Windows XP Pro, SP3 Updated with all the critical Windows Updates to date.
I’ve been getting blue screens of death lately. The majority of them are code 0 x 8e. I have downloaded Nirsofts Blue Screen Viewer. The one before the most recent one–about five minutes ago, shows that the program that crashed the computer was an avast module–aswSnx.sys. The Avast Self Protection Module is also implicated.
This one was ntoskrnl.exe which is always implicated in the crashes. Many of the earlier 8E crashes have had two Avast modules in the lower screen. However, Avast didn’t show up in the lower pane on the latest one.
Both recent crashes have the same parameter 2–0x8054b0ba
It seems that many users of Win XP SP3 are having issues with BSOD in Avast 8.
My solution was to do a complete uninstall of Avast 8 using the Removal Tool. You will need to select the correct one from the drop down menu. The tool will direct you to SAFE MODE for the removal.
So boot your computer into SAFE MODE and then open a browser and click on the link below to download the Removal Tool
Windows XP, SP3
Avast Free 7.0.1474
Zone Alarm Free
As far as I know I have no other security software running.
I’ve gotten a few more since my last post. One was an 0xC5 error. Blue Screen View referenced aswMon2.sys. The address that I posted before (Ox8054b0ba) was given as parameter 4.
The latest one was an 8e error which also referenced that address as Parameter 2. All of my blue screens seem to reference that particular address.
I removed Zone Alarm by the Add Remove Programs in Control Panel. After I did that, a new icon suddenly appeared on my desktop that was to “Continue Installation”. WTF! When I attempted to delete the Icon Windows said that deleting it would have no effect on the program and to use Add Remove Programs. Only the CheckPoint/Zone Alarm folder was gone from Programs, and there was no program in Add Remove Programs.
So I went into the registry and manually deleted every single reference to CheckPoint and Zone Alarm. I cannot tell you how much I despise companies that have software that will not do a clean uninstall. I’ll never use them again. I just hope that I haven’t screwed up the computer, but I was careful in what I deleted in the registry.
Before I did that, but after I uninstalled from Control Panel and restarted the computer, I got another 8E Blue Screen with the same location in Parameter 2. The two drivers in the stack that crashed (per Blue Screen view) were Avast modules–AswSnx.sys and aswSP.sys, along with ntoskrnl.exe
I’ve also disabled all the privacy add-ons in Firefox.
For another firewall, I’m looking at Private Firewall. Would it be a good alternative for XP Pro, SP3.
Now I shall reboot again and just see if the conflicts continue.
I did all that and another 8E BSOD appeared. Same Parameter 2. Blue Screen View gives the same two Avast Files in the stack.
I’m considering uninstalling Avast, which would be terrible since I’ve been using it for many years with no problems at all. And I’m scared to update to Avast 8 after reading the titles in this forum.
You can first install avast free version then via the maintainence tab>>registration in the UI insert the lisence of Internet security and it should automatically upgrade to v7 IS I guess
I upgraded to Avast version 8 on a PC with ZoneAlarm, and it blue screened upon restart. Followed the instructions provided by “Asyn” to successfully reinstall version 7. We’re good again.
I upgraded to Avast version 8 on another XP SP3 PC, and it installed with no issues.
Hence. I would conclude that having ZoneAlarm on your PC will cause issues when upgrading to Avast version 8. This may not be the only cause, but it definitely seems to be one of them.
I had installed an ASUS utility called Turbo Key which I was not using. (I’m too dumb to figure out overclocking). I uninstalled that and have had no BSODs since. Fingers crossed that may have solved the problem.
Time will tell. I’ll keep you guys up to date on whether any more appear. I did have one more 8E after my last post, which also referenced the same address and an avast module. But none since removing Turbo Key.