new avast program update, version number 5.1.889 screwed up my computer

[dp20957]

I have 2 HP computers. A desktop and laptop. Both have the same programs on them. They both have Windows 7 home premium edition. The only difference is the laptop is 32 bits and the desktop is 64bits.
The update took fine on my laptop but totally messed up my desktop. As soon as I restarted my desktop I kept getting program error messages such as program has stopped working close program. This seems to have effected almost all my auto start programs.
I had to switch to another program that I don't like as much.
Anybody know if there is a problem with the 64bit version and how can I fix the problem?

[Lisandro]

I suggest an installation from scratch in your desktop computer:

1. Download the latest version of avast! Uninstall Utility and save it.
2. Download the latest avast! version and save it.
3. Uninstall avast from Control Panel (if possible). If, for any reason, you can't run it, try booting in Safe Mode and doing it from there. Anyway, boot after that.
4. Run the avast! Uninstall Utility saved on 1. If, for any reason, you can't run it, try booting in Safe Mode and doing it from there. Anyway, boot after you've run it.
5. Install avast! using the setup saved on 2. Boot.
6. Register your free copy or add the license key for Pro.
7. Check and post the results. If, for any reason, you did not solve, try doing the step 3 in Safe Mode anyway.

[CraigB]

Works fine on my acer 64 bit laptop and my hp 64 bit desktop, try again with Tech's advice and if that dont work you could try uninstalling the behaviour shield to see if that is conflicting with something.

[anonstar]

Hi,

same problem here dude..
Tested on 4 computers running Windows 7 (ultimate or business) 64bit. On two of the PCs Avast updated to the new program version. After restart most of my programs (including e.g. firefox, LibreOffice, Windows Mediaplayer etc) won't start, in some cases with an error message. Installing or uninstalling of programs e.g. avast is NOT possible because "the windows installer service caused a problem or isn't running". I reinstalled the backup with the older Avast verison - everything works fine -> till avast update... now there is running Avira antivir free in coexistence with threatfire. -> fine..

On the other two NEW pcs (directly after Windows 7 isntallation and updating) I installed the newest avast version the same problems occured after the restart of the system.
To fix the problem I used Windows integrated System Recovery with a safepoint before the avast installation ~> everything works fine...
To reproduce the error, I installed avast again. After the restart the same problems......

With the older version of avast on windows 7 everything was okay.. something had to be broken there..The same error on 4 independent computers shows that it seemes to be a real avast-bug and not a failure of the HID (such as me ;P)..

So I have to install Avira.. But it would be great to know when the problem is fixed and what the problem was, so that I can move to avast again!

[dp20957]

Thanks Tech but I tried all that, except safe mode and it didn't help.
I used windows system image to go back to the older version and everything was fine until Avast did it's auto update to the latest version and had the same problem.

[nyghd]

well i see i am not alone-guess i will keep older version going for a while-avast has been good to me for 5 yrs. and am happy with the program-just a glitch somewhere in the program update-thanks for all the replies.

[dslentz]

I have been chasing this problem for 3 days now - I have been reloading windows 7 (3 times now)
64 bit windows doesn't like the new program update - I have been getting a program stopped working error on any M$ office program, firefox, IE8, run once wrapper, HP digital imaging center all get the same msg
I finally after installing everything one at a time and and then testing (I normally reload computers with the shotgun approach)
BUT IT is DEFINITELY the latest update to the avast program. I restored to just before avast (the last thing I did on the computer I was working on) and everything is fine again
IS THIS FORUM MONITORED I am new here...

[Lisandro]

IS THIS FORUM MONITORED I am new here...

Yes, it is.
You can keep the version 5.0 until you get it solved for your computer 5.1.
http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=70062.msg588457#msg588457

[Gossamer]

Thank you for the link, Tech! I'm just chiming into say that I also had the exact same problems. I'm running Windows 7, 64 bit, 4 gigs of RAM. I couldn't open anything at all, save for some things in Windows Explorer, Pain, and Wordpad. That's about it. Firefox, iTunes, VLC, IE (not that I use it; just wanted to check), AIM, absolutely everything either would not open, or it opened, crashed, and then wouldn't open. I obviously don't like other people having issues with their anti-virus, but at the same time, I'm glad it's not just me, and that I didn't do something unwittingly insane to screw up my computer.

[sooners2win]

Are you using Threatfire?

[anonstar]

Yes, my tests were all with installed threatfire (installed after avast installation, threatfire worked fine on all PCs with installed Avast v4.x)

[Lisandro]

Uninstall ThreatFire and check if it is conflicting with avast Behavior Shield of version 5.1.
Old versions does not have a developed Behavior Shield.

[anonstar]

I'm testing it at the moment.
Would I be able to disable the AVAST behavior shield and use ThreatFire instead?

edit: You certainly understand that I trust ThreatFire more in behavioral blocking.
edit2: seems to be working correctly..

[Lisandro]

Would I be able to disable the AVAST behavior shield and use ThreatFire instead?

Yes.
You can also uninstall only BeS...

[dp20957]

I have threatfire installed on both the laptop and desktop. As originally stated the laptop took the new version fine. It's just the 64bit desktop that has the problem.

Update: I just uninstalled threatfire on the desktop and reinstalled Avast. No problems, so far.
It seems there is a conflict between Threatfire and the latest Avast release on 64 bit systems.