Avast stopped after update

14 Nov, 2008 Avast Home on Vista Home Premium 32 bit. Today Avast updated to new version and asked for reboot. After reboot it loaded a new set of definitions. A few minutes later it gave and RPC error. I checked FAQ and it said to ensure services were started. It restarted however after a few minutes the
Red X on icon appeared and Windows notified me it had stopped and want to check for a solution. After many trials and reboots I gave up and uninstalled Avast and used the awsclean utility. Then I downloaded
latest 4.8 version. ???

Reinstallation only helped until it again updated and the Windows Notification re-appeared with the
Red X on the icon. Presently I have uninstalled it again. Any thought how to get it working again?

What other security software is installed, or has been installed in the past, active or not? Particularly, what firewall do you use?

I use Windows Defender and Windows Firewall and have no other installed for many
months so I do not think this is an issue. Nothing else is resident at all. There is no
other Anti-virus. Adaware, SpyBot, SuperAntispyware and MalwareBytes are installed
and have NO resident parts active so used as scanner only. These also have been
installed for many months.

Since the problem started after a program and then a definitions update I suspect
the error is related to one or both of those.

Ok, without knowing the operating system (Vista) at all well, nor having experienced the problem, my considerations will go something like this:
If Spybots’ TeaTimer were active, and causing it, it would have popped an alert.
AdAware runs a background service even when the program isn’t running. (Betcha didn’t know that.) It probably isn’t the culprit, though, as the service is mainly there to facilitate updates, AFAIK.
Windows Defender runs resident, unless you’ve disabled it. It might possibly be blocking the update, but it’s doubtful. Worth checking the quarantine/log, though, just to be sure.

Normally I’d suspect the firewall blocking the connection by a “new” unknown program, but unless you’ve configured the firewall to do this, it’s doubtful.
So what I’d suggest, from this domain of partial uncertainty, is to let the Avast update occur, reboot as commanded, and if the problem again manifests, try carrying out a repair install, from the control panel. (It’s one of the options available when you click “change/remove” in what used to be called “add/remove programs”.)

Another thing to think about is the UAC in vista. Which I think defaults to limiting adding/removing software to the equivalent of a limited user, unless it’s deactivated for the update?
Maybe someone Vize in the Vayz of Vizta can comment.

But at least try the “repair install”.

[EDIT] PS After my Avast auto updated, I also immediately got the definitions update. So that aspect isn’t unusual. The problem has got to be to do with something blocking the connection following the program update.

Vista Home Premium 32 - No parts of those programs are resident including Tea Timer NOR any of their services and
yes I am EXTREMELY familiar with them. This issue is Avast. Yes of course Windows Defender runs resident and has
for a year plus now with no Avast problems which has also been running for all of that time.

UAC is totally off here and has been for over a year.

Uninstall - Totally Clean using Avast Awscleaner - reinstall does not help.
Running a Repair does not help. I suspect there is an issue between the
lastest Avast update and the latest definition file.

Vista Home Premium 32 - 2 gig ram Toshiba Laptop T2350 Dual Core - Avast Program and Avast Definitions updates followed immediately by the errors which repeat often.

Sorry to sound as though I was making light of this, or doubting your PC knowledge; that wasn’t the intention.
Confirm the update number (file version) that seems to be causing this?
Mine is dated 14/11/08, number 081114-0.
No problems here.

Version 4.8.1282 Definitions 081114-0

Firewall access is enabled - rechecked. I checked for Updates to Program and Definitions within Avast manually
and they both went through and showed current with no issue.

I normally only run with 4 Providers running.

P2P is off as I use none
Outlook/Exchange is off as I do not have Outlook
Instant Messaging is Off as I do not use one.

I noticed after the Red X and Windows Notification Error that the
Web Shield was OFF (I restarted Avast! AntiVirus Service) and
Mail Shield, Network and Standard Shield were all running. So
I stopped Web Shield and rebooted. Now only 3 are running so
will see if error re-occurs.

Its 3:30 AM here so off to bed.

OOPS! Just as I was typing the Red X and Windows Error came so that did not
help.

I turned off Mail and Web leaving only Standard and Network Shield
and the error still occurred. Now I have only Standard Shield running
as a test.

Anyone else have this issue?

The Red X and associated RPC or AAVM errors are often caused by another AV or remnants, I know you have said that you don’t have another AV on your system.

I don’t know if you have checked out this F.A.Q. information
AAVM subsystem detected and RPC error. http://www.avast.com/eng/faq-other-questions.html#idt_1539

Program & Tutorial - Also useful as a diagnostic tool - FileHippo Download - HiJackThis and post the contents of the HJT log file here.
Download and run HJT and post the contents of the log file (cut and paste) into this topic, you may need to split it over two or more posts depending on how large it is (or attach the .log file to your post).

Well the error still occurred with Network and Standard Shields only so now I have on Standard running to see if the issue was with Network Shield. Of course it could be more than one shield running causes the issue.

Thanks but I have NO other Anti-virus running and have not had for many many months and the error started after
the 1282 Update and then the 81113 def update, its at 81115 now. Presently I am running only standard shield to see it the error might be caused by one or more or the other shields active.

The update may have been the trigger if there were remnants of a previous AV even if previously you had no problems, that is why I asked about what you had previously.

When running only the standard shield and still getting it it could be more likely a low level driver conflict (the remnants of another AV after uninstall) if you have checked the FAQ link I gave and it wasn’t those.

There are no remnants and have not been for over a year. I did check that FAQ as I said in my 1st statement.

So far with only running Standard Shield for about 2 hours the problem has not occurred. It usually only takes 10 or
less to come up. Maybe the problem was with Network Shield which was the last one I deactivated.

I restarted Mail and Web Shields and the error happened in a few minutes.

What was the AV used, over a year ago?
With some of them it’s necessary to run an uninstall tool after uninstalling. Norton, for example, which seems to have caused the most conflicts of this type.

It was AVG and it was totally unistalled.

I believe you. But perhaps you’d run the removal tool http://www.avg.com/download-tools just to be sure.
Might make a difference, won’t take long, worth a crack.

Just did that, even re-installed and then uninstalled and ran the tool to be sure.

No change. Hard to believe Avast could run 16 months with no issues and after
a program update that this issue is not Avast’s problem. There are NO spyware
or anti-virus pieces running on my system.

Any other ideas?

Any other ideas?
Nothing particularly inspired or un-random, I'm afraid. :-[ Maybe just check to see if the AdAware service is disabled. IIRC it's aaw.exe in services.