This is an OLD problem that got no attention from avast team.
When avast let Windows System Restore to work, it fails itself miserably.
IT’S A SHAME 
>:( >:(
If anybody from avast team is reading this and need a log…
19.11.2011 16:25:32 general: Started: 19.11.2011, 16:25:32
19.11.2011 16:25:32 general: Running setup_ais-548 (1352)
19.11.2011 16:25:32 system: Operating system: Windows 7 ver 6.1, build 7601, sp 1.0 [Service Pack 1]
19.11.2011 16:25:32 system: Memory: 52% load. Phys:1561912/2097151K free, Page:4194303/4194303K free, Virt:2043752/2097024K free
19.11.2011 16:25:32 system: Computer WinName: Tech
19.11.2011 16:25:32 system: Windows Net User: Tech
19.11.2011 16:25:32 general: Cmdline: /uninstwiz
19.11.2011 16:25:32 general: Old version: 548 (1352)
19.11.2011 16:25:32 registry: Deleted registry: Software\AVAST Software\Avast\UpdateReady
19.11.2011 16:25:32 system: Using temp: C:\Users\Tech\AppData\Local\Temp\_asw_aisI.tm~a07148 (57330M free)
19.11.2011 16:25:32 general: SGW32AIS::CheckIfInstalled set m_bAlreadyInstalled to 1
19.11.2011 16:25:32 general: DldSrc set to inet
19.11.2011 16:25:32 internet: SYNCER: Agent=Syncer/5.00 (ais-1352;p)
19.11.2011 16:25:32 system: Computer DnsName: IICSNOTE355.iics.local
19.11.2011 16:25:32 system: Computer Ip Addr: 192.168.0.58
19.11.2011 16:25:32 system: Installed in: C:\Util\Security\avast (57330M free)
19.11.2011 16:25:32 internet: SYNCER: Type: use IE settings
19.11.2011 16:25:32 internet: SYNCER: Auth: another authentication, use WinInet
19.11.2011 16:25:32 package: Part prg_ais-548 is installed
19.11.2011 16:25:32 package: IsInstalledPartVpuOkay: C:\Util\Security\avast\Setup\part-vps_win32-11111801.vpx does not exist
19.11.2011 16:25:32 package: Part vps_win32-11111900 was guessed as installed
19.11.2011 16:25:32 package: Part setup_ais-548 is installed
19.11.2011 16:25:32 package: Part jrog-a7 is installed
19.11.2011 16:25:32 package: IsInstalledPartVpuOkay: C:\Util\Security\avast\Setup\part-jrog2-376.vpx does not exist
19.11.2011 16:25:32 package: Part jrog2-377 was guessed as installed
19.11.2011 16:25:32 general: LoadState: Edition=3
19.11.2011 16:25:32 general: Old version: 548 (1352)
19.11.2011 16:25:37 file: SetExistingFilesBitmap: 947->537->532
19.11.2011 16:25:37 general: GUID: 6ec1dc1e-59c2-46df-96bc-72daab0f41f3
19.11.2011 16:25:37 general: Server definition(s) loaded for 'main': 299 (maintenance:0)
19.11.2011 16:25:37 general: SelectCurrent: selected server 'Download316 AVAST5 Server' from 'main'
19.11.2011 16:25:37 internet: SYNCER: Type: use IE settings
19.11.2011 16:25:37 internet: SYNCER: Auth: another authentication, use WinInet
19.11.2011 16:25:40 general: Operation set to INST_OP_REPAIR
19.11.2011 16:25:40 general: Entered SetupProcessAIS::Do( INST_OP_REPAIR )
19.11.2011 16:25:40 general: Entered SetupProcessWin32Avast::Do( INST_OP_REPAIR )
19.11.2011 16:25:40 general: Entered SetupProcessWin32::Do( INST_OP_REPAIR )
19.11.2011 16:25:40 general: Entered SetupProcess::Do( INST_OP_REPAIR )
19.11.2011 16:25:40 general: Entered SetupProcessAIS::Do( INST_OP_UPDATE_INSTALL_PACKAGES )
19.11.2011 16:25:40 general: Entered SetupProcessWin32Avast::Do( INST_OP_UPDATE_INSTALL_PACKAGES )
19.11.2011 16:25:40 general: Entering:UpdateInstallPackages
19.11.2011 16:25:40 general: progress thread start
19.11.2011 16:25:41 package: LoadProductVpu: C:\Util\Security\avast\Setup\prod-ais.vpx
19.11.2011 16:25:41 package: LoadPartInfo: jrog = jrog-a7 returned 00000000
19.11.2011 16:25:41 package: LoadPartInfo: jrog2 = jrog2-377 returned 00000000
19.11.2011 16:25:41 package: LoadPartInfo: program = prg_ais-548 returned 00000000
19.11.2011 16:25:41 package: LoadPartInfo: setup = setup_ais-548 returned 00000000
19.11.2011 16:25:41 package: LoadPartInfo: vps = vps_win32-11111900 returned 00000000
19.11.2011 16:25:41 package: LoadProductVpu: C:\Util\Security\avast\Setup\prod-ais.vpx ended with 00000000
19.11.2011 16:25:41 package: FilterOutExistingFiles: 537 & 532 = 5
19.11.2011 16:25:41 package: IsFullOkay: vps_32-648.vpx - not okay (doesn't exist)
19.11.2011 16:25:41 package: SetDownloadBits: vps_32 setting 1 diffs to process
19.11.2011 16:25:41 package: IsFullOkay: vps_win32-65c.vpx - not okay (doesn't exist)
19.11.2011 16:25:41 package: SetDownloadBits: vps_win32 setting 1 diffs to process
19.11.2011 16:25:41 package: ArePartsInstallable: 0
19.11.2011 16:25:41 package: Error processing packages. 0x20000011
Sorry Tech. 
