Avast slowing down chrome browsing

Spark

I had problems with free AVG going funny on me (scanning freezing and broken interface).
So I have uninstalled AVG and have decided to try Avast, but my Chrome browsing slowed down. At the moment I have disabled the avast extension in Chrome to see whether it was Avast that was responsible for slow browsing in chrome, and it is.
Now I am browsing as fast as before, and realised that AVG never slowed down my browsing, but because I had some problems with AVG 2015, I am reluctant to reinstall it again.
However I realise the lack of security if I leave the Avast extension disabled.
Is there another solution to allow Avast to scan web browsing without disabling the Avast extension, or should I go back to AVG?
It is installed on Win 7 64 bit.

Fightsback

Those toolbar bar add ons for free anti virus re-route your searches so they can supply ads to your browser, that's how they can afford to give your "free AV", no such thing as a free lunch. This is what is slowing down the search as it's redirected to their server.

esuhl

The "shields" are the main benefits of Avast, IIRC -- the file shield, mail shield and web shield. They scan for and block malware. I tend to deselect the other components during installation (like all the browser junk and add-ons).

The other web components can send URLs to Avast to "check" before allowing you access -- I've never found that particularly useful (and you could install SpywareBlaster and/or Spybot and/or AdBlock Plus with malware and spam blocklists for faster and possibly better protection).

https://www.brightfort.com/spywareblaster.html
http://www.safer-networking.org/dl/
https://adblockplus.org/
https://adblockplus.org/en/subscriptions

Spark

Ok, but other antiviruses do it in a way that doesn't slow down your browsing, I have never had that kind of problems with AVG free.
Avast is rated highly by other users, but I am a bit disappointed by this problem, otherwise it seems alright.
I suppose if I don't enable the Avast extension in the browser, it will defeat the purpose of having an antivirus in the first place.

Fightsback

AVG's linkscanner, when it first came out was a dreadfully horrible piece of junk and still is in my book.

esuhl

Spark wrote: »

I suppose if I don't enable the Avast extension in the browser, it will defeat the purpose of having an antivirus in the first place.

Nope. The browser extension is not the web shield.

Spark

So, I could leave the Avast Online Security extension disabled and carry on using Avast, without sacrificing the security of my laptop?

agrinnall

Have you tried another browser? I don't use Chrome but I don't have any issue with Avast slowing down my browsing in Firefox.

esuhl

Spark wrote: »

So, I could leave the Avast Online Security extension disabled and carry on using Avast, without sacrificing the security of my laptop?

Yup -- that's what I do. As I say, the "shields" are the main antivirus components, so leave those enabled.

Technically, you're sacrificing some security as URLs won't be checked by Avast. But that's what's (probably) slowing down your browsing... and do you want Avast to know every site you visit? SpywareBlaster, Spybot and AdBlock Plus can (probably) do a better job at blocking malware sites. And the Avast web shield should detect malware on affected sites anyway.

In the installation options, I'd just tick the three "shields" and disable everything else:

Harold.Finch

esuhl wrote: »

Yup -- that's what I do. As I say, the "shields" are the main antivirus components, so leave those enabled.

I'm glad you posted this. I was about to dump Avast because I considered it was getting too bloated.

[Deleted User]

I've run AVG for years, and never had problems.

I'm currently running it on two 64 bit, Win 8.1 machines, both of which run fine.

I've never used it on Win 7, as I've never had a Win 7 computer, but I can't see why it should behave differently on Win 7.