AvastSVC.exe commandeers lions share of CPU

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

Here’s what i’ve noticed…after booting up PC, starting ThunderBird and receiving all my E-mail, Task Manager at times is showing that AvastSVC.exe is using 99% of the CPU…i have no idea why or what it’s doing, but when this happens, all my functions slow down to a crawl. I have let my PC sit idle for an extended period of time, but Task Manager still shows AvastSVC.exe using 99% of the CPU (it appears stuck there). I know for a fact (proved this many times) that if i try to start up Firefox when AvastSVC.exe using 99% of the CPU it will take 4 mins or longer to bring it up. Conversely, if AvastSVC.exe is using little CPU, Firefox comes up in about 20 secs. If i reboot my PC this will normally clear up this problem.

Has anyone else experienced this problem? Has anyone a resolution to this problem? How do we figure out why AvastSVC.exe is commandeering the lions share of the CPU when it shouldn’t even be active? HELP!

2
  • Which avast!..?? (Free/Pro/IS/Premier)
  • Which version…??
  • OS…?? (32/64 Bit…? - which SP…?)
  • Other security related software installed…??
  • Which AV(s) did you use before avast!..??
3

Already tried a repair of avast?
If not, do so and check if the problem is solved.

4
  • Which avast!..?? (Free/Pro/IS/Premier)…Internet Security
  • Which version…??..2014.9.0.2021
  • OS…?? (32/64 Bit…? - which SP…?)…Windows/XP (32 bit)
  • Other security related software installed…??..none unless you count OpenDNS and Rapport
  • Which AV(s) did you use before avast!..??..AVAST free edition…can’t remember what before then
5

Eddy, what exactly is “a repair of avast” and how does one go about doing this?

6

How about Eddy’s suggestion…!?

7

Repair avast!:

  1. Control Panel → Add/Remove programs → avast!
  2. Click on ‘Repair’.
  3. Follow instructions.
  4. Reboot.
8

Eddy, i can certainly try that (repair), but before i do, there’s something you should know. Late this past week in a last ditch attempt to resolve this issue, i uninstalled and reinstalled AVAST (Internet Security edition).

Should i still try the repair?

9

I hope you did it like this (if not, please do so):
First make sure there are no remnants of a previously installed av other than avast.
http://www.ache.nl > malware > remove (old) av

  1. Download Avastclear, Rejzors uninstall tool and the appropriate Avast program edition.
    Here are the installer links. Note: You need to be ONLINE during this install.
    http://files.avast.com/iavs9x/avast_free_antivirus_setup_online.exe
    http://files.avast.com/iavs9x/avast_pro_antivirus_setup_online.exe
    http://files.avast.com/iavs9x/avast_internet_security_setup_online.exe
    http://files.avast.com/iavs9x/avast_premier_antivirus_setup_online.exe

Avastclear : http://files.avast.com/iavs9x/avastclear.exe
Rejzors Uninstall tool: http://rejzor.wordpress.com/avast-cleanup-tool/

  1. Uninstall Avast by control panel [If you don’t have Avast in control Panel go to #4]
  2. Uninstall in Safe Mode using Avastclear.
    http://www.avast.com/uninstall-utility
  3. Run Rejzors Uninstall Utility in Normal Mode (removes traces avastclear doesn’t) - reboot.
    http://rejzor.wordpress.com/avast-cleanup-tool/
  4. Be Sure Too Check Once Uninstall is Complete:Device Manager>View>Show Hidden Devices
    If there is anything related to Avast with a yellow triangle then uninstall it (highlight, right click) and reboot.
  5. Install the version you downloaded.
  6. Reboot.

offline installers:
http://files.avast.com/iavs9x/avast_free_antivirus_setup.exe
http://files.avast.com/iavs9x/avast_pro_antivirus_setup.exe
http://files.avast.com/iavs9x/avast_internet_security_setup.exe
http://files.avast.com/iavs9x/avast_premier_antivirus_setup.exe

10

No, i used the ADD/REMOVE programs feature under the CONTROL panel. Why isn’t this a sufficient method to uninstall AVAST? It appears to have worked just fine.

Is AVAST such a convoluted, complex program that one has to go to the extreme measures mentioned to remove it? If so, maybe i’m using the wrong AV program?

11

You will find that all good AV’s offer an additional uninstall tool to ensure that everything is gone

12

Every AV is hard to remove, else any malware could easily do it as well. :wink:

13

Eddy, what’s the difference between Avastclear and Rejzors? Do they do the same thing? Do i have to run them both? The reason i ask is because i’ve never been able to do (run) anything in SAFE mode. Can i just run Rejzors and skip Avastclear? AVAST does show up under ADD/REMOVE programs in the CONTROL panel.

14

Run avastclear in regular mode and allow it to boot into safe mode to do it’s job.
You do not need to be in safe mode to run avastclear. :slight_smile:

15

Rejzors tool removes some things that avastclear doesn’t.
Please just follow the steps I have given you.

16

Eddy,
You don’t need to be in safe mode to use the avast! removal tool.
You can start it in regular mode and It will reboot into safe mode to do it’s job.

17

Which means it has to run in safemode Bob :stuck_out_tongue:

18

You’re missing the point. :slight_smile:
You do not need to boot into safe mode to use the tool.
Many people have a problem booting into safe mode which is not required.

19

Eddy, i’m hung up on step 4 Run Rejzors Uninstall Utility in Normal Mode (removes traces avastclear doesn’t) - reboot.

I click on the link…it takes me to a Rejzors Little Secrets screen…i scroll to the bottom and click the download icon…it brings up a screen with a whole bunch of boxes on it…the AvastCleanupTool Public box is highlighted…i click the download key…it creates an AvastCleanupTool.zip file which is then saved…when i click on this file, it takes me to a screen with an address of C:\Downloads\AvastCleanupTool(1).zip…off to the right is a a GO arrow…i click on it and nothing happens???

HELP! I’m completely hung up with NO AV protection at the moment.

20

I’ve never had a problem doing a clean install with simply using the avastclear tool.

Simply reinstall avast! using the avast! file you’ve already downloaded through Eddy’s instructions.