Avast seriously affecting connectivity - solution

[SafeSurf]

To confirm, you now can get manual updates but cannot get automatic updates?  Otherwise, you can surf normally?

Could you answer the above questions.  Thank you.

The settings you described in your above post should be fine.

[dubhdara]

Yes, manual updates work fine. If I switch to automatic updates it works fine as well I believe - the problem is if I leave the setting on automatic updates and then, when I turn the PC on next time and an update tries to come through as the PC is booting up, the connectivity (though technically connected) does not all surfing or anything else. I *think* it happens when there is an update ready to come through, but I may be wrong and it actually be the setting itself (alone). Perhaps it is something to do with the order in which theses events happen at boot-up - perhaps if Avast was to have a default wait of at least 5 mins before checking for updates...?

I say that the problem occurs when there is an update ready simply because that is the way it appeared, and sometimes there would be no problem (which I assume must be when there was no update ready)...

[DavidR]

You could try and delay the update check:
- In avast5 you need to edit (using notepad) avast5.ini the [InetWD] section of the C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Alwil Software\Avast5\avast5.ini (XP file location). Location for Vista, win7, C:\ProgramData\Alwil Software\Avast5\avast5.ini.

- Broadband connections, add this line:
AlwaysConnectedWaitSeconds=120 and
AssumeAlwaysConnected=1 if not present (or edit AssumeAlwaysConnected=0 to AssumeAlwaysConnected=1)

[InetWD]
AssumeAlwaysConnected=1
AlwaysConnectedWaitSeconds=120

When complete save the changes, avast's self-defence module will ask for confirmation, etc. answer Yes.

The figure is seconds and the above equates to two minutes, you could try that and adjust upwards if required, 180, 240, etc. which in your case it may be better to start on 300 (5 minutes).