Windows hangs after latest update :-(

[Lars-Erik]

After the latest avast update my Windows XP SP3 hangs at boot.
The avast icon appears in the tray with a yellow excamation mark as usual when starting.
Then nothing happends, and the only thing working is the mouse cursor.
Had to boot into safe mode and disable the avast service to get things running.

Have litte other programs running, ZoneAlarm 4.5 and WebWasher.

What is the problem?
And how do I fix it?

[Lars-Erik]

Tried setting the avast service to manual.
The system started as normal.
Then I tried starting avast afterward (both by starting the service, and from the avast GUI).
Same result both ways. System hangs.

Have tried removing ZoneAlarm and WebWasher. Didn't help.
So somthing about avast hangs my system.

And I can't change settings in avast either, self-defense module seems to be active.
Or at least somthing prevents me from changing the settings.

So what do I do? Can't live without an anti-virus program...

[ebozzz]

The same thing happened to me on two on my PCs. I solved it by booting into the Safe Mode with networking and performing a repair of the Avast install.

[Lars-Erik]

I used the avast uninstall utility in safe mode.
Then reinstalled.
Then all was OK.

But it is a bit annoying having to this every update :-(

[SafeSurf]

I was going to suggest to you an Avast Repair and if that didn't work an uninstall/clean install, but I see you already the the uninstall/clean install and it fixed your problem.

However you state that you have to do this with every upgrade, so something needs to be looked at. 

What other security software do you currently have or did you have in the past on this machine including:
- Antivirus (AV)
- Firewall (FW)
- Trial versions of AV, FW and other security programs
- Other security software (on-demand and resident)

- If they were in the past, how did you remove them (the vendor's uninstaller's tool or  another way)?

Is ZA FW still off your machine? 
Is your machine up to date with MS/Windows updates?  Thank you.