Author Topic: Avast 2015 (on XP) Smart Scan Freezes "everything" at 39%  (Read 4902 times)

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Avast 2015 (on XP) Smart Scan Freezes "everything" at 39%
« on: July 29, 2015, 07:54:21 PM »
Hi,

I have had, and enjoyed, Avast Free Antivirus installed on my two Desktop computers (Win7 & WinXP) for many years.

I had not used my XP computer since last August and decided it was time to "revitalize" it, so I upgraded all my software Programs and Apps, ran virus, malware scans, Windows Updates, etc., and yesterday finally upgraded to the Avast 2015 Program Version 10.3.2225.

My computer was functioning without a hitch, until the Avast 2015 upgrade.

All was going well, Avast installed ok and (with the first install) I found that during the Avast Update>Program Update, Avast would freeze, plus I was not able to use other functions on the computer.  My only recourse was to do a hard Power OFF (button on the tower, not able to use the Start button either to turn the computer off or reboot).  On the restart, the computer functioned ok, until I got to that update again.

Using the Avast avastclear Avast Uninstall program, I did a clean uninstall of Avast, ran CCleaner, and reinstalled the program last night.

This morning, in turning on the XP computer, all seemed to be ok...Avast went through the Program/Definitions update ok, scan for outdated Software went well, BUT, once I ran the Avast Smart Scan the program wouldn't progress any further, the computer froze and once again I had to do the hard Power OFF to return the computer to its working state.

So, that brings me here for a possible solution.

PROBLEM: 
Avast 2015 Free Version stops at 39%, computer freezes, requiring a hard restart to get it working again.  It's done this twice so far.

Note: I was able to run a Quick Scan last night with no problem, the issue seems to be only with the Smart Scan stopping at 39%, resulting in my computer freeze (can't even bring up the Task Manager using Ctrl/Alt/Delete) unless I turn off the computer and power it back on.

Any help?

Thanks,

Gene :)

Offline Martin Kudlicka

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Re: Avast 2015 (on XP) Smart Scan Freezes "everything" at 39%
« Reply #1 on: July 30, 2015, 07:36:05 AM »
Hi, can you see what type of scan is running when the Smart scan is at 39% ?
Avast Support Tool - https://www.avast.com/en-eu/faq.php?article=AVKB33#artTitle
Avast support - https://support.avast.com - submit a support ticket

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Re: Avast 2015 (on XP) Smart Scan Freezes "everything" at 39%
« Reply #2 on: July 30, 2015, 09:27:33 AM »
Hi, can you see what type of scan is running when the Smart scan is at 39% ?

In attempting my own troubleshooting, and turning OFF some of the Smart Scan options (Settings>General>Smart Scan) Browser Add-ons/Compatibility issues/Performance issues (ALL OFF) I found that the Smart Scan with just the Virus and Malware + Outdated Software scan ran with no problem.

SMART SCAN RUNS OK:


BUT, when I added (enabled ON) the Browser Add-on scan, the scan did get to 100% but again, the computer froze not allowing me to click on anything until I once again did the hard start (turn computer OFF using the tower power button).

Smart Scan FREEZES computer at this stage:


So, it would appear at this point, and from what I remember from the freezing at 39%, that the issue is associated with the Browser Add-on level of the Smart Scan.

I've run Smart Scan a couple of times with just the Viruses and Malware + Software Updater enabled with no apparent problem.

But, when I added the Browser Cleanup to the Smart Scan, this is when the computer freezes.

Gene :)

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Re: Avast 2015 (on XP) Smart Scan Freezes "everything" at 39%
« Reply #3 on: August 01, 2015, 01:33:17 PM »
What happens if you run "Scan->Scan for browser add-ons" directly?

What browsers (and add-ons) do you have?

There is a log-file for browser-cleanup. Try to find it.

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Re: Avast 2015 (on XP) Smart Scan Freezes "everything" at 39%
« Reply #4 on: August 01, 2015, 04:17:35 PM »
What happens if you run "Scan->Scan for browser add-ons" directly?

