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Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: Hermite15 on April 24, 2010, 04:40:59 PM

Title: will system restore + avast 5 conflict ever be solved ???
Post by: Hermite15 on April 24, 2010, 04:40:59 PM
I wanted to give a shot to keyscrambler >>> system wouldn't boot anymore after the install, not even in safe mode, so I tried "last known good". This worked. Then I attempted to uninstall keyscrambler >>> uninstall failure. So far nothing to do with Avast. So I launched a system restore, in safe mode, rebooted once again in safe mode >>> system restore was successful. Rebooted in normal mode >>> dark screen and empty task bar in Windows >>> I knew it was Avast somehow >>> rebooted in safe mode, uninstalled AIS from there, rebooted in normal mode >>> no problem. I admit I didn't deactivate the self-defense module before launching the restore (in other conditions it wouldn't even have been possible), BUT AVAST 5 SHOULDN'T PREVENT SYSTEM RESTORE IN WINDOWS FROM WORKING PROPERLY ANYWAY >>> it's been like that for a while, and it's still not solved.
Title: Re: will system restore + avast 5 conflict ever be solved ???
Post by: buttoni on May 27, 2010, 11:41:58 PM
I sure hope this problem gets resolved for Avast5 AV and Win7 x64.  I had to uninstall Avast5 and use another AV until this is resolved.  Just not willing to live without System Restore.  And I miss my Avast! 
Title: Re: will system restore + avast 5 conflict ever be solved ???
Post by: Hermite15 on May 27, 2010, 11:56:42 PM
yep, it still doesn't work well...
Title: Re: will system restore + avast 5 conflict ever be solved ???
Post by: Gargamel360 on May 28, 2010, 12:05:54 AM
It is a problem....makes a rookie user like me extremely hesitant to download new things....which sort of defeats the purpose of an AV, supposed to make me feel less hesitant, not more.
Title: Re: will system restore + avast 5 conflict ever be solved ???
Post by: Dch48 on May 28, 2010, 06:34:42 AM
Just a thought but maybe the problem lies with the persistent cache. Wherever that info is stored, maybe it can't be changed properly during a restore. I say this because the file that keeps similar information for the Comodo AV, a file called sfi.dat, also prevents many people (especially those on XP) from doing successful system restores. Of course it could also be a problem with DB updates since a restore will attempt to set the files back to an earlier version.
Title: Re: will system restore + avast 5 conflict ever be solved ???
Post by: JerryM on May 28, 2010, 03:17:49 PM
Hey, that is scary. I had no idea that was a problem. I hate to be without Restore, and maybe should change AVs. Is there any work to correct this?

Can I assume that System Restore does not work, or is there an easy way for an average user to check it without messing up anything?

Thanks,
Jerry
Title: Re: will system restore + avast 5 conflict ever be solved ???
Post by: Hermite15 on May 28, 2010, 03:23:50 PM
Hey, that is scary. I had no idea that was a problem. I hate to be without Restore, and maybe should change AVs. Is there any work to correct this?

Can I assume that System Restore does not work, or is there an easy way for an average user to check it without messing up anything?

Thanks,
Jerry

it will work if you don't forget to disable the Avast self-defense module before launching the restore process
Title: Re: will system restore + avast 5 conflict ever be solved ???
Post by: DavidR on May 28, 2010, 03:31:42 PM
Hey, that is scary. I had no idea that was a problem. I hate to be without Restore, and maybe should change AVs. Is there any work to correct this?
<snip>

Me I hate System Restore, not I hate to be without it. System Restore is far from perfect (given this additional hassle) and other failings, I prefer to have it totally disabled and use something else to replace system restore, like hard disk imaging software.

That however, doesn't resolve why system restore doesn't work (for those using it) as it should if the avast self-defence module is enabled.
Title: Re: will system restore + avast 5 conflict ever be solved ???
Post by: JerryM on May 28, 2010, 04:25:03 PM
[ It will work if you don't forget to disable the Avast self-defense module before launching the restore process]

That helps, so I assume that Resore is working, but the Avast SD module causes it to be disabled when the restore is launched.

