I can only imagine there is a problem running avast! on upgraded XP.
I still haven’t solved my problems with avast! since upgrading despite uninstalling, cleaning out the registry and re-installing avast! several times now. It’s the exact same problem everytime, I get disconnected every time I try to update avast! and also when checking emails with avast’s email scanner enabled (when it’s disabled email works fine).
I have been a huge fan of avast! since I started using it but every other program on my computer is working better than ever since upgrading except for avast! and I’m not prepared to do a full clean install of XP now along with all my other programs just for the sake of avast!
It’s a shame to lose it but I’ve just had enough now.
ey up? haway pet, I’m UK too, if you want to pm me to work this out so we can post back here a solution, if we find it… feel free. sp2 might have changed your time-outs in your email and other settings as it’s more of a kernel change than just a security update. This machine isn’t updated yet, but I do have one that is for reference, if you want work out the problems.
It does not seem to be a SP2 related problem…
Are you using a dial-up?
What do you mean, only asking for update and the connection is broken?
Does this occur with any other internet based program?
did i ever say that i know/like xp very much? - NO
lol. what is the admin-account then for? if you want to tell me that it’s not very good to surf on the internet with the admin-account?
confused
It does not seem to be a SP2 related problem... Are you using a dial-up? What do you mean, only asking for update and the connection is broken? Does this occur with any other internet based program?
I do not yet have SP2 (I’m holding back a while because I’ve read a lot of problems with it), when I spoke of upgrading, I meant I had uypgrading from Win 98 to XP rather than do a fresh XP install.
I’ve since read that this often causes problems but after 2 weeks avast! is the only thing giving me problems.
Trying to update avast! either manually or automatically, causes my dial-up to lose it’s connection. Also when avast’s email scanner is enabled I lose the connection when checking mail. These problems occur approximately 9 out of ten times I try. It happens with and without a firewall and with different firewalls. I have uninstalled and reinstalled avast! many times now.
I spent the whole of last night uninstalling most of my programs (including avast, yet again) and just re-installed the ones I really use.
I have spent much of today on the net downloading from Windows Update and stuff and had no problems at all… until I tried updating avast! (manually, I’ve given up on auto altogether now), and instantly the connection was lost. I have my firewall set to log avast updates and the log stated it had permitted avast to connect and it was a couple of seconds after that the connection went and I got the now familiar avast error pop-up saying there was a problem updating.
I tried another 7 times and and after 6 disconnections, I eventually I got the latest update.
I’ve really had it with avast! now. I’m not blaming bad programming or anything but I’m just annoyed that avast! is the only program that can’t seem to cope after a Win98 to XP upgrade.
I still think it is the best antivirus there is but I’m just fed up of the problems and now have to try to find a good replacement.
Maybe I’ll try again when I have broadband.
Let me try to stop (some?) of the confusion.
This is basicly how it works:
A admin (especially administrator account, note: admin rights and administrator are two different things) is supposed to be for those user(s) who are allowed to do almost anything with the system. When you login as admin(istrator), you will have a lot of control over the system and what is on it. If at this time the system gets infected, the malware will basicly have the same rights as the admin(instrator) and therfor can do a lot of damage.
When you are logged in as user with restricted rights and the system gets infected. The malware has basicly the same rights as the restricted user and will therfor not be able to do as much damage is it would have done under admin(inistrator) rights.
Besides that the malware doesn’t have access to everything when logged in as restricted user at the time of infection, you can also use the restrictions to almost exclude infection risk when logged in as restricted user.
Some recommended settings for the restricted user account:
- not allowing downloads
- not allowing to use the floppy/cd-rom
- own folder with quota, no access to other folders
- disabled activeX support
- no access to the firewall
- etc etc etc
I hope this is taking away some of the confusion 
ps: Upgrading is never recommended. It is like putting in a new engine in a car and doing a paint job on it. But you still have parts of the old car there also. A complete fresh install (getting a brand new car) is what I always recommend.
Some recommended settings for the restricted user account: - not allowing downloads - not allowing to use the floppy/cd-rom - own folder with quota, no access to other folders - disabled activeX support - no access to the firewall - etc etc etc
yes, but if i surf around in the internet with the guest-account then, (and so it’s more safe)- i can’t download programs etc…, because a lot of programms which are allowed on the admin-account aren’t allowed on the user-account, so i have some problems…how could i solve this?
Create a seperate folder for the restricted account with a disk quota. Allow only donwload there, no execution rights. If needed, install the application as admin(istrator) than return to the restricted account.
When I became the admin of a cybercafé some years ago. I installed XP Pro and secured the systems. We never had any problem/infection since then. I let that speak for itself.
i also have a internet-cafe, but im not admin there 
well, thats too complicated for me, i’ll still be dumb and surf in the internet with the admin-account
avast will protect me
Have a look at THIS website. It has a lot of good tips about securing a system with XP.
Take your time to read and understand it. No need to rush when it comes to security Better slow and safe than fast and infected 
Take your time to read and understand it. No need to rush when it comes to security Better slow and safe than fast and infected
a very wise, true sentence
* Sir markus0r is bbl, reading the site
Well I decided to do a completely fresh install of XP after all.
avast! was the first program I installed and I’m still getting disconnected when avast! tries to update and when the email scanner checks my mail.
On top of this, I just D/L’d Antivir and it picked up a virus in my Firefox cache that avast! missed.
I just don’t feel safe with avast! anymore. :0(
What was the name of the virus in question? Was avast up to date?
I would appreciate any and all info you could provide about the virus in question. Also did you send a sample to avast at virus@asw.cz ?
The virus in question was - win32:Trojano-281[trj] and I don’t believe it is a new virus.
I only found out when I was copying my Firefox profile to a backup location
and Antivir (which I had only installed a few minutes before) popped up and told me there were signs of the above virus in my Firefox cache.
I still don’t understand how it got there or why avast! didn’t detect it.
I only re-installed XP the other night and so far I have been unable to to update avast! because I keep getting disconnected every time I try (read my previous posts in this and other threads.
I so want to solve these problems with avast but after a month of these problems on XP upgraded from win 98 and again on a fresh XP install I’ve just had enough and am now trying out Antivir (even though it takes about half an hour to download an update).
As I have said many, many times, since switching to XP avast! is the only thing that has caused me any trouble.
It is possible that it is a false positive. Antivir has heuristics right?
Thats correct AntiVir does use heurestics and it could possibly be a false positive. I’m checking on that. First question Was avast uninstalled before installing AntiVir? Second what were your settings on Antivir for the guard as well as the main program? Did you have heurestics enabled in either one or both or just one of them? What was the exact file path where the file was located? Was it the guard part of the program that alerted you or was it during a regular scan of your system? I’ll try and help you if I can can.
AntiVir has a lot of false positives… But you must be sure. On-line scanning is the best way. http://virusscan.jotti.dhs.org/
If you’re using AntiVir (free version), you don’t have to uninstall avast. You won’t be two residents and the programs won’t be in conflict.
Of course, the Heuristic settings could answer why avast! does not detect that file…
For me, AntiVir detect a lot of ‘macro’ false positives, specially in zip archive files.