I can't open hotmail emails

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

Hi anyone out there who can help me. I’ve just installed the home user version of Avast. I have Windows XP. I’ve found I can access my hotmail account using MSN but cannot open any of my emails. There are no error messages.
Also, when I go to sites such as Virgin airlines to try and get a quote for a flight - nothing happens, it just freezes.
My computer seems to be running very slowly.
I would really appreciate help and will freely admit I am not ‘computer savvy’ so any replies will have to be of the ‘for dummies’ kind. Thanks.

2

Hello and welcome to the avast! user forums,

I’m afraid we may need to know much more then just your OS to help you. Please answer the following questions. 1) Have you had antivirus software in the past? If so which one? Do you have it with avast! on your system? 2) Have you tried disabling avast! and seeing if you can open your e-mails then?

3

:slight_smile: Hi Neety :

 I read emails from my hotmail accounts sometimes up to 3
 times a day; occasionally I cannot delete my "Junk Mail"
 folder, but eventually it "clears up". 
 In addition to the OS, is your XP a "SP1" or an "SP2" ?
 Other than an antivirus program ( hopefully you do not
  have 2 at the same time !? ), what other "security"
  program(s) do you have ? Do you have a "software"
  firewall ?
4

Thanks for the replies.
I have no other anti-virus other than 4 files that I could’nt get rid of when I deleted Norton anti-virus. These are:
AluSchedulerSvcRes
AluSchedulerSvc
MSVCP71
MSVCR71.DLL
The message I got was ‘access denied’

I also have the Windows Firewall.
My Windows XP is Windows XP Professional. I can’t see anything referring to XP1 or XP2.
I tried disabling Avast but it made no difference.
Neety

5

Ahh…did you “delete” Norton, or uninstall it? If you uninstalled, did you use the norton removal tool?

6

You wouldn’t be using Firefox with the AdBlock extension by chance would you?

7

What is your firewall, guessing ZA Pro with privacy set to High ?
As this type of problem has been previously reported in the forums and ZA Pro privacy feature was a common denominator.

A google search for the files you mentioned they may not all belong to Norton, msvcr71.dll is a MS runtime library http://www.processlibrary.com/directory/files/msvcr71/. The same for msvcp71

http://www.processlibrary.com/directory/files/aluschedulersvc/ Norton Live Update service.

Description: ALUSchedulerSvc.exe is a process belonging to the Symantec LiveUpdate service which updates your Symantec products periodically. This program is important for the stable and secure running of your computer and should not be terminated.

A link worth looking at, which is a program removal tool that can remove the remnants of a number of different Norton Programs:
Removing your Norton program using SymNRT

8

:slight_smile: Hi Neety :

  Norton Antivirus must be COMPLETELY removed for Avast
  to function correctly, which also may affect your inability
  to open your hotmail emails. If Symantec/Norton's
 "SymNRT" does not get rid of what remains of Norton on
  your computer, I recommend you install, then use a
  program called "Unlocker" available from :
  http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/ .
  Since you did NOT mention having any antiSPYWARE
  programs on your computer, I suspect you have spyware
  which is effecting your computer. Would recommend you
  download, then install "Ewido" from www.ewido.net/en ;
  this good & FREE program "specializes" in detecting AND
  removing trojans, worms, etc which you most likely have
  on your computer .
9

Hi helpers,
Using Unlocker, I have removed AluSchedulerSvcRes and AluSchedulerSvc which were definately Norton files. Still no luck on hotmail access.
Am I OK to remove MSVCP71 and MSVCR71.DLL which were also contained in the Symantec sub folder ‘Live Update’?

Ewido detected some spyware - Thanks for the recommendation.

