BIG problem: Avast Net Client Service is making PCs Freeze when loading desktop!

[Michael Due]

Hi Again.

I'm having a big problem with the service: "avast! Net Client Service" - We have about 15 computers all running Windows 7 - 64 bit and we have 2 Windows XP machines.

The problem is - computers are freezing when you start them up and they are almost done loading all services, desktop icons etc. And I have found the problem to be "avast! Net Client Service" since if I disable this service: then no computers are having any problems booting whatsoever, but as soon as i start it again if i boot up all 17 computers at the same time then I can be sure at least 3-4 will be hanging upon start up at the desktop screen.

As you can see from this old post this is not my first problem with the avast! Net Client Service:
http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=82112.0

However - the problem now is even more annoying! And the only solution i have found so far has been to disable the avast! Net Client Service on the local PCs - however this is far from optimal since i cannnot then update settings or view the status of the computers.

I really hope someone can figure out what is going on.

Ive tried googling, are there really no one else having this issue??? Im using SFF computers from Lenovo like this one:
http://shop.lenovo.com/gbweb/gb/en/learn/products/desktops/thinkcentre/thinkcentre-edge/edge72/

[giogio]

Hi,
can you tell to us client version and type and version of the console you're using?

[Michael Due]

Hi.

Client program version = 7.0.1455
(These was force updatet in hope of solving the problem - after i tried upgrading from Business Protection suite to the newest:

Avast Endpoint protection Suite found here:
http://files.avast.com/iavs5x/setup_enterprise_eps.exe

However, neither upgrading to the newest AEPS or force updating / reinstalling clients made any difference.

[giogio]

Hi,
Had you tried to configure you computers group under AEA to "load avast services only after loading other system services" (under settings->troubleshooting)?

[Michael Due]

Hi.

Yes.

Ive also tried disabling the autosandbox features and disabling the sharepoint shield since we arent using sharepoint anyways.

However these things didnt seem to help.

I just tried rebooting all 17 PCs again here before lunch with the ANCS service running and 2 of them hang on the desktop ;;

[wpn]

Does your clients freeze or crash with a blue screen?

in the last case there should be a minidump file in  c:\windows\minidump
Avast would like to have that minidump

[Michael Due]

Hi again.

They do not freeze with a blue screen no.

They come all the way to the desktop but here, as I said:
If I boot all 17 computers at the same time usually 2-4 will hang having almost completely finished booting and loading the desktop view (maybe missing 1 or 2 services from starting) if you try to click on anything then you know for sure if the machine is freezing or have succesfully startet without any problems.

Ive just tried something new and for now it seems to solve the problem!!
- I can now have the service running if I just wait a few minutes after computers have booted, im not experienceing any hang ups on boot for now at least - so far ive tried rebooting all machines 3 times. What I did was this:

- Instead of having the Avast Net Client Service start automaticly I have now forced it to be a delayed start using this command i pushed onto all my computers via our logon script:
run 'SC CONFIG "avast! Net Client Service" start= delayed-auto'

(Only bad thing is however this only works on Windows 7 machines and not old XP machines - since old XP machines dont have the option to delay start a service)

I'm not sure what this does if anything to the whole idea of the program, delaying the startup of this service i mean, but if thats what I have to do to solve the problem temporarely then i guess its better than having to disable the service.

[nannunannu]

- Instead of having the Avast Net Client Service start automaticly I have now forced it to be a delayed start using this command i pushed onto all my computers via our logon script:
run 'SC CONFIG "avast! Net Client Service" start= delayed-auto'[/b]

We've had the same thing happening, seems like on Vista and Windows 7 the machine will sometimes hang at "Please wait..." (not a crash, just a race condition of two things waiting on one another and never resolving) - ESPECIALLY after microsoft patches have been applied to the OS...  reverted to Automatic (Delayed Start) for the avast net client service to resolve issue here as well.  Although after the machine boots, you can typically set it back to automatic and it works until the next patch tuesday.

[Michael Due]

- Instead of having the Avast Net Client Service start automaticly I have now forced it to be a delayed start using this command i pushed onto all my computers via our logon script:
run 'SC CONFIG "avast! Net Client Service" start= delayed-auto'[/b]

We've had the same thing happening, seems like on Vista and Windows 7 the machine will sometimes hang at "Please wait..." (not a crash, just a race condition of two things waiting on one another and never resolving) - ESPECIALLY after microsoft patches have been applied to the OS...  reverted to Automatic (Delayed Start) for the avast net client service to resolve issue here as well.  Although after the machine boots, you can typically set it back to automatic and it works until the next patch tuesday.

Nannunannu! I think you are 100% absolutely correct! Patching absolutely provokes it, i just tried it.
- And it doesnt even have to be new patches, its just patching some updates from microsoft - even if you have an old machine and just install like 10 patches from 2 years ago it can provoke these hang ups.

Man im glad to hear other people are having same issues... I couldnt find anything on google.

But yeah for now the delay method has solved my problems on win 7 machines, but like i said sadly you cant delay services and we still have a total of 32+ XP machines in the house.

