Help please?

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

Hi,

I have had this issue ever since Avast upgraded to 2014. I suffered with it all my last subscription. Didn’t plan on renewing because of this. Before my subscription ran out, I upgraded/updated to Avast 2015. After checking all computers, it seemed the problem I had been having was resolved. And because I like Avast, because it’s user friendly and offers a lot for the money, I renewed my subscription.

A move I now regret because the problem I was having is back. The problem, certain websites will not load properly. One specific website is this one here.,www.gunbroker.com. If you click the link/go to the website, you’ll note a bunch of thumbnails. The problem, they won’t load. Also, another or maybe the same problem, when I click on any link, or auction, the pictures in any ans all auctions won’t open at all the same as the thumbnails on the main page.

But if I disable the firewall, it opens immediately and all thumbnails and or pictures load properly and quickly. Everything works as it should as things do for every other website. Including the porn websites. Which yes, I checked. Along with eBay. I figured, one way to find out if it’s a picture or thumbnail problem only, what better way to find out then go to websites with lots of pictures. As well as a few to make a point. And I think you can decipher which ones were to make a point? Well, what I found out is all thumbnails, images/pictures on eBay and every porn website I checked loaded and opened and everything else worked just fine. Yet for this gun website and other websites similar to it, I have problems. pretty sad perverts can get to and see their porn but I can’t view gun auctions.

I have tried adding the URL to the Exclusions. Didn’t work.

Any and all serious help would and will be appreciated.

And for those who may be or are anti-gun, and could care less. I’d ask, or say, it’s pretty sad I can’t access gun websites without issues but again, perverts can access their porn sites no problem. Some pretty screwed up standards if you ask me. And I’m sorry, but I feel and say Avast is Anti-gun, as well as others here because I posted about it last year when it first started as well as started a support ticket and never got any resolution or real help in solving the problem. That I’d think would and should be a very easy one to and tech savvy person. Which I’d add and admit I am not. If I was, I wouldn’t need help and I’d just do it myself.

Oh, and FWIW, Avast recommended I go into programs, click repair and restart. Which I did and it didn’t help. All I want is the same thing everyone else has and gets. The ability to go to websites I want to, without problem and be protected without having to disable specific parts of the program I paid for a years protection just like everybody else.

Why will the thumbnails or pictures not load properly? Why do I have to disable the firewall or all shields just so it does, can and will? Why is it that adding the URL to the exclusion from scanning and from all shield protection didn’t help or fix the problem? What’s the sense of being able to along with I thoughts that’s why they made it so you could add URLs for?

Thanks in advance for any and all serious help.

2

I wanted to, and thought it would be of help to let whomever know, and that I should add that I’m using Mozilla Firefox as my browser. And yes, it is up to date,v 33.0.2, as is all plug-ins as well. I thought I should also point out I have the same problem when I tried using Internet explorer as well. And yes, it and everything associated with it is also up to date.

3

Try going into remove programs, click on uninstall avast then choose change on the following screen, on the next screen untick Browser Protection ( Avast Online Protection ) and any of the other unnecessary features listed in the centre column.

Does that fix it ?

4

Thanks for the reply Craig B.

Before I try this, let me ask this. As, I’m not a tech savvy person. Though I must admit I know enough to get me into trouble. But I found and see what your talking about. And before I do, if I uncheck the box for browser protection, and since you’re the one suggesting it, and thus why I’m asking you, what risks, if any, will, would, could or can that bring? And is it a good idea to remove protection for the entire browser just to make it so one website will open and load properly? Does that make sense? Because removing all browser protection so Avast will or might (because I don’t know if it will even work yet) let one website load and work properly, doesn’t make sense to me?

Not saying I don’t want or appreciate your reply and suggestion and I’m not saying I won’t try it, as, I’m sure I can simply do the same again and recheck the browser protection box to reverse things. It’s just before I do that, I need to find out why the other thing/s I’ve mentioned or tried, that should work, don’t or won’t work?

And before I do/try this, what I don’t understand, and what I want to know is…Why, when I go into Avast, click on Settings, which opens another window and in that new box, General is the first option, and in General if I, you or anyone else scrolls down a little there’s Exclusions. And If I, you or anyone else clicks on the drop down arrow for Exclusions, and where it says this…“Type paths and URL’s to be excluded from scanning and from all shield protection. Be careful when these exclusions as any mistake might put your PC at risk.”

