New HP mini with XP Home SP3. Uninstalled Norton Security Trial and then ran Norton Removal Tool before downloading and installing avast!4.8. Using only Windows Firewall, but WebShield blocks web with or without Windows Firewall turned on. Programs including Windows update OK, can ping www.google.com and IP addresses successfully.
Have uninstalled and reinstalled 3 times, running clean program AFTER restart following each uninstall. Now, on 3rd install, web pages still blocked AND Windows Security reports AV out-of-date, even after manual updates and multiple restarts.
Please check system date and time.
Did you use the Avast uninstall utility between each install? That could be the next step.
All Avast settings at default?
All settings at default except “merge with main tray icon” and “sounds disabled”, date and time OK. Ran the avast uninstall or “clean” utility after the restart following each uninstall.
Didn’t even bother changing those two settings from default after the most recent install…
I’d suspect malware, or at least, want to eliminate the possibility as a possible cause.
Download, update, and run a quick scan with MBAM and have it remove everything found (if anything.)
Post the scan report.
(Here is a direct download button.)
General terms, it’s wise to download any required security software (AV, firewall), ready to install, before uninstalling the previous AV, so that you can then install new stuff -while the 'pooter is unprotected - offline.
This machine was an Office Depot demo that had Computrace (LoJack) by Absolute Software installed. Apparently avast! is not compatible with Computrace. I managed to disable that program (who says this is not possible?) and avast! began functioning normally.