avast free 5 is blocking things on start up

Hi

since I upgraded to free version 5 it seems that some start up programs are blocked by it.
mainly me soundcard program (E-Mu patchmix DSP).
if I use the disable function of avast it releases the programs and they finish loading. when I enable avast again they are already running so no problem here.

but how can I prevent avast from blocking programs on my start up?

thanks

avast doesn’t block, it scans and alerts to infection, it doesn’t block.

If there is an apparent blocking then there is something else in the mix, what that is, is hard to determine.

Have (or did) you another Anti-Virus installed in this system, if so what was it and how did you get rid of it ?
What is your firewall (as strange as this seems) ?

What other security based software do you have installed ?

I also am using PatchMix DSP. This problem is temporarily solved by turning off Behavior Shield of Avast when the computer is started. Apparently, this problem is like due to Behavior Shield.

Does it also work to go to Avast! status/settings/exclusions and add Patchmix to the exclusions?

I’ve tried this and it doesn’t seem to work. It still takes like 8 minutes for patchmix to boot up.
So would Avast fix this if I sent a request in or is there a better fix than disabling Avast?

:-\

same issue here with patchmix!
i had to uninstall avast for it to work without freezing at startup
any ideas? could it be conflicting with windows defender?

To solve this issue!

Click on the Settings tab on top right of app \ Then click Troubleshooting tab

Check the last check box… Load Avast services only after loading other system services

Patch mix will now start up clean

ABC easy as … 8)

That didn’t work for me. It sure sounds like it should work but the only way to get EMU patchmix to finish starting up for me is to disable the Behavior Shield.

Didn’t work for me either. I sure hoped it would though.

Updated to program version 5.0.507 and this problem still exists. EMU patchmix will not finish starting unless I disable the Behavior Shield.

Well, i had exactly the same problem (avast 5.0.545, XP SP3, EMU1212m) and finally managed a workaround thus:

SETTINGS > TROUBLESHOOTING…

NO rootscan on startup
NO enable raw disk access during boot scan
NO skip checking of digital signatures
TICK enable self defence
TICK load avast only after other system services

From this it would appear that EMU/Creative Labs are utilising RAW disk access to load effects presets to their hardware. And if Avast! is (1) able to access this RAW disk activity and additionally (2) it’s allowed to get there first - then, as i can too can ruefully testify, it just seems to take about 5 mins for it to finally load up…

Hope this helps!

Some of the options are for sure absolutely unrelated to the problem, such as your theory about the raw disk access.
The “raw disk access during the boot-time scan” option has only effect on the boot-time scan - i.e. unless you really scheduled a boot-time scan, it simply cannot have any effect on the computer.
So, I’d say that the only thing that may affect the EMU stuff is the last option - “Load avast! services only after loading other system services”. Unchecking the other ones is irrelevant.

An issue that nobody seems to have mentioned is the fact that Avast uploads the latest definitions on startup. It extends my boot time greatly and uses a fair amount of processor time after most apps are up and running. I can’t record video properly for about 4 minutes after boot has been commenced. The updating on startup is not a problem; the fact that it cannot be turned off as an option is.

Then you can delay the avast auto update check (it isn’t uploading but downloading if an update is available):

  • In avast5 you need to edit (using notepad) avast5.ini the [InetWD] section of the C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Alwil Software\Avast5\avast5.ini

  • Broadband connections, add this line:
    AlwaysConnectedWaitSeconds=120 and
    AssumeAlwaysConnected=1 if not present (or edit AssumeAlwaysConnected=0 to AssumeAlwaysConnected=1)

[InetWD] AssumeAlwaysConnected=1 AlwaysConnectedWaitSeconds=120
When complete save the changes, avast's self-defence module will ask for confirmation, etc. answer Yes.

The figure is seconds and the above equates to two minutes, you could try that and adjust upwards if required, 180, 240, etc.

That may help many including nuflood if the update is slowing down app startups.

It does not help my situation because I’m trying to get video recording running ASAP after reboot with no interference. Delaying the update probably makes the situation worse - the apps may start quicker but I can’t record video until the update is finished. I could set the start delay to 2 hours I suppose!

What is your operating system and Service Pack level ???
What is your CPU speed and type and amount of RAM ???

Upon monitoring system startup for a couple of days i must indeed concure that my so-called workaround was, at best, partial. It really does depend whether emupmixdsp.exe can get going prior to the avast behaviour module kicking in…

If it doesn’t (and due to the vaguaries of windows startup ordering - i.e. it’s randomness) then you get something like this screengrab taken a few mins after startup…

http://www.pimusic.org/images/screengrab.jpg

So… EMU loads in 32 core effects and 235 additional presets, which all look something like this:
(copied from the first .corePresets file, named: {4A71183E-1B9B-4E11-B37F-2BAF5CBEE472}.corePresets )

