Author Topic: PC faulty after system restore due to Avast Update messing my browser files  (Read 19932 times)

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Hi! Wondering if anybody can help me as I'm not hugely tech-savvy. Earlier today I was given the option to update my free Avast. I did the update and it turned into Avast Free 2015. Lovely, I thought. Then I tried to open my browser (Maxthon) and it couldn't start and kept looping and an error message came up saying a certain file was missing. I switched to using Internet Explorer through the day but really not keen on it, so tried Maxthon again and the fault kept coming up. So I've just done a system restore (I'm using Windows 8.1 btw) and now my PC only goes as far as a blue screen saying

YOUR PC RAN INTO A PROBLEM AND NEEDS TO RESTART. WE'RE JUST COLLECTING ERROR INFO, AND THEN WE'LL RESTART IT FOR YOU

IF YOU'D LIKE TO KNOW MORE, YOU CAN SEARCH ONLINE LATER FOR THIS ERROR
CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED

I'm currently using my other halfs laptop. I've done a system restore a couple of times in the past month with no problems. This has to be directly associated with the Avast update I've done. The blue screen says it'll restart for me but it's just frozen and I've tried restarting my PC half a dozen times now with the same result. I can't even get to the boot screen by pressing F12 at power up. I don't have an installation CD for 8.1. Is there any way I can resolve this? Any help would be immensely appreciated.

Thankyou :)
« Last Edit: November 24, 2014, 07:09:22 PM by sybenson77 »

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Also, the only 'F' keys that works at start-up are the F8 key and F2 key, and it gives me the option of booting from either the HDD or the DVD/RW drive. No other options like last known good configuration or anything. I'm really worried now :(
« Last Edit: November 24, 2014, 07:10:18 PM by sybenson77 »

Offline essexboy

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This will create a recovery console USB

Download the following three programmes to your desktop :
   
1.  Rufus 
 
For 64bit systems  
2. Windows 8.1 64bit RC I will PM the download link
3. Farbar Recovery Scan Tool x64 
 
Insert the USB stick Then run Rufus
 
Select the ISO file on the desktop via the ISO icon. 
 
Press Start Burn

Then copy FRST to the same USB   
 
   
 
 
 
Insert the USB into the sick computer and start the computer.  First ensuring that the system is set to boot from USB 
Note: If you are not sure how to do that follow the instructions Here
 Windows 8 screen shots
 
When you reboot you will  see this.   
   
Select the language on this screen and keyboard on the next   
   
   
   
Select the Trouble shoot option   
   
   
   
Select Advanced  option    
   
   
   
Select Command prompt   
   
   
   
At the command prompt type the following  :   
   


The notepad opens. Under File menu select Open
Select "Computer" and find your flash drive letter and close the notepad. 
In the command window type e:\frst64.exe and press Enter 
Note: Replace letter e with the drive letter of your flash drive. 
The tool will start to run. 
When the tool opens click Yes to disclaimer. 

Press Scan button. 
It will make a log (FRST.txt) on the flash drive. Please copy and paste it to your reply.

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  • Guest
Hi! Thanks for your reply. Looks very technical. I think that it's a 32-bit system and not sure I have a USB. Can I copy anything to a blank disc and boot from DVD drive instead?
« Last Edit: November 24, 2014, 07:18:49 PM by sybenson77 »

Offline essexboy

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Yes you can copy to a disc, in which case use a CDR-W if possible as FRST will need to write to the CD. 

Also you can use windows to burn to the CD instead of downloading Rufus  http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows7/burn-a-cd-or-dvd-from-an-iso-file

I will PM the link for the 32bit ISO if you need it

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  • Guest
I really appreciate your help. The 32-bit would be cool. Not sure what an ISO is... You seem like a bit of a Guru whereas I'm at the opposite end of the spectrum so babytalk please Bro haha :)

Offline essexboy

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OK an ISO is basically an image of the files needed to boot the system to the recovery console, all the necessary files are included and it acts like the install CD initially
From the recovery console you can play around with the system by using the command line

Once the CD is running it is very easy to navigate 'onest :)

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I have a stack of Maxell CD-R 80 700mb discs. Are they any good? Apologies for being so lame...

Offline essexboy

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Worth a try as long as the RC can write to disc (never tried that )

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Ok. Finally downloaded and unzipped the 32-bit. I've downloaded ImgBurn. Ready to write to disk, but not sure which file to choose? Theres Boot, efi, sources and system volume information. I can't find an image file in any of them and they're all dead ends... :(
« Last Edit: November 24, 2014, 08:49:53 PM by sybenson77 »

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Re: PC faulty after system restore due to Avast Update messing my browser files
« Reply #10 on: November 24, 2014, 08:56:02 PM »
Ok do not open the ISO file there is no need
As you have imgburn installed then double clicking on the ISO file should start Imgburn and commence the burn to disc

There is a small guide here http://forum.imgburn.com/index.php?/topic/61-how-to-write-an-image-file-to-a-disc-using-imgburn/

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Re: PC faulty after system restore due to Avast Update messing my browser files
« Reply #11 on: November 24, 2014, 09:01:19 PM »
But that's where I get stuck. There are no files to write. When I try to choose a file, it goes through to a blank screen which reads 'no items match your search'...

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Re: PC faulty after system restore due to Avast Update messing my browser files
« Reply #12 on: November 24, 2014, 09:04:34 PM »
At the top where it states source are you using that to select the ISO

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Re: PC faulty after system restore due to Avast Update messing my browser files
« Reply #13 on: November 24, 2014, 09:07:17 PM »
Yes. I click on that and it brings up the 4 files I stated. I click on each of them and it says 'no items match your search'

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Re: PC faulty after system restore due to Avast Update messing my browser files
« Reply #14 on: November 24, 2014, 09:11:14 PM »
Just unzipped win81re again and there's a file called bootmgr. I click on that and it gives me the option to open with imgburner. Imgburner opens and then a box with a red cross pops up and says 'unsupported image type'. Hmmm...