How to improve Avast performance?

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
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If you prefer, you can use Standard Shield at Normal sensitivity, disable scanning of open/create/modify files and let WebShield enabled. I'd rather the second option.

I have read this post in an topic and would like users and Evangelists explained their tips to improve Avast performance and follow some questions…

  1. I use only 1 pc connected to internet, may I disable Network Protection provider (in MY pc it never shows any activity)?

  2. Why is there a provider for Outlook express and other for email? I don’t use Outlook, only webmail, may I disable one of them or both?

  3. In P2P arena, I only use Bittorrent and Emule. If I uncheck the other program options like Direct Connect, will it improve performance?
    3.1) Is the idea valid for instant messaging provider?

Any more tips are welcome, but ALL user that read the answers shall apply adapt to his/her situation.

Thanks. My pc is Celeron 2.26 Ghz, 640 Mb Ram with Windows XP SP2 up to date with critical updates except Internet Explorer, wich is version 6. Avast is 4.7.942 home as a new installation, it was not upgraded from previous versions, allthough I used it in the past year.

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You can do a complete uninstall (not disable) some providers you think you don’t use or don’t need them (i.e. Web Shield, Network Shield, IM Shield, Outlook/Exchange, etc.) and use only Standard Shield, but Web Shield is also recommended.

Sometimes I use avast! with the Standard Shield (with high sensitivity level) only and it works very well, but I don’t think this regimen will improve substantial performance anyway, especailly on a new PC.

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Network is made by your computer and the Internet. Which firewall do you use?
If you disable Network Shield you won’t improve performance… It protects the computer at driver level (no resources are used).

Outlook Express, Thunderbird or any other email client (pop3, smtp) will use Internet Mail provider.
The Bat! has its own prugin as the same as MS Outlook.
If you only use webmail you can disable both (if you’re sure that nobody will use email programs in your computer).

No. They’re protected at driver level.

No. Again.

Tons of settings are on ‘Settings’ in my signature :wink: