Safe zone problem (SOLVED!)

I run two computers, one using Windows XP and the other Vista. I have Avast Pro on both of them. Up until recently Safe Zone worked on both of them, but now the one on the Vista comp seems unusable. What happens is I get a large white box in the middle of the screen saying “The c:\sfzone_profile\default\Session Storage\000037.sst folder does not exist. Do you want to create it?”

Under that is “000037 Type: Microsoft Serialized CertificateStore Size 471 bytes Date modified 11/02/2014 9:08am”

There is below that a “Yes” and a “No” button. Clicking either of these, (or just clicking the red cross at the top right of the box), just makes the box reappear, no matter how many times I click on it. It won’t go away. The only way to get rid of it is to close Safe Zone completely.

In looking for the folder mentioned, neither of my computers seem to have it, but on my XP computer Safe Zone works as it should.

As Microsoft support for XP will shortly be discontinued I wish to switch all online activity to the Vista machine, so need to fix this problem. Can anyone help please?

  1. Repair avast install. Start>Control Panel> Programs and Features > Avast > choose repair.

  2. If that fails make a fresh install.

See if a repair solves it.
Control panel > programs > avast > add/remove < choose repair

If it doesn’t:

  1. Download Avastclear, Rejzors uninstall tool and the appropriate Avast program edition.
    Here are the installer links. Note: You need to be ONLINE during this install.
    http://files.avast.com/iavs9x/avast_free_antivirus_setup_online.exe
    http://files.avast.com/iavs9x/avast_pro_antivirus_setup_online.exe
    http://files.avast.com/iavs9x/avast_internet_security_setup_online.exe
    http://files.avast.com/iavs9x/avast_premier_antivirus_setup_online.exe

Avastclear : http://files.avast.com/iavs9x/avastclear.exe
Rejzors Uninstall tool: http://rejzor.wordpress.com/avast-cleanup-tool/

  1. Uninstall Avast by control panel [If you don’t have Avast in control Panel go to #4]
  2. Uninstall in Safe Mode using Avastclear.
    http://www.avast.com/uninstall-utility
  3. Run Rejzors Uninstall Utility in Normal Mode (removes traces avastclear doesn’t) - reboot.
    http://rejzor.wordpress.com/avast-cleanup-tool/
  4. Be Sure Too Check Once Uninstall is Complete:Device Manager>View>Show Hidden Devices
    If there is anything related to Avast with a yellow triangle then uninstall it (highlight, right click) and reboot.
  5. Install the version you downloaded.
  6. Reboot.

offline installers:
http://files.avast.com/iavs9x/avast_free_antivirus_setup.exe
http://files.avast.com/iavs9x/avast_pro_antivirus_setup.exe
http://files.avast.com/iavs9x/avast_internet_security_setup.exe
http://files.avast.com/iavs9x/avast_premier_antivirus_setup.exe

That was quick. Thanks guys, I’ll give those a try.

Delete/repair didn’t work in Programs and Features so I went for your solution Eddie.

This worked in that I got rid of the existing install and successfully loaded a new one. I can now get Safezone to work without the error message. Thanks for the help with that Eddie; much appreciated.

I do have one problem and I think I can see why it is happening…
My paid subscription still has 87 days to run, but when I entered the number during the install it printed it in Red and wouldn’t proceed beyond that point. I backed out and next time round asked for a trial subscription. I think the reason is that I have Avast Pro installed on the allowed two computers. This is one of them and I am reinstalling to overcome the Safezone problem. Is there a way around this?

Ok, one problem down… One to go :slight_smile:

If you don’t have it anymore in your mail (or on a drive or something), request your license file:
http://www.avast.com/resend-license-paid.php

When received, start avast > settings > subscription > insert license file

Let’s see if that solves it.

There was probably a easier way to solve this, under safezone settings there should be an option to reset it back to default options though I dont know where exactly as its been a couple years since I have used the pro version, and the ui has changed quite a bit since then.

you mean this? http://www.avast.com/faq.php?article=AVKB17 scroll down to the bottom

Thanks guys. Eddie, I do have the licence number, (It is on my other machine). When I go to Settings/Security I get the page illustrated in the attachment ‘License1’ and on clicking on “Insert License file” I get the second, ‘License2’. I don’t seem to be able to insert the number. I can navigate to various folders on the computer but can’t see how that helps.

