Definitions update feezes on 'Initializing, please wait.'

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

Hi all,

I know this question’s been around a few times but I couldn’t find any solution in the other threads.

I recently reinstalled Avast to fix the aswrvrt.sys error that seems to have been giving a lot of people system boot issues lately, and now when I try run a definiton update it freezes on ‘Initializing, please wait.’

I’ve tried unistalling Avast with unistall utility in safe mode and then reinstalling it, 3 times, and it hasn’t made any difference. I uninstalled version 8 and 7, but couldn’t run it for 6 as the program files folder had dissapeared by then (I don’t think I ever had version 6 anyway).

Avast is behaving pretty unstably in general, very slow and crashing a bit.

Oh and I had to change the adminstrator access to the C:/windows/installers/ folder to get rid of an error that I was getting when updating Adobe reader. I don’t know how or why my administrator rights have changed. Also, avast puts an icon on the desktop upon install but it has no thumbnail, and I have to change the administrator access in Public Desktop in order to delete it.

It may still be something to do with the aswrvrt.sys error mentioned here http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=120531.0 though my computer is starting perfectly every time now.

Any advice is very welcome,

NinjaMonkey

2

Could you download and run the latest definition updates from here http://www.avast.com/download-update

Once installed let me know if that cures the problem

3

Nope. Still nothing.

Thank you for the speedy response! :slight_smile:

4
  • Which OS? (32/64 Bit - which SP)
  • Which avast-version? (Free, Pro, Internet Security, Premier)
  • Which program version (8.0.1489 is the latest)?
  • Other security related software installed?

DJBone

5

Windows 7, 64 Bit
Avast Free version 8.0.1489

Also have Spybot Search and Destroy installed and using the Windows Firewall.

6

Could you please uninstall Spybot because it can cause conflicts, especially the Tea Timer.

DJBone

7

Hmmm. I’ve never had problems using them in conjunction before.

If I create a system restore point now will I be able to system restore to get Spybot S&D back again? I don’t want to stop using it.

8

It will be easy enough to re-install later …

9

Nope, update still freezes after uninstalling Spybot S&D.

None of the shortcuts placed on my desktop from a new program installation show their icons either. Just a white page instead of the logo. Must be an obscure side affect of the problem.

Any other ideas?

10

The next option would be a repair
Go to control panel > programs and features
Click Avast and on the left select repair
A reboot will be required

11

Will try that after work.

I keep getting access denied errors. Do you think an Avast repair could fix that? Just got one when opening up MediaMonkey.

Seems like a deeper problem to me. I will run some more virus scans while I’m away.

12

Error when I run repair…

06.08.201318:15:38ArePartsInstallable: 0
06.08.201318:15:38Error processing packages. 0x20000011

Also the buttons on the ‘Scan now’ menu in Avast don’t have any text on them anymore.

13

I’m getting an error every time I try to put anything in a folder now it seems. Things I download off Firefox now need me to change the permission settings. Definitely seems like a virus problem… I guess it’s attacking Avast.

I ran an online Trend Micro scan. I guess I should run another. Any recommendations?

Maybe I should system restore? Since all my settings seem to have been changed.

14

Run Sfc /scannow from an elevated command prompt

Go Start > All Programs > Accessories
Right click command prompt and select “Run as Administrator”
In the balck box type the following command and press enter :

sfc /scannow

Reboot on completion and try again

15

The System scan found corrupt files but could not repair all of them.

The Avast repait still had an error processing packages.

Thanks for all this help by the assistance, I’m sorry it’s not a simpler problem.

Do you think it’s a virus?

16

Not sure but we can check, although changing access controls can cause weird problems

Download OTL to your Desktop
Secondary link

[*]Double click on the icon to run it. Make sure all other windows are closed and to let it run uninterrupted.

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/73555776/OTL_Main_Tutorial.gif

[*]Select All Users
[*]Under the Custom Scan box paste this in

netsvcs
BASESERVICES
%SYSTEMDRIVE%*.exe
/md5start
services.*
explorer.exe
winlogon.exe
Userinit.exe
svchost.exe
/md5stop
dir “%systemdrive%*” /S /A:L /C
CREATERESTOREPOINT

[*]Click the Run Scan button. Do not change any settings unless otherwise told to do so. The scan wont take long.
[*]When the scan completes, it will open two notepad windows. OTL.Txt and Extras.Txt. These are saved in the same location as OTL.
[*]Post both logs

17

What does that tell ye?

18

Just got an alert saying Avast definitions had been automatically updated. That’s new…

My computer is still behaving very strangely though. Avast still takes a long time to respond to any commands.

19

Could you disable spybot teatimer and see if that makes a difference

20

Can’t find teatimer anywhere on my computer. Maybe it didn’t come with this version. Wouldn’t uninstalling Spybot get rid of teatimer anyway?