I downloaded Avast! and Microsoft’s beta version of anti spyware after reading they’re both good and free in Consumer Reprots.
Since doing so, my computer has run very very very slowly. An example, I clicked on Start, then on Control Panel and then on “Add or delete programs.” It took more than an hour and it still hasn’t displayed the “Add or delete programs” part.
I’m not pulling your leg. My computer is really fussed up. Has anybody else had this problem?
CousinVince
Hello CousinVince,
Microsoft’s beta version is renowned for being a memory hog, consumes far to much cycles. The same results can be had with three free anti-spyware programs, spybot s&d, ad-aware, spywareblaster, which are together much leaner. Keep these three updated and run them once a week, and you are aptly protected. Also AV total solutions like NAV’s etc. are also known to lean heavy on your resources.
To make it easier on yourself download CCleaner, and get off of your comp the crap you do not really longer need (cache, temp files, tracking cookies, etc.)
greets,
polonus
Hi CousinVince,
Is avast! the only AV on your system? Installing one AV on top of another can cause problems.
Did you have any indication of malware infection before installing?
Try uninstalling MS Anti-Spyware. If the problem remains, uninstall avast! too. A clean up with a stand-alone AV tool may remove malware which is causing problems: Trend Micro Sysclean always works well. Then scan with Ad-Aware and Spybot, as Polonus suggests.
Reinstall the programs one at a time. Check each is running correctly and do a scan before you install the other.
Trend Micro Sysclean:
If you are not a Trend Micro customer please download the following file.
http://uk.trendmicro-europe.com/enterprise/support/tsc.php
For the TSC package to be effective, you must download and use the latest pattern file. Place the pattern file in the same folder as the Trend Micro System Cleaner Package.
http://uk.trendmicro-europe.com/enterprise/support/pattern.php
CousinVince,
I had the same problem when I installed MS anti-spyware. I dumped it soon after.
The setup I have in my signature works well, and is similar to the advice Polonus gave you.
All of the components play well together, and they offer great protection.
Good luck.
I suggest that you follow FreewheelinFrank’s advice.
I’ve used MS anti-spyware without problems and am currently using their Windows Defender.
Your problem sounds more like an infection than a problem with program thats designed
to keep you safe.
Welcome to the forums, CousinVince. 
Like Bob, I too have used first MS Spy-spyware, then Windows Defender, and never had problems with either one. Avast was on my computer before either of those.
Also like Bob, I suggest you follow Frank’s advice.
Plus, I would like to ask you what anti-virus program did you use before Avast?
Bob3160 and CharleyO,
Though certainly CousinVince should look at all the advice given, particularly regarding an existing virus on his machine, I wouldn’t discount out-of-hand MS Antispyware as a potential cause of the slowdown.
I attributed my problem directly to the program. It corrected itself as soon as I deleted it, and rebooted.
As Polonus said, and I experienced, it is a documented memory hog, and quite possibly the source of CousinVince’s problem.
Read here:
http://www.neuber.com/taskmanager/process/gcasdtserv.exe.html
In my opinion, and regardless of your experiences, or what Consumer Reports says, there are better alternatives available.
gcasdtserv.exe which is the process your link points to is not used in Windows Defender.
The choice of which security products to us or, not use, is a user choice as are most things related to your system.
Most users have strong feelings about what to use or what to stay away from.
The ultimate decision is still yours since it’s your computers protection that we’re talking about.
All we’re saying is that if it walks like, squawks and waddles like a duck, check that possibility out also.
Once the infection possibility has been eliminated, then proceed to your next step.
That’s all and well Bob, and I hope he will download Windows Defender if they’ve made that change.
However, back to the subject at hand…
The September 2005 issue of Consumer Reports referenced by CousinVince, lists Windows Antispyware not Defender, which has apparently come out since then. By name, Windows Antispyware is what he mentioned in his original post.
See a recap of the Consumer Reports article here:
My comments and recommendations stand, and frankly Bob, I take your dismissal of my comments to CousinVince a bit personal.
Next time, please do a little research before you post.
Edit:
And our best wishes and prayers for you, Alice, and your family.
My comments and recommendations stand, and frankly Bob, I take your dismissal of my comments to CousinVince a bit personal.
Next time, please do a little research before you post.
In here, we offer advice. Each person’s recommendation is their own opinion.
Nothing I posted inferred a person attack against you or any one else.
But, since you’re still new to this forum, you may still have to learn something about those of us who have been here for awhile
before judging any hidden meanings in my or any one elses posts or advise.
Have a great day and don’t take everything to heart.
Your comments noted, and appreciated.
But, since you mentioned it, who says, that because someone doesn’t post often, that they are new to the forum?
Avast is a great product, and next to the operating system, the next closest product to my heart. I visit the forum, and read extensively, virtually every day.
My biggest complaint here, is that there are way too many “Five Star Generals”. The criteria to get that honor appears to be the number of posts, not necessarily what the contributor knows. In fact, I’ve sorted this out in my mind, and have identified three distinct groups:
Those who really know what they are talking about. I follow their posts regularly, and have learned much.
