Just curious if anyone else using Win XP experiences Avast Free taking a couple of minutes to show in the task bar and then another few minutes to update…It also used LOTS of CPU during this process essentially blocking you from doing anything else. I used to use AVG which is a memory hog, but I’m getting tired of waiting for so long during boot up… Any ideas would be welcome. My machine is very well maintained (defrag, scanned for spyware/malware, etc. weekly). Thanks.
Hi,
My XP desktop takes about 8-12 seconds to boot and usually 2-4 seconds for avast! 8 to load into the taskbar. Specs:
HP Compaq: Windows XP Professional SP3 32-bit / Intel Pentium 4 CPU 2.80GHz / 3.25GB RAM / NVIDIA GeForce 8400GS 512MB DDR3
I also have 128gb internal storage on this computer if that helps.
~!Donovan
Hi jontalk. Welcome to Avast! Forums.
¿ What Avast! version ?
¿ What Spk in XP and bit ?
¿ Any other security programs running ?
tell us little about your set up; RAM, CPU.
128GB of internal storage sounds like you’re using a SSD in which case the boot up times will be incomparably faster than somebody, for example, using an IDE 5400rpm HDD like I do
I’m using a Dell Inspiron 2.66GHz, WinXP SP3, 32MB dedicated GPU and a minimum of 1GB RAM.
Cold booting to the login page takes 45 secs but from login to desktop and the task bar Avast icon to appear depends how long I’ve left it on the login screen. Why? Simply because all the stuff that runs at start up I’ve found is best allowed to do its thing before login.
BTW I’ve pared the programs running at start up to an absolute minimum already so if you haven’t done it yourself then that could speed up the desktop loading very noticeably.
Once logged in the Avast icon appears after about 60 secs on my machine but here’s the thing, if I’m connected to the internet it takes considerably longer. Why? The automatic Avast definitions udate will start to download/install as soon as the desktop starts up. This takes, I’d guess, half the resources available and slows the desktop loading down by that amount ie. extending the time taken to 90 - 120 secs. It is pointless trying to use the laptop whilst this is going on as any program you try to run will simply be queued until the desktop is fully loaded.
Because of this whenever I do a cold boot I turn off the internet connection beforehand and allow the desktop to start loading before turning on the internet. My ISP connection takes 45 seconds to re-establish itself by which time the desktop has loaded and then any new Avast update will install faster too.
If you have automatic Windows updates enabled then you have a triple whammy on your system’s resources at start up and I recommend turning it off and installing Windows updates manually at a more convenient time. Any other automatic updates (like Adobe Reader and Flash) I do the same with too.
The only reason I haven’t turned Avast’s automatic updating off so that is doesn’t run at start up is because it still nags you from the task bar icon to do the update and turn on automatic updates anyway.
Actually, I use an HDD. The computer is one of the better ones from 2004.
~!Donovan
Well it is booting damned fast compared to my P4 2.66GHz Dell 2003 laptop, apparently not that much less well specified than your machine.
Unfortunately the available BIOS for my laptop never supported anything more than 1GB RAM. So maybe because you’re able to use the full amount of RAM allowed by WinXP ie. <4GB it is what makes the difference.
I have no idea what version of Avast Free I’m running since I don’t see any ‘about’ link on the interface. All I can say is it’s the latest version of the 2013 program.
I am running a Win XP SP3, 32 bit machine with 3 gb RAM, 320 gb HDD, no other security programs running in the background. As I said the machine is maintained weekly to keep it running optimally. I use the latest version of Chrome in case that has any impact.
I have run index checks on the registry (CHKDSK command), defragmented the registry and my HDD analysis tool says the HD is working perfectly. Of all the anti-virus programs I’ve used on this machine, Avast has provided great protection but is the SLOWEST loading of any I’ve used. It also takes several minutes to install the virus updates… And in case you’re wondering my broadband speed is well in excess of 18 mbps. Thanks.
Right click on the avast tray icon and select about avast!
Jontalk I have been griping about this same problem since Avast 8 came out. I am running the latest free version of Avast 8. I have an AMD quad core CPU running at 3.84, 8 GB of DDR3 PC1600, an AMD Radeon HD7950 with a Sata HDD. Windows 7 64bit with very minimal items loading on boot up. All previous versions of Avast were quick to load. And I could use my computer as soon as the desktop loaded. Ever since Avast 8 Free came out I have a longer boot up time. And after the desktop loads I can not use my computer for about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes until Avast releases it from whatever it does.
