Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit won't boot due to aswVmm.sys missing or corrupt

[Crackity Jones]

Having searched the forum, I'm having the same problem after Avast Free failed during an update. 

Can't boot into safe mode or restore.

I've attached the results of the FRST scan.  Perhaps some kind soul could help me uninstall Avast and get my PC back up and running.

[essexboy]

You will need to repair or reinstall Avast on completion of this

Download the attached fixlist.txt to the same location as FRST
Run FRST as before and press Fix
On completion reboot to normal windows

Reinstall Avast

Download Uninstall Utility to your Desktop.
Download the correct version of Avast 
Avast Free
Avast Pro
Avast Internet Security
Avast Premier
Disconnect from the net
Uninstall Avast via control panel

• Run aswClear
• It will offer to reboot to safe mode .. Accept that

• Once it has rebooted to safe mode
• In the Select Product to Uninstall dropdown choose the version of Avast that is on your system.
  
• Press Uninstall
  
• Once complete reboot your system to Normal Mode
  
• Reinstall Avast

----------

[Crackity Jones]

Many thanks, essexboy.  Worked a treat.

[essexboy]

My pleasure

[Crackity Jones]

OK.  So after running aswClear, it did ask me to reboot in safe mode.

It seemed to successfully remove Avast Free.

Here's where my next problem started - I can only boot in Safe Mode, no matter what I try.

Any suggestions?

[essexboy]

Was this after you removed Avast using aswclear..  I.e. it did not reboot to normal mode

Could you try the repair start up option please

[Crackity Jones]

Correct - immediately after removing Avast using aswClear, it failed to boot in anything other than Safe Mode.

Tried repair startup, system restore, tried uninstalling and reinstalling Avast, tried modifying the startup options using msconfig, chkdsk c:/r, sfc/scannow.  So far nothing has worked.

[essexboy]

Have you access to the safe mode menu (press and hold F8 at start) and select "start windows normally"

[Crackity Jones]

First thing I tried.  It still boots in Safe Mode regardless.

[essexboy]

when windows has loaded,
go to start>run> type "msconfig"

go to the "boot.ini" tab and deselect the option "/SAFEBOOT"

[Crackity Jones]

As I mentioned in my post yesterday, I've tried this.  The Safe Mode is unchecked.  However, I have noticed that my OS is not listed and I have no options to change services/startup options  Furthermore, my MS Office applications shut down immediately they are started quoting an inability to verify the licence.

It's all starting to sound fairly terminal and I may have to reinstall Windows, which I had hoped to avoid.  At least the majority of programs and data are on different partitions/Physical drives.

[essexboy]

Try option 3 on this page http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/69585-safe-mode.html

[Crackity Jones]

Wow - what a saga!

Well that worked and my PC now boots in normal mode.

Except, now it won't connect to the network.  If I run the trouble shooter, it thinks that there's a network cable unplugged - but there is not.  Tried uninstalling and reinstalling the network card - no joy.

Thanks for all your help so far.  I think I'm close to being fully functioning thanks to you. 

[essexboy]

It looks as though the bcdedit failed to revert for some reason after the safe boot, it should be run  once only

Lets have a quick look with minitoolbox

Please download MiniToolBox, save it to your desktop and run it.

Checkmark the following checkboxes:

• Flush DNS
• Report IE Proxy Settings
• Reset IE Proxy Settings
• Report FF Proxy Settings
• Reset FF Proxy Settings
• List content of Hosts
• List IP configuration
• List Winsock Entries
• List last 10 Event Viewer log
• List Installed Programs
• List Devices
• List Users, Partitions and Memory size.
• List Minidump Files

Click Go and post the result (Result.txt). A copy of Result.txt will be saved in the same directory the tool is run.
 
Note: When using "Reset FF Proxy Settings" option Firefox should be closed.

[Crackity Jones]

OK.  Here's the result.