NOD32 extremely slow on startup

OK, I think that I have found the conflict, although it will make me choose and compromise my security options. First, a rundown of the hardware involved.

The machine that I am working with is a Sony Vaio laptop, model VGN-SZ330P. The critical thing about this is the built in fingerprint scanner and the disk encryption chip and software associated with this laptop. The software in question is the MenuSW software which runs at startup as menusw.exe. If this software is running, and NOD32 is running, I experience the heavy disk access and slow boot. If I disable either software, the boot times return to normal. There must be some conflict between the two. Unfortunately, it means I either have to disable the encryption software, which I do not want to do, or I move to some other AV program other than NOD, which I also do not want to do.

I am sure that this is a rather specific case, but I still hate having to make this choice. Any advice out there?

 

Now that you are aware, couldn't you use the tool from r2 Studio to configure your startup more efficiently? At least until you hear any better suggestions from others?

Cheers

 

I used the tool from r2 to make the discovery, and it was very helpful. Unfortunately the problem is not when the programs start, but simply that they are in conflict with each other. No matter where I move them in the startup sequence, or how long I delay their start times, the problems exhibits when one or the other of them starts. I believe that this leaves me with little choice other than to choose which one I want to remain. At this point, since there are other AV choices out there, but really no other options for the disk security, I will have to choose another AV program. I hope that someone at ESET is aware of this so they can find a fix.

 

Please send an email to support AT eset DOT com and include a link to this thread and as much information as you have available including your system specs, software versions and any other thing that may be helpful.
Also, please post back here and keep us in the loop if there is any progress so we can all learn some more.

Cheers

 

Hello,

If you move the command to launch the NOD32 Control Center (the "%ProgramFiles%\Eset\nod32kui.exe" /WAITSERVICE string value) out of the [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run] key and place it into a shortcut located in the %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\ directory does the problem still occur?

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky

 

OK, I uninstalled the other virus program I was using and reinstalled NOD32, removing the above mentioned line from the HKLM\...\Run section of the registry as mentioned above. I rebooted and the problem was back, still booting up extremely slow (>5 minutes to boot).

So I got to thinking about what encryption was running on the computer. On the Vaio laptops with the fingerprint scanner, Sony adds a feature called My Safe which is essentially a virtual drive that contains encrypted information that is unlocked by scanning the fingerprint. I had enabled that feature and set its size to 2GB. I wondered if that could be the problem, so I unloaded NOD again, rebooted, disabled the My Safe feature, rebooted, loaded NOD again, rebooted and Voila! The problem is gone. So, I have narrowed it down to this particular feature and NOD conflicting with each other. I am willing to live without the My Safe feature in order to run NOD, but if there is anything else I can do in order to have both of these I would be willing to try it.

I don't know how many others with these laptops are having this problem, but this seems to have eliminated the slow start up. Thanks for all the help everyone, and if anyone has any ideas on how to make these programs work together in harmony, or if someone at ESET needs a guinea pig for testing a potential fix I will be willing to help.

Ken

 

Sorry to reopen this discussion, but I'm having a similar problem.
I figured it had something to do with my network, because I knew that NOD32 ran just fine when I had no network settings... but when I installed it to a machine that shares internet with another pc over a hub, and is connected to the internet thru a cisco adsl modem, windows startup takes up to 1:46 to load on a PIV, 3.0Ghz, 768MB RAM. So what I did was, unplug my two network cables (one comes from the hub, into one of my NICs; the other one comes from the adsl modem -not wifi- and plugs to the motherboard's onboard ethernet port). What happened? Startup time went from 1:46 to 50sec total. Then I tried disconnecting the Home Network cable (the one that plugs to the extra Nic I installed in my machine), and leave just the modem connected to the usual ethernet port (the motherboard's)... time went again to 1:46. Next I tried leaving connected the Home Network cable, and disconnecting the modem's cable... time went to 50sec again.

So, my guess is that the problem's with the modem's local area connection or its driver loading... someone with more knowledge on networking stuff will be able to tell what it is.

I've just uninstalled NOD32 and the problem persists... it takes 1:46 to start (everything - except MSN - was started at 45sec, and I double clicked my inet connection to log in, but the screen only came up at 1:46, when MSN's window loaded as well, and you could tell that something "else" on the background had definitely finished loading).

My adsl connection is pppoe and I'm using raspppoe v0.98b (latest stable build), I've two local area connections:

1) Local Area Connection: Ethernet VIA PCI 10/100Mb (the one from the motherboard), which has the following:
- Client for MS Networks
- Share printers and files
- PPP over Ethernet Protocol
- TCP/IP (obtains IP automatically)
ALL BOXES CHECKED

2) Local Area Connection 2 (used for my home LAN) NIC Fast Ethernet PCI Family RTL8139 Realtek :
- Client for MS Networks
- Share printers and files
- PPP over Ethernet Protocol
- TCP/IP (192.168.0.1; 255.255.255.0)
ALL BOXES CHECKED

Nothing strange there. And when I "dial" my internet connection (it's not "always on", you have to use login and password after you double click the connection's shortcut on the desktop), I get a pop-up saying "Connecting to Wan Miniport" or somth like that. It's that Wan Miniport thingie what's causing everything... I think... cause it may be taking too long to start at Window's startup.

I didn't have to configure anything network related. I just installed the extra nic in my PC, set up the cable for the other pc and connected them... then assigned 192.168.0.1 to my PC and 0.2 to the other one. They see each other, they both connect to the internet... no problem whatsoever. After installing raspppoe, I just had to set up the internet connection, which was easy to do, and then share it thru local connection 2.

