Avast and Directplay in Vista

When I install Avast in Vista, all of my microsoft games that use Directplay stop functioning in multiplayer. For example, Freelancer gives a message stating that the server went down or the network is not configured properly when attempting to join a server.

Following instructions I found in other forums, I uninstalled Avast and the multiplayer worked again and by the recommendation of another user, I installed AVG antivirus. AVG did allow the game to function normally.

Is there a workaround that will stop avast from blocking Directplay traffic? I would really like to continue using Avast. From what I have read, McAfee and Norton have the same issue.

(Please do not respond if your answer is “Vista Sucks” or “get Linux”. I know Vista sucks and I do not care for Linux. Thank You ;))

avast shouldn’t block but only scan traffic.
If you disable WebShield provider will Directplay work?
Which firewall do you use?

I have windows firewall disabled. I am running a router, but all needed ports are forwarded appropriatley.

I tried disabling all avast services/shields and it still did not work, only uninstalling did the trick.

Did you uninstall AVG completely before installing avast?

From a fresh install of vista, I installed avast and Pest Patrol as my virus and adware protection. Then I installed Freelancer (Game). When the game didn’t work in multiplayer, I uninstalled avast and the game worked again. From there I then installed AVG and the game still worked. Avast was updated to it’s latest version as was AVG and Pest Patrol. (Pest patrol mainly watches out for spyware and kills cookies)

*Note: I am using Vista Home Premium retail, not the OEM version. Hope that helps.

I can affirm this report.
Disabling Avast → no effects. Uninstalling Avast → Freelancer worked fine. Installing AVG → FL is still working. No matter if firewall is enabled or not.

My OS is Vista64
solace: Kaspersky and Norton have same Problems :slight_smile:

This may be related to a bug in the Vista networking stack.
Try using the following MS hotfix:

For 32-bit Vista users: www.transcode360.be/kb933049x64.zip
For 64-bit Vista users: www.transcode360.be/kb933049x86.zip

Please let me know if it helped.

Thanks
Vlk

no… doesn´t work

uninstalled avg, installed avast… connection to FL-Servers not possible

After using AVG, Kaspersky and Norton … I’m not so sure your installation has not leftovers, files and registry keys left behind, etc. It would be good to clean your system and install avast from the scratch.
Which firewall are you using now?

any problems else?

There is no freeware firewall available for Vista64, so I´m using Vistas own firewall.
And I never said that i have installed Norton and Kaspersky, so there wount be any registry key left on my system.
Don´t try to lay the blame on me! Other software is running fine.

Does it work if you install avast WITHOUT the Network Shield provider?

Thanks
Vlk

Comodo beta is working stable and smoothly on my Vista, but I’m not sure it will work on x64.

I’m not… just trying to help, as usual.

It does not :frowning:

Thanks

Thanks a lot

Did not try yet…

…to be continued ;D

yeah baby… works fine without network shield :smiley:

If the same goes with Norton and Kaspersky, I’m afraid it will be yet-another bug in the Vista TDI layer.
AVG doesn’t have any TDI filters, so no wonder it works OK…

Oh well, I guess it’s time to use my Redmond contacts… again. :-\

Cheers
Vlk

disabling the network shields does not fix the problem for me.

Running:

AVAST
SpyBot S&D
Win Firewall ( I allowed FL thru the firewall )
Win Def.( set it as an allowed program )

Please help :cry:

Disabling this didnt fix the problem for me either. Freelancer still tells me that it cannot connect to servers even if it still pings it and tells me how many players is on it.

Edit: It worked when i uninstalled “Networkshield” from my avast installation. Do I not need that? I thought that was important? You guys done a workaround for this so i do not need to uninstall networkshield?

Thanks,

Hey there supporters of Avast.

I have not been playing freelancer for years, and decieded to see if it still was active.
And to my surprice, its in fact very active.

Now microsoft servers has closed down their servers, so its all now player based servers.
As this topic is about, cannot connect, its no surprice i found this post by searching in your forum before i wanted to post my issue.

For some reason, this has not been solved, and im having the same problems as the others in here have.

I could not run freelancer with avast installed, and i was very confused, coz i could see the server was active, and with players in it, but i could not join?

I did post an forum to the freelancer team and they told me that its my virus protector and it would not even help to disable it, by i needed to trash it.

I could hardly believe it, but figured i might as well try, i could allways install avast again if they where wrong.

but sadly, they where right, disable avast was not enough, i had to completly remove it.
then i was able to join their servers, i find that very disturbing leaving my computer unprotected, and taking in consideration, that avast was the winner of being the 2nd best virus protector in the world, i was very surpriced to see this.

And this is why i make this post. I want freelancer to work with avast, as prolly many others prolly want.
Here is the link to the freelancer team i was talking about, and how they see the issue.
U dont need to be member to see this post, but maybe, i dont know if it could help or not.

http://discoverygc.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=9310

I have not tryed to turn down the shield, but as other in here did write, it did not help, but ill give it a go later when i get home. but as faar as i know, this is the only game who has an issue with avast.

with best regards.
Johnni

An update on my avast problem.

I tryed to pause web shield ps2 shield an some of the others. that didnt help, then stopped the providers, that didnt help either.

after stopping theprovider, i could not figure out how to get the providers running again, so uninstalled avast and tryed freelancer again, and it worked.

Have installed avast again. and still the same problem with avast…

So can supporters plz help me out plz?