problem right after aswrvrt.sys

Win 7 64 bit, with a version of Avast, not sure which version was on the computer since I cannot access it. However, it was updated within the last week.
It no longer boots into windows. It gives me options to start in safe mode, and that does not function either. Initially I thought it was a problem with the RAM, as there were also BIOS errors indicating boot failure due to RAM. I think I have that hashed out. I could boot to recovery, and I ran the windows RAM test from there. Safemode with command prompt also does not load.

The boot failure is always the same going into windows, as the machine boots, it blanks the screen between the booting animation, and loading the video drivers. I get to a blank screen with only a mouse, and that is the end of the boot process.

Booting into safemode, the loading files hangs on aswrvrt.sys for a long time, but then it continues on to loading the video drivers and hangs.

This seems nearly identical to the problem that cuttleman had in the thread https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=120531.0, and it would seem that essexboy was able to get him some assistance.
I was hoping that there might be a way to recover this machine. If not, I guess I will be reloading it.

John

Download the following three programmes to your desktop :

  1. Rufus

For 64bit systems
2. Windows 7 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 7 and Vista screenshots

When you reboot you will see this.
Click repair my computer

http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee362/Essexboy3/RepairVista_7275.jpg

Select your operating system

http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee362/Essexboy3/RepairVista_7277202.jpg

Select Command prompt

http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee362/Essexboy3/RepairVista_7277.jpg

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 dependant on system
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.

essexboy,

Your instructions worked like a charm. I might not be able to get back to this tomorrow, but I will have time on sunday. Thank you for helping.

John

Download the attached fixlist.txt to the same location as FRST
Run FRST as before and press Fix
Then try a normal reboot, if that fails then :

From the recovery console run start up repair at least three times, rebooting after each
Be advised that the repair may take a while

From your second set of instructions (the alternate plan) I do not understand which recovery console you want. Start up the sick machine in recovery, or start from the recovery USB drive?

If you can use the system recovery then that would be preferable, if not then use the USB

I didn’t even make it to the “fix”. I went to boot off the recovery drive to run the test and apply the fix, and now the machine never finishes booting off the recovery. It goes through the part where the screen says loading with the green progress bar, blanks the screen, and never starts up. It just sits there flashing the hard drive light. The HDD light does have a pattern though, on for 3 seconds, and off for .5 seconds. It will continue this behavior until I am bored of watching it.

Sounds like a hard drive failure I am afraid if it will not boot from the USB

would booting off a linux livedrive and running a chkdisk be of any help determining if it is hdd failure?

You could use OTLPE https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=53253.0 right near the bottom

This is a windows pe and from there chkdsk can be run

OTLPEN Gives me a BSOD on boot.

Hmm that indicates that it may be more than a hard drive problem as OTLPE is basically an operating system on a disc

Unfortunately it looks like a repair shop as I do not feel that even re-installing windows will help

OTPLEN is based on XP, does XP even support operating on an UEFI computer.

There are SMART errors on the drive, but I have not been able to do chkdisk yet. I am still trying to get the machine to boot. It seems to boot off the original windows 7 disk, as long as the hdd sata cable is unplugged. Sort of a happy accident, I had the install disk and the recovery USB in at the same time, and that booted to the recovery console, but as the hdd sata was unplugged, that was all the further I got.

OTLPE ignores the boot data as it is standalone

Could you plug in the hard drive and see if it works, as it may just be a bad cable

To answer your question, I cannot get any form of windows to load with the hdd plugged in.

Ubuntu LiveUSB 13.04 boots, and I can read the smart errors and perform a self test of the drive. Drive fails self test. I.D. 184 End to End Error. Apparently this means that:

After transferring through the cache RAM data buffer, the parity data between the host and the hard drive did not match. This is a critical parameter. Degradation of this parameter may indicate imminent drive failure. Urgent data backup and hardware replacement is recommended.

I have no idea why the PE disk will not boot, but with the HDD unplugged, Win7 install, boots fine. I think the HDD is toast, and I will have to grab another drive and install windows all over again. Luckily I think I have a 750GB collecting dust around here somewhere, and 2TB drives are cheap on the egg. Even if this is not the true solution, it looks like the drive needs to be replaced anyway.

I do have a crapload of sata cables, I will give that suggestion a shot, but I don’t think that it will fix the SMART error.

Aye if it fails as soon as you plug it in. It might be worth replacing the cable at the same time

New cable, same symptoms. I think the drive is done. Still not booting PE, I wonder if that might be a bad burn or a corrupted DL. My son and I now need to figure out what we want to do about the drive. thanks.

Sorry that I could not provide a better answer

Not sure what you had on the HDD but if there is data you need perhaps get this and hook up to other PC as slave.
Hopefully, the HDD is not corrupt enough that you can’t get to the files versus it being a boot, O/S HDD.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812232002
If you don’t have this adapter…it is one to have in your desk drawer anyway…handy.