Unauthorised Avast "update" destroyed my windows installation

OS: Windows XP Professional x64 edition

So I did a clean install of XP x64 and installed Avast 8.0.1497 as version 9 has that horrible metro UI and breaks certain core components (IE x64 for one).

I then decided to add the “Pirate Talk” interface language however rather than just installing the language pack Avast took it upon itself to “upgrade” to version 9.

After the reboot I tried to uninstall Avast but the process never completed even after leaving it overnight (and it couldn’t be cancelled) and now the computer can’t login to a user account.

Gee, thanks guys …

Can you access safe mode? http://www.avast.com/uninstall-utility