PC Freezes on after installing Avast

[wolfepak]

OK, here is the details:
XPPro (SP2)
Avast 4.6
Uninstalled AVG Free before installing Avast.
Computer boots to my User (has Admin access) and locks up within seconds.
Sometimes, it doesn't make it past the XP splash screen. the Blue caterpiller stops moving.

The computer is totally frozen at this point (on the level of IRQ1 as the keyboard has no response... no lights change on Num or Caps lock)

I CAN boot to safe mode (and safe mode w/Networking) That is how I am on here to post this.

Is an Unistall my only option?

[wolfepak]

Also,
The boot scan at restart found:
C:\WINDOWS\Downloaded Program Files\Preload.dll was infected with something (sorry I don't remember what.) Due to it's location, (DLProg files) I choose to delete it.

[whocares]

Uninstalled AVG Free before installing Avast.

Hi,

did you reboot after uninstalling AVG ?

This sounds suspiciously as if AVG wasn't completely removed before installing avast

(Vlk's famous words "hard lockup" seem to describe your symptoms pretty well)

Check for remnants of AVG in SafeMode (those often lurk in Services & Non-PnP-drivers -> DeviceManager);
make sure the AVG-folder is gone; a regClean might help

you might want to post a hijackthis-Log (needs uptodate version 1.99.1) for diagnosis; Link/Info can be found via board-search