My internet connection's settings:
WAN Miniport (PPPOE) (this is what Windows tells you on the bottom left-hand side when you click once the connections icon), then right-clicking, properties:
the Network tab has the following:
Type of Broadband Connection: Point to Point Ethernet Protocol (PPPoE); LCP box checked, software compression box checked. The other box is unchecked.

- TCP/IP (checked)
- Share printers and files (unchecked)
- Client for microsoft networks (unchecked)

Not sure if the other guys who have this problem tried what I did. It seems it's just something network related.

I hope someone can shed some light on this issue.

Cheers.

@Sonic999

 

OK, so it may not be an NOD32 problem, but we will see what we can figure out.

Try this configuration, as per http://www.windowsnetworking.com/articles_tutorials/adslpoe2.html .

1) Local Area Connection: Ethernet VIA PCI 10/100Mb (the one from the motherboard), which has the following:
- Client for MS Networks (no check)
- Share printers and files (no check)
- PPP over Ethernet Protocol (check)
- TCP/IP (obtains IP automatically) (no check)

2) Local Area Connection 2 (used for my home LAN) NIC Fast Ethernet PCI Family RTL8139 Realtek :
- Client for MS Networks (check)
- Share printers and files (check)
- PPP over Ethernet Protocol (no check)
- TCP/IP (192.168.0.1; 255.255.255.0) (check)


The reasoning behind this is that the "external" network card (1) is used only to establish a PPPoE connection through the external ADSL modem. It is used as an interface. All the "networking" info on that interface, like the TCP/IP addressing, is handled by the "Dialup WAN Miniport (PPPOE)" connection.

The LAN network card (2) handles all its "normal" networking directly. You can disable "PPP over Ethernet Protocol" for that network card, since it is not used to connect to the DSL modem.

 

You nailed it, alglove!! That solved the problem, at least in my case. I can now connect to the internet within 50sec, and NOD32's splash screen stays on for about 8sec, then it disappears and Msn's window pops up.

I owe you a beer

@Sonic999

 

Mmmmm... beeeeeer...

Glad it all worked out, Sonic999.

 

If this problem still occures, and you do not have ADSL connection, and u use internet PPoE or just LAN, i was using Onboard nvidia mcp network controller, that what's caused my Nod32 to startup slow, so i disabled it from System bios, and added a PCI Surecom EP320X-S1 Ethernet adapter, works excellent. So in conclusion the Onboard ethernet controller is the problem...

 

any firewall on your computer ?

 

Re: NOD32 slow on startup...- My solution"s"/GOOD tips...!

I am a home software tech, and install N32 exclusively on MANY computers (Sony Vaio laptops, too!)!
DELL 9150 desktop, 3.2ghz Pentium D, 4 gig memory, 10k rpm WD Raptor C HD (not raid- !fast/WOW!).
Windows XP (I HATE "slow/buggy..." Vista!). I refuse to work on a Vista computer!- Only after I install XP!

Pre-note- XP LOVES restarts!- NO process..., is FULLY completed (only flagged...!), until AFTER a restart!
Restart (never shutdown!) after EVERY install/uninstall/setting change... (wait a few seconds for your HD light to stop flashing...!- SLOW DOWN!)!
~~~
This is how I get then get FAST N32 startups (Yes I have a FAST computer, but this setup... works VERY GOOD on ALL my clients comuters!)!-

- Run safe freeware CleanUp disk file cleaner utility (I disable their cookie cleanup)-
First run will safely delete THOUSANDS of old useless files...! (then restart "manually" ONLY!- "never" use their pgm restart/NO!)!
I only run CleanUp (daily), "AFTER" a fresh restart, and restart "manually" again immediately (slow down!)!

1. Install "fast" Diskeeper Pro Premier "10" ("NOT" 2007! ) disk defragmenter (read my Amazon.com review, for full install instructions!)!!!

Defragment HD & then optimize MFT (manually enter a MUCH smaller # than recommended!- about 20k more than is currently used, after full install), and then enable Ifaast.
Ifaast arranges the programs you use the most, at the front of the HD!
Your computer will now be a 20-40% faster on ALL applications... (!TRUE!)!

2. On startup, "after" your logon icon appears!- Wait a few seconds (at least15) for your HD light to flash, before clicking!
N32, and ALL your startup programs will now load FAST!

3. Now I wait a few seconds for my freeware Comodo firewall icon to stop flashing (works good with N32!- & passes tests...!), before you compute...
N32 sometimes has ALLOT of firewall activity on startup (probably some kind of pre-checking?)?
ENJOY!
~~~
The only other AV program I use/recommend is a distant freeware Avira Avtivir (on my backup comuters only- no POP3...!).
Kaspersky AV (or freeware AOL!), is a REAL/slow resource hog...!- "NOT" recommended!
NEVER install AOL "anything" on your computer!- You'll be sorry (impossible to FULLY uninstall...!)!
~~~
I also recommend Counterspy anti-spyware!
SpySweeper is good too, but their pgm updates are "!ALWAYS!" BUGGY (I wait until they "settle down...", to apply them!).
SpyWareDoctor 4.0 was good, but 5.0... has "permanent" BAD bugs!
~~~
Before testing new critical... software!- I "first" do a full system image chkdsk/backup/validation, using Acronis True Image 9.0!- Full system restore(restart) in 2min.! Then I also run chkdsk (always follow chkdsk, with "2" restarts!- slow down!)),
Pre-disable internet, & don't enable until after chkdsk- You will probably have to do a "manual" N32 update, to get it going!