Sometimes while opening an eMail, clamscan needs 30 CPU seconds to terminate the process.

It seems that under some conditions clamscan is scanning the complete outlook.pst (>1GB) if an eMail is opened.

It does not depend to attachments, to the size of the eMail or to the selected folder.

The same document was opened immediately before and after the long delay.

The installed Version is ClamWin V 0.90.2

next version of outlook plugin will load virus db once, this should solve the big lag while using outlook with the addon

Having same /similar problem. Have just installed Office 2007, but was having problem prior.

If the first email in a folder has an attachment it takes a long time before anything else can be done, i.e. open that message or move to another message. If you then go to another message with an attachement it's the same problem all over.

This is driving me crazy as it takes forever to use outlook.

Is this a ClamWin problem or an "Outlook reaction to ClamWincan problem"?

Can anyone advise a way to speed up the scanning process short of (and I hope not) having to use another virus protectection product.

It's a ClamWin problem which we have addressed - it is in Beta testing now. You may download and install the beta:
https://files.clamwin.com/clamwin-0.90.2.1-rc4-nodb-setup.exe

Please test it thoroughly, especially with Outlook running for prolonged time and let me know the results.

Thanks,
Alch

Thanks alch

will advise progress.

akr

Alch

Have just installed beta updated version and immediate improvemnt, i.e. first results are extremely positive.

There was a slight delay when I went to the first email with an attachment, but once that one was OK the others open straight away.

I use Outlook extensively so will be able to advise if there are further problems.

Once again thanks for your help.

akr

Thanks akr.

The initial delay is unavoidable, that's when Outlook Plugin loads the database for the first time, however it should be fast afterwards. The delay will only reoccur when the database has been updated - usually once a day (by default configuration).

Also please test sending/receiving eicar test file from https://eicar.org/anti_virus_test_file.htm

Alch

I'm more of your compitent user rather than someone who is comfortable using DOS based test programs.

Don't mind keeping you up to date with the outlook workings but if I tried to get involved in further testing I know I would end up making a mess of something I shouldn't.

akr

it's quite simple,
download this file (harmless test file):
https://www.eicar.org/download/eicar_com.zip

then try to attach it to the outgoing message, ClamWin should display a Virus Found message.

Also please note that RC3 leaves an empty folder in your TEMP dir every time you open an email. I fixed that in RC4, you need to uninstall RC3 before installing it:
https://files.clamwin.com/clamwin-0.90.2.1-rc4-nodb-setup.exe

To clean those folders open "My Computer", type %temp% in the address bar and delete folders looking like this: tmptngthf (starting with tmp).

Thanks,
Alch

Alch,
I tried RC4 and MS Outlook (2003 SP2) doesn't hang that much on attachments anymore - there's still a slight delay (~0.5 sec) for attachments of 200KB but it's already a big improvement. Thanks. Keep it up!

Also tried the eicar test file. I can still send out the infected file after closing the first-time Clamwin warning.

Steps to reproduce:
1. Attach the infected file to an email and click 'Send'.
2. Clamwin will pop up the 'Virus found' message. Click 'OK'.
3. Click 'Send' again for that same message. The email will get sent out.

Note: The email eventually got rejected by my SMTP server.

Cheers,
Al

Mmm.. the slight delay doesn't seem to be caused by the size of the attachments. It's happening at random regardless of file type as well.
Tested with a few RAR and ZIP of size >100KB but no conclusive behaviour

Al.

I have dl'ed RC4; will test and inform of results.

So far latest stable release (0.92.0) is working well but suffering from delays in Outlook.

OS: Vista RTM Ultimate
Security: UAC disabled
Login: Administrator (Full Access with "tweaked" registry etc.)
Outlook: 2007 Enterprise
Hardware: Dell Latitude D600, 1GB RAM

you'll have a delay on the first scan because of loading of virus db, but it's loaded once, successive scans should be fast
this long delay will be less long when Clamav team will release a new version, since they made a fix to speedup db loading

Wow! I'm using clamwin-0.90.2.1-rc4-nodb-setup.exe and it's a great improvement.
What a difference. I'd been debating turning off the Outlook checking due to the delays, but now it works like it should.
If you can get the database to cache when Outlook opens, it would even be better.

the database is loaded at the first scan "by design" alch may add an option for this