this combo has some problems.
This appens with PF 7.0.30.3 (last available) on my win8.1 64bit and for other italians user with win7 64bit
Starting the pc it boots perfectly but when is time to show your desktop screen it remain black and you can only force restart 2 or 3 times untill desktop is showed. Sometimes screen is black but you can see mouse arrow.
I have startet a post on Wilder’s about this issue and for me is 100% Avast problem
Look here
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?p=2323203#post2323203
Please avast devs investigate more
Just as a poster who replied to you noted in Wilders, it is Avast Emergency update and the runonce command.
If you can open your task manager, you will probably notice under Processes tab that the Disk is at 100%.
I had avast emergency update (32bit) in the background processes running the disk high in multiple instances.
Interestingly, there was also a Windows process that was occurring with this.
The emergency update is explained here in the Ghacks website http://www.ghacks.net/2012/06/30/avast-update-brings-emergency-updater-and-sitecorrect-features/
Some say you can disable it, but most say to let it be.
Try adding the “emupdate” folder to the exclusions list in your firewall program.
Path is Program Files\AVAST Software\Avast\setup\emupdate
You cannot add to Privatefirewall’s exclusion list an entire folder.And those 2 exe’s from that folder are whitelisted already in Privatefirewall.
Except that the names of those .exe’s change…
There should be a “Trusted Vendor” setting (most firewalls have that).
Add Avast to that list and use AvastEmUpdate as the signed .exe.
AvastEmUpdate is still blocked by MVPS Hosts files (and other hosts lists) … they said it would be sorted out last week.
I have a rig using Private firewall and just got so fed up with avast and this nonsense, I ripped it out and changed AV vendor , end of issue.
Same problem here.
Don’t have to reboot, just Ctrl-Alt-Del, logout and then login again.
I realize you may not be back, given that you’ve “switched brands”, but what specifically did you do/see to detect this?
I rebooted Windows 8.1 on the 28th and had no problem whatsoever in getting back to an operational status; it just booted right up. The GUID-named emergency updater ran, the RunOnce registry entry was removed, and the software says it’s up to date.
I did notice a new GUID-named emergency updater has reappeared in a RunOnce entry. I’m led to believe that’s perfectly normal to see, and doesn’t imply anything’s out of date or in crisis.
-Noel
Avast it’s already there.
For me, AvastEmUpdate and the MVPS Hosts file issue has cleared up within the past week. The emergency updates have been applied, and there are no stray pending emergency updates now.
You may wish to submit a support ticket to Avast…
https://support.avast.com/Tickets/Submit
I use COMODO 6.3 free firewall with Avast free AV and don’t have any issues.
Within the past year quite a few users have switched from PFW to either Comodo Firewall or Online Armor.
Personally I prefer CFW v5.12 which has fewer issues than v6.0, 6.1, 6.2 or 6.3. v5.12 also has a smaller
footprint and uses less resources.
Last night I looked at this again.
I set Private Firewall to training mode and " ask" for all processes.
Installed avast9 ( I used the AIS install, but only selected antivirus, safezone and program updater.)
Install progressed and Private Firewall asked permissions for numerous processes.
Restarted / full shutdown and start many times now ,without any issues.
Win8.1 64Bit . Acer laptop, Bitlocker.PF. Malwarebytes Pro.
Avast is in the Trusted Publisher list and the processes shown in the image are set to " Filter" within process control.
You may wish to submit a support ticket to Avast...https://support.avast.com/Tickets/Submit
I use COMODO 6.3 free firewall with Avast free AV and don’t have any issues.
I hope that someone from Avast is reading this thread already,no need for another one on the same subject.But thanks for the suggestion.I would use CFW too,but in combo with Avast i get high CPU usage from Comodo.
I have installed avast Free and Private Firewall on a Win81 desktop this morning… there is no problem.
Just make sure Private Firewall has permissions for all the avast processes.
CFW v5.12 does not use as much CPU resources as v6.x 
Using Sysinternals.com’s Process Explorer, all COMODO 6.3 processes on my system show minimal use of memory and CPU.
Again, I think that’s because each system is configured differently.
From personal experience privatefirewall is a terrible program.In fact the worst piece of rubbish i ever installed.Use comodo firewall 5.12 which is a far better firewall.Or use online Armor which is another superb firewall.
First time posting, so if I get something wrong be patient.
Windows 7 Sp1 (updated)
Avast Free - 2014.9.0.2011
Private Firewall 7.0.30.3
Have this setup running on my backup rig and was experiencing the black screen that is referred to. Went to control panel and did Avast repair and rebooted and once again all is right with the world. Don’t know if this will work for all, but for me it was quick, simple and no headaches.
A.T.
Each to their own … PF is an industry grade firewall that is used on servers as well as desktops, and is very highly rated. Perhaps you just didn’t understand the program and how powerul it is?
I wouldn’t touch Comodo or Online Armor, based on my experience and that seen on the 1000’s of machines through the workshops …
As it is this thread is about Private Firewall, not Comodo or Online Armor.
Fact is if correctly installed Avast9 and Private Firewall work perfectly on Win8 and provide a very high level of security.