Avast 9 made my laptop not working

[daba6157]

Everything works fine with Avast 8. After installing the new Avast (in version 9), my laptop went crazy. The monitor keeps turning black when booting. Tried power off then boot again, but same results. I can’t even go to the BIOS or Safe Mode, as the screen is plain black. I tried F12, F8, and Fn F5, nothing happenned, screen still black. I even let the laptop cool down in case of overheating, but still can't go through the booting process. Since I don’t have an image backup of the OS prior to installing Avast 9, I am left with nothing. I’ve been using Avast for 7 straight years (since it was version 4 and keeps recommending it to others) and this is the first time it happened to me. Not happy this time. If I could only turn back the clock, I will stick with Avast 8, for now.

[Lisandro]

Please, try in a different monitor... It "could" be a monitor problem.
Do you use a bluetooth keyboard or an USB one?

[Hammey]

Hi I can answer that question for you it is a laptop so he is useing the monitor attached to it and also the keyboard.

[Lisandro]

Wow... Bad news...
Maybe you would have to use a Windows rescue disk or try to overinstall Windows (without losing the files/programs/configurations).

[daba6157]

Thanks for the responses.  Like Hammey said, I am using a laptop.  Basically when I turn on the power button, I know the laptop is working cos I can hear sounds from the hard disk and the fan.  I don't know what else to do now as keyboard is working, power lights up, battery lights up and the internal hard disk lights up - blinking.  Blinking is normal as it boots.  And although I am no expert at computers, I know a bit in troubleshooting as I also repair laptops.  I don't want to conclude what exactly happened with my laptop but I am sure the blackness occurred right after the installation of avast 9.  Googled of a possible solution and all relates to pressing Fn F5 when it boot.

[Lisandro]

The symptoms (lights blinking, etc.) seems to say everything is working except the monitor...
I never experienced but, maybe, you can connect a second monitor or a projector when the computer is fully loaded and see if you can "see" the screen.

[zorgon]

I would try downloading a small linux distro like Puppy linux and burn it to a CD. If you can boot up and the monitor works then you will know it is a software issue. I found that Lucid Puppy 5.2.8 is compatible with many computers.

http://puppylinux.org/main/Download%20Latest%20Release.htm

Edit: You can do this if you do not have a Windows Rescue Disk as @Tech suggested.

[olddog]

The monitor keeps turning black when booting.

All of the laptops I have had, or used, displayed some flash screen, or branding during the bootup.
Have you tried pressing the F2 key during boot up to open up the bios settings?.
If you don't have any screen activity when you open the bios settings, and no flash screen during bootup, then I would suggest it is more likely to be a hardware fault, with laptops very often the failure of the flexible cable between the base of the unit and the screen module.

If you do have display of the bios flash screen, or when you are in the bios settings, then it would be more likely to be a software issue.

[daba6157]

I don't have spare monitor and most of my friends use laptops nowadays.  I will try if I can lend one at work.  I tried F2 and it didn't work.  Most suggestions points me to press the function button followed by F5.  Didn't work either.  I checked the cord connection of the monitor and all is well connected. Like olddog said, the monitor displays the brand and the flash screen during the bootup.  But after a second or two, lights go off and the screen turned black.  Tonight, I will try zorgon suggestion.  Goodluck to me.

THANKS to all who reply. I really appreciate it.

[olddog]

... the monitor displays the brand and the flash screen during the bootup.  But after a second or two, lights go off and the screen turned black.

That would suggest it's a software problem and that Windows is not starting up correctly.
Are you able to get it to start in Safe mode (keep pressing the F8 key repeatedly immediately the flash screen eppears)?

I'm not sure what OS you are using, but if you check on line you should be able to download the iso to make a bootable repair CD, but you would need to do that on another PC that has a CD burner and software that can burn from iso images.

[daba6157]

Lot of users in other forums suggest that it maybe because of fan malfunction, dead motherboard, monitor socket, graphics card, RAM being un-mounted or could be due to insufficient power.  I do not believe this as everything was fine before installation of Avast 9.  So it might be a software issue, my guess.  So I disassembled the laptop and checked every parts.

