Bootup time on XP got worse with v9

[DavidR]

You’re welcome.

[system]

@DavidR post:18

You can try delaying the update check in the avast5.ini file (set the ‘I only connect to the internet using a dial up modem’ back to always connected):

• In avast8/9 you need to edit (using notepad) avast5.ini the [InetWD] section of the, C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\AVAST Software\Avast\avast5.ini (XP file location)

• Broadband connections, add this line (if not present):
  AlwaysConnectedWaitSeconds=300 and
  AssumeAlwaysConnected=1 if not present (or edit AssumeAlwaysConnected=0 to AssumeAlwaysConnected=1)

[InetWD] AssumeAlwaysConnected=1 AlwaysConnectedWaitSeconds=300

When complete save the changes, avast's self-defence module will ask for confirmation, etc. answer Yes. You can extend this duration if required (300 = 5 minutes).

Great. DavidR you earlier said it’s tricky to do - doesn’t look tricky at all
As soon as I stop enjoying AV-free life, I’ll pop Avast back in and use this trick because it makes sense to me. Thank you again.

[DavidR]

@cooby post:22

Great. [b]DavidR[/b] you earlier said it's tricky to do - doesn't look tricky at all :) As soon as I stop enjoying AV-free life, I'll pop Avast back in and use this trick because it makes sense to me. Thank you again.

You’re welcome.

Whilst I would say it is relatively easy, many do find it daunting. Editing a .ini file albeit a text file it does control program settings and people worry that they could mess it up. Plus depending on OS (win7 or later, etc) the file location may be hidden and you need to run notepad as administrator, not an issue in XP. Collectively these may seem daunting.

[system]

@Randissimo post:19

one of the main reasons why Windows update takes much time is because of the net.framework optimization task which is running on idle right after the start.

Yeah that .NET Framework 4.0 service really killed my XP startup time, until I de-activated it using services.msc

[system]

DavidR, big THANK YOU.
This change to delay made an enormous difference in useability. I can run Notepad or Excel a minute to minute and a quarter after login.

I looked over various logs from the firewall, router, avast and system and learned that Avast chest starts and connection to emupdate.avast.com is made before login.

The slowdown was definitely due to some 20seconds of avast connecting to xxxx.u.avast.com, 10 or more of those with “u.” in name, and then the update is done in a bit over 3 minutes. No idea what all this connecting was for.

Happy as I am with the resolution of this, I keep being very annoyed by the replacement of the update announcement with the sale of the year, some scanner, and other slideup ads, but at least that doesn’t interfere with work.

[DavidR]

You’re welcome.

The xxxx.u.avast.com entries are the actual auto update trying to connect to an update server, if it can’t connect for any reason then it will try another. That connection should be initiated by the C:\Program Files\AVAST Software\Avast\Setup\instup.exe (replacement for avast.setup).

I’m not sure how you come up with the connection to emupdate.avast.com being related to the chest as the chest doesn’t have any specific file, I would have thought it would come under the control of the, C:\Program Files\AVAST Software\Avast\AvastEmUpdate.exe (or avastSvc.exe) as it checks to see if there any emergency updates.

[system]

DavidR, I didn’t mean to imply that chest had anything to do with emergency update. I just tossed it in to confirm avast was on and it’s the first event avast reports.
Avast starts with boot and system sections, service comes in later. Here are some crazy details I nit-picked into chronology.
Router is what router saw. Windows is from event logs. Avast is from several avast logs. FW is from my firewall logs.

This section is before logging in. No question that avast starts its activities early, as expected.
The initial connection to emupdate.avast.com surprised me a bit, but it’s fine by me. It’s all repeatable.

11:02:22 router: my laptop asked for and got IP 11:02:46 windows: system event 514 authentication pkg then 515,519,528,576,... 11:02:46 windows: eventLog started 11:02:57 avast: chestLog started 11:02:57 avast: MailLog started 11:02:58 avast: eventLog: reports StartPatchManagement 11:03:07 router web log: su.ff.avast.com 11:04:33 router web log: emupdate.avast.com

These events after login, and updating was in this instance dalayed to [b]15[/b] minutes

11:04:50 windows Logon event 528 for me (several system jobs before and after of course) 11:04:54 fw \avast\avastemupdate.exe started 11:04:54 fw reports winlogon 11:04:56 fw \avast\avastemupdate.exe connects out to localhost:12080 11:05:09 fw \avast\avastui.exe 11:05:15 fw \avast\avastsvc.exe starts \avast\avastemupdate.exe 11:07:00 router web log: vl.ff.avast.com 11:10:41 router web log: su.ff.avast.com 11:10:58 avast rootkit scan started 11:11:21 avast rootkit scan finished Updating section 11:17:33 till 11:18:27 bunch of xxxx.u.avast.com connections then 5 normal 11:17:58 fw \avast\avastsvc.exe starts \avast\instup.exe 11:18:24 avast eventLog: The virus definitions have been updated to 140324-0 11:18:31 avast uitrackingLog: /popup/vps_updated 11:18:40 seasonal sale slideup instead of update+sound notification :(

I have to be crazy to do all this three times now. But I did learn few things along the way.

[DavidR]

Yes avast does get started quickly to protect the system, even before the user would logon.

It is good that your router provides a log (some don’t, or the user doesn’t know how to access it) as it certainly help clear any matters like this up.

[system]

@soulstace post:24

@Randissimo post:19

one of the main reasons why Windows update takes much time is because of the net.framework optimization task which is running on idle right after the start.

Yeah that .NET Framework 4.0 service really killed my XP startup time, until I de-activated it using services.msc

I don’t recommend that. Just restart and let the optimization task run when you don’t need your computer.