You’d think, after clicking on that drop down arrow for Exclusions, then clicking on URL’s and putting the URL of the website/s I’m having this problem with, in this case, I’m only trying to put/paste one URL, but why after doing so does it not solve/resolve the problem?

Why does this not bypass, because that’s what it says it does, the website/URL from all webshield protection?

Again, Not saying I’m not going to try your suggestion. I just want to understand why Avast doing what Avast lets me do, and sorry for sounding and being repetitive, but, why does Avast not exclude the website from all webshields? And as I understand things, the Avast Firewall, or Firewall within Avast is one of those webshields.

Side note: And this question is directly to and for Avast. If this is an anti-gun thing, meaning, Avast is anti-gun and you’ve made the program distrust anything gun related and thus cause problems with gun websites, as, the problem I’ve requested help for only seems to effect gun type websites, PLEASE TELL ME. I’ll simply request a FULL REFUND and I will gladly take my business elsewhere?

Sorry, but I’m fed up and quite pissed. I’m pissed because I swore I was going to dump Avast. But because after doing yet another upgrade, and after doing the upgrade, the problem seemed to be resolved. I mean, after doing the upgrade and rebooting as the program required, I went to the website I’m having and have been having the issue with and upon first getting there, it worked as it should. I then proceeded to keep restarting the main page and after about 10-20 times and it NEVER having the issue, meaning, the thumbnails not once never opened right up and not once when clicking on a link to an auction did the pictures never not open, I gladly renewed my subscription. And I’m pissed because here I am now once again suffering with the same damn problem I have had for about a year, all over again. I’m pissed at myself for giving them another chance. I’m pissed Avast can’t and or won’t tell me how to fix this. I mean, come on, you have to know they know how to resolve this? It’s their program. And you’d think it’s an easy fix for the tech savvy out there. And it shouldn’t take a support ticket to get it resolved. Letting a website through a firewall, or through the webshields, should be an easy fix. Why I though and think putting the URL into the Exclusion section should work. I guess I’m against doing another support ticket because, and sorry if I’ve mentioned this already, after doing so, after many emails, after generating and sending them many packets and NOT getting a resolution, I don’t see a reason to piss myself off, get even more fed up, irritate, agitate and frustrate myself anymore then I already have been and am!!!

Again. Thanks for your reply and suggestion CraigB. And when I find out if doing it doesn’t and or won’t put my entire browser or anything else at risk, just so one website (for the time being I’m only trying to get and worried about getting one website working properly, and when I do I’ll worry about other one as they’re not as bad as this one), then I’ll try your suggestion and see if it works. I can’t risk having something worse happen and have to try and either ask for help with or on something else or go to and ask Avast for help with something else when I can’t even seem to get them to give me a resolution to what I feel is a minor problem. I mean, isn’t letting or getting a website or anything else for that matter, through a firewall or webshields a minor problem?

I apologize for the short story or as some might prefer to call it, a rant. But this, as I’ve said, has been going on for about a year now and I’m quite irritated, agitated, frustrated and pissed! So much so that I’m only going to deal with this and try and get it fixed for another week. I mean, I like Avast and for some strange reason I want to continue using it. But if after a week I can’t get this resolved, I’ll have to ask for a FULL REFUND. And if after a few days, likely 72 hours after direct contact and asking for a FULL REFUND, I don’t get a reply or feel I’m getting yanked around, I’ll simply get the FULL REFUND a different way.

5

Doing as I mentioned doesn’t leave you without protection, the Webshield is still protecting this area.

Avast isn’t anti-gun or anti anything except anti - malware :slight_smile: there is no conspiracy theory.

Excluding the URL stops avast from scanning the website ( very unsafe practice if you ask me :o ) but there would be elements on that website that the browser protection must be blocking is my best guess, there’s no harm in disabling or removing the browser protection anyway, it’s just an additional component used to block certain elements as I mentioned earlier.

6

For what it’s worth, gunbroker.com works perfectly well here, and I have Avast 2015 shields on duty. I don’t choose to use the “Browser Protection” component myself.

