1

I am getting a Service Control Manager (SCM) reported hang in my firewall at startup. Avast! is up and running and the symptom is much worse since the latest update (to 4.7.986). This first started some time ago and I was able to prevent it by clearing my Prefetch before shutting down. But since the latest avast! update I get the hang on almost every boot even with the Prefetch folder cleared before boot. The System log shows error 7022. I disabled my Interconnect connection (cable modem) and did not get the hang (only one reboot). I have delayed the check for avast! updates to 150 seconds via the avast4.ini file. My system does recover from this hang and the firewall starts and runs normally. I assume the SCM attempts to restart the FW after a time out. The only real symptom is a long boot and an error in the System log.
I do not know what is causing this but I suspect it is an interaction between avast! and some other program. I have stopped as many startup items as I can identify.
I hope someone can give me some suggestions.
Thanks…JohnHC

Windows XP Pro x64 Edition
avast! Home 4.7.986

2

Try going to avast settings, Troubleshooting page and check the “Delay loading of avast services” box. Chances are it will help.

Thanks
Vlk

3

Thanks Vlk, That is a great suggestion and just the thing I think I have been looking for.
I do have some questions:
Will avast! be active before my Internet connection is open?
Have you or others seen similar problems that this delay has corrected?
Do you know the nature of the conflict?
Thanks much…JohnHC

4

Sure.

Yes. That is the reason of that ‘delay’, allowing other Microsoft services to load first and safe, as far I know.

I let this to him ;D

5

After one reboot, all went well. Of course, this is a very small sample. I will keep an eye on it and post again as needed.
Thanks much, Tech and Vlk!

6

After a number of boots, I have seen no SCM hangs. I have been clearing my prefetch before I shutdown. I will get brave enough to let the prefetch go one of these days.
Checking the option Vlk suggested prompts the obvious question:
What is the downside of this option? If there is none, why is ‘Delay loading…’ not the default?
Thanks again to Vlk and Tech…JohnHC

7

The speeding up of avast loading is a new addition to the latest program updates, some however have experienced a problem with other services loading later. The Troubleshooting option effectively reverts to not speeding up the loading of avast services.

For the majority of people the speeding up of the loading of avast services isn’t a problem.