Well the topic says the problem. I just recently reinstalled my XP (32-bit) and now my boot time scan does not work. Just gray screen and then i must restart my computer. Also, after i had to force restart this came along:
What you are showing isn’t the boot-time scan but the initiation of the Simple User Interface by using the ashAvast.exe icon on the desktop, is that what you are doing ?
If the first bit fails then I wouldn’t expect the second part to work either.
Try a repair of avast. Add Remove programs, select ‘avast! Anti-Virus,’ click the Change/Remove button and scroll down to Repair, click next and follow.
First you shouldn’t have to use that ashAvast.exe shortcut, but right click the avast ‘a’ icon, select Start avast! Antivirus. Try that, does it work ?
If not try launching the C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashSimpl.exe file directly, does that work ?
Have (or did) you another AV installed in this system, if so what was it and how did you get rid of it ?
When the boot time scan supposed to run, screen is just gray and i have to reboot the computer… (waited an hour and nothing happens)
Now, when i try to start ashSimpl.exe, those problems comes, what are in the first post.
ashSimpl.exe works perfectly when just istalled avast… When i make the boot time scan and it fails, this starts… The not working scan makes all the problems to ashSimpl.exe too.
And yes, ashSimpl.exe works, but the memory test and splash creen dont…
You didn’t mention about other/previous AVs as this can have an impact.
You also didn’t say if you tried the avast repair.
In the meantime, try this (as strange as it may seem) it could be another shell extension clashing with avast.
Menu, Display Remnants, Log Viewer Remnants, Graphics glitches, etc.
Edit the C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\DATA\avast4.ini using Notepad [Common] section, add the following line to the section SunbeltKPFHack=2, save the file, you will be prompted by the avast! Self-defence module if this is OK answer Yes. Whilst this is primarily for Sunbelt or Kerio Personal Firewalls it may well work even if you don’t use either of these firewalls.
Also see http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=37609.msg315764#msg315764 - Also see, http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=40840.msg342656#msg342656 which mentions a similar issue relating to McAfee Site Advisor and remnants of menus, etc.
Now why you have a grey screen on the boot-time scan I don’t know it should be a basic blue showing the avast.
Oh sry, i dont have another antivirus programs and i tried to repair avast. It didnt work.
Yes, i have kerio, i put that extra line into ini file, nothing. Problem fixes only if i reinstall avast.
The problem occures when i rightclick the avast balloon in taskbar witch open the ashAvast.exe. The ashSimpl.exe works if i go from C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashSimpl.exe.
The scanner works, but somehow the failed boot scan srews up the ashAvast.exe.
Main problem still is the boot scan. :-[ Is there a windows option/setting witch would block the boot scan? And its bit mystery why program starts to function this way after i force boot from failed scan.
Uninstall avast from Control Panel (if possible). If, for any reason, you can’t run it, try booting in Safe Mode and doing it from there. Anyway, boot after that.
Run the avast! Uninstall Utility saved on 1. If, for any reason, you can’t run it, try booting in Safe Mode and doing it from there. Anyway, boot after you’ve run it.
Install avast! using the setup saved on 2. It will be good to accept the boot time scanning. Boot.
Having made the changes, you would probably have to reboot for avast to use the new avast4.ini settings, so it may work. Reinstalling avast would effectively undo the changes you made to the avast4.ini, so the hooking/shell extension problem is highly likely to return.
Even a clean reinstall as suggested is unlikely to get round this conflict with shell extensions. The problem with conflicts, they may not happen for some time or right away, hense the period previously where it worked for a while.
So I suggest that you make the changes to the avast4.ini again and reboot and see how that goes.
That’s weird as at the very least you should get the blue avast boot-time scan screen, on occasion some can’t use their USB keyboard (not an avast but BIOS issue), but they at least get the scan screen.
So I’m at a loss as to what else to suggest, I would have what firewall as Online Armor can get in the way on occasion, but you said you are using Kerio and I haven’t heard of that occurrence.
I would also have asked if you had a registry protection application, etc. which would block the creation of the registry key which is needed for the scan. But then again if that was the case then it wouldn’t have even attempted to run, so on reboot it would have gone into windows directly, as I said weird.
Now tried this couple of times, still nothing. I tried newest english version, older english version (4.8.1229 what i found from computer) and newest finnish version.
And the errors what are in first post now comes right after i put the registation code to avast, or if i skip registration code and try start program again.
Yeah, im starting to wonder if theres something wrong with hardware or with kerios programcontrol. Cause i noticed that Mozilla Thunderbird cant open links anymore to Firefox. Well, i must reistall kerio too, lets see what happens.
If you have Windoes installation disk or can run Recovery Console you could try Fixboot (and posibly Fixmbr if still no luck).
But very much doubt if this is your problem.
Tech mentioned you’re admin accounts. Good idea to have a good look through User Accounts to see the rulings and policies that are active on your computer and what is permitted to you and what is not.
I thought perhaps boot problem. But as I said very much doubt standard boot error.
Perhaps virus in mbr? I dont know what could be causing his problem.
If he has Admin hidden and one active user account, then that user account must have full admin privileges. Perhaps boot into Safe Mode, into Admin account, and then schedule boot-time scan there, Restart and see what happens.
fixboot didnot work and repair mode could not allow to do fixmbr cause is wrong ect ( cant remember/ cant translate that all ). Also i scheduled boot scan via safemode and Admin account, still nothing. Well the last try would be reinstall windows again, but ill try to fix this…
