Avast installs but won't run

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

My kids laptop (Toshiba Satellite C655D-S5202 with AMD processor running Win 7 Home Premium 64 bit) got infected with Rogue:Win32/Fake PAV

Norton (which was included on the Laptop) did not find it so I uninstalled Norton.

I think I got it removed using Windows Defender Offline - that program was the only one to find it and it appeared to remove it.

I tried installing Avast Free version - it installed and put an icon on the desktop.
Clicking the icon does not run Avast, nor does going into the Start menu and trying to run it from there.
When right clicking on the icon and selecting Troubleshoot, it replies that it’s an incompatible program.
I also tried the 30 day trial of the paid version and it had the same result of not working.

When looking at the program list in Services it was listed as Stopped.

I ran Windows in Safe Mode and that would not allow Avast (or Malwarebytes) to run either.
I then took the steps to get Avast to run at boot time (Sched.exe /A:*) before windows starts.
This was successful in getting it to run at boot up however it found nothing then opened Windows.
At this time Avast still won’t run in Windows.

Also Windows Malicious Software removal tool will not run. (mssstool64.exe)
I was able to run ClamWin but it did not find anything.

So I don’t know if Avast free version 7.0.1426 is really not compatible with this laptop or if there’s a virus preventing the virus scanners from working. Or if it’s some setting in the registry that’s causing this.
I was thinking maybe the uninstall of Norton left something behind that’s still preventing other virus scanners from running. I can’t find any references to Norton or Symantic in the list of installed programs. I have not messed with the registry - YET!

Any suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated.
I’m just about ready to reinstall the Laptop’s operating system from the back up disks we made when we first got it.

2

Hello and welcome to the forum! :slight_smile:

To remove all leftovers from Norton you could use the removal tool from here: http://singularlabs.com/uninstallers/security-software/
Please report back after.

DJBone

3

DJBone - thanks for the quick response and suggestion.

I just used the uninstaller you suggested above, rebooted, then uninstalled ClamWin, Rebooted, then used ASWCLEAR in Safe mode and uninstalled both the 30 day trial of the paid Avast and the Free ver7 Avast, Rebooted, Installed the Free ver 7 again, and rebooted.

Clicking the Avast icon on the desktop again does not run the program.
Right clicking it, selecting troubleshooting indicates incompatible program.

So far no go…

4

what other security programs do you have installed?

5

As far as I can tell the only other security product running is Windows Firewall.

6

you can try attach a OTL log, then maybe jeffce can spot the problem

http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=53253.0

7

I tried reinstalling Malwarebytes but it will not run either.

When I try to include the OTL txt files as attachments this forum says they exceed the 192k size limit.
I did notice something interesting at the bottom of the Extras.txt file:

========== Last 10 Event Log Errors ==========

[ Application Events ]
Error - 5/25/2012 11:53:22 PM | Computer Name = jackie | Source = Chrome | ID = 1
Description =

Error - 5/26/2012 7:48:37 AM | Computer Name = jackie | Source = TOSHIBA Service Station | ID = 0
Description = The following module failed to stop processing: Alerts. Error: Operation
failed.

Error - 5/27/2012 3:32:22 AM | Computer Name = jackie | Source = TOSHIBA Service Station | ID = 0
Description = The following module failed to stop processing: Alerts. Error: Operation
failed.

Error - 5/30/2012 9:07:03 PM | Computer Name = jackie | Source = WinMgmt | ID = 10
Description =

Error - 5/30/2012 9:08:47 PM | Computer Name = jackie | Source = Toshiba App Place | ID = 0
Description =

Error - 5/30/2012 9:09:21 PM | Computer Name = jackie | Source = TOSHIBA Service Station | ID = 0
Description = Could not load file or assembly ‘0 bytes loaded from System, Version=2.0.0.0,
Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089’ or one of its dependencies. An
attempt was made to load a program with an incorrect format.