What browsers (and add-ons) do you have?

There is a log-file for browser-cleanup. Try to find it.
Thank you for your reply!

It's pretty obvious (to me anyway) that there is some kind of incompatibility issue between Avast 2015 v10.3.2225 and my XP Desktop Computer. 

Even after a couple of clean uninstalls using avastclear.exe I kept having the same issue. where shortly after running a Smart Scan, the computer would freeze.

If I run a Smart Scan with just the Browser Cleanup enabled (Settings>General>Smart Scan>Scan for browser add-ons), my computer still chokes and freezes, the mouse doesn't work, the cursor doesn't move, can't click on the Start button, and I can't do anything else at all except turn it off at the tower and restart it, where it will work again until I get to the Browser Cleanup function of Avast 2015.

My browsers are IE8, Chrome, and Firefox. 

My personal solution, that has worked well to resolve this issue, is to go to (OldApps.com) http://www.oldapps.com/avast_antivirus.php and after yet another clean uninstall of Avast 2015, install the XP compatible Avast Free Antivirus 2014 9.0.2021.515 which has worked without a hitch for the past couple of days, including a fully enabled Smart Scan  I have to be careful NOT to automatically engage the "Program" Update (just update Virus Definitions) where it will upgrade to the latest version, which is of course, the bedeviled Avast 2015.  I know this because after installing v9.0.2021.515, and clicking on Update, the old version automatically updated to v2015.  So I learned quickly to disable the Program auto-update in order to keep the old version going forward.

I see in researching within this Forum community others with similar issues and really don't think that presently there is a solution for this malfunction, and until there is, I'm satisfied for now using this older version of Avast.

Gene :)

Offline glnz

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Re: Avast 2015 (on XP) Smart Scan Freezes "everything" at 39%
« Reply #5 on: August 02, 2015, 04:19:39 PM »
 
This feels similar to the problem in these threads:

https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=174229.0

and

https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=174496.0

My affected machine is also XP SP3 (using the POS 2009 hack to keep getting Windows Updates).  Just out of curiosity, do you also have Malwareybytes or anything similar?  If not, maybe the problem is not Malwarebytes after all.
Various Dell Optiplexes running XP Pro SP3 32-bit, Win 7 Pro SP1 64-bit and Win 10 Pro 64-bit.  Firefox with security add-ons.

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Re: Avast 2015 (on XP) Smart Scan Freezes "everything" at 39%
« Reply #6 on: August 02, 2015, 04:45:57 PM »
 
This feels similar to the problem in these threads:
https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=174229.0
and
https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=174496.0
My affected machine is also XP SP3 (using the POS 2009 hack to keep getting Windows Updates).  Just out of curiosity, do you also have Malwareybytes or anything similar?  If not, maybe the problem is not Malwarebytes after all.
I DO have (and have had for many years) the Free version of Malwarebytes (+SuperAntiSpyware) on BOTH machines (Win7+XP SP3)...BUT, only the Free version (I obviously like Free versions).  Plus, I do NOT run it as a Resident in the background, but instead, every couple of days I do a manual update and a manual scan.  Other than that I don't see that Malwarebytes is part of my equation, but I can see by those posts it's something to be considered as it relates to others' machines freezing.

I should mention however that I have had ZoneAlarm Free Firewall version 13.3.209.000 on both the Win7 and XP SP3 machines running and have used ZA Free for many years with no apparent issues relating to it.  Part of my own troubleshooting efforts in determining the cause of the freezing was turning off the ZA Firewall during the Smart Scans to see if that had any effect, but it didn't seem to make a difference, the XP SP3 computer froze either way, ZA OFF, or ZA ON.

Still running Avast Free Antivirus 2014 9.0.2021.515 on the XP SP3 machine and have experienced NO freezing episodes whatsoever so far.  Only since updating to the Avast Free 2015 Program Version 10.3.2225 did I experience the "big freeze". 

Thanks for your interest and reply!

Gene :)

« Last Edit: August 02, 2015, 05:33:52 PM by Telstar »