I installed the latest
Avast 9.0.2007 on Windows XP SP3. Here is what I did:
1. Booted into Safe Mode and ran the Avast Cleaner uninstall tool.
2. Installed CCleaner, ran the tool, and verified there were no Avast remnants left.
3. Installed Avast 9.0.2007.
4. Re-booted into normal mode.
Unfortunately, I still had the same problems I reported about the previous build
here and
here. There problems include:
- The system tray icons not loading properly
- Avast icon not appearing in the system tray
- Delayed shutdown of Windows, around 10 times longer than normal
- Windows freezing right after the splash screen, but before the Desktop is supposed to appear, after the 3rd reboot.
I tweaked the Service start-up settings for Avast (services.msc), and finally managed to reach the Windows desktop in normal mode. However, I noticed the system tray icons were not loading properly, and even the Avast icon did not appear in the system tray.
I clicked on some other programs on my desktop, and they were malfunctioning. In one program I clicked, the Avast "DeepScreen" words appeared. I looked into the Avast settings, and noticed "DeepScreen" was enabled.
To diagnose the start-up problems, I re-booted the system and accessed the boot manager (F8), and selected "Enable Boot Logging", which then booted into Windows normal mode. More info how to do this can be found here:
http://www.watchingthenet.com/how-to-enable-boot-logging-for-fixing-startup-problems-in-windows.htmlThe Windows system tray icons were still not loading, and my programs were still malfunctioning. I explored and opened the "ntbootlog.txt" file in "C:\Windows".
In this log file, I noticed a whole bunch of drivers were not loading, with the phrase "Did not load driver" appearing many times after the Avast drivers loaded.
Possible Windows XP Conflict with DeepScreenMy suspicion was that Avast "DeepScreen" might be preventing the drivers from loading properly upon boot-up, which may also explain why the system tray icons where not loading either, and why some of the programs were not executing properly.
To test this, I went into Avast --> Settings --> Antivirus and unchecked "Enabled DeepScreen" to deactivate this option.
I re-booted into the boot manager (F8), and selected "Enable Boot Logging".
The Windows XP started up properly into the desktop, and the system tray icons loaded properly as it should, with Avast also appearing normally in the system tray.
Then I checked the "ntbootlog.txt" file. I noticed that a whole bunch of drivers were now loading properly, which previously did not load, when I compared it to previous log file.
From then on, I left Avast "DeepScreen" disabled, and Windows XP and Avast functioned properly after each reboot thereafter.
Request Confirmation from other Windows XP UsersIf you have Windows XP, I request you do the following to diagnose if Avast "DeepScreen" might be an issue:
1. Enable Avast "DeepScreen" in Avast --> Settings --> Antivirus (with the option check marked).
2. Explore into "C:\Windows\ntboolog.txt" and re-name the file, or move it into another directory, if it exists.
Note: This particular file version is not necessary for this procedure and can be ignored. This file is sometimes called "ntbtlog.txt".
3. Re-boot into the boot manager with F8, and select "Enable Boot Logging", and then select Windows XP.
4. Explore into "C:\Windows\ntboolog.txt" and check if the drivers are loading properly. Re-name the file. This 1st log file will be with "DeepScreen" enabled.
5. Note also any performance issues with Windows XP, any programs, icons, or Avast itself.
6. Disable Avast "DeepScreen" in Avast --> Settings --> Antivirus (with the option unchecked).
7. Re-boot into the boot manager with F8, and select "Enable Boot Logging", and then select Windows XP.
8. Explore into "C:\Windows\ntboolog.txt" and check if the drivers are loading properly. This 2nd log file is with "DeepScreen" disabled.
9. Compare this 2nd log file against the 1st log file, and note any differences.
10. Note also any performance issues with Windows XP, any programs, icons, or Avast itself, with "DeepScreen" disabled, compared to when "DeepScreen" was enabled.