https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=120531.0
My issues are very similar to the OP in the above linked thread. Win 7 Computer, No Repair Disc, Avast Free installed. Went to reboot my comp, no go, gets to the “Welcome to Windows Screen” with the insignia, seems to finish Loading > Black Screen of Nothingness/Hang/Freeze. Tries to restore itself to either “Can’t be repaired” or “Successfully repaired” > Repeat of Previous Black Screen Hang.
The Clue to me is that when I try to boot into any of the three forms of Safe Mode (Normal, CMD Prompt, or w/ Network) It hangs at aswrvrt.sys every single time. After doing quite a bit of reading, seems this is an Avast only file, usually causes problems when Avast encounters a Virus it doesn’t know what to do with.
Tried Avast Phone Support, told me they’d be more then happy to fix it, but Im a college student and can’t afford $120 for a few hours worth of work.
I downloaded Rufus and Farbar, as well as the Avast Removal Tools/Utilities. But I need a little help with a Win7 Boot/Recovery Disk (The one linked in Drop Box in the above post is dead). I get the general idea behind this is: Boot off Disc > Remove Avast > restart in Safe Mode > Reinstall Avast > Scan & Kill Virus? Or something like that?
Its 64 Bit. And I know it may not be the problem. I’d rather think that at its a virus is the problem and Avast is just hanging on it. But I won’t know till I can get into it and have a better look regardless.
Insert the USB into the sick computer and start the computer. First ensuring that the system is set to boot from USB
Note: If you are not sure how to do that follow the instructions Here
Windows 7 and Vista screenshots
When you reboot you will see this. Click repair my computer
notepad and press Enter.
The notepad opens. Under File menu select Open.
Select “Computer” and find your flash drive letter and close the notepad.
In the command window type e:\frst64.exe or e:\frst.exe dependant on system
and press Enter Note: Replace letter e with the drive letter of your flash drive.
The tool will start to run.
When the tool opens click Yes to disclaimer.
No longer hangs at aswrvrt.sys, yay! Now it hangs at classpnp.sys. /sigh. lol. Tried removing all the different plug & Play pieces, no joy. I’m thinking Virus at this point. Did Alt + F10 and am doing a Soft OS Restore (Retention of User data, & Virus’), to see if I can get it to boot up and attack it from there. Next step I think will be a hard OS/Drive Format. Drive seems to be working fine, so I’m not thinking its a dead HD.
Thanks for your help, any further advice or suggestions appreciated! I will try to update later with a final outcome.
Well, Final outcome I think:
Soft OS Format cleared the boot problem. The computer takes an inordinate amount of time to boot and the HDD Spins like Crazy during boot (High RPM). I still have not put the computer online to do Windows Update, Avast re-install, etc etc. I did run Malware byte since its installer was already on the computer (Though its out of date) and that didn’t come up with anything. But I’ll tackle the rest tomorrow.
Anyone know if I need to run the Avast Uninstaller/Cleaner program before I reinstall Avast? Or would just trying to install it fix it?
Computer back up and running. Case closed I think. During the soft OS Format it moved all non-manufacturer installed data to a backup file on the HD, including system files & Data. It then reformatted the HDD to an As-Bought state from a Partition on the HD. This came with all the Vendor Junk that came on it.
Installed Avast Normally, had it do a full scan and a boot time scan. Found some Win32 Garbage lurking, the most nefarious of which I think was a Win32:Dropper and a Win32: Installer. Also found an Adware Gen. But tracking the locations of these I’m thinking these were pretty old and probably inactive.
Current Hypothesis is that Avast (Which had been updated about 4 days or so before initial problems, which surfaced at the very next Boot cycle), possibly updated incorrectly. I have no proof of this, nor do I expect to find any. Either way, we’ve been using Avast for years and plan to continue.
Doing the Windows updates settled the High RPM Spinning and Long Boot time issues as well, not sure why, but whatever.
Apologies for opening up a “case closed” thread again, but I’m having the same issue here. Like OP, I cannot click that link to download the Windows7 64bitRC (I believe you PM’d the link to him?). Would you mind doing the same here? I’ve already downloaded Rufus and FRST.