Avast Internet Security Software issues/bugs...

[REDACTED]

My OS is Windows XP Pro x64 (64-bit)... custom built in 2012.  Previously I had Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2013 installed.  Two days ago (Oct 5th)  I purchased Avast Inernet Security for my PC because I wanted a more complete protection package.

Background:
1.  I uninstalled Kaspersky and then subsequently ran their KARemover.exe tool to remove all traces of it... rebooted.
2.  Then I downloaded and installed Avast Internet Security... the installation halted because it said Adaware Antivirus conflicted and had to be removed.  So I uninstalled Adaware Antivirus and then proceeded with the Avast installation.
3.  Avast installed, started its services, detected my home network (selected Private) and I then ran a quick scan-- no issues. (I may have run the updater... I don't recall).  All seemed well.
4.  I shutdown my PC.

Problems/Issue:
1.  Last evening I fired up my PC to do some work... but the desktop never populated-- I just had black screens with an active mouse.  I was forced to do a hard shutdown.
2.  Restarted my PC and got the same result as #1... getting aggravated now.
3.  Booted using "Last Known Good Configuration" and the PC started normally.  Finally Avast populated the system tray and had a red X in it.
4.  The Avast UI came up and in the large red section stated "You are unprotected!  Avast Services not running/Firewall is off (blah blah)"
5.  Nothing I could do started anything... it also interfered with running any other application-- i.e., photoshop, firefox, etc. failed to launch.
6.  Rebooted... went thru steps #1-3 again.  Very angry now...
7.  Uninstalled Avast... and also ran the AvastCleaner in SAFE mode... rebooted.
8.  Re-installed Avast using the online installer... and the installation hung at the very end.  And I was forced to kill the setup process... seems to have installed... so I launched Avast from the icon and got the same result #4... cursing Avast software at this point.
9.  Uninstalled Avast and re-ran the AvastCleaner.
10.  Rebooted my PC and all is well again (No Avast to cause problems)... shutdown machine and went to bed angry.
11.  Today, I created this post.

From googling and looking on your forums, where many other customers currently describe having similar issues-- I'd say you're Avast programmers have dorked up your software!  My plan is to download a previous version for WinXP Pro x64 (maybe go back two versions even!) and see if it installs.  If that doesn't work I'll likely be asking for a refund.

EDIT:  I also attempted the "Control Panel - Update" and "Control Panel - Repair" methods on the Avast... and neither worked.

[Pondus]

if you attach diagnostic logs then a expert here can have a look


See here  https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=53253.0
scroll down to second picture ... Farbar Recovery Scan Tool ... run as instructed and attach the two diagnostic logs

See below the box you write in ... Attachments and other options

[REDACTED]

I will do as you suggest later this evening and post the requested logs.

[bob3160]

I will do as you suggest later this evening and post the requested logs.

Please attach the logs.

[REDACTED]

Here are the two log files... I did not press "Fix" but rather exited the utility without fixing.

[Pondus]

I did not press "Fix" but rather exited the utility without fixing.

FIX will do nothing ... unless a fix has been made for you. And that may happen when the expert has seen your log, he will be online later today

[essexboy]

There are a few temp files that Avast left behind and I will remove those now, otherwise the system looks quite clean.  As you are using XP x64 I am not fully sure if Avast is compliant with that 

CAUTION :  This fix is only valid for this specific machine, using it on another may break your computer

Open notepad and copy/paste the text in the quotebox below into it:
 

