Slow Outlook performance

[Migration User]

Hi,

Not sure if this is the right forum for this question.

I have noticed a very slow performance for Microsoft Outlook lately. Selecting messages with attachment takes a long time for the preview display.

I have tried to find solution to this problem and noticed that if I disable the Symantec AntiVirus 10.1 Add In (Tools -> Options -> Other -> Advanced Options -> Add In manager) performance is great.

I still want to integrate Outtlook with AV but hope that there is a way to speed SAV. Any clues or suggestions?

Thanks in advance

Eyal

[Migration User]

I am having the same problem.  We upgraded from Symantec Client Security 3.1 to Symantec Endpoint Security and it seems like attachment scanning in Outlook got twice as slow.  Does anyone out there have any tips on how to speed it up??

[Migration User]

We had the same issue, so we disabled the Exchange feature.  We use Postini on the front line, followed by Symantec's Mail Security for Exchange, with SAV clients on the desktop.  With that layered approach, we really don't need the Outlook integration piece.

[Migration User]

This issue was submitted to Symantec and is in process of being resolved via a fix to the code.

 

There are two work-arounds if the performance cannot be tolerated, 1) modify outlook settings so that attachments are pulled down locally rather than being kept on the server, 2) disable outlook plugin until issue is resolved.

 

As mentioned, if you already have a security solution scanning traffic at your mail server or/and you are running the File System Auto-Protect, your chances of getting an infection is minimized.

 

Regards,

 

JimW

[Migration User]

Hi, I'm experiencing the same Outlook slowdown issue but in Symantec Endpoint Protection.

 

Outlook 2003, Exchange 2003

SEP 11.0.780.1109 - Unmanaged install.

 

The emails with Outlook attachments take 5 - 10 seconds to open in the preview window but If I disable the SEP the the emails appear instantly. Are you aware of this problem in SEP?

 

Is there an updated version of SEP?

[Migration User]

I have the same problem after upgrading several clients to Endpoint Security from SAV 10.1 and 10.2

 

I noticed in Outlook add-in manager that there is a "Symantec Antivirus 10.1" add-in & a "Symantec Antivirus Outlook Protection" add-in.  The problem seems to go away when disabling the first add-in.

 

Is this add-in being orphaned by the uninstaller?  Or is it a viable piece of Endpoint Security?

 

Is there any way to disable this using the Endpoint policies without generating a fix alert on the users desktop?  I really have no desire to visit everyone's machine to disable this add-in in outlook.

[[e-mail]]

I use SAV 10.1 and find this slow performance problem only with certain Outlook clients. We connect Outlook 2003 to Exchange 2003 using .OST files on the client. When I disable the "Symantec Antivirus 10.1" add-in, performance is immediately improved. Meanwhile, other clients configured the same do not have this issue.

[Migration User]

@NedB
You are on initial release of SEP which was very buggy. Don't use anything below MR3.
You can get the newest release from Fileconnect using your serial number from license certificate to login.

@beancurd
What version of SEP are you using?
Also you may try to use CD2\Tools\CompetitiveUninstall\Other\Sav9UninstallFix.exe and check the results.

[Migration User]

Hi, I am using SEP 11_0_4014_MR4_MP1 my outlook hangs for at least a few seconds when I click on a new message. Is there any solution to this?

[Migration User]

If you have Outlook protection disabled, then the only way to have the file scanned is when you access them by clicking on the file or by downloading it? I can't test this since the Eicar file get's deleted when I tried accessing it. I once managed to send it but was deleted at the server.

I suggest you do the same with the eicar test file.

[Migration User]

If you have AV protection on Exchange looking at the message store, I would think you can safely disable the Outlook plug-in. SEP 11 on Exchange does not scan the content of messages so you need another solution.

If you are not using AV on Exchange, but have desktop real-time scanning set to scan "accessed or modified", the desktop file system scanning will scan the attachment as Outlook saves it to disk in its temporary folder when you try to open it or save it.

However if the email has malicious code embedded in it, like Javacript, I don't see how it would get detected without the Outlook plug-in or Exchange AV scanning.

