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Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: Kei on April 15, 2010, 04:03:59 PM

Title: [SOLVED] Taskbar Freeze @ Startup (.507)
Post by: Kei on April 15, 2010, 04:03:59 PM
I saw this this morning. I'm not sure what is causing it...

BUT selecting "Load avast! services only after loading other system services" seems to have cleared up the problem (Settings--> Troubleshooting).  I'll keep looking to see what I see.

The taskbar freeze seems to have started after APC PowerChute & HP Digital Imaging Monitor (+ other HP Printer related programs) added themselves to system startup. Spybot's TeaTimer is there, but I had no problems when only it & AIS were set to load.

Edit: I encountered the error again a while ago while reformatting the desktop (to get to the source of these registry keys I don't like). Okay. The taskbar froze after a reboot of the system, where both AIS + Teatimer were updated in 1 session. The only things that were starting up at the time were something for Intel hotkey commands + an Intel graphics quick options program. A folder from the USB HDD I had attach would've opened had the taskbar not frozen. (I have the explorer windows set to open in a separate process & also to restore at startup.)

APC + the HP printer software weren't on the computer this time. As usual, the "Load avast! services only after loading other system services" options cleared up the freeze.

Edit 2: Well, I'll be.... The taskbar did, indeed freeze again! APC + the HP printer software are on the desktop now.... I just installed them in one session, APC 1st then HP. I am puzzled now because I already have the option enabled & STILL saw the freeze! I thought it was solved.... ~sigh~ I will disable HP Software Update & HP Component Manager from starting up & see... It did install some version of .NET Framework.... I had a folder from the USB HDD open again before the reboot.....

(I wonder if it's that setting of launching folder windows in a separate process that is causing the problem....)
Title: Re: Taskbar Freeze @ Startup (.507)
Post by: Kei on April 22, 2010, 08:19:35 PM
Avast doesn't seem to be the cause....  It appears the problem has something to do with Spybot. Having said that, it's not that the 2 programs conflict per se.... They get along quite nicely in the notification area..... xD

I have seen the taskbar freeze at the next reboot if TeaTimer is set to startup with the computer when you install AIS.  I have no idea what conflicts.


Other freezes: I've found that if I update Spybot (Immunize, for example, or update with the offline definitions file, etc), leave a windows explorer open (My Computer) & reboot, the taskbar will hang. (I have the Restore previous folder windows at logon & the Launch folder windows in a separate process options ticked.) I took off the separate process option & just left the restore folder windows option on, & the taskbar hung as well.

It's an interesting bug.... I know how to avoid the taskbar hang now.... I tested it way more than I care to elaborate.... It was tiring....  xD
Title: Re: Taskbar Freeze @ Startup (.507)
Post by: Kei on April 23, 2010, 08:44:00 AM
Okay.... Now, I'm really not sure what is going on because the taskbar froze again!

Now here's the rub: TeaTimer is NOT set to run at startup!  I think I had a folder window open again before I rebooted.... I'll probably try this again later with the desktop.... I'll just chalk this one up to being tired because I honestly don't remember what happened or what I was doing.... I installed Office 2003 + SP3... rebooted... hang.... I believe that's what I did....

~sigh~ I'm just trying to figure out what is causing the hang, so I can avoid it.... (I am actually hungry right now, but it's *too* early in the morning to eat food when I am about to go to bed....)  xD
Title: Re: Taskbar Freeze @ Startup (.507)
Post by: Pondus on April 23, 2010, 09:00:13 AM
there have been some reports earlier about avast and Spybot tea timer

but why use spybot when you have Malwarebytes and superantispyware, much better and they dont conflict
Title: Re: Taskbar Freeze @ Startup (.507)
Post by: doktornotor on April 23, 2010, 10:22:32 AM
Now here's the rub: TeaTimer is NOT set to run at startup!  I think I had a folder window open again before I rebooted.... I

Well, if you insist on using that app, reinstall w/o TeaTimer, and make sure it's been deleted as well on reinstall. Disabling is usually not enough for this junky thing.
Title: Re: Taskbar Freeze @ Startup (.507)
Post by: Asyn on April 23, 2010, 10:26:24 AM
Drop Spybot..!!! Problem solved. ;)
asyn
Title: Re: Taskbar Freeze @ Startup (.507)
Post by: Kei on April 23, 2010, 02:42:16 PM
there have been some reports earlier about avast and Spybot tea timer

but why use spybot when you have Malwarebytes and superantispyware, much better and they dont conflict

I actually found TeaTimer to be helpful with seeing what was going on with my system recently. I hadn't used it in years, but after a recent malware infection, I decided to go old school.... XD MBAM was great (& I do have the paid version), but I had to use A2 Free to get rid of the remnants of the malware.  Also, I put Spybot on the system because I was having a problem with strange registry keys appearing on the computer & wanted to see if it would help.

