XP Computer locks up before Avast loads

I posted this elsewhere but didn’t get a lot of response and now I have a bit more information, so I am hoping someone can help me resolve this.

When I boot up my XP computer, it seems to lock up just before Avast loads. Windows appears to load normally, then just before the Avast blue ball icon should appear in the tray, the hourglass symbol appears on screen and the computer simply refuses to go any further. Even the system clock won’t advance. Powering down and rebooting a second or third time usually resolves this problem.

It was suggested that I check out Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Events, specially ‘Errors’

The error message that seems to co-incide with this event reads as follows:
The server {FFF2D28F-E4EE-44D9-8104-8E71556757F6} did not register with DCOM within the required timeout.

This means nothing to me…however someone on my ISP’s forums suggested that I edit the registry so that DCOM did not run:

" DCOM is a MS program for networking and can be disabled - http://www.updatexp.com/dcom-windows-xp.html"

This seems a little extreme to me…not being one to play in the registry. I can’t believe that nobody else has had this problem. Currently I have NO other antivirus (Norton came pre-loaded but has never been activated) and I am using only the XP firewall just to simplify matters. I am also running Spybot Search & Destroy, and Spywareblaster.

This lock-up occurs on both reboots and cold boots.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. ???

Uninstall avast!

Reboot.

Remove Symantec completely using the appropriate removal tool:

http://service1.symantec.com/Support/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2005033108162039

Reboot as instructed.

Does the problem persist?

Reinstall avast!

Does the problem persist?

DCOM is a slow service to start up and on my slow 2.4GHZ P4 XP Home system I get those error events each time the system boots.

Have a look at BootVis:
http://articles.techrepublic.com.com/5100-10878_11-5034622.html

I have had the same problem this morning. When I checked task manager Ashwebsv was using a ton on memory and it was stuck there. After several cold restarts my Icons finally loaded and I managed to get things working by manually starting Avast from my desk-top shortcut.

Does anybody knows how to do the same diagnosis in Vista?

What is the CPU type and speed?

How much RAM does the system have?

I see that you are on dial-up and that could be a cause of your situation.

IF I wait long enough…should it start up normally? I’ve never waited more than a couple of minutes before rebooting.

DCOM is a slow service to start up and on my slow 2.4GHZ P4 XP Home system I get those error events each time the system boots.

I can't believe that nobody else has had this problem. Currently I have NO other antivirus (Norton came pre-loaded but has never been activated)

Have you actually removed it?

Have you run the Symantec removal tool?

If not, please do that before considering other possibilities.

I will try the removal tool on the weekend and reinstall Avast. Thanks for your suggestions.

  1. Remove NAV through Add/Remove programs from Control Panel. Boot.
  2. Use Norton Removal Tool for Windows 2000/XP/Vista. Boot.
  3. Install avast! (or repair the installation) and boot.

Disabling (or not activating) Norton is not enough.

You could use regedit Find… on Keys, Values an Data for Norton and delete the plethora of remaining entries then repeat for Symantec.

Rinse, Lather repeat as necessary.

I would mess the registry with extremely caution…

i am facing the same problem.
I have removed trend micro and installed avast hom edition free.
but after installing avast restarted the computer and then after that my windows xp hangs after the login screen i can just see the desktop wallpaper and the mouse moving nothing else.
what can i do.
i even installed the same thing on another computer but there it works fine…
help me out
regards

Upon further reflection, this problem (and your problem sounds exactly like mine) seemed to start up after I added a new Lexmark printer and installed the drivers for it. Apparently there is a part of the lexmark program that ‘phones home’ every time the computer is rebooted. Wondering if that is related. Did you recently add a lexmark printer?
[/quote]
i am facing the same problem.
I have removed trend micro and installed avast hom edition free.
but after installing avast restarted the computer and then after that my windows xp hangs after the login screen i can just see the desktop wallpaper and the mouse moving nothing else.
what can i do.
i even installed the same thing on another computer but there it works fine…
help me out
regards
[/quote]

gurpalsc, any other antivirus is this computer? Did you have in the past?
Which other security programs are you using?

Dear Sir,
I had Trend Micro Free version,But i have removed it from my system…
and then installed avast…
in my other pc i have avg free and avast both at the same time…but that is running very fine…

So far…so good. I used the Norton removal tool and rebooted…no problems. Ran the Avast repair program. Had to shut the computer down for a few hour due to thunderstorms and when I booted up… no problems.

Thanks everyone for your help. Hopefully this has it licked. And it MUCH easier than editing the registry!

dear sir,
No i didnt installed any printer …
and i had trend micro before this and i completely removed it…and then installed avast.
but still computer is no gng beyond the desktop wallpaper…

I think you might find that if you leave it for 5 minutes, it will go beyond the wallpaper, and fully boot. That was the problem I had that no-one at avast could explain. But at least you eventually get a fully working PC

dear all,
as i was using trend micro before and after removing it completly i installed avast…but after restart my computer doesnt go ahead after the wallpaper.
latter i removed avast also and found out that in the security center under antivirus it is shown trend micro is update…actually it should be saying that there is no antivirus program and a recommendaion button should be available. but in my case none is there.
is this may be the posible cause of xp hanging up at wallpaper and not gng ahead?
and is there any way i can remove trend micro entry from security center?
regards
gurpal