WinXP Pro freezes on boot in normal and Safe Mode - stops at aswRvrt.sys...?

Hi all,

I’ve got a problem with my mom’s older desktop…after a Windows update, I rebooted to find it will no longer boot into Windows, but instead seems to pause at the loading screen infinitely. I tried booting into safe mode and the same thing happens, but lists that the last loaded driver is one of Avast’s - aswRvrt.sys.

I’ve read in a few threads other people have had this problem. I’ve used a WinXP-Recovery-Tool-only disk to run a chkdsk C: /r on the drive and it said it found and fixed errors, however, it still won’t boot into Windows and stops at the same place. Trying the “Last Known Good Configuration” results in the same thing…still won’t boot past that Avast file in the list :frowning:

What can I do next? I really don’t want to have to format the thing…

Thanks for any assistance!!!

The Avast apologists here have been blaming everything from Windows updates, various worms and viruses for this problem since October and if there was an easy fix or an update that addresses the Win XP problem it should be displayed in a sticky at the top of the forum. It isn’t as far as I can see but I might be wrong.

Good luck getting a fix which doesn’t involve reinstalling Windows. You know there is something rotten in the barrel when this is ‘solution’ suggested. It is only one rung up the ladder from the wally who blames viruses for almost any problem they get on their computer.

What I will say is that I’ve been happily updating Windows XP throughout this period. No problem thankfully but I’ve become so scared of updating Avast in case this issue affected computer I refuse to update. I only have one way to get online so even if there were a fix I couldn’t get to find out what it is let alone download the solution. I’d be really stuffed as I rely on this machine for many things now.

In fact this potential problem and the impending loss of Win XP support by MS has spurred me to spend what I can ill afford on a new PC as the existing one can not run Win7/8 due to HDD capacity and RAM limitations.

The advice should be don’t update to the latest Avast if you’re using WinXP in any form.

…good luck on this…there is hope with FRST tool and Essexboy if you can ping him for help will step you thru it.

However past that do not do a “format”…do a repair install.
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm
Hopefully you have a XP O/S disc if not do a Google but many links for free ISOs.
http://c2nsoft.blogspot.com/2013/06/free-download-windows-xp-professional.html

How can I get in contact with him? I would be grateful…doesn’t a repair install need a copy of the WinXP CD with the same Service Pack level that is currently installed on the machine?

YES…there are ISOs you can download.
Another How-To: http://www.geekstogo.com/forum/topic/138-how-to-repair-windows-xp/

Do a search for Essexboy and PM him to this thread.

Is there a minimum post count before I can do that? I don’t have any options to PM anybody (I don’t even see my forum control panel anywhere…?)

Also, I don’t recall there being a release for a WinXP CD with SP3 installed on it, just SPs 1 and 2…?

I PMed him with link to this thread.
Think he is UK time…not sure…I’m East Coast USA.

Thanks mate, I appreciate it…East Coast of Canada here, so it’s like 3am where he is… :frowning: …hopefully he’ll be kind enough to respond in the morning!

Essexboy is one of, if not the best, out there. Have no idea what he does for a living but he seems to be on every friggin Forum…Dude gets around. He seems to be the A/V & Malware expert remover but clearly he is savy across many PC things. :slight_smile:
Good luck…in the mean time try to find a XP O/S CD…you may need it.
Of course, as you pointed out you need the proper XP version (Home, Pro, etc.) and SP level…do you know what was on her machine ?
I hope your Mom’s desktop still has the Windows sticker on it with the license code ?

I have some XP Pro CDs around, but I’m not sure what SP level they have.

Hers had WinXP Professional SP3 on it, this I know, and I am pretty sure I have the CD key for it written down somewhere…

I only recall ever seeing CDs with SP2 on them though, is there even a WinXP Pro. SP3 CD out there? :S

Quite frustrated as it was working 100% perfectly until I restarted for those two Windows updates and I may now have to completely reformat it? I’m capable of doing that, but backing everything up and setting everything back up on it is so tedious, it will be a P.I.T.A. if that’s what it comes down to… 9_9

Doing a search on aswRvrt.sys in the Forum you’ll see you are not alone.
You may want to read this thread…on topic & XP: http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=144887.0
It’ll give you an idea of the process but I’d HIGHLY recommend letting Essexboy walk you thru it…but you can prep.

Thanks for the link - I had actually found that thread and downloaded Reatogo to try running FRST, but whenever I booted Reatogo, it seemed to just hang on a blue screen with the mouse cursor and that was it :S

I assume you have other PCs ?..obviously, you are posting from one. ::slight_smile:
You could take the XP SP2 and then create/slipstream a XP SP3 CD.
http://winsupersite.com/article/windows-xp2/slipstreaming-windows-xp-with-service-pack-3-sp3-128464
You can get SP3 from MS: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=24

We have 4 other PCs in the house, 1 desktop (mine and the one I am typing these messages on) running Win7 Ultimate x64, another desktop running Win7 Home x64, a netbook running Linux Mint 14, and another netbook running WinXP Home.

Never thought about slipstreaming…here’s hoping that would work if push came to shove, I just hope I could find the right CD key!

Here’s hoping above all that EssexBoy has some helpful suggestions…

Another thread where Essebox goes thru the steps…look at reply #3. http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=131070.0
Perhaps you can get ahead of the game and get the logs posted.
Note…he does say: I can remove Avast or any malware but there is no guarantee this will work as a few systems have been broken by windows updates

For the CD key…check her machine…usually a sticker put on it that is very hard to peel off…so usually they are there.
…sometimes on notebooks they are on bottom of machine…just check all around the box.