Error - 5/30/2012 9:09:21 PM | Computer Name = jackie | Source = TOSHIBA Service Station | ID = 0
Description = TSS Load: could not communicate with TMachInfo service

Error - 5/30/2012 9:59:27 PM | Computer Name = jackie | Source = Toshiba App Place | ID = 0
Description =

Error - 5/30/2012 11:09:53 PM | Computer Name = jackie | Source = MsiInstaller | ID = 11704
Description =

Error - 5/30/2012 11:14:52 PM | Computer Name = jackie | Source = Toshiba App Place | ID = 0
Description =

[ Media Center Events ]
Error - 1/30/2012 1:32:28 AM | Computer Name = jackie | Source = MCUpdate | ID = 0
Description = 11:32:27 PM - Failed to retrieve NetTV (Error: The operation has timed
out)

[ System Events ]
Error - 6/1/2012 4:21:04 PM | Computer Name = jackie | Source = Service Control Manager | ID = 7001
Description = The Network List Service service depends on the Network Location Awareness
service which failed to start because of the following error: %%1068

Error - 6/1/2012 4:21:04 PM | Computer Name = jackie | Source = Service Control Manager | ID = 7001
Description = The Network List Service service depends on the Network Location Awareness
service which failed to start because of the following error: %%1068

Error - 6/1/2012 4:21:04 PM | Computer Name = jackie | Source = Service Control Manager | ID = 7001
Description = The Network List Service service depends on the Network Location Awareness
service which failed to start because of the following error: %%1068

Error - 6/1/2012 4:23:42 PM | Computer Name = jackie | Source = Service Control Manager | ID = 7000
Description = The avast! iAVS4 Control Service service failed to start due to the
following error: %%2

Error - 6/1/2012 4:26:24 PM | Computer Name = jackie | Source = Service Control Manager | ID = 7000
Description = The avast! iAVS4 Control Service service failed to start due to the
following error: %%2

Error - 6/1/2012 4:31:31 PM | Computer Name = jackie | Source = Service Control Manager | ID = 7009
Description = A timeout was reached (30000 milliseconds) while waiting for the avast!
Antivirus service to connect.

Error - 6/1/2012 4:31:31 PM | Computer Name = jackie | Source = Service Control Manager | ID = 7000
Description = The avast! Antivirus service failed to start due to the following
error: %%1053

Error - 6/1/2012 4:33:18 PM | Computer Name = jackie | Source = Service Control Manager | ID = 7000
Description = The avast! iAVS4 Control Service service failed to start due to the
following error: %%2

Error - 6/1/2012 4:33:18 PM | Computer Name = jackie | Source = Service Control Manager | ID = 7009
Description = A timeout was reached (30000 milliseconds) while waiting for the avast!
Antivirus service to connect.

Error - 6/1/2012 4:33:18 PM | Computer Name = jackie | Source = Service Control Manager | ID = 7000
Description = The avast! Antivirus service failed to start due to the following
error: %%1053

< End of report >

8

I ran the aswmbr.exe also - log attached

9

as i said above…attach the OTL log… not copy and paste

10

Hi,

Yes please attach all logs.

When you ran OTL there were two logs created…one name OTL.txt and the other Extras.txt. Could you attach both of them? :slight_smile:

11

OTL1.txt attached here
Note - this forum will not accept attachment file size larger than 192k and my OTL.txt was 195k so I broke it into two parts.
I also stripped out the color references and a few blank line breaks to reduce file size.

12

Yeah just attach all the logs that are asked for. :slight_smile:

13

Hi,

Download Combofix from either of the links below, and save it to your desktop.
Link 1
Link 2

Note: It is important that it is saved directly to your desktop

IMPORTANT - Disable your AntiVirus and AntiSpyware applications, usually via a right click on the System Tray icon. They may otherwise interfere with our tools. If you have difficulty properly disabling your protective programs, refer to this link here

Right-Click and Run as Administrator on ComboFix.exe & follow the prompts.
When finished, it will produce a report for you.
[*]Please post the C:\ComboFix.txt for further review.

14

OTL2.txt attached here and Extras.txt and aswMBR.txt

15

Combofix.txt log file attached

16

Hi,

Please download TDSSKiller.zip

[*]Extract it to your desktop
[*]Double click TDSSKiller.exe
[*]when the window opens, click on Change Parameters
[*]under ”Additional options”, put a check mark in the box next to “Detect TDLFS File System”
[*]click OK
[*]Press Start Scan

[*]Only if Malicious objects are found then ensure Cure is selected
[*]Then click Continue > Reboot now

[*]Attach the log in your next reply

[*]A copy of the log will be saved automatically to the root of the drive (typically C:)

17

Thank you for your assistance Jeffce.
I ran the TDSSKiller as instructed but it found 0 problems.
I think at this point rather than spend more time trying to find what it is,
I’m just going to reinstall everything from the original rescue disks we made.

18

Sounds like a plan. :slight_smile:

Thank you for letting us know.

19

i have the same problem i.e i installed but it not runing…
after runing combofix …i found the following file attached herewith, pls help me