PC faulty after system restore due to Avast Update messing my browser files

Hi! Wondering if anybody can help me as I’m not hugely tech-savvy. Earlier today I was given the option to update my free Avast. I did the update and it turned into Avast Free 2015. Lovely, I thought. Then I tried to open my browser (Maxthon) and it couldn’t start and kept looping and an error message came up saying a certain file was missing. I switched to using Internet Explorer through the day but really not keen on it, so tried Maxthon again and the fault kept coming up. So I’ve just done a system restore (I’m using Windows 8.1 btw) and now my PC only goes as far as a blue screen saying

YOUR PC RAN INTO A PROBLEM AND NEEDS TO RESTART. WE’RE JUST COLLECTING ERROR INFO, AND THEN WE’LL RESTART IT FOR YOU

IF YOU’D LIKE TO KNOW MORE, YOU CAN SEARCH ONLINE LATER FOR THIS ERROR
CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED

I’m currently using my other halfs laptop. I’ve done a system restore a couple of times in the past month with no problems. This has to be directly associated with the Avast update I’ve done. The blue screen says it’ll restart for me but it’s just frozen and I’ve tried restarting my PC half a dozen times now with the same result. I can’t even get to the boot screen by pressing F12 at power up. I don’t have an installation CD for 8.1. Is there any way I can resolve this? Any help would be immensely appreciated.

Thankyou :slight_smile:

Also, the only ‘F’ keys that works at start-up are the F8 key and F2 key, and it gives me the option of booting from either the HDD or the DVD/RW drive. No other options like last known good configuration or anything. I’m really worried now :frowning:

This will create a recovery console USB

Download the following three programmes to your desktop :

  1. Rufus

For 64bit systems
2. Windows 8.1 64bit RC I will PM the download link
3. Farbar Recovery Scan Tool x64

Insert the USB stick Then run Rufus

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/73555776/rufus.JPG

Select the ISO file on the desktop via the ISO icon.

Press Start Burn

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/73555776/RufusISO.JPG

Then copy FRST to the same USB

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/73555776/frstwintoboot.JPG

Insert the USB into the sick computer and start the computer. First ensuring that the system is set to boot from USB
Note: If you are not sure how to do that follow the instructions Here
Windows 8 screen shots

When you reboot you will see this.

Select the language on this screen and keyboard on the next

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/73555776/select%20language8.JPG

Select the Trouble shoot option

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/73555776/Select%20option8.JPG

Select Advanced option

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/73555776/advanced8.JPG

Select Command prompt

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/73555776/command%208.JPG

At the command prompt type the following :

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/73555776/notepad.JPG

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 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.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/73555776/frst.JPG

Press Scan button.
It will make a log (FRST.txt) on the flash drive. Please copy and paste it to your reply.

Hi! Thanks for your reply. Looks very technical. I think that it’s a 32-bit system and not sure I have a USB. Can I copy anything to a blank disc and boot from DVD drive instead?

Yes you can copy to a disc, in which case use a CDR-W if possible as FRST will need to write to the CD.

Also you can use windows to burn to the CD instead of downloading Rufus http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows7/burn-a-cd-or-dvd-from-an-iso-file

I will PM the link for the 32bit ISO if you need it

I really appreciate your help. The 32-bit would be cool. Not sure what an ISO is… You seem like a bit of a Guru whereas I’m at the opposite end of the spectrum so babytalk please Bro haha :slight_smile:

OK an ISO is basically an image of the files needed to boot the system to the recovery console, all the necessary files are included and it acts like the install CD initially
From the recovery console you can play around with the system by using the command line

Once the CD is running it is very easy to navigate 'onest :slight_smile:

I have a stack of Maxell CD-R 80 700mb discs. Are they any good? Apologies for being so lame…

Worth a try as long as the RC can write to disc (never tried that )

Ok. Finally downloaded and unzipped the 32-bit. I’ve downloaded ImgBurn. Ready to write to disk, but not sure which file to choose? Theres Boot, efi, sources and system volume information. I can’t find an image file in any of them and they’re all dead ends… :frowning:

Ok do not open the ISO file there is no need
As you have imgburn installed then double clicking on the ISO file should start Imgburn and commence the burn to disc

There is a small guide here http://forum.imgburn.com/index.php?/topic/61-how-to-write-an-image-file-to-a-disc-using-imgburn/

But that’s where I get stuck. There are no files to write. When I try to choose a file, it goes through to a blank screen which reads ‘no items match your search’…

At the top where it states source are you using that to select the ISO

Yes. I click on that and it brings up the 4 files I stated. I click on each of them and it says ‘no items match your search’

Just unzipped win81re again and there’s a file called bootmgr. I click on that and it gives me the option to open with imgburner. Imgburner opens and then a box with a red cross pops up and says ‘unsupported image type’. Hmmm…

Ahh do not unzip the ISO it is meant to stay on the desktop as a single file which imgburn can then use

Ok, so saved to desktop and finally written to disk. Booted from disk through F8 and a new blue screen comes up…

Recovery
Your PC needs to be repaired
A required device isn’t connected or can’t be accessed.
Error code: oxcoooooof
You’ll need to use the recovery tools on your installation media. If you don’t have any installation media (like a disc or USB device), contact your administrator or PC manufacturer

Press Enter to try again (I did - nowt)
Press F8 for Startup Settings (did this too - again, nowt)

Oh dear. If this is the end of the line as far as your help can go Essexboy, then I just want to thank you very much indeed for all your time and helpfulness. This doesn’t look very good…

OK I know now what the problem is, the BCD is corrupt. When you start the computer is there the option on the screen like press escape or F10 to access boot/bios menu ?

No Sir. I’ve tried F10 and F12 at start-up but it just goes directly to the Blue Windows logo with the swirly circle underneath, then after a few seconds goes to the blue screen.

If it helps, I bought the PC with windows 8.1 Pro already installed on it. It used to be a Vista PC and the Vista COA is still attached. The laptop I’m currently on is a Vista and there’s a recovery disk with it. It really wouldn’t bother me if there was a way to get Vista back onto it. Is this possible? I’d sooner downgrade and lose 8.1 than lose my PC. I’m sorry this is rumbling on - in hindsight I should’ve just kept the old version of Avast. It worked a treat for me and I’ve never had any complaints with it…