yesterday, Dec 21, again, the server becomes non-responsive. (clients cannot log in.). I check the SBS2003 Server console, and it has a series of “DEP” errors generated by Windows, for Avast. I have to log in, click thru the screens to acknowledge all the errors, kill the avast processes, restart the server, Force a manual update of Avast Program, and Signature files. restart server again, and now server and avast works ok.

DEP is the Data Execution Prevention process by Windows, whereby it stops programs from crashing the system. Avast seems to keep triggering this process on SBS 2003. Particularly when it tries to perform a program update.