Avast! Free hangs on Windows 7 32bit SP1

[winactive]

I have experienced this problem with two separate machines, both running Windows 7 32-bit SP1. This has not occurred on any system with Avast Free running on Windows 7 64-bit SP1.

Both machines were different hardware (one AMD, one Intel) and when one machine was reinstalled using 64-bit Windows 7 there was no longer an issue.

The 32-bit machine is the Intel one and I would rather not reinstall at this point in time, plus I would prefer to understand why this is happening. It has also run very slowly on an older XP machine, but I may not be pursuing this one as the machine is not in service and earmarked for disposal.

If I disable the Script Shield and the Behavior Shield, Avast! does not hang the system, so I am fairly sure it is related to those two services. The only way I can recover the system once it hangs is to run Aswclear in Safe Mode and then reinstall without the two shields mentioned.

As a point of information, I can say the only other Custom Install items deselected are Secure Line, Avast Gadget and all language options except English.

[mikaelrask]

hey are you using the latest version of avast 8.0.1497?

is the computer hanging on a file during boot, or is it after it have boot up?

[Para-Noid]

Try a repair. Control Panel>Uninstall a Program>double click "avast">click "repair">reboot. 

[winactive]

hey are you using the latest version of avast 8.0.1497?

is the computer hanging on a file during boot, or is it after it have boot up?

After boot. I reckon it is when the Avast services load fully. Yes, latest version.

Try a repair. Control Panel>Uninstall a Program>double click "avast">click "repair">reboot. 

Already tried that. That's where I've been enabling the shields I hadn't installed when I was narrowing down which shields were causing locking.

I can now confirm it is not present in Windows Vista 32-bit SP2. My logic now says that the commonality between the two cases I have seen is possibly IE10, but I know it is working on my sister's Windows 7 32-bit SP1 with IE10. Her case differs in that IE10 was installed AFTER Avast!, both problem cases had IE10 installed first and both were previously running Microsoft Security Essentials.

[winactive]

Clean install of Win 7x86 SP1 and Avast! installs and works properly. Updated to IE10 and still working. Now downloading updates.

This kind of exonerates IE10, but the install order may be important.

SOLVED: If IE10 is installed on the system before Avast! 8.0.1497 it will hang iexplore.exe *32 and it hangs on the Script Shield and Behavior Shield (if these are disabled or not installed Avast! does not hang the iexplore.exe *32 process). Rolling back IE to the previous version, installing Avast! THEN upgrading to IE10 works fine. This can be replicated in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows 7 Home Premium.

If a moderator would like to verify this and modify the thread title accordingly, it may help others.