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Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: jcrognale on February 25, 2019, 04:37:53 AM

Title: Avast updated and now my machine won't boot
Post by: jcrognale on February 25, 2019, 04:37:53 AM

Avast updated and upon restart I get the Black Screen of Death. Win 7

What can i do to fix?

Title: Re: Avast updated and now my machine won't boot
Post by: Asyn on February 26, 2019, 12:20:58 PM

- Which Avast..? (Free/Pro/IS/Premier)
- Which version..?
- OS..? (32/64 Bit..? - which SP/Build..?)
- Other security related software installed..?
- Which AV(s) did you use before Avast..?

Title: Re: Avast updated and now my machine won't boot
Post by: jcrognale on February 26, 2019, 02:03:55 PM

 Which Avast..? Free
- Which version..? Latest
- OS..? WIn7 Professional SP1 64-bit
- Other security related software installed..nope
- Which AV(s) did you use before Avast..only avast

Title: Re: Avast updated and now my machine won't boot
Post by: Asyn on February 27, 2019, 05:07:51 AM

First, uninstall Avast in safe mode and reboot.

Then:
1. Download Avast Free Antivirus: https://files.avast.com/iavs9x/avast_free_antivirus_setup_offline.exe
2. Follow instructions: https://www.avast.com/uninstall-utility (Run this tool for all prior installed Avast versions..!!)
3. Reinstall Avast with the downloaded installer from point 1.
4. Reboot.

Title: Re: Avast updated and now my machine won't boot
Post by: jcrognale on February 27, 2019, 04:48:20 PM

I can't get into safe mode or boot at all I have attached the hdd to another machine and run sfc /scannow and chkdsk /f /r. And even used avastclear from the other pc on the hdd that won't boot. I tried startup repair and https://neosmart.net/EasyRE/.

All I get is a black screen and a cursor. I don't have access to Ctrl-Alt-Del or task manager or sticky keys.

I have an image of the drive before I did all this if rolling back would help.

Title: Re: Avast updated and now my machine won't boot
Post by: mchain on February 27, 2019, 06:22:26 PM

What you could be seeing could be a failure of the BIOS or UEFI handoff at boot to start Windows MBR or Master Boot Record. 

Your system is starting the basic system diagnostic operating system but when that is finished, it hands off to Windows and Windows will start loading.

Normally, there should be a message stating 'operating system not found' or similar.  MBR could be corrupted OR your hard drive died.

https://duckduckgo.com/?t=avast&q=Windows+boot+sector+file+name&ia=web (https://duckduckgo.com/?t=avast&q=Windows+boot+sector+file+name&ia=web)
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=Did+my+hard+drive+die%3F&t=avast&ia=web (https://duckduckgo.com/?q=Did+my+hard+drive+die%3F&t=avast&ia=web)
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=bios+and+uefi+boot+systems&t=avast&ia=web (https://duckduckgo.com/?q=bios+and+uefi+boot+systems&t=avast&ia=web)

One way to know if you have a good hard drive is you can see it as present in your BIOS or UEFI screen.

Title: Re: Avast updated and now my machine won't boot
Post by: jcrognale on February 27, 2019, 06:35:43 PM

It sees the hard drive in my bios and can read/write to it on my other (older) PC. I already did mbr/bcd stuff (bootrec /fixmbr, bootrec /fixboot  & bootrec /rebuildbcd).

Nothing is working.

Title: Re: Avast updated and now my machine won't boot
Post by: mchain on February 27, 2019, 06:52:01 PM

At this point best to start backing up files you don't want to lose.  Check your CMOS battery for failure.

Did you try to restore the known good image yet?

Also:  https://support.avast.com/en-ww/article/11/#artTitle (https://support.avast.com/en-ww/article/11/#artTitle)  (If this applies)

Title: Re: Avast updated and now my machine won't boot
Post by: jcrognale on February 27, 2019, 06:55:53 PM

I don't have a recent image. But imaged the drive as soon as it wouldn't boot (so before i tried all the fixes)

Any other ideas?

Thanks!

Title: Re: Avast updated and now my machine won't boot
Post by: mchain on February 27, 2019, 07:02:45 PM

Can you see the drive in the original system?  (You say you can read/write in another older PC, which likely means you've physically removed the drive from the original system)

Title: Re: Avast updated and now my machine won't boot
Post by: jcrognale on February 27, 2019, 07:15:39 PM

Yup. I keep tying different things on the current PC and old one (as a secondary drive), moving the drive back and forth. Both see it and can read from it. The one it belongs in just can't boot. I get a black screen with a cursor and nothing else.

Title: Re: Avast updated and now my machine won't boot
Post by: mchain on February 28, 2019, 04:25:10 AM

I'd try a linux live cd and see if your system will boot from it (Don't install the full version, just run the linux os off the cd only).  Are you able to open the Win 7 drive in the original system or not?

Is the system time correct?

Title: Re: Avast updated and now my machine won't boot
Post by: jcrognale on March 02, 2019, 04:42:42 AM

I ended up having to reinstall windows