Computer won't start any programs after Avast! update.

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

Hi,
Avast! updated itself the other day, and since then my PC comes up, but no programs will start. In Windows explorer you can see My Documents, and that’s it. If you click on My Computer you just get the egg timer for ever.

If you start another program, it simply will not.

I know Avast! is the problem as programs that start up after it in the startup do not start, and if I come up in safe mode without Avast! everything is fine. Also I uninstalled Avast! whilst in safe mode and the computer came up OK and everything worked as expected.

Any ideas?

I have had Avast! for years without issue and prefer it to the others so i don’t really want to ditch it.

I an running Win XP home. I don’t have any other anti virus installed (well, as far as I know. I ran Norton but that was years ago and I have have never had this problem before).

Thanks

2
Also I uninstalled Avast! whilst in safe mode and the computer came up OK and everything worked as expected.
So the problem had been fixed?
3

Well, fixed because I no longer have Avast! on the system!

I re-installed it and the same happened again. I’m currently running my system without Avast! so it is useable, but this is not an ideal situation as you can imagine.

4

Can you try using the avast uninstaller to uninstall avast? Maybe it works?

avast uninstaller>> http://avast.com/eng/avast-uninstall-utility.html

After uninstall reinstall back.

5

OK, I have used that to uninstall and then re-installed Avast! and the PC comes up OK. However, it did this yesterday, it was the next morning it died (as it had he previous day). But, the uninstaller you pointed me to may have made a difference, hopefully!

I will see what happens tomorrow morning…

Thanks for your help so far.

6

Update:

I don’t even have to wait for tomorrow, just rebooting causes the problem :frowning:

7

You may be probably infected or remains of Norton could be messing your computer.

For the first, I suggest:

  1. Disable System Restore and then reenable it again.
  2. Clean your temporary files.
  3. Schedule a boot time scanning with avast with archive scanning turned on. If avast does not detect it, you can try DrWeb CureIT! instead.
  4. Use SUPERantispyware, MBAM or Spyware Terminator to scan for spywares and trojans. If any infection is detected, better and safer is send the file to Quarantine than to simple delete than.
  5. Test your machine with anti-rootkit applications. I suggest avast! antirootkit or Trend Micro RootkitBuster.
  6. Make a HijackThis log to post here or, better, submit the RunScanner log to to on-line analysis.
  7. Immunize your system with SpywareBlaster or Windows Advanced Care.
  8. Check if you have insecure applications with Secunia Software Inspector.

For the second,

  1. Remove NAV through Add/Remove programs from Control Panel. Boot.
  2. Use Norton Removal Tool for Windows 2000/XP/Vista. Boot.
  3. Install avast! (or repair the installation) and boot.
8

The latest prog update from avast has caused problems for many users. Many were lucky in that if you wait 5/10 minutes, the system would eventually load. Avast have blamed all other software, other than their own. Disappointing from a brand leader.

9

Is it possible to revert back to the old version and disable prog updates?

10

It’s not recommended…
It’s not a good idea to downgrade… Anyway, I suggest an installation from the scratch:

  1. Uninstall avast from Control Panel first.
  2. Boot.
  3. Use Avast Uninstall for complete uninstallation.
  4. Boot.
  5. Stay off-line (not connected to Internet)
  6. Install again the old version: http://filehippo.com/download_avast_antivirus/
  7. Boot.
  8. Register avast (insert the registration key).
  9. Uncheck the programs updates (set to manual).
  10. Only then connect to Internet (go on-line).
  11. Check and post the results.
11

Download latest version of Avast and save in a file

remove avast
http://www.pchell.com/virus/uninstallavast.shtml

then dbl check the norton removal
http://www.pchell.com/virus/uninstallnorton.shtml

then run this tool even if you’ve never run Antivir

Using the AntiVir Registry Cleaner

If for some reason the normal uninstall does not work, you may have to download AntiVir’s registry cleaner utility to remove all traces of it from the registry and allow you to reinstall it.

  1. Click on the following link and download the AntiVir Registry Cleaner to your desktop

http://dl.antivir.de/down/windows/registrycleaner.zip

  1. Create a folder on your desktop called Antivir and Unzip the file to your desktop

  2. Double-click on the file called RegCleaner.exe to run it

  3. Since the program is German, you’ll have to click on the button called “keys asulesen” to search the registry for any issues. Then place checkmarks next to the registry entries you wish to delete.

  4. Finally, click on the button called “loschen” to delete the keys

  5. Restart your computer and try to reinstall your antivirus

12

I had the same problem running Vista. I had to switch to Kaspersky until Avast comes out with a new version that fixes the problem.

http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=37623.0

13

OK, I have totally wiped Avast! from the system, done a boot time scan (which was clean), used the Norton removal tool, re-installed Avast! and so far it seems to be OK, a few reboots later and overnight, so I will keep an eye on it.

Thanks for all the replies and good advice.