avast slows LAN file sharing down

[NON]

Hello,

Today I want to ask AIS related question.

I'm now answering one Japanese forum topic, which claims AIS slows LAN file sharing down over 3 times longer than before (having used Avira 10 Personal).
I advised to exclude all LAN directory from File System Shield scanning but file sharing still takes 2 times longer than before.
I doubt it is caused by Avast! Firewall but I can't find any settings related to this.
Disable AIS Firewall results a bit faster file transfer (1.5 times longer than before).

Now he uses:
Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 64bit
Avast! Internet Security v6.0.1091
No major slowdown with web surfing
Using default setting except File System Shield exclusion
No 3rd party firewalls (only using Windows Firewall)


Are there some ways to speed up LAN file sharing? Any ideas are appreciated.

Thanks,
NON

[NON]

Any ideas?

[Asyn]

Any ideas?

Send him to support.
http://www.avast.co.jp/contact-form.php?loadStyles
asyn

[Hermite15]

why send him to support?

... anyway, what's the other OS he's sharing with on his LAN? if with another W7 system, what method does he use to share, old workgroup way or homegroups?

[Asyn]

why send him to support?

Because, it's someway easier than: we tell Non to tell him to tell Non to tell us....
I guess, you get the picture.
Anyway, no problem, if you want to go after it.

[NON]

Send him to support.
http://www.avast.co.jp/contact-form.php?loadStyles
asyn

... anyway, what's the other OS he's sharing with on his LAN? if with another W7 system, what method does he use to share, old workgroup way or homegroups?

He uses large LAN (more than 10 PCs), see attached diagram. I have to admit this is not so common environment
One of them uses Windows Home Server 1 (avast! WHS Edition installed). Some of them are Win7 Ultimate 64bit (AIS v6 installed). So I think he uses old-type workgroup system.
I don't know about Samba / NAS system OSes, I'll ask it to him.


Thanks much,
NON

[Hermite15]

I know nothing about windows home or samba servers, and even less about Avast WHS editions... so send him to support

ps: sorry

[Asyn]

so send him to support

You never listen to me.

[NON]

I know nothing about windows home or samba servers, and even less about Avast WHS editions... so send him to support

ps: sorry

Anyway thanks for helping.

I received OP's reply and saw he uses fairly complex server system (including FreeBSD, ubuntu, debian etc.).
I'll tell him to send a ticket, it's all beyond my knowledge...

[NON]

After some further investigation we (I and OP) concluded that this issue is some kind of conflict between win7 and avast core driver.
This issue (LAN file sharing slowdown) only happens in Windows 7 (both RTM/SP1, not sure about Vista), and XP is not affected.
Local disk access is not affected either.
Even all shields are uninstalled this issue remains. Only way to avoid it is uninstall avast completely.

I confirmed this issue on my side some weeks ago, and tomorrow I'll have a chance to access suitable environment for testing. So, please give me some advices or testing procedures to determine what is wrong and find solution for this issue.

I don't want to advice uninstalling avast due to only this issue, but LAN file access is very important for business or large-scale use so we can't just stand this slowdown.


OP already sent a ticket and seems support section failed to solve this issue, so he came to this forum for help.

[scythe944]

After some further investigation we (I and OP) concluded that this issue is some kind of conflict between win7 and avast core driver.
This issue (LAN file sharing slowdown) only happens in Windows 7 (both RTM/SP1, not sure about Vista), and XP is not affected.
Local disk access is not affected either.
Even all shields are uninstalled this issue remains. Only way to avoid it is uninstall avast completely.

I confirmed this issue on my side some weeks ago, and tomorrow I'll have a chance to access suitable environment for testing. So, please give me some advices or testing procedures to determine what is wrong and find solution for this issue.

I don't want to advice uninstalling avast due to only this issue, but LAN file access is very important for business or large-scale use so we can't just stand this slowdown.


OP already sent a ticket and seems support section failed to solve this issue, so he came to this forum for help.

Well, I hope we get this issue fixed before Avast 6 goes business.

I have yet to try AIS on any machine so I don't know what the installation routine looks like, but is it possible to install individual parts (the different shields)?  If so, you could try installing each shield individually and testing after each one. It will take a bit of time, but you'd be able to narrow it down to which provider is causing the problem.

I'd be willing to bet it's either the firewall module or the on-access scanner.  Maybe the behavior shield?

I'd be willing to test it to, but I have 8+ year old computers at home and no money to replace them for the foreseeable future and I can't really mess around that long at work.

[NON]

This issue happens not only with AIS but also with Free version. I confirmed this issue using both avast!5.1.x Free and AIS 6.0.1125.

Even there is no real file transfer (checking file-size and file-date only, aka file synchronization) avast slows this down.

The most strange thing is that no shield seems responsible for this slowdown. I uninstalled all avast shields (no real-time shields, WebRep or anything) but this issue still persists.

I'll try uninstalling avast and reinstall it with no shield installed.