Windows Vista 64bit freezes at the progress bar Avast 8 Final

Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security
61

I would assume the premium version has this vary aswVmm.sys service as part of the installation.
At best you might be just fine seeing the downloadable installation file is different form the Avast! Internet Security 8 setup-file.

It would be possible the setup will set the service startup type on Demand. If it also sets the REG_DWORD to boot you might have a freeze.

I myself can not even confirm if the service is to be set on Demand or Boot.
Practical experience showed me that working system had the service not running during boot up.

62

…well well…

Did a reboot because of an update for vista this night - baaamm - AVAST 7 installed version 8 and got stuck at the reboot once again…
Great, that it didn´t ask me before to update AVAST too! Boot was just meant to install this minor vista update…

So once again, safeboot, uninstall, aswclear, fetch the AVAST backup, install - ready :frowning:

Would be great to hear about a fix for Vista !!!

Unbelievable - never had a problem with AVAST since version 4 - now it seems to be “unfixable”?!

Another not amused user
S@uDepp

63

Did you try the fix I found to be working a earlier in this thread?
(Reply 57)

If it works let me know. It worked for me.

64

Still awaiting a fix.

I have re-instyalled avast 7.

Has anyone had help from avast that has made a difference?

65

I must confess that I had decided NOT to waste any more time on this issue, until Avast comes up with a fix to solve this annoying problem, until I read “CaptainLeonidas” reply # 57.

I have, as described in my reply # 54, a laptop with Windows Vista Home Premium 64 bit, which freezes at Windows startup after updating to avast free 8, but I also have a Windows 7 Pro 64 bit and 2 Windows Xp Pro 32 bit which had also been updated from avast 7 to 8. All three were updated successfully to version 8.0.1482. Due to the problem with Vista on my laptop, I have not updated to 8.0.1483 until now.

Before updating I started regedit to see the value of Start REG_DWORD. They were all set to 3 which is “manual” start.

Then I updated all three PCs to 8.0.1483. Everything works fine after the update and restart, but now the values of Start REG_DWORD have been changed to 0 which is the value for “Boot”. Everything works even after restart!

My laptop with Vista 64 and avast 8.0.1483, which freezes at the progress bar when booting, have value 0 which is the value for “Boot”. I have changed this to 3 and then I have no startup issue! :smiley:
Everything seems to be working as far as I can see.

The question is: Does changes like these in the registry for this service, as aswVmm.sys concerns remain as intended? I do not know what this means and I do not understand why the avast team, not in any way indicate that there is a problem with Vista 64 bit and tells us that they are working on a solution.

I’ll keep this “Fix” for a while and maybe downgrade to version 7, but if avast don’t comes up with a permanent solution, then I will look for another AV instead of avast. Unfortunately, because I like avast and have used it for many years.

As “CaptainLeonidas” in reply # 57 says:
“NOTE: You are editing you registry! If you are unsure of this MAKE a backup first of the key.
Also I do NOT take any responsibility if your PC crashes etc. You are on your own!
By following the steps as written above you acknowledge the fact you may damage your system.”

Very wise words.

Greetings
GPJ

66

Fix made it for me :slight_smile: T H X

Unbelievable, AVAST don´t provide this work-around by themselves!?

Nevertheless, I hope my PC is safe and sound as supposed to…

Congrats to this unofficial fix!

Greets
S@uDepp
…who doesn´t like the new style anyways :wink:

67

I hope Avast fixes this issue soon, I’ve had to fix my wife’s Vista 64-bit machine twice already for hanging on boot after an Avast update. If they don’t fix it by next update I will be swapping to another anti-virus program.

68

Thank you CaptianLeonidas! Your solution also fixed my (free) Avast v8 problems with Vista x64!

