Updated avast and no programs open - PAID Support BROKE my PC

system · 2017-03-06T04:12:07.000Z

WOW.

They are now saying they are going to reinstall windows 7 cos nothing is working.

They suggest I will have to load up all my programs again, from scratch. Another 2 hours of windows 7 install from USB.

WTF?

Eddy · 2017-03-06T08:06:40.000Z

Contact avast and ask your money back for that horrible support.

Right now, I would say install Windows from scratch.
Who knows what else that wannabe ( not Wallaby ;D ) tech has messed up.

Format the drive
Install Windows
Install the latest drivers for all devices
Create the user accounts that/how you want
Install the applications that you normally are using (for all accounts)
Make changes in the settings if you wish to do so (e.g. other background, font type etc)
Put back data (if you want)
Create a image of the drive

With the image you can restore a system in (depending on the speed of the system) 10 - 40 minutes.
Much faster than installing Windows and everything from scratch.

system · 2017-03-06T09:59:21.000Z

Eddy post:26:

Contact avast and ask your money back for that horrible support.

Right now, I would say install Windows from scratch.
Who knows what else that wannabe ( not Wallaby ;D ) tech has messed up.

Format the drive

Install Windows

Install the latest drivers for all devices

Create the user accounts that/how you want

Install the applications that you normally are using (for all accounts)

Make changes in the settings if you wish to do so (e.g. other background, font type etc)

Put back data (if you want)

Create a image of the drive

With the image you can restore a system in (depending on the speed of the system) 10 - 40 minutes.
Much faster than installing Windows and everything from scratch.

Hey Eddy
Thanks for being awesome. Very much appreciated. Nice Wallaby joke too. Very cool.
I’m taking your suggestion and going ahead with what you suggest.
I managed to view the SSD hard drive on another PC and copy my files from it across.
I had just upgraded from 120SSD to 240SSD. So my old 120SSD is already formatted. I might put Win 7 back on that.
Then keep my 240 for another build.
No matter what, it seems all the programs I had installed will have to be put back on from scratch. Bummer.
That’s the toughest part. The time needed to reinstall win 7 and then load all my programs back on.
Again I truly appreciate your follow up.
Thanks
Ash.

Eddy · 2017-03-06T10:04:40.000Z

Yes it will take some time to do everything, but the goods news is that you have a smooth running system again without any pollution

system · 2017-03-06T10:16:50.000Z

Hey Eddy
Might be a silly question, but what anti virus would you suggest if I reinstall win 7 64bit?

Eddy · 2017-03-06T10:39:16.000Z

Depends if you want a free one or a paid one.
Free > avast
Paid > Kaspersky

system · 2017-03-06T11:24:42.000Z

Eddy post:30:

Depends if you want a free one or a paid one.
Free > avast
Paid > Kaspersky

Thanks.
Not sure if my stress levels can handle anything to do with Avast or AVG again.
I have a call with tech support tomorrow for the format HDD and reinstall Win7. Will have to wait and see.
Cheers.

bob3160 · 2017-03-06T12:59:36.000Z

You might want to take a look at the following:
http://www.intowindows.com/how-to-reinstall-windows-10-without-losing-data/
If you’re really going to downgrade and need to re-install your favorite programs,
take a look at https://ninite.com/
Everything there is clean and, you can install many programs at once.

Eddy · 2017-03-06T13:11:01.000Z

Eh, Ashley is using Windows 7, not 10

Ashley, it isn’t hard to install Windows yourself.
No need to pay someone if it isn’t needed, right

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows7

Get the ISO
Create a bootable medium with it (USB/DVD)
Boot from it and follow the instructions on the screen

bob3160 · 2017-03-06T13:29:48.000Z

Eddy post:33:

Eh, Ashley is using Windows 7, not 10

Ashley, it isn’t hard to install Windows yourself.
No need to pay someone if it isn’t needed, right

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows7

Get the ISO

Create a bootable medium with it (USB/DVD)

Boot from it and follow the instructions on the screen

Doesn’t change the use of https://ninite.com/ to make installing her programs easier.

Eddy · 2017-03-06T13:35:23.000Z

Why installing something that people don’t need at all ?
It is only polluting the system and there really is no need to do that.

bob3160 · 2017-03-06T13:37:31.000Z

Eddy post:35:

Why installing something that people don’t need at all ?
It is only polluting the system and there really is no need to do that.

What are you talking about ??? It’s a service not something that gets installed.

RejZoR · 2017-03-06T13:59:40.000Z

Ashley62 post:23:

This keeps going from bad to worse.
They got me to shut down the PC after the updates.
Then hold down the power button for 20 seconds to do a reset.
Now the PC keeps looping on startup.
Tries to start, goes to a blue screen for 1 second, then goes back to booting up. Just keeps looping like that.
Won’t even start in safe mode now. Keeps looping even when selecting safe mode.