If you know of any programs that can help with identifying registry keys & all associated files, please share!!  (Please!)


Now here's the rub: TeaTimer is NOT set to run at startup!  I think I had a folder window open again before I rebooted.... I

Well, if you insist on using that app, reinstall w/o TeaTimer, and make sure it's been deleted as well on reinstall. Disabling is usually not enough for this junky thing.

Um... okay.... How do I do that?  (I will look it up also to see what I find.)

Drop Spybot..!!! Problem solved. ;)
asyn


Maybe so.... I guess I'll have to try that as a test (install everything else I use but Spybot, don't use Shellexview, install AIS, & see if the taskbar/explorer.exe still hangs...) Thanks for the idea.  :)

Title: Re: Taskbar Freeze @ Startup (.507)
Post by: Asyn on April 23, 2010, 10:03:58 PM
Maybe so.... I guess I'll have to try that as a test (install everything else I use but Spybot, don't use Shellexview, install AIS, & see if the taskbar/explorer.exe still hangs...) Thanks for the idea.  :)

No problem... Please post back your results here. :)
asyn
Title: Re: Taskbar Freeze @ Startup (.507)
Post by: Kei on April 24, 2010, 09:18:14 PM
Hello everyone! Asyn, I did that test on the 600M, everything else BUT Spybot.... & guess what (which I think you already knew):  NO SPYBOT = NO TASKBAR/EXPLORER.EXE HANG...  ~shrugs~ I'm not sure what it was..... but it's gone! :)

Ah... but I did like the detailed look at the startup entries that Spybot allowed me to see.... ~shrugs~ Oh well... I will look for another program that details the startup entries in a similar way.
Title: Re: Taskbar Freeze @ Startup (.507)
Post by: Asyn on April 24, 2010, 09:56:23 PM
1. Hello everyone! Asyn, I did that test on the 600M, everything else BUT Spybot.... & guess what (which I think you already knew):  NO SPYBOT = NO TASKBAR/EXPLORER.EXE HANG...  ~shrugs~ I'm not sure what it was..... but it's gone! :)

2. Ah... but I did like the detailed look at the startup entries that Spybot allowed me to see.... ~shrugs~ Oh well... I will look for another program that details the startup entries in a similar way.

Hi Kei,
ad 1. Yes, i knew - or better i expected it... ;)
ad 2. Talking about the autostart entries? Use Ccleaner: http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner
asyn
Title: Re: Taskbar Freeze @ Startup (.507)
Post by: Kei on April 24, 2010, 11:11:55 PM
Heya Asyn!  ^^ Yes, I have used CCleaner, but it doesn't show the winlogon notifiers, as far as I saw. When I was trying to figure out whether a program & Spybot were conflicting, I was able to use Spybot to disable (uncheck) the SAS winlogon notifier to test.

I even found out that the ATI hotkey poller function for the 600M would startup, even though I had the service set to manual & the startup entry for the ATI control panel unchecked. (The ATI hotkey poller entry was in the winlogon notifiers section, which Spybot allowed me to uncheck.)

I found the section of the registry that deals with the winlogon notifiers, but I have to do more research about how to disable what I want safely. (I don't know if it's as easy as a 0 or 1....)  XD
Title: Re: Taskbar Freeze @ Startup (.507)
Post by: Asyn on April 24, 2010, 11:34:25 PM
I found the section of the registry that deals with the winlogon notifiers, but I have to do more research about how to disable what I want safely. (I don't know if it's as easy as a 0 or 1....)  XD

So you need something special...?? ;)
There are some very powerful advanced tools, but you should be sure what you do before using these.
Damaging your system is not what you would want, i guess.
asyn
Title: Re: Taskbar Freeze @ Startup (.507)
Post by: doktornotor on April 25, 2010, 04:13:39 PM
Autoruns for Windows (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb963902.aspx) is definitely better than CCleaner when it comes to autostart entries management.  8)
Title: Re: Taskbar Freeze @ Startup (.507)
Post by: YoKenny on April 25, 2010, 04:40:24 PM
WinPatrol is good for Auto start application information especially if you have the PLUS version.

WinPatrol Free vs PLUS
Detect and Review New Auto-Startup Programs
Add/Remove and Review Auto-Startup Programs
Automatically Disable Reoccuring Startup Programs
Delay Auto-Startup programs for quick bootup <== this is good for XP systems
http://www.winpatrol.com/compare.html

I have not used Spybot S&D for years since using MBAM though.
Title: Re: Taskbar Freeze @ Startup (.507)
Post by: Kei on April 25, 2010, 08:59:53 PM
Hi everyone! ~waves~ Thanks for all of your feedback! I will look into everything you've said!  :D  Thanks so much again!  :)