Problem with latest upgrade

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

I can see that others are having problems with the latest upgrade but my issue is slightly different.

Running XP Pro SP3.
Avast 4.7

I used the manual update and once the files had downloaded I had the message that the system needed to reboot.
I did the reboot and my computer ran through the welcome to windows screen but after a short time went back to restart windows.
After several cycles I got the blue screen saying windows had detected an error.

I tried 3 reboots but had the same each time.
Rebooted in safe mode and uninstalled Avast, no problem.
Reinstalled Avast (old version), no problem
Updated iavs, no problem
Updated program and asked to reboot and then back into the above loop ending with the blue screen.

Does anyone have any suggestions why this is happening and also what I can do to correct the problem.

Thanks in advance for any input.

2

What version of avast are you using ?
The latest is 4.8.1201, if you haven’t got that do a manual program update.

Or it may be worth doing a clean reinstall.

Download the latest version of avast http://www.avast.com/eng/download-avast-home.html and save it to your HDD, somewhere you can find it again. Use that when you reinstall.

Download the avast! Uninstall Utility, find it here and save it to your HDD.
Now uninstall (using add remove programs), reboot, run the avast! Uninstall Utility, reboot, install the latest version, reboot.

3

Hi David, did that but no joy. Am still getting in the welcome to windows / reboot loop.

Currently running without AV, not sure what to do next.

4

By that do you mean you are also getting the BSODs still (if so what are the details, stop code and if there is a main title to it) or is it just rebooting ?

In your first boot you said you were using 4.7 but didn’t say exactly which build number, the last part.

The latest version 4.8.1201 had some tweaks relating to XP SP3, but you also said that you tried what I suggested. This included downloading the latest version of avast 4.8.1201 did you actually do that and exactly as described in the clean re-install (using the uninstall utility also) ?

If so I’m at a loss as to what the problem might be, but it certainly isn’t wise to run without an AV, so at the least I would suggest getting the last version of 4.7 from somewhere like filehippo.com.

However, if you still have the latest version saved to your HDD install it again, but don’t reboot. Now open the Program Settings (right click the avast ‘a’ icon), Troubleshooting section and disable the Self-Defence module, also the rootkit scan on system startup and also Delay loading of avast! services after other system services, see image.

The first of these three are major parts of the 4.8 update and it might help to disable them to see if that avoids the issues you are having with 4.8.

Now reboot, if the system reboots OK, the likelihood is the problem is with one of these and we are going to enable these again one at a time and reboot and see if and when you hit trouble. Start with enabling (uncheck) the Delay loading of avast! services after other system services and reboot. If OK next enable the rootkit scan at system startup and reboot. Finally enable the self-defence module and reboot, with fingers crossed.

If it goes down the pan with that you may have to work with the self-defence module disabled.

Something I probably should have asked earlier, mhat other security software do you have installed ?

5

By that do you mean you are also getting the BSODs still (if so what are the details, stop code and if there is a main title to it) or is it just rebooting ?
The normal boot up screen sequence is HP screen, Boot from cd screen, Windows XP screen, Welcome screen, desk top. After trying the update or the clean install my computer goes through its boot up procedure but goes from the welcome screen back to the HP screen for 3 or 4 cycles and then I get a warning screen saying there is an error and I have to power off.

In your first boot you said you were using 4.7 but didn’t say exactly which build number, the last part.
I don’t know because I never made a note of it. I have been using Avast for 2 years and so have always updated whenever the popup says a new version is available. Which is exactly the same as I did before all these problems started so I guess it was the latest version pre this last update

The latest version 4.8.1201 had some tweaks relating to XP SP3, but you also said that you tried what I suggested. This included downloading the latest version of avast 4.8.1201 did you actually do that and exactly as described in the clean re-install (using the uninstall utility also) ?
Yes three times.

If so I’m at a loss as to what the problem might be, but it certainly isn’t wise to run without an AV, so at the least I would suggest getting the last version of 4.7 from somewhere like filehippo.com.

However, if you still have the latest version saved to your HDD install it again, but don’t reboot. Now open the Program Settings (right click the avast ‘a’ icon), Troubleshooting section and disable the Self-Defence module, also the rootkit scan on system startup and also Delay loading of avast! services after other system services, see image.
I can’t do this. In the old version there are not those options in the programme settings and if you try to upgrade and don’t reboot then they are not there. If I go for a clean install and don’t reboot there is no icon. You need to reboot, which I can’t

Something I probably should have asked earlier, mhat other security software do you have installed ?
The only other software which is always in use is Greenborder which is a sand box. I have lots of things like Adaware, CCleaner, Windows Defender but I only use those for specific scanning they are not always active.

Not sure what to do next other than go back to an old version and make sure the definitions are current, any suggestions would be appreciated

6

I took this to indicate you had a BSOD (Blue Screen Of Death).

Updated program and asked to reboot and then back into the above loop ending with the blue screen.

So other than the message “a warning screen saying there is an error” there is no other info displayed to the screen. You could check the Windows Event Viewer to see if there any associated events, check the Application and System section of the event viewer ?

Re your version of 4.7 it might have helped to perhaps get that version again.

I’m aware you can’t do what I suggested with the old version, it was something that I though of at the time and why I said “However, if you still have the latest version saved to your HDD install it again,” the idea being rather than simply take a step backwards to 4.7 to try and pin down exactly what the issue might be.

Well as I said going back to 4.7 isn’t going to pin down what the problem might be, which is where the ‘However’ paragraph came from. If you don’t know what caused it you won’t know if the problem has been identified and rectified so you would to a point be stuck with 4.7.

That is why I feel you should try a clean install of the latest version and then try what I suggested to try and identify the problem. I would suggest you disable the sand box, it is another level of complexity and a possible area of conflict. There had previously been an issue with another sand box sandboxie I believe which was rectified after investigation.

I appreciate that this is a pain in the rear, but it is one of the only way I can see of identifying what might be the cause. Unfortunately I don’t use a sand box application, much less GreenBorder, so I don’t know about its technicalities.

This would also be better if one of the Alwil team would investigate as they are the people who know the inner workings of avast, whilst I’m just an avast user like yourself.

7

David, thanks for your input. I have decided to give NOD 32 a try

Neil