Author Topic: After Windows Updates Computers hangs with AVAST Free installed  (Read 7901 times)

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rvaneynd

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Has anybody else seen this.

Customer are in different locations (same country).
Both running windows 7 (32 and 64bit versions).
Both running Avast Free 8.

After the latest updates where installed from Microsoft, the computer does start up but short after login the computer would completely freeze.
Reboot the computers in Safe Mode and renaming the c:\program files\avast software folder and removing all the asw*.* files in c:\windows\system32.
The computer will work again nicely after a normal reboot.

Then we try to install AVAST free 8 again and again the exact same problem.
Performed the actions above including the aswclear tool and the computer is running fine again.

Again try to install AVAST Free 8 and the problem is back.

Also did a MalwareBytes and Spybot scan and nothing showed up as malicious.

For the time being we have installed Microsoft Security Essentials (this works without any problems).

Has anybody seen this problem?
If so, what did you do to fix it?

Raoul

Sahri

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Re: After Windows Updates Computers hangs with AVAST Free installed
« Reply #1 on: August 23, 2013, 12:23:30 AM »
A friend of mine had about the same problem as you did except he couldn't even boot into safe mode. I think one of the updates isn't liked by Avast which results in the freezes you're experiencing.

EDIT: My friend told me he had a definition update for Windows Defender with KB915597 prior to the crash. Maybe Avast marks that update as malicious for no reason and causes your computer to freeze. Could you try uninstalling that update and then reinstall Avast to see if it works?
« Last Edit: August 23, 2013, 12:42:04 AM by Sahri »

rvaneynd

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Re: After Windows Updates Computers hangs with AVAST Free installed
« Reply #2 on: August 23, 2013, 10:24:42 AM »
Sahri,

You might be right.

Microsoft has now released 3 updates under KB915597. The latest one was released today (Aug 23, 2013).
I had 1 customer who was supposed to come in today with a similar problem (machine running very, very slow), calling me that all is fine now after he received the latest update as part of the KB article.

Next week, I will make sure the latest update to the KB is on the other 2 machines and see if Avast will run again.

Raoul.

Sahri

  • Guest
Re: After Windows Updates Computers hangs with AVAST Free installed
« Reply #3 on: August 27, 2013, 11:57:16 PM »
Sahri,

You might be right.

Microsoft has now released 3 updates under KB915597. The latest one was released today (Aug 23, 2013).
I had 1 customer who was supposed to come in today with a similar problem (machine running very, very slow), calling me that all is fine now after he received the latest update as part of the KB article.

Next week, I will make sure the latest update to the KB is on the other 2 machines and see if Avast will run again.

Raoul.
I think it was just a fluke because my friend's Windows got killed again by that same update yesterday (August 26) so I advise against it and use a 3rd party spyware scanner and completely disable Windows Defender.

Offline winactive

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Re: After Windows Updates Computers hangs with AVAST Free installed
« Reply #4 on: September 03, 2013, 12:46:26 PM »
I've had fresh installs of Avast! hang with a black screen or freeze going into Windows within the last month.

It's definitely Avast! that has or causes the issue - one machine AMD the other Intel so it's unlikely to be drivers. Both interestingly are 32-bit Win 7, there have been no issues on 64-bit Win 7 so far.

Any clues anyone?

Offline essexboy

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Re: After Windows Updates Computers hangs with AVAST Free installed
« Reply #5 on: September 03, 2013, 03:20:58 PM »
There is a windows update that is causing this problem that does not play well with Avast.  Yet it only affects a small minority of 64bit Vista and 7.  There are also 4 other known programmes that are affected, mainly games with the DRM 
 

Offline winactive

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Re: After Windows Updates Computers hangs with AVAST Free installed
« Reply #6 on: September 03, 2013, 05:15:17 PM »
I've had fresh installs of Avast! hang with a black screen or freeze going into Windows within the last month.

It's definitely Avast! that has or causes the issue - one machine AMD the other Intel so it's unlikely to be drivers. Both interestingly are 32-bit Win 7, there have been no issues on 64-bit Win 7 so far.

Any clues anyone?

Well, I've narrowed it down to the Script and Behavior Shields. Behavior Shield will run if in Troubleshooting you select 'Load Avast! Services only after loading other system services". You can Custom Install without these two shields and as an aside I also do not load 'Avast! Gadget' and 'Secure Line'.

GTX66

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Re: After Windows Updates Computers hangs with AVAST Free installed
« Reply #7 on: September 04, 2013, 02:58:50 PM »
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-KB2859537-Update-Causes-BSODs-Due-to-Avast-Incompatibility-377488.shtml

Quote
Microsoft’s KB2859537 update released on Patch Tuesday is causing lots of problems on Windows 7 computers, with some users now reporting issues due to incompatibility with Avast anti-virus software.

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Pulls-Botched-KB2859537-Windows-7-Update-377356.shtml


If you have this installed-remove it if you want a better computing experience. MS has pulled it along with 4 other ones.

Offline winactive

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Re: After Windows Updates Computers hangs with AVAST Free installed
« Reply #8 on: September 06, 2013, 02:12:25 PM »
I can confirm that this particular update is not causing my problem.

Arius31

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Re: After Windows Updates Computers hangs with AVAST Free installed
« Reply #9 on: April 16, 2014, 03:54:12 AM »
I'm also experiencing issues with Task Host hanging. It's been happening ever since I've upgraded to Windows 8. I have tried the Avast Cleaner Tool, yet it still freezes at RANDOM during when I boot up. Some programs work while this is happening, but most Windows features such as Control Panel or Network will not open.

Here is the weird thing...if I turn off ONLY the Web Shield, everything works perfectly. It would be a shame to have to find a new AV program. Been an avast user for 7 years now.