I have recently installed Avast Internet Security 5 on my PC and cannot now gain access to the internet or network.
BitDefender Internet Security 2010 was previously installed and permitted full functionality - it was only removed due to general unreliability.
Operating system is XP SP3.
With the help of Avast Support I have, allegedly, removed all traces of any previous security software and repeatedly removed (safe mode - AIS removal tool - reboot twice) and reinstalled AIS 5.
I have tried manually creating access permission for Firefox and Thunderbird in the AIS firewall section.
Avast Free runs fine on the troublesome PC and AIS 5 runs fine on my laptop which uses the same home LAN.
I’ve possibly outstayed my welcome with Avast Support so hope that someone on the forum might give me some pointers.
Hi Jim,
I’m afraid I am not an avast expert. There are plenty of avast and malware experts who give their time free to help on this forum, but I suspect it may help them if you gave a bit more background information about your problem, and anything you have already tried. For instance:
Is there any connectivity? (does the AIS firewall network connections page (check detailed view box) show any activity; does avast update?)
What other security systems/firewalls have you had installed in the past?
Have you run a malware scan (as well as avast most here seem to recommend malwarebytes antimalware)?
Does turning off the avast firewall stop the problem (I suggest confirming XP firewall is turned on first)?
Does uninstalling the avast firewall component (use add/remove programs, change, then uncheck firewall box) stop the problem?
Firewall > Network Connectivity does show some traffic (red and green arrows) but only in tiny amounts - for example one line was In = 9.8kB, Out = 938B
Avast does NOT connect to the update server
Bit Defender Internet Security 2010 and, prior to that, Vipre were installed. Both included firewalls and both have, allegedly, been completely removed using their own removal utilities. At Avast Support’s behest I ran a hijackthis scan and all they noted was a very old Symantec component. Removing this enabled the Real Time Shields to function when they had not previously.
I’ve run a full scan from a freshly updated Malwarebytes today. No infected items were reported.
Turning off the Avast firewall does NOT enable an internet connection - and that’s with the XP firewall either on or off.
I cannot use your add/remove programmes > change suggestion because it requires internet access to run.
As installed, the Firewall only shows “Microsoft” in the Group listing, and that only contains “System” and “Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service” as components. I’ve tried manually adding Internet Explorer (IE7) as a component but this still will not access the internet. I mention this because my laptop (running AIS 5 perfectly on the same LAN) fully and automatically populated this section upon installation.
I’ve installed using setup_ais.exe 5.0.594.0 and removed using aswclear5.exe in safe mode and double reboot.
I hope this may give someone enough info to make further suggestions
Hi Jim,
Sorry your problem hasn’t been sorted - very frustrating.
Point 6 sounds odd - I can’t think why you’d need internet access to uninstall an avast component (you were logged in as administrator?).
Listed below are a few more things I would try, based on the assumption that it’s still an old security program fragment problem (and more in hope than expectation I have to admit). If none of the good help on the forum comes along with better info you could give it a go, or it’s back to Avast support I guess.
Does turning off the avast webshield help?
Install Ccleaner from piriform
Install winpatrol plus (you’ll have to register it on a machine with internet access obviously, and it’ll cost you about 12 quid for a lifetime licence - but IMO it’s money well spent).
Uninstall avast, preferably using add/remove programs in windows or Ccleaner (tech, who has seven stars, thinks this is more thorough than the avast removal tool), or failing that use the avast removal tool. Reboot.
Run Cclean clean-up and then run as many registry scans as it takes to remove all the issues it finds (I needed three first time I installed it) then reboot.
Produce a winpatrol log/hijack log (under options).
Check everything it finds against the plus info, and remove anything that is reported as a bit of an old security program. (If you’re not comfortable with this (and I don’t think I woud be) post the hijack log on the forum and hope that someone knowledgeable takes an interest and advises you).
I bet that remains (drivers, services, registry keys, files…) of Bit Defender Internet Security 2010 and Vipre are preventing the correctly installation of avast.
Did this computer get infected in the past?
I’m reading correctly that even without avast it can’t connect?
Tech - thanks for your input - looks like your instinct is correct. Just to clarify, internet connection WAS possible with any of the earlier security packages installed, or with Avast Free - it’s only with AIS 5 that I cannot connect. Please see below for my latest unsuccessful efforts.
Mag - no, turning off the webshield does not help.
I was not able to use Ccleaner to uninstall AIS 5 - it runs the same routine as Control Panel > Add/Remove which tries to access the internet and so cannot run. I used the safe mode > aswclear5.exe > reboot twice > Cclean and registry fix > reboot.
I followed your WinPatrol Plus suggestions and the WP+ log did reveal several registry references to obsolete security components:-
All of these were listed as “Disabled” and have now been deleted.
Hidden Files
zllictbl.dat - Zone Alarm
vsconfig.xml - Zone Alarm
These have now been deleted.
Additionally the WP+ Hijack Log found several references to BitDefender and F-Secure within HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ModuleUsage\C:/WINDOWS/
These have been deleted.
I can post the WP+ Log and Hijack Log if that helps.
Interesting that these fragments have remained - I’ve always used the outgoing package’s removal utilities for alleged ‘total removal’.
But, unfortunately, there still is no internet access, so any further suggestions are greatly welcomed.