Now if only Walmart could keep ammo in stock… :wink:

-Noel

7

CraigB, since you replied saying it doesn’t remove all protection and since NoelC replied saying he doesn’t use it either, I’ll try that. I mean, nothing else that should work has, so, why not try this and see.

As for the anti-gun thing, never said conspiracy. Only said and have asked what I did because for me anyhow, the problem I’m having is only happening to gun type websites. I also said and asked because I’ve asked Avast in my posts in the forum if they are, and we all know someone sees it. I also asked on their Facebook page. I also asked several times via email when their was a support ticket for this problem. Which, you’d think they could have helped me resolve the problem then, about a year ago. But nooooo. Anyhow, because I’ve asked them several times, and never gotten an answer one way or the other, never gotten a yes or a no, I simply took the non-replies as a yes, they are. That is, along with me only having issues with gun the websites. But if you guys aren’t, maybe it is because you unchecked the browser protection option. Which, I will and am about to try when done here. Trust me, I’ll let you now the outcome.

And before I forget, NoelC, the Walmarts near me have a steady supply ans stock of all calibers. That is, all but .22lr. And no one, be they retail store, gun store or online seems to have a steady supply or stock of that. And when anyone does, it seems to be standard velocity rather then high velocity. That or Match .22lr…

Anyhow, I don’t know why this is happening to me. I seem to be the only one that is having this problem. But I assure you, it is happening. In fact, if I can figure how, and do it, attached will be a screen grab of how gunbroker.com is for me because of this problem. That’s what I see. Also, if I click on an auction, none of the pictures load. And what you see in the screen grab, or rather, how you see the thumbnails, is how the pictures in the auctions are; only bigger of course. Either way, still not loaded.

I also wanted to ask if the problem I’m having could have anything to do with my internet connection, connection speed or modem/router? I doubt it myself. But again, because I’m not tech savvy and only know enough to get me in trouble, I thought and figured it can’t hurt to ask. I’m of the mindset that, the only dumb question is the one not asked.

8

CraigB, NoelC, I took your advice, went into control panel, programs, Avast, Change, unchecked the box for Browser Protection, let it do its thing, rebooted and when I first went to the gunbroker.com website everything loaded as it should. I refreshed the page to see if it would stay that way and it didn’t, Once again the problem reared its ugly head and I see the same thing as in the attached screen grab. So, sorry, that didn’t help or resolve the problem either.

So, adding the web address to the exclusions didn’t help. Adding the IP address to the Friend section for the Firewall settings didn’t help, unchecking the browser protection box didn’t help and repairing and rebooting as Avast suggested didn’t help. Nothing is helping or has helped fix this problem. Any other ideas? Because, I’m not going to go through this for another year. And…

If I can’t get this resolved/fixed soon, as I said, because I don’t want to go through this anymore, and definitely for another year and am utterly and completely fed up, I’ll have to ask for a FULL REFUND and just find and get something else.

And allow me to add just this one thing. We all know eBay has tons of pictures. And thumbnails. Especially now on their main page. Well, what I wanted to add is this. Just went to eBay and it loaded just fine. Every thumbnail and picture for evey auction I clicked on loaded properly and quickly. Why then doesn’t gunbroker.com? And with other gun type websites it takes forever for them and their product pages to open. I just don’t get it. I just don’t understand.

9
  1. Clear browser cache and cookies.
  2. Reboot your system.
10

All I can say is it’s not Avast doing the blocking, do you have an ad-blocker program or tracking protection turned on that might be interfering, possibly parental restrictions if they were ever enabled through your browsers or search engine settings :-\

Maybe your ISP prevents the display of that sort of advertising :-\

It displays fine here as shown below

11

Have a look at this thread, I have a feeling that your issue is similar. Workaround inside: https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=158935.0

12

My browser cookies and everything else is set so it/set to be cleaned every time I close the browser. I then also go in and clean out what’s left and what I can manually. Trust me, I’ve done this and nothing helps or has helped.

Sadly, even unchecking the browser protection and rebooting did not help. The only thing that resolves the problem I’m having is turning off the firewall or all the webshields. Which I couldn’t have to do. And sometimes when I do that because I get tired of it, there have been times the firewall won’t turn back on. And the only way I can get it to is to completely turn the computer off and start it as if I was just turning it on for the first time. Last night, I restarted it several and after everything did it’s start-up thing, it’d give me notice it can’t turn the firewall on.

