minor problem after udating to v4.6.665

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

I’ve been using avast! anti-virus for about 3 months, and have noticed a minor problem after updating to version 4.6.665

The problem is that when ASHWEBSV.EXE is started, a connection dialog appears (which is not needed).
If I click on “Connect”, a connection is established but there is nothing to be sent or received.
If I click on “Cancel”, the connection dialog goes away without any further problems.

This happens each time I start or restart the computer after updating to avast! version 4.6.665

My system info :

avast! program version 4.6.665
VPS version 0520-4
HP Pavilion 4445, 366MHz, 383MB RAM
Windows 98 v4.10.1998
Dial-up connection
IE5.5 SP2, OE5
ZoneAlarm v2.1.44
WebWasher v3.4

In closing, I would like to thank the avast! team for one of the best (and most configurable) anti-virus programs I’ve ever used.
I especially like the “Show detailed info on performed action” feature in the advanced settings for each provider.

SR

2

Are you using Internet Explorer. Try this: go Tools > Internet Options > Connections and check never dial a connection. Look below, it should help you.

3

Thanks for your reply.
The setting that you mentioned does prevent the connection dialog from appearing each time the computer is started, but then I have to manually establish a connection each time BEFORE I can use Internet Explorer (v5.5SP2) or other internet programs.

In the past, I have always used the selection “Always dial my default connection” and that way the connection dialog would appear automatically when I started the web browser or any other program that required an internet connection.

Since I have updated to avast! version 4.6.665, ASHWEBSV.EXE wants to establish a connection to the internet just as soon as it is started (even though a connection isn’t needed). It never did that with earlier versions…

SR

4

Terminate the WebShield provider and answer YES when you are asked to persist this setting. Restart.

I suspect it is some other application accessing the internet that is causing the dialup request. You might see the real application name if the dial dialog appears even with WebShield terminated.

5

I terminated the WebShield provider and answered YES to persist the setting.
When I restarted, the connection dialog still appeared.

I checked with WinTop and was surprised to see that ASHWEBSV.EXE was still running – I had assumed it would not be restarted after stopping the WebShield provider.

When I use WinTop to terminate the ASHWEBSV.EXE process, the connection dialog will go away by itself.
Afterwards, If I run ASHWEBSV.EXE from the H:\PROGRAM FILES\Alwil Software\Avast4 folder, the connection dialog comes back again…

SR

6

Hmm, I missed the fact that you are running win98. There the “service” is being run from the startup folder and hence it gets restarted even if the provider is terminated.

You can enable logging for WebShield (and restart the ashWebSv.exe - either by restarting the PC or by terminating and restarting the process (and the provider too)). You can find instructions to enable logging with the keyword “EnableLogging” here on the forum.

In short: edit avast4.ini, in the section [WebScanner] add the line EnableLogging=1, restart, reproduce the problem. Shutdown webshield and look through the log in \data\log\ashwebsv.log. The destination address should be recorded and from it you can guess why is webshield trying to open it and who is responsible for that.

Lukas.

7

Stu, please see this thread, I think I have already find the cause:

http://forum.avast.com/index.php?action=post;topic=13694.0;num_replies=1

8

Actually, on my Win98 the ASHWEBSV.EXE is started from :
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

I enabled logging by editing the avast4.ini file and restarted.
(The connection dialog appeared as soon as ASHWEBSV.EXE was started.)
I clicked on the “Connect” button.
After a connection was established, there was no internet activity for about 20 or 30 seconds, and then avast! did its automatic update check.
I disconnected from the internet, shutdown webshield, checked the AshWebSv.log and there were only 3 entries there – (they were all for the update process and are listed below).

5/22/05 8:02:08 PM,“http://download14.avast.com/iavs4x/servers.def.stamp",“text/plain”,"GET”,200,0,10,292,184,132,242,UNKNOWN PROCESS,PID: 0, SEQ: 0
5/22/05 8:02:09 PM,“http://download5.avast.com/iavs4x/prod-av_pro.vpu.stamp",“text/plain”,"GET”,200,0,10,309,186,135,259,UNKNOWN PROCESS,PID: 0, SEQ: 0
5/22/05 8:02:10 PM,“http://download5.avast.com/iavs4x/jollyroger.vpu.stamp",“text/plain”,"GET”,200,0,10,309,185,134,259,UNKNOWN PROCESS,PID: 0, SEQ: 0

Please note that the avast! update did wait for 20 or 30 seconds after the connection was established before starting (like it normally does), so I don’t think that it is responsible for the connection dialog appearing at startup.

Also, when I use a 3rd party app (wintop.exe) I can terminate the ASHWEBSV.EXE, but as soon as I restart it, the connection dialog comes back again (without any real need to connect).

SR

9

The problem will be fixed with the today’s virus database update (fortunately we have a mechanism to fix it from there).
Thanks

10

I checked the thread above and made the 1 addition to my HOSTS file but I still get the connection dialog everytime ASHWEBSV.EXE is started.

It could be that WebShield is doing a DNS lookup for a site other than 198.200.173.139 ameritrade.streamer.com , so I will wait for the next VPS update and then see if the problem still exists. (My current VPS is 0520-4)

I’ll post again to let you know either way…

SR

11

The new virus DB is just now being released. Hopefully this will solve the problem.

BTW what time is it where you are? Like 4:30am?! :o

Thanks
Vlk

12

The problem is fixed now!
After I updated the VPS to version 0521-0 the problem was resolved.
Thanks to you and Lukor both for the quick responses and resolution.

PS It was 5:26AM (my time) when you posted. It’s now 6:31AM (my time) as I post this…

Thanks again for everything,
SR

13

Thanks for letting us know, and have a good night :wink: