avast! Free v5.1.864 problems

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

Hello there,

I’ve been an avid user of avast ever since the blue icon graphics :wink: (and by that I mean since early versions, v.4) and after updating my latest avast! to this latest version v5.1.864, I’ve encountered several problems. I hope somebody here can tell me how to fix it.

1- Ever since upgrading to the latest version, my computer startup time took a significant increase in time. It took approximately 10-15 minutes just to load the startup programs and then load all the desktop icons and such. (It’s like there’s something running and the computer is very slow during that time). Before this (previous version, v5.1.677), it’s very smooth and normal.
*(I did automatic built-in update and the problem appeared, so I tried manual update; uninstall > reboot> run aswClear > reboot > download latest & install. And the problem is still there.)

2- On my copy of avast! Free, in “Registration” tab, the Registration information is corrupted. I don register my avast! with a valid key since first quarter of 2010. But in there it puts my info as:

Current Registration will expire on: 01/03/2011 00.00.00
Date of Registration: 01/01/2010 00.00.00

*I’m using Windows XP SP3, other security products; Online Armor Free, Winpatrol Free.

Any help is very much appreciated. :smiley:

2

Strange… Some interference probably with OA…
Stranger when we think you’ve done a clear installation.

Maybe you can manual dump your computer after logon…

Manual dump: when the machine is in stalled state, hold down the rightmost CTRL key, and press the SCROLL LOCK key twice. This will cause a machine to ‘blue-screen’ and dump of memory will start.
In notebooks without the right most CTRL key, see http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=51847.msg440718#msg440718

To generate full dump instead of only kernel (or small dump), see http://www.msfn.org/board/creating-memory-dumps-t130005.html or http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=52652.msg446063#msg446063

Please, zip and upload the C:\Windows\Memory.dmp file to this anonymous ftp server: ftp://ftp.avast.com/incoming/

3

Okay. This will take some time, but I will definitely do it. Will update in a while.

4

The slow boot smells like this:
http://my.opera.com/rejzor/blog/slow-windows-xp-sp3-startup-with-net-framework-4

Especially since you run WinXP and since the problem remained even after you’ve uninstalled avast!. Just run my fix and see how the next boots will work. Should be fine after using it.

5

In OA, under options/exclusions, make sure the Avast5 folder is excluded (I think you can do that with free?) even with the other fixes proposed.

6

First of all, huge thank you to everyone who replies.

Now, to the problem, I finally found out the culprit. It’s maybe the combination of OA Free (v4.5.1.431) and avast! free (v5.1.864). Or maybe it’s just my computer configuration that spoils something up, as everyone else is problem-free. So for the time being I disabled OA Free as it had made several problems in the past (for example, latest Google Chrome version fail to run unless I exclude it from monitoring list). And now I’m thinking of trying out other free firewall.

Already done that, made no difference.

Erm … I think I’m not suffering this problem. Because prior to this I have no slowness during start up, only after installing the newest avast! version that this slowness occurred. Anyway I will try that fix later.

I think I’m just too frustrated with the slow start up that I am considering this quick solution rather than a detailed and thorough one. :stuck_out_tongue:
On another note, downloading the Windows SDK will take forever on my connection, that is if my connection’s performance great. (I’m on 512k)