aswSnx, aswMonFlt service failed to start

I am getting an event log error message:

Event Type:	Error

The aswSnx service failed to start due to the following error: 
The specified procedure could not be found. 

Everything I tried has failed and this message persists in event viewer, so the avast service wont start even though it seemed ok on first install.

I have tried cleaning, reinstalling and/or express installs but I have done about many re-installs of avg 2015 (I counted 23 avast system restore points) and cannot solve my install problem. I have tried:

  • run avast removal tool
  • run avg removal tool just in case anything from 5yrs ago was confusing the installer
  • custom install
  • custom install followed by avast repair option
  • express install
  • express install followed by avast repair option
  • went through registry after avast cleaner and search for “avast” - the olnly entries were in currentcontrolset subkeys which cannot be removed from regedit.exe

Machine history

  • Windows XP SP2 booting from D: partition (stuck on this due to other SP3 incompatibilities with other software)
  • avg free first scanner used till about 2010
  • removed avg free
  • installed avast free v4 - custom install running fine
  • installed avast free v5 - custom install running fine
  • installed avast free v10 (aka avast free 2015) - custom install first install allowed registration to proceed so I think it was working

I had v10 working on first install because it allowed me to create avg registration but after registering, I noticed it was installed in sub folder avast5. Before I did it’s first scan in v10 I decided to uninstall v10 and reinstall in a more logically named (for consistency with other installs) folder “D:\app\avast”. In hindsight if I had known that would break it I would not have changed the install folder. Everything I tried has failed and this message persists in event viewer and the avast service wont start even though it was working on first install:

Event Type:	Error

The aswSnx service failed to start due to the following error: 
The specified procedure could not be found. 


I have searched the forums and run the “fltmac” as suggested. Results:

D:\app\CMDS>fltmc

Filter Name                     Num Instances Frame
------------------------------  ------------- -----
indclliy                                2       0

D:\app\CMDS>fltmc instances
Filter                         Volume Name                    Altitude
Instance Name
-----------------------------  -----------------------------  ------------------------------------
indclliy                       C:                             388400
aswSP Instance
indclliy                       D:                             388400
aswSP Instance

D:\app\CMDS>fltmc load aswsnx

Load failed with error: 0x8007007f
The specified procedure could not be found.

D:\app\CMDS>

I have check these services are running and expected file in drivers folder:


D:\app\CMDS>net start|findstr /c:"COM" /c:"RPC"
   COM+ Event System
   COM+ System Application
   DCOM Server Process Launcher
   Remote Procedure Call (RPC)
   Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Locator

D:\app\CMDS>dir %WINDIR%\system32\drivers\asw*.sys
 Volume in drive D is DATA
 Volume Serial Number is 4E94-A881

 Directory of D:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers

27/11/2014  03:17 PM            24,184 aswHwid.sys
27/11/2014  03:17 PM            70,384 aswMonFlt.sys
27/11/2014  03:17 PM            49,944 aswRvrt.sys
27/11/2014  03:17 PM           787,800 aswsnx.sys
27/11/2014  03:17 PM           423,784 aswsp.sys
27/11/2014  03:17 PM           206,248 aswVmm.sys
               6 File(s)      1,562,344 bytes
               0 Dir(s)  14,504,841,216 bytes free

Running the above cmd prompt gave me another error

Event Type:	Information
Event Source:	Application Popup
Event Category:	None
Event ID:	26
...
Description:
Application popup: 16 bit MS-DOS Subsystem : D:\WINDOWS\system32\command.com
D:\app\Avast\aswMonVd.dll. An installable Virtual Device Driver failed Dll initialization. Choose 'Close' to terminate the application.

I am happy to send the installer log via email or pastebin if someone would is interested in getting to the bottom of the problem with me. As a power user, program developer I have a ton of tools installed on this machine and I hope you will indulge me in protecting this old machine until I have the time to upgrade to the next OS which is a question of customization time.

I am going to try going back to first avast recovery point and see if that makes a difference.

Thanks in advance.

I am going to try going back to first avast recovery point and see if that makes a difference.

Windows system restore failed.

I have put back Avast v5.x it installed and is running no issues. I was still getting error message when running tools in cmd.exe and manually removed value in registry key HLKM currentcontrolset VirtualDeviceDrivers referencing v10 dll entry for D:\app\Avast\aswMonVd.dll. Left existing value for v5 dll of same name. The avast cleaner, which I ran before reinstalling v5 did not clean this up.

Any ideas on how to start “aswSnx” service if I try to reinstall Avast v10 ?

I still need help.

Best you submit a ticket: https://support.avast.com/Tickets/Submit