I’m using Avast Home (4.6) on a Windows 98SE machine and am having a problem with the Web Shield component. I put in the proxy settings as directed in the help file (since apparently this feature isn’t automatically configured to work upon installation in 9x systems,) and although web pages will come up on my browser (IE 6 Service pack1,) they don’t always load up properly. Often I will get boxes with little red x’s in either part or most of the page, usually rendering the page useless for viewing. The problem started after switching to Avast’s proxy server and ended after switching back to the previous configuration.
I would like to be able to use this module, however, having web pages that come up properly is more important. Does anyone have a fix for this problem?
Please, disable all features in the ‘Web’ filtering tab of Kerio and force the refresh of the page (CTRL+F5).
If this does not help, try to disable Kerio only to test the refresh of this page.
I doubt that this is directly related to avast as it isn’t subjective, either the internet (nothing) or pages wouldn’t load (when the web shield is enabled, usually indicating a firewall blocking web shield) not individual images. avast doesn’t block, it scans content and alerts to viruses.
The little red Xs are a know issue of IE from a long time ago and it still continues to this day on occasion. The remedy is usually to clear the browser cache (temporary internet files) and reload the page. Or you can try another method to force a page load without using the cache, hold the shift key at the same time as you click the refresh icon. That should reload the page from the internet server and not the cache.
This is strictly an Avast problem. I’ve disabled all of the web filtering options and even the firewall itself but the problem still persists >:( Is there any way to isolate what exactly is going on between Avast’s server and me? I know my browser isn’t reading the code incorrectly. I suppose the module isn’t an emergency must have but it would be nice to able to use all of the program’s features.
As we keep saying avast doesn’t have any function to block images or anything else for that matter. If it did, why doesn’t it block ALL images on all pages ?
Do you have any other ad blocking software which might block the location these images come from ?
Can you give some examples of URLs where images don’t display and we can try them ?
If there is some form of interaction with a program/process and avast then removing avast may well resolve that conflict/interaction, but what it doesn’t do is identify exactly what is at fault.
With Web Shield enabled, did you clear your temporary internet files or do a forced page load as we suggested ?
Did it work (in displaying the images) or not, you didn’t say ?
Have you tried a different browser ? - firefox, opera or any non IE based browser.
If it were a definite problem with avast! web shield, IE and Kerio in combination (a popular set-up) then there would be numerous threads relating to the problem, I just don’t see that.
I can not see how this is an Avast problem. My other computer is running W98SE with Web Shield activated and no problems displaying images that you are getting the boxes with red x’s in. Even if it is text that is in that red-x box, it is added to the website as an image of the text.
The difference is that my other computer has more memory (512 mb RAM … though it also showed images correctly with 256 mb RAM but was overall much slower) and it uses the ZoneAlarm Free firewall. It also has a separate video card with 64 mb of memory.
I think your main problem is not enough memory to show the images because of whatever other programs/processes are running. Your problem could also be accented by having on-board video (on the motherboard) instead of a separate video card with it’s own RAM. If this is true, then the on-board video is also using part of that 128 mb of RAM.
I think the main point is being missed here…everything works fine if I DON’T have the proxy enabled. All the images and text load correctly. It’s only when I ENABLE the proxy that the problems begin.
Well as suspected, I have no problems with images being displayed on any of those sites in firefox, I even used IE (spit) ;D and apart from Amazon which after 5 minutes still hasn’t loaded (worked fine in firefox and loaded quickly) the other pages load extremely slowly (in IE, but fast in firefox) because they are image intensive and I’m on dial-up, no problems. So I’m at a loss as to what the problem might be.
I think the main point is being missed here....everything works fine if I DON'T have the proxy enabled. All the images and text load correctly. It's only when I ENABLE the proxy that the problems begin.
If the memory/resources or conflict/interaction could be an issue then when that is reduced or eliminated the problem goes away, still doesn’t pin down the culprit. The same point also seems to being missed, sorry.
With Web Shield enabled, did you clear your temporary internet files or do a forced page load as we suggested ?
Did it work (in displaying the images) or not, you didn't say ?
Have you tried a different browser ? - firefox, opera or any non IE based browser.
We ask questions to help get to the bottom of the problem but if you don't answer them we are wasting our time.
OK I did a google search for ‘Red X Internet Explorer,’ without the quotes and this is just the first of thousands of hits (as I said it’s a common problem) Pictures Are Not Displayed on Web Sites in Internet Explorer it might be worth your while to work your way through the MS Knowledge Base entry.
Sorry, ardvark, for missing the point. I ran my old computer after reading your last post and checked the proxy settings and they are set as Avast needs them to be. It’s also still on dial-up yet I had no problems (other than being slower) getting those websites to load correctly … nor any other websites I tried. So, I am at a loss as to why the proxy settings do not work for you.
I do not know if this will help or not but have you tried uninstalling Avast and then re-installing?
I didn’t mean to be rude; this situation is highly frustrating!
Since the proxy setting works perfectly for both of you, then you are right…the problem lies on my end or possibly with my ISP, since I have felt for some time that the quality of the (dial-up) connections have been lacking. I can poke around some more and see if anything turns up.
Like I mentioned before, it’s not critical that I have this module running.
I don’t think this two things are related… Your ISP CAN’T know you’re using a local proxy and can’t block it… A connection is a connection, dot.
I’ll think it’s a problem in your computer and not with your ISP.
Maybe some browser settings, popup (anti advertisement) blocker, etc.
I thought about your last post and tried disabling the yahoo anti-popup blocker to see if that would solve the problem but to no avail. On a whim, I configured my seldom used copy of Opera and shockingly, everything worked!! All the pages loaded correctly, although a bit slower than what I’m used to.
Looks like it was IE all along :
I appreciate the time you, CharleyO and DavidR spent to to help me try to solve this I have a feeling I will become more aquainted with a browser named Opera.
Glad you are able to browse images now, not only will using another browser other than IE let you view your images, it will be less of an adware/browser hijack magnet.
Another browser option is the latest firefox 1.5.1 I still prefer the firefox interface and extensions.
I am also glad you got things sorted out. It seems to me that the problem now lies in the IE settings on your computer. I use IE6 on the old W98SE computer and IE7 beta2 on this XP one … both had no problems.
By the way, I did not take it as you being rude. It is understandable that such things can be flustrating. Well, you did not curse nor insult any of us … just strongly suggested we missed your point … and that is good.
Anyway, if Opera, Firefox, or some other browser works for you, then that is what you should use.
All the defaults are checked in the multimedia section of the advanced tab. I think this whole thing is just a glitch in my copy of IE for whatever reason. I’m happy at least one of my browsers works correctly with the web module.
