Avast! Free 7. update screwed up C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM

[LordDragonDan]

PC is FIXED! I was searching the forums for help when I fixed it myself. Just posting for anyone with the same problem since I couldn't fine any other messages about it.

I use Avast Internet Security on 3 system running Win 7. They have been fine so far. I use the free version on a desktop my kids use running Windows XP. In the 12 years I have been using Avast I have never had a problem with program updates. I logged on to the XP system and Avast said there was a program update available. So I let it update and it said it need to reboot the system (of course). It now reports V7.0.1466. When it rebooted I got this message: "Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM".

I use Ultimate Boot CD for Windows XP 3.60 and recovered the file. It is working again.

[Lisandro]

What is "recovered the file"...?
That file seems a registry hive and I really doubt avast has the "power" of messing with all of it...

[LordDragonDan]

It is definitely a windows file of some sort. What registry hive would it be? If it's a registry hive then how could I recover it with a out a lot of things changing? This was after it updated to 7.0.1466. I had just booted the system and was going to run a virus scan. Avast! want to update so I let it and it had to reboot. That is when I received the error. I have still not received any reply from Avast! I will not update my Windows 7 pc's to until the next version at least, unless someone can explain why this happened.

[Lisandro]

It could be a problem in the system file (run chkdsk /F will help).
It could be a problem in the windows registry (a system restore could help sometimes, because it does not work 100% of the times).