boot scan problem

[noob]

I just installed Avast home ed.
I wanted to do the initial boot scan, and when I logged on the monitors just went dark. I never saw the "blue boot screen".
Is this common?... it is possible it was going on in the backround but i got bored waiting and just restarted the system. It then said avast wanted to restart... i said no as I assumed it would do the same thing again.
Any ideas?
thanks

[DavidR]

You should get a blue boot screen but there should be other information, see image.

So it would appear it isn't running.

[Lisandro]

We will need more information to be able to help you:
- Which OS are you using? Is it up to date?
- What avast! version?
- Do you have any other antivirus installed in your system? Had in the past?
- Any useful information into Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Events, specially 'Errors'.

[noob]

thanks for the quick replies
I am running xp pro
the version of avast is the latest (just installed it today)
I had avast pro.. but it expired and so I removed it and went with the home free version. ( i removed it with the avast removal command)
there was norton once, but I removed that with the norton removal tool.
I will check in control panel...

[noob]

update....
perhaps it has something to do with running 2 monitors??
anyway.... avast asked to restart, I clicked yes and again my screens are blank but the drive is grinding away, I think it is scanning... I just can't see the screen. so I am going to let it got for a while.
stay tuned

[DavidR]

When you are done check C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\DATA\report\aswboot.txt if your boot-time scan is running it should have the details. However if you don't see the above image I would doubt it.

What do you see on the screen(s) when you boot normally, the output would be to the primary screen, yes ?

A boot time scan could take some time depending on how much data is on your system, RAM, CPU, etc. leave it overnight and see if it completes.

[noob]

I will let it go thru the night and see what it generates..........
I just uninstalled and re-installed as well.

[noob]

well it must of been running but when i got up this am it was still a blank screen, so I hit esc to see what was going on.
I opened    C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\DATA\report\aswboot.txt
and it seems it had been scanning but it seems it stopped at some point??
here is the log

05/14/2007 21:43
Scan of all local drives
File C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\YPSR\Quarantine\ppq4D.tmp\ipwins.dll is infected by Win32:Adware-gen. [Adw]
Scanning aborted


Number of searched folders: 6730
Number of tested files: 103853
Number of infected files: 1

so it appears boot scan was going on but i am unable to view it, and it also seems that it required my input and I was unable to know.
I am starting to think it my be the way my monitors behave... my "primary" monitor seems to go into standby (the light on it goes from green to orange) and perhaps that is where the boot scan display is going on. I am not sure how to change those settings..........

[DavidR]

Yes it will have required your input on what action to take for the infected file.

You could temporarily unplug your secondary monitor and see if that has any effect.

You didn't answer the question about a normal boot, on what monitor is the loading information, etc displayed ?

Is avast allowing you to boot normally without entering the boot-time scan ?
If not you can try a boot into safe mode, http://www.pchell.com/support/safemode.shtml, avast doesn't start automatically in safe mode, trying to bypass the boot-time scan. There should be an avast Desktop Shortcut, double click that (once the memory scan is done) the Simple User Interface, Menu (right click on the skin), select Schedule Boot-Time scan.

The Schedule Boot-Time scan pop-up should allow you to set Advanced Options, primarily a default action, 'Move infected file to Chest,' there are options for possible system files and this is probably left at 'Ignore Delete or Move for System Files.' This should hopefully allow for the completion of the boot-time scan without user input required.

[Lisandro]

Noob, can you try to run the boot time scanning with only one monitor available, like David said?
If you run an on-demand scanning of avast (into Windows), can you check that file and send it to Chest if it is infected?

It seems that Yahoo is not properly encrypting the file (as it seems to be into its Quarantine).

[noob]

thanks again...
i will try the unplug idea
as for the questions....
normal boot info seems to show on both screens..( the big blue dell logo ) and the view of everything loading.
Yes avast will allow a normal boot.
I will try the advanced boot sacn settings as well.......
stay tuned and thanks again.

[DavidR]

No problem, glad we could help, let us know how you get on.

Welcome to the forums.

[noob]

well I am stumped.
Despite various monitor configurations and un plugging, no "visible" boot scan screen.
thanks for all your ideas!
I will try in safe mode at some point........
noob

[DavidR]

The safe mode suggestion was if you couldn't get into avast on a normal boot to set the boot-time options so it would allow it to complete even if you couldn't see the boot-time screen.

I have no idea why it wouldn't be showing, when it is apparently running unless there is some missing or corrupt avast file.

Try a repair of avast. Add Remove programs, select 'avast! Anti-Virus,' click the Change/Remove button and scroll down to Repair, click next and follow. You need to be on-line to do this.
If that doesn't work try, uninstall, reboot, install, reboot.

[noob]

will do.
cheers