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Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: fabill on June 18, 2008, 05:41:07 PM

Title: RPC Error / Cannot remove/repair
Post by: fabill on June 18, 2008, 05:41:07 PM
I am using windows XP.
successfully deleted avast once, then downloaded the new Avast home edition, inserted the key, got the RPC error, followed the instructions (computer management, services )Avast4 control service started, automatic. Avast mail scanner started, manual (won't allow me to change to automatic) , Avast web scanner, started, manual, (won't allow me to change to automatic) RPC error again , downloaded 3 more times (on Dialup) Tried to delete from control panel ADD/REMOVE -  get error message - A setiface error has occurred: try to reinstall or call support please. I would really like to get this to work like it used to.  any suggestions.
Title: Re: RPC Error / Cannot remove/repair
Post by: DavidR on June 18, 2008, 06:01:38 PM
Have (or did) you another AV installed in this system, if so what was it and how did you get rid of it ?

The RPC error is often associated with another AV or remnants of an AV on your system.
Title: Re: RPC Error / Cannot remove/repair
Post by: Lisandro on June 18, 2008, 07:19:33 PM
I suggest an installation from the scratch:

1. Uninstall avast from Control Panel first.
2. Boot.
3. Download the latest version of Avast Uninstall (http://www.avast.com/eng/avast-uninstall-utility.html) and use it for complete uninstallation.
4. Boot.
5. Install again the latest avast! (http://www.avast.com/eng/programs.html) version.
6. Boot.
7. Check and post the results.
Title: Re: RPC Error / Cannot remove/repair
Post by: fabill on June 19, 2008, 04:45:20 AM
no other antivirus programs that I know of,
cannot remove avast using control panel. keep getting message: a setiface error has occured: 2 try to reinstall or call support please.
Title: Re: RPC Error / Cannot remove/repair
Post by: ardvark on June 19, 2008, 07:48:11 AM
Um....excuse me.

Not sure how my answer got put in this thread ???
Title: Re: RPC Error / Cannot remove/repair
Post by: rassel on June 19, 2008, 11:09:24 AM
no other antivirus programs that I know of,
cannot remove avast using control panel. keep getting message: a setiface error has occured: 2 try to reinstall or call support please.

Did you try as what Tech said?
Title: Re: RPC Error / Cannot remove/repair
Post by: Lisandro on June 19, 2008, 02:11:40 PM
no other antivirus programs that I know of,
cannot remove avast using control panel. keep getting message: a setiface error has occured: 2 try to reinstall or call support please.
Go to step 3 and start from there...
Title: Re: RPC Error / Cannot remove/repair
Post by: bunk on June 19, 2008, 08:28:51 PM
My prob was occuring at boot, so I followed these instructions to the tea this time...... I'll see how it goes for a couple days now.
Title: Re: RPC Error / Cannot remove/repair
Post by: Lisandro on June 19, 2008, 10:38:43 PM
My prob was occuring at boot
Do you mean a RPC error at boot? I think it's not possible... RPC is for Windows environment, i.e., Windows already loaded.
Title: Re: RPC Error / Cannot remove/repair
Post by: bunk on June 19, 2008, 10:59:08 PM
Ok, my ball had the red circle on it at start up, this happened a couple times, not always. It would even take my taskbar a little while to appear when it happened. If I would re-start the PC, it would work fine 2nd time around. It was stated in a window ( I think when I went to more info ) that it was an RPC error.

What I had done was: initially installed avast > then realized it had 6 out of 7 providers running, the 7th being outlook, which I have disabled / removed in ADD / Remove componants & services.

I always choose custom installers, and knew I should have unchecked outlook, but didn't...... Then I just removed it with ccleaners uninstaller accually, and re-installed again, this time leaving outlook unchecked. With that being said, I felt it possible / likely that since I didn't use the proper removal procedures, that I had left remnants, as mentioned here, and thus was causing my probs...... I might have another issue going on at start up as well, that has nothing to do with avast, but just wanted to eleminate this as being the prob.

