Many Unwanted .mdmp Files Accumulating

[NoelC]

I have Avast Internet Security, though I'm not running all the features (probably could have gotten by with a cheaper version but you had a good deal...).

I have noticed a large number of .mdmp files accumulating in my "C:\ProgramData\Alwil Software\Avast5\log" folder.  Gigabytes of them!  One every few minutes it seems, when I'm browsing the web using IE9.

Avast! has not been reporting any problems, but I'm concerned that these might indicate Avast! is failing to protect my system fully, and I sure don't want gigabytes of these things accumulating on my SSDs!

I have zipped up the last hour's worth of files and put them here:

http://Noel.ProDigitalSoftware.com/temp/Avast_mdmp_files.zip

Please let me know if there is anything more I can provide.

-Noel

[pk]

Thanks for attached dumps. Avast crashes were caused by Outlook plugin, you can disabled it/uninstall until new program version is released.

[NoelC]

Thank you for the quick feedback.

I guess I'd rather not be without any protection at all for Outlook.  With these failures occurring, do you know whether I am getting any protection at all now?

The Mail.log file shows a whole list of stuff like:

4/29/2012   11:25:32 AM   00001470:   --SMTP Mail is clean
4/29/2012   11:36:21 AM   00000384:   --SMTP Mail is clean
4/29/2012   12:37:06 PM   000009B8:   --POP Mail is clean
4/29/2012   12:47:18 PM   000006DC:   --POP Mail is clean
4/29/2012   12:47:19 PM   000015A4:   --POP Mail is clean
4/29/2012   12:47:19 PM   000015A4:   --POP Mail is clean
4/29/2012   12:47:20 PM   000015A4:   --POP Mail is clean
4/29/2012   1:02:52 PM   00000F34:   --SMTP Mail is clean
4/29/2012   1:28:18 PM   00001294:   --POP Mail is clean
4/29/2012   1:43:42 PM   00001450:   --POP Mail is clean
4/29/2012   1:48:47 PM   00001158:   --POP Mail is clean
4/29/2012   1:48:48 PM   00001158:   --POP Mail is clean
4/29/2012   2:09:52 PM   00001554:   --SMTP Mail is clean

-Noel

[pk]

Mail shield is something else than above mentioned Outlook plugin. It's only Outlook add-on for spam filtering and it can be disabled from Outlook UI (Tools -> Trust Center -> Add-in, as for Outlook 2007).

[NoelC]

I have Outlook 2003, so the configuration is a little different...

I had already uninstalled the anti-spam feature some time back, because I didn't need it, and it had added a toolbar I didn't want.  Apparently it didn't pull out all its add-ons.

I don't see any mention of any Avast functions remaining in Outlook 2003 in all the places I know to look (e.g., Tools - Options - Other - Advanced Options).  Can you suggest where I might actually find the offending add-on file to remove it?

Thanks.

-Noel

[pk]

I had already uninstalled the anti-spam feature some time back, because I didn't need it, and it had added a toolbar I didn't want.  Apparently it didn't pull out all its add-ons.

Thanks for more information.

I don't see any mention of any Avast functions remaining in Outlook 2003 in all the places I know to look (e.g., Tools - Options - Other - Advanced Options).  Can you suggest where I might actually find the offending add-on file to remove it?

please see: (#2) http://blog.techhit.com/5527-how-to-find-and-disable-outlook-2003-add-ins-and-plugins
it could help you to navigate at Add-in page in Outlook 2003 (i used google: addin outlook 2003 disable).

[NoelC]

The files are still being created.

I followed all the instructions in that TechHit page...

• There were no COM Add-ins listed
• No Avast! Add-in was listed in the Add-in Manager, only "Exchange Extensions property pages".  Disabling that did not change the appearance of .mdmp files, one of which is created whenever I open an eMail message.
• I found an entry in the registry in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\ Outlook\Addins, but setting its LoadBehavior value to 2 or even removing the entire entry did not stop the .mdmp files.

I stopped and restarted Outlook after each of these changes.

I have Word 2003 as my default editor.  Is it possible there's some add-on or addition to Word in there somewhere as well?

Any additional help you can offer to stop these 3 megabyte files from being created every time I open an eMail would be appreciated.  Note that Outlook seems to be functioning normally throughout all this.

-Noel

[NoelC]

Some additional information:

A search of the registry for "Antispam" turned up another key in the Wow6432Node subsection of the registry, which is what would govern Outlook 2003, as it is a 32 bit application.

Specifically it is here:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Office\Outlook\Addins\avastAddin

Changing the LoadBehavior value to 2 stopped the .mdmp files from being created.

Thank you for helping lead me to the solution to this problem!

Have a great day.

-Noel