OS : Windows XPSP3 with all updates
Avast : Free AV running since August 2013. Updated today to Avast 2014. No “extra” software installed.
After installing Avast Free 2014 update today, on rebooting, Windows starts normally until it reaches the “Windows is starting up…” screen at which point it freezes.
If the Mouse is moved, the pointer will move, so there is still some communication. Nothing else does anything.
If the system is left for 10 minutes plus then the screen goes blank
Your problem sounds similar to what I and several others have been experiencing with upgrading to version 9.0.2006 on Windows XP (see http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=137154.0. My screen goes black as soon as it gets to the Welcome screen on one of my XP machines. For me, the culprit appears to be the aswSP.sys file in the system32\drivers folder. If this file temporarily disabled, then the computer will boot but I think the Self Protection may not work correctly as a result.
On the other XP computer, it will boot but my shields keep deactivating themselves every minute or so. Also, the internet on both PCs wouldn’t work with the firewall enabled.
I have a support ticket open which was just escalated to level 2. They have updated the ticket type to Bug.
If you let the boot process continue for a long time (about 30min) you will eventually be able to login. However, about 2 min after the logged-in User Desktop is displayed the computer will BlueScreen with dire warnings of system damage… etc.
I can also confirm that Safe Mode on this computer is now no longer available so there is no going back.
The problem of course is that if you cannot Start then there is usually not much you can do. However, I can remove the system disk and access it from a different computer. Based on your comments I am thinking of removing the disk, accessing it from a different computer and then simply deleting the system32\drivers\aswSP.sys file or changing its name.
Not sure what impact (if any) this will have on the a Restart… ???
If I can then restart the computer I can uninstall Avast and using a reliable Registry cleanup utility I can clear out the Registry of any remaining entries.
Hi,
I think you can rename aswSP.sys to “.bak” with an other HDD or with recup console.
I don’t know if this file cause issue but I spent WE with the same issue (logged in user desktop near 30 min but without BleuScreen , same freeze in safe mode).
I hope for you just to, delete/rename file will be OK before you erase/rename (like I have done with an other pc) all 5 registry files.
Now it’s good for me except I’am afraid to install avast again , I think I 'll go back to v8 at least a month ;D
The following may be a possible solution for those users who cannot get XP to start or cannot login or get a BSOD after login.
You will need the following:
Access to another computer ( any Windows computer will do that has a USB port )
SATA/IDE to USB patch cable ( these are not expensive and all computer shops keep them )
The procedure is as follows
Before you start disconnect the computer with the Avast problem from the Internet.
Switch OFF the computer with the Avast problem and remove the mains cable from the wall
Remove the System Disk from this computer. I will call this disk DISK_AP (Avast Problem)
Start the other computer
When the other computer has started use the patch cable to plug into a USB Port DISK_AP
Using Windows Explorer go to DISK_AP
Go to the folder Programs on DISK_AP
Scroll down until you find the two folders Avast and Avast Software
Change the names of these folders to STOP_Avast and STOP_Avast Software
Go to the Windows folder on DISK_AP
Scroll down to the folder system32
In the system32 folder on DISK_AP click on drivers
Scroll down the list until you come to a set of drivers that all start with asw
Change the extension of each of these files from .sys to .bak
Click on the USB icon in the System Tray and click on the DISK_AP to safely remove it
When Windows tells you that it is safe to remove, then remove DISK_AP from the USB port
Reinstall DISK_AP into its computer
Start
The computer will now start without any problems
Once the computer has started you can then decide what you want to do next… for example…
a) Uninstall Avast 9.xxx and reinstall Avast 8.xxx
b) Uninstall Avast and install a different AV product
Whatever you decide to do you will need to clean up the Registry when you are finished. One of the best and safest Registry cleaners is Advanced Uninstaller Pro 11 which is available at this link:-
Alikhan, it is very difficult to do ANYTHING when you cannot get Windows to start or if you can you get a BlueScreen.
The Avast Devs can come up with any fix they like but that won’t help if you can’t start Windows. And how do you propose doing a repair and clean install if you cannot get Windows to start…?
I upgraded Avast on three computers only to discover that they all malfunctioned after the upgrade. Not sure what everyone else’s problem is with safe mode - it worked fine for me on all three machines. My computers all booted up but would not work properly. But, I couldn’t open Control Panel to perform the uninstall from there. I had to use safe mode (no network, no command prompt). (I have never had a restore to a restore point work successfully, so I didn’t even go that route).
Perhaps I am having a slow day or I just need an extra strong cup of coffee this morning but I fail to understand how anything in the quoted post above is of relevance to this issue.
This is NOT a malware issue. This is a BUG in the Avast 2014 update that applies to XP computers. The bug will affect different computers in different ways depending on exactly the setup on the specific computer.
A “fix” from Avast (when available) will only be able to be applied to those computers that are able to boot. If the computer won’t boot, or BlueScreens soon after booting or freezes during or after booting then no “fix” in this world (or perhaps even the next) will fix the problem.
Right with you but I think what essexboy means about this tool is not only about malware issue but log may help to understand where the issue came from , maybe (I don’t know) recovers an aviable registry to boot again normaly
Like you said before , when your boot is near dead (even with safe mode) you have no many possibility , so there are only few tools to access HDD (UBCD?),and thanks essexboy to purpose one I never seen before (just avast say OLT.exe is not very sure ;D)
Nb:I tried this morning FRST on my pc (OS mounted) and “.txt” let me see a lot of my last month history like registries error , files deleted / modified when pb occurs …
All analysts below are volunteers and are not associated with Avast
thanks ;) maybe less hotline than avast but sure more effective
@Tabvla that programme will enable you to access windows on a Reatogo desktop and FRST will enable me to remove Avast safely. My tools have other uses than just malware
I Installed on 3 XP Machines and they gave 3 different kind of problems: Slow shutdown , Not start at all, No desktop. The second on, wouldn’t get passed the manufacturers logo screen on start up. Just like mentioned here before. It really was bit for bit that the logo appeared. After about 20 minutes I coluld press F2 to get into BIOS. Than I left the BIOS without changing anything. From that moment on, this PC worked well and started as quick as with version 8.
