Avast Free 2017.1.2286 bricks Windows XP

Avast Free 2017.1.2286 ran great until the first system restart. Windows XP SP3 would not start, even into Safe Mode. Fortunately, I had a very recent system drive backup and so it’s back to Avast Free 2016.3.2280.

No problem with avast 17.1.2286, WinXP Pro SP3 and Outpost Firewall Pro 9.3.

So our systems are almost in sync. Possibly the only difference may be I also had the late beta version of 17.1.x and that worked also.