69

As a reformed luddite I would not dare to try CaptainLeonidas’s fix. I’m having enough problems following the instructions from Avast with the request I send them my memory dump! After reading this thread and the other threads on this issue I am beginning to feel that Avast has hung us out to dry. I am certainly going to be looking at alternatives to Avast. Avast were rated as the best free av software available, I wonder if that would be the result if the journalists from PC Pro carried out the same research today! ::slight_smile:

70

I have read the thread regarding making changes to the registry , and this really concerns me. First of all how are we to know this doesn’t in some way effect the overall security of the avast program,we have no idea what effect the changes might have on it.
Second for me I have Vista 64 bit ultimate ,I don’t even have the aswVmm at all ,so it may be only in certain avast programs not all.
Also why should we be making changes to our registry when avast is the one that should be coming out with a solution to this problem that seems to be
very wide spread.
The person who said if this change damages your computer don’t blame him, well I don’t think these types of changes should be put out there if you even
remotely suspect it could damage a computer, and messing with the registry if you don’t know what your doing can cause a lot of damage.
If avast can’t come up with a solution I will be looking for something else ,in the meantime just don’t do another program upgrade when avast offers it (unless it is a upgrade to fix this particular problem) ,because it is doing the program updates that the rebooting issue rears its ugly head.

71

The Quick Fix I written down on this forum was “discovered” after doing some testing in various VM’s using the Microsoft Technet ISO’s I have access too.

Sure, I too would looove to get an upgrade by Avast! which would solve the issue once and for all.
Yet support deems the necessary to leave the issue at low profile once in 2 weeks browse and auto-past a default reply into it kinda thing when I sent in a ticket.

I too asked them about the official registry setting the installation should have including a full detailed list of every driver and folder(s) the installation creates.
I got nothing back.

Nada, zero…

It is this why I put my finding on the forums in the hope to help people ahead. And maybe get some developer to have a look at the code with this hint I think is usefull.

72

I had another pc running vista 64, I had to disable com ports in device manager to get avast to boot. And yet another one had to remove serial.sys (might of been an infection on that clients pc, as it had other stuff) Just something to try if nothing is working.

73

Though now that I think about it, does avast even have/do any kind of scan before actually trying to install. Is that kind of thing even possible b4 install? Perhaps maybe now with cloud tech. I dunno just thinking out loud. I do know now though that this one guy I deal with his pc had an infection and was halting the boot after trying to get avast to work properly after installing/upgrading.

I cant say exactly what or which one it was as it had multiple infections and rootkits.

74

Is there any news for a fix for windows vista 64 ultimate for avast 8?

I downgraded to avast 7. Avast 7 still seems to be updating virus definitions.

I would prefer a fix from avast as i dont want to risk my pc being unprotected.

Has anyone sent avast a memory dump?
I received an email asking for one but had already downgraded to avast 7.
I replied asking if they wanted me to re-intsall and prodcue a dump but did not have not receveived a reply.

I was hoping a fix would appear but am loosing hope.

I would be interested if anyone had successful upgraded to avast 8 on vista.
A previous post said it happens on a fresh vista install so i would expect avstto be able to re-produce.

75

I have Vista Ultimate 64 bit
I thought about going back to the avast 7 but actually you don’t have to down grade ,its been possible for me to remain on avast 8 as long as I don’t do
a “program update” then the rebooting issue isn’t a problem ,that only happened when I installed avast 8 ,and then I uninstalled it and reinstalled and it happened
again, then when avast offered a program update I did the update and the rebooting issue surfaced again.
Since then avast hasn’t offered a program update ,and if they did I wouldn’t do it ,not unless they specifically address this issue with avast 8
and say they’re releasing an update for it to FIX it.
My virus definitions are not posing any kind of booting problems so I seem to be able to run avast 8 ,I can run scans as well.
I feel as long as I’m able to get virus definition updates my machine is safe.
I will wait this out a bit longer and see what avast does ,but have been checking on alternate antivirus programs .
NOT addressing this problem isn’t helping avast with its users.

76

mistowize thanks for the reply

However i dont understand how you got avast 8 onto your machine.
What procedure did you use?
Do you have all the services running?

77

I had it running, on vista x64 after a bit of tinkering around.

