Wdf01009 and UI Failed to load

[REDACTED]

Have been a user of the free Avast on Windows XP SP3.  Never had a problem with it loading, but today, May 17, 2018, got UI Failed to load.  Went to Accessories, System Tools, System Restore and saw a restore point for May 17 with the description Installed Windows XP Wdf01009.  Tried restoring to before this change but after rebooting Windows said that it could not restore.  Got the same results trying restore points for May 16 and for May 15.  I have Windows Update set on manual instead of automatic so I think that this update came from Avast instead of from Microsoft.  Tried the solution for UI Failed to load that is recommended by Avast Support to start services.msc in Run and for Terminal Services and for Background Intelligent Transfer Service change from Manual to Automatic, but that did not fix the UI Failed to load problem.  Also went to Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs and first used the Avast option to Repair the product and then uninstalled Avast and installed the latest version, which is 18.4.2338, but still get UI Failed to load.  Can select About Avast and it says the Release date is 12/31/1969 4:00:00 pm, which is weird.  The Windows update does not seem to affect other software, only Avast.  It is not cool to install an update that prevents returning to any previous restore point - Microsoft must know more how to do it than does Avast.

[mchain]

Hi NeverOnSunday,

Possible Avast's Self-Defense module is preventing a restore point from taking root.

If you are able to get into the GUI (Program interface) do Settings>Troubleshooting>Untick 'Enable Avast Self-Defense module'.  Click Yes to confirm.  Now go ahead and Restore from a known good restore point.

I've never relied on a restore point to put things back in order.  Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.  Disk imaging programs are far better and back up everything in case of disaster.

[av20]

Wdf01009 is installed by Avast on your system every program update, so I'd say it's a problem with the latest version (18.4.2338) installation.

I'd try the full uninstall using AvastClear.exe in safe mode, then reinstall with an offline installer.

Side Note: After uninstall, check to see if /ProgramFiles/Avast/ is empty.  For a long time now, on my XP system uninstall has left some directories that can only be deleted with the old "DelTree" command in DOS.  Very odd behavior that appears like hidden sub-directories.  I'd appreciate it if you checked -- If more people complain they might fix it.

[av20]

Correction to above:  the directory to check is \Program Files\AVAST Software\Avast\setup\

[REDACTED]

Hi NeverOnSunday,

Possible Avast's Self-Defense module is preventing a restore point from taking root.

If you are able to get into the GUI (Program interface) do Settings>Troubleshooting>Untick 'Enable Avast Self-Defense module'.  Click Yes to confirm.  Now go ahead and Restore from a known good restore point.

The GUI is not working.  I can right click and select About Avast and then go to Troubleshooting and unclick that option, but there is no Yes to confirm.  When I click OK it goes away and is left unchanged.  It sounds like I need to completely uninstall.

[REDACTED]

Wdf01009 is installed by Avast on your system every program update, so I'd say it's a problem with the latest version (18.4.2338) installation.

I'd try the full uninstall using AvastClear.exe in safe mode, then reinstall with an offline installer.

Side Note: After uninstall, check to see if /ProgramFiles/Avast/ is empty.  For a long time now, on my XP system uninstall has left some directories that can only be deleted with the old "DelTree" command in DOS.  Very odd behavior that appears like hidden sub-directories.  I'd appreciate it if you checked -- If more people complain they might fix it.

I tried your suggestion.  Safe Mode was interesting.  I discovered that when Avast, even in its incomplete form, blocks System Restore that System Restore works in Safe Mode.  Unfortunately, I had already used AvastClear.exe by then, so that the restored Avast would not open up, probably because AvastClear.exe had cleared out some necessary item.  I did install from the latest off-line installer (it is necessary to have an Internet connection), but I still get UI Failed to load.
So I either have to wait for Avast to acknowledge and fix a problem or I have to run AvastClear.exe again and switch to using MalwareBytes.  Or is there a way to download an offline installer for an earlier Avast version?  How does one prevent it from being automatically updated to the newest and nonfunctioning version?

[Asyn]

-> https://support.avast.com/article/Troubleshoot-Antivirus-UI-Failed-load

[REDACTED]

-> https://support.avast.com/article/Troubleshoot-Antivirus-UI-Failed-load

My original post said "Tried the solution for UI Failed to load that is recommended by Avast Support to start services.msc in Run and for Terminal Services and for Background Intelligent Transfer Service change from Manual to Automatic, but that did not fix the UI Failed to load problem."

[av20]

When you uninstalled, were there files left in \Program Files\AVAST Software\Avast\setup\  ?

[Asyn]

Hi guys, I forwarded it to the devs. Let's see...

[REDACTED]

Hi guys, I forwarded it to the devs. Let's see...

The only thing to add is that if I right click on the Avast icon in the system tray, that now has a red circle with a white x, and select Update to the left and then click on the Update button to the right, it says The RPC Server is unavailable.  But if you look in Miscellaneous Services for Remote Procedure Call under Properties it shows Service Status as Started and if you click on the Dependencies tab it shows all kinds of services using it that I know are working.
That includes the free Malwarebytes Service that I downloaded and installed after my last post.  I was very pleased when Malwarebytes finished its scan and said that it found No Threats on my computer.
I did restore back to Avast version 18.3.2333, but Avast's download on May 17 did something to change my computer that was not fixed by returning to an earlier system restore point while in Safe mode.

[REDACTED]

When you uninstalled, were there files left in \Program Files\AVAST Software\Avast\setup\  ?

There were many directories, but I believe that they were all empty.

[av20]

When you uninstalled, were there files left in \Program Files\AVAST Software\Avast\setup\  ?

There were many directories, but I believe that they were all empty.

Thanks, that's the issue -- Orphan directories beneath Avast\setup\ with cryptic names that can't be deleted the usual way in Windows.