Avast 11.1.2253 BSOD 0x124

[REDACTED]

Yesterday Avast Free updated from 11.1.2245 to 11.1.2253 and asked me to restart. I just shutdown and restarted today, got an instant Bluescreen:

Code: [Select]

==================================================
Dump File : 020416-5054-01.dmp
Crash Time : 04.02.2016 14:21:33
Bug Check String :
Bug Check Code : 0x00000124
Parameter 1 : 00000000`00000000
Parameter 2 : fffffa80`0782b028
Parameter 3 : 00000000`be200000
Parameter 4 : 00000000`00051136
Caused By Driver : hal.dll
Caused By Address : hal.dll+12a3b
File Description :
Product Name :
Company :
File Version :
Processor : x64
Crash Address : ntoskrnl.exe+73c00
Stack Address 1 :
Stack Address 2 :
Stack Address 3 :
Computer Name :
Full Path : C:\Windows\Minidump\020416-5054-01.dmp
Processors Count : 4
Major Version : 15
Minor Version : 7601
Dump File Size : 354.128
Dump File Time : 04.02.2016 14:22:22
==================================================
Windows 7 Pro SP 1 64-bit

Using the system restore to restore before the Avast update (the system restore tool also showed the affected software, and the list contained only Avast) fixed the BSOD.

Is this a known problem? Or maybe just coincidence and there is still something wrong with my PC/Hardware? Obviously i canceled the update now and will not install it again just to check if the BSOD is reproducable. Should i upload the minidump so someone can tell me if Avast was responsible for the BSOD and maybe Avast can fix the problem?

[REDACTED]

I have the same issue on Windows 10 :

WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR (124)
A fatal hardware error has occurred. Parameter 1 identifies the type of error
source that reported the error. Parameter 2 holds the address of the
WHEA_ERROR_RECORD structure that describes the error conditon.
Arguments:
Arg1: 0000000000000000, Machine Check Exception
Arg2: ffffe001de28c028, Address of the WHEA_ERROR_RECORD structure.
Arg3: 00000000be000000, High order 32-bits of the MCi_STATUS value.
Arg4: 0000000001001136, Low order 32-bits of the MCi_STATUS value.

...
DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID:  WIN8_DRIVER_FAULT
PROCESS_NAME:  svchost.exe

[bob3160]

Reported to Avast. Since they are in Europe, it may be a while before they'll answer.

[Rundvleeskroket]

Try disabling "Enable hardware-assisted virtualization". That solved it for me. 

I manually updated Avast Free when I read about the Project Zero security hole in Avast. I then rebooted and got a BSOD in Win7 SP1 at boot. Over and over. The error code of 124 is usually a flaky overclock. So I tinkered in the BIOS.

Finally found that disabling virtualization in the BIOS fixed the BSOD, but then I couldn't use my VM's, so that's no good. Found the virtualization option in Avast, disabled that, re-enabled virtualization in the BIOS, and presto. No more crashes. The overclock was and is fine. Avast is just broken again. 

I think it's weird this option is even enabled by default, since I don't have any of the functionality installed that uses it, such as the built-in sandbox.

[pk]

Yes, this BSOD is caused by new nested virtualization support in the latest avast. We tested it with vmware workstation 12.x and it worked well. Do you guys use vmware workstation or player? Disabling "Enable hardware-assisted virtualization" should solve this problem.

[Rundvleeskroket]

I use Workstation 9.0.0

Please tell me why this option is enabled by default even when I haven't installed any of the Avast tools that would use it?

[pk]

Avast itself uses a hardware virtualization for better protection. In older version, when we detected a user uses virtualbox/vmware/hyper-v/... we automatically disabled this feature, but now we tried to improve it with a nested virtualization. Right now, we're debugging those WHEA BSODs and we hope it will be fixed asap.

[REDACTED]

Avast itself uses a hardware virtualization for better protection. In older version, when we detected a user uses virtualbox/vmware/hyper-v/... we automatically disabled this feature, but now we tried to improve it with a nested virtualization. Right now, we're debugging those WHEA BSODs and we hope it will be fixed asap.

I am also seeing the blue screen with x124 stop code after this upgrade.

I have VMWare installed on this machine but not running when the blue screen happens. I sure hope you guys get this fixed soon.

[Asyn]

Disabling "Enable hardware-assisted virtualization" should solve this problem.

[bob3160]

Disabling "Enable hardware-assisted virtualization" should solve this problem.

[REDACTED]

Thanks guys - another morning of my life down the plughole!

For the record unchecking "enable hardware assisted virtualization" solved the problem for me (I restored to a previous restore point in recovery console to get a boot, but the problem kept coming back, I guess because Avast would then update itself again).

I DO NOT have VMWare installed. I have VirtualBox and also Intel HAXM (required for Android Studio device emulators). The latter was quite tricky - claimed hardware acceleration was unavailable on my machine (wrongly) and refused to install. I had to turn Hyper-V off to get it installed, and it is still turned off. Hopefully this information will give you some clues.

And on another point CAN YOU PLEASE STOP USING THOSE DAMN CAPTCHAS! These things have been useless and unusable for the last decade! And the audio option does not work because Avast itself is blocking the QuickTime plugin!

[bob3160]

Captchas are a way to prevent Spammers. Good new is that they stop after your third post.

[REDACTED]

I have the same problem here in Windows 7 pro 64bit.
After update and restart I had a blue screen.
I uninstalled Avast and all's well.
I tried to install it again, and I got Blue screen during installation.
What should I do?

I don't have those other software isntalled you mention (VMware, virtualbox etc.)

Will there be a fixed version?
I would like to continue using Avast.

[bob3160]

I have the same problem here in Windows 7 pro 64bit.
After update and restart I had a blue screen.
I uninstalled Avast and all's well.
I tried to install it again, and I got Blue screen during installation.
What should I do?

I don't have those other software isntalled you mention (VMware, virtualbox etc.)

Will there be a fixed version?
I would like to continue using Avast.

Try a clean install:
https://goo.gl/4Ptzkf

[REDACTED]

I have the same problem here in Windows 7 pro 64bit.
After update and restart I had a blue screen.
I uninstalled Avast and all's well.
I tried to install it again, and I got Blue screen during installation.
What should I do?

I don't have those other software isntalled you mention (VMware, virtualbox etc.)

Will there be a fixed version?
I would like to continue using Avast.

Try a clean install:
https://goo.gl/4Ptzkf

ok, this will help installation.
But once I make the final reboot, won't I get the blue screen again like the first time?

or should I disable that virtualization before I do the reboot?