I’ve been running Avast Free for quite some time on my XP Pro machine. It also runs Malwarebytes Antimalware Pro.
I’ve been seeing the Avast database updates going in nicely. I’ve been putting off doing the Avast program update until today. I think it killed my Internet Explorer 8. IE would come up, but not connect to the home page. I would then bring up Task Manager. It would show IE not responding. I’d End Task and reboot.
I then removed Avast Free using Add/Remove Programs. IE was then working fine.
Then I reinstalled Avast Free using a fresh download. IE worked for a while, but after I visited a couple of my usual sites, it wouldn’t load the next site I wanted to go to. Again Task Manager said it was not responding.
I uninstalled Avast Free for the second time and IE started working properly. Now just to be sure, I downloaded another fresh copy of Avast Free and sure enough, my IE is hanging up.
I uninstalled Avast Free and IE is working fine again.
Something else to note, when IE would hang and I would bring up Task Manager, I saw two instances of IE running in the Application tab. Both were Not Responding. I didn’t check the Processes tab.
IE would come up, but not connect to the home page. I would then bring up Task Manager. It would show IE not responding. I’d End Task and reboot. I then removed Avast Free using Add/Remove Programs. IE was then working fine. Any other complaints come your way?
Someone posted at Wilders about a similar issue a week ago. Although not a permanent fix, what happens if you add IE to avast exclusions?
I might be wrong, but I think if you add iexplorer.exe as an exclusion in the avast exclusions list, the online scanner will be off while you are browsing. This would mean extra precaution I should think…
On two instances of iexplorer.exe, I just noticed that IE8 opens as two instances on my PC too. Maybe this is some sort of security feature, but I never noticed it before. I haven’t used IE8 in a long time, so maybe it was part of a Windows update, considering I don’t remember that happening before.
When I read that you had two instances of IE8, I was first inclined to believe that only happens when two IE8 browser windows (not tabs) are open. However, that causes three instances to appear in TM as expected, based on there being two for the first browser window.
My first thought would be do you have a firewall that is not allowing Avast through. Remember Avast is the proxy for all internet traffic, block Avast and there is no net
IE8 does run two instances in task manager one is the backup for a crash to immediately recover I believe
I had to remove Avast from my LT and run free avg even though I had paid for avast for pc and LT, I can only work avast with google chrome, not internet explorer. such a pain why can’t you use avast with internet explorer? I tried using avast on pc with internet explorer, wouldn’t work, only worked with google chrome, I HATE google chrome!!!
Obviously not much we can suggest you try when you no longer have avast installed.
We don’t know your OS or what version of IE you are using, which is crucial to trying to suggest a resolution. But if it works with chrome, then it should work with IE (but what version). Some with IE10 have to disable the advanced protection in IE or disable the avast internet security plug-in in the manage add-ons section.