some of you have reported a major conflict (random freezes, bsods etc) between avast 5 and the paid version of MBAM (which, unlike the free version, features an on-access scanner).
As we don’t seem able to simulate the problem on our test systems, I’d like to find out more about the problem.
First, we made quite a few stability improvements in the recents builds of avast (not only in the program build 5.0.396, but also via subsequent virus definition updates).
So the first question is, is the problem happening even with an up-to-date installation of avast? (i.e. 5.0.396 and say yesterday’s virus defs, i.e. 100206-0 or newer)?
If it is, can you please provide us with more information? Memory dumps would be most welcome (i.e. crash dumps if the system is bsoding, or manually initiated dumps if the system is hanging)…
With your help, we will hopefully be able to find (and fix) the problem soon.
Un-installed Microsoft Security Essentials then reboot
Un-installed Windows Defender then reboot
Windows Security Center indicates that there is no anti virus application
Ran aswclear.exe that I had done before then reboot
Download setup_av_free.exe from CNET Download.com: Avast Free Antivirus 5.0.396 http://download.cnet.com/Avast-Free-Antivirus/3000-2239_4-10019223.html?part=dl-85737&subj=dl&tag=button
Ran setup_av_free.exe choosing Custom as I do not need P2P Shield and system hung during install requiring pressing Power button for 10 seconds
Powered up and Windows Security Center indicates that there is no anti virus application still
Noticed avast! icon rotating for a while then system hung requiring pressing Power button for 10 seconds
The hang looks like it occurs on virus defs update on my system.
I need to provide Memory dump on next system hang.
On my Windows 7 system I noticed that there was a Virus definitions version: update to 100707-0
I booted up my XP Pro system and after about 3 minutes it hung with a BSOD with:
Ox0000000E2 (0x000000 0000000 000000000) Note: there might not be the correct number of zeros there but it has indicated that Physical memory dump complete. is available.
So now I have to figure out how to zip the dump and upload it.
I have not had this much fun since Win98 days when I used to load a BSOD screensaver on people’s systems that never locked them when they went to lunch as that was a job I was delegated to do by my employer to insure people followed company policy of locking up one’s system when away from it: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897558.aspx
I can not provide any “memory dump” or such but i can tell you that the updated version of Avast still has done nothing to correct the issue. Every time i log on to my Computer it freezes and the updates had little to no effect whatsoever, i do have MBAM v 1.41 and the resident protection they provide ON, so they probably conflict with each other on start up.
Network connection interupted a lot/not loading pages in firefox. Often just after updating definitions or while checking.
Random BSOD after update seems to been corrected (only happened once)
Very high CPU usage for videos/music causing audio slowing and glitching (seems to be as much a Win 7 problem as shields disabled it happens just not as much)
Otherwise no other freezes or issues
Laptop with Win 7 64 Bit Ultimate:
Random pages not loading in firefox
No BSOD or freezes. Working fine with audio etc.
Both have MalwareBytes PRO with Protection on. Both are updating properly.
I would guess as before the XP specific code is more the issue than Win 7 or backward compatibility there of.
Anything I can do to confirm or replicate a problem I’ll be happy to try.
IP protection is definitely an issue for me. I turned off the MBAM protection but left avast running as normal. Loaded a known youtube video with lots of issues with audio stuttering…
NONE … even with Avast turned on. I turned the resident protection on and little change. The IP protection was still off. However, once turned IP protection on again… back to massive amounts of stuttering.
Now I do know IP protection blocks sites usually with a popup balloon when it does. But this seems to be limiting packets in a bad way.
Again I can only reproduce this on my Atom based netbook. No application freezes or other issues though.
I also just noticed my Toshiba Flash Cards for FN keys not loading unless MBAM is off… then works ok for a while on or off
Other flash based videos still have an issue with MBAM off.
I am trialling AIS, currently 5.0.396(started a clean install with .377) and I have no problems with MBAM Pro, I also have Eset Smart Security 4 which also works perfectly with MBAM Pro. I did notice that the MBAM icon only appears a while after all the other icons already have appeared so it probably put itself on delayed start-up. On the MBAM forum delayed start-up is also frequently given with problems with other AV software and MBAM doesn’t always do it automatically so doing it manually might help some users here.
It’s like a classic conflict between two AV programs. Very typical. The only question is why it worked OK with avast v4.8 - but the stability with v4.8 must have been very fragile anyway (I can imagine system hanging pretty much randomly, even though maybe not too often).
I’ll talk to Marcin (Malwarebytes’ CEO) and discuss what we can do together.
