AVG 8.0 and Internet Connectivity Problems

[rabrittain]

I recently installed AVG 8.0 on one of my machines(the FX-60). I like to run BOINC pretty much 24/7. The machine runs pretty good, but I lose internet connectivity at night or perhaps early in the morning. Then, because BOINC can't find the internet, it locks up. The other machine (which is on the same router) does not have this problem. I run AVG free version on the other machine. My computers are at my apartment, and I do not spend a lot of time there. It is starting to become apperent that, if I am going to solve this problem, I will need to stay at my apartment for a couple of days, and then, I will be able to see the problem when it occurs.

Pevious to the installation of AVG 8.0, AVG 7.5 was on the machine, and I did not have this problem.

Perhaps there is someone else out there who has experienced this same problem. I would love to hear from you.

 

[Alyx]

I don't know, I've never had any problems. I also use AVG 8.0. Possibly switch to another antivirus? There is a good software list in the software forum that lists the free antivirus options and which are good. Sounds like AVG isn't the best of the free solutions any more.

 

[RaySun2Be]

I'm running the free version of AVG 8.0 and have not experienced any issues with SOB. But I'm not running BOINC.

The free version doesn't come with the firewall or spyware blocker, so one of those may be causing the issue.

 

[rabrittain]

Thanks Alyx and RaySun2Be for your responses!

I run AVG free version (7.5, I think) on the Intel machine. I haven't had any problems with it. The AVG 8.0 on the AMD machine is licensed. It has so many features! I haven't been to my apartment yet today, but I've checked my stats on the uFluids web site. The FX-60 last communicated at 10:24 UTC -- so 3:24 pdt. Usually, I have all automatic update processes disabled -- so I update manually -- when it's convenient. This last weekend, whenever I would go to my apartment and find the BOINC application on the FX-60 locked up, there was no communication from the AVG firewall. When I first ran BOINC after the intallation of AVG, there was a firewall communication, and I checked the "Make this a permanent rule" checkbox and clicked on the "Allow for All" button. When I'm troubleshooting a problem like this, I like to make one or two small changes and then see what happens. Yesterday, I thought that maybe AVG expected to be able to run the automatic update at least once, so I enabled it. If BOINC runs for a day or two without locking up, I will disable the feature again and see what happens. Beyound that, I am thinking about disabling all of the AVG features except for the antivirus -- and then re-enabling one feature per day until the problem returns. It would be time consuming, but I can't think of any other way to do it.

I am, however, open to new suggestions.

 

[rabrittain]

7/3/2009 ~1140 pdt
Rebotted FX-60 machine and started BOINC with the following features of AVG 8.0 disabled: firewall, e-mail scanner, link scanner, web shield, resident shield, and update manager.

7/5/2008 ~1050 pdt
BOINC and internet still working properly on both machines. There were completed tasks on both machines, so I updated. Snoozed and exited BOINC on FX-60 machine. Rebooted FX-60 machine. Updated AVG after enabling everything; there were no updates. Disabled e-mail scanner, link scanner, web shield, resident shield, and update manager. Left the firewall enabled. Restarted BOINC.

Maybe we'll learn something.

 

[rabrittain]

7/5/2008 ~2300 pdt (7/6/2008 ~0600 utc)
I just went by my apartment. Both machines are up; BOINC is running on both. There are no internet connectivity problems.

 

[rabrittain]

7/6/2008 ~2015 pdt (7/7/2008 ~0315 utc)

I am virtually the only one continuing to post on this thread, so I feel a little like a bozo. I will continue to post here. Maybe I'll find out something that will be beneficial to other people; maybe I won't.

I've been busy with my family today. My son's basketballl team had a family picnic. It was fun. I haven't been able to stop by my apartment. I went to the uFluids website and learned that both of my computers have communicated with the server recently. Wow. I was almost certain that the problem was related to the firewall --- I guess not! I'll stop by my apartment later on tonight and enable another feature.

I know that you all are just on the edges of your seats waiting to learn what the problem is.

 

[Rudy Toody]

Originally posted by: rabrittain
I know that you all are just on the edges of your seats waiting to learn what the problem is.

I'm not on the edge of my seat. I'm pacing furiously back-and-forth in anxious expectation!

Please hurry!

[image]http://forums.anandtech.com/include/custom/atforumlogo.gif[/image]

 

[RaySun2Be]

I'm not posting much but I'm certainly lurking around anticipating the results. I too would have guessed the firewall.

Now I can't wait.....

 

[rabrittain]

I stopped in at my apartment yesterday. There was a notice from the firewall regarding an attempted communication from "evolver", a uFluid program. I allowed the communication and made it a permanent rule. BOINC had attempted to communicate with the internet during the time that the notice was waiting for an answer, but it had not yet locked up. I guess I caught it in time. I have checked my computers remotely today a couple of times, and everything appears to be ok.

If anything exciting happens, I'll be sure to let you know.

 

[rabrittain]

It has been more than 24 hours since I enabled all of the features except for the auto-update process on AVG 8.0 on my FX-60 machine. It has run just fine with no problems.

I believe that the problem that I initially reported was due to firewall issues.