Author Topic: [avast free] Inaccessible boot device on win 10 after uninstall  (Read 5779 times)

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[avast free] Inaccessible boot device on win 10 after uninstall
« on: December 14, 2015, 10:47:35 AM »
Hi guys,
i have a windows 10 notebook where i uninstalled the avast free edition. After the process (and a restart), some files were still remaining in program files/alwil software/avast, so i executed the avastclear utility that worked smoothly. At the next boot it was impossibile to run windows, the blue screen keeps saying that computer can't start, with error inaccessible_boot_device.
I tried many times the repair on boot options, even the restore from previous point but no luck at all. The restore fails giving error 0x80070003.
bootrec /scanos is giving 0 windows active installation.
Someone experienced similar behavior? Any suggestion?
Thanks for you support.


Offline Eddy

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Re: [avast free] Inaccessible boot device on win 10 after uninstall
« Reply #1 on: December 14, 2015, 10:57:49 AM »
A repair of the MBR (or if you use it GPT) should fix the problem.
How to do it (or try to do it) depends on what you have.

A search for "Windows 10 repair bootpartion" should give you sites with instructions.

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Re: [avast free] Inaccessible boot device on win 10 after uninstall
« Reply #2 on: December 14, 2015, 02:58:36 PM »
hi, thank for your reply.

I have typed:
BOOTREC /FIXMBR
BOOTREC /FIXBOOT
BOOTREC /REBUILDBCD


but nothing happened.
I was browsing the folders inside c:/users/ and i saw nothing but only /documents  (empty) and /appdata for every profile i had. I am pretty new to windows 10, so i'm hoping that the folders are being hidden or elsewhere. Where are gone the /desktop, /downloads and other folders?

Sorry guys but this is sadly unbelievable, i was just removing Avast and now seems everything is gone. What the hell avastclear.exe did !!?
So pissed off.






















Offline Eddy

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Re: [avast free] Inaccessible boot device on win 10 after uninstall
« Reply #3 on: December 14, 2015, 03:04:35 PM »
Just because it happened after avastclear asked you to reboot doesn't mean avastclear has messed up things.
It can also be e.g. a Windows update that failed.
What you experience also has happened to others while they don't have nor had avast installed.

There have been already several problems found in/with Windows 10.

If you want to see if the folders are really empty you can use a Linux live cd/dvd.

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Re: [avast free] Inaccessible boot device on win 10 after uninstall
« Reply #4 on: December 14, 2015, 07:59:45 PM »
Eddy, i understand you suggesting for other scenarios but the system was running fine, NO windows update mess, malware or wathever.
I was doing ok in these past two months, now i find myself without priceless documents and pictures.
All point to the avastclear utility, so i'm asking:
Are there practical suggestions/solutions someone can give to solve my problem?

I noticed i'm not the first one to experience personal file deletion and an inaccessible system after running this tool.
Avast should (at least) update the page with avastclean utility warning of the damages it could do.

Offline Eddy

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Re: [avast free] Inaccessible boot device on win 10 after uninstall
« Reply #5 on: December 14, 2015, 08:18:38 PM »
Quote
now i find myself without priceless documents and pictures.
You can only blame yourself for that. The option to create a backup was invented a long time ago for a reason.

1]
Use a Linux live cd/dvd and see if the files are still there.
If they are, back them up to e.g. a usb stick.

2]
Run a in-pace-repair
If that fails, perform a clean installation of windows.

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Re: [avast free] Inaccessible boot device on win 10 after uninstall
« Reply #6 on: December 15, 2015, 08:54:56 AM »
Hi,

the same mistake happened to me yesterday after uninstalling Avast Free Antivirus!

First I could not browse any more with Google Chrome because of the now missing  Avast Web/Root Certificate.

And after the reboot Windows 10 does not come up any more ...

My drives have swapped: Drive "C:" with Windows 10 is now drive "H:" and the original drive "S:" has become "C:".
All data seem to be still there but Windows cannot repair itself, because it does not find itself.

And all repair options with "bootrec" do not work!
Even "bootrec /scanOS" and "§bootrec /rebuildbcd" give no error.

