Author Topic: Avast Web Shield blocking internet access - Win 7 x64 SP 1  (Read 57031 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

pukunui

  • Guest
Avast Web Shield blocking internet access - Win 7 x64 SP 1
« on: March 29, 2011, 09:45:21 PM »
Hi there,

I'm also experiencing the issue whereby Avast Free Antivirus 6's Web Shield appears to be blocking my internet access. I've got Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit with SP 1. I originally had McAfee Security Center on here, but when it expired, I got rid of it and downloaded Comodo Internet Security instead - but its antivirus kept crashing the computer when I did a scan, so I got rid of the antivirus but kept the firewall and downloaded Avast antivirus instead. It's always worked brilliantly on my laptop, which is running Win XP, so I figured it'd work great on my Win 7 desktop as well. But this morning I turned it on to discover that while things like Outlook were working fine, I couldn't access webpages in a browser (neither IE or Safari) unless I first disabled Avast's Web Shield.

I have searched the forums. None of the other suggestions I've found seem to work:
- Uninstalling and reinstalling didn't get rid of the problem
- My TEMP folders and the registry keys are all set up properly already
- Disabling and then re-enabling the web shield (or all the shields together) does NOT grant me access, like it does for some users
- I tried updating to the latest pre-release 6.0.1044(?), but that didn't help either.


Anyone got anything else?

Thanks,
Jonathan

Offline CraigB

  • Avast Überevangelist
  • Serious Graphoman
  • *****
  • Posts: 11239
  • No support PM's thanks
Re: Avast Web Shield blocking internet access - Win 7 x64 SP 1
« Reply #1 on: March 29, 2011, 09:55:11 PM »
If you have'nt already ! go to here http://uninstallers.blogspot.com/ and get the McAfee removal tool to get rid of any leftovers off your system, you may have to do a clean install of avast just in case it has been corrupted and also make sure to add the exclusions to avast and your firewall.

pukunui

  • Guest
Re: Avast Web Shield blocking internet access - Win 7 x64 SP 1
« Reply #2 on: March 29, 2011, 11:22:06 PM »
OK thanks. I'll try the uninstallers. How do I do the exclusions thing, though?

Also, I find it odd that I'm having this problem on my desktop (Win 7) but not my laptop (Win XP), even though I've now set them both up to have Avast Antivirus and Comodo Firewall.

EDIT: OK, I ran the McAfee uninstaller then rebooted and now everything seems to be working properly.

Should I still do the exclusion thing? Or is it not necessary?

EDIT 2: OK, so while I can now access the internet with Web Shield up and running, Avast now appears to be unable to successfully update its virus definitions.
« Last Edit: March 29, 2011, 11:50:39 PM by pukunui »

doktornotor

  • Guest
Re: Avast Web Shield blocking internet access - Win 7 x64 SP 1
« Reply #3 on: March 29, 2011, 11:52:00 PM »
EDIT 2: OK, so while I can now access the internet with Web Shield up and running, Avast now appears to be unable to successfully update its virus definitions.

You should repair or reinstall Avast, McAfee corpses might have interfered with proper install process.

pukunui

  • Guest
Re: Avast Web Shield blocking internet access - Win 7 x64 SP 1
« Reply #4 on: March 30, 2011, 12:29:51 AM »
Seemed to be a temporary problem, as it has now successfully updated itself without me changing anything.

pukunui

  • Guest
Re: Avast Web Shield blocking internet access - Win 7 x64 SP 1
« Reply #5 on: April 02, 2011, 11:14:02 PM »
OK, now I haven't been doing anything differently, but now all of a sudden the Web Shield appears to be blocking my internet access again ...  >:(

EDIT: Oh, but Windows did just download an update for Windows Defender, whatever that is. Could that be the problem?

Dieselman

  • Guest
Re: Avast Web Shield blocking internet access - Win 7 x64 SP 1
« Reply #6 on: April 02, 2011, 11:26:33 PM »
Is Windows Defender turned off? If not please do so.

http://www.vista4beginners.com/How-to-disable-Windows-Defender

YoKenny

  • Guest
Re: Avast Web Shield blocking internet access - Win 7 x64 SP 1
« Reply #7 on: April 03, 2011, 12:51:03 AM »
Windows Defender has nothing to do with blocking Internet access!
It runs perfectly fine on my Windows 7 system.

pukunui

  • Guest
Re: Avast Web Shield blocking internet access - Win 7 x64 SP 1
« Reply #8 on: April 03, 2011, 04:54:18 AM »
I turned off Windows Defender, but that didn't make a difference, so I ended up just uninstalling and then reinstalling avast. So far so good.

I figure it's OK to have Windows Defender turned off anyway, though, since I'm using Comodo Firewall/Defense+ - and it says having more than one can slow down the computer.

doktornotor

  • Guest
Re: Avast Web Shield blocking internet access - Win 7 x64 SP 1
« Reply #9 on: April 03, 2011, 09:25:30 AM »
Windows Defender in advanced mode (configured via the membership options, rather confusing) prevents automatic adding of autorun and other stuff). Quite possibly messed up your Avast install. Given the overhead WD adds for not exactly great results, I tend to ditch it everywhere.

k89

  • Guest
Re: Avast Web Shield blocking internet access - Win 7 x32 SP 1
« Reply #10 on: April 03, 2011, 12:41:28 PM »
hi,

I have the same problem, avast6 works well with win 7 but after installing SP1, no internet access unless i stop the web shield.............

Hermite15

  • Guest
Re: Avast Web Shield blocking internet access - Win 7 x64 SP 1
« Reply #11 on: April 03, 2011, 01:07:58 PM »
I don't use defender (disabled) 'cause it's really unneeded while running Avast but if it was not disabled, it certainly wouldn't prevent a correct Avast install. I sometimes, following a new Windows install, forgot to disable Defender a few hours/days, got Avast installed, up and running during that time and never had a problem with that.

 

pukunui

  • Guest
Re: Avast Web Shield blocking internet access - Win 7 x64 SP 1
« Reply #12 on: April 04, 2011, 11:19:22 PM »
WTF?! I've just turned on the computer and Avast is at it again!  >:(

This time I've got no ideas. It worked fine all of yesterday. I didn't do anything in terms of updating Windows or any other software for that matter. I didn't fiddle with any settings or anything. It was just business as usual yesterday. And now the Web Shield is back to blocking my internet connection again! What gives?! It seems like everything I've tried so far has only suppressed the problem for a day or two rather than actually fixing it.

Anyone got any other ideas? This is getting very frustrating.


EDIT: I just tried updating to the 6.0.1044 pre-release. Didn't help.
« Last Edit: April 04, 2011, 11:32:39 PM by pukunui »

doktornotor

  • Guest
Re: Avast Web Shield blocking internet access - Win 7 x64 SP 1
« Reply #13 on: April 04, 2011, 11:45:08 PM »
Well I think your OS is simply messed up and would best be reinstalled. Sorry if this is not what you would like to hear, but the behaviour you are describing does not sound like a sane system.

pukunui

  • Guest
Re: Avast Web Shield blocking internet access - Win 7 x64 SP 1
« Reply #14 on: April 05, 2011, 01:54:44 AM »
Uh, yeah, that's not really helpful. If anything, this is the sanest computer I've ever had! This issue with Avast aside, it runs like an absolute dream. In fact, Avast is the ONLY program I've ever had an issue with, so I'm more inclined to think there's something wrong with it rather than my system. For the record, it's a Dell Studio 540S.

I'm thinking I may have to just give up on Avast and find something else.