New User: Windows Vista Home Premium, Firefox (and IE7), Avast, Windows Firewall, Spy Sweeper.
When I place my mouse over the Avast icon in the task bar it says there are 7 processes and only 4 running. I had to reinstall Avast and the first time it said 7 processes 6 running. How do I activate all the process – or what is going on?
Also, when I open the main window, on the first install it would test memory and I could see that test running and I could stop the test. Now it does nothing.
Left click the avast icon and that opens the avast! on-access Scanner window, click the Details… >> button. That will show all providers and ytou can see which one isn’t running.
I suspect that it is the Outlook/Exchange provider as this doesn’t run unless you have MS Outlook (not express) installed.
Did you have any other antivirus before avast?
Seems that, now, avast is working well, anyway can you try to repair your installation?
Go to Control Panel > Add/Remove programs > avast! antivirus > Remove. Then choose Repair function in the popup window (Repair).
I have Windows Mail. When I click on Avast icon and get the detail screen, the only one that doesn’t have the pause button activated is Outlook Exchange.
Before Avast I had AVG 7.5 Anti Virus w/Firewall and no problems. I updated to their 8.0 and it was total disaster and couldn’t get any response from their tech support for over two weeks. I finally uninstalled it. Avast is running good now. No problems. Except I’m so dumb I still don’t know which process it is that isn’t running.
I’m looking for an opinion. When I downloaded Avast I also downloaded the free Comodo firewall and let me tell you that has been UNINSTALLED!!! It might be good, but no good for a green user like me. I just switched to my Windows firewall but really don’t feel that has enough protection to make me feel safe so am going to try the trial version of Webroot’s firewall since I have their Spy Sweeper. If you know anything about this product, good or bad, please let me know.
That is because the Outlook/Exchange provider isn’t running/enabled, so the only active button would be start, to start it (which you don’t want if you aren’t using MS Outlook).
You could take it a step further and Terminate those providers you don’t require. If you don’t use any Peer2Peer applications you can Terminate the P2P Shield/provider (answer Yes to the pop-up question to persist the changes). The same is true if you don’t use any Instant Messenger applications then you can Terminate the Instant Messaging Shield/provider.
The windows firewall OK for inbound protection, but doesn’t provide outbound protection (see below for more info). Any malware that manages to get past your defences will have free reign to connect to the internet to either download more of the same, pass your personal data (sensitive or otherwise, user names, passwords, keylogger retrieved data, etc.) or open a backdoor to your computer, so outbound protection is essential.
If you are using XP there is no outbound protection.
If using Vista, this is disabled by default and even if you enable it, it is rule based and you have to create the rules, not easy. Vista Firewall Control, check out this topic for some user friendly help for the Vista Firewall, Outbound protection, http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=30234.0