Hi David,
Thank you for taking your time in reporting this to us. We'd like to look into this & help you.
It would be helpful, if you let us know how you connect to NNTP servers & what happens exactly while attempting to connect. Do you receive any error message?
If so, share us the screenshot of it for better clarity.
Meanwhile, please try restarting your computer once, if you haven't restarted it & then repair AVG program to check if it helps.
It appears that avgclear.exe version 21.9.6698.0 does not clean out all aspects of AVG Free. After running it, I ran the search application Everything and found many AVG remnants, which I deleted. Then I ran RegScanner and found very many AVG entries in Windows registry, most of which I deleted.
I then installed AVG Free 21.8.3202. Although I never had the problems cited in this issue with that version before, I now have all of them. That indicates there remained hidden remnants of AVG Free 21.9.3209 that have "contaminated" my reversion to AVG Free 21.8.3202. This is getting very annoying.
This is issue #14380702. During a long session with AVG's Remote Support service, the problem seemed to be resolved. However, that involved clearing my existing installation of AVG Free and installing from the latest stub installer. That installation was into [C:\Program Files\AVG].
I prefer installing AVG Free into [C:\AVG]. After ending the session with Remote Support, I cleared that new installation, downloaded the latest offline installer, and installed it. Lo and behold! The problem reappeared. The problem is in the AVG Free offline installer 21.9.6638. Note that the result of using this offline installer gives me AVG Free 21.9.3209 (build 21.8.6698.0).
I am reverting to AVG Free 21.8.3202 until I receive notice that the OFFLINE installer has been fixed.
As suggested in an E-mail from AVG support (dated 14 Nov 2021, Subject: AVG Customer Care - Request #14389186), I downloaded avg_antivirus_free_setup_offline,exe version 21.9.6698.0 from [AVG | Thank you for downloading]. After running avgclear.exe 21.9.6698.0 (NOT in safe mode), I installed AVG Antivirus Free. The About window showed version 21.9.3209 (build 21.9.6698.0); the file properties of AVGUI.exe agree with the build, not with the version. The problems still exist.
Okay, I did of what you suggested. The exceptions are:
(1) I reverted to version 21.8.3202, which did not exhibit my problems when first installed from an offline installer.
(2) I installed it in C:\AVG, which is where I previously installed it and where it worked without any of those problems. I have been installing successive versions of AVG Antivirus Free in that location at least since 2017 without encountering problems.
The problems noted in this issue still exist even though they did not exist when version 21.8.3202 was the current version. Thus, the use of the Clear tool and the Remover tool did NOT remove whatever caused my problems.
NOTE WELL: The fact that, after installing from a stub installer as noted on 7 November, I did not have these problems. After installing from an offline installer that was supposedly the same version, I did have these problems. This indicates a bug in the offline installer. I choose to use an offline installer since, during an update of AVG Antivirus Free from a stub installers, my PC temporarily has no anti-virus protection. In any case, I always prefer offline installers for all applications.
Hello there,
I’m Jack from AVG Senior support team.
Firstly, I want to thank you for trying the steps that Jovana had provided.
I would like to recommend that we disable SSL Scanning to try and resolve this.
Could you please follow these steps:
1. Go to geek:area - | AVG
2. Locate email shield settings and uncheck "Scan SSL connections".
If you run into any problems, please don't hesitate to let me know.
Glad to hear that the issue has been resolved, David.
We'd like to assure you that disabling the SSL scanning will not impact or compromise your protection.
Let us know if you have further queries.
This is issue #14380702. During a long session with AVG's Remote Support service, the problem seemed to be resolved. However, that involved clearing my existing installation of AVG Free and installing from the latest stub installer. That installation was into [C:\Program Files\AVG].
I prefer installing AVG Free into [C:\AVG]. After ending the session with Remote Support, I cleared that new installation, downloaded the latest offline installer, and installed it. Lo and behold! The problem reappeared. The problem is in the AVG Free offline installer 21.9.6638. Note that the result of using this offline installer gives me AVG Free 21.9.3209 (build 21.8.6698.0).