My firewall is just the Windows firewall which came installed on my computer. I haven’t installed any others.
Neety

10

[url=http://Am I OK to remove MSVCP71 and MSVCR71.DLL which were also contained in the Symantec sub folder ‘Live Update’?]Am I OK to remove MSVCP71 and MSVCR71.DLL which were also contained in the Symantec sub folder ‘Live Update’?[/url]

I wouldn’t recommend deletion, but as they are in the Symantec Live Update folder I would rename them like msvcp71OLD and msvcr71OLD.dll. That way if there is an issue you can have the option of reverting to the original file name. If there is any reference to the original file names changing the file name should bring up any reference to them in the form of a warning.

If you have no Symantec products then you shouldn’t need the Live Update function (or folder) anyway but ensure that you haven’t got any symantec programs (they have been buying out many programs and you might not think they are symantec programs. I have WinFax Pro which was bought out by Symantec some time ago.

11

Are you using the “beta” version of MSN hotmail?

If you are still having the problem…

After using the Norton “removal tool” you could try uninstalling and re-installing Avast, it is possible that orphaned Norton AV files could have impacted the Avast installation.

The different versions of Norton AV are either better or worse at leaving orphan files behind when un-installing. It is important to make sure that all functions and settings are off or disabled before uninstalling. But since you have already unistalled the “removal tool” is you only option.

If all else fails you could try unintalling Avast, installing Norton AV again, then uininstalling correctly with all settings off, then use the “removal tool” and then install Avast again.

12

Me again, losing hair at a rapid rate!
I cannot access the Norton uninstall tool to clean my system of any remaining Symantec files as when I go to that page, it proceeds to take me to the Symantec Autofix tool. The page then freezes which I believe was caused by their product!!

The status with my computer is that I can access most internet sites and look at a number of pages on that site but at a certain point, it just freezes. I can’t open hotmail emails, open my internet banking sites, get a quote for a flight. Help, Norton are holding me to ransom!!!

13

Did you follow all steps defined there?

  1. Remove NAV through Add/Remove programs from Control Panel. Boot.
  2. Use Symantec removal tool following the three steps defined in the SymNRT tool.
  3. Boot.
  4. Install avast again.
14

I uninstalled NAV using Add/Remove programs. When i go to the Symantec page (through IE) which has the 3 steps to use the uninstall tool, the second step takes me to a page which is the Symantec Autofix tool. The only text on the page is ‘Welcome’. The rest of the page is blank other than a picture of a hand typing on a keyboard.
It appears that I can only navigate through a few pages on any website that I access, these are pages where I am viewing information. Where there is an action eg. logging in to my online banking or getting a quote for a flight, there is a problem.
I am now cornered as the problem I am trying to fix requires getting into certain internet pages, but therein lies the problem!!

15

  1. Download and save these three files to the Windows desktop:
    a) ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/english_us_canada/linked_files/tsgen/MSIFIX.bat
    b) ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/english_us_canada/linked_files/tsgen/SymNRT.exe
    c) ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/english_us_canada/linked_files/tsgen/SYMMSICLEANUP.reg

  2. Run the three files that you just downloaded
    a) On the Windows desktop, double-click the MSIFIX icon.
    Click Run.
    A black window may appear very briefly.
    b) On the Windows desktop, double-click the SymNRT icon.
    Click Run.
    Click Next.
    Click I accept the License Agreement, and click Next.
    Type the letters and numbers that you see in the white box, and then click Next.
    Click Yes or OK at each prompt.
    You may need to click more than once. Your computer may be restarted for you more than once.
    You may be asked to repeat some steps after the computer restarts.
    c) On the Windows desktop, double-click the SYMMSICLEANUP icon.
    Click Run, and then click Yes.
    Click OK.

  3. Boot.

Can you try to do it in another computer if you can’t do in the troubled ones?

16

Hooray - It worked!! :slight_smile: Tech, I downloaded the files and got rid of those pesky N*****n files - I won’t ever utter their name again other than to warn people off.
Thank you so much everyone who gave advice. I was starting to get very depressed about the whole thing. Thanks all for hanging in there with me. I am very very very grateful.
Neety :-*

17

Neety, you’re welcome 8)
Keep away from the bad Symantec guy ;D
Welcome to avast forums and come back if you need and if you can share your experience and help the others too 8)