Those who know something, but achieved the 5 star designation, because they have way too much free time on their hands. I read their posts too, because like the blind hog and the acorn…
And finally, a couple, that I swear must have been dropped on their heads as babies.
In my opinion, Avast just doesn’t have that much wrong with the product, to support so many “experts”. It seems when things are slow, the 5 Stars start feeding on each other. (See “Off Topic” for additional comments… ;))
For people who come here to learn, and I assume there are many like me, who do more reading than posting, the bickering, infighting and pointless conversations created when there’s nothing else to talk about, is a distraction.
You have a great day too.
Edit: Typos.
It almost sounds like another vote to bring the off-Topic forum back.
Your 100% right, the stars have nothing to do with knowledge.
The person asking the question still has to be guided by their own choices
as to which advice to follow.
Yes, bring it back.
It would clear the inane clutter from the main board, and give members a place to vent, laugh, or be a bit off color. (You could expect more posts from me.) ;D
If my opinion were asked, I would set it up similar to Mozilla, with the “After Dark” portion of their site, which can’t be accessed until after you hit a certain number of posts.
That would then keep the “odd” comments, and I’m sure there would many, from the eyes of the innocent.
Edit:
For those not familiar with “After Dark”…
If you visit the Mozilla forum, and do a drive through, you will not even see “After Dark” listed in the index. Nor will you see it, even if you are a member who logs in, but have less than the minimum number of posts to participate.
But, if you have more than 15 (?) posts, when you sign in, the “After Dark” option magically appears. Cool, eh?
Hi OrangeCrate,
I did not mean to say you did not experience a problem nor that CousinVince is not having a problem with MS Anti-spyware. I do not think MS is even supporting that since Windows Defender is now out. Anyway, all I meant was that it should not be a problem. I am sorry if I was misunderstood.
It is possible that the slowdown was caused by a prior anomaly that only “showed itself” in the form of a slowdown when MS Anti-spyware was downloaded … or … maybe because both MSA & avast! was downloaded. Downloading these 2 programs alone should not be a problem. If it is, then there is something else going on causing the slowdown. 
Besides, Frank had included the removal of MS Anti-spyware in his suggestions if at first his other suggestions did not work. 
Noted, and thanks.
For what it’s worth, I thought I’d add one last comment to bring closure to this thread…
It would never be a safe assumption to think that someone has updated a product. When responding, I think you have to rely upon what they say in their post. In this case, CousinVince referenced the Consumer Reports article, and mentioned by name, MS Antispyware.
At first pass, at least in my mind, there was no question as to what he had installed, and who knows for sure when he installed it. Until he responds differently, his supplied information stands. (And I for one, am waiting with baited breath for his response, to see if any of the collective suggestions helped.)
Certainly recommending an upgrade is appropriate, but taking the leap of faith, that he’s already done so, isn’t. Wrong advice could easily be given. As someone once said, “When jumping to conclusions, make sure you’re not standing on a cliff”.
To another subject, addressed to the Moderators, I guess…
The term “Newbie” for someone who posts infrequently on this forum, but is here reading all the time, can, as you have found out, be very misleading indeed.
For someone visting here for the first time, but is an experienced computer user, the term “Newbie”, combined with someone’s private joke - “I’m a llama!” - , is frankly, condescending and disrespectful.
In my opinion, this might not be avast’s “best foot forward”, and someone might want to rethink this.
The term "Newbie" for someone who posts infrequently on this forum, but is here reading all the time, can, as you have found out, be very misleading indeed.The term simply refers to how often the member has posted on this forum. It has no reference to his or her expertise.
Hmm… I guess I’ll have to think about that for a while.
Hi OrangeCrate,
While not a newbie when I first came to this forum about 2-1/2 years ago, I have surely learned more since then. I have learned from your postings also.
As you have found out, the “I’m a llama!” can be changed/removed at any time by each member in his/her own account. I never changed it myself and just waited until the automatic change took place. For me, I never considered it neither condescending nor disrespectful. Actually, I thought it rather amusing towards me. Well, we all have our own sense of humor … or what is not humorous to each of us.
I can see your point here …
In my opinion, this might not be avast's "best foot forward",... I think this was just an attempt to add a little humor to a forum that can often be more serious than not because of the very nature of the forum. It is too often that we take things too seriously instead of enjoying a little fun.
I have to confirm that MS Antispyware really is a system hog and slows down your machine but it does detect alot of malware though and if you can live with it’s high resource usage it’s a great program to help you get rid of/block malware
I personally don’t like the high resource usage of MS Antispyware(like many other people) and instead rely on the “wonderful 3”(spybot,spywareblaster,ad-aware) + ewido to help me fight malware.
Did you solve your problem CousinVince? If you did it would be nice if you wrote how you did it in here so that other people with the same problem who might be reading this forum can benefit also …