Virus Chest will not work

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
1

Hello,

I scanned my computer and some Malware files were detected, I moved them to the Virus Chest. Later on I tried restoring them back to where they came from.

But when I did, it did not work and there was an error in the Virus Chest that said:

“Program cannot use Chest client: (null)
—>Description: Virus chest server is not running. RPC communication failed.”

Now every time I open the Virus Chest this error window comes up with this info and the chest will not open or work.

I tried uninstalling and reinstalling but it still will not work.

If anybody can help me it would be greatly appreciated

Avast 4.7

Thank you

Troy

2

Any other antivirus installed in this computer?
Did you have in the past?
Seems a conflict with another software…

You shouldn’t do that… most probably you’ve removed your Chest files and deleted them…
How many files do you have in the folder: \Data\Chest ?

3

Hello,

Thanks for your help.

Any other antivirus installed in this computer? Did you have in the past?

I only Have Avast

Before Avast I had E-trust, but I completely removed it from my computer before I installed Avast.

How many files do you have in the folder: \Data\Chest?

There is only one file: index.xml

Also, I’m running WinXP SP2 on my computer if that will help.

Thanks again

4

Try a repair of avast. Add Remove programs, select ‘avast! Anti-Virus,’ click the Change/Remove button and scroll down to Repair, click next and follow. You need to be on-line to do this.

However, I’m not to hopeful that this will work as an uninstall boot an reinstall should have resolved it, so it might well be an issue with the OS RPC files. A google search for RPC communication failed returns many hits.

A forums search also returns many hits for RPC communication failed but most of these offer the same advice, other AVs, Repair, Reinstall, etc. and apart from Repair you have tried the other option.

Do you have a network running on your system ?
What is your firewall ?

5

Hello David,

Thanks for your help.

Running the repair tool does not work. reinstalling does not work as well.

Do you have a network running on your system ?

I have a small one, two computers connected through a router just for printing purposes, the other computer has Avast as well.

What is your firewall ?

I have just the standard WinXP firewall, nothing else.

6

Check the process explorer and make sure the rpc service (and other things that avast requires) are running.

7

Hello Eddy,

The following Processes are currently running.

ashWebSv.exe
ashMiaSv.exe
ashDisp.exe
ashServ.exe
aswUpdSv.exe

What do you suggest?

8

start > run > services.msc
Check there what processes are running, especially the RPC one

9

Hello Eddy,

There are 2 RPC files running in services.msc, one is a Locator file.

Thanks for your help

10

Hello,

Just an update

Has anybody figured out what needs to be done to fix my Virus Chest?

Does anybody know of an Avast clean up tool so that I can make sure that when I un-install Avast that every file will be removed.

Thanks again

11
  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
  5. Install again by this command on the folder you’ve donwload and save the install file: setupeng.exe /forceinstall
    Where setupeng.exe is the name of the executable

I suppose it left trash behing it…

Anyway, if you reinstall avast like above, will the problem be solved?

12

Thanks Tech for the advice,

I followed your instructions to no avail.

I do not understand why the Virus Chest will not work, even after I remove all the Avast files using the Avast un-install???

I even went through the registry my self removing any Avast files I could find.

I’m thinking about trying to install an older version to see if that does anything.

If any one has a clue as to what’s going on please let me know.

Thank you

13

Which one are you installing?

Directly running ashChest.exe won’t work?

14

I was going to install Avast32 thinking that was the only one that would work but I changed my mind and I’m not going to install the older version now.

Directly running ashChest.exe won't work?

Correct

15

No, please, do not install avast32… it’s not under development anymore… your avast 4.7 should, have to, work…
At least go to http://www.filehippo.com/download_avast_antivirus/ and download an earlier 4.7 version but not the 32 version.

16

Thanks I’ll do that

One things for sure, my Avast still works. It’s just that the virus chest will not.

I found a “test virus” and every thing works but it does not have the choice to send the virus to the virus chest.

17

Troy, delete all the folder: \DATA\chest
And try again… :wink:

18

I made a mistake,

I went to http://www.eicar.org/anti_virus_test_file.htm and tried all of their virus’s some of them just said delete connection and another one did say put it into the virus chest. but when I tried to put in the virus chest I got the following error.

also, I removed the Virus Chest file in the Data folder as you said before the virus test and got the same error.

"avast!: Virus chest server is not running. RPC communication failed."
19

Hello,

Another update

I completely un-installed Avast using the un-install program, I then went through the computer myself looking for any residual files.

Then I installed an older version: Avast 4.6.652

This did not fix the Virus Chest

So as a result, I will use Avast anyway. If I get a Virus I will just delete it.

In the future if Avast causes any problems for me I’ll just get a different Anti-virus program.

If anybody has any idea’s as to how to fix my Virus Chest just let me know and I’ll try it.

Thanks for all your help

20

Well you also have a move/rename and repair (if the infected file is one that can be repaired) options, see example image. These are preferable to deletion, they at least give you options and time to investigate. With the move option you have to make a not of where it was located as the move folder is outside the chest, so if you need to move it back you have to know where to send it.