Avast 7 freezes computer on startup

When I booted up my computer (running Windows XP SP3) this morning, Avast (free edition) displayed a notification that a program update was available. I updated Avast and restarted my computer. When my computer was rebooted, Avast displayed another notification, telling me to click Finish to complete the upgrade to Avast 7. Whether I click Finish or not, my computer freezes completely. This happens every time after booting up my computer.

The only way to be able to use my computer again was to boot into safe mode and uninstall Avast. I downloaded Avast 7 and installed it, but again my computer freezes when I reboot it. I’ve tried disabling the boot scan as it has caused some problems before, but this didn’t help.

Can someone explain what I can do to fix this problem? Or perhaps provide me with a link to download Avast 6?

Thanks in advance for your reply.

Check http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=93915.msg747943#msg747943

I followed the steps in the post you linked to, but this didn’t work. The file “avast5.ini” didn’t have an entry named “ShowSetupOutro”.

Also, seeing as the thread you linked to is about an entirely different problem than what I’m experiencing, I doubt it would have solved the problem if that entry did exist.

Avast 7 seems to be working fine after installing, but my computer freezes every time I reboot it, unless I boot into safe mode and uninstall Avast.

Using system restore seems to have solved my problem. I now have version 6.0.1367 installed again, and after using the program’s “repair” function it seems to be working fine.

However, if someone could still provide me with a download link for Avast 6 that’d be great, as I didn’t include the WebRep plugin when I installed Avast 6 and don’t seem to be able to install it separately.

http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=94091.msg749867#msg749867

Same issue here.

WinXP Pro x64 sp2. Avast home free installed.
Upgraded when prompted from tray service. System rebooted and is unresponsive. Tray services never finish loading and hourglass displays when hovering mouse pointer over taskbar. No response to keyboard and mouse-clicks, as I believe all system resources are consumed by avast.

I also used Safe Mode to restore to previous point, but avast service won’t start. The only “repair” option I see is a large Fix Now button, which in my case has done nothing after several attempts.

Have searched the site for previous versions.
Would like to reinstall version 6 if a link to the installer can be supplied.

Rick

you can get version 6 here although version 7 is also downloaded…other posts here said you may want to be offline and set program updates to manual after install…

http://www.oldapps.com/avast_antivirus.php

The Fix Now button also didn’t work for me. The repair function can be accessed by going to your computer’s control panel, select “Software”, find the “avast! Free Antivirus” entry and select Change/Remove.

Thanks for the download link!

Found the version 6 installer on the oldapps site.
Another thread in the forum suggested that the link to 6 will download version 7 unless you download from the mirror site, which I did.
Reinstalled version 6 and back to “normal”.

Will hold off on 7 until the problems are fixed.

Thanks for everyone’s help.

Rick

Had the same issue on my machine. Running XP SP3. Got the prompt to update, did so, waited on the restart until I was done for the night. Restarted, got the prompt on restart to finish the installation. Restarted, then shut down. Once I started the computer up the next day, it was freezing in random places. First on the login screen, then on the programs loading in my system tray, and finally when I tried to load Chrome. Booted into safe mode, uninstalled, everything was fine. Reinstalled, same freezing issues happened, though it did allow me to get past the windows login screen. Booted into safe mode, uninstalled just the Behavior Scanner thingy and the web rep. So far, things seem to be okay, though I definitely don’t like the idea of going without either. Gonna try to grab the older version from another one of my machines. Will post a link if I find the install file.

You can download the previous version from here:
http://www.oldapps.com/avast_antivirus.php

Make sure that your computer is not connected to the internet during installation. It seems that otherwise Avast will automatically be upgraded to the latest version. When the installation is done, set Program Update to manual.

I have had the same trouble however nothing suggested seems to work. when i try to uninstall the program it freezes. i dont get an option to open in safe mode. i am stuck. can anybody help me???
thanks

We’ve had this issue on at least 10 PCs running XP SP3 the last week or so.

The only solution we’ve been able to come up with is to do the following

  • Reboot into safe mode.
  • Uninstall Avast! using either “Add/Remove Programs” or using http://www.avast.com/uninstall-utility
  • Reboot into normal mode
  • Install Avast! using the latest installer from their homepage

Failing those steps it’s a better use of time to opt for MSE or AVG. Hopefully the issue gets fixed soon.


ituser

Same experience here
Fresh install Windows XP pro + SP3
Free Avast installed version 7.0.1407 then updated to 7.0.1426
When windows try to boot it freeze and nothing worked. Already uninstalled by Avast uninstall software from safe mode and reinstall Avast but when it updated to new version 7.0.1426 windows freeze on boot…
At-last I had to remove Avast…!

Something wrong with Avast new update 7.0.1426
Hope you can solve these issues

Thanx for taking the time

I have spent 2 days trying to isolate a windows hang, slowdown and intermittent problems. After a repair install, the problem reappeared. Finally it was isolated to the avast update to 7.0.1407 to 7.0.1426.
I uninstalled avast, ran the cleanup program and tried to install the latest version 6. I received a message that a later version had been installed and avast would connect to the internet and download the latest version. Just where I came from. I removed all avast entries from the registry and all occurrences from the hard drive with the same result. Finally I abandoned installing avast and installed MSE in desperation. This is a bad problem with avast which to date has been very reliable and rock solid. There should be an easy way to revert an upgrade without a system restore, it is only a third part product not an OS.
Hopefully this will help someone with the same problem.