Periodically, I find that my web shield is turned off and I cannot start firefox. I cannot turn the web shield on from the Avast window and I cannot access my windows firewall, it reports that there is something not right and it cannot open. I have to repair Avast from the “add and remove” menu in the control panel. The computer will run for a while and it will happen again.
For your reference, I am running Avast 5.0.545 and Windows XP SP3.
Should I turn off the windows firewall and just let Avast run?
Usually avast and windows firewall get along quite good.
If you have an avast verion with firewall, use it and disable windows firewall.
If not, you shouldn’t disable the windows firewall.
Or use a 3rd party firewall. (Outpost, PC Tools, Comodo, etc…)
asyn
AIS firewall doesn’t disable my windows firewall (at least not in XP SP3). I would go along with the suggestion of a re-install of Avast as the first thing to try.
the install of avast 545 was through a standard software update.
in the control panel, WFW says that it cannot display the firewall information because of an internal problem.
This is not the first time that this has happened, as I mentioned in the original post, it started about 2 weeks ago.
When avast shows the realtime shields are not running, I cannot start my browser (firefox 3.6.3)
There is no other protection software running.
When I attempt to upgrade the software either through the Avast menu or control panel, it just hangs.
fixing the problem before meant uninstalling SP3 and reinstalling it as well as reinstalling avast through the control panel. This was a LONG and PAINFUL operation.
This event was coincident with installing a software package from tomtom (home - updates the tomtom navigator)
I am running XP SP3 on an older machine (Thunderbird 1.3GHz, nvidia chip set); Firefox 3.6.3 browser, thunderbird mail
So, as your last post had a lot of statements and after reading our replies to your questions…
Are there any questions left…??
asyn
I am still trying to figure out what is going on and what I can do to prevent it from happening again.
Is this an issue with avast? Is this an issue with Windows firewall? Is this an issue with the owner/operator of this computer (high on my list)?
The only other piece of information that might be relevant is that SP3 has only been on this computer for a little over a month. The disk drives are new, the motherboard is an Epox KT7a raid.
Could you please be more precise…? What exactly is your problem?
SP3 is not the problem! Many users of avast are on XP SP3, as I am, without any problems.
asyn
Could you please be more precise…? What exactly is your problem?
SP3 is not the problem! Many users of avast are on XP SP3, as I am, without any problems.
asyn
Let me try again.
Periodically, Avast will show that the realtime shields have been turned off. I cannot restart the realtime shields from the avast window.
At the same time, Windows firewall ceases to work. When I try to look at the WFW through the control panel, I get this strange message that it cannot display information because of an internal problem.
Also, at the same time, I cannot start firefox. It shows in the task list but I never see a firefox window. The computer is still able to get to the internet with UDP packets (SNTP program) and ICMP packets with ping or traceroute.
These are the major symptoms, the question is what is the problem? Is this an issue with Avast? Is this an issue with Windows? What do I do to keep this from happening again?
Ok, thanks - something to work with... :) We will go step by step now...
- First, please tell us which other security software is running on your system. (also former installed..!)
- Did you install avast with admin rights? (necessary for security software)
- Did you scan your system for malware lately?
(If not, please dowload and run free Mbam: http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php)
- Please post back your results.
asyn
Answering your questions in order…
There has been no other security software installed on this computer. Mentioned earlier, this is a relatively new install on brand new hard drives that were partitioned and formatted under Ubuntu 9.10. During the rebuild of the system, avast was one of the first pieces of software installed.
Definitely installed as an administrator.
Trying to do the malware scan but I’m having some difficulties with the computer at the moment. I decided to uninstall and reinstall both SP3 and avast. Managed to do the SP3 but the avast uninstall seems to be languishing.
Why are you uninstalling/reinstalling SP3..??
If you have problems uninstalling avast use this in safe mode:
http://www.avast.com/uninstall-utility
asyn
The reason for uninstalling/reinstalling SP3 is to get WFW working again. If WFW is not working, then I cannot start a browser (either firefox or IE). I do appreciate the link to the avast uninstall utility. Thanks.
Last night, I went through the whole process again of uninstalling/reinstalling both avast (fresh download) and SP3. I also ran mbam and was assured that as far as that program was concerned, I have no malware. After that, everything worked; I was able to browse, read email, all of the things you expect to be able to do. I used ccleaner to check the registry and it’s fine. I have scanned the hard disk looking for errors and none where found.
This morning, I am right back to where I was. The avast icon in the system tray has an exclamation point, I cannot access WFW through the control panel (exact message: “Due to an unidentified problem, Windows cannot display Windows Firewall settings”). I cannot enable avast realtime shields through the avast menu.
Firefox will not start, IE will not start, Thunderbird RUNS.
I am officially lost and out of ideas, help or comments please.
We will go step by step now…