As for it being the ISP, if it never worked, or rather, opened properly any time, I’d think maybe that’s it. But there are times it does work and will work for a little while. Then all of a sudden, it does it again. Unless I turn off all the webshields or just the firewall.

13

CraigB, I do have an Ad Blocker. The one that’s available for Firefox. I opened gunbroker then logged into Avast. When gunbroker first opened, it opened fine as it should and all thumbnails opened. IT seemed to be working find last night. So much so I got my hopes up. And then when I opened the link in a tab today and it still worked I’m like finally maybe? Then I reloaded the main page and it happened again.

Anyhow, with the tab at gunbrokers main page still open, and having read your reply, this one I’m quoting, I went to the tab to see if maybe it was indeed adblock. Even though it showed 0 of 336 items blocked, I disabled it for gunbroker. I then reloaded the page and it didn’t change anything. Thumbnails still as they are in the screen grab I attached previously. After I’m done looking over other replies, I’ll keep it blocked and completely close my browser and re-open it and go back to the website and see.

Again, keep in mind, no adblocker with Internet explorer and it does the same thing using that browser.

14

I’ll check it out and do so thoroughly. But in taking a quick look, one comment, the 2nd post/comment, says something about the https scanning only being an option or not having the option to do so until v2015. I’ve been having and my problem started when Avast upgraded to v2014. Before that, I never had a problem r issue one. But I’ll finish checking that thread out and at this point, try anything. But again, If I can’t get this resolved by the end of the week, well, by this Monday, I’m just going to ask for a FULL REFUND. I’m also going to get a new mode/router and see if we can upgrade our speed. I have an older modem and our current speed is what AT&T once called or calls Express (up to 1.5Mbpss I think). But I think if that either of those two things were the problem, or what’s causing my issue. I’d be having this problem with every website I went to. But as GOD is my witness, it only happens to gunbroker and other similar websites. Again, strangely, only to and or for me anyhow. And I’m at my wits end.

15

CraigB, just wanted to first say thanks for your replies, suggestions and trying to help.

Now, as to the adblock, on top of my other reply, I closed the Firefox browser, let whatever clear, clear when closing the browser and then went into the folders and cleared whatever else I could manually. Then opened the browser with ad block disabled for gunbroker and it didn’t change or help. Still doing it.

Also would like to let you know I have tried your suggestion/s as well as what others have suggested.

16

Hey CraigB, I just wanted to ask you. When you go to gunbroker, and posted the attached image to show it works for you, may I ask if you refreshed and reloaded to page a few times? If not, may I then also ask you to go there again and refresh/reload it say, like 5 times? Just to see if it continues to work for you.

I ask this because I’ve been online for a little while now, going to different websites, checking my email/s etc., etc… And I decided to go to gunbroker just to see. And when I got there, it opened and worked as it should. But after refreshing/reloading it a few times, it did what it always does. Also, if it doesn’t, I click on any auction on the main page. If the images for that open or not, I go back to the main page tab and click refresh. If it was working, just clicking on an auction and opening it in a new tab is enough to get or make it do what it always does.

So, I ask that you refresh/reload the main page a few times to see if it continues to work properly. Just curious. Thanks in advance. For this and every thing else.

17

Refreshed several times and it works fine for me, I’m slightly restricted in my testing though as I only use the free version of avast so I cant confirm whether the firewall has something to do with it or not plus I’m on windows 8.1 using IE so my flash player version will be different to yours.

I don’t use or have the Avast Browser protection installed and I have the Enhanced Protected Mode and Enable 64 bit processes for Enhanced Protected Mode in the internet options both ticked/enabled, I also use Adguard Premium ( default settings ) - Malwarebytes Pro with malicious website protection enabled and none of this interferes with that website so I’m afraid there isn’t much more I can offer sorry.

18

Tried here with 3 different browsers - IE, Safari, Firefox. Every time the images all came up, save for some that I don’t think had thumbnails at all. I can only attach one of the screen grab (animated GIFs).

