Been having an issue for some time where Windows 7 (32bit and 64 bit) and Windows Vista computers in a domain environment are getting stuck at the Please wait… screen. Has happened with many of our clients, but only Windows 7/Vista machines with EPSP installed in a domain environment. It also only seems to happen after a reboot due to Windows Updates being installed. We’ve been able to fix this 2 different ways: booting into safe mode a random amount of times to allow Windows Updates to revert or booting into safe mode and removing avast! using ASWCLEAR. Windows Updates seem to install afterwards and avast! may be re-installed without issue.
We’ve seen the same issue here, although so far only on Win7 PCs. As per your experience, a random number of reboots into safe mode does seem to sort it out.
I hadn’t considered Avast could be a factor but it has to be said that we’ve recently moved from Avast 4 to 7 and the problem does seem to have appeared since then.
When the next PC goes I’ll try removing Avast and see what happens.
Short version is if you have windows 7 or later, set the avast! net service to delayed start, and yes we’ve had the issue here in the past, always after a Microsoft patch tuesday…
We have a rather new deployment of avast and seem to be getting hit by this, although not really related to windows updates as those are turned off. At this point what is the suggested workaround, just delay start the avast netservice ? Or do we also need to set the regular avast server to manual startup going on the idea that the netservice will start the regular avast service ? Is there anyway to change the startup type of the avast service when windows is running ? I receive an access is denied message when trying it as the local admin on the pc.
Same issue here. We’re a larger shop with new EPS clients that were installed as an upgrade over Avast 4.8 Pro. This past week we’ve had 5 clients with “Please Wait” stuck on Windows 7. Typically we restart the computer in Safe Mode, then reboot out back to Normal Mode to get it booted correctly. In one case we had to completely uninstall Avast EPS client, reboot into Normal Mode and re-install. Then it seems to work okay. Getting annoying though…
Are you getting repeat’s, where it is happening to the same people over and over ? I have noticed using manual for avast and delayed start for avast client service, if you leave the machine running for 5 minutes or so, the services then start before logging on (which is a problem if it is the first boot after booting into safe mode). It seems once its gets stuck, you get in and start things correctly it is then ok, but for how long I don’t know, we are not far enough into it at this point. I agree that it is getting annoying and there needs to be a better resolution.
Once in safe mode, we were setting avast! Antivirus to manual and avast! Enterprise Client Services to automatic-delayed. The Enterprise Client depends on avast! Antivirus so it will start that one once it tries to start itself. I was doing this based on the suggestion in another post here. Only problem with this obviously is that you have no AV running until the services start.
We are a school and in the initial testing of using Avast.
I had not put 2 and 2 together until this thread. I have over 90 computers doing this right now. Going to each machine and manually changing the startup of Avast is really not a good option… neither is having 3 labs down at the moment.
Changing the services to Manual and Delay Start does appear to solve the problem.
We have seen this in every customer site affecting literally hundreds of pcs. We see the problem not only in Windows 7 and Vista, but we believe it also manifests itself in Windows XP as being stuck at “applying computer settings”
Agree with carbm1- when you have tens of computers affected at the same time it is embarrassing for us as we recommended avast, and/or costly for the client who will have to pay for all the unnecessary repeat work.
The workaround of delaying services for most enterprises it is a BIG problem as there is no AV running until the services start! Also this doesn’t work in XP as there is no option to delay start services.
We’ve already had one customer who smelled a rat and told us he knows this didn’t happen before installing avast- so he has demanded we either fix it now or remove avast!
Where is Avast development on this issue? Please fix this so we can sell more avast!
Try adding the \* in the File System shield expert settings and enabling the ‘Load avast! services after loading other system services’ option in the program settings(top-right SETTINGS button > Troubleshooting).
CA eTrustITM 8.1 - altough I’m wondering if for the purposes of this question the previous version should be considered “avast business protection 6…” which was the version prior to v7 that is experincing the please wait issue. If avast 6 is the issue, no we relied upon it’s ability to upgrade itself and did not perform a full rip and replace upgrade between 6 and 7…
Yes, we redirect my documents and appdata.
and… the load after other services option was previously tested to have no impact on the issue… Unless somehow that can work in tandem with the network path exlusion you suggest. ??
By the way… This seems a little dangerous to me as a solution for people who redirect shell folders. You are allowing the file system sheild to be bypassed potentially for the following list of locations in the user profile:
Application Data
Desktop
My Documents folder
My Pictures folder
Start menu
In my travels I know I’ve seen malicous code in at least 4 out of 5 of those locations. anyone reading this thread wants to consider it carefully before making changes.
Yes it is dangerous as every exclusions you add in the software…
It’s not a solution, but a basic troubleshooting step for finding the root of the problem.
Regarding your comment above for the previous antivirus:
Are you sure that the CA is fully uninstalled from the system? I would suggest you to check the loaded drivers, modules and services under the ‘Software Environment’ branch of the MS System Information Utility(msinfo32).