Email Scanning kills PC Tools AV service. (Still)

[PC-Pete]

Because of longstanding stability problems I usually run PCTAV with the email scanning disabled and only using webmail but I decided to test again yesterday, this time with POP and Outlook Express (6.00.2900.5512).

With default PCTAV settings, OE would freeze at the 18th message.
Also each time I restarted OE and retried, the same 17 messages were downloaded again and it got stuck at the 18th, despite having OE set to the default unchecked "Leave a copy of message on server".

After 3 attempts (and now having 3 copies of each of the 17 messages in the "Deleted Items" folder. I uchecked the insert message boxes in PCTAV and was able to download all the messages, and they were removed from the server, with only a couple of 'PCTAVSvc.exe' crashes.

Also my previous experiences with IMAP and Thunderbird (http://www.pctools.com/forum/showthread.php?t=54414) (2.0.0.14) were repeated.

See also http://www.pctools.com/forum/showpost.php?p=200849&postcount=37 for a suggested improvement.


Pete :cool:

[haapy]

Just out of curiosity what other protection packages are you running?

I have been running SD with AV and BG addins for quite some time without e-mail (Outlook) scanning issues, except for way long ago when Outlook would hang on first read, which has long been fixed.

[sybregunne]

PC Pete,

The thing about Outlook Express not deleting messages is because it crashes before OE can send the request to delete downloaded messages.

to prove this point you may try to run OE then on the 10th message (While the 10th message is downloading) cancel the remaining message downloads and it should delete the 10 downloaded messages from the server.

Then I would like to ask you to run OE again. if after the 8th message OE crashes again. then there would be something wrong with email scanning. and a specific message. take note of that email. if you have a webmail interface can you download that and send it to support.

Sybregunne :cool:

[GoneToPlaid]

If you are also using ZoneAlarm, then you also want to disable ZA's email scanner since it sucks anyway. Likewise, disable ZA's ability to check and see if your anti-virus software is running.

[PC-Pete]

Hi Haapy

Only Windows Firewall.
I hadn't previously reported any problems with OE and POP because I'd not really used them before with PCTAV.

I'm wondering if RAM size is an issue. My understanding is that the incoming messages are received, scanned, note inserted and then passed on to the email client tranparently in memory. This PC has 256MB only.

[PC-Pete]

PC Pete,

The thing about Outlook Express not deleting messages is because it crashes before OE can send the request to delete downloaded messages.

to prove this point you may try to run OE then on the 10th message (While the 10th message is downloading) cancel the remaining message downloads and it should delete the 10 downloaded messages from the server.

Then I would like to ask you to run OE again. if after the 8th message OE crashes again. then there would be something wrong with email scanning. and a specific message. take note of that email. if you have a webmail interface can you download that and send it to support.

Sybregunne :cool:

OE doesn't crash, it just does nothing. Eventually the server timeout warning popped up, I closed the "details" box, tried again and the same messages were added to the inbox.

I agree in thinking its something to do with OE being unable to delete the successfully received messages from the server but my guess is its more likely the stalled PCTAV proxy that's blocking it.

[haapy]

PC-Pete,

Wow, 256MB is woefully inadequate. You should make sure that you have a large Virtual Memory allocation to make up for that like 2048 min/max. I would strongly recommend minimum 512MB real memory, 1GB ideal for XP. Memory is cheap these days and you will really see a performance boost.

Also you might have some Outlook Express data corruption. Go to the tools maintenance and run the checks and compression. You can also increase the server timeout period.

Have you checked out Microsoft Live Mail? It is the repalcement for Outlook Express. One of the biggest considerations for converting is that it has a very nice spam filter. Also it will convert Outlook Express automatically. If you do so you want to make sure that the connection setting is set correctly.

[haapy]

PC-Pete. If you are going to purchase memory a very reputable place with great prices is newegg.com. They also have a very good refund policy if things do not work out. I have used them for some time with a high success rate.

[AChen]

Hi PC-Pete,

We are looking into this one.

[PC-Pete]

PC-Pete. If you are going to purchase memory a very reputable place with great prices is newegg.com. They also have a very good refund policy if things do not work out. I have used them for some time with a high success rate.

Thanks Haapy. I can get cheap Hynix DDR RAM if I need it.
I'm just testing using PC minimum requirements:

"To install and run Tools AntiVirus, you'll need the following minimum requirements:
Intel Pentium 300 MHz processor (or equivalent) or better
256 MB of RAM
60 MB of free hard disk space
Internet Explorer 5.5 or greater"Are they out of date?

Re: Newegg. A good suggestion, though I do think the transport cost to and from here might be a little excessive. Let's just say that if Anthony is in the more northerly PC Tools' Australian office, I can probably see it from where I am.

[haapy]

DOH! I didn't read your location.

Not speaking for the PCT Tech team, but while the minimum requirements may work, you will find excesssive PC slowness at 256MB due to the fact that until you have 512MB your system will use the Virtual Memory alot and Virtual Memory is slow. Then if you have a lot of other apps running (i.e. AV, AS, FW, Mail etc.), performance will degrade further, again due to use of VM. In my opinion, today, 512MB is the minimum requirement for decent performance as opposed to basic functionality, with 1GB being very nice.

[AChen]

PC-Pete, could you check the version of the Program Files\Common Files\PC Tools\Lsp\PCTLsp.dll?

[PC-Pete]

Hi Anthony

I installed 5.0.1.1 03/02/2009 earlier today.

[AChen]

Thanks for the info Pete. We are currently investigating this issue.

[PC-Pete]

I've noticed an apparent change in behaviour today with PCTAV/Thunderbird/IMAP. 'PCTAVSvc.exe' is not crashing when attempting to insert the scanned by PCTAV tag into incoming messages. Instead it seems to "give up" and just not insert the tag in some. Is this by design and to be expected or just a serendipitous coincidence?