If it’s a number it will be “Insert activation code”

It’s on the same setting you screenshotted.

I’ve already tried that Alikhan. It says it is an invalid number. The box seems to expect three sets of five digits, but my customer number is three sets of three digits. As I said earlier, the problem may be that one account can be set up on no more than two computers. I had it on two, but one of these is the one I had to reinstall due to the Safe Zone problem mentioned at the start of this thread.

Customer number is not the same as license number.
Have the license file resend to you and use that.

Thanks so much Eddie. All done, or as AVAST! would say, “everything is good.”

You told me to do that way back, but I didn’t as I thought I had the number.

Cheers, Bill

Using Eddy’s methodology, I got SafeZone working on our PC. TY, Eddy!

When I exit SafeZone, however, no program will run (including the Avast Management console). Trying to exit Windows elicits a message that EXPLORER.EXE is busy - and it keeps on being busy, until a hard power off or reset.

Anyone have a clue about why this occurs? Specs are Vista 32-bit SP2, E8400, 2Gb RAM, Avast! 9, .2018 release.

Let’s try something to rule certain things out:
1 Boot your system
2 Wait e.g. 5 minutes, so we know for sure everything is loaded.
3 Shut down the system.
Any problems?

If so, tell them.
If not try this:
1 Boot your system
2 Wait e.g. 5 minutes, so we know for sure everything is loaded.
3 Start safezone and do nothing in it.
4 Wait e.g. 2 minutes
5 Shut down safezone
6 Wait e.g. 2 minutes
7 Shutdown the system.
Any problems?
If so which one(s) ?

Next (we are almost there :wink: ),

  1. Boot your system
  2. Get and run OTL as described in this thread: http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=53253.0
    Don’t worry, I don’t expect malware at the moment.
    It is just to see what is running

This thread goes back to February. When I marked it ‘Solved’ what was solved was my problem getting Avast to accept my licence number. The SafeZone problem persisted and still does. I felt the people who tried to assist had done their best, and there was no use persisting with it here. I then posted a ticket at Avast and throughout the intervening period their tech guy tried very hard to help but to no avail. My problem was, (or rather is as I still have it). exactly as you describe djh53. What I have done is stop using SafeZone and ask for my money back. My intention is to use Avast Free until I next buy a new computer and then try it again. I figure it is a Vista problem and will not be there with Windows 8 or later. So far no money back, but my ticket has progressed from ‘Received’ to ‘Open’.

Bill

Let’s try something to rule certain things out:
1 Boot your system
2 Wait e.g. 5 minutes, so we know for sure everything is loaded.
3 Shut down the system.
Any problems?
No problems

If so, tell them.
If not try this:
1 Boot your system
2 Wait e.g. 5 minutes, so we know for sure everything is loaded.
3 Start safezone and do nothing in it.
4 Wait e.g. 2 minutes
5 Shut down safezone
6 Wait e.g. 2 minutes
7 Shutdown the system.
Any problems?
If so which one(s) ?
Same problem: EXPLORER.EXE hangs the PC. This time, PC was left on for 30 minutes after “Logging off…” msg appeared - still hangin’!

Next (we are almost there :wink: ),

  1. Boot your system
  2. Get and run OTL as described in this thread: http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=53253.0
    Don’t worry, I don’t expect malware at the moment.
    It is just to see what is running
    OTL logs produced, but I don’t see any way to attach them. What am I missing?

Eddy, OTL files attached. I had a lot of trouble with the video and audio challenges; hopefully this will get through. Bill, thanks for your feedback. FYI, Safezone works with Windows 7.

Eddy, I tried disabling DEP and re-booting - no joy, so DEP’s now back on default. Disabling UA could be an option, but I’m loathe to go there. I’ve also tried disabling the Avast! add-on for Firefox - again, didn’t win. FYI, Chrome is our default browser, but my wife likes Firefox so . . . .

Just to close my activity on this thread, I’ve now had approval of my refund and have uninstalled Avast Pro and reinstalled Avast Free. Thanks to all for their efforts to help me solve the SafeZone thing.