The Avast supporters here have claimed that their systems all boot fast and they don’t have this problem. They claim it’s not Avast. However I have tested this theory and have used Avast’s uninstall program and have installed MSE just to see. My system boots much faster and is not held hostage for minutes after it boots to desktop. I then uninstalled MSE and reinstalled Avast 8 Free and the problem returned. So yes it is a problem with Avast. I feel the program is just getting too bloated. I used AVG years ago until it became bloatware. Once Avast 8 Free does its thing and releases my computer I can do what I want to for days, even weeks without any slow downs. But a cold boot causes the problem all over again. I just wish I knew why Avast 8 free hogs computers like it does so I can turn that “feature” off.
Hi all,
I am running avast! 8.0.1489.
~!Donovan
There used to be an option (if I remember rightly) somewhere in the avast! settings to load up
after the other system services. There was a second method which involved adding a line to the avast.ini
to delay the signature update after boot up for a specified time (2 minutes for example).
Any negatives to these ? At first glance, seems helpful for a slower system.
Go to the interface click Settings on the top right top.
Go to Troubleshooting and check load Avast services after system start(the fourth option from the bottom).
I have tried both of those suggestions. They don’t make a difference.
My PC is older and more modest, AMD x2 4200, 2GB DDR1 RAM.
I did a custom install, deselected the p2p and email shields, and deselected everything in the middle column.
I do find a slight drag on the system after booting but the system is still usable - I can start Firefox,
for example.
Have you tried a HDD defrag?
Interesting… I guess I forgot to mention I’m also running an AMD 4600+ dual core CPU, Radeon X1250, etc…I saw another thread which caught my eye since the OP has removed AVG like I had and provided a link to AVG’s complete removal program. I installed it and let it remove any remnants, though when the system booted up again, it didn’t boot completely, so I did a hard shut down and rebooted again. I do NOT recommend using the AVG removal program but I have run a search and found NO AVG remnants and removed all the trails of the removal program too. That said, it boots a little faster but not nearly like MSE or even AVG which is a resource hog when running. Avast really needs to address this on this latest version because it’s boring waiting several minutes for the program to load and update… I think the updating/installation process is WAY too slow also.
I decided to run a Malwarebytes scan and low and behold, it found 108 PUP type programs on my system, which have been removed. Avast seems to boot up a bit better now or at least I see the icon in the task bar sooner. Am no scanning with the ESET Online scanner which is extremely slow, but highly effective. I’m quite surprised that Malwwarebytes found so many malicious programs with the great reviews Avast has received…Makes me wonder. If ESET finds viruses, I think it’s time to find a new anti-virus program.
By default detection of pups is not enabled in Avast.
To turn it on go to the Security tab / Antivirus / … then next to “Scan Pups” click “Turn on”
While you’re at it, download and run AdwCleaner: http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=53253.0 Might be surprised at what it finds in your browsers. Point is, avast! is doing something other than the apparent slow loading you think, and since you found you had 100’s of Possibly Unwanted Programs on your system, AdwCleaner might find more. All those files were scanned at startup, remove them, and avast! does not have to perform that extensive task anymore. Should see more quickness if you run this.
How did these PUP’s get on your system?
I’ve had a recent experience with something being flagged up as a PUP by Malwarebytes and not Avast even though I have PUP detection enabled. The odd thing about it was it was an update installer for a disc burning program I’ve used for months, CDBurnerXP, and as I do in all cases it was specifically scanned with Avast and Malwarebytes immediately after the download.
No problem reported then and the Quick Scans (highest sensitivity in Avast’s case) ) using both those programs I do as part of my weekly maintenance didn’t show it as being any problem last week post download.
However this week Malwarebytes flags it up as a PUP but Avast doesn’t. It was actually quite difficult tracking down where the PUP was because the Malwarebytes log does not present the full location so I just knew it was in my Downloads folder. Apparently the right mouse context menu option to go to the location does not work in the free edition so I had to scan all the downloads to find the culprit.
Anyway once located I scanned it with Avast and again it flagged up no problem. Malwarebytes continued to regard it as a PUP and since I’d installed the update using it already I let it remove the apparently dodgy installer. I did full system scans with Mawarebytes and then Avast afterwards and everything came up clean.
It got me thinking though as to why this had happened and I had a thought that Malwarebytes after it’s most recent definitions update was, maybe, detecting an OPTIONAL toolbar installer. The CDBurnerXP updater did include the usual unwanted browser installer and homepage change options many ‘free’ good program installers include but, I think, also came with a less common Ask.com toolbar installer option too.
Is that a possible explanation for all those PUP detections jontalk discovered? So is this Malwarebytes being over-sensitive or Avast being under-sensitive.
Just a new policy adopted by MBAM:
http://blog.malwarebytes.org/news/2013/07/malwarebytes-adopts-aggressive-pup-policy/