Severe bug report: 17.7.2314 GUI hangs on XP

system · 2017-10-10T21:07:01.000Z

Is there really nobody able to help? I’m so desperate.

I admin a couple of XP SP3 computers, all with IE6 and without .NET framework, some Home and some Pro. I run tons of sensible scientific software on them. I really like avast - but now it’s kicking me out in favor of a new oh-so-fancy design of the main GUI window. That’s it?

I don’t want to say goodbye to avast, but I don’t see another way.

Please, this is my last call for help.

Alikhan · 2017-10-10T21:54:13.000Z

The Avast UI utilizes CEF (Chronium Embedded Framework).

I’m pretty sure C++ is required. IE8 may also be required but I would recommend you to install C++ and then see if that helps.

system · 2017-10-11T14:40:06.000Z

@Alikhan:
Thanks for posting. I had a look at this and found, that in systemroot\WinSxS there are v11 and v14 of msvcpx.dll. That appears usual to me.

loungehake · 2017-10-11T19:23:52.000Z

Every new dot rev of Avast seems to have a different GUI. Features are rearranged just to ginger up the user? What other rationale can there be? It’s like Avast enjoys playing games with its users. This has been going on, apparently pointlessly, for years. Changing the GUI doesn’t improve the effectiveness of the product. It just makes it harder for users to make Avast software work for them as they would wish it to every time the GUI wheel is reinvented

Having said all this, Avast Free 17.7.2314 works very well with Windows XP SP3 (fully patched with POSReady updates and running Agnitum Outpost Firewall Pro 9.3, MalwareBytes Anti-Exploit beta and Comodo Memory Firewall).

bob3160 · 2017-10-11T21:22:54.000Z

loungehake post:29:

Every new dot rev of Avast seems to have a different GUI. Features are rearranged just to ginger up the user? What other rationale can there be? It’s like Avast enjoys playing games with its users. This has been going on, apparently pointlessly, for years. Changing the GUI doesn’t improve the effectiveness of the product. It just makes it harder for users to make Avast software work for them as they would wish it to every time the GUI wheel is reinvented

Having said all this, Avast Free 17.7.2314 works very well with Windows XP SP3 (fully patched with POSReady updates and running Agnitum Outpost Firewall Pro 9.3, MalwareBytes Anti-Exploit beta and Comodo Memory Firewall).

Two Firewalls ???

loungehake · 2017-10-11T22:20:23.000Z

Comodo Memory Firewall is actually buffer overflow detection/prevention software for computers which lack hardware DEP support of which my Athlon XP 3000+ processor powered PC is an example.

bob3160 · 2017-10-11T22:22:42.000Z

Thanks. Good to know.

system · 2017-10-12T14:47:41.000Z

Good to hear it works for you, loungehake.
The magic question is still: Why does it work on some XP Pro SP3, and on some other XP Pro SP3 it doesn’t?
As I already mentioned, besides my XP Pro SP3 machines I have also one (but only one) XP Home SP3 in my small park, that is also kicked by avast GUI. Does anyone have experiences on this?

Eddy · 2017-10-12T15:01:55.000Z

I don't want to say goodbye to avast, but I don't see another way.

Well, keep avast and say goodbye to XP ;D

system · 2017-10-12T18:22:54.000Z

Eddy post:34:

Well, keep avast and say goodbye to XP

Yes, if the mountain doesn’t come to the prophet…
If it just would be so easy…

system · 2017-10-19T14:49:25.000Z

So, a couple of reinstallations later we are not wiser than before.

What we know so far is:
The problem occurs on “relatively native” XP SP3 machines, i. e. equipped with IE6 and without .NET framework (which is due to its version variety and overall bugginess unlikey to be base for a serious antivirus program at all).
The problem occurs both on XP SP3 Pro and Home editions (of the latter one we have just one machine in the park).
Simultaneously other XP users (with at least partially “unnative” systems such as IE8 being present there) stated Avast being working.
The problem occurs with Avast 17.7.
The problem doesn’t occur with Avast 17.5. (and most likely not with 17.6.).

The result of the problem is the inaccessibility of the main GUI window, which results in the inaccessibility of the virus container, manual scans and Avast tools.

The configuration GUI is still fully accessible.

I did as much testing as my boss allowed me. Deadline is end of October - if Avast doesn’t work then again, I’m forced to leave Avast. Which I really would like to avoid, because I like Avast. So please anybody help.

bob3160 · 2017-10-19T20:47:54.000Z

http://screencast-o-matic.com/screenshots/u/Lh/1508445925311-59859.png

system · 2017-10-20T13:22:29.000Z

@bob3160:
Nice one. Virus container access. When in panic (panicking, because I’m afraid due to a lack of virus container accessibility I cannot reverse a false alarm resulting in quarantining important files), I get blind. Thanks for this hint.

bob3160 · 2017-10-20T14:27:57.000Z

You’re welcome.

system · 2017-11-02T16:54:49.000Z

It’s time for a conclusion, to have an easy overview of the bug status.

Bug description:
The main GUI window hangs on the “Status” page. Avast has then to be killed by a task man and manually be restarted.

Bug occurrence:

The bug occurs with Avast 17.7.
The bug doesn’t occur with Avast 17.5. (and most likely not with 17.6.).
Reinstallation and cleaning doesn’t help. It’s a bug in Avast.
The bug occurs on “relatively native” XP SP3 machines, i. e. equipped with IE6 and without .NET framework (which is due to its version variety and overall bugginess unlikely to be base for a serious antivirus program at all).
The bug occurs both on XP SP3 Pro and Home editions (of the latter one we have just one machine in the park).
Simultaneously other XP users (with at least partially “unnative” systems such as IE8 being present there) stated Avast being working.
After one month already, there is still no official statement from Avast company’s side.

Known workarounds so far:

Access to the virus container: Use SysTray icon context menu. This brings you to the main GUI window, “Virus Container” page, which works as normal.
Access to Avast tools: Open “Virus Container” page as described above; from there go to “Tools” page.
Access to messages: Open “Virus Container” page as described above; from there go to “Messages” page.
Access to settings: Use SysTray icon context menu. This brings you directly to the settings window, which works as normal.

Still needed workarounds:

Currently there is no access to the “Manual Scans” page. Therefore, manual scans can’t be started or even configured.

Solutions welcome!

system · 2017-11-03T16:35:45.000Z

Nobody any solution?

Does the dev team know about this issue?

system · 2017-11-07T21:41:12.000Z

Does anybody know, if the upcoming version 17.8. will fix the problem?

rocksteady · 2017-11-08T18:47:17.000Z

Just to chip in that I am one of those that has 17.17.2314 working fine on XP SP3 Pro. I didn’t need to do anything special just normal update when this version was released.
The GUI is slow to fully load, as documented by others and is by design. I find it no different from running on Win10, except some peculiarities with SmartScan, but that is another story and subject of a separate thread.
Ed

loungehake · 2017-11-08T20:21:36.000Z

Ditto. I have Avast free 17.7.2314 working fine with Windows XP on two PCs. I was thinking to myself how well-behaved it is, better in fact than previous versions. Both systems are POSReady security patched and fully up-to-date.

system · 2017-11-23T14:42:14.000Z

My last post from November 19, 2017, 09:49:45 PM was removed, I don’t know why. So I copy it here:

Hello to everybody,

I have good news to share:

Since my last post I installed 17.8.2318, build 17.8.3705.0, observed it for a while. I’m sure now the bug is gone, and that on all our XP machines (including the Home Edition). Same for my personal XP system at home.
I don’t know why, but I’m glad about it and wanted to share this.

Thanks to every contributor!

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