Does anyone suffer compatibility issues with PrivateFirewall? This is something that started recently with some of the latest Avast updates.
Here is the problem: I start computer, then Avast loads, then PrivateFirewall hangs for ages (5-10 min). Task manager shows performance hanging at 50% and above until PrivateFirewall is allowed to fully load.
I tried to white list PF in the Avast settings but no luck. BTW, the problem was worse with DropBox but since DropBox is not essential to me and I have other options to its use, then I just uninstalled it and voila! Avast started working normal.
The problem still remains with Avast and PF. In addition Avast acts up again when PF detects some problem that needs my attention with a pop-up window. Avast delays my interaction with PF and the pop-up window hangs there for 5-10 min until it disappears by itself. Again, Avast shows a lot of activity in Task Manager at this times.
Since I don’t have a lot of time and patience to come to a forum for answers I decided to disable the Avast shields for a short time (maybe a minute) to allow PF to fully load. This has solved the problem every time. The problem, however, is not solved and I’m allowing a possible infection of my system.
More data: I’ve used Avast for at least 10 years and I have recommended it and installed it in scores of computers and I never had any issues before (well some you fixed right away without my intervention). I have used PF for few years now and, also, I did not have any compatibility issues until now.
Why don’t I just buy your suite, you might ask? I’m a full time volunteer without salary and the work I do for few hours a week is not enough to make a living–that’s why. I can not afford any paid for software, in fact I’m thinking to switch to Linux soon.
I was thinking to uninstall Avast and reinstall after PF but I don’t have any guarantee that it will help so maybe you in the forum or Avast engineers have a solution to this problem. I’d hate to leave Avast for another antivirus–you have been the best so far. Also, I don’t want you to go the route of Norton (and others) that have converted their products into bloatware. I want you to make a profit but please keep Avast free, light and usable, like it used to be–I have noticed that you have embedded some adware and although it is for your benefit, perhaps this has also bloated it with features I don’t need but use resources.
Hope you can help me fix this compatibility issue. I have windows XP Pro with all the updates.
We are users just like you and many of us use third party firewalls, myself included.
A little over a year ago I was experiencing problems with avast free and Private Firewall.
I switched to Comodo Firewall v5.12 and haven’t looked back. Also it seems that from time to
time there are issues with PFW. Have you tried CFW?
http://www.filehippo.com/download_comodo/13662/
Use extreme caution when installing CFW so you don’t install the antivirus!
This is for CFW v8.0 but the principle steps remain the same.
http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/how-install-comodo-firewall.htm
Or just use WinFirewall / TinyWall http://tinywall.pados.hu/features.php
Sounds to me like settings not proper.
I have not used PF but have used many other 3rd. Party Firewalls over the years and have always had to make sure the proper “exclusions” were listed in both the Firewall and Avast.
I think from what has been stated about disabling Shields, Avast is scanning something in PF activity.
Thanks for all your replies. I’ll keep on checking for other alternatives instead of changing firewall. The issue here is that Avast introduced the problem or incompatibility.
Why get rid of the poor guy that did not do anything instead of the bully?
Why the Avast application does not learn by itself. If it has checked certain processes before and these have passed the test and these same processes repeat again and again, doesn’t if follow that it is obvious that these processes are clean? Why insist and recheck them again using valuable system resources?
It has been said that a program is just as smart as its programmer!!! I’m a little disappointed with my best antivirus, which I have used and recommended since Avast first appeared.
I’m also a bit disappointment with Pondus recommending TinyWall, which might be one of the best free free firewalls, but he did not read that I have XP and TinyWall is only for Vista and above.
I hope Avast fixes these “bugs” because for me are bugs whether it works good for others that do not use PrivateFirewall and/or have moved past XP and use newer OSs.
Thanks for those that answered. At least there is someone out there. 
Hi,
what version of Avast do you have installed?
Never a problem with my hardware firewall ;D
- Exclude \PrivateFirewall in Avast. Might work, though exclusions have been flaky lately.
- Exclude Avast in Private from all behavior jobs, or just set all items to allow.
if this doesn’t work, then - Change the settings in PFW - disable behavior/hips because Avast catches things first, and they would conflict considering how many kernel routines Avast hooks. Let PFW just do packet filtering.