I am reverting to AVG Free 21.8.3202 until I receive notice that the OFFLINE installer has been fixed.
As I indicated in my original message, I do not get any kind of error message. Thunderbird (my client for accessing NNTP servers) merely fails to respond.
The two NNTP servers are nntp.aioe.org and news.eternal-september.org. For secure connections, the settings for both use SSL/TLS and port 563. For unsecured connections (which do indeed work), the settings use "None" for security and port 119.
Note that I am not using AVG's firewall (unless one was installed with version 21.8.3202 without me knowing). I have a hardware firewall in my router and a Windows software firewall, neither of which have recently changed.
Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 x64
AVG Free 21.9.3209
Thunderbird 52.9.1
Since updating from version 21.8.3202, I cannot connect to newsgroup (NNTP) servers securely via SSL/TLS. This involves two unrelated servers. Thunderbird is merely unresponsive; that is, there is no error message or any indication of a failed connection.
This did work with AVG Free 21.8.3202. Installing AVG Free 21.9.3209 is the only change to my configuration since it last worked. Note that I can still connect to NNTP servers unsecured.
Is there an AVG setting I need to change? Or is this a bug in AVG?
Okay, I did of what you suggested. The exceptions are:
(1) I reverted to version 21.8.3202, which did not exhibit my problems when first installed from an offline installer.
(2) I installed it in C:\AVG, which is where I previously installed it and where it worked without any of those problems. I have been installing successive versions of AVG Antivirus Free in that location at least since 2017 without encountering problems.
The problems noted in this issue still exist even though they did not exist when version 21.8.3202 was the current version. Thus, the use of the Clear tool and the Remover tool did NOT remove whatever caused my problems.
NOTE WELL: The fact that, after installing from a stub installer as noted on 7 November, I did not have these problems. After installing from an offline installer that was supposedly the same version, I did have these problems. This indicates a bug in the offline installer. I choose to use an offline installer since, during an update of AVG Antivirus Free from a stub installers, my PC temporarily has no anti-virus protection. In any case, I always prefer offline installers for all applications.
Disabling the individual capabilities of Email Shield and then disabling Email shield itself did resolve the problem. So I follow the article link you provided. Port 563 – which is the port used by both NNTP servers I use – was already listed for secure SMTP and secure NNTP. I added it to the ports for the corresponding unsecured protocols. That did not resolve the problem. However, I did not get any error popups.
As suggested in an E-mail from AVG support (dated 14 Nov 2021, Subject: AVG Customer Care - Request #14389186), I downloaded avg_antivirus_free_setup_offline,exe version 21.9.6698.0 from [AVG | Thank you for downloading]. After running avgclear.exe 21.9.6698.0 (NOT in safe mode), I installed AVG Antivirus Free. The About window showed version 21.9.3209 (build 21.9.6698.0); the file properties of AVGUI.exe agree with the build, not with the version. The problems still exist.
We appreciate your effort and understand your concern, David.
Some programs will still install items to the program files folder despite where the main install was selected. Permissions is the only likely problem you may run into. It should be fine by default, but if you want, you can verify the permissions are the same between WinApps and Program Files and if necessary make changes. Keep in mind there can be reduced security or functionality if permissions are changed incorrectly.
This issue could be because of app permissions while installing out of the Program Files path.
Thank you for understanding in advance.
YES!!! That solves my problem. Thank you.
One question: Does that impair my security? If so, in what way?
In that case, I now consider this issue CLOSED.
Appreciate your efforts in working towards fixing the issue, David.
Please disable 'Email shield' individually & check. If it fixes the issue, follow the steps in this article to check if the NNTP ports are correct configured in AVG program & let us know.
Glad to hear that the issue has been resolved, David.
We'd like to assure you that disabling the SSL scanning will not impact or compromise your protection.
Let us know if you have further queries.
We are glad to know that your issue has been resolved, David.
Please do not hesitate to contact us back for further queries with AVG.
Thank you.
We're sorry to hear this, David.
We've escalated this case for you. Our senior team will check this and explain you further.
We request your patience.