Tech,
Why are you using Windows System Restore ? It is a crap meganism, and is normally causing more problems than it solves. Better use an image backup - combined with a file backup policy. Never never never use WSR !
Greetz, Red.
Red, please, don’t say that. We know the limitations of Windows System Restore.
But it is a Windows feature since XP…
avast can’t ignore it. Comodo Time Machine that could replace it, stop being developed.
avast should take a look. I could search the forum for other recent user having the same problem.
Bashing or saying anything about Windows System Restore won’t help imho.
Hello Tech,
I tried to do a system restore with avast installed and System Restore failed. Is this because of avast’s self-protection module and does this have to be disabled before using System Restore? I never had a failure with System Restore before.
System Restore is not crap, it’s a very useful feature and i often use it. So Tech’s rant is well placed. I haven’t had such problem yet but still it’s worth re-checking it.
Tech, have you restored the system to a point before avast! installation? Such problems usually happen in such scenarios. Program stills tarts itself but since many things were removed by System Restore, it just fails.
Hello guys,
I believe that WSR is a handy functionality from MS. My WSR stopped working for some unknown reason in both my PCs quite sometime now. But when it was up and running I used it quite a lot.
Anyway, I also believe that this is not the point of discussion. Irrespectively of whether someone uses the WSR or not, I have to agree with Tech, that the Avast Team should really have a look into this.
All the best,
Frank.
I often find System Restore being stopped and all restore points are gone… is this also avast related? :-\
This issue was supposed to be fixed.
Which version of avast are you using, Tech?
The problem here is that System Restore is deleting avast’s own files so it’s quite difficult to cope with that.
Thanks
Vlk
I also used to have problems with System Restore; more often than not I was unable to restore restore points that were made with avast’s self-defense module enabled. I think with that module disabled I have never had problems, and I know that System Restore was always stable and reliable on my PC when avast was, well, not installed.
My last (and problematic) version of avast free was 6.0.1289 on windows 7/64. Now I’m running it on a virtual machine, waiting for this to be fixed.
WIN 7 x64 SP1, Avast! 6.0.1289
I had to do a system restore a while back and I did get it to work. It was with a few heart flutters however.
First, I had forgotten about disabling the resident protection feature. The first boot after system restore totally hung my system - black screen. Manually powered down the PC. Next boot got me to the desktop and system froze again. Manually powered down again and third boot did work. Received message from WIN 7 that the system had been sucessfully restored.
BTW - Avast is not the only one with system restore issues. Norton’s products have problems also. Probably due to it’s resident protection features which are extremely aggresive.
As an alternative that works, I installed Rollback Rx on my computer and shut SR off. Restoring to an earlier snapshot takes 10 seconds. Wait for a sale to purchase at BitsDuJour.
Haha, Rollback Rx used avast! 4.8 detection message in its video…
Since avast! is working with MSFT in developing avast! 7 then this problem should be fixed in avast! 7 correct ???
The trouble with windows xp or vista restore, that it takes critical snapshots of windows configuration at that time related to time/date stamps and avast will not like this and locks up showing modules not running even fix now will not work.
If i have to do system restore at any time ie if windows fails to run i remove avast / restore to an earlier time in safe mode. Reboot and re-instal avast from scratch.
No problems!
So the only way to do a system restore with avast! is to uninstall avast! first. Isn’t it possible to do a restore with avast’s system protection turned off? Also, I am wondering if creating system restore points manually with avast’s system protection turned off would also work. This is kind of confusing.
That wasn’t said, some state simply disabling the avast self-defence module is enough as at times the system restore is going to try and delete avast files (so it tries to block that action).
Also as has been suggested if you use system restore from safe mode that should work as avast doesn’t run from safe mode.
Though there is often an unexpected consequence of running system restore, if it does remove some avast files then it is very likely that you may have to reinstall avast.
I’m finding it hard to make a generalized complaint about Avast. I’ve got it on two other computers, XP with WSR enabled and Vista without WSR. It works perfectly on those systems. But I recently acquired a Dell with XP SP3 and it’s been nothing but problems. Just when it seems to be working good something else goes wrong. I finally uninstalled it on this computer.
Latest beta 6.0.1352 (before the problem occur I’ve upgraded from 6.0.1351).
And what about the old /forceinstall switch. I’ve forgotten it. Can it be used?
Will it work if we have access to an .msi file and force the installation with switches?