[Gopher John]

Right here we go, I've done a bit of digging. The name of the '.exe' for...
'PCSecurityShield/BitGuard Personal Firewall' is 'firewall.exe'. Which is also the '.exe' file name of 'Ashampoo Firewall'!? In other words they're one and the same. That's why enum didn't point up 'Ashampoo' as well.

After all that, it looks as though I'm back to square one again. But with what looks like an undisputable culprit. So then, where do I go from here? It seems I have two choices, I can either...
(1) - Keep my Ashampoo firewall. Remove Avast and use Clam AV, that comes with Spyware Terminator.
(2) - Keep Avast, remove Ashampoo and look for a replacement. But how many would I have to go through to find one that is compatible with Avast?   

This from Trolly,

EnumProcess finds only processes known to it. If Ashampoo firewall is not known it will not detect it. It is not invasive and tries to test the processes (may be an idea)

One way to add it, is to use "Processes only" from the dropdown and then send me the list.

You are correct.  Can you do the Processes only in EnumProcess?  I'll forward your result to Trolly.

If you are behind a router, you can uninstall AShampoo while troubleshooting this.  Reboot and then see if firewall.exe is not running.  Then try a manual updating of Avast.

[Graphicool]

OK this is my last ditch attempt to see if Ashampoo can redeem itself. Does anyone know what files in Avast 5 should be given 'Full Access Rights'? Apart from...

avastsvc.exe
avast.setup
avastui.exe

These three have already been awarded these rights by Ashampoo.
I have added...

ashupd.exe

But it's still showing the ERROR: Cannot connect to server

Ahampoo is not showing as blocking anything from Avast.

[Graphicool]

Windows Firewall is off
[System Process]
System
\SystemRoot\System32\smss.exe
csrss.exe (Microsoft Corporation / Client Server Runtime Process)
\??\C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe (Microsoft Corporation / Services and Controller app)
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe (Microsoft Corporation / LSA Shell (Export Version))
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe (Microsoft Corporation / Generic Host Process for Win32 Services)
svchost.exe (Microsoft Corporation / Generic Host Process for Win32 Services)
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe (Microsoft Corporation / Generic Host Process for Win32 Services)
svchost.exe (Microsoft Corporation / Generic Host Process for Win32 Services)
svchost.exe (Microsoft Corporation / Generic Host Process for Win32 Services)
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\AvastSvc.exe (AVAST Software / avast! Service)
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE (Microsoft Corporation / Windows Explorer)
C:\Program Files\Spyware Terminator\SpywareTerminatorShield.exe (Crawler.com / Spyware Terminator Realtime Shield)
C:\Program Files\Ashampoo\Ashampoo FireWall\FireWall.exe -> PCSecurityShield/BitGuard Personal Firewall
C:\Program Files\Crawler\IMToolPack\IMToolP.exe (Crawler.com / IM ToolPack)
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\AvastUI.exe (AVAST Software / avast! Antivirus)
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe (Microsoft Corporation / CTF Loader)
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe (Microsoft Corporation / Spooler SubSystem App)
C:\Program Files\Creative\Shared Files\CTAudSvc.exe (Creative Technology Ltd / Creative Audio Service)
svchost.exe (Microsoft Corporation / Generic Host Process for Win32 Services)
C:\Program Files\Belkin\Belkin Wireless Network Utility\WLService.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\bgsvcgen.exe (B.H.A Corporation / B's Recorder GOLD Service Library)
C:\Program Files\Belkin\Belkin Wireless Network Utility\WLanCfgG.exe (Wireless Monitor Application)
C:\WINDOWS\system32\CTsvcCDA.EXE (Creative Technology Ltd / Creative Service for CDROM Access)
C:\Program Files\VCOM\Fix-It\mxtask.exe (Avanquest Software USA, Inc. / MXTask Background Service)
C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jqs.exe (Sun Microsystems, Inc. / Java(TM) Quick Starter Service)
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Media Manager\airsvcu.exe (Microsoft Corporation / Media Manager Indexer)
C:\Program Files\Paragon Software\Drive Backup 9 Professional\Net Burner Service\NetBurnerService.exe (Paragon GmbH / Net Burner iSCSI target)
C:\Program Files\CDBurnerXP\NMSAccessU.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvsvc32.exe (NVIDIA Corporation / NVIDIA Driver Helper Service, Version 93.71)
C:\Program Files\Spyware Terminator\sp_rsser.exe (Crawler.com / Spyware Terminator Realtime Shield Service)
C:\Program Files\VCOM\Fix-It\mxtask.exe (Avanquest Software USA, Inc. / MXTask Background Service)
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe (Microsoft Corporation / Generic Host Process for Win32 Services)
C:\WINDOWS\system32\Tablet.exe (Wacom Technology, Corp. / WacomService)
wdfmgr.exe (Microsoft Corporation / Windows User Mode Driver Manager)
C:\WINDOWS\System32\MsPMSPSv.exe (Microsoft Corporation / WMDM PMSP Service)
alg.exe (Microsoft Corporation / Application Layer Gateway Service)
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE (Microsoft Corporation / Internet Explorer)
C:\Program Files\IncrediMail\bin\IncMail.exe (IncrediMail, Ltd. / IncrediMail Tray Application)
C:\Program Files\IncrediMail\bin\IMApp.exe (IncrediMail, Ltd. / IncrediMail Application)
C:\DOWNLOADS\AVAST\EnumProcess.exe (Me, myself and I / EnumProcess)

[darth]

In answer to your question "Can I reinstall Avast 4.8 please?".

Yes you can.  View http://www.filehippo.com/download_avast_antivirus/.

[Asyn]

In answer to your question "Can I reinstall Avast 4.8 please?".
Yes you can.  View http://www.filehippo.com/download_avast_antivirus/.

Sure he can.
Nevertheless support and updates for 4.8 will end soon...
asyn

[Gopher John]

C:\Program Files\VCOM\Fix-It\mxtask.exe (Avanquest Software USA, Inc. / MXTask Background Service)

From Trolly

The guy has VCOM FixIt Tools running. According to the page ( http://www.itreviews.co.uk/software/s474.htm  ) it contains TrendMicro antivirus and firewall. Maybe that's the problem.

Uninstall VCOM FixIT Tools, reboot, and check Avast update again.  Let's hope for the best.

[Graphicool]

I can see why anyone reading that resource log might jump to the conclusion that 'Tolly arrived at. However in it's defence, yes it is running, but it's a utility pack. it contains many different programmes, of which I only use a few. When it's running, it is only monitoring the system and letting me know what is happening. As for the utilities in its arsenal I don't use '1 click fix' and I don't have anything set-up to run in auto mode. Everthing is set to run manually, as I like to be in control.

Still, in view of the journey you've undertaken on my behalf, I feel it would be churlish of me not to give your suggestion a go, even though - it has to be said - I have no faith in it.

Ok so I've uninstalled 'Fix-It Utilities' and although I wasn't asked to, I also rebooted the system. Clicked on Avast to update the virus definitions...
ERROR: Cannot connect to the server.
I shall, of course be putting Fix-It back on my system.