This particular PC is a Compaq, custom build from the HP site 2 years ago: SR1730T I have done a lot of things to / with it in 2 years. It hasn't been factory since it left there. The OS on it now is an original version of XP, pre sp1, but does have sp2 on it now ( just recently ) I ran it with sp1 for a year or so  ;D As you can see, i'm not big on changes / updates. I do keep my security updated, but dont play the micro$oft update game.

One thing I forgot to mention is, I have seen a slower shut down time on all my PCs since switching to avast. I am prob taking this topic / thread in a diff direction with this stuff though, sorry mods....
Title: Re: RPC Error / Cannot remove/repair
Post by: Lisandro on June 19, 2008, 11:36:13 PM
Ok, my ball had the red circle on it at start up
Is this permanent or just take some seconds to disappear and the ball starts spinning?
On Troubleshooting tab of settings you can choose 'Delay avast services startup...' in order to proper load order of operational system services than avast.
Title: Re: RPC Error / Cannot remove/repair
Post by: bunk on June 20, 2008, 12:15:05 AM
When it was happening, I couldn't get the services started no matter what I did, except re-starting the PC a 2nd time. I had looked under that tab before, but didn't realize the setting you just pointed out to me. My PCs are pretty fast, usually booting in a minute, a one is less than a minute, my test PC that I havn't trashed lately  ;)

The problem is when I shut them down, that process has slowed a great deal. I dont get the program not responding windows, they just stay at the blue "window$ is shutting down" screen for a little while.
Title: Re: RPC Error / Cannot remove/repair
Post by: Lisandro on June 20, 2008, 01:21:40 AM
The problem is when I shut them down, that process has slowed a great deal. I dont get the program not responding windows, they just stay at the blue "window$ is shutting down" screen for a little while.
Is there any useful information into Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Events, specially 'Errors'?
Title: Re: RPC Error / Cannot remove/repair
Post by: bunk on June 20, 2008, 01:52:23 AM
Here are the avast logs from there, most of the errors are things that couldn't be scanned in my spysweeper......

(http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o160/bunk_photo/Screen%20Shots/Avasterrorlogs.jpg)
Title: Re: RPC Error / Cannot remove/repair
Post by: DavidR on June 20, 2008, 02:07:27 AM
That doesn't seem unreasonable to me, just spysweeper protecting its files, the windows 05 error, access denied.
Title: Re: RPC Error / Cannot remove/repair
Post by: bunk on June 20, 2008, 02:13:23 AM
This one shows the start failure that I spoke of this morning:

(http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o160/bunk_photo/Screen%20Shots/Avastshot2.jpg)
Title: Re: RPC Error / Cannot remove/repair
Post by: DavidR on June 20, 2008, 02:20:57 AM
I haven't come across that one before, not much information in the event log, however I wouldn't worry unduly about it as it is an 'Information' only entry.

I would suggest that you set the avast! Program Settings, Logging, back to the default, e.g. the slider opposite the Notice level. That will remove the avast Info entries from the log. Warnings and Errors will not be effected they will be reported as normal if they happen.
Title: Re: RPC Error / Cannot remove/repair
Post by: bunk on June 20, 2008, 02:26:35 AM
That slider is still set at Notice / default setting, i've looked there, but never changed it because I didn't know what it did.
Title: Re: RPC Error / Cannot remove/repair
Post by: Lisandro on June 20, 2008, 04:20:25 AM
That slider is still set at Notice / default setting, i've looked there, but never changed it because I didn't know what it did.
Just don't mix things: the avast log level does not change Windows Events recorded.
Title: Re: RPC Error / Cannot remove/repair
Post by: DavidR on June 20, 2008, 01:56:45 PM
I was forgetting that, which only leaves ignore information notices.
Title: Re: RPC Error / Cannot remove/repair
Post by: bunk on June 20, 2008, 02:12:21 PM
Avast did fail to load at boot this morning, had the little red circle on it. After which, I did run SFC /Scanow, and replaced all needed files. As I posted, I had a couple other issues going on at start up. I also changed the setting to delay starting of avast. Then I made some tweaks in the window$ logs filters. So we'll see how it goes now. This is something that happens first thing in the morning, after the PC has been turned off all night.

I cant blame it on avast, but if it continues, I may look another direction. Avast might just be more sensitive to the existing issues that the PC has, not sure..........

