Avast 4 Home hangs computer

[paroots]

I am trying to install and run Avast 4 Home. I'm able to install but when configuring Avast, the computer hangs. By hang, I mean everything dies except mouse (eg, ctrl-alt-del doesn't work). Usually the hang is caused by enabling/disabling skins or changing provider sensitivity. Most other operations work fine. It's very strange. I have searched the forum and can't find anything having the same symptoms. Any clues would be appreciated. By the way, privacy is disabled in my Zone Alarm Pro since that seems to be an issue. My details are listed below:
Avast! 4 Home V4.7.844
Windows XP Professional (sp2) fully updated
Zone Alarm Pro V6.5.722 (privacy disabled)
Dell inspiron e1505 with 1G RAM
VPS updated as of today
Intel duocore 2GHz (T2500)
ADSL internet connection
Email client: thunderbird
No other antivirus software
No error messages; just hangs computer
Steps to produce: enable skins or change provider sensitivity primarily

[Lisandro]

But when configuring Avast, the computer hangs.

What exactly you're trying to do... in which window? which settings...?

Usually the hang is caused by enabling/disabling skins or changing provider sensitivity.

Please, isolate the two events. Let the sensitivity on Normal and choose a skin.
Is there any trouble?

Stay with this skin and then change the sensitivity...
Are there any interesting info on the avast logs?

No other antivirus software

Was there in the past? Which one?

[paroots]

Thanks for the feedback. I've done another test which better isolates the issue.  First, I shutdown Zone Alarm pro (since I've read there may be compatibility issues) and enabled Windows Firewall. Second, I installed Avast 4 Home totally clean (by restoring an Acronis True Image that was created prior to the first installation of Avast). After installing Avast, I setup several parameters (eg, always connected, etc) without problems. I then changed Resident Protection from Normal to High. At that instand the computer hung (ie, mouse works but not even ctrl-alt-del works). Hope someone has a clue how to solve.

[Lisandro]

I then changed Resident Protection from Normal to High. At that instand the computer hung (ie, mouse works but not even ctrl-alt-del works). Hope someone has a clue how to solve.

Please, go to log settings and set 'Debug' level.
Then try to 'hang' your computer again.
Boot...
Try to see if there is any info in the avast logs (run C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashLogV.exe)

Other possibility is try to see which is the last file scanned... see ashLogV.exe 

[paroots]

Thanks again for the feedback. I have set logging level to debug. I continue to further define the area which causes the computer to hang. With all sensitivities set to Normal I'm able to make a complete scan without problems. After running a scan I did the following:
  1. Set instant messenger from Normal to High - OK
  2. Set internet mail from Normal to High - OK
  3. Set Network Shield from Normal to High - OK
  4. Set P2P Shield from Normal to High - OK
  5. Set Standard Shield from Normal to High - Hangs immediately
  6. Did a cold boot (power off then on)
  7. Noted that Standard Shield now set to High
  8. Start scan - hangs on the 9435th file
  9. Put Standard Shield back to Normal
  10. Set Web Shield from Normal to High - OK
  11. Ran scan without problems

I checked the log from time to time and the only entries were under Info and Notice. Nothing seemed to relate to the problem in any way. Summary: It seems that my problem relates to setting High Sensitivity on the Standard Shield. Any additional hints or clues would be much appreciated.

[Lisandro]

  1. Set instant messenger from Normal to High - OK
  3. Set Network Shield from Normal to High - OK
  4. Set P2P Shield from Normal to High - OK

Normal or High won't change the behavior on these providers.

  5. Set Standard Shield from Normal to High - Hangs immediately

I'll bet on a conflict: old antivirus installation, another resident (antispyware), firewall drivers conflict... something is wrong...

  8. Start scan - hangs on the 9435th file

Do you have the name and the path of this file?
Is it always the 'same' file (not the same number...)?

[paroots]

Thanks again for the feedback. Here are some points that I should make:
  1. I always start my testing from an Acronis TrueImage image which has never had antivirus software installed so there is no conflict with other antivirus software
  2. I don't think it's an issue with the scan, since the Hang takes place when switching sensitivity of Standard Shield even before a scan is started.
  3. I run AdAware, Spybot, and Registry Mechanic, but they were not running during any of the tests of Avast
  4. As mentioned, I run Zone Alarm Pro but I've found the same problem (ie, Hang) when shutting down Zone Alarm and enabling Windows Firewall.
  5. When I set Standard Scan to normal, I'm able to run a complete scan to completion without problems.