This part confuses me the most. And this is probably what bricked the system. This is essentially hard reset which means data not written to actual disk was erased from caches and memory. Why on earth would anyone instruct your PC to be restarted in such a way? And if support really said that, then avast! team needs to have a serious chat with their staff (whoever runs this support).

system · 2017-03-06T21:29:24.000Z

RejZoR post:37:

Ashley62 post:23:

This keeps going from bad to worse.
They got me to shut down the PC after the updates.
Then hold down the power button for 20 seconds to do a reset.
Now the PC keeps looping on startup.
Tries to start, goes to a blue screen for 1 second, then goes back to booting up. Just keeps looping like that.
Won’t even start in safe mode now. Keeps looping even when selecting safe mode.

This part confuses me the most. And this is probably what bricked the system. This is essentially hard reset which means data not written to actual disk was erased from caches and memory. Why on earth would anyone instruct your PC to be restarted in such a way? And if support really said that, then avast! team needs to have a serious chat with their staff (whoever runs this support).

You are so correct Rejzor. I kept telling the technical supervisor that everything was still not working but we could login via safe mode etc UNTIL they did that.

The annoying thing was, all this support guy was supposed to be doing was getting me back in touch with my original support person.

Trust me, I have told the supervisor in no uncertain terms that everything went to ^$&* when that was done. I’d never heard of doing this before.

Once that ‘hold for 20 secs’ was done, everything changed. So bloody annoying.

system · 2017-03-06T21:32:45.000Z

Eddy post:33:

Eh, Ashley is using Windows 7, not 10

Ashley, it isn’t hard to install Windows yourself.
No need to pay someone if it isn’t needed, right

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows7

Get the ISO

Create a bootable medium with it (USB/DVD)

Boot from it and follow the instructions on the screen

Hi Eddy
You are right. They offered to walk me through the process. I’m just not sure how to format the current HDD. I know I can probably right click and then hit format, but I cannot even get to windows. All has to be done via the BIOS I guess? Or maybe go to the BIOS and tell it to boot from USB and then let Windows walk me through the process.

I have already downloaded Win 7 64 bit (ISO) to USB in preparation for the reinstall. 3gb file.

Will see how we go.
Thanks.

system · 2017-03-06T21:56:27.000Z

I am experiencing exactly the same problems with the latest version. I uninstalled Avast with Avast Clear in safe mode, reinstalled it–no help. It boots up to a black screen (resolved by a restart), then blocks (among others) cleanmgr, Task Manager, and even Sketchup. When I disable the shiieds, all these programs load perfectly.

system · 2017-03-06T23:50:29.000Z

b60 post:40:

I am experiencing exactly the same problems with the latest version. I uninstalled Avast with Avast Clear in safe mode, reinstalled it–no help. It boots up to a black screen (resolved by a restart), then blocks (among others) cleanmgr, Task Manager, and even Sketchup. When I disable the shiieds, all these programs load perfectly.

Sorry to hear. I feel your pain. So frustrating. I really wish I had a clear answer for you based on my experience, but as I type this I have just formatted my PC and had to reinstall Windows 7 from scratch.

Wasted a full day yesterday and a half day (so far) today. I will still have to load all my original files.

Be very careful of their support. DO NOT hold down the power button for 20 secs no matter what they say. Even the technical support manager confirmed that was the wrong thing for the technie to do.

Good luck with getting your system back up and working.

bob3160 · 2017-03-07T00:06:03.000Z

b60 post:40:

I am experiencing exactly the same problems with the latest version. I uninstalled Avast with Avast Clear in safe mode, reinstalled it–no help. It boots up to a black screen (resolved by a restart), then blocks (among others) cleanmgr, Task Manager, and even Sketchup. When I disable the shiieds, all these programs load perfectly.

Do you have any other security related software installed on your system ???

system · 2017-03-07T01:49:59.000Z

Eddy post:30:

Depends if you want a free one or a paid one.
Free > avast
Paid > Kaspersky

just curious Eddy, would you recommend the Win 7 Microsoft essentials anti virus at all? Just trying to consider all my options.

system · 2017-03-07T16:04:16.000Z

bob3160 post:42:

b60 post:40:

I am experiencing exactly the same problems with the latest version. I uninstalled Avast with Avast Clear in safe mode, reinstalled it–no help. It boots up to a black screen (resolved by a restart), then blocks (among others) cleanmgr, Task Manager, and even Sketchup. When I disable the shiieds, all these programs load perfectly.

Do you have any other security related software installed on your system ???

Windows firewall, Malwarebytes (free version), SpyShelter premium. But these had zero conflicts before the latest update. Since when I disable Avast all is normal and others are experiencing the same problem, the Avast programming is the culprit. I’ve contacted Avast support about the issue, but so far nothing.

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