Multiple copies of ashwebsv running during boot

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

I noticed this on a laptop (XP Pro) which has been running excruciatingly slowly, mainly due to a lack of memory, which I have now corrected. I have not seen it on two desktops, one running XP Home, and one W2000.

What seems to happen during boot (from the Event Log) is that numerous attempts to start ashwebsv occur, but ashwebsv does not come up fast enough, so the start is considered failed, and another start is attempted. I’m guessing this goes on until one copy gets running, but this leaves multiple started ashwebsv processes running. I have seen as many as 20 or so in Task Manager. When the system finishes booting(10, 15 or 20 minutes!), the extra processes gradually disappear and we end up with just one, as it should be.

This does not seem to happen with any other of the avast processes, just ashwebsv.

Since I’m not familiar with Windows process start mechanism, I don’t know what avast can do – perhaps avast could tell Windows to wait longer for the ashwebsv to come up? Perhaps ashwebsv could report back that is running sooner? Or is this just one of those things…

2

Welcome mrbob969

How much RAM does the laptop have now?

3

I doubled the memory on the laptop, from 256mb to 512mb. I’d be happy to raise it further, but this is the max it can go to.

4

What other applications are auto starting?

Maybe a HijackThis log will help see what is causing the situation?
http://www.filehippo.com/download_hijackthis

5

You might want to try - Program Settings, Troubleshooting, ‘Delay loading of avast! services after other system services.’

That may help because it may not be just a lack of memory that was getting in the way. I would say 512MB would be adequate though still low for XP Pro (256MB is considered an absolute minimum, just for the OS), but a lot depends on what else you have running. However, with 1GB and I feel you would really notice a general improvement in performance and a reduction in disk thrashing as stuff is swapped out of memory to the pagefile.sys.

Have (or did) you another AV installed in this system, if so what was it and how did you get rid of it ?
What other security programs do you have (including firewall) ?

6

ashwebsv is started manually (not automatically) by Windows… Some other program (browser?) is starting and asking for WebShield to scan the http traffic. Which other programs are set to start automatically?

7

Wow! I started this thread as more of a heads up than a request for help – I sure didn’t expect all the responses I got. I did another search of both this forum and the web generally and found several others with the same symptoms – and no help for any of them. For me, as I stated originally, the problem is gone since I doubled the memory to 512mb.

Since this is my wife’s laptop, there is very little that starts up during boot. Avast does, of course, and Windows Defender, plus stuff that installed with her HP All-in-one printer. I have gone through the things that start up and eliminated any I think should not be there.

I have set the setting in Windows Defender which keeps it from scanning at boot time.

I have defragged her disk (and she does it too) sregularly.

I set avast not to start until after system programs have started.

Discussions about adding more memory beyond the 512mb we have now is pointless – this is the maximum the system can support – and besides, it used to be fine with just 256mb.

Avast replaces McAfee for antivirus. My wife runs adaware regularly, and I run Malwarebytes, asquared and ccleaner, too.

I have also booted with the wireless network card removed, so the internet was not available.

None of these had any measurable effect on boot time.

Note that unlike many people’s problems, there is little cpu activity, with more than 90% available. However, I can hear the hard disk chugging away throughout the boot.

But again, remember, I don’t really have this problem anymore…

8

Are you using McAfee firewall?
This article provides the steps to remove SecurityCenter from your computer.
http://ts.mcafeehelp.com/faq3.asp?docid=71525
Also for direct download: http://download.mcafee.com/products/licensed/cust_support_patches/VSCleanupTool.exe
and http://download.mcafee.com/products/licensed/cust_support_patches/MCPR.exe (2007)

Sometimes, McAfee won’t be completely removed if, before, you do not uninstall Avast, including the use of its “Uninstall Application” if necessary (www.avast.com/eng/faq-install-uninstall-avast.html).

9

Excuse me i speak very bad, i like best the french.
I have the same problem with multiple copy of ashbebsv and i thing to have one solution.
Clic right on icone Awast
Clic on " Reglage du program"
Clic on “depannage”
Clic on the second lign “attendre le lancement des services systemes avant de lancer le service avast”
" wait the installation of system services before beginning of avast service"
Since i have no problem of multiple copies of ashwebsv.
merci à tous pour vos forum très educatifs
chams

10

Welcome to the forums, chams. :slight_smile:

Thank you for posting what worked for you.

11

Oui, Chams. Merci. Cependant, pourquoi sommes-nous avoir à traduire le français un an plus tard. Sûrement quelqu’un de Avast pourrait le faire traduire et, maintenant, il devrait y avoir une correction au logiciel.

Quoi qu’il en soit, il a travaillé pour moi.