System crashes with Avast

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

Greetings everyone :

  I do not use Zone Alarm nor has it been installed with my present installati

Avast was doing fine until recently or last month I start having problems . When I updated to the news version I started having system freezes & crashes . I also noticed the red_circle_bar today . I made an attempt to start Avast from “Services” , but all that happened was my system crashed . I have been using Avast now for over a year , and have never seen this
kind of problem before.

  I checked the "Event Viewer" , and found where Avast was filled with "red_X's where it was in trouble.  Something about  asm_scan or something like that .

  I checked the "Event Viewer" for "System" , and I seen where Avast was killing some of the loadings of other .dlls for video , and creating event logs.

" The following boot-start or system-start driver(s) failed to load:
atitray
Fips
IPSec
MRxSmb
NetBIOS
NetBT
Processor
RasAcd
Rdbss
Tcpip "

It was reaking havic with the entire system almost .

So I decided to uninstall Avast completely. After doing so I decided to check the system registry to see if it truly uninstalled its footprint there . I found it had not done so . I am wondering if Avast might have corrupted itself , and the registry ?

Anyway I left it alone , and proceeded to download the newest version of Avast from the Avast_website ; after cleaning all temporary internet folders , and cookies , and defragging the system .

After making sure the system was as clean as possible as stated above I installed the newly downloaded Avast . After rebooting from the install I was faced with the same situation ; system freeze . I rebooted again an everything seemed ok
then all of a sudden the system crashed . I uninstalled Avast again .
Unforunately the last uninstall wiped out the “event log” for Avast . I did not think it would do that .

I am currently without protection , but I am able to write this report without my system crashing . My system is working fine now, but Avast is not on the system
now .

I do not understand what has happened as Avast was working ok in the past . Has anyone got an idea of what is going on here .
Please help . Wayne .

2

Could you be more precise? I can’t found anything related to asm_scan …

For sure avast does not mess the Registry. If something is left behind, just follow:

  1. Uninstall avast from Control Panel first.
  2. Boot
  3. Use Avast Uninstall for complete uninstallation (read http://www.avast.com/eng/avast_uninstall_util.html)
  4. Boot

No, for sure… I have uninstalled avast a lot of times, it never deleted the Windows Events…
Something else is messing your computer… are you sure this is avast related?

3

This is the report provided by the “Event Viewer” just after a reboot from an install.

AAVM - initialization error: AavmStart: avworkInitialize failed, 0000A413.

I used the uninstaller you directed me to . I also used the URL below to conduct actions listed on this web page , but it did not work .
http://www.avast.com/eng/faq-red-circle.html

I am using the newest downloaded version of Avast . I cannot imagine there is something wrong with AVAST , as it has always performed just fine . I never had problems others have posted . If I am doing something wrong to cause this I am at a loss to see it at the moment . I mean Avast has been doing just fine on this system of mine . I am baffled .

Here is the list from the “Event Viewer” showing the order in which it is displayed
starting from the aswServ:AavmStart Error at the bottom coming upward .

  1. Function setifaceUpdatePackages() has failed. Return code is 0x000004C7, dwRes is 000004C7.

  2. The virus database (VPS 0610-1) was automatically updated.

  3. AAVM - initialization error: AavmStart: avworkInitialize failed, 0000A413.

  4. aswServ::AavmStart ERROR.

Another thing I forgot to show is this : When I click on the Avast ball in the “task-bar” a window jumps up displaying this on the desktop ;

" AAVM Subsystem detected a RPC error "

I assume this has to do with a Remote Proceedure Call . These two RPC services listed in “SERVICES” are not disabled . In fact the system cannot function if they are as these are absolutely “ESSENTIAL” . I am still baffled . Please help .

4

I am happy to report I found out what AVAST wanted … Apparently it discovered
something it wanted to tell me , but did not have the direct means to spell it out
to me .

I set the bios to default settings . Apparently the newest version does not like
optimized settings as I had no complaints from other versions of Avast before .
This is what baffled me because I had been using optimized settings before I downloaded & installed the newest version of Avast . This is what threw me off .
There is nothing wrong with the Avast newest version … it just wants to run slower to do its job .

I wish I had the older version , but it is gone now . Cheers everyone

5

Which is your sensitivity level for Standard Shield? High or Normal?

