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It seems an Avast update has screwed the pooch again, blocking HTTP requests from all applications. That's also going to make getting support to fix the issue a bit of a problem.
An Avast software update pushed out on Wednesday is preventing web access for at least some devices running the firm's freebie anti-malware software.
Users affected by the problem have started threads (here and here among others) on Avast's support forum.
El Reg learnt of the issue through reader Michael S.
"Non tech savvy users will have issues reporting or getting the problem fixed," he explained. "To regain web access you have to disable Web Shield or disable Avast or uninstall Avast. To fix the issue you have to do a clean install of the latest version of software."
It's unclear how widespread the problem is. Avast's PR reps have acknowledged our requests for comment but are yet to supply a substantive response.
(Score: 0, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 14 2017, @12:39AM (9 children)
I have 4 monitors using 2 graphics cards, any two will work fine but I could not figure out how to get all 4 together to work even after lots of tinkering. On windows, it just worked. I don't see how you can blame the hardware here...
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 14 2017, @08:25AM (4 children)
Did you try another kernel? [google.com]
(Unlike Windoze) you can have multiple Linux kernels installed and choose the one you want at startup.
You know that. Right?
-- OriginalOwner_ [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by Wootery on Sunday May 14 2017, @08:38AM (2 children)
So your answer is spend tens more hours tinkering with the kernel?
This is a parody of Linux fanboyism, whether intended that way or not.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 14 2017, @12:00PM (1 child)
To me, it seems that most (not all) of the problem is caused by proprietary software, which denies users their freedom and forces free software developers to reverse engineer their garbage. That's a significant undertaking.
GNU/Linux operating systems have their flaws, but no amount of technical advantages would be worth using proprietary software; freedom is mandatory.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 14 2017, @07:38PM
proprietary software, which denies users their freedom
Yup. Pick your poison.
Some of us have found FOSS to be much less toxic.
and forces free software developers to reverse engineer their garbage
Brad Rodriguez has a nice example (also video-related) of a simple tweak that got a bargain monitor he had picked up working.
If he had been running the closed-source OS, he'd still be waiting for an update to get it working.
...or, more likely, would have had to drive his bargain back to the store for a refund.
FOSS made the difference. [googleusercontent.com] (orig) [goodbyemicrosoft.net]
Back in the day, Homer had an example of the flip-side of this that he would mention at comp.os.linux.advocacy on these occasions.
He had stuff that had been working under Windoze and an "update" to the[1] EULAware removed the functionality.
As I recall, he would have needed to pay[2] for a "pro" or "ultimate" version to get that back.
I believe that was another video situation as well.
[1] Notice that didn't say "his" EULAware; clearly, Homer was not the owner.
[2] Notice that didn't say "buy"; with MICROS~1's OS, it's always Redmond that owns it.
Again, pick your poison.
-- OriginalOwner_ [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 14 2017, @02:25PM
At some point I have other stuff to do and it becomes not worth it. Its like if someone gives me a free car but I need to tinker with it for weeks before it works right...
(Score: 2) by NCommander on Sunday May 14 2017, @09:20AM (3 children)
Are you using two seperate video cards with one being NVIDIA and another not? I ran into this landmine a few weeks ago on my desktop as I use both the onboard graphics and an NVIDIA card to drive two separate monitors. It's possible to get this to work (the problem is that NVIDIA's drivers are epic piles of poop).
Still always moving
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 14 2017, @02:20PM
NVIDIA GeForce GT520 and GTX750 Ti
(Score: 2) by mcgrew on Sunday May 14 2017, @02:51PM (1 child)
I had the same problem with Suse fifteen years ago. Had a video card with S-Video out I used to plug it into the TV. Windows showed in the TV, Suse showed garbage, but worked with a monitor.
mcgrewbooks.com mcgrew.info nooze.org
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 14 2017, @04:17PM
My favorite was when Fedora Core refused to output blue. You could adjust the RGB sliders in the video settings and blue could be full on but turn down red or green and the screen was black. And yes, the colors worked when the runlevel was changed to 3 or lower. Never did figure out that problem as it disappeared after running up2date one day.