Web shield causing SLOOOOW internet XP SP3

System:

  • AMD 2.1 Ghz
  • 2GB RAM
  • XP SP3
  • Hard wired connection
  • No other AV installed, using Windows firewall. When I test, only one system in the whole house is accessing the net.
  1. Ran the Avast uninstall utility in safe mode.
  2. Installed latest Avast free v8.0.1489.
  3. With Web Shield on with all default settings, my down stream is between 5 to 12Mbps(mostly around 6Mbps). With Web Shield off, it’s between 50 to 60+ Mbps. The same with my other desktop.
  4. I have also tried older versions of Avast free, such as v5 & v6, same result.

I see some others having similar issues and unable to find a resolution to this problem. Is this an XP issue, or something else? What can I try?

Thanks

No, it’s working fine here on XP.

  • Other security related software installed…??
  • Which AV did you use before avast!..??

-No other security software installed.
-Used Avast free for many years. Many years ago, I decided to try McAfee or Norton that was offered by Comcast for free by uninstalling Avast first, it was such bloat ware, I uninstalled it almost immediately, then reinstalled Avast free again. Recently, because of the speed issue, I uninstalled Avast using your uninstall utility, tried MSE, but it pegged my svchost.exe process at 99%, so I uninstalled it. Then tried AVG free, the downstream was at about 36Mbps, but I believe AVG free does not include a Web Shield similar feature, maybe that’s why it was faster, did not like it anyway, so I uninstalled it and reinstalled Avast free again.

This downstream speed issue happens on another hard wired and wireless N systems running XP, with older and current version of Avast free, where the only security software these two systems ever used was Avast free, same thing with them, turn off Web Shield, speed goes back to normal, turn on Web Shield, speed drops tremendously.

Try unchecking “Use intelligent stream scanning” in the web shield settings.

When you uesd AVG Did you just uninstal it via add/remove programs?. Is not enough, Run AVG Removal tool to remove all the remains. & re boot. No issues on my xp system 30-100 mb/sec on my wireless system.

On the AVG site, it says to use their remover utility only if you are unable to uninstall with Add/Remove. But, I’ll give it a try later, doubt it’ll make a difference.

I just did unchecked the "“Use intelligent stream scanning”. Before that, I was getting an average of 6Mbps, after unchecking, I’m now getting an average of 11-12Mbps, on rare occasions, 25-30Mbps. Still, no where close to the 50+Mbps when Web Shield is completely off. Any other suggestions?

Like I have mentioned, I have two other systems that never had any other AV installed, except for Avast free and they both do the same thing, slow when Web Shield is on, and fast when it’s off.

You can try a clean reinstall…

First, be sure to get rid of all remnants of your prior installed AVs.
https://support.avast.com/index.php?_m=knowledgebase&_a=viewarticle&kbarticleid=574
http://singularlabs.com/uninstallers/security-software/

  1. Download avast! Free Antivirus: http://files.avast.com/iavs5x/avast_free_antivirus_setup.exe
  2. Follow instructions: http://www.avast.com/uninstall-utility (Run this tool for all prior installed avast! versions…!!)
  3. Reinstall avast! with the downloaded installer from point 1.
  4. Reboot.