100% CPU usage

I upgraded avast to 4.8 last evening. After rebooting for the first time after installation, processor was being used 100% by avast processes. I worked with it for 2 hours in disbelief that avast could have done it and finally un-installed Avast. Everything back to normal, but i’m without virus protection.
I don’t have time to troubleshoot this, especially since i’m certain the problem is not with my computer.
I watching for a solution/new release without this trouble.
Thanks.

So… we’ll be here to help you, if you need, when you get back :wink:

I recommend Avast take this release off line/out of service until the bug(s) are worked out. Many who get the release installed and have problems will not know what to do or how to solve. They will likely spend gobs of money getting professional help. Of course when it’s discovered Avast Anti-Virus is the culpret - well then it won’t be pretty for Avast sales or word of mouth on the street. Do we need to analyze the Symantec Norton AntiVirus/Internet security situation to know what happens with such products? Stop the upgrades and get it fixed.

There’s no need to be so dramatic. All software has bugs in it. All new releases of any software have bugs in them. This is not unusual. These bugs will be fixed.

Personally the additional protection provided by the 4.8 version (anti-rootkit module, self-defence module and improved anti-spyware) by far outweighs the increase in on-demand (non-essential) scan.

You had a problem when you upgraded (http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=34430.msg288615#msg288615) but uninstalled rather than allow us to try and help because you said:

I don't have time to troubleshoot this, especially since i'm certain the problem is not with my computer. I watching for a solution/new release without this trouble.

Problems can be better resolved with interactive contribution.

Sorry to be dramatic. I have avast installed on many customer’s home computers. Most using for more than pleasure and can’t afford the down time of the cost of me coming to remove Avast. When I tell them I solved the problem by removing Avast, what then?
Agree all software has bugs. The world ain’t perfect; but what about when the computer DOESN’T WORK due to a product upgrade; an money and time is spent just so the computer will work again. That was my personal experience on my computer. Interestingly enough, my customer who had upgraded (and couldn’t use her computer) had already upgraded her DSL to try and solve the problem before she contacted me at additional cost. Maybe I’m supposed to visit her (for 2 hrs) and uninstall avast and give her the visit for free as I was the one that recommended and installed it in the first place 1.5 yrs ago?
The computers nearly grind to a halt due to a new software release; there is a lot more at stake than inconvenience and drama. I personally have a lot at stake as I’m the one who has been recommending Avast.

Well… after all, she used for free avast for 1.5 year and will continue to use if you ask for help and help us troubleshooting this…

I would agree to pulling 4.8 until the high CPU usage issue, which basically freezes the system for a long time, is resolved! Not every system is affected but way too many me thinks.

I doubt that it will get pulled.

It is regretable that you are encountering this issue but how many of the folks you have installed for are reporting the same problem? So far none of the folks I support are reporting any problems with this release and I do not see any large numbers reporting the same concerm here.

In the time taken to remove, look for, install, understand and configure a new AV you could have worked with the folks here to try to resolve your CPU utilization problem - and by doing so perhaps make a contribution to the whole avast community.

I can understand being too busy - in that case you can still find the avast 4.7 release and return to that. If you need a pointer to it please avise.

As Tech has said - we will still be here to assist if you choose to return.

Is 4.7 still around and how to prevent it from updating to 4.8?

I think I contributed already big time by testing and reporting back on the affected system - so far there is nothing more I can do and the affected box is a production PC now without AV.

My best guess is the problem is chipset related and my nforce 430 box is somewhat restrictive. I found out when trying to reset the Seagate HDD to manufacturing default max. capacity (Seatools) but it did not work - chipset does not allow this operation!

My other box based on an Ali M1697 chipset (and same model Seagate) did not have this problem and here Avast 4.8 is running fine - coincidence?

You can select manual program update in 4.7 This will prevent autoupgrading to next version.

The 4.7 version is still available here:

http://filehippo.com/download_avast_antivirus/

BTW my comments were more intended in response to the original poster.