F-Prot false positive

I have v3.16 and even with the updated definition all my programs are running slow when I run Real Protector.Like bellgamin the earlier versions work fine.I have disabled RealTime protector and everything runs fine.
Below is what the F-Prot help file states.

RealTime Protector for Windows NT/2000/XP is set to scan by content. The RealTime Protector scans inside zip files that are less than 64k in size.
RealTime Protector can be disabled, which means he will stop scanning. This option is to be used:
If you are having problems with your system after installing RealTime Protector.
While scanning using the DOS/CMD scanner.
While burning a CD, running games or running software which require a high priority on your system's processor.

 

My experience is the same as Trebla's; i.e., all my programs load and run slower with 3.16 (with the latest update) as compared to 3.15b. Everything returns to normal when Realtime Protector is disabled.

I guess I'll go back to 3.15b until Frisk offers a fix. Like many others, I use F-Prot because it's been the lightest on my slow computer (500mhz). If it's going to have the same impact as most other AVs, I might as well change to one that provides more features.

We see this in the development of many applications -> start off simple and fast, a demand for more features ensues, features are added -> the application becomes more complicated and slower. Progress? It's a very understandable and perhaps necessary phenomenon, but it seems harder and harder to stay relatively fast and safe without a very powerful machine - another compromise is looming. As was alluded to earlier, this does not bode well for F-Prot v.4.

 

Same result as ronjor; installed the RTM on one of my WinXP systems and no slowdown noticed here.

On this computer, with a custom install, my only 2 running processes are using very little memory;

1. F-StopW.EXE is only taking up 712K Virtual memory.
2. F-Prot Update Monitor - fpavupdm.exe is only using 1036K.

So it seems unlikely that the running Guard is sucking up resources on any older machines.

Therefore, any slowdowns seen with the new version, AFTER the updated signature files, maybe either OS specific or some individual software/hardware incompatibilities.

Well to move from the bare-bones scanner of version 3 to one incorporating an email scanner, quarantine and exclude functions that work, a strong unpacking engine for runtime packed files and more configuration of the RTM will take time and may lead to more bloat.

With the "improved" engine in v3.16, maybe Frisk is going to add some of these new features partially to future versions of F-Prot 3; so F-Prot 4 will be a gradual progression rather than a completely new program.

With all of these new features to come, whether Frisk can maintain its low footprint will be of great interest. However, Eset seem to have carried out a good job in this respect with version 2 of NOD.There have been lots of new features in the present NOD compared to version 1, but Eset have still managed to keep the low resource/memory usage of the program. Let's hope Frisk can follow this example.

 

I have sent an e-mail to Frisk support giving an example of the problem using ACE Utilities as the software where this incompatibility is evident. When i hear from them, i will post here to let you know what they say.

muf

 

I don't agree at all that NOD32 has remained light! It used to take 8min for a scan. Now it takes almost an hour. It has gotten bloated. That is why I didn't renew my license. I was going to buy F-Prot but after reading about the latest version...I am very hesitant. If F-Prot is slowing down and getting fat then I might as well buy KAV 4.5 and ruin my eyes. KAV 4.5 was the fastest and lighest on my machine. I know no one can believe that but it's true. Too bad I tested F-Prot before these changes. Now I can't test it again for compatibility with my applications, etc. I guess I will forget F-Prot.

 

I agree the NOD32 "On Demand Scanner" takes a little longer then it use to when marking all options because they have added more to it like AH. I don't consider this "bloat".

It still seems pretty fast to me compared to some other AVs. The scanning time on one of our computers with a 40 gig drive using the "In-depth analysis" selection:

number of scanned files: 259792
number of viruses found: 0
time of completion: 11:14:24 total scanning time: 1551 sec (00:25:51)

I am not too overly concerned about how long the "on demand scanner" takes unless it becomes really excessive like several hours.

However, what is important to me is the effect of the AMON resident "Real time" scanner. It seems, at this end, just as light and fast as ever.
We run NOD and BOClean on a P4 2.8 machine that is used for gaming.
To me that is a great combination and no noticeable effect with the real time
protection running on both NOD and BOClean.

Of course, YMMV, as with any AV the results may be different for a specific platform, applications loaded, type of connection, etc..

 

Just a quick update regarding my e-mail to Frisk support about the slowdown in version 3.16. I got a very quick reply saying they had released new signature files which may resolve it. I reinstalled version 3.16 and downloaded the new signature files, but it hasn't resolved the problem for me. I have e-mailed Frisk support again and they have sent an acknowledgement saying they are investigating it further. Again, will let you know what they say. Up to now support has been very fast in responding which is very promising. Good support is much more important than some people think, and is one of the reasons i like KAV & BOClean.

muf

 

I was referring to running NOD's RTM here, which still has virtually no effect on my systems' performance in version 2 of NOD.

Exactly. I must have used all of the well-known low resource/memory AV's; including Dr Web, F-Prot, Command, AVP 3.5 and on all of my systems, Amon although taking up more memory than these programs, always gave the most 'snap' to performance.

Still far too soon to judge the capabilities of F-Prot 4, based on some observations with version 3.12. No doubt it will become fatter, but they may still be able to keep the light footprint.

 

I just got an email from RAE Internet telling me about the new F-Prot engine and offering me a 10% discount on F-Prot for Christmas. Maybe I will buy it!

 

Ihave been an avid supporter of f-prot now for quite some time and only recent have i just had a problem with the new 3.16 release,when it detected my WinRar SFX module as a W32 Dropper threat, as at the time i was creating a compressed SFX archive when it started kicking up a fuss so hopefully they will change and rectify this problem.

 

Just got this e-mail from Frisk support regarding the slowdown problem that is most apparent when i start ACE Utilities.

"I just wanted to let you know that we are currently working on this problem
and I will let you know as soon as I have some information for you.

Best regards,
Valtýr Jónasson
F-Prot Antivirus Technical Support"


So they seem to be aware that there is a 'problem'. It's good of them to let me know they are working on it. At least this way i know they are trying to resolve it, and not keeping me guessing. Good support so far...

muf

 

Is there a link or a code for this discount that you would be kind enough to share with us? I already have a license, but I was thinking of the others that do not.

Cheers.
hbkh

edit: grammar