IMatch Under The Influence Of Firefox?

[Darius1968]

In my antivirus exclusions, I have long-since excluded the IMatch-program-folder, as well as any folders, set aside for IMatch databases.  In that consideration, I've wondered why there, more often than not, seems to be something, that makes IMatch 'drive with the emergency brake on'.  Specifically, I've posted here before, about it sometimes, taking minutes for new files to be automatically ingested (if I didn't have to do a folder-rescan, to get said file(s) into my database). 
I have recently discovered, closing-out Firefox, once again, lets IMatch be restored, to ingesting new file(s), with response-times, that are often, under a minute!  So, how could it be, that ultimately, Firefox (or its operational processes) are getting in the way? 

[Mario]

I use Firefox as my main browser (and also Chrome and Edge for testing regularly).
I have never noticed any slow down.

Some ideas:

1. Make sure your IMatch exclusion is still valid. As explained at the top of the Upgrading to IMatch 2021 help page, the name of the IMatch executable has changed in IMatch 2021.

2. If this is something you can reproduce, switch IMatch to debug logging via Help > Support > Debug Logging.
Then ZIP / upload the log file. It contains timing data which tells us what takes how long, if IMatch experienced any unusually slow tasks etc. This can be helpful to diagnose this further.

[Stefanjan]

New File Name for the IMatch Executable
The name of the IMatch executable is now IMatch2021x64.exe.
If you have made an exclusion in your virus checker for IMatch 2020, please update the exclusion to match the new file name.

is this something I should do. I use kaspersky as virus checker.

[Mario]

If your virus checker is interfering or has so in the past, making an exclusion for the folder containing IMatch from "on-access" checks etc. is advised.
Windows Defender usually makes no problems, but Norton / Kaspersky / Avast have deleted exiftool.exe silenty or blocked IMatch from accessing the file system in the past. All depends on the software in use, the PC configuration and other fuzzy factors.

Just this morning I've had a support email where IMatch failed with the "ExifTool not found" message. Worked yesterday just fine. This morning the exiftool.exe executable was no longer in the IMatch folder (it is installed when IMatch is installed). Most likely a virus checker deleted it and did not inform the user to not cause confusion.

[Stefanjan]

Thanks Mario,

I have noticed messages about Exif in the past but can't recall what it was, probably Kapesky.

See screen shot attached, I've checked all the options. Not sure whether this is necessary.

Regards
Stefan

[Mario]

Only Kaspersky knows what all these options mean.
And if their help is up-to-par with the "help" of other AV solutions, they'll explain everything with one sentence, leaving users in the rain about what all that stuff even does.

Since the built-in Windows Defender became so good, all the AV vendors have a hard time explaining what makes their often pricey solutions so much better than Defender.

[Stefanjan]

I was previously only using Defender, but a friend of mine who is a technical expert, pointed me to some research where Kaperksy came out top compared to stopping viruses. I actually use the free version so no cost to me.

[Jingo]

Just to offer another perspective... Been using Defender only for many years - it is really a top notch tool that (most importantly for me) stays out of the way yet still offers protection.  Never had it interfere with a program I was running which is critical for me.. as soon as something starts interfering with normal PC operations - it would be uninstalled.  Defender seems to do the job well.

Now, on my work laptop, we are forced to use Cortex XDR... it too seems to run pretty smoothly in the background though it has "barked" a few times at innocuous stuff...

[DigPeter]

Defender +1

[sinus]

Defender +1

+1 Defender

Specialy not Kaperksy, from personal experience

[Mario]

Virus checkers have become snake oil, more or less.
The companies have a hard time to explain what they do better than Windows Defender.

I use a German product because I get a lot of SPAM and phishing mails, even though my mail server does already a good job at weeding out hundreds of SPAM mails I get every day.

In total I use 3 AV solutions + check all releases on VirusTotal before uploading. And my digital certificate then guarantees that the files have not been tampered with.

[Aubrey]

I use Firefox as my main browser (and also Chrome and Edge for testing regularly).

I used to use Chrome... nice for auto translate of European Amazon websites ( Spain, Germany, Italy)
Then I moved to Vivaldi, but don't like the Android interface.
Moved back to Opera (many years previously my preferred browser)
Maybe time to return to Firefox... especially if Mario is using 

[Mario]

I use FF, Chrome and Edge. For surfing, I use FF because of privacy. Edge and Chrome for testing and development.