Help, connection problems since avast installation

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

Hi,

I’m moderately computer savvy, but nothing to write home about. I’m using Win XP, IE 8, cable modem, linksys wireless G router (open, not secure). I downloaded Avast last night and I’ve had major connection problems ever since. I’ve finally gotten some sporadic access, but not sure if that was anything I did or if I just tried opening IE enough times.

I’ve rebooted modem, router, disabled and re-enabled network connections. I now have avast On-Access scanner turned off, and I’m not sure if that’s what’s allowing me sporadic access. Some web pages I can’t open at all, some it takes me 4 or 5 tries before they load. When they fail, I get “Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage”.

Any help would be appreciated! Suggestions for settings I might need to adjust, etc…

Thank you!

2

Hello Buliwyk,

Which firewall do you use?
Which other antivirus(av) did you use before last night?

3

Um, no firewall or antivirus… :-[

4

okay then. are you sure that avast av has the recent update?. 090722-0 if yes then run a boot time scan.

5

This sort of problem is often caused by a security suite that was previously installed on the computer and was uninstalled but left components that interfere with avast! (Usually Symantec products.)

Have you had any AV/firewall software installed previously?

6

The version when I right-click on the icon says:
Avast! version 4.8 Home Edition
-Build: Feb 2009 (4.8.1335)
-Xtreme Toolkit version 1.9.4.0
-Using ActiveSkin version 4.2.7.3

VPS File (vitus database)
-Compilation date 07/22/2009
-file version 090722-0

I don’t believe I’ve had any antivirus on this machine–is there a way I can check for sure? I probably used Windows Firewall for awhile, and I think the router used to be secure wireless. I seem to remember having to adjust some port settings a year(+) ago to play an online game. Unfortunately, I’m not very familiar with proxy and port settings.

Probably a stupid question, but how do I run a boot-time scan?

Thanks!

7

Please post a HijackThis! log- this may show signs of previous AV/Firewall.

Have a look in your router Firewall settings and see what it says- might be under a setting like ‘Virtual Servers’.

8

Are you using Windows XP/Vista?
Can you schedule a boot-time scanning?
Start avast! > Right click the skin > Schedule a boot-time scanning.
Select for scanning archives.
Boot.
If infected files are found, it’s safer to send them to Chest instead of deleting them.
This way you can further analysis them.

See also: http://www.digitalred.com/avast-boot-time.php

The report file is created automatically in \Data\Report\aswBoot.txt

9

Ok, I ran a boot scan and I was able to connect to the internet fine. But after several hours, it started to hang and then it wouldn’t connect again. I rebooted a few times, refreshed the connections, and nothing.

So I just ran a virus scan from my desktop (not boot scan) and after it was complete, I turned off On-Access scan and it let me connect. So maybe it’s coincidence (twice), but it only seems to work when after I run a scan.

Here is the bootscan report. It finds stuff when I do a scan from my desktop, so perhaps it wasn’t a thorough search on the bootscan.
07/22/2009 14:30
Scan of all local drives

Number of searched folders: 15012
Number of tested files: 195264
Number of infected files: 0

I just bought a new router and I’m going to install it tonight. I don’t really know anything about ports and proxies, so I guess I’ll figure it out while I go. Anything I need to know about integrating with Avast?

**Another question: once an infected file is in my chest, what should I do with it?

Thank you!!

10

Also, when going through my add/remove programs, I just noticed that I have Panda ActiveScan and Spybot Search & Destroy on there. Would either of those cause conflicts? I just removed the Panda ActiveScan, but it was there when I installed Avista.

11

Hello Buliwyk,

remove the panda software and the spybot search and destroy. you can install malwarebytes antimalware(mbam) instead malwarebytes.org(get the free version). update and perform full scan. post log here.

12

I’ve removed Spybot and Panda. Just to confirm, I don’t need to uninstall and reinstall Avast, correct? I just need to update Avast and run a scan?