Since I don't know how to do imaging I rely on System Restore. I must admit that I have never used it, but who knows what may happen today??

I was about to ditch Avast Pro, and go to Avira or KIS. I do hope the problem is resolved in case restore is needed and one might forget to disable the Avast SD module. Avast has been about the most trouble free AV I have used, and I don't want to change.

Evidently other AVs do not have this problem, so why cannot it be fixed in Avast?

Regards,
Jerry
Title: Re: will system restore + avast 5 conflict ever be solved ???
Post by: DavidR on May 28, 2010, 05:06:59 PM
No the avast self-defence module doesn't cause SR to be disabled, but presumably stops SR doing anything with avast.
Title: Re: will system restore + avast 5 conflict ever be solved ???
Post by: Hermite15 on May 28, 2010, 05:09:00 PM
another "disaster" with Avast 5 + system restore

forget what I said about just disabling the self-defense module and be good to go for a system restoration. I attempted that earlier today, and for the second time (yeah that happened already a few days ago and I didn't post about it), sys restore fails because some files failed to get extracted from the restore point archive, mainly files belonging to my user profile in Windows.
 I then uninstalled Avast 5.0.545 completely, attempted a sys restore operation again, and guess what, it worked ??? :)

ps: oh I forgot, there's been a third failure with the message that an "anti-virus" was preventing sys restore from working properly. Too bad I don't have a screen shot of that ::)
Title: Re: will system restore + avast 5 conflict ever be solved ???
Post by: cvsa on May 28, 2010, 05:21:09 PM
could the problem come from CIS that you also use (as i saw in another thread) ?

because the restoration doesn't work with cis either.....
Title: Re: will system restore + avast 5 conflict ever be solved ???
Post by: Hermite15 on May 28, 2010, 05:29:22 PM
could the problem come from CIS that you also use (as i saw in another thread) ?

because the restoration doesn't work with cis either.....

no, I haven't used it for a while.
Title: Re: will system restore + avast 5 conflict ever be solved ???
Post by: JerryM on May 28, 2010, 06:03:20 PM
To be safe then if SR was needed it would be necessary to remove Avast first to be sure all would work. I wonder if there could be a problem where Avast could not be uninstalled so that SR could be used?

I wonder if all AVs with a Self Defense component suffer the same problem?

Thanks,
Jerry
Title: Re: will system restore + avast 5 conflict ever be solved ???
Post by: JerryM on May 28, 2010, 06:27:39 PM
If you do the restore in Safe mode will it work OK without removing Avast?

Regards,
Jerry
Title: Re: will system restore + avast 5 conflict ever be solved ???
Post by: Hermite15 on May 28, 2010, 06:37:28 PM
If you do the restore in Safe mode will it work OK without removing Avast?

Regards,
Jerry

it has sometimes worked, that's all I can say...when I mentioned other times when it failed, one of them was in safe mode.
Title: Re: will system restore + avast 5 conflict ever be solved ???
Post by: JerryM on May 28, 2010, 08:37:48 PM
I decided to switch to Avira Security Suite.
Jerry
Title: Re: will system restore + avast 5 conflict ever be solved ???
Post by: buttoni on May 28, 2010, 08:39:21 PM
What I don't get is that the last version of Avast (version 4.8 I believe) had a self defense feature, as I recall, and system restore worked just fine back then on my XP system.  Problem is just with Avast5 Free AV on the new Win7x64 system.  

The two times I have used System Restore with my new pc running Win7 x64, my system (Avast and Win7 itself) became totally unresponsive, rendered black screens at reboot, and I was forced to consider trying a recovery using my "out of box, as shipped" restore disks when the pc.  But all of a sudden the pc began to respond to keyboard/mouse input.   I don't use imaging software.  I just have backup disks and full system image created with Win7 internal setup for this when I first bought the pc and got all my software installed and set up (both of which worked fine I might add).  Nothing short of uninstalling Avast5 resolved.  Reinstall worked fine until the second System Restore and then "deja vu" all over again.