I’ll cross my fingers for you.

There is an XP Home key on the side of her tower case, but I don’t think that is the one I used on her machine…pretty sure her machine has XP Pro as we were given the computer by a friend of hers and I recall being the one who formatted it, but I am fairly certain I had used my own XP copy.

I would post the logs, but I can’t seem to get into Reatogo to run FRST as all I get when I boot Reatogo is a blue screen with a mouse cursor and seemingly nothing else…maybe my download for it is corrupt? I see Essexboy mentions an ISO for it in that link you posted, but I don’t see a download link to the ISO anywhere…?

An update! I decided I’d try re-burning the CD for Reatogo in case the burn failed at a higher speed, so I burned it at 2X speed and it boots now! Going to run FRST and post the logs in a few.

Log complete and attached:

Going to bed…long night…hopefully Essexboy will see in morning and post.
I took a quick look and there is a lot of restore points (daily, good job Mom !!!) on machine…good deal…may be one avenue.
Don’t get creative and try stuff…wait.

==================== Restore Points (XP) =====================

RP: → 2014-01-24 17:46 - 024576 _restore{9511F5F1-E81D-431B-87D3-2D54CE80FF0A}\RP394

RP: → 2014-01-23 19:56 - 024576 _restore{9511F5F1-E81D-431B-87D3-2D54CE80FF0A}\RP393

RP: → 2014-01-22 12:16 - 024576 _restore{9511F5F1-E81D-431B-87D3-2D54CE80FF0A}\RP392

RP: → 2014-01-21 10:48 - 024576 _restore{9511F5F1-E81D-431B-87D3-2D54CE80FF0A}\RP391

RP: → 2014-01-20 10:35 - 024576 _restore{9511F5F1-E81D-431B-87D3-2D54CE80FF0A}\RP390

RP: → 2014-01-19 10:00 - 024576 _restore{9511F5F1-E81D-431B-87D3-2D54CE80FF0A}\RP389

RP: → 2014-01-18 08:05 - 024576 _restore{9511F5F1-E81D-431B-87D3-2D54CE80FF0A}\RP388

RP: → 2014-01-16 21:24 - 024576 _restore{9511F5F1-E81D-431B-87D3-2D54CE80FF0A}\RP387

RP: → 2014-01-15 20:37 - 024576 _restore{9511F5F1-E81D-431B-87D3-2D54CE80FF0A}\RP386

RP: → 2014-01-14 18:53 - 024576 _restore{9511F5F1-E81D-431B-87D3-2D54CE80FF0A}\RP385

RP: → 2014-01-13 16:46 - 024576 _restore{9511F5F1-E81D-431B-87D3-2D54CE80FF0A}\RP384

RP: → 2014-01-12 10:48 - 024576 _restore{9511F5F1-E81D-431B-87D3-2D54CE80FF0A}\RP383

RP: → 2014-01-10 21:57 - 024576 _restore{9511F5F1-E81D-431B-87D3-2D54CE80FF0A}\RP382

RP: → 2014-01-09 01:08 - 024576 _restore{9511F5F1-E81D-431B-87D3-2D54CE80FF0A}\RP381

RP: → 2014-01-07 20:27 - 024576 _restore{9511F5F1-E81D-431B-87D3-2D54CE80FF0A}\RP380

RP: → 2014-01-06 16:34 - 024576 _restore{9511F5F1-E81D-431B-87D3-2D54CE80FF0A}\RP379

RP: → 2014-01-05 13:57 - 024576 _restore{9511F5F1-E81D-431B-87D3-2D54CE80FF0A}\RP378

RP: → 2014-01-04 07:47 - 024576 _restore{9511F5F1-E81D-431B-87D3-2D54CE80FF0A}\RP377

RP: → 2014-01-03 02:45 - 024576 _restore{9511F5F1-E81D-431B-87D3-2D54CE80FF0A}\RP376

RP: → 2014-01-02 01:46 - 024576 _restore{9511F5F1-E81D-431B-87D3-2D54CE80FF0A}\RP375

RP: → 2014-01-01 01:45 - 024576 _restore{9511F5F1-E81D-431B-87D3-2D54CE80FF0A}\RP374

RP: → 2013-12-31 00:45 - 024576 _restore{9511F5F1-E81D-431B-87D3-2D54CE80FF0A}\RP373

RP: → 2013-12-29 23:45 - 024576 _restore{9511F5F1-E81D-431B-87D3-2D54CE80FF0A}\RP372

RP: → 2013-12-28 22:45 - 024576 _restore{9511F5F1-E81D-431B-87D3-2D54CE80FF0A}\RP371

RP: → 2013-12-27 22:12 - 024576 _restore{9511F5F1-E81D-431B-87D3-2D54CE80FF0A}\RP370

RP: → 2013-12-26 18:45 - 024576 _restore{9511F5F1-E81D-431B-87D3-2D54CE80FF0A}\RP369

RP: → 2013-12-25 18:32 - 024576 _restore{9511F5F1-E81D-431B-87D3-2D54CE80FF0A}\RP368

RP: → 2013-12-24 15:45 - 024576 _restore{9511F5F1-E81D-431B-87D3-2D54CE80FF0A}\RP367