I would be interested in opinions from v5.0 users about only running the avast! File System Shield.
Have I crippled avast! by turning all the other shields off?
My browsing with IE8 is so much faster without the Web Shield and the Behavior Shield and the Network Shield. I have no need for either the P2P or IMShield because I don’t use those applications.
So really what I am wondering is, will the File System Shield ultimately protect against all of the threats that the other shields are designed to handle? Avast! refers to the File System Shield as the “main component of the real-time scanner” and says it “monitors all files and programs stored on your computer”.
I am also running Prevx real-time and Online Armor Free (with all internet facing applications set to Run Safer).
Totally crippled it, you have no forward line of defence.
The only shields I don’t have are the P2P and IM as like you I don’t use any of those applications. The web shield is perhaps the most potent shield at preventing anything getting on to your system the file system shield is a last line of defence really.
Hacked sites represent one of the greatest threats for infection, drive by downloads, etc. and if they would otherwise not be detected by the file system shield your stuffed. The web shield detects the exploit, redirect, obfuscated script, etc. without having to know what the payload is at the end of the driveby download, etc. So in that regard it is better than the file system shield.
Why you are suffering slow downs with the web shield I don’t know (I have no such problem) but when you consider the other software you are running I would say there is a strong possibility that is conflicting or at the least causing duplication of scanning.
The Network Shield overhead should be negligible as it isn’t scanning, but simply comparing sites that you are trying to connect to aren’t on its malicious sites lists.
I installed file,web,network and behaviour shields and my computer
behaves the same whether I am using all of them or none. In other
words , I don’t feel they slow me down at all and most likely your
problem, as DavidR pointed out, is a conflict between Avast and
some of the other programs you are using. I don’t use what you are
using but Avast works real nice with my own set up made up by
DefenseWall and Sandboxie.
What are the responses to this… will the File System Shield ultimately protect against all of the threats that the other shields are designed to handle?
Well…since I never use IE, out of curiosity related to this post, I decided to try…
Opened my 64 bit ver. no problem…my 32 bit version, however, took apprx 4.5 mins to load a page ???
Now that is slooowwww. Beyond slow, really. Might as well be broken at that speed.
Not that I miss IE but still a curiosity.
If you look at my signature, I also use (resident) PrevX w/SafeOnline, OA Premium with avast. Most likely the slowdown you are experiencing is being caused by OA’s Safe Mode. I have [beta] tested on different systems and different types of software.
Also remember when uninstalling each of these software to stop the protection/disable the software first, then uninstall it as per the software developer (each is different).
One thing I can tell you is that you may be able to speed up your system by installing OA first, then Avast, then PrevX. Sounds like a pain, but the sequence of the installation of the software made a difference in testing of these 3 software together for XP’s in certain builds of OA; this is a bug that is soon to be fix if not already in the next build. This type of situation also holds true with other software that I have tested, so I am not pointing fingers at anyone.
In addition, I would never go without the shields turned off on avast since they work differently from the other software.
If doing what I suggested above in the reinstallation in the specific order does not work for you (this pertains to only XP’s), please feel free to post back with your results.
Follow up… I removed some other security applications and avast! once again has all shields turned on.
Browsing with IE8 is no longer a drag. It’s funny, you learn over time that a given security app runs well, but then through program updates or whatever, things change, and it is worthwhile having a second or third look at what was once a viable keeper program. Try running your system without them and see if things change dramatically. That’s what happened to me.
A person can spend just as much (or more) time following every piece of forum advice he gets too.
And there is often conflicting advice.
Some people have zero issues with the same combination of programs that give others grief.
It is rarely as easy as I tell you my programs and you tell me what to drop.
I wish it were though.
