Outlook 2000 and AVAST 5 Add in

[sweet william]

I have been using Outlook 2000 as my email client under Windows XP SP3 for several years.

A few months ago I switched from AVG to Avast 5 Free and until recently, was very happy with the change.

However, last week I switched from POP3 messaging to IMAP messaging in OL 2000. Since then, Outlook crashes whenever I try to open an unread message.

I read elsewhere on the internet that, sometimes, Outlook add-ins can cause problems like this.

Consequently, by a process of elimination, I discovered that unchecking the Avast 5 add-in in OL solves the problem.

I suspect, though, that I am leaving  my e-mails unprotected by disabling the add-in this way.

Has anybody else come across this problem? Is there another way to work around it without losing my email protection?

Do the Avast techies know about the problem and, if so, can we expect a program fix to  be issued soon?

Many thanks in advance.       

[k.u.r.t]

william,
the Outlook addin only scans for spam, the virus scanning is taken care of in the mail shield. If you experience unexpected behaviour then try to go to your avast log directory (C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Alwil Software\Avast5\log or similar) send me any unpXXX.mdmp files that you find (if there are any)

thanks

[Vlk]

william,
the Outlook addin only scans for spam, the virus scanning is taken care of in the mail shield.

I don't think this is entirely correct. I mean, there's the virus scanning Outlook plugin (for Outlook 2000-2007).

[k.u.r.t]

what is the EXACT name of the plugin in question (there are two, one takes care of the spam and the other also scans for viruses)

[sweet william]

Hi K.U.R.T.

I think you are right. New messages, that I've received since disabling the add-in, still have the "Inbound message clean...." notation added with the latest virus database version number alongside.

The add-in I disabled is simply labeled "avast! 5" (with no  other information) and was found under "Tools/Options/Other/Advanced Options/Add-In Manager" in OL 2000. I guess it must have automatically installed when I first enabled the Mail Shield in Avast.

Anyway, I very rarely get any spam messages because my ISP catches most of them before they get anywhere near my Inbox. Consequently, I think it will probably be safe to leave the add-in disabled for the time being.

I don't have any .mdmp files in the log folder that you mentioned so there is nothing I can send you.

I'm also pretty sure that the problem affects only older versions of Outlook using IMAP messaging because, on the same wireless network, I have a Sony Vaio laptop running under Windows 7 Ultimate. On this laptop I also have Avast installed but my e-mail client is Outlook Professional 2010 and I don't get the same problem and there are no add-ins listed whatsoever.

Thanks to you and Vlk for your prompt feedback.

Hopefully, this topic will prove to  be useful to other OL 2000 users (I'm sure there are still quite a few of us around!).

P.S. - I've now just upgraded to Avast 6.0.1000. I wonder if the problem has already been fixed in this version? I'll try it soon but I suspect the problem will probably still be there. Hopefully the Avast techies will find a solution before too long.

Best wishes