6

I don’t think that the optimised settings were directly responsible, but during a scan your system is put under load, this and the slight oveclocking of the memory could possibly cause a crash.

  1. I used to have my BIOS settings optimised which boosted my Front Side Bus (FSB) speed by about 2% the knock on effect of this is that it is directly relevant to your memory speed. However, I never had any problems during scans or any that you mentioned here.

That 2% increase multiplied by the CPU clock multiplier is applied to the memory bus if that is well in excess of your memories speed rating then it will crash.

This happened to me because I also bumped up the clock multiplier and the memory just couldn’t take it, so I had to ease back on the FSB optimisation and multiplier I used to get it to run stably

If your memory is in anyway flawed or suspect you are likely to get crashes. Unfortunately the errors given rarely indicate memory directly.

I’m glad that you have at least found a resolution to the problem.

7

Greetings DavidR , and Tech :

 I want to post a .gif image , but could not get it to do a posting to this reply.

However, I put Avast into the “normal” setting , and then I went into the
bios of this DFI Ut 250gb motherboard . In the bios I increased the memory
a little to 222MHz . The memory I am using is PC4400 , and is designed to run
at 277MHz , but like you said DavidR , up or down, it has to be just right . I raised
it a little so I am not running total defaults now .

 The CPU is running at 2.0 GHz normally .  I don't know what happened , but I figured your correct DavidR on the settings .  It is running well now , but now

I don’t have to set here any longer , and flip my lips stressing over it … LOL .

 So far the "MemoryTester" provided in the bios shows no errors yet , but that does not mean anything yet .

We can buy new hardware , and it still be defective . Just to be sure I put a new
power supply in last night . Those things can freak-out also without warning .

At my age I can remember how Televison_Sets would do. The picture could actup real bad then clear up . I take the TV to the shop , but the Tech could not find the problem.
Finally he’d say just wait til it goes bad completely .

My voltage rails did not seem be real low, but they were off a little . My 3.3volts
was down to 3.27volts , and changing ( flipping ) up , and down a lot . In fact all of the voltages were down a tiny bit .

I got suspect of it . After what went on I could not ignor it any longer .

I mean if the voltage is not stable enough one can experience strange anomalies . As I write the last few words in this posting I am beginning to think it’s been a hardware problem the more I think about it from what you are saying .
I’m banking on this as being the problem now as it happened all of a sudden , and there
were not problems before … I’m hoping anyway . I hope it is not a memory stick .
I’m hoping it is was just the power supply . I think your correct … yep .
No it’s not Avast it’s hardware … that is the only thing that makes any sense now .
The change was to sudden with no warning . All working well then boom !

Yea … the more I think about it … yea … because like you said DavidR Avast puts a load on this system , and gives it a work out .

That is why I could say my other programs were running just fine because they were not putting a real constant load on the system which would require a heavy or more power draw. The other programs were not running constantly just setting there waiting for a short duration run .
Yep … I bet it was my power supply . It’s replaced now .

I wish we could get a system that would send us alerts on stuff like this . I mean
really … how many folks check this stuff every other day . I mean if the system is feeling
bad I don’t want to second guess it I want it to warn me . Look at me … the first thing
I suspected was a virus … then I blamed Avast … I did not even think about hardware.

Posting stuff on these forums forces one to think through stuff . This is a good deal .

That truly was a wild situation going on . I appreciate you guys being there .
Cheers !!!

8

Well we’re happy that you find the ‘guilty’ boy here :slight_smile:

9

Hardware problem are probably the hardest to track down, once I tried to help a friend with a hardware issue, unfortunately there aren’t many way of testing components. Before long you can easily end up with a new computer ;D if you haven’t got a means of swapping components without having to buy something just to fault find, expensive.

The PSU is at the heart of a good system and many neglect it as it comes with their cheap case or with an off the shelf computer. The manufactures are working to a price point and to meet that they often forget one of the most important components, the PSU. Having stable voltages is essential to maintaining a stable system. I spent £70 on my Antec True Power 480 some time ago and that was money well spent.

If a PSU actually dies in use it can take out many system components, motherboard, CPU, video card, etc. the collective cost of those far exceeds having a good PSU.