Plus I removed the DVD ROM Drive and by removing it, I ruined it by accident.  Unnoticeably, I cannot get it to where it was before prior to disassembling.  There are 2 small parts plus 1 spring that I could not figure how it came out of it and where it should be attached.  If someone knows how, please let me know.

After re-assembling the laptop (except for the dvd rom), I tried the Fn+F5 and for the first time the screen works for a few seconds and it went black again. It was like this for awhile.  Once in every 2 seconds, the screen turned black.  So I kept repeating Fn+F5 until I was greeted with Safe Mode, Start Normally and so on.  I selected Safe Mode and for some reason it booted to Windows desktop but the screen turns on and off.  So every time this happens, pressing Fn+F5 works somehow.

Next, I went to the Control Panel and removed Avast 9.  Then I restarted the laptop.  Would you believe that everything works fine after the removal of Avast 9?  No screen blackness.  Then, I installed Avast 8 and all is well. So my guess, Avast 9 is the culprit.

Olddog was right.  It was indeed a software issue.

By the way, I did try the puppy linux and it didn’t work as I cannot go to BIOS and change the sequence of booting to DVD ROM Drive.  So I had to go with the Safe Mode then.

Once again, thank you tech, zorgon, & olddog for all your help.

[olddog]

.. So I kept repeating Fn+F5 until I was greeted with Safe Mode, Start Normally and so on.  I selected Safe Mode and for some reason it booted to Windows desktop but the screen turns on and off.  So every time this happens, pressing Fn+F5 works somehow.

Whilst I'm happy for you that your laptop is now working (with the exception of the poor DVD drive), I am puzzled about your Fn+F5 key combination.

There is no specific standard for function key combinations, for instance on some Asus portables Fn+F5 is the "reduce display brightness", and on some Lenovo portables Fn+F5 toggles the Wifi/BlueTooth.

The Fn+F5 combination however on Toshiba, Acer and Sharp commonly toggle between the Laptop's LCD screen and an external monitor, and so if toggled without an external monitor connected would result in the laptop LCD screen turning off, which is similar to the effect you have described.

What brand/model is your laptop?

[daba6157]

Once again, you are right.  I am using a: Toshiba Tecra A8. OS: Windows Vista 32-bit. Been using it since 2007 without any issue.  I had it when I travel and it’s been working good all the time.

I read about Fn+F5 from a certain website (tips4pc I guess) and one of the comment there was suggesting to use Fn then followed by F5, applicable for Toshiba.  So it seems that toggling Fn+F5 works too in Acer and Sharp. This is wonderful.

What about the DVD drive?  I’ve been searching for a guide on how to dismantle a Toshiba laptop’s DVD drive and I can’t find any.  This way, I can learn what parts they are that need fix.  If you happen to know one, I will be glad to hear it.

[olddog]

I am using a: Toshiba Tecra A8. OS: Windows Vista 32-bit.

The normal key to access the bios setup for the Tecra A8 is the F2 key. However Toshiba also give an alternative involving holding down the escape key for three seconds until you see a prompt for the F1 key appear, then press F1.
See http://support.toshiba.com/support/viewContentDetail?soid=627009

If you have the power off set to go into a hybrid suspend state instead of a complete power down, then to access the bios setup I understand you first have to shut the computer down completely, which I believe involves holding the shift key down whilst powering the computer off, and continuing to hold the shift key down until it has completely powered down. When you then power back up the F2 key should access the bios set up.

The Fn+F5 does not access the bios setup on the Tecra A8. As I indicated earlier it toggles between the laptop and external monitors.

I'm sorry I can't help you with advice re repairs to your DVD drive. That's probably best left to a service agent.

[zorgon]

I have a Toshiba laptop just purchased and I could never get to the BIOS using Toshiba's instructions which was to hold down the F2 key and release one second after the computer powers on. I got to the BIOS by tapping the F2 key while powering on the computer.