Any ideas as what to do next to isolate (and maybe solve) the problem? Is this an unusual issue?

[Lisandro]

1. I always start my testing from an Acronis TrueImage image which has never had antivirus software installed so there is no conflict with other antivirus software

Any antispyware? Other security program?

2. I don't think it's an issue with the scan, since the Hang takes place when switching sensitivity of Standard Shield even before a scan is started.

Well, the scan will 'read' the file and avast at High will 'detect' the file being read... so, could be, maybe, the scanning...

4. As mentioned, I run Zone Alarm Pro but I've found the same problem (ie, Hang) when shutting down Zone Alarm and enabling Windows Firewall.

Can you uninstall ZA, install avast, boot... install ZA after that?

5. When I set Standard Scan to normal, I'm able to run a complete scan to completion without problems.

Additionally, you can go to the program settings and turn on the creation of the report file (with "OK files" to be included as well in the report). This way, you can find out where the scan really stopped (it's going to be close to the end of the report). The report file created (if you turned it on in program settings) will be (default location) at <avast4>\Data\Report\Simple User Interface.txt

[paroots]

I have uninstalled Zone Alarm Pro and enabled Windows Firewall. I then re-installed Avast and repeated the test of one by one increasing sensitivity from Normal to High in each provider. I left Standard Shield for last. When I increased its sensitivity, system immediately Hung and had to be cold booted. This convinces me that the problem is unrelated to Zone Alarm. As mentioned, my security software is:
AdAware, Spybot, Registry Mechanic, and CCleaner. None of these were running while testing Avast. Any hints or clues on what should be the next step?

[Lisandro]

I've asked for further help to the programmers...
Maybe you can check the folder <avast>\data\log
Are there any files called unpXXXX there  (where XXXX is a random number)?
If so, send them to vlk@avast.com
They may contain more information about the problem (maybe a link to this thread).

[Vlk]

Hi paroots, I guess the only way to find out what's going on is to get a dump file. If you have spare time and would like to help us solve the issue, please do the following:

1. Open regedit, go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\i8042prt\Parameters and add a new DWORD value called "CrashOnCtrlScroll" (no quotation marks). Make its value 1 (one).

2. Go to Control Panel -> System -> Advanced -> Startup and Recovery settings, and make sure the machine is set to generate COMPLETE memory dump (in the Write Debugging Information section).

3. reboot the machine

4. when the computer restarts wait for the problem to occur.

5. When the problem is simulated (i.e. the machine is "dead"), do the following: while holding down the _right_ CTRL key, press the SCROLL-LOCK key twice. This should cause the machine to "blue-screen", and start generating the dump

6. If the machine doesn't restart on its own (when the dump writing is complete), restart it.

7. ZIP the file \windows\memory.dmp (name it like cnb-dump.zip) and upload it to the following ftp site: ftp://ftp.avast.com/incoming
(note you don't have read access to the site, only write).

8. When you're done, let me know.


Thanks
Vlk

[paroots]

I have been working with the instructions, but I do have a question. The dump file is 1 GByte in size. How will I be able to ftp that even allowing for zipping it beforehand? Thanks.

[Vlk]

1. It should be very well compressible - a one gig dump file usually zips down to some 100-150MB.

2. I don't know what your connection is like, but uploading a 100-150MB file shouldn't be a problem on anything faster than dial-up. If you're using dial-up -- oh well, I guess we're out of luck...


Thanks
Vlk

[Lisandro]

If you're using dial-up -- oh well, I guess we're out of luck...

You can use Dariolius to split the files into small parts (http://www.kanastacorp.com/dariolius.html)

[Vlk]

OK, I have had a look at the dump, and it clearly shows that the problem is caused by a collision with another file system filter driver installed on your system, called pgpsdk.sys. Googling around suggests this driver is part of the PGP online disk encryption product. I suppose you have this product installed (?)

Unfortunately, I'm not sure how to proceed at this moment. It seems like an incompatibility between avast and PGP - and there doesn't seem to be any easy workaround...


Thanks
Vlk