I had fully removed all avast stuff using removal tool, added an environment variable to show non present devices in device manager, went to non plug and play devices and removed all entries to avast devices. Rebooted.

Installed avast 8 with installer. Everything installed fine, waited for avast definitions to update. Did a run/msconfig , load system services in selective startup. Rebooted. Waited for avast to load. (If avast does not load then there is a system device interfering, maybe could try to disable com ports if your mobo has them. That worked for me in another instance.)

If everything went ok, run/msconfig again select normal startup. Reboot and cross your fingers lol. (if still no joy, try disabling services one by one, until you find which one is messing with avast)

If still still no joy, perhaps there is a rootkit/something/infection/crazy killer bug messing with you. Maybe could try combofix. (Be Careful Using that)

Avast 8 really does run on vista x64.

78

@ SteveAv

I didn’t use any special procedure , Avast had a program update and I allowed it to update , this
resulted in the Avast 8 being installed , then of course once it was installed and asked to restart my PC that is when
the freezing began.
I had to go into safe mode several times then eventually the computer started ok.
I wasn’t a 100% sure this was a Avast problem at this point ,only suspicious because it happened only
after the program was updated.
So a few days later there was another program update that I allowed…needless to say it froze again when prompted to reboot after the update, this is when I knew for sure it was a Avast problem.
I uninstalled the Avast I had on my machine and reinstalled again from the Avast website.
The very same thing happened freezing on the progress bar after I was prompted to restart .
Again had to go into safe mode disabled Avast and restarted my pc.
This all brought me to this forum and low and behold I found I was not alone in this problem with Avast 8
Is there any reason that I shouldn’t have been able to install it on Vista Ultimate , because it did install even
tho it froze on the progress bar.
Yes and all my services are running then and now.
I just know that to avoid the computer freezing I have to not do a “program update” this is what triggers the
problem asking you to restart your computer after the update is installed.
I will wait for awhile to see what Avast does ,if they continue to avoid this issue I will go to another antivirus.

79

@ SteveAv

Also I’d add
I don’t see why any services would be interfering ,if I was able to install through a simple program update and a lot of
people who installed Avast 8 did it through the update.
Just because it froze on the progress bar after rebooting doesn’t mean it doesn’t get installed.
I haven’t heard of anyone having to disable services to get it installed ,but maybe that’s another problem entirely.
You should of received a program update notification with your Avast 7 , did you ?
Or have you tried installing the program directly from the website ?
When installing from website and getting ready to install do you “run as administrator” , sometimes when installing programs that one little thing can make a difference , its just a thought.
But if you do install the Avast 8 you will more then likely run into the PC freezing problem ,if you make it through
that just don’t do another program update until Avast offers a fix , or just stay with Avast 7 as long as your getting
virus definition updates then your Avast is apparently working.

80

Thanks mistowize

My understanding is that you

  1. installed avast 8
  2. freeze on reboot
  3. reboot in safe mode
  4. disable avast service
  5. restart normally
  6. Enable avast service again
  7. reboot and is ok

I did

  1. update 7 to 8 and got freeze.
  2. rebooted with last good setting.
  3. booted in safe mode and removed avast 7 using their clear utility aswclear.exe
  4. removed a few drivers that were still present. I removed all the non plug and play devices, that are related to avast.
    Needed to Control Panel → System → Advanced System Settings → Environment Variables → right-click the bottom box and enter the string devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices and give it number 1 and show hidden drivers as suggested by another post.
  5. did clean install of avast 8 rebooted and freezed.
  6. downgraded to 7

I wonder if the freeze happens when avast is trying to perform a boot scan.

Re: You should of received a program update notification with your Avast 7 , did you ?
Answer: yes i do get update notification with your Avast 7 but i ignore it. virus definitons are being updated.

Re: Or have you tried installing the program directly from the website ?
Answer: Yes as described above

Re: When installing from website and getting ready to install do you “run as administrator” , sometimes when installing programs that one little thing can make a difference , its just a thought.
Answer: I run it as administartor.

Avast 7 is apparently working.