Author Topic: Boot-Time Scan freezes computer  (Read 10387 times)

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oldcodger

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Boot-Time Scan freezes computer
« on: August 29, 2012, 03:39:10 PM »
I guess that I have two questions: 1) Will I hurt anything if I power off the computer in the middle of an Avast boot-time scan?  2) What could cause the computer to freeze during an Avast boot-time scan?

I’m running XP sp3 with Avast 7.  I started a boot-time scan about 3 hours ago and verified that it was running all right before leaving it.  Two hours later I found the computer frozen.  The hard drive indicator light is on solid (no flickering at all).  The monitor indicator light shows that it is not receiving a signal from the computer and the monitor is blank.  The mouse and keyboard are unresponsive.  I did not get to the options screen where the boot-time scanner asks how I want to dispose of any found problems (vault, delete, etc…). 

Any thoughts would be welcome.

Mike

Offline DavidR

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Re: Boot-Time Scan freezes computer
« Reply #1 on: August 29, 2012, 05:13:30 PM »
Just start by pressing the Esc (Escape) key, that stops the scan and should boot into normal windows mode.

Sounds like something is blocking it as you should get a screen showing it is running and the options screen if any detection, see images (click to expand) are you seeing any of these screens ?

What other security software do you have installed (e.g. anti-spyware, firewall, etc.) ?
How much data is on your system as a boot-time scan is pretty thorough ?
Why was it that you ran a boot-time scan ?

The boot-time scan also scans archive (zip) files that would be inert/dormant and scans for PUPs (Potentially Unwanted Programs).

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oldcodger

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Re: Boot-Time Scan freezes computer
« Reply #2 on: August 29, 2012, 06:11:17 PM »
Thanks for the thoughts. 

In all fairness I realize that my Subject should have been Computer freezes during Boot-Time Scan. 

The keyboard is unresponsive.  Pressing ESC does nothing. 

Initially, I did get the screen showing that the Boot-Time Scan was running.  (I made sure that Avast was scanning through the files before I left.)  However, when I returned a few hours later the monitor was blank.  I can not say whether the option screen came up and then it froze or whether it froze before the option screen appeared. 

I have no other anti-malware programs running during the boot up. 

I do have a considerable amount of data on my 300 gig drive.  However, normally, when I run Avast, the HDD indicator light flickers.  The indicator is now on solid.  It has now been over six hours since the scan began. 

I was getting some kind of updater PUP (I forget the name) that kept coming back after two other Boot-Time Scans (the first log had three instances and the second log had one instance) so I decided to run it again and see if the log came back clean.

My two questions remain: 1) Will I hurt anything if I power off the computer in the middle of an Avast boot-time scan before the options screen appears?  2) What could cause Avast boot-time scan to freeze?

Thanks,
Mike

Offline DavidR

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Re: Boot-Time Scan freezes computer
« Reply #3 on: August 29, 2012, 07:08:52 PM »
Normally when avast finishes it would boot into windows normal mode, so if it locked up I would expect it still to be on the scan screen. So it may be that it completed but for some reason failed to boot into windows (if you have a black screen).

If the scan is running and you have the screen up, using the Esc key is the best/recommended option, I have never used the power button to try and back out of a scan, so I can't say if it could be harmful or not. But I guess it could have the same potential for file corruption of you use the power button to shutdown in windows as windows is partially running (required) when the boot-time scan begins.

That is why I asked the questions about what other security software you had as it is possible something else might be running that conflicts.
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oldcodger

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Re: Boot-Time Scan freezes computer
« Reply #4 on: August 29, 2012, 10:16:34 PM »
I decided to go ahead and power off the computer.  It appears to have rebooted successfully.  Since I did not authorize it to deal with any discovered threats (on the options screen) I am hopeful that Avast didn’t make any changes to my hard drive.  I’ll probably run a thorough chkdsk to look for fragments or damage.

Thanks,
Mike

Offline DavidR

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Re: Boot-Time Scan freezes computer
« Reply #5 on: August 29, 2012, 10:52:15 PM »
You're welcome.

My thoughts weren't so much what avast might do (but the potential windows problems) as you say it shouldn't have done anything without input on a decision.

Though it is possible to set an action in the boot-time scan settings (see image), which I don't think are advisable I always prefer to be in control over any decision made. So as long as you have it on Ask you make the decision on any action to be taken.
Windows 10 Home 64bit/ Acer Aspire F15/ Intel Core i5 7200U 2.5GHz, 8GB DDR4 memory, 256GB SSD, 1TB HDD/ avast! free 24.2.6105 (build 24.2.8918.824) UI 1.0.799/ Firefox, uBlock Origin, uMatrix/ MailWasher Pro/ Avast! Mobile Security