Yesterday, I noticed AVG was detecting Agent2.DRC and when I “goggled” this I saw how AVG was able to detect this problem but could not fix it and that Avast could fix it so I downloaded a Avast and it asked me to re-start and now I have nothing but a black screen; HELP!!!
How did you remove AVG?
By a, “black screen” does that mean your O/S never boots?
Have you tried if “safe mode” works?
Maybe last known good configuration?
Hi :
It is NOT wise to install a “new” antiVIRUS program without 1st COMPLETELY
REMOVING, including the use of any possibly existing “Removal Tool”, of an
“old” antiVIRUS program .
Correct, and for AVG’s removal tool, it can be found here: http://www.avg.com/download-tools
But, you need to get into your O/S to be able to do that…
I’m sorry to say I did not uninstall AVG before installing Avast…
After it asked me to restart, all I get is a black screen like it’s not booting at all.
I’m really stuck…
How do I get into the OS?
Please advise…
Have you tried hitting F8 right after your computer POSTS? You should get a menu, and might be able to select safe mode or last known good configuration.
If not, I can only think to try a boot CD or maybe try a repair on the OS by using the windows installation CD.
If nothing seems to work, you can use the Boot CD to copy your important files to another computer or another hard drive, and re-install windows. Or, you can pull the hard drive out, and into another computer to save the important files.
I don’t see why installing avast over an AVG installation would cause an O/S to not boot, but there’s always a chance I guess…
For boot CD’s try Tech’s suggestion, located here: http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=44515.msg373100#msg373100
I have not tried holding down the F8 key on startup so perhaps that might work but I did put the original system softward CD in the CD tray (one of three) and tried to boot off that but I still got a black screen.
I even found an old AVG Disc which I thought might be an emergency start up disc but I again got a black screen.
Really can’t afford taking this old computer to get repaired so I’m hoping I can figure this out “on line” so please help more if you can…
Can’t you boot in Safe Mode and uninstall avast and AVG?
Well, try the safe mode option, and see if you can get into the operating system (you still haven’t said what that is yet, service pack level too). Then, you can try to remove AVG and / or Avast again with the removal tool.
If that doesn’t work, try the boot cd’s like I posted before, and see if they can find / remove any viruses that could be preventing you from booting.
However, if you can’t even boot from a CD, that doesn’t seem right at all. That would lead me to believe that there’s a hardware error, more than software.
I believe I’ve got Windows 98 (it’s an old computer) but I need to double check; will it make a difference with the boot cd’s you suggest?
Whew… 98 eh? Well, the boot CD’s don’t install anything, they just scan the hard disk for viruses. As long as the boot disks can see FAT32 disks, then no, there won’t be a problem.
Highly suggest a newer O/S though, at least Windows 2000!
EDIT
Oh, and my previous suggestion to “boot from last known configuration” isn’t available in windows 98 (i don’t think…). It’s been a really long time since I’ve used 98, and I can barely remember working with it (even though I used it from the time it came out, until shortly after the release of XP).
Sorry, I must have Windows 2000 or better because I do have the option to use “system restore” if I can just reboot…
I will try your suggestions and thanks again…
I was re-reading previous posts and this caught my eye:
I did put the original system softward CD in the CD tray (one of three) and tried to boot off that but I still got a black screen.
I’m not assuming that you are dumb, nor am I trying to be rude, but do you know how to boot from a CD?
Sometimes it’s listed in your BIOS to boot from CD first, sometimes it’s not. Sometimes you can also hit a key like, “F10” when you first start the computer to get a “boot list” where you can pick what you want to boot from.
It sounds like you’re putting the CD in, but it’s not configured to boot from the CD, and it goes straight to the hard drive (which isn’t working obviously). You’ll need to check that.
Oh, one more thing, if this computer IS really old, it might not even have the ability to boot from a CD. It’s possible that you might require a boot floppy, to get the CD-ROM to work in DOS mode (I doubt it though).
You’re right; I’m dumb but there is no offense…
I always thought if you had something in the CD tray or even something in the floppy disc slot which this computer still has, then the computer would try to boot off the CD/floppy but I guess this isn’t always the case.
If I understand you correctly, I need to hold down the F10 key and that might work so after exhausting the other suggestions you’ve provided, I’ll try that also…
I actually have a renewed sense of optimism that I can really trouble shoot this so thanks again…
Glad to have helped. I hope you get this sorted out, I know how much of a pain it can be. Hang in there. Hopefully we’ll get it sorted out.
Good News! I was able to reboot last night by putting the original software disc in the CD tray and holding down F8; it seemed to boot in the safe mode and immediately the new Avast Anti Virus software starting scanning my computer and then unexpectantly, it restarted in a normal mode and I had my computer back.
In the interim, I went to the website you suggested for boot CD’s http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=44515.msg373100#msg373100 and I downloaded two (2) AVG files (one for 32 and the the other for 64); also two Kav something files (one large file around 78 megs and one much smaller around 8 megs) and also another file called “bit Defender” or something like that which I burned all five file onto a disc to use on my infected computer.
At this point, I still have both AVG and Avast on my infected computer and both appear to be working at the same time; AVG again showed that it has “detected” Agent2.DRC but this only appeared once after successfully rebooting so I’m wondering if Avast caught this and fixed it.
In any event, I wanted to go home tonight and finish fixing it so please advise what I should do from here and thanks…
Great! glad you got it to boot finally.
Decide what A/V program you want to use (hopefully avast), and remove the others with their removal tools.
I’m pretty sure that your system is x86 (32 bit), not x64 (64 bit) so you only needed to download the 32 bit version. The 64 bit versions won’t work.
As far as I can tell, you only have AVG and Avast installed, so you should just have to use the 32 bit AVG removal tool.
After that, I’m guessing that you’ll be all set.
As far as the boot CD’s that you downloaded, you can burn them and save them for later, but I don’t think you’ll have any use for them right now.
They were only for scanning the computer to remove the viruses if you couldn’t get into the Operating System, but since you can now, you can just use the avast boot time scan if you still think there is a virus.
After that, just normal scans within the O/S should suffice.
As for the last virus that was found, you could check to see if AVG quarantined it, or check Avast’s virus chest to see if it was found by Avast.