Avast 2014 Rescue CD

[Kesetyan]

Hi,

Having recently installed Avast 2014 Free version 2014.9.0.2006 to replace a problematical AVG 2014 Free (AVG correctly uninstalled using the AVG removal tool and CCleaner run to clear out any residue), I have tried to create the Avast Rescue CD without success.

Everything else regarding Avast is fine and I am very pleased with having made the change but it would be good if I could get the Rescue CD problem resolved. 

Firstly, when I start the process, it is not clear whether I should create the ISO file in a location on my hard drive using the 'Browse' button to navigate and then burn the image to a CD afterwards or use the 'Browse' button to navigate to the CD itself with Avast burning the image to CD.  Secondly, whichever choice I make for loacation, the download runs but stalls at the installation stage.  Windows generates an Installer error message: 'Wndows Installer.  This installation package could not be opened.  Contact the application vendor to verify that this is a valid Windows Installer package.'  I have ensured that I have the most recent Windows Installer suitable for my system (XP Pro SP3) by downloading and installing it but the Rescue CD issue persists.
 

[Eddy]

Although they call it Windows Installer, it actually is Installshield (written by another company).
Give THIS a try.

[Kesetyan]

Hi Eddy,

Thanks for your reply.

Unfortunately, although I followed your suggestion and ran the ikernelupdate.exe but unfortunately the Rescue CD issue remains.

When that is eventually resolved, I am still unclear as to whether Avast will burn the Rescue CD directly or if I create the ISO file and store it on my computer and then use a third party CD burning program to create the bootable disc.

Thanks.

[Gandalf1369]

When that is eventually resolved, I am still unclear as to whether Avast will burn the Rescue CD directly or if I create the ISO file and store it on my computer and then use a third party CD burning program to create the bootable disc.

Thanks.

When I created the Rescue CD, avast! wrote an ISO file to the location of my choice.  I then had to use a third party CD burning program to actually create the final CD.

[Eddy]

I always create my own rescue disks.
But to see what happens (or not happens) I tried it through avast.
It took about 45 minutes, but I do have the iso created.
I did get THIS error, but that is problem/bug in the Microsoft Kit installer.
And just as Gandalf I had to burn the cd/dvd myself from the iso.
Why you can select "create on cd" is not known to me, but it sure doesn't work.
Well that is not exactly true. It works if you put in a formatted cdrw/dvdrw, but it will only put the iso file on it and not create a bootable cd/dvd as it promises.

[Kesetyan]

Hi Gandolf and Eddy,

Thanks for your replies.  You have clarified one issue but unfortunately I still cannot create the iso file for the rescue CD.  For the moment I will giveup trying but hope the situation will eventually be resolved.  Hopefully, too, Avast will make the procedure for creating the iso file less ambiguous - it is a small disappointment in an otherwise excellent user interface that puts the AVG one to shame.

[Eddy]

I'm not giving up helping/trying to solve it that easily 
1.       Click on Start, run, type services.msc and hit enter to open it.
2.       In Services Console window, find and locate Windows Installer service.
3.       If the service is stopped, start the service and set it to “Automatic” or restart the service if it is already started.
4.       Reboot your computer and check if it solves the problem.

Ps:
This is a Windows problem and not a avast problem.

[Kesetyan]

Hi Eddy,

Thanks for not giving up on me.  I tried your suggestion but no joy I'm afraid.

It's a strange one - I have had no problems with other installations carried out recently.  I have contacted the Avast support Centre so will report back if they can shed some light on the issue - they may ask for logs etc. but, as you say, there seems to be a Windows problem so I'll do a bit more. online research into the error message.

Cheers for now, Kes.

[Eddy]

Hé, if someone is asking for help, willing to accept help etc... I'm a tough one to get rid off 

[Kesetyan]

Hi Eddy,

Thanks for that - it's great to have the support of the likes of you on these forums.  I'll report back any developments.

[UK_Mike]

Hi, I've also tried creating a rescue disk with 2014, but it won't boot my PC. After following the procedure to create the disc, which took over an hour, my rewritable CD has just one large file (about 263MB) on it named "rescue_disc.iso". When I set my PC to boot from CD, it tries to read the CD but then displays an error message: "Disk boot failure, insert system disk and press Enter".

Does anyone at Avast know what's going on here, please?

[Gorg]

You need to burn the .ISO with an .ISO burning application. The .ISO "expands" in to the Avast! boot disc. Think of the actual .ISO file as kind of like a .zip file.

If you're using Windows 7, you should be able to just double click the .ISO file and it should start up the .ISO burner to create the CD for you.

[Gandalf1369]

Apparently you choose to put the "rescue_disk.iso" file that avast! created onto the CD.  The iso file is meant to be burnt onto the CD using a third-party CD burning program, i.e. Nero Burning ROM, CDBurner Xp, etc.  The iso file itself is not bootable.

Either install a CD burning program or use one that you have already installed to "unpack" the iso file and burn the results onto a blank CD.

[Pondus]

avast! 2014: Creating and using avast! Rescue Disk  http://www.avast.com/faq.php?article=AVKB114#artTitle

If you have chosen Recordable CD as your target media type for avast! Rescue Disk, you have to burn the ISO file you just created, on a blank recordable CD using CD/DVD-writer and burning software that is capable of writing CD images in ISO file format. On computers running:
Windows 7 or Windows 8 - you can burn ISO files to a recordable CD by using built-in Windows Disc Image Burner - for detailed step-by-step instructions please read the following article on Microsoft website:

[Kesetyan]

Thanks all for explaining that I need to use a third party program to burn the created ISO file as the process is not incorporated within Avast.  I am quite happy to do that - it is a process I have used many times in the creation of live Linux CDs and DVDs for example.  Thanks Pondus, too, for the link but as you will see in my next paragraph, my understanding of the process is not the issue, rather it is that the Avast ISO file creation process does not work on my XP Pro SP3 system.

However, the real problem still remains - I cannot create the ISO file as when I run the process in Avast, once the download stage completes and Avast starts the install process to create the ISO file, the Windows Installer error message is generated. 

Although I have reported this to the Support Center, received a ticket and sent in a zipped logfile as later requested, I have received no other response.  That latter point is not strictly true, I did receive an email today stating my ticket would be withdrawn after 72 hours because they had not heard from me - they had, of course but had not responded to my email with the attached zipped file so I had nothing to reply to.  Their last message, therefore, was was unexpected.  I'm not sure that the Support Center know what they are doing!