Laptop won't boot, hangs at aswrvrt.sys

Panasonic Toughbook CF-52 running Windows 7 Pro x64 on a 250GB SSD with perfect helth in HD Sentinel. Hard drive slaved & scanned for errors with CHKDSK - none found.
Latest version of Avast free, up-to-date. Also runs Malwarebytes Pro, up-to-date. No issues with viruses, adware or malware.

Installed a Windows update yesterday for IE 11 I believe, rebooted the laptop today and I can’t get into Windows. It hangs at the Windows screen/logo and does nothing. System restore doesn’t work, nor does startup repair. Booting into Safe Mode the laptop hangs at aswrvrt.sys

Installed another HDD in the laptop to rule out hardware issues, and that OS booted fine (also W7x64 - was the HDD for this machine before I upgraded to an SSD). Hard drives in this model laptop are cold-swappable. I don’t want to wipe this machine and rebuild from scratch, but I’ve tried all my usual tricks and I’m at the point of a reformat. No issues accessing files on another machine with the drive in a dock.

OK…some thoughts…

First, not sure this is it but want to mention.
Are you sure settings in BIOS are correct for example the SATA mode AHCI or Compatible mode ?
Since it sounds like you swapped out SSD from HDD and installed O/S on your CF-52 laptop I wanted to at least mention.
Some operating systems, notably Windows Vista and Windows 7, do not configure themselves to load the AHCI driver upon boot if the SATA-drive controller was not in AHCI mode at the time of installation. This can cause failure to boot with an error message if the SATA controller is later switched to AHCI mode. For this reason, Intel recommends changing the drive controller to AHCI or RAID before installing an operating system. On Windows Vista and Windows 7, this can be fixed by setting non-AHCI mode in the BIOS then booting and changing the registry, then changing the BIOS setting to AHCI
You can read full thread but specifically posts #50 & #51…here are links.
Post #50: http://forum.notebookreview.com/panasonic/685154-cf-52-ssd-5.html
Another link on the subject of AHCI & W7 install: http://solotechpros.com/2014/03/27/install-sata-ahci-driver-to-windows-7-after-install/
Post #51: http://forum.notebookreview.com/panasonic/685154-cf-52-ssd-6.html
Post #51 has ZIP file from Panasonic that seems the README.txt states it is a utility to flip the setting in BIOS.
You need to prepare DOS or FreeDOS bootable USB or CD then run the application with instruction corresponding with your wishes. There is a ReadMe file who gives this information. Because it is a bit difficult to understand… the option to enable AHCI is “native”. The “compatible” option revert controller in standard PATA mode.
If you think this may be it I would do a lot of reading and posting on some of those Forums to make sure…but read below too.

While you digest/contemplate the above here are few items you can do regardless…

  1. You booted using F8 and tried Last Known Good Config ?
    http://pcsupport.about.com/od/windows7/ss/last-known-good-configuration-windows-7.htm
  2. If no luck in #1 go back and try to boot into Safe Mode and when it hangs let it sit there for 30 minutes or so…yes, 30 minutes.
    There have been a lot of posts in past where it finally logs on after VERY LONG delay.
    If it does then uninstall Avast and also use the Avast Clear utility: http://www.avast.com/uninstall-utility
    You can read link in my signature how to do a clean un-reinstall of Avast.
  3. If the above does not work then…
    Download the appropriate version (32 or 64 bit) of the Farbar Recovery Scan Tool and put the EXE on USB stick (Flash Drive).
    http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/farbar-recovery-scan-tool/
    Using your Recovery CD boot your system and go into Command Prompt.
    At the Command Prompt type the following:
    notepad and press Enter
    The notepad opens. Under File menu select Open.
    Select “Computer” and find your flash drive letter and close the notepad.
    In the command window type e:\frst64.exe or e:\frst.exe (dependent on system and what you downloaded) and press Enter
    {Note: Replace letter e with the drive letter of your flash drive.}
    The tool will start to run.
    When the tool opens click Yes to disclaimer.
    Press Scan button.
    It will make a log (FRST.txt) on the flash drive. Please copy and paste it to your reply.
    I’ll PM someone who can read the log and help.

To update this…

No BIOS settings change, laptop has been running on the SSD for over a year. I threw in the old HDD to see if it would boot, and it did with no issues. I tried last known good configuration, startup repair (automatic, command prompt with chkdsk, system restore) and everything failed. Slaved the drive and ran a chkdsk in another PC, and checked the drive’s stats in Hard Disk Sentinel (also runs on the laptop so I can monitor the disk). Refused to boot in Safe Mode even after sitting for a while. I attempted all the usual IT tricks up my sleeve before throwing my hands up and posting here.

Well, regardless, when I came into work today I put the SSD back in the laptop ready to start messing around with it. It did the constant reboot loop for the couple of minutes it was powered on, trying to load windows. After I got my work PC booted and I was situated I stopped the boot with F8 and disabled the automatic restart on system failure, because I didn’t remember what the bluescreen said, or if it was bluescreening at all (I wasn’t paying attention to it’s reboot loop behind me). Well, when I turned around a few minutes later, instead of being presented with a bluescreen, I had the logon screen! I logged in, everything is working, and now I’m going through a clean reinstall of Avast. I did notice my desktop had an Avast shortcut on there, which it never has because I always delete it after an upgrade. I don’t remember updating Avast or it asking me for a reboot, but it seems there was not only a Windows update, but an Avast one the same day?