Edit - apparently it won’t animate anyway…

-Noel

19

Thank you very much for your help and replies as well NoelC.

20

Well, and I’m hesitant to post this for fear of jinxing myself and getting ahead. But in order to get the best help, you have to give the best picture of what’s going on. Not to mention I don’t have a clue as to what I did. That said…

I’m on my desktop right now. Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit SP1, NVIDIA GeForce 9500GT, 8GBRAM and the browser is Mozilla Firefox 33.0.2, which yes, is up to date as is all the plug ins and everything else. Anyhow, the last time I was on this machine, the website in question, gunbroker.com seemed to be working normally, properly and as it should. As it is for CraigB and NoelC. And as mentioned, I’m logged in and on that same machine and in going to the website in question, for the 2nd time in a row, it seems to be working like it should. But again, I haven’t a clue why. I didn’t do anything. I tried but when those things didn’t work, I put things back how they were.

Anyhow, the only thing I can think of that I did, and I highly doubt it’s what made it work then and continue to work now. But then, who knows. But what that is is, I went to the gunbroker website and opened it. As has happened on occasion, it was one of the times when first going there when it worked normally. But rather then login and do the things I normally do, go over my watch list, window shop, etc., I decided to do and get some other things done first. So, again, without and before logging in, I left the tab for it open, as I usually do things in tabs like most everyone else, and leaving it in it’s tab I checked my email/s, went to Facebook, played a little online poker and browsed some other websites, you know, the typical stuff people do online. Then when I got all my other stuff done and was ready to deal with the headache, which was why I waited to do it last, I closed all the other tabs and logged in to my gunbroker account. Was amazed it was still working properly. Did the things I needed to, which took about 15-20 minutes. Window shopped about another 10 minutes and logged off. Went back to the main page and again was amazed it was still working like it should be. Thought, hm, do I get my hopes up or not? Thought, well, we’ll see the next time I get on this machine and see. Well, now was/is that time and amazingly and to my surprise, it’s still working properly. But again, I haven’t a clue what I did or if just leaving it open in a tab, at the main page, not being logged in or doing anything with it can do or did anything or not. Again, I wouldn’t think so but then, who knows. If it did, I don’t care what fixed it. As long as it’s fixed.

However I do know it’s still not working properly on my laptop. Which has Windows 7 Home Premium, 64bit, 8GB RAM. Can’t remember any of the other stuff. But if it will help, let me know and the next time I’m on it I’ll log in to the forum here and post what I can.

And FWIw, the whole time I’ve been typing this, making corrections, making sure to write things exactly as I can, the gunbroker tab is still open as I said, I was there before coming here so I could say what I have. Before I check this for spelling or other errors, I’m going to go to the gunbroker tab and see if it’s still working like it was and normally and always should before I click post for this. Don’t know if it matters but I left the tab with myself logged in to my account and at their main page. If it’s still working properly, by refreshing the page and seeing if everything loads like it should, I’ll log off, come and write if it did or not, go back and being logged out, again refresh the page several times and see if it’s still working properly after logging out.

WOW! OKay, went to the gunbroker tab, refreshed the main page several times and everything loaded how it should and fast. Clicked on the button to go to my watchlist, refreshed it a few times and went back to the main page. Again, amazingly, it’s still working properly.

I’m still not 100% confident it’s fixed on this desktop. I mean, I don’t know what I did and I don’t know if what I mentioned has anything to do with it or not. I doubt it though. But I’ll log out, check it again and if it’s still working, close the tab and try another day and see. Only after a month or more of it working properly will I even begin to have faith it’s resolved. Not knowing what did it kind of makes it hard to even want to begin thinking it now let alone look that far ahead. lol

Besides, if it is finally resolved, on this desktop that is, it’s still not on my laptop.

Anyhow, just thought I’d let those who’ve taken time out of their day/night to try and help me. Not only to keep you updated, but to let you know any and all help is greatly appreciated!!!

As for all this, time will tell as they say. Oh, and after I logged out of GB, I refreshed the main page several times and it still worked properly. I even closed the tab for it and reopened it in another tab and to my amazement, it was still working properly. Hell, I think I’ll try leaving GB open in a tab while I do all sorts of other crap on my laptop and see. Like they also say, ya’ neva’ know. lmao