Thanks again for all the time and efforts with this prob.
Title: Re: RPC Error / Cannot remove/repair
Post by: Lisandro on June 20, 2008, 02:28:14 PM
Avast did fail to load at boot this morning, had the little red circle on it.
Again, is it permanent or takes only some seconds to be activated?
Title: Re: RPC Error / Cannot remove/repair
Post by: bunk on June 20, 2008, 03:06:09 PM
It stays that way permanantly. I tried right clicking the icon > starting services > no go....... Then, when I do a restart, it fires right up the 2nd time around.
I did check my settings in services, and it's set to start automatically, if it was set wrong in there, it wouldn't just be a hit / miss thing, I wouldn't think anyway.
Title: Re: RPC Error / Cannot remove/repair
Post by: Lisandro on June 20, 2008, 03:24:12 PM
It stays that way permanantly.
I suggest an installation from the scratch:

1. Uninstall avast from Control Panel first.
2. Boot.
3. Download the latest version of Avast Uninstall (http://www.avast.com/eng/avast-uninstall-utility.html) and use it for complete uninstallation.
4. Boot.
5. Install again the latest avast! (http://www.avast.com/eng/programs.html) version.
6. Boot.
7. Check and post the results.

I did check my settings in services, and it's set to start automatically.
How are set your avast! services?
Start > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services

I suppose you have to have four avast! services:

C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashServ.exe (avast! antivirus service)
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\aswUpdSv.exe (avast! Update Service)
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashWebSv.exe (avast! Web Scanner service)
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashMaiSv.exe (avast! e-Mail Scanner service)

The two first of them should be Automatic loaded and the two last Manually loaded.
Title: Re: RPC Error / Cannot remove/repair
Post by: bunk on June 20, 2008, 03:30:35 PM
Yes, that is how they are set ^^^

I need to go for awhile, i'll be back on later......
Title: Re: RPC Error / Cannot remove/repair
Post by: fabill on June 22, 2008, 03:46:10 PM
Ok, I think I have the problem solved, after using the avast uninstall utility, starting xp in safe mode and deleting, then reloading avast all seems to be working as it used to. thanks for your assistance.
Title: Re: RPC Error / Cannot remove/repair
Post by: Lisandro on June 22, 2008, 11:37:36 PM
Ok, I think I have the problem solved, after using the avast uninstall utility, starting xp in safe mode and deleting, then reloading avast all seems to be working as it used to. thanks for your assistance.
You're welcome. Feel free to come back any time you need help or just to change experiences 8)
Title: Re: RPC Error / Cannot remove/repair
Post by: bunk on June 25, 2008, 12:22:34 PM
I think I may have found my problem as well. I was adding: RunInterval=10080 under [VRDB] in the avast.ini doc to try to shorten my VRDB update times to 7 days instead of the default 21, I removed that and have not had this error occour since......

The strange thing is, I made this change to all the PCs, and it only effected one of them this way.... I have said for a long time that each PC has it's own personality...... I can do the exact same thing to 6 PCs, and watch all of them react slightly different.  :o
Title: Re: RPC Error / Cannot remove/repair
Post by: Lisandro on June 25, 2008, 01:59:12 PM
I think I may have found my problem as well. I was adding: RunInterval=10080 under [VRDB] in the avast.ini doc to try to shorten my VRDB update times to 7 days instead of the default 21, I removed that and have not had this error occour since......
Why are you reducing it that way? It will keep the last three versions of the restore info, 21 days is more than enough.
Title: Re: RPC Error / Cannot remove/repair
Post by: DavidR on June 25, 2008, 02:24:51 PM
Reducing the default VRDB delay isn't advisable (besides the fact that it may have caused problems for you) as you want to have a reasonable gap between scans or you could have three generations in a 15 day period (scan, week, scan, week, scan).

Lets assume you got infected by a virus that was undetected for a period of greater than 15 days then any attempted repair to the previous VRDB generation would fail as it too is infected; so it will try to use the VRDB generation before that and that too would fail; so going for the last of the three VRDB generations that are kept, it too could be infected. Now your in trouble as you have no more VRDB generations and the file on your system is still infected.

So when Alwil makes these default settings a good deal of thought would go into them.