Anyway, going through the clean install now and I’ll report back with the results.

stopped the boot with F8 and disabled the automatic restart on system failure
Never noticed this hook in the F8 screen…seen that screen more times than I care to admit…good to know it is there.
http://pcsupport.about.com/od/fixtheproblem/ss/disable-auto-restart-vista_2.htm
Interesting…was it the very next reboot after this change that came up ?

Did you have the Avast settings for program update to Auto or Manual ?
I set to manual because as much as I like Avast their “over the top updates” are never clean IMHO.
I always “wait” to see how the update went on the Forum, then do a clean un-re-install (How-To in my signature).
There is whole thread on Avast + Windows updates and the borks…lately both Microsoft and Avast have had issues.
https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=162769.15

Glad to hear you are back up and running.
Did you do a Custom Install and check/un-check items you only wanted installed ?
If not, you can go into Program installs and under Avast do CHANGE.
As example, I only install the “shields”…zero Tools…of course selection/inclusion/exclusion is personal taste/need.

Clarification:
Did you have the Avast settings for program update to Auto or Manual ?


Default setting is ASK so there is no auto update by default. :slight_smile:

Yes, right after disabling auto reboot the machine came up. Never seen that happen in all my year of working on computers. Usually just disable that to see the bluescreen error code, but this time the system came up. Odd, very odd, but I’m not complaining! I have Avast set to auto update everything, and just normally reboot the PC when it asks. I’m wondering if it was in the middle of an update and went to sleep, and instead of resuming it did a cold boot. I put the laptop down and walked away and came back to a machine that wouldn’t power back up, so that might have been the case.

I’ve seen windows toss it’s whole OS when an update was being installed and the PC went to sleep of the battery died. That’s caused me way to many phone calls.

My laptops are set to never sleep or hibernate. They stay awake when plugged in and turn off when on battery.
Sleep and hibernate cause nothing but headaches. IMHO

I totally agree…I go one step further and disable the “ability” of hibernate.
I’ve seen software packages that use the feature without me knowing.
At command prompt: powercfg.exe /hibernate off
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/920730

I’ve seen windows update re-enable hibernation before and reconfigure power settings. Those sneaky Microsoft engineers.
I have hibernation disabled since it’s an SSD and space is a premium.

So I’ve removed avast using avast clear, and have performed a clean reinstall. Rebooted several times without issues, powered off for 5 min and powered back on from a cold boot perfectly. I’m a happy camper!

Had this exact thing bite my mom’s HP laptop. Her computer wouldn’t boot so to quickly get her up and going I installed another HDD and reinstalled W7. Put on Avast, MBAM pro, ran Windows update - and BAM! Bluescreen on startup. Disabled auto reboot on system restore, went into safe mode, which hung for ~5 min on aswrvrt.sys so I ran the avast uninstaller and the computer booted again.

Threw her old drive back in (which I gave up on a few weeks ago) and it’s doing the exact same thing. Bluescreen on startup, and safe mode is stuck on aswrvrt.sys - it’s been running for about 10 minutes now and hasn’t gone past that point. I know she didn’t do Windows update (she’s on dialup) but I told her to always install Avast and MBAM pro updates. Is this not a conflict with Windows updates, but MBAM? It seems to be the common denominator with the latest version of Avast.

My Toughbook is still going strong, typing this out on it right now after the uninstall/reinstall of Avast. I’m hoping that her old HDD will boot and I can remove Avast, then finish building the other HDD as a backup.

Wow, strange…I still use Avast 2014…I personally find 2015 not solid enough for my conservative tastes.
I also do a CUSTOM install during the installer and only select the Avast Shields…no Tools…just my preference.

Anyway, I use W7 Home Premium 64-bit MBAM Pro and Avast Free 2014 on six PCs in my house…no problems.
Avast did have issues with Windows Updates…but supposively W8.1 only.
Here is the long thread but I tagged some of the Avast Team comments.
https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=160717.msg1153446#msg1153446
https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=160717.msg1153988#msg1153988
https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=160717.msg1154001#msg1154001
In theory if you are doing a clean install it should include the latest Avast tweaks for Windows updates.

Are you running avastclear to cleanly uninstall ?
http://www.avast.com/uninstall-utility
I’m never a fan of Avast’s over the top updates to the program…clean un-reinstall is always the best result.
Just my opinion, I’d set your Mom’s PC to get the database updates automatic but I’d set the Program Updates to manual.
Then, when you update the program (your & her PC)…do a clean un-re-install…check out link in my signature of How-To.

Also, you need to as standard practice disable the MBAM Pro Shields when you install Avast.
Also, when you install MBAM Pro you need to disable the Avast Shields as well as the Self Defense Module (SDM).
The SDM is in the Avast UI under Settings>Trouble Shooting.
Perhaps if these were active during the installs you are getting conflict.