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<corepresets abbrevname="Stereo Dela" name="Stereo Delay  250" piaguid="{4A71183E-1B9B-4E11-B37F-2BAF5CBEE472}">
	<corepreset factory="yes" name="Default" wetdrymix="0.50000">
		<param name="Left Delay Time" type="continuous" value="125.00000"/>
		<param name="Right Delay Time" type="continuous" value="125.00000"/>
		<param name="Feedback" type="continuous" value="50.00000"/>
		<param name="High Freq Rolloff" type="continuous" value="50.00000"/>
	</corepreset>
	<corepreset factory="yes" name="Slap Back" wetdrymix="0.272059">
		<param name="Left Delay Time" type="continuous" value="125.00000"/>
		<param name="Right Delay Time" type="continuous" value="125.00000"/>
		<param name="Feedback" type="continuous" value="4.017857"/>
		<param name="High Freq Rolloff" type="continuous" value="44.19643"/>
	</corepreset>
	<corepreset factory="yes" name="Panner" wetdrymix="0.404412">
		<param name="Left Delay Time" type="continuous" value="210.00000"/>
		<param name="Right Delay Time" type="continuous" value="125.00000"/>
		<param name="Feedback" type="continuous" value="19.196428"/>
		<param name="High Freq Rolloff" type="continuous" value="72.321426"/>
	</corepreset>
	<corepreset factory="yes" name="Lead Delay" wetdrymix="0.507353">
		<param name="Left Delay Time" type="continuous" value="215.00000"/>
		<param name="Right Delay Time" type="continuous" value="225.00000"/>
		<param name="Feedback" type="continuous" value="59.37500"/>
		<param name="High Freq Rolloff" type="continuous" value="72.321426"/>
	</corepreset>
	<corepreset factory="yes" name="Delay Ringer" wetdrymix="0.455882">
		<param name="Left Delay Time" type="continuous" value="244.00000"/>
		<param name="Right Delay Time" type="continuous" value="122.00000"/>
		<param name="Feedback" type="continuous" value="56.25000"/>
		<param name="High Freq Rolloff" type="continuous" value="52.232143"/>
	</corepreset>
	<corepreset factory="yes" name="Poly Rhythm" wetdrymix="0.257353">
		<param name="Left Delay Time" type="continuous" value="250.00000"/>
		<param name="Right Delay Time" type="continuous" value="167.00000"/>
		<param name="Feedback" type="continuous" value="58.482143"/>
		<param name="High Freq Rolloff" type="continuous" value="80.35714"/>
	</corepreset>
	<corepreset factory="yes" name="Half Rhythm" wetdrymix="0.235294">
		<param name="Left Delay Time" type="continuous" value="214.00000"/>
		<param name="Right Delay Time" type="continuous" value="107.00000"/>
		<param name="Feedback" type="continuous" value="41.964287"/>
		<param name="High Freq Rolloff" type="continuous" value="50.892857"/>
	</corepreset>
	<corepreset factory="yes" name="250 ms Delay" wetdrymix="0.132353">
		<param name="Left Delay Time" type="continuous" value="250.00000"/>
		<param name="Right Delay Time" type="continuous" value="250.00000"/>
		<param name="Feedback" type="continuous" value="12.50000"/>
		<param name="High Freq Rolloff" type="continuous" value="60.267857"/>
	</corepreset>
	<corepreset factory="yes" name="175 ms Delay" wetdrymix="0.235294">
		<param name="Left Delay Time" type="continuous" value="175.00000"/>
		<param name="Right Delay Time" type="continuous" value="175.00000"/>
		<param name="Feedback" type="continuous" value="20.982143"/>
		<param name="High Freq Rolloff" type="continuous" value="52.23000"/>
	</corepreset>
	<corepreset factory="yes" name="167 ms Delay" wetdrymix="0.235294">
		<param name="Left Delay Time" type="continuous" value="167.00000"/>
		<param name="Right Delay Time" type="continuous" value="167.00000"/>
		<param name="Feedback" type="continuous" value="33.035713"/>
		<param name="High Freq Rolloff" type="continuous" value="52.23000"/>
	</corepreset>
	<corepreset factory="yes" name="125 ms Delay" wetdrymix="0.066176">
		<param name="Left Delay Time" type="continuous" value="125.00000"/>
		<param name="Right Delay Time" type="continuous" value="250.00000"/>
		<param name="Feedback" type="continuous" value="12.946428"/>
		<param name="High Freq Rolloff" type="continuous" value="37.50000"/>
	</corepreset>
</corepresets>

Please note the Byte Order Mark (UTF-8) before the XML definition itself. Would that be the root of the problem?

Instead of disabling “Avast! shields control”, I solved this problem doing the following :

  • Open Avast! user interface
    Select successively :
  • Settings/Troubleshooting
    then select “Load Avast! services only after loading other system services”
    I hope It will work for you :slight_smile:

none of the above helped me and the support team stopped answering me (i guess they gave up).
I ended up removing this program and installing one from another company which is a shame because i’d been using it for years.
any program that demands me to disable and re enable it every time I start my computer is not worth it and a support team that ignores the problem and says that their program isn’t blocking anything instead of looking into it is also not worth it. even after several people reported the same problem…