Zoom starting very slow with Bitdefender Total Security

JetCanada

We are running Zoom on Windows on multiple high-end PCs (Thinkpads, Alienware) with Bitdefender Total Security provided through our Netgear Armor subscription. Every time the Zoom client is started, it will take 1 to 2 minutes to launch with a message "Not connected" and whenever a meeting is first started it will take another 1 to 2 minutes to join the meeting with a message "connecting". Sometimes during a meeting when initiating a share, the Zoom client will freeze for 1 to 2 minutes with a message "Not responding". We use Zoom professionally for meetings, Webinars, and roundtables, so this is not acceptable.

I tried turning off all Bitdefender services from the dashboard, but the problem persisted. It was only after I completely uninstalled Bitdefender Total Security and reverted back to Windows Defender did the problem instantaneously go away. Now the Zoom client and meetings start without any delays.

Anyone else having this issue with Bitdefender and Zoom? Could the problem be associated the Netgear Armor subscription provided Bitdefender software (we are not using a Netgear Router)?

We appreciate any ideas to help solve this issue, otherwise we'll cancel our Bitdefender subscription.

Alexandru_BD

Hello @JetCanada and welcome to the Community!

If you have temporarily disabled all the Bitdefender security modules, yet the issue persists, I would recommend to contact the Support teams for a more in-depth investigation. They will require logs from the device to find out exactly what is causing this behavior. The issue might also be attributed to the Bitdefender Webcam protection feature, but in this scenario, webcam access is restricted completely.. Below you can find more information about Webcam Protection:

https://www.bitdefender.com/consumer/support/answer/2028/

https://www.bitdefender.com/consumer/support/answer/46791/

Going forward, I think logs will be required. The Support Tool utility is used by the Bitdefender support team to diagnose and troubleshoot Bitdefender installation failures or product issues on Windows computers. The tool gathers logs and product usage information, necessary for further investigation. Click on the article below to find out how to create a debug log and send it to the Bitdefender engineers:

https://www.bitdefender.com/consumer/support/answer/1733/

Make sure to create the debug tool when Zoom is being accessed. After doing so, head to the link below to get in touch with the Technical Support teams and provide them with the logs:

https://www.bitdefender.com/consumer/support/help/

Scroll down to state your contact reason, then choose from the available contact channels, chat, phone and email/ticket. Chat would be the fastest way to reach them.

Let us know how it goes.

Regards,

Alex

JetCanada

Thank you for the detailed instructions. We used the support tool and opened a ticket on a PC without a Web Cam. We easily recreated the problem (since it happens every time) and captured all logs. The tool auto-submits the ticket and info to Bitdefender support, so we did not need to go to the last link provided. We'll wait to see what happens.

Alexandru_BD

Hello @JetCanada,

Well done, please keep us posted on the outcome, your insights may help other users that could encounter this issue in the future.

Many thanks

mrbit24

Same issue here. This has becoming a work-limiting disruption that I suspect to be related to bitdefender. Any insight into the source and resolution?

garioch7

@mrbit24 ,

Welcome to the Bitdefender Forums.

@Alexandru_BD , is there an update on this issue? He is the Forum Administrator.

Have a great day.

Regards,

Phil

JetCanada

My bad. The support tool generated at 250MB debug package that cannot be attached to the support ticket (limit of 25MB). I resubmitted the ticket with a OneDrive link to the debug package today. I will provide an update once I hear back from support.

I recreated the problem today with a newly updated Zoom client. The problem occurs every time Zoom is started for the first time with the following sequence of issues:

• Starting Zoom client (42-second delay) - blank screen with "connecting" message displayed
• Once the Zoom client is running, the client freezes (70-second delay) with the message "Not Responding"
• Starting a new meeting, the Zoom client freezes (42-second delay) with the message "Connecting".

Notes:

• Zoom will continue to freeze at random points during a call.
• We uninstalled Bitdefender Total Security and switched to Windows Defender on two PCs, and the problems disappeared immediately.
• We are also running Acronis Cyber Protect on all PCs for backups.

garioch7

@JetCanada ,

• We are also running Acronis Cyber Protect on all PCs for backups.

That may be your issue: running two anti-virus programs simultaneously. That will cause program conflicts and all sorts of other computer issues. You should only be running one real-time anti-virus protection program.

https://www.av-comparatives.org/why-you-should-never-have-multiple-antivirus-programs-on-your-computer/

@Alexandru_BD , @Mike_BD , @camarie : Would one of you update the user on the status of his ticket?

Thank you, and have a great day.

Regards,

Phil

mrbit24

I have a similar configuration with the same issue - Bitdefender for antivirus, acronis for backups. Following your post I checked acronis and found that it had enabled antivirus protection on its own. I also discovered that it reenabled this antivirus package after an update after I had "permanently" disabled it in their configuration. This seems to be a very problematic bit of behavior from Acronis. I am still waiting to see if disabling acronis while leaving bitdefender in place will fix my zoom issues.

garioch7

@mrbit24 ,

Thank you for your post.

This seems to be a very problematic bit of behavior from Acronis.

One of the reasons I abandoned Acronis many years ago was problematic behaviour with their backup solution long before they decided to venture into the cybersecurity field as well.

Please keep us posted.

I apologize that @Alexandru_BD has not responded. He was last active here on the 22nd. We volunteers are not informed of staff member absences. @Mike_BD has been absent for a couple of weeks. Hopefully, one of them will turn up soon . . . 🙏

Good luck, and have a great day.

Regards,

Phil

JetCanada

Solved!

Bitdefender support examined the debug logs and pinpointed Acronis Active Protection as causing a conflict with Bitdefender, which could result in slowdowns and incompatibility issues. We've been a user of Acronis True Image for many years to provide reliable backup services, but it seems they created issues when they added Cyber Security functions to their product.

Bitdefender support recommended disabling Acronis Active Protection. Unfortunately, this is easier said than done.

The following does not work:

• Turning off Active Protection permanently in the Acronis dashboard does not actually disable the service. The Active Protection service continues to run and Zoom performance issues remain.
• services.msc is unable to stop Acronis Active Protection, even running it as Administrator.

The solution: Assuming you want to continue to use Acronis for backups and Bitedefender for security. You need to remove the Active Protection components from Acronis using the following steps:

• Open "Add or Remove Programs" in Control Panel
• Click on "…" beside the Acronis Cyber Protect application
• Select “Modify” and deselect “Anti-ransomware protection…” and “Real-time protection…” components, leaving only “Backup and Core Protection” selected.
• Click “Modify” and Acronis will remove the security components.
• Reboot the computer and Zoom runs with normal performance.

I will provide additional commentary if problems arise in the future, but my system appears to be working now.

garioch7

@JetCanada ,

Great to hear that you got it fixed. 👍 Thank you so much for posting back. This will help other users.

Have a great weekend.

Regards,

Phil

JetCanada

I received an update from Acronis support confirming that turning off Active Protection does not actually turn off active protection. Instead, users must uninstall all protection components as described above, or during initial installation of Acronis Cyber Protection Home Office (ACPHO). The following is the answer I received from Acronis support:

"When you turn off the protection features from the application after the installation is done, still the services will run in the background. This is a product design, if you have any issue with the product design we can share a feedback to the production team."

garioch7

@JetCanada ,

Thank you for posting back with the confirmation of the conflict between the two products. This will help fellow members who encounter the issue.

Have a great day.

Regards,
Phil