avast! 6 blocking Excel add-on the accounting software.

[avast@@dvantage77.com]

Subject: Issue possibly caused by Avast!

We deployed the new version of Avast! on Friday afternoon and think
we may have an issue with it stopping an Excel Object from contacting our accounting software.

Friday morning our accounting department was able to use it without
any issues, but today it is no longer working.  To attempt to find
what is causing the problem, I disabled the shields in Avast! one by
one and re-attempted to establish the connection.  Even with
all the shields disabled the connection still fails.

Could there be something in Avast! still blocking it even with all
the shields disabled?  Is there anything else you can recommend that we try to get this working again?

Just in case it makes a difference, the accounting software is
Mitchell Humphery.  We are also contacting their tech support to see
if we can get some details on how the connection is
established.


Thanks,

David Ewing


Dear David, to rule out avast, I would go to add/remove programs and
remove it completely avast, then reboot, and then test the accounting system.

Is any other system using avast! and the ACCT system?

Was the system rebooted on Friday, after avast! install, then ACCT worked?

Sincerely,
J.R.  Guthrie



Subject: Re: Issue possibly caused by Avast!

We will have to test the removal portion and get back to you, but to answer the rest:

There are 2 computers using this excel tool to import data into our
accounting system and both of them stopped working after the avast
install.  They were both rebooted after the install, but the
accounting plugin was not working when they went to use it the first
time after avast! was installed.

David

[avast@@dvantage77.com]

Dear David,

Make sure that all "sensitivity" settings are at normal (these are the defaults).  The "high" setting has been known to cause these type of issues in applications (File System Shield, expert settings, Sensitivity, Normal, repeat for all shields)

Disable AutoSandbox (File System Shield, expert settings, AutoSandbox, uncheck "enable")

The next step is to exclude the Excel plugin (File System Shield, expert settings, exclusions) click Add, browse to the path of the Excel add-on, check mark this path, and this path will now be added to the file system Exclusions list.  Leave the Exclusions boxes "R  W  X" all check marked, then click OK.

NOTE:  The Exclusions under settings only exclude from on demand settings. This section does not include realtime exclusions (top right of avast! user interface w/ wrench icon)

If you are not successful with these settings, I would like to try uninstalling avast! 6, and testing application using avast! 4.
If that works then it will give us a direction to procede.

Sincerely,

J.R.  Guthrie                                       
President
Advantage Micro Corporation
520-290-0595                                         
JR@Advantage77.com

[igor]

Erm, what's the point of reposting somebody else's e-mail communication here? Does this David know about it? Does he follow this thread?

(Besides, how did you come to the conclusion that "The "high" setting has been known to cause these type of issues in applications"?)

[avast@@dvantage77.com]

RE: High settings sometimes causing issues - We have personally experienced this, and we have read postings on this issue.

RE: Posting and documenting tech support issues - I believe that full documentation of all issues gives everyone the ability to search for solutions and ideas for solutions that have not been previously documented; I.E. disabling avast! Shields can cause certain functions to be blocked vs. a custom installation without the Shields ever being installed as the solution.

And last BUT NOT least: Someone in the avast! community may have experience with this particular event / software and would be able to shine light on the issue. I am willing to share everything I have learned, and I am willing to help whenever I can, to forward our cause.

[igor]

I don't have anything against posting information or asking question - but it should have some reasonable form, not a past "dialog" that makes the whole thing confusing; it's not clear whether it's an information or question, or something copy&pasted by mistake. If DavidR started to post in this thread, for example, that "Dear David" would get a new dimension.

Besides, posting somebody's e-mail correspondence on a public forum, including their name etc... if without their knowledge/approval, I find it impolite at least.


So, what I'm trying to say is that I'd find it better if the information was turned into a short summary, possibly followed by a question, instead of including the whole e-mails.

[avast@@dvantage77.com]

I understand and will do just that!  We are now doing a custom install without shields. From previous experience and testing, there are inner settings of avast! shields which can't always be resolved by stopping the shields. Excel plugins are usually written in visual basic, so there's a good chance that the script shield will most likely be the issue, followed by the behavioural shield.