Avast WEBforum
Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: REDACTED on December 09, 2014, 11:50:54 PM
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I am not able to do a system restore. After trying to do a restore that was unsuccessful, Avast did not start. I tried to undo the restore and it was not successful. Avast did not start again. Disabled file shield and tried. Still no success with system restore, but Avast did turn on.
Do I have to uninstall Avast to do a system restore?
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I am replying to my own post. I tried several ways of doing a system restore with Avast enabled, partially enabled and turned off and could not get a successful system restore. I uninstalled Avast and the System Restore worked fine. I did not have this problem with Avast 2014, so I think this is another issue Avast needs to deal with in the new version. I liked the protection, but having to restart after a temporary disable and now an uninstall to do a system restore is a bit too much.
I hope the Avast staff takes note of this issue.
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You need to disable avasts self protection before doing a restore, personally I'd being doing weekly image backups rather than restores anyway as it's much more complete and reliable.
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What do you mean by disabling Avast's self protection? I disabled the shields. Is there something else I should have done.
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See this thread: https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=160448.msg1151663#msg1151663
BTW....even though Avast team asked for feedback in linked thread they never ever responded.
To me, system restore and Avast working with it seem an important function and I think they would want to understand.
While there are a lot of great Super Posters here that help solve problems the involvement of the Avast Team is limited. :(
Also, FYI......there are posts where using NG has caused problems with System Restore.
Personally, while I think the "'concept" of NG is great the current implementation is suspect/buggy and takes WAY too many PC resources. The combo of that and that people have had issues corrupting System Restore I've disabled from the installer.
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What do you mean by disabling Avast's self protection? I disabled the shields. Is there something else I should have done.
As I said... disable Avasts self protection in settings ( no need to disable shields ).
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A ludicrous state of affairs where you have to go through this hoo-haa with an AV to get System Restore to work or to ensure the AV still functions properly afterwards.
What happens if you do a System Restore (offline) in Safe Mode which is what I would suggest should be standard practice? Do the same problems occur?
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Avast doesn't run when in safe mode as far as I know.
The task of first disabling avasts self protection before performing a restore has been that way for a few years now, it should be common knowledge by now but I do agree that one shouldn't have to jump through hoops just to do a simple restore though I recommend a system image as a much better option and it doesn't require disabling avasts self protection first.
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Well it is news to me and consequentally useful info.
I agree that using one of the many good, free backup programs available to create a full backup system image is safer practice. However I think that tools like that should be seen as safety nets and not the first go to solution. For me that is letting AVAST off the hook.
Windows System Restore is the OS system's provided restore tool and AVAST's default features/settings should not be preventing it working properly or be messed up when it is used.
So I'd still be interested to know 100% for sure that if you use System Restore offline in Safe Mode, as I suggested, that these issues with AVAST won't arise.
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What kills me is that since A/Vs like Avast are becoming more and more intrusive in the O/S that Avast Team has no response to this "common knowledge" issue of System Restore. As you guys stated, a offline image backup is best but I think Avast should work with System Restore as a fundamental no-brainer.
So, my disappointment with Avast aside on the subject......I can tell you that I've had no issues with System Restore working but Avast is corrupt afterwards.....unless I disable the self protection module. So, my guess (only a guess since I have no real knowledge of this) is that the SPM is monitoring things that fundamentally a system restore mucks up. So, as you put it will it work in Safe Mode ?.........I can only hazard a guess that it would since Avast is not running and would think neither is SPM. However, with this all said.....if I have to do a System Restore I turn off all A/V & MBAM Pro Shields, and disable Avast SPM. Have not had to do a System Restore (knock on wood) in a long time but in my experience this is solid. Worst case in my experience a clean un/re-install of Avast is needed I this does not work.
What I "really" worry about is that people have had the new NG "feature" of Avast cause issues with the System Restore itself. Personally, I only use the Avast Shields....no Tools EVER do I install. However, I think NG IMHO will be a great A/V feature for Avast in the future but for me I think it is too early and has too many issues for the benefit. I draw the line as an early adopter of new features that pose more risk to the stability of my PC than they protect. As they say, there is "leading edge" and "bleeding edge". :)
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Windows System Restore is the OS system's provided restore tool and AVAST's default features/settings should not be preventing it working properly or be messed up when it is used.
Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 all have built into the OS the ability to create system image backups.
I use it all the time and it is a whole lot better than system restore.
I have a hard drive dock and can add/remove a drive to back up to just like you used to add/remove a floppy.
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/4241/how-to-create-a-system-image-in-windows-7/
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Avast needs to warn users about this problem!
I spent almost two full days trying to fix System Restore failures on Win8.1 64-bit that were apparently caused by Avast, though Microsoft diagnosed the problem as, "This is due to the system boot files are missing or corrupted." (http://tinyurl.com/qf4nlnm). I eventually reinstalled Win8, restored a System Image backup, and when I found that System Restore still didn't work I completely removed Avast and finally System Restore worked again.
This was so time-consuming because:
- Early in the process I googled "system restore 0x80070005 site:avast.com" but didn't come across this post or anything definitive
- MS said boot files were the problem
- Attempting System Restore in safe mode also failed, and I expected Avast to be disabled in safe mode
- Disabling Active Protection shields appears to disable avast, but apparently doesn't
KevTech's suggestion to use System Image Backup makes sense, but it's not at all obvious, buried as a small icon in the lower left corner of the "File History" Control Panel item. The "Enable Avast self-defense module" check box isn't at all obvious either under Troubleshooting.
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Why should avast warn users about this?
It is not avast that is causing the problem, but Windows.
Users should learn what system restore is.
It is just as it says...
It restores (some) system settings/files.
Nothing more, nothing less.
avast is not part of the system (Windows) which MS means with system.
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Eddy,
Does System Restore work without Avast installed? - Yes
Does System Restore work with Avast installed, even in safe mode or with all Avast shields disabled? - No
Will eventually and painfully discovering that System Restore's failure began with an Avast update cause some users to blame Avast? - I'd guess yes
Why not at least allow Avast shields control to temporarily disable the self-defense module, if that allows System Restore to work? Avast breaking System Restore may not be unavoidable or even undesirable, but it is unexpected and time-consuming for users to identify, with uninstalling Avast likely an immediate and obvious solution for some users.
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Eddy,
Does System Restore work without Avast installed? - Yes
Does System Restore work with Avast installed, even in safe mode or with all Avast shields disabled? - No
Will eventually and painfully discovering that System Restore's failure began with an Avast update cause some users to blame Avast? - I'd guess yes
Why not at least allow Avast shields control to temporarily disable the self-defense module, if that allows System Restore to work? Avast breaking System Restore may not be unavoidable or even undesirable, but it is unexpected and time-consuming for users to identify, with uninstalling Avast likely an immediate and obvious solution for some users.
Curious, did you ever go into Settings>Troubleshooting and disable Self Defense Module and then try a System Restore ? .....was wondering if it worked for you ?
I also agree with you that an A/V should not be corrupting a System Restore....frankly Avast should monitor this and put in hooks to shut down things it needs to in order not to corrupt. Granted, it may be a security hole but when you disable Avast SDM you'll get a message about being sure......Avast can simply put that hook in if a System Restore is chosen....perhaps not simple but since they are already are mucking around with VM via NG they should be able to figure something out.
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Cattledogit
Thanks for the helpful information.
Your right - Avast is the cause of the problem. They are aware of it, but I you probably won't get an immediate response from them. They have had problems off and on with system restore for years.
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https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=155852.msg1130180#msg1130180 (https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=155852.msg1130180#msg1130180)
https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=159770.msg1150270#msg1150270 (https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=159770.msg1150270#msg1150270)
There have also been discussion about this problem in sections of this Forum that many users don't have access to.
I am still waiting for a fix and still follow the procedure of turning off the self protection mode of avast prior to creating
a system restore point and prior to restoring from a system restore point.
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https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=155852.msg1130180#msg1130180 (https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=155852.msg1130180#msg1130180)
https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=159770.msg1150270#msg1150270 (https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=159770.msg1150270#msg1150270)
There have also been discussion about this problem in sections of this Forum that many users don't have access to.
I am still waiting for a fix and still follow the procedure of turning off the self protection mode of avast prior to creating
a system restore point and prior to restoring from a system restore point.
