Blue Screen on Startup

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

Hello, I recently installed a program update for Avast and after restarting my computer, I’ve been getting a BSOD that won’t even let me log into Windows! I’m running Vista Ultimate 64 bit edition.

Here’s what the blue screen says:

IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

Technical Information:

*** STOP: 0x0000000A (0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFD8, 0x0000000000000002, 0x0000000000000000, 0xFFFFF80002253EC1)

This issue is definitely due to the Avast update and not due to any other factor.

I have run diagnostics on both my hard drive and memory, both are good.

I’ve disabled all unnecessary internal components of the laptop, that didn’t help. I’ve taken out a stick of RAM, that didn’t help either.

I put it a Windows recovery disc and tried the repair function; I was told that the problem cannot be fixed automatically.

I ran command prompt and performed chkdsk, that didn’t help. I tried to run sfc /scannow and /autochk but wasn’t allowed to perform either function.

When I say the computer fails to start, it gets to the Windows loading screen, and a few seconds later I’ll get the aforementioned blue screen. I also get the blue screen when trying to start in safe mode; the blue-screen occurs about 10 seconds after loading crcdisk.sys. Trying to start with the last good configuration also leads to the blue screen.

I do not have any restore points.

I wouldn’t mind doing a Vista upgrade install where I just upgrade to the same version of the OS I have now, in order to “reinstall” Windows while preserving my registry (at least thats what I think would happen), but Windows tells me I must perform the upgrade install from the Control Panel, which I obviously cannot get to.

To summarize, is there any way to fix the issue caused by the Avast update without reinstalling Windows? The error I’m getting seems to be caused by a variety of issues, but from what I can tell the most common culprit is a missing or corrupted driver. Is there any way for me to go in through command prompt and patch things up…at least to the point to where I can start up Windows?

Thanks

2

The IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL is also associated with RAM.
http://www.google.com/search?q=STOP%3A+0x0000000A+vista+64
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/itprovistasetup/thread/6e61f5eb-2deb-453d-b6b6-ae9014ab896e/

However a google search in the crcdisk.sys returns many hits
http://www.google.com/search?q=crcdisk.sys:
This one seems very relevant, http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=607761, some of the suggestions you have tried though.

I believe this may be a coincidence, but you could boot into safe mode and uninstall avast and see if that resolves it.

You could then try an the version of avast before the update, filehippo has old versions of software.

3

I tested both sticks of RAM, they’re both still good.

I also have tried nearly every solution mentioned in the thread you suggested.

Unfortunately, I cannot even reach safe mode.

All other options exhausted, I think I’ll just reinstall Windows. It’s not the end of the world and I actually had been thinking about doing it for a while anyways…I think i’ll just reinstall on top of my old install for now, get an external hard drive and save all the stuff I want to keep (this also will get me to finally get the external drive I’ve been wanting for a while), and then reformat and cleanly install Windows on my laptop.

Thanks for your help.

4

No problem, sorry it couldn’t have been more productive.

Welcome to the forums.

5

Why can’t you reach safe mode?
avast! drivers are not loaded in safe mode, i.e. if you get the crash even there, then it’s not connected with avast!.

6

Irf, which other security programs are you running? Other antivirus?