Ray

[Migration User]

But realtime scanning should not hog all the memory. Especially if the PC is new.

[Migration User]

The only issue we've specifically noticed with MR4 MP1a Outlook plug-in and Outlook 2007 is that it takes a few seconds for Adobe Reader 9 to launch when opening the first PDF attachment. Subsequent ones for the next few minutes open fast.

If you're using Outlook 2007, check into Office 2007 SP2, which was very recently released. It's got scads of performance improvements specific to Outlook 2007.

If you're using a version of SEP prior to MR3, upgrading will make SEP have less impact on the PC.

Ray

[Migration User]

I have this problem of slow outlook performance as well, but until now I have just been dealing with it. Don't get alot of attachments so it doesn't matter much, but is still annoying. I have the desktop scanning set to "accessed or modified" like you said in a couple post ago. Do you think that is enough? I know you said that it won't protect from embedded javascript code, but is it really that big of deal? I dont know if it is worth the annoyingness.

[Migration User]

Can you test outlooks performance by creating a new data file?

[Migration User]

@Sym_Man22: You'd be a lot safer with all the AVs features enabled, but at the cost you mentioned. Embedded java scripts can download remote files, alters the registry, disable services or directs you to links that have an even more harmful code or software to run. Just make sure you protect yourself from the following by making the necessary adjustements and maybe setup a protection on the mail server like Symantec Brightmail.

[Migration User]

I am using SEP 11.0.3001.2224 on my notebook.  I have MS Outlook 2003 installed. Whenever I try to read emails with embedded gif or stationary background, the reading pane freezes for a couple of minutes.  I have not seen the same problem with other attachments such as Word or PowerPoint.

The problem persists even after I remove the emails from the server to a local foler.

It clearly has something to do with SEP as once I disable it as add-on, the problem goes away.

Is there a new version that I should be getting?

Jason

[Thomas K]

Here are the Outlook related fixes since the MR3 release -


Outlook Auto-Protect has problems with attachments containing non-ASCII letters in the file name
Fix ID 1529690
Symptom: Attachments with non-ASCII characters cannot be opened.
Solution: Added functionality to retrieve the UNICODE file name attribute to
correctly create the target file name.

Intermittent Outlook crashes
Fix ID: 1511242

Symptom: Outlook exits unexpectedly when using "Previous Item" or "Next Item" option.
Solution: The Outlook plug-in was changed to keep track of the most recent ExchangeCallback Pointer correctly.


Symantec Endpoint Protection clients using the Outlook Scanner are unable to preview JPEG images sent from a Macintosh.
Fix ID: 1461975
Symptom: Clients using the Outlook Scanner for Symantec Endpoint Protection are unable to preview JPEG images sent from a Macintosh machine.
Solution: Implemented a check if this attachment is AppleDouble-encoded. If it is, it is not saved, allowing Outlook to


Outlook Auto-Protect corrupts files with Unicode characters in the file name.
Fix ID: 1405173
Symptom: Attachments with Unicode file names appear empty.
Solution: If the file name passed to the Outlook Plug-in is invalid, Auto-Protect now lets Outlook write the attachment.

Thomas

[Migration User]

Thanks for the prompt reply. It seems that my current version (11.0.3001.2224) already has the MR3 patch.  Is my problem a new one or there is something in Outlook that I need to tweak?

Thanks.

Jason

[Thomas K]

I doubt your issue is a new one. I would recommend you upgrade and test with the latest build. Many performance related fixes have been included in the newer builds. Let us know how it goes.

Thomas

[Migration User]

Getting update from http://www.symantec.com/business/support/downloads.jsp?pid=54619

[Thomas K]

It is available on FileConnect - https://fileconnect.symantec.com/LangSelection.jsp

You will need your product serial number to get access.

Cheers,
Thomas

[Migration User]

I guess I have corp license. I don't know how to display my seriel number. And the SEP32_2224To333_clientMSPMSI.exe file I downloaded does not want to install. I guess I am stuck?