I am very frustrated with Avast and really need someone to help me. I loaded the Avast software on two computers, one is a laptop and one is a desktop. The software loaded fine and on both computers asked me if I wanted a scan done during initial boot up after the restart. I did it on both computers. After the scan was completed, both computers had a similar problem. I can’t get into windows.
On both computers I’m running windows XP. I enter my login and password the desktop background appears and then another box appears and instantly logs me out. It takes me right back to the password and login box. I have read about registry fixes but I can’t access the registry. I can’t access anything. I can sign in and get kicked out instantly. This has never happened prior to installing Avast.
So can someone please help me??? I thought my problem was similar to this post http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=28790.0 but at least that guy could restart several times and access his computer. But I can’t even get past that.
I guess there are a few other questions I can answer. I can get into safe mode and in safe mode I can’t get any further than I do in normal mode. I can also access dos prompt and I can’t access the registry or and exe files in the dos prompt. I feel this software has hijacked my computers. I read this post and noticed that the tech talk about safe mode and I have tried. http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=24205.0
Please understand that I could share all of that information with you if I could see my desktop or access my computer.
As far as I know, I downloaded and installed the Free antivirus - avast! 4 Home Edition Download.
On my desktop I have zonealarm free firewall and on my laptop I have sygate personal firewall.
As far as I know I have not ever had a virus program on either computer.
I do have Ad aware, spy doctor, and a couple of other spyware programs on both computers. But to the best of my knowledge, Spy Doctor is the only program that initiates during start up.
I don’t know if this will help, there are no error messages that pop up. I turn the computer on, it shows the initial XP home edition screen, but one thing is different than it was before I installed this software. Instead of the typical log in screen with the XP background and my name already highlighted; the background now is black and has a log in box. Similar to what I have on one of my network login and passwords for windows. This box pops up on a black screen and my name is already in the login slot and the cursor is in the password slot. There is an “ok” and an “Options” button on the bottom of the log on to windows box but there are no options. If I empty the boxes and hit OK it doesn’t log in. The only thing I can do is put my log on and password in and hit OK. This takes me to the background of my desktop and that is as far as I get. I don’t even get to see icons or the start button bar. It instantly pops up a box and says logging out. It then returns to the Log On to Windows box with the black back ground.
I wish i could tell you more as I’m desperate to get these working.
So it’s not avast which is blocking the computer (avast does not ‘load’ on safe mode) but, on contrary, seems you’re infected with some kind of virus that avoids logging.
I’m not a ‘cleaning’ expert. I need that other users, better than I, help you on this… maybe mauserme, maybe essexboy, maybe Frank, maybe Polonus… Sorry.
Well thank you for giving it a try but I do have to disagree with you on one point.
So it's not avast which is blocking the computer
I have had computers for years and up until yesterday when I loaded Avast on my computers, I did not have a problem. It may not be blocking the computer, but it is sure the reason why I can't reach the desktop. I read wonderful reviews of the Avast software prior to installing and I'm happy that it works well for others. But I really regret installing it on my systems.
I hope someone else can shed some light onto why this is happening and what I can do. I have some really important data and pics on my computers and I would hate to have to format the drives as I know my backups are not up to date.
I’m not saying the presence of avast did not cause this, just that on safe mode avast is not loaded and it shouldn’t block the computer in any way. More, even in normal mode, avast does not block a computer to boot. Something else is conflicting (or an infection) and avoids logging. Did you try to boot on last-known-good configuration?
Yes I have tried all of the safe mode settings and still can not get through. I have both computers running different programs and I can’t figure out why they would both act the same with the addition of Avast. ???
I’m still trying a couple of other things to recover data and if I can recover the data, I will format the drives.
Overinstallation can solve the problem and you won’t lose your programs, settings, data, files, etc. Just choose ‘Repair’ installation of Windows and install ‘over’ the old installation.
Thank you for your further attempt. I was able to get my desktop working but not the laptop. The recovery console worked on the desktop. But as for overinstalling, that is not an option since it replaces the My Document file and all of the other basic Windows files and erases all of the data. So I’m back at square one with the laptop. Still in the endless cycle of log in and instant log out.
Hope I can fix it soon. Let me know if you might have another idea.