Windows 10 simply goes in the repair mode every time .

Very sad, even for a free version ...


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Re: [avast free] Inaccessible boot device on win 10 after uninstall
« Reply #7 on: December 15, 2015, 11:41:30 AM »
I'm trying to recover files with a rescue disk. I'm able to see the internal /users/ folders (documents, images, etc..) but they are only links to the folders, that point to nowhere.


Quote
now i find myself without priceless documents and pictures.
You can only blame yourself for that. The option to create a backup was invented a long time ago for a reason.

Great answer. Really useful. I guess even OT.

What i see is that Avast is providing a tool that nobody here knows what is really doing to the system, how it acts when something goes wrong with its internal processes.
It should only delete the remaining AV files but does a lot more. Period.

I would really appreciate if you (meaning Avast, if you represent it) could apply (or maybe open a urgent ticket) to fix this destructive behavior of the avastclear utility.

I renew the invite to warn the users that are downloading this utility, Avast is putting in the users' hands a loaded gun that occasionally bangs. Even better, it should be retired from the website.

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Re: [avast free] Inaccessible boot device on win 10 after uninstall
« Reply #8 on: December 15, 2015, 11:57:45 AM »
Hi,

the same mistake happened to me yesterday after uninstalling Avast Free Antivirus!

First I could not browse any more with Google Chrome because of the now missing  Avast Web/Root Certificate.

And after the reboot Windows 10 does not come up any more ...

My drives have swapped: Drive "C:" with Windows 10 is now drive "H:" and the original drive "S:" has become "C:".
All data seem to be still there but Windows cannot repair itself, because it does not find itself.

And all repair options with "bootrec" do not work!
Even "bootrec /scanOS" and "§bootrec /rebuildbcd" give no error.

Windows 10 simply goes in the repair mode every time .

Very sad, even for a free version ...

I would suggest to turn on the pc only for diagnostic actions, avoids writing operations (i would be reluctant even to try to restore a previous point) in case you should try to use a recover tool for deleted files.

Follows what Eddy recommended to me, check the files with a live linux cd.



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Re: [avast free] Inaccessible boot device on win 10 after uninstall
« Reply #9 on: December 15, 2015, 03:51:34 PM »
Reported to Moderator. Let's see if that gets a reply from Avast.
I've never had a problem with the Avast removal tool.
Free Security Seminar: https://bit.ly/bobg2023  -  Important: http://www.organdonor.gov/ -- My Web Site: http://bob3160.strikingly.com/ - Win 11 Pro v22H2 64bit, 16 Gig Ram, 1TB SSD, Avast Free 23.5.6066, How to Successfully Install Avast http://goo.gl/VLXdeRepair & Clean Install https://goo.gl/t7aJGq -- My Online Activity https://bit.ly/BobGInternet

Offline Eddy

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Re: [avast free] Inaccessible boot device on win 10 after uninstall
« Reply #10 on: December 15, 2015, 04:08:13 PM »
axeld,

thanks for telling about the change of drive letters.
I believe it sure will help to narrow down what is happening/has happened.
Please tell how you find out.

phede,
what exact "rescue disk" are you using ?
Although the files show up as links, at least we know a little more now.
Every little bit of information is welcome and can help to find a solution.

I still would like to know if the both of you are using a MBR or a GPT (UEFI).
They are meant to do the same but work different.
If it happens only with one of them it will narrow down where it goes wrong.

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Re: [avast free] Inaccessible boot device on win 10 after uninstall
« Reply #11 on: December 15, 2015, 09:33:06 PM »
phede,
what exact "rescue disk" are you using ?
Although the files show up as links, at least we know a little more now.
Every little bit of information is welcome and can help to find a solution.

I still would like to know if the both of you are using a MBR or a GPT (UEFI).
They are meant to do the same but work different.
If it happens only with one of them it will narrow down where it goes wrong.

I'm using the bootMed 64bit dvd that run on Ubuntu 10.10. The disc has the GPT.

Offline Eddy

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Re: [avast free] Inaccessible boot device on win 10 after uninstall
« Reply #12 on: December 15, 2015, 09:45:58 PM »
Thanks for the information.