Avast knocks out my wireless

[RF]

Running Avast Free 6.0.1367, w/ latest definitions, on XPP sp3.

I got the false rootkit warning yesterday and elected to delete sfloppy.sys
(although it's still there, and apparently the same version). After that I did a
boot-time scan as the message suggested.

Since then I've discovered that whenever I do a boot-time scan, Avast knocks
out my wireless connection. I show no networks in the vicinity, and the boxes in
the screenshot, shown here in their correct state, have nothing filled in. I have
to recreate the information manually, reboot, and then I'm OK. Conventional
scans do not cause a problem, whether a full scan or a quick scan.

I have the following shields activated: file system, mail, web, network, script, and
behavior. I also have the sandbox enabled.

The boot-time scan is a valuable tool. In the past it has flagged a couple of
problems that a conventional full scan missed, and I do not want to
stop using it.

In the short run, is there anything I can do to stop Avast from knocking out my
wireless connection? (as far as a permanent solution goes, I think that will have to come from Avast).

[ady4um]

The boot scan is not something you need in a daily basis. It is there to be ran when some other problem arises, or when some "virus - fighter" tells you to do it and to report the results back.

[rdmaloyjr]

Running Avast Free 6.0.1367, w/ latest definitions, on XPP sp3.

I got the false rootkit warning yesterday and elected to delete sfloppy.sys
(although it's still there, and apparently the same version). After that I did a
boot-time scan as the message suggested.

Since then I've discovered that whenever I do a boot-time scan, Avast knocks
out my wireless connection. I show no networks in the vicinity, and the boxes in
the screenshot, shown here in their correct state, have nothing filled in. I have
to recreate the information manually, reboot, and then I'm OK. Conventional
scans do not cause a problem, whether a full scan or a quick scan.

I have the following shields activated: file system, mail, web, network, script, and
behavior. I also have the sandbox enabled.

The boot-time scan is a valuable tool. In the past it has flagged a couple of
problems that a conventional full scan missed, and I do not want to
stop using it.

In the short run, is there anything I can do to stop Avast from knocking out my
wireless connection? (as far as a permanent solution goes, I think that will have to come from Avast).

It's more likely your firewall that is blocking your wireless card.

What is your firewall?

The newest version of ZoneAlarm Free blocks my Athores wireless card.

I'm using OA Free untill that bug in ZA is fixed.

[RF]

Obviously I don't run a boot-scan, or any other virus scan, on a daily basis. I noticed the problem when I did a boot scan as part of the false rootkit cleanup, which Avast asks the user to do. Once I managed to get back the wireless network, I carefully tried to find out by elimination why I lost it in the first place. It's the antivirus, not the firewall (Kerio, which plays nice with everything, for the benefit of the mindless sloganeering right-winger), or anything else.

[ady4um]

OK, with *daily* basis I meant as with some periodical scan, as oppose to some one time scan for some specific purpose.

I agree with you that it doesn't sound like a firewall issue, but JFYI, Kerio is "going down". Is not going to be developed anymore, and some users recently have reported some little problems (which doesn't mean it is a bad product). I would suggest searching for a new firewall anyway, and independently of the issue you described here.

[RF]

Actually KPF (Kerio Personal Firewall) has been unavailable for quite a long time now, and I notice that Sunbelt has done a very thorough job in scrubbing the download for it off the net. But, firewalls aside, before the false rootkit situation the problem did not exist.

Because of interdependencies, I may have to repair something in Windows, so, "upon further review" as American football refs say, it may be a problem generated by Avast, but not within their power to remedy. 

[ady4um]

Just to be clear, I'm not saying avast has nothing to do with the issue. It could be.

My point was that, even in such case, the other scans are not giving you the same problem, and neither the normal use of avast. So it is something that may appear, and avast may be the culprit (I don't really know) but it is something completely infrequent.

In any case, it would be nice to see the next avast not having the same problems after *any* scan, whichever the culprit is.

Let us know if you find something else (like a workaround, a solution, or the real culprit).

[RF]

Here is a question - I believe that in the settings, Avast allows you to exclude files from scanning. If you do this, do those exclusions carry over into a boot-time scan? I ask because, if they do, perhaps a Windows guru could suggest an exclusion to try (I suppose yesterday's sfloppy.sys would be one candidate). I may try disabling an active shield or the sandbox prior to a boot-time scan (about a four times per year event) and see if that makes any difference, but winnowing out the culprit, if there is one, would be a laborious process.

If any readers of this thread who accepted the false positive yesterday wanted to try a boot-time scan to see if it knocks out their wireless, and then post the results here, that would be useful, but then you have to get it back, so I can see why people wouldn't want to do that.