Avast 6 IS! totally locks up my PC (with or without 'paid' features)

[shiki]

So, here is my story.
I have a decent computer (I think):
MB: Gigabyte X58A-UD3R
Memory: 6x2gb of DDR3 1600mhz XMP1 memory (Kingston), running in Triple-channel
CPU: Core i7 950 @ 3.06ghz. No overclock.
GPU: Zotac AMP2 GTX260^2
PSU: Corsair Enthuasist series 750W V2
HDD: 2x500gb WD Black Caviar in Raid0, using Marvel raid controller

OS: Windows 7 Professional x64 with SP1

I've been using Avast! for a while (Free) when I bought the license (IS). It'll expire in a few months, but I'd like to use Avast since it's really fast and I feel secure when I'm using it (since it detected every threat on my PC so far).


However, since the version 6 came out, it locks up my PC.
First I thought it's the memory. Then the PSU. Then I was suspecting software on my PC.
I even submitted a ticket to Wuala team, and they were really kind. They started to debug my huge memory.dmp. They even submitted it to the developers of CBFS (the filesystem integration of Wuala).

Finally, with the combined forces of the two dev teams, they came to the exact same conclusion. The culprit is Avast!. They even submitted me their findings.


So I contacted Avast! (Still thinking the problem is CBFS or Wuala) and the first reply told me that's impossible and the bug is not in Avast. I was a bit shocked after the very positive feedback of Wuala team, so I tried it again. Sent the infos again. Again, remove Wuala, and Avast got no bugs.


And that's where the story is at the moment.
No further development, fix, or anything.

I've been using MSE since the lockups started to happen and the problem is just gone. Totally gone.
Sadly, there is no BSOD. What I mean by that? The PC just locks up. No dump, no BSOD, just dies there.


If you have any idea or experience with this, please share. About the contact support... license or not, they won't listen, nor help. So that's why I posted, why I started this thread.

Thanks for even reading my story.

[shiki]

I don't know if "double posting" is against the rules, but this way it's easier to break my post into different parts.


Here is the debug info:

The problem is not in CallbackFS. In the situation when a new volume occurs in the system the system component "filter manager" (which is used to support file system minifilter drivers) looks in the registry for all of the minifilters and notifies each of them about the new volume. CallbackFS is just an initiator of the crash. It just creates a virtual disk and this causes the described actions.
There is a big possibility that one of the file system filters causes implicitly the problem. So let the user either update or uninstall the products which the drivers belong to.
The following file system minifilter drivers are installed:
aswFsBlk.sys, aswSnx.sys, aswmonflt.sys - avast (?)
Eamon.sys - eset (?)

Also the problem can be because of registry filter drivers. In this system there are two of them
aswSP.sys and aswSnx.sys - avast (?)

(This information is from the ticket where I started to ask Wuala about the problem. That time, Avast! gave me a BSOD right after I started my PC. After a few minor updates to Avast!, now I can run Avast! for a while and then I'll get the lock up. Worse than BSOD, no dump or whatsoever.)

[Pondus]

what AV did you have before installing avast ?
have you removed it before you installed avast ?
did you run a removal tool to clear any leftovers after the uninstall ?  

[shiki]

I've been only using Avast!
I removed it several times, both from the Programs and Features menu, and using the Uninstall utility with safe mode.

No effect. After I install it again from scratch, it starts locking up my PC.

(Tried checking Windows Event Log, but nothing. There is no sign of the lockup, only messages about "Unplanned shutdown" and so on.

I was also thinking about having lockups due to overheat. But after running HWINFO for logging purpose I noticed: There is no common pattern between temperature and lock up.

After removing Avast, the lockups disappeared.)

[Pondus]

so no preinstalled AV when the computer was new ?    what computer is it ?

[shiki]

I've built this PC from scratch.
Tested the memory several times for hours, with memtest86.
The GPU is stable, no problems after hours of gaming. (Zotac did a good job.)
CPU is also OK, running BOINC for nights is not a prob.

HDDs are all green, no smart errors, nothing. The cables attached rock solid (with clips on them).


ps.: IF there would be a _HEAVY DEBUG_ switch for Avast, I could use that to get something maybe. Maybe. I have no idea where to start.


Windbg says I can't debug a WOW64 system.

[jwall]

Good luck, Shiki.
I've had the same problem for months and no resolution.  I used the free version.

I keep getting the same response, 'Are you sure you fully uninstalled PREVIOUS AVs'?

Same as you, I had ONLY used Avast.
This only happens on my desktop.
Both run XP.

[shiki]

Well, we better don't give up. (One should start a petition to get things fixed up? =D)

[Paolo_1988]

Man, I've the same problem!!! Initially I thought it was a problem of Windows, so I decided to format my PC. But I've not solved the problem with my free Avast! 6 The strange thing is that I've another PC (older), with the SAME software installed (always Windows XP SP3) and this problem doesn't appear there o.O But maybe I can help You... To solve the problem, I've changed an option of my  Avast! Listen to me, go to "Advanced Options" of Avast! "File System Protection", so go to "Scan when Opening", UNCHECK "Scan all File", click OK and reboot your System. I've solved the problem in this way. This is not the best solution of course (protection is lower), but I think this is a bug of Avast! that we can't solve in other ways

[shiki]

It's more like a dirty workaround, which just makes Avast inferior to _any_ of the AV products out there. So yeah, we have to figure out something better.

I'm still trying when I got the time. If I'll have any results about the lock up, I'll share it in the topic.

[ady4um]

In your report, you have also:

Eamon.sys - eset (?)

Please check for specific removal utilities at

http://thewebatom.net/uninstallers/security-software/ (not ALL are there in the list, so please search for other removal utilities in the respective official websites, since ALL security tools have such specific removal utilities).

Download the specific removal tool for any security tool you ever HAD (eset?, MSE?).

Do the same for Avast removal tool http://www.avast.com/uninstall-utility

Reboot into Windows Safe Mode (skip the "Add/Remove Programs" and avoid the Normal Mode).

Select the correct folder where Avast is/was installed, and the correct version(s).

If you had Avast 5 before, reboot AGAIN into Safe Mode and run AGAIN the removal tool, selecting the other version(s) you previously had before Avast 6. Please do NOT skip the reboots.

The same, also under Safe Mode, should be performed with ALL security tools you EVER HAD (eset nod, MSE, others)

How to invoke memory dump creation:
http://support.avast.com/index.php?_m=knowledgebase&_a=viewarticle&kbarticleid=71


After the memory dump, it can be uploaded to the write-only (no read permissions) minidumps uploads location:
ftp://ftp.avast.com/incoming

[shiki]

Enabled the BSOD option and used MSE FixIT.

Hope I'll be able to catch the bug this time.