ArabiaTerra Posted September 4, 2008 Report Share Posted September 4, 2008 One of my games (Oblivion) doesn't run very well with lots of background programs running, especially security programs. This was not a problem as I used to just fire up the Task Manager and turn them off before I played it. However, now that AVG has updated to version 8.0, there is a part of the program called watchdog which simply refuses to turn off despite telling it to with TM. The only way I've found to turn it off is to set it to manual in services.msc. This means it doesn't start when I boot. The problem now is that I keep forgetting to start it before going on-line. What I want is a way to set watchdog so that it automatically starts when I connect to the 'net. In the old DOS days you could do this by writing a batch file to run both watchdog and connect to the net with one command. How would you do this now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fjool Posted September 4, 2008 Report Share Posted September 4, 2008 I found a similar problem with AVG and resolved it by uninstalling AVG and using Avast! instead. Not really the solution you were looking for though... You can probably set the Watchdog service to 'Manual' and might be able to script a Start/Stop for it somehow (not able to investigate this just now though, I'm afraid). Personally, I'd not bother with the feature at all and simply leave it disabled permanently. But that's just me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roachmill Posted September 4, 2008 Report Share Posted September 4, 2008 Can you stop the watchdog service when you go in to services.msc? The user security rights you're logged on with may prevent you from doing this. In that case you'll need to get fruity Assuming you can stop it manually a command prompt / batch file will still do the job: net stop watchdogshould stop it andnet start watchdogshould get it going again. Note that "watchdog" is purely a guess as to what the service name to use is. To find the proper name view the services properties in services.msc and check the "Service name" value at the top of the first tab. If that all works setting the watchdog service to startup automatically (again - in the service properties) should make sure it's up and running after every restart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fifi Posted September 4, 2008 Report Share Posted September 4, 2008 I found a similar problem with AVG and resolved it by uninstalling AVG and using Avast! instead. Not really the solution you were looking for though... Similarly, probably not the solution you were looking for, but I went back to AVG7. There was a lot of panic over updates for AVG7 stopping on x date but apparently it was updates to AVG7 itself which were being stopped. The virus def updates are continuing. So far... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DamnSaxon Posted September 4, 2008 Report Share Posted September 4, 2008 Is anyone genned up enough to confirm that this is the bit of the new AVG that's been driving me mad since I gave in to 7.5's nagging and "upgraded"? I'm a heavy start menu user, rather than a clutterer of the screen with icons. Since the upgrade to AVG8, every time I go to open a submenu (or even if I accidentally hover over one for more than about a millisecond), the damn thing seems to scan every shortcut in the menu - it locks the machine up for 10 ... 20 ... 30 seconds, over and over. Certainly sounds like overenthusiastic watchdoggery. Which bits of AVG's protection go missing if the watchdog is stopped? I found a similar problem with AVG and resolved it by uninstalling AVG and using Avast! instead. Been considering that too - them or Kaspersky. I'd consider "downgrading" like Fifi but for the nagging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fifi Posted September 4, 2008 Report Share Posted September 4, 2008 I'd consider "downgrading" like Fifi but for the nagging.No nags. Now you're going to ask me where I downloaded v7 from and I can't remember.. But if you need any monkeys, I'm yer woman.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArabiaTerra Posted September 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2008 This is the problem DS, the watchdog service is critical to all the AVG functionality. If it isn't running, nothing is, except the little icon beside the clock. The thing is, Roachmill, I don't want watchdog to start on boot, I want it to start when I need it, which is when I connect to the net but if it isn't already running then firing up AVG from the desktop icon just gets me the control screen which informs me that none of the AVG components are working. It doesn't actually start it. To do that I have to go to START->Run->services.msc and manually start the thing. This is a pain in the ass. This is why I was wondering if it was possible to write something which would do this automatically and connect to the net all with one click. In the days of DOS a batch file would have done this, but today I have no idea how to write/create such a thing. Can anyone help or at least point me in the right direction? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roachmill Posted September 4, 2008 Report Share Posted September 4, 2008 What do you do to connect to the net? Run a shortcut by any chance? If so a batch file with: net start watchdog"c:\somepath\somefile.exe" should do it. The c:\somepath\... line would be replaced with whatever the shortcut to connect runs (found via its "target" bit in the shortcut properties). Sounds to me like the version of AVG you've got maybe ain't worth the bother. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArabiaTerra Posted September 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2008 ^^^ Tried that, no joy either starting watchdog or connecting. ^^^ net start watchdog"C:\Program Files\Thomson\SpeedTouch USB\stdialup.exe" /Dial /Entry "TalkTalk Broadband" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fifi Posted September 4, 2008 Report Share Posted September 4, 2008 I'd consider "downgrading" like Fifi but for the nagging.No nags. Now you're going to ask me where I downloaded v7 from and I can't remember.. But if you need any monkeys, I'm yer woman.. This is the version I'm using - 7.5.524 - http://www.download.com/AVG-Anti-Virus-Free-Edition/3000-2239_4-10831765.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DamnSaxon Posted September 8, 2008 Report Share Posted September 8, 2008 ^^^ As long as nobody thinks I'm accusing anyone on Shetlink of nagging ... it's the idiot who wrote it into my "good old" 7.5 I want to strangle. Are you saying 7.5.524 doesn't nag ? According to this review, changing to either Avast! or Antivir looks like quite a useful upgrade from AVG (presumably 8.0). Perhaps Fjool could review Avast! for the forum & I'll try Antivir. [Edit - Forgot to thank AT for the confirmation. Thanks, AT!] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fifi Posted September 8, 2008 Report Share Posted September 8, 2008 ^^^ As long as nobody thinks I'm accusing anyone on Shetlink of nagging ... it's the idiot who wrote it into my "good old" 7.5 I want to strangle. Are you saying 7.5.524 doesn't nag ? All I can say is that I'm using 7.5.524 and there are no nags. I probably downloaded it from download.com but then again I can't remember what I had for tea last night... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DamnSaxon Posted September 8, 2008 Report Share Posted September 8, 2008 ^^^ Eee, that were quick! Thanks, I'll try it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fjool Posted September 8, 2008 Report Share Posted September 8, 2008 Avast! is low maintenance; just install and it keeps itself up-to-date automatically. Seems quick enough and haven't noticed it hogging resources. If I'm honest, I'll point out that I haven't scrutinised its ability to find virii, etc. But I haven't had one either, to my knowledge anyway. As the review above points out, it doesn't do much of a job at removing spy- and ad-ware, but I already use Spybot and Windows Defender which cover these aspects too. Another good thing about Avast! is that its free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinner72 Posted September 9, 2008 Report Share Posted September 9, 2008 Sorry this is a totally unhelpful post - but i'm trying to suss out the problem with AVG 8. I'm running 8.0.169 (free version, obviously!) and i don't have any "watchdog" service running, nor have i noticed it interfering performance wise. I'm also a bit mystified as to why one would only want antivurs running when online, as it is my experience that disks/USB pens/external drives etc are the most common sources. Apologies if my rather sad desire to understand everthing i read comes across as pendantic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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