Latest Program Update did not work on 2 xp machines

system · 2017-04-03T20:51:20.000Z

Hi,

I have enjoyed the software for many years–only a year ago did it stop working on a windows 98 pentium 2 box claiming hard drive failure when there was none after a definition update. Even tried t on another hardrive with same error at boot screen
Now on XP, on one box it keeps giving the oops can’t start ui service that someone mentioned last month, and if you increase the settings to max checking it used 100% of cpu on a box with 4 gig of memory. On another XP, with 3 gig memory it gave that same error message plus it locked up my ability to click on anything on the desktop. The rare time I could it locked up after it was loaded. Closing programs such as PDF would not work either as well as ctrl-alt-del. These events occurred both with an updated install and with uninstalling it and even wiping out registry settings and then doing a fresh install

DavidR · 2017-04-03T21:15:45.000Z

You don’t say what XP SP version you have ?

For the latest avast version it needs to be SP3 and your CPU has the support SSE2 instruction set.

I currently on the latest avast version on XP Pro SP3, the system on my signature below my post and no issues.

system · 2017-04-03T21:28:00.000Z

Windows xp sp3
It did work on a third one okay.
After a cold start rather than a reboot it stayed live

DavidR · 2017-04-03T21:35:11.000Z

Do you have any other related software installed ?

I used to use MBAM, but that became a resource hog using more than avast so I stopped it running and just used it for context scans.

system · 2017-04-03T21:47:18.000Z

There is a Norton 360 that has been out of subscription for over 5 years on one machine–that was never a factor before and on the other one nothing but the avast

DavidR · 2017-04-03T22:02:59.000Z

cub post:5:

There is a Norton 360 that has been out of subscription for over 5 years on one machine–that was never a factor before and on the other one nothing but the avast

You should certainly investigate uninstalling/removing it completely.

Whilst out of subscription it could well have an underlying service that could still be active.

system · 2017-04-03T22:14:57.000Z

True, but in safe mode I am still able to run a scan on the computer.
Also, still had the same issue of glitchy with service being started on another machine .
First machine had the locked up desktop, start menu, etc on top of will it or wont avast start.
I fopund reboots were worse than a cold start for when the program started.

DavidR · 2017-04-03T22:40:40.000Z

Well avast doesn’t start in safe mode that is the point, but you can launch avast in safe mode and do a scan, but I’m not sure why you would be doing this.

I have found over years of using this XP system it used to be the top of the line when I had it custom built. But now it certainly isn’t as fast as it was but no slouch. I’m pretty brutal in what I allow to run on boot as there are lots of program that would run on boot when there is no clear need.

Avast does have several functions running early on in boot so collectively with other programs running on boot could well bog down the boot. I did find if I ran MS Excel early on after boot I could end up with the system lock up

I did modify the avast5.ini file to delay the avast update [InetWD] section, to push that outside of the boot. So my boot isn’t particularly slow, but more so I haven’t noticed any major difference in boot times.

[InetWD]
AlwaysConnectedWaitSeconds=300
AssumeAlwaysConnected=1
RASWaitSeconds=300
UpdatePeriod=240
UseRAS=0

That said with the recent versions of avast use a different update executable instup.exe so I’m not entirely sure if this delay still works.

system · 2017-04-04T00:11:53.000Z

Not sure myself–I never had a delay issue to speak of before.
I have put Clam & clam sentinel now on a 98 pentium 2 box–one running 192 ram and it chugs as it looks at each file you work on, on the other 98 box–768 ram-- no delay on programs until I use it heavily. For Avast until now I have never had any problems with it at all even with other active items.

mchain · 2017-04-04T05:21:50.000Z

For some users, cost of purchasing/upgrading to a new system with a new/newer OS is definitely an obstacle.

I have no way of knowing if this would apply to you tho.

Know that what I am running now is a refurbished desktop made in 2008, and initial cost was $142.95 USC back in 2013.

I made a point of selecting a machine made for corporate use only and not a one for the general consumer market, because such a machine can have higher quality parts built-in and can be run as-is just fine. It should run for a longer period of time as well, or until it reaches a point where it cannot run the latest and newest operating system(s) available.

This system came with Windows 7 Home 64-bit, and is now running Windows 10 Anniversary Edition (1607) 64-bit just fine, thank you.

