Comodo Internet Security + Windows 8 = Trouble.

[i_hate_toms]

I've been having issues with every antivirus i've tried on Windows 8.
I tried Avira free, it works fine for a few days and then fails to update. Uninstall and reinstall, it works fine again for a few days, but then fails to update again. I've in fact created a thread on CF about this.
Next I've tried Avast. Disabled every part of Avast, except the "File Shield", and i'm using Comodo firewall along, after a few minutes, my computer loses network connection. I cannot pull up pages in Fx. If i click on the network icon beside the clock, it says "Nokia E7 USB Modem connected", if i right click on the connection and click properties, i get an error "could not access {*insert gibberish here**}". A simple restart solves this, but then again, in about half an hour, the same issue reoccurs. Probably a conflict with Comodo firewall?
I kept avast and uninstalled Comodo firewall, and installed the famous all time hit "ZoneAlarm" firewall. This auto disconnect issue is resolved when i install ZA, but my laptop has a finger print reader, let's me log in to windows without having to type the password -- if i install ZA, it stops working. The Windows 8 login screen displays my user accounts, and usually there is a message "Swipe your finger to log in to windows", there it reads "No fingerprint reader detected".
Uninstall ZA, and the finger print reader works again.
Next I uninstall everything and download "Comodo internet security premium" (it's a free download). It's got a firewall, an antivirus, and a very annoying "Behavior blocker". I have disabled the behavior blocker.
In a few days, i've noticed that ever since i installed the comodo internet security, the HDD activity indicator on the laptop, never goes off. It's like something is continuously accessing the HDD for no reason.
Windows Task manager says a process called "System" is continuously accessing the HDD, and disk activity is at 100%. Thought it's some initial housekeeping the CIS is performing after a fresh installation, as it turns out, it's probably not. Left the laptop on for the whole night, that's about 9 hours, and yet, the HDD indicator is still up, the process "System" is still at 100% disk usage, and the laptop is noticeably hot to touch. I guess this is the HDD heating up, after being accessed continuously for 9 hours. I say it's the HDD, because CPU activity is low, mostly between 5% to 10%. It's the HDD that's at 100% all the time.
Uninstalled Comodo internet security and restarted the laptop, issue resolved, no more heating up, no more 100% HDD usage.
So now, I am using the standalone comodo firewall (not the comodo internet security, just the firewall), and Windows defender (for win8 -- supposedly includes Windows 7's MSE components, read that somewhere).
It appears to work good so far. No excessive HDD activity, no slowdowns, no problems updating the windows defender, i have windows updates on and defender auto updates using windows updates.
Nevertheless, I'm not very comfortable using the Windows Defender as my main anti-malware app.
My question is, have any of you people faced these problems on Windows 8?
Or is it me doing something wrong? I would love to return to Comodo Internet Security, seems to work fine, except for the continuous HDD activity and laptop heating up. Is there something i can do to prevent CIS from screwing up with my HDD?
Thanks for reading. Hope someone will help me figure what's wrong with my laptop. Thanks again. The only AV which is left to try on this laptop, is AVG free. I'm not a AVG fan. I'll probably install Avira when they sort out the update problem. But for the time being, it would be great if i could use the Comodo internet security. If there is a trick to prevent CIS heating up my HDD, please post here. Thanks and God bless

 

[AlienMenace]

Hi:
I had a problem with Avast, which was my main AV program for a long time. First time I loaded it in My windows 8 computer it put me a boot up loop. Took it out, no problem after that. So, recently I tried again. This time it slowed down my browsers, took it out again. I run Windows Defender now again. No problems, I also run malwarebytes, free version. No problem that either. And for the firewall, I have comodo. Just for firewall only. Never did like running the windows version. Till the software companies get around and fix the problems I'm guessing I will stay with the Defender for the AV. Which so, I have nothing against it. Since it has the MSE built into it. I run Windows 8 Pro x64 software.

 

[i_hate_toms]

Hi:
I run Windows Defender now again. No problems, I also run malwarebytes, free version. No problem that either. And for the firewall, I have comodo. Just for firewall only. Never did like running the windows version.

Thanks for your reply Alien, looks like my security configuration, is a mirror-image of yours. I use the Windows defender for anti-malware, and the comodo firewall (only firewall, nothing else, like you do).
And I couldn't agree more on the inbuilt firewall being too dumbed down.
I want my firewall to ask me every time an applications wants to talk to the internet, and remember my choice to make sure it would not ask me about the same application again. I don't want my firewall to update a list of allowed programs from the internet and make security decisions on it's own. I want complete control. This is very easy to implement using Comodo Firewall's "Custom Policy Mode". The Windows firewall, doesn't have this option. If it does, I haven't figured it yet. This single lack, is a definite deal-breaker for me.
Malwarebytes, don't have that yet. I will download it now, after i post this message
The reason I don't have much faith in Windows Defender, is this :- http://securitywatch.pcmag.com/none/305401-microsoft-fails-av-test-certification
Of course Microsoft has claimed the test matrix don't match real life attack patterns, but at the end of the day, Microsoft is a business. Every business will try to defend their product. As long as some other 3rd party tester that's not funded by Microsoft or its subsidiaries confirms, i would take Microsoft's verdict with a pinch of salt. Thanks for writing

 

[AlienMenace]

Thanks for your reply Alien, looks like my security configuration, is a mirror-image of yours. I use the Windows defender for anti-malware, and the comodo firewall (only firewall, nothing else, like you do).
And I couldn't agree more on the inbuilt firewall being too dumbed down.
I want my firewall to ask me every time an applications wants to talk to the internet, and remember my choice to make sure it would not ask me about the same application again. I don't want my firewall to update a list of allowed programs from the internet and make security decisions on it's own. I want complete control. This is very easy to implement using Comodo Firewall's "Custom Policy Mode". The Windows firewall, doesn't have this option. If it does, I haven't figured it yet. This single lack, is a definite deal-breaker for me.
Malwarebytes, don't have that yet. I will download it now, after i post this message
The reason I don't have much faith in Windows Defender, is this :- http://securitywatch.pcmag.com/none/305401-microsoft-fails-av-test-certification
Of course Microsoft has claimed the test matrix don't match real life attack patterns, but at the end of the day, Microsoft is a business. Every business will try to defend their product. As long as some other 3rd party tester that's not funded by Microsoft or its subsidiaries confirms, i would take Microsoft's verdict with a pinch of salt. Thanks for writing

I read that before, but I downloaded AVG Free version and trying it out now.
And as for right now doing a full system scan. It seems to be working with the Windows 8. Half way thru the install it will restart your computer then finish the program install. Only thing to do is set the schedule for the program to do a full system scan when I sleep at night. We will see how it does with Windows 8.

 

[rachelaspire]

I wound up here, I Have windows 8 and the same issue happening after I installed comodo. I have had to do a battery reset just to get it off the black screen. Have spent hours on this before I realized it was comodo! after reading this, guess I won't go for free ware anymore. Because its not free - it has cost me hours of my time!! I uninstalled comodo and all the junk that came with it, my computer is fine now.