I'm still on 2014/V9 because waiting for 2015 to have more stabilized release.
For 2014 on W7 64-bit I can have System Restore create a Restore point and I "can" restore to that point all with SDM on but Avast is corrupt.
If I disable SDM before restore then Avast is OK.
....but in both scenarios above SDM was "on" when restore point was created.
However, regardless I think your comment about disabling SDM before a restore should always be done.
I think we are seeing/saying different things on Restore Point Creation with SDM....or perhaps you are only talking 2015 ?
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This is a continuing problem and has been around long before the current version release.
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Just had this issue today. Wasted hours on it.
Did system restore. Didn't work and I stupidly didn't read the error and so tried again at a different restore point.
Didn't work again saw that it said it was Avast causing the issue. No problem will do it in safe mode.
Tried again in safe mode. Didn't work.
So I came on here and saw some folks say disable defence mode. Tried that and yet again nope it failed.
The restore didn't work until I removed Avast completely. You shouldn't have to unstall it to do a simple restore.
I do image my system as well but I just wanted to revert back to one piece of software I had updated earlier that I didnt think much of once it had upgraded.
@Eddy how can you say its not an Avast problem if its Avast that is causing the issue?
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Just had this issue today. Wasted hours on it.
Did system restore. Didn't work and I stupidly didn't read the error and so tried again at a different restore point.
Didn't work again saw that it said it was Avast causing the issue. No problem will do it in safe mode.
Tried again in safe mode. Didn't work.
So I came on here and saw some folks say disable defence mode. Tried that and yet again nope it failed.
The restore didn't work until I removed Avast completely. You shouldn't have to unstall it to do a simple restore.
I do image my system as well but I just wanted to revert back to one piece of software I had updated earlier that I didnt think much of once it had upgraded.
@Eddy how can you say its not an Avast problem if its Avast that is causing the issue?
Which version of Avast are you using ? If it's not the most recent, then follow the instructions outlined here:
https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=162728.msg1166635#msg1166635 (https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=162728.msg1166635#msg1166635)
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This had been a problem in the past. I had tested the function during the Beta phase of this latest version and,
because of your post, re-ran my test to confirm my earlier findings.
No changes, the current version,
Avast 2015.10.2.2214 has no conflicts with the System Restore function while the Avast Self Protection Mode is active.
(http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/screenshots/u/Lh/1426248775471-50817.png)
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This had been a problem in the past. I had tested the function during the Beta phase of this latest version and,
because of your post, re-ran my test to confirm my earlier findings.
No changes, the current version,
Avast 2015.10.2.2214 has no conflicts with the System Restore function while the Avast Self Protection Mode is active.
(http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/screenshots/u/Lh/1426248775471-50817.png)
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jwa wrote:
> They have had problems off and on with system restore for years.
System Restore doesn't work with self-defense enabled on the current Avast version, 2015.10.2.2218.
Until Avast adds System Restore to their release testing, I guess it's best to leave self-defense disabled if you want System Restore to work.
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jwa wrote:
> They have had problems off and on with system restore for years.
System Restore doesn't work with self-defense enabled on the current Avast version, 2015.10.2.2218.
Until Avast adds System Restore to their release testing, I guess it's best to leave self-defense disabled if you want System Restore to work.
There isn't any problem with System Restore and the latest version of Avast. :)
(http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/screenshots/u/Lh/1434371908353-48661.png)
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no need to shut off self defense to create restore points.but yes you must turn it off to restore. at least it works that way on my vista system every time.
skinnypops
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no need to shut off self defense to create restore points.but yes you must turn it off to restore. at least it works that way on my vista system every time.
skinnypops
That's not the case in Windows 8.1. No problem creating or restoring with the self protection mode active.
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Restore points created now with self defense enabled can't be restored on my Win8.1 Pro 64-bit system, though they could be back in March.
(http://tinyurl.com/q8mw2sb)
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My restoration is also working.
I'm using the Advanced Restart of Windows 8.1 to get access to recovery environment. This way, restoration never failed to me.
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I'm using the Advanced Restart of Windows 8.1 to get access to recovery environment. This way, restoration never failed to me.
This worked for me today, although as I recall it didn't work when I tried it before the March fix. Thanks!