[RESOLVED] Weird problem with probably the newest version of Avast Home

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

I have a problem and the reason for it really starting to point at the newest update.

The problem started today or yesterday(I don’t remember when exactly I update the program(today or yesterday).
The problem is that randomly everything start to give me errors(wrong icons on folders,black icons on programs,missing text in context menu,missing text in programs\dialogs,errors while trying start programs,missing files(which are actually there)and so on)

I have 4 suspects but for now it really looks like that avast is the reason(I downgrade to 7.0.1426)
1.The newest avast…I had similar problems but they existed only one program,not everywhere and the reason was other program(they don’t get along very well)

2.TClock2 - replacement for the tray clock…sometimes problems appear because of it but only on two programs.If I turn it off,I won’t have any problems with them

3.A script that I’m using for AutoHotKey.

4.StatBar…I’m using this program from a really long time…I have some problems with it but they come from TClock2(missing menus text)

I updated from 1426 to the newest by using the automatic update and when the update finish,I restarted the PC.

Since the problems started I first tried to not use TClock2(restart the PC and didn’t start the program)but the problem appear again

The next step was to remove avast(using the uninstaller from here in safe mode)and then installing 1426 in normal mode and then restart and restore all of my settings.

It’s been 7 hours till now and not a single problem appear(TClock2 is still not running but I don’t remember having so many problems when I was using it before along with avast 1426)

I also had an error in the Error Log when I was using 1451
The aswSnx service failed to start due to the following error:
The specified procedure could not be found.

After a restart,everything is temporary magically repaired.

I’m using Windows XP SP2

Edit:Hmm,this really look like my problem
http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=100405.0
and some of the errors were memory related too
http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=100359.0

2

Same Problem here. But I don’t have TClock2.
After temporarily disabling Avast, everything’s fine.

Hoping for a fix…
FR

p.s. funny enough, it was a bug just like this one after an update of AntiVir, that bought me to Avast…

3

Seems alot of users with same issue. Non useable OS after upgrade to 1451. :-
http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=100247.225

4

BTW I also have another long time problem…I’m using avast since 4.8 but I never get a popup when a new program version is available.
I have the popup when the autoudapte finish disabled(I only use the sounds\voices for that).

I always find that there is a new version if I see it in some site or check in the Current Status page of the avast gui

The option for program update is set to “Ask when an update is available”

5

You need to upgrade to SP3. Reboot.

You may also need to run an Avast Repair to fix your update issue:

XP Users:

  • Go to Control Panel > Add/Remove programs > Avast Antivirus.
  • Scroll down and choose Repair function in the pop-up window.
  • Reboot.

Vista & Win7 Users:

  • Control Panel
  • Programs & Features
  • Uninstall a Program > Select Avast Antivirus
  • Click the Change/Remove button and scroll down to Repair
  • Click Next and follow.
  • Reboot.

There should be a fix in some glitches of v. 1451 sometime this week, but we are not aware of the details. See if doing the above helps you while you are using v. 1426 in the meantime and report back. Thank you.

6

Why,is there is anything special in it that will make that feature work…I don’t plan to just update because there is no MS support for it.I’m using SP2 for more than 6 years and I have yet to find a reason why should I update…the same applies to the windows automatic updates

I don’t see anything interesting in the info about what’s in SP3.

.
Like I said above,I made a complete uninstall of the newest avast and installed the old one but I still don’t get any notifications\popups that a new version is available.

7

When you uninstalled, did you uninstall ALL versions of Avast you had in your machine and reboot in between each uninstall?

8

I have only Avast Home,nothing else(including nothing else external for protection…just the windows firewall(if you call this a protection)).
I booted in safe mode,started the uninstaller,choose Avast Home\Pro\Internet Security,choose the folder where Avast is and click on the uninstall button.
After a while I got a prompt and after that everything(program files,registry,settings and so on)was deleted.

When I close the uninstaller restarted the PC.
When windows loaded I run the 1426 installer,choose the modules I want to be installed and install the program.After the installation I restarted the PC and then reconfigure everything manually(not by using the option that allows you to restore the settings…I didn’t even backup my settings before uninstalling avast)

Oh and btw is there is something that can be done about this…even if I’m registered,if I remove and install avast again,I have to register again.

9

I am soon to sign offline. My questions to you:

  1. Did you use the uninstaller link I gave you or a different one? The one I gave you is the newest one and has options for different versions.

  2. Since you had other versions in your machine, you need to uninstall ALL of them (example v.4, v.5, v.6, v. 7) with a reboot and then uninstall the next version in between.