I just wish the developers could locate and correct this problem soon, so I can reinstall and get back to using Avast5 AV, the best AV out there IMHO.  I don't want to have to "remember to disable self-defense feature of Avast" before using System Restore.  And I don't ever want to crash my system like the last two times I did use System Restore.  SIGH
Title: Re: will system restore + avast 5 conflict ever be solved ???
Post by: De Hollander on May 28, 2010, 08:50:23 PM
Are the developers aware of this strange problem. And if so, could somebody from Avast confirm this.
Title: Re: will system restore + avast 5 conflict ever be solved ???
Post by: Tgell on May 29, 2010, 12:01:34 AM
Here is vlk's reply over at wilderssecurity.

http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showpost.php?p=1685474&postcount=13
Title: Re: will system restore + avast 5 conflict ever be solved ???
Post by: Hermite15 on May 29, 2010, 12:08:48 AM
Here is vlk's reply over at wilderssecurity.

http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showpost.php?p=1685474&postcount=13

wow ;D >>>
Quote
The System Restore conflict was solved a few months ago...
...well I must have missed something... :D >>> the only difference between now and before it was mentioned that it was solved (here on Avast forums a few months ago), is that before it never worked, and after it did...sometimes...actually not anymore at all on my system now, unless Avast is removed ::)

ps: on a side note, I would have prefered Vlk to post here in the first place, or is defending Avast reputation on Wilders a priority ??? i.e. more important than bringing some feedback to the users here ::)
Title: Re: will system restore + avast 5 conflict ever be solved ???
Post by: JerryM on May 29, 2010, 12:32:34 AM
Partially my fault for posting it both at Wilder's and here. I wondered if others had experienced the problem, and figured there might be a larger number of users or former user at Wilder's.

In addition, it is strange to me that such a problem is unique to Avast, and I wondered if others who use other applications experience that proplem.

Anyway I put Avast Pro on my laptop, and installed a trial of Avira Suite on this computer. I have wanted to try Avira on my new computer.

Regards,
Jerry
Title: Re: will system restore + avast 5 conflict ever be solved ???
Post by: Hermite15 on May 29, 2010, 12:34:57 AM
yeah, just to make things clear, as this has been more or less mentioned by a poster (not you Jerry) on Wilders: I wouldn't ditch Avast because of that ;)

edit: and no problem, you're free to post whatever you want where ever you want.
Title: Re: will system restore + avast 5 conflict ever be solved ???
Post by: Mongol on May 29, 2010, 02:39:03 AM
This is the first I have heard of this. So the system restore issue is resolved? Where do you go to disable the Self Defense module, I have the Security Suite... ??? :o :)
Title: Re: will system restore + avast 5 conflict ever be solved ???
Post by: jerryd on May 29, 2010, 03:27:22 AM
 Last week I had to do a restore on my sister's Acer laptop
 which has windows 7 and is running Avira, Norton and MacAfee.
 I don't know she has all three.

 The restore was successful and all AV's were running fine.

 jerryd
Title: Re: will system restore + avast 5 conflict ever be solved ???
Post by: JSN on May 29, 2010, 03:40:04 AM
Quote from: Mongol
Where do you go to disable the Self Defense module

Go to Settings>Trobleshooting.  :)

Title: Re: will system restore + avast 5 conflict ever be solved ???
Post by: Mongol on May 29, 2010, 05:41:25 AM
AH - Now I found it :o, thanks a bunch JSN.. 8)
Title: Re: will system restore + avast 5 conflict ever be solved ???
Post by: De Hollander on May 29, 2010, 05:24:48 PM
Last week I had to do a restore on my sister's Acer laptop
 which has windows 7 and is running Avira, Norton and MacAfee.
 I don't know she has all three.

 The restore was successful and all AV's were running fine.

 jerryd

Only one is running realtime...   ;D
Title: Re: will system restore + avast 5 conflict ever be solved ???
Post by: bo.elam on May 30, 2010, 03:44:10 AM
On the short time Avast is on my computer I had to do 2 System Restore
because of a mess I made. I guess I am one of the lucky ones because
restore worked perfectly with no issues of any kind. My system is XP SP3
and I had uncheck the self defense module. I did those restore on normal
boot and the restore points were from a day or two earlier.
Bo