Black Screen - Win7 x64 after upgrade to 2015.10.2.2214

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

Hi folks,

I just updated to 10.2.2214 (free) on reboot (Win 7 64bit) I get past the login prompt and then get a black screen with mouse cursor and there it stays.
If I rename :
c:\windows\system32\drivers\aswsp.sys
and set the avast service to manual
in safe mode, it will then boot correctly (although I don’t know which change fixes it.)
albeit with no running avast.
I have uninstalled avast, then checked, everything is running on reboot
I have re-installed avast, then it fails to reboot cleanly again, once more staying on a black screen.

I have run various malware scan (Malwarebytes, Roguekiller, tdsskiller, etc.) all clear.

Any clues why Avast is hanging the windows boot before it shows explorer ?
Thanks and Best Regards

2

Do you have any other security software running than Avast?

I’d like you to perform a clean install a final time, please folllow each instruction.

You need to perform a clean install:

Note: It’s important you used the stub online installer from the one I linked… NOT the offline one.

Note: You need to be ONLINE during this install (online installer works in all cases whereas offline sometimes doesn’t)

1.Download your version of avast! and the avastclear tool:
Avast Free Antivirus
Avast Pro Antivirus
Avast Internet Security
Avast Premier
Download Avast Clear Tool

  1. Uninstall Avast by control panel [If you don’t have Avast in control Panel go to #3]
  2. Uninstall in safe mode using Avastclear. [Running Avastclear is normal mode will give a prompt to go into Safe Mode]
    Check : Once uninstalled check in device manager>view>show hidden devices if there is anything related to avast with a yellow triangle… if so, uninstall it and reboot.
  3. Install the version you downloaded.
  4. Reboot.

Note : If you have a paid license, insert the license key/activation code after the reboot at stage 6.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. It’s better to ask than make a mistake and start over again with the process.

3

Thanks, as soon as the current ESET scan finishes I will go through this.

4

That is fine.

Though, there is a malware removal board where experts help to remove malware on your system (if any) on this forum too.

I’d recommend trying the clean install and if that doesn’t work, I’ll divert you for expert help for malware removal.

5

Hi,

ok I previously removed avast, in safe mode, as stated above, on reboot, everything worked.
this time, in safe mode, I uninstalled avast, then ran the “Avast Clear Tool” in safe mode too.
I then removed the devices as advised.
now when I reboot, we’re in the same black screen boat. what did the “Avast Clear Tool” actually do ?

6

Avast clear tool is a tool from avast which removes avast completely from the system.

Did you uninstall from control panel, reboot and then use the clear tool?

7

Actually no, in safemode, I uninstalled from control panel, then ran the Avast Clear Tool then rebooted.

8

Reboot into safe mode again and re-run avast clear please.

Thanks.

9

ok, done… rebooting back into full mode to test.

10

ok, rebooted in full mode after running the Avast Clear in safe mode. went to black screen after login prompt accepted, but this time I waited… after a few minutes a small white box with “please wait” came up on the screen, another few minutes later it booted into windows.
something definitely amiss !

11

Have you tried rebooting again?

Is there a delay?

Any other security software than avast?

Do you have many programs set to run at user logon?

12

no other active security products,

will try rebooting again now to see if it does the same.

just a couple of startup programs in the “All Programs/ Startup” menu

13

The delay could also be from the recent patch Tuesday Windows Updates
if you haven’t rebooted since that occurrence.

14

Ok, same delay, about 5 minutes of black screen after login .

the system has been booted a few times this week.

15

Hi,

Can you look at this tutorial https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=53253.0

Scroll down to “Farbar Recovery Scan Tool” and follow the directions for that tool only.
Attach the FRST.txt and Additions.txt here in your next reply.

As soon as you have done that, I will notify Essexboy to help you :slight_smile:

Greetz, Red.

16

Are you able to boot into safe mode or normal mode ?

17

Hi Rednose, here are the files:

18

Hi Essexboy, I boot into safemode cleanly, but I get black screen for about 5 or 6 minutes when going into normal mode after logon

19

OK that gives me a good clue as to where the problem lies. All that is showing on the logs are some old adware and orphans so we will clear those first. Run this fix from safe mode, then reboot to safe mode for the next part

CAUTION : This fix is only valid for this specific machine, using it on another may break your computer

Open notepad and copy/paste the text in the quotebox below into it:

HKU\S-1-5-18\...\RunOnce: [SpUninstallDeleteDir] => rmdir /s /q "\SearchProtect" ShellIconOverlayIdentifiers: [00avast] -> {472083B0-C522-11CF-8763-00608CC02F24} => No File SearchScopes: HKLM-x32 -> DefaultScope value is missing. Toolbar: HKLM - No Name - {CC1A175A-E45B-41ED-A30C-C9B1D7A0C02F} - No File FF SearchEngineOrder.1: Secure Search FF Plugin-x32: @mcafee.com/MVT -> C:\Program Files (x86)\McAfee\Supportability\MVT\NPMVTPlugin.dll [2013-02-05] (McAfee, Inc.) FF SearchPlugin: C:\Program Files (x86)\mozilla firefox\browser\searchplugins\McSiteAdvisor.xml [2013-12-09] 2015-03-17 15:14 - 2013-10-22 18:49 - 00000000 ____D () C:\ProgramData\boost_interprocess Task: {8082D92C-1DAD-4483-9441-D0F05DBFCB2B} - \BackgroundContainer Startup Task No Task File <==== ATTENTION RemoveProxy: EmptyTemp: CMD: bitsadmin /reset /allusers

Save this as fixlist.txt, in the same location as FRST.exe

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/73555776/FRSTfix.JPG

Run FRST and press Fix
On completion a log will be generated please post that

THEN

In the search box type Msconfig and select the programme that appears at the top

1.In the System Configuration Utility dialog box, click Selective Startup on the General tab.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/73555776/Cleanboot1.JPG

2.Click to clear the Load Startup Items check box.
NoteThe Use Original Boot.ini check box is unavailable.
3.Click the Services tab.
4.Click to select the Hide All Microsoft Services check box.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/73555776/cleanboot2.JPG

5.Click Disable All, and then click OK.
6.When you are prompted, click Restart.
7.Reboot to normal mode and let me know how that goes

20

Thanks Essexboy,
so here is the fixlog.txt attached.

I disabled all but the microsoft services in msconfig, and the boot into normal is quick, no 6 minute delay on black screen.

Is the next step to re-introduce them set at a time ?