[Michael Due]

Just FYI if anyone else needs to use this method to solve the problem.

Using run 'SC CONFIG "avast! Net Client Service" start= delayed-auto' in your login script wont work with at least older versions of Windows Server, since SC on Windows Server dont support the delay option and will execute SC from the server and not SC from the local PC.

Instead make sure you use the local SC from the Windows 7 computers to execute this command by using this command line in your login script instead:

run 'C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SC CONFIG "avast! Net Client Service" start= delayed-auto'
(or whatever the local computers windows -> System32 folder is located on your windows 7 computers).

[nannunannu]

But yeah for now the delay method has solved my problems on win 7 machines, but like i said sadly you cant delay services and we still have a total of 32+ XP machines in the house.

We only have a handful of XP machines, but they need to boot to safe mode, set both avast services to manual, reboot normally, set them back to automatic and reboot again...  Seems to work, but it has been chewing up a bit of my time from my team. 

re:  no google results - I've just assumed that everyone came to the same workaround and have been waiting for a new version to correct the behavior.  *shrug* 

[wpn]

There is a setting on the avast client that delays the start of the services till after loading other system services

maintenance -> Problem solving ->  Start Avast!.........    check the setting and it delays the start


Hypothetically :
Depending on the settings on how to protect yourself its logical that patches on the system trigger a slower machine for a few moments
system file that get replaced need to be scanned and "cataloged" again, depending on the hardware this could slowdown the machine for a moment

[Michael Due]

There is a setting on the avast client that delays the start of the services till after loading other system services
maintenance -> Problem solving ->  Start Avast!.........    check the setting and it delays the start
Hypothetically :
Depending on the settings on how to protect yourself its logical that patches on the system trigger a slower machine for a few moments
system file that get replaced need to be scanned and "cataloged" again, depending on the hardware this could slowdown the machine for a moment

Been there and tried that... Doesnt work and problem isnt what you think:

First of all - the setting you are suggesting on having avast clients delay the start of the service until after loading other system services - doesnt change anything in regards to this hang up problem. Only manually delaying or completely deactivating the Avast Net Client Service works.

Second: We are not talking slower machines for a few moments because of things having to be rescanned and cataloged again. We are talking about machines that will keep hanging, even if you wait for days hoping it will finish booting. The only thing that works is pressing the power button until the computer is turned off. And hope it will not hang / freeze on the welcome screen or desktop screen when you boot it again. If it does then take the power again and boot a 3rd, 4th or 5th time or whatever until you are lucky to get it to work.

So its a big problem and the fault is within the ANCS somewhere but where exacly, only programmers of this service can find out i guess.

[nannunannu]

There is a setting on the avast client that delays the start of the services till after loading other system services
maintenance -> Problem solving ->  Start Avast!.........    check the setting and it delays the start
Hypothetically :
Depending on the settings on how to protect yourself its logical that patches on the system trigger a slower machine for a few moments
system file that get replaced need to be scanned and "cataloged" again, depending on the hardware this could slowdown the machine for a moment

Been there and tried that... Doesnt work and problem isnt what you think:

First of all - the setting you are suggesting on having avast clients delay the start of the service until after loading other system services - doesnt change anything in regards to this hang up problem. Only manually delaying or completely deactivating the Avast Net Client Service works.

Second: We are not talking slower machines for a few moments because of things having to be rescanned and cataloged again. We are talking about machines that will keep hanging, even if you wait for days hoping it will finish booting. The only thing that works is pressing the power button until the computer is turned off. And hope it will not hang / freeze on the welcome screen or desktop screen when you boot it again. If it does then take the power again and boot a 3rd, 4th or 5th time or whatever until you are lucky to get it to work.

So its a big problem and the fault is within the ANCS somewhere but where exacly, only programmers of this service can find out i guess.

I can second all of the above.  The avast option to load after other services does not prevent this issue.  I think (but I'm not positive) that setting only effects AvastSvc not AvastNet which may also be related to the crux of this issue.

Machines that get into the "situation" can sit for at least 8 hours and not get past it.  i7 920 machines that are by no means slow...  It's a deadlock condition that doest resolve until you power down and disable the services and let it resolve.  I don't think we've let one run for more than 8 hours, but enough is enough.

Just checked and we have reproduced the issue on 32bit and 64bit versions of windows - seems to be a thing with avastnet and the queued update mechanism that is used during the next reboot to update system files that were in use when a patch was installed.  I'm guessing something in the boot order changes in that situation to allow file system access to manipulate the system files.

[wpn]

maybe i missed it but the suggestion of the setting was only trying to help   the setting via the cmdprompt in the service sounded the same as the setting i suggested but apparently its not the same, since the setting in the gui for delay doesnt solve the problem and delaying the service in the windows services itself does   (this is also important information for troubleshooting for the developers actually)

Michael you give a link to lenovo hardware. In the picture it states it uses an SSD disk.

Are all your desktops equipped with SSD disks?
If yes: do you have the same problems with a "old fashioned" harddisk?
(same question for nanu)