Desktop freezes on start-up (caused by comodo firewall?)

Comodo Internet Security - CIS Firewall Help - CIS
1

After installing comodo firewall 6.2.x my computer freezes on start-up for several minutes. also when firewall popups to add/block a program it also freezes. My AV is avast.

What could be causing this and how can I fix it?

2

Please try disabling Avast, and see if the freezes still occur.

Also, if the freezes do still happen, please disable Comodo Firewall as well and see if that makes the start-up freeze go away.

I’m asking this because I want to get a general idea about what may be causing this.

Thanks.

3

Test 1: disabled all avast sheilds and restarted. desktop still froze.

Test 2: enabled avast and disabled comodo firewall and restarted. Desktop still froze.

After disabling the firewall I still get popups saying this program is trying to…

One of the programs: HydraDM.exe is trying to modify a protected registry key.

4

If you disable all modules in Comodo Firewall (including the HIPS, Behavioral Blocker, and Firewall), but leave Avast active, do you still get the freezes?

Also, what program is HydraDM.exe associated with?

Thanks.

5

On comodo free firewall desktop widget I clicked on secure, which opened a window. Next to firewall said safe mode which I clicked on and selected disable permanently. This still caused the freeze at start up.

HydraDM: AMD HydraVision Desktop Manager

6

okay i disabled all firewall modules and my system does not freeze. Avast is still active.

7

Okay, since you had earlier said that it happened when you disabled only the Firewall component, this means that the problem is with the Defense+ component.

Did you enable the HIPS, or switch to Proactive mode, at any time?

Also, can you please check the list of Unrecognized Files and post a screenshot of the programs listed inside of it?

Thanks.

8

okay I disabled all the modules in the firewall and my computer did not freeze. I enabled only the HIPS and restarted and my computer froze once i Logged in.

I’ll check the unrecognized files when my computer unfreezes.

[attachment deleted by admin]

9

This may be related to some of your HIPS rules. Please remove all of them and see if the freeze continues. Also, when asked, be careful to make sure you don’t accidentally block something you should have allowed. A mistake like that could cause this sort of behavior sometimes.

Also, do you have the Behavioral Blocker Disabled?

10

okay ill delete the rules in HIPS. Should I remove all of them?

[attachment deleted by admin]

11

It’s best if you do. It’s possible that it could be a rule which was created for any of them which could be causing this.

12

I cleared out the HIPS rules and it hasn’t froze yet. I am getting popups saying allow/block/trust programs.

Update: Looks like it froze when it asked to allow/block hydraDM.exe

13

Okay, now we’re getting somewhere. So the freezing might be related to hydraDM.exe.

Firstly, did you select to allow or block this file?

Second, can you please check the properties for this file and see if this shows you enough information to see which program it is associated with?

Thanks.

14

I click allow program.

I think it is related to my graphics card.

C drive:program files (x86):ATI Technologies:HydraVision: HydraDM.exe and HydraDM64.exe (also dll files with the same name)

15

Okay, I don’t use the HIPS, so I’m not sure exactly how to proceed here. Hopefully someone else will chime in with better advice.

However, you could try giving it a different ruleset. You could make it a trusted application for example, and see if that solves the problem.

Also, to help yourself and others, you can upload that file to VirusTotal and report it in this topic to be added to the whitelist. Then, once it’s in the whitelist, it should automtically be allowed anyway.

16

I posted in the above topic. Making it a trusted app appears to have done nothing.

Is it safe to disable HIPS/Defense+?

17

If you want to continue to use the HIPS you can manually add the file in question to the trusted files list. That may solve this.

However, if you want to stop using the HIPS you can check out my advice, which can be found in this article. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks.

18

Okay I added the hydravision folder to the trusted list and it seems to work. No freezes so-far.

Thanks!

19

I’m very happy to hear that. Please let me know if you encounter any other issues.