BTW, many of existing third-party programs I had transferred over from XP Home 32-bit and installed without incident.

As I said, it may not be cost that is stopping you from migrating up, but going to a computer store such as MicroCenter should at least help with options in the future. Maybe time to look at that?

system · 2017-04-04T19:35:05.000Z

mcchain: I have used the more modern ( windows 7 ) at work.
I prefer windows 98 over all OS–use that at work and home.
Most maniputable for my needs. Avast worked great on that until a year ago.
Switched to Clam & Clam Sentinel–Sentinel seems to work on Windows 98 with kernelEX but not on a stripped down machne of just windows 98 + Office 97 and 2000 without patches or anything else.
Heck I still use my windows 3.11/Dos 486 machine since I know that can’t connect to the internet, I know all files will be safe ;D

mchain · 2017-04-04T20:34:55.000Z

Wonderful.

Some machines have intrinsic value, others historic. Maybe one or more could be donated?

Simion · 2017-04-04T23:57:44.000Z

cub post:11:

mcchain: I have used the more modern ( windows 7 ) at work.
I prefer windows 98 over all OS–use that at work and home.
Most maniputable for my needs. Avast worked great on that until a year ago.
Switched to Clam & Clam Sentinel–Sentinel seems to work on Windows 98 with kernelEX but not on a stripped down machne of just windows 98 + Office 97 and 2000 without patches or anything else.
Heck I still use my windows 3.11/Dos 486 machine since I know that can’t connect to the internet, I know all files will be safe ;D

OT: You are incorrect about Clam Sentinel requiring KernelEx on Win 98. I worked for years in development with Clam Sentinel author, Andrea Russo (project now abandoned). The program was designed for, and still runs fine on Win 98 FE and SE, out-of-the-box.

PS: I, too, still have a working Win 3.11 for Workgroups. 8)

system · 2017-04-05T02:35:56.000Z

Simion:
okay I have to ask why do you still use the old 3.11 ? When using Office 5 it is mazing at how saving a file down to the variety of different types changes the byte size dramatically. I did not realize the Sentinel used KernelEX. I read somewhere that although the author abandoned the web page you can still contact via yahoo email. At work, every time someone can’t do something on a windows 7 running office 365–I can easily do it on office 97 and 2000. At home yes use win 98 unfortunately most of the dial-up free web pages have been disconnected. Simon I still use my floppy disk (both sizes).
Each item on a disk and as a backup a master with everything on that such as a zip 100 or jump drive.
BTW, today I put the microsoft unicode layer and the kernelex on that 98 box where it was not working and then Sentinel kicked in and started to work even without a reboot or re-install

system · 2017-05-25T23:55:59.000Z

I found this interesting in an XP issue from 2016
https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=189516.0
Talks about some reasons for conflict.
Also, I found in the FAQ from 2017 another link where it seems to give different setup files based on OS
See bottom of page for that.
https://www.avast.com/faq.php?article=AVKB3#articleContent
I may try this and also use the avast uninstaller that is part of the program as well as the avast clearer uninstaller. AS well as stripping out what I can from the registry.
For the one machine that it was sort of working on, it is now chugging the whole thing to the point of locking up like the one I had to uninstall it on for the same principal but even worse conditions

Eddy · 2017-05-26T07:16:56.000Z

P-II’s don’t support the SSE2 instruction set.

bob3160 · 2017-05-26T19:53:21.000Z

This may help:
https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=164936.msg1322691#msg1322691

system · 2017-05-30T18:51:38.000Z

Thanks Bob,

I know when I did a virus definiton update on win 98–then it told me my hard rrive was bad and would not boot-- that is when I switched to clam. For windows xp–I believe it forced me to update the program and then it when all my locking up issues started. I have read a few of your postes, and think I was in the general area when I previously posted the two links. Interesting how avast main page has the dowload yet in that link it then breaks it down my OS

system · 2017-05-30T18:56:12.000Z

Eddy post:16:

P-II’s don’t support the SSE2 instruction set.

Yep was reading about that but if they do not force you to update the program / engine. I would hope that the virus definitions themselves would still come come down without throwing up errors.
With the XP box, it locks up all programs and maxxed out the CPU. the machine does have 4 gig of ram inside

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