  3. If you are using the Free version, when the GUI asks you to register your product, just put in the same email address while you are ONLINE and you should be fine…you expiration date will just be extended.

10

Does this problem still exist after doing a clean install? If it does, can you check to make sure you have the following settings checked off:
Open the Avast GUI > Settings > Updates > Programs (check to see if either Automatic or Ask When Update is Available) are checked off. Thank you.

11

1.I don’t see a link in your posts but I used this
http://www.avast.com/uninstall-utility

2.I don’t have other versions,I have Avast Home v.7 only and if I remember correctly after reinstalling windows I installed Avast Home 6 and when 7 was released,I installed it by using the update feature.

I had some auto starting processes on files that does not exist(they were part of avast 6)but after the uninstall everything were fine.

3.Ok

Yes,I still don’t get notifications about a program updates after the uninstall and doing clean install and it’s set to
Ask When Update is Available…I set it to that

12

  1. You have the correct link for the Avast Uninstall Tool.

  2. You should be OK then with your uninstalls.

I don’t know why this is happening unless it is conflicting with another program. The only thing I can suggest is to try a Repair or another clean install. Perhaps someone else will have more insight as I am out of ideas on this one. I know there is no more support on TClock2.

  1. What is your OS BTW?

I will be signing off now, but others will be here to assist you. I will check back later to see how you are doing.

13

Why again,I already made a clean install and it’s not like I’m using avast from yesterday…I’ve never ever got a single notification when I new version is available…I have only when I major release is available(4=>5=>6=>7).
Or maybe that’s how this option works?

BTW I don’t get notifications about program update even if I enable all notifications and restart the PC without starting any of my programs.

You quote that in your first post

14

I think it has to do with avast suddenly prohibiting access to some files.
My computer started acting weird and I had no clue what it was. Only when my Itunes couldn’t access its files anymore (Error1450) I found a hint on the internet that the virus scanner could be the culprit.

So, in summary, I think it blocks access to some files that are essential to running Itunes/flash/even my desktop. (If I move an Icon, it won’t save it’s new position and revert to the old one after reboot)

I’ll try the “repair” later on, but honestly, judging by the feedback here something deeper is amiss.

Just my 2p,
FR

15

@ vsub,

I apologize for asking your OS again. You have SP2 instead of SP3. Upgrading to the current software makes it less likely to get malware, but you made it clear in your previous post that you did not want to do this, so I will not bring up this issue any more.

You misinterpreted my last post. I simply said that I am out of ideas at this point and another Evang. should pick up on this thread with other suggestions if they have any. However as schmidthouse pointed out in the previous quote by force_redo, there are other users with similar problems using v.1451.

You are free to submit a mini-dump file for Avast to analyze your problem. Here is additional information on how to invoke a memory dump file: http://support.avast.com/index.php?_m=knowledgebase&_a=viewarticle&kbarticleid=71.

Please, zip and upload the C:\Windows\Memory.dmp file to this anonymous ftp server and name it uniquely giving us the name of the file in this thread: ftp.avast.com/incoming. Avast will analyze it and respond back to you in this thread. Thank you.

16

My only problem(not really a problem)with Avast now is that I don’t get notifications when a new version is released.
I don’t plan on updating again to 1451 until avast team fix the problem(my pc becomes completely unusable when I use 1451)

17

I don’t know why you are not getting the updates for the programs. You could submit a ticket for this issue if you like, but only submit it once; submitting more than once puts you at the bottom of the pile.

I don’t blame you for waiting on updating again to the newer version. ::slight_smile:

18

Hmm,looks like I needed the clean reinstall(the first time that is,not again)
A popup just appeared that a new version of the program is available.

I doubt this is the reason but…is it possible to be because I change the auto-update check to 1440 minutes(one day).
I don’t think it is because:
1.Sometimes I leave my pc on for more than 24 hours
2.After almost every restart\log in,hibernate,I see that the avast.setup process is started.

I get the message couple of minutes after the up time reach 1 day

19

Well that’s good that you got the notification! :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:

This is probably the fix in the glitches that Avast was talking about.

If you leave your machine on that long, I hope you are cleaning it out regularly with something like CCleaner as well.

20

Like the saying goes…I know my pc like the back of my hand :p.
I have CCleaner but that program is useless or I just don’t have the problems that the program is searching for.

The only things that the program find are things that are recreated really quickly…like mru or unused file extensions and junk like that,nothing that can be considered a problem(like missing dds,activex problems,applications paths and so on)

I don’t use such programs and every time before I install something,I first check it on a virtual pc to see what will install,what it will change in the registry and what it will auto start with windows