CreateRestorePoint:
2015-10-06 18:23 - 2015-10-06 08:59 - 00448968 _____ (AVAST Software) C:\WINDOWS\system32\Drivers\asw289.tmp
2015-10-06 18:23 - 2015-10-06 08:59 - 00334024 _____ (AVAST Software) C:\WINDOWS\system32\Drivers\asw284.tmp
2015-10-06 18:23 - 2015-10-06 08:59 - 00274808 _____ (AVAST Software) C:\WINDOWS\system32\Drivers\asw28A.tmp
2015-10-06 18:23 - 2015-10-06 08:59 - 00206816 _____ (AVAST Software) C:\WINDOWS\system32\Drivers\asw28B.tmp
2015-10-06 18:23 - 2015-10-06 08:59 - 00090968 _____ (AVAST Software) C:\WINDOWS\system32\Drivers\asw287.tmp
2015-10-06 18:23 - 2015-10-06 08:59 - 00065224 _____ (AVAST Software) C:\WINDOWS\system32\Drivers\asw28C.tmp
2015-10-06 18:23 - 2015-10-06 08:59 - 00065224 _____ (AVAST Software) C:\WINDOWS\system32\Drivers\asw288.tmp
2015-10-06 18:23 - 2015-10-06 08:59 - 00064712 _____ (AVAST Software) C:\WINDOWS\system32\Drivers\asw285.tmp
2015-10-06 18:23 - 2015-10-06 08:59 - 00028656 _____ (AVAST Software) C:\WINDOWS\system32\Drivers\asw286.tmp
2015-10-06 08:58 - 2015-10-06 08:58 - 00448968 _____ (AVAST Software) C:\WINDOWS\system32\Drivers\bifmzwff.sys
2015-10-06 08:56 - 2015-01-22 17:16 - 00452040 _____ (BitDefender S.R.L.) C:\WINDOWS\system32\Drivers\Trufos.sys
2015-10-06 08:55 - 2015-10-06 08:55 - 00448968 _____ (AVAST Software) C:\WINDOWS\system32\Drivers\uxvuzery.sys
RemoveProxy:
EmptyTemp:

 
Save this as fixlist.txt, in the same location as FRST.exe

Run FRST and press Fix
On completion a log will be generated please post that

[REDACTED]

Thanks... I will do this after work today.  There was a missing image file in your post (black x)...(but this could be blocked by my work internet security features-- will likely show up at home).

EDIT:  The Avast graphic image (and the online spec requirements) say my WinXP Pro x64 machine is supported.

[REDACTED]

@essexboy - attached is the Fixlog. 

Prior to running your FRST fix... I first downloaded and ran an nVidia graphics driver update.  When I clicked on the EXE  to install the new driver... I was greeted with that error message:

"The procedure entry point GetNamedProcessId could not be located in the dynamic link library KERNEL32.dll"

After a number of clicks on closing the pop-up... it finally went back to the graphics driver installer and successfully installed the new nVidia graphics driver (and rebooted).

Tonight when I ran FRST64.exe, it did the same kernel32.dll error thing (Note:  it did not give this error pop-up yesterday when I ran FRST to generate the two log files yesterday); but I was finally able to click the pop-up away and ran the FRST64 fix as you requested.  Should I assume that somehow my kernel32.dll has been corrupted? 

Is there a way to replace just kernel32.dll from within the Recovery Console?
http://www.informationweek.com/langa-letter-the-os-inside-the-os/d/d-id/1042642?page_number=1

EDIT:  I have not attempted to re-install Avast Internet Security yet... as I am awaiting your next instructions.  Malwarebytes detailed threat scan does not detect anything.

[essexboy]

That could be a sign of incipient hard disk problems ..  Could you run a disk check on your main drive

[REDACTED]

That could be a sign of incipient hard disk problems ..  Could you run a disk check on your main drive

Is it safe to run chkdsk on an SSD?  My main C:\ drive is a Samsung Pro 830 Series SSD (512Gb).  I have to manually run the Samsung Magician SSD Software to do a manual trim each day... since my OS doesn't supported automatic trimming.  Early next week, I can look at the Magician software and see what it says about drive health and attach a screenshot...

Thanks for your assistance.

[essexboy]

Ahh an SSD bear with me I will check that out

[REDACTED]

Ahh an SSD bear with me I will check that out

I found this from googling (anandtech forums):

CHKDSK allows you to choose 2 procedures:
1. "Automatically fix file system errors" (FAT/NTFS file-system scan & error repair): Perfectly fine to use that to fix issues with the filesystem. (those most commonly occur when you have an improper shutdown)
2. "Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors": Don't use it on your SSD. (based on my understanding of SSDs and CHKDSK I believe it is bad to let CHKDSK do that to an SSD; your SSD controller is doing it internally correctly and automatically anyways)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie98 View Post
Soooo... what would be the proper way to run CKDSK for an SSD?  When I ran CKDSK on my SSD, I checked both options... it ultimately fixed the problem, but I don't want to screw myself in the long run.

1. Check the box that says "Automatically fix file system errors"
2. Uncheck the box that says "Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors"

So it seems OK to run chkdsk and only option #1... I will do this as soon as I can, but it may have to wait until early next week due to travels.  Thanks!

[essexboy]

Aye that was what I was thinking about so I was looking for the SSD equivalent of chkdsk

[bob3160]

As far as I know, it's OK to run Checkdisk on an SSD drive.
What you should not do is to defrag the SSD