Author Topic: WinXP64 freezes at login screen  (Read 15045 times)

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Offline Vlk

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Re: WinXP64 freezes at login screen
« Reply #15 on: July 09, 2007, 08:50:03 AM »
Let's try this:

open Regedit, navigate to HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Avast! Antivirus, and DELETE (or RENAME) the value called "Group".
Also, do the same for the "avast! Web Scanner" and "avast! Mail Scanner" services.

Then reboot the system and see if it makes any difference.

If not, we may need to capture a full memory dump to find out what's going on. Are you using PS/2 or USB keyboard?

Thanks
Vlk
If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving's not for you.

mmmmna

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Re: WinXP64 freezes at login screen
« Reply #16 on: July 11, 2007, 04:00:14 AM »
2] From this point, I have 10-20% chance of logging in as my default user without ANY problems.
Important note: the other of the logins all fail no matter which user I elect to log in as.
What does happen? Any error message? Can you boot in Safe Mode?
Which way? If I am allowed to login, nothing is wrong. If I cannot login, the screen is frozen, nothing more for the hour I waited (I've repeated the waiting test several times, various durations - nothing except POSSIBLY cursor movement). I can go in under safe mode, but to what avail? Safe mode is how I am now running msconfig and selective startup and I have deselected all avast startups, seems to be ok for the last 4 boots.

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3] Actually, the freezing occurs within 5 to 15 seconds of the login screen appearing, so sometimes I can click my icon AND type in my password and then I freeze, sometimes I can't even click my user icon and the system is frozen.
That timing makes me think the failure is NOT a user configuration file (many freezes take place before a user has logged in). To that end, troubleshooting should consider what XP system files are loaded (by windows) before anyone even logs in.
Any new hardware added?
Any other antivirus installed (besides avast)?
New as of when? Since I installed Avast? No new hardware. Before I installed avast? Well, yes, but the freezing began weeks after I installed avast, which was months after the latest hardware addition. I'd never run 2 antivirus programs, so no, avast is alone.

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4] I am using SP1 only, it was included with my XP64 CD; no updates are permitted on this machine.
Why can't you update?
As the admin, I refuse to suffer the screwups which Microsoft always generates (I elaborated on this in my next paragraph). This system is working as is, and was working fine before avast and worked fine until shortly after avast updated its program a few months back.
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Why? I have heard horror stories about 32 bit XP getting REALLY trashed by service packs, so why would I want to take an even greater risk on updating the LESS popular 64 bit XP?
Staying without update is dangerous and will make even unstable your system. I see no special reason for not to update a legit copy of Windows 64x.
I stand right there - NO updates. I refuse to be put through the crap which the typical Microsoft update puts people through. Not open for discussion.

mmmmna

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Re: WinXP64 freezes at login screen
« Reply #17 on: July 11, 2007, 04:03:39 AM »
Let's try this:

open Regedit, navigate to HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Avast! Antivirus, and DELETE (or RENAME) the value called "Group".
Also, do the same for the "avast! Web Scanner" and "avast! Mail Scanner" services.

Then reboot the system and see if it makes any difference.

If not, we may need to capture a full memory dump to find out what's going on. Are you using PS/2 or USB keyboard?

Thanks
Vlk
Ok, I'll re-enable the avast startup items which I disabled using msconfig, then I'll cold boot a few times over the next few days to be sure I have returned to the failure mode and THEN get back to you..... maybe a week or two before I get back to you because I only power up once a day.

Offline Lisandro

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Re: WinXP64 freezes at login screen
« Reply #18 on: July 12, 2007, 04:54:46 AM »
I can go in under safe mode, but to what avail?
To uninstall avast or any other program that is crashing your computer.

Ok, I'll re-enable the avast startup items which I disabled using msconfig, then I'll cold boot a few times over the next few days to be sure I have returned to the failure mode and THEN get back to you..... maybe a week or two before I get back to you because I only power up once a day.
If this happens, please, check the folder <avast>\data\log
Are there any files called unpXXXX there  (where XXXX is a random number)?
If so, send them to vlk (at) avast.com
They may contain more information about the problem (maybe a link to this thread).
The best things in life are free.

mmmmna

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Re: WinXP64 freezes at login screen
« Reply #19 on: July 13, 2007, 02:44:36 AM »
I can go in under safe mode, but to what avail?
To uninstall avast or any other program that is crashing your computer.
But, my friend, I have faith we can FIX this issue!! Besides, I already used safe mode to invoke msconfig so I could get control over startup files! I'm posting because I can now log in, with avast not being started.

(Rhetorical) Why uninstall?? I like avast!!

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Ok, I'll re-enable the avast startup items which I disabled using msconfig, then I'll cold boot a few times over the next few days to be sure I have returned to the failure mode and THEN get back to you..... maybe a week or two before I get back to you because I only power up once a day.
If this happens, please, check the folder <avast>\data\log
Are there any files called unpXXXX there  (where XXXX is a random number)?
If so, send them to vlk (at) avast.com
Should I get a copy of the file before I undo my msconfig edits (so that you an see before and after)?
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They may contain more information about the problem (maybe a link to this thread).
I'm confused. Did you mean to say my \data\log file might have a link to this forum thread?? How could that be?

Offline Lisandro

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Re: WinXP64 freezes at login screen
« Reply #20 on: July 13, 2007, 02:54:55 AM »
(Rhetorical) Why uninstall?? I like avast!!
Sometimes, uninstall is needed to get a correct install. Sometimes you need to go back to choose the right way...

Should I get a copy of the file before I undo my msconfig edits (so that you an see before and after)?
If the files exist, do it, if they don't exist, forget it.

I'm confused. Did you mean to say my \data\log file might have a link to this forum thread?? How could that be?
No, I said that you can inform in the email body a link to this thread, so Vlk would know what are you talking about and don't need to write all the story again.
The best things in life are free.

mmmmna

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Re: WinXP64 freezes at login screen
« Reply #21 on: July 13, 2007, 04:35:58 AM »
Sometimes, uninstall is needed to get a correct install. Sometimes you need to go back to choose the right way...
The installation was fine for months....

Offline Lisandro

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Re: WinXP64 freezes at login screen
« Reply #22 on: July 13, 2007, 03:05:55 PM »
Sometimes, uninstall is needed to get a correct install. Sometimes you need to go back to choose the right way...
The installation was fine for months....
Well... what more can I suggest? I'm empty...
The best things in life are free.

mmmmna

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Re: WinXP64 freezes at login screen
« Reply #23 on: August 18, 2007, 10:50:31 PM »
Sorry, things got too difficult here at home.

Techâ„¢: I'm still running with Avast disabled, there are no unpxxxx files in my <avast>\data\log. I still need to re-enable the startup items, am doing that right now.

Offline Lisandro

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Re: WinXP64 freezes at login screen
« Reply #24 on: August 18, 2007, 11:16:43 PM »
Sorry, things got too difficult here at home.
The thread is long (2 pages), which are the exactly problems you're experiencing now?
Did you try to install avast from the scratch?
The best things in life are free.

mmmmna

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Re: WinXP64 freezes at login screen
« Reply #25 on: August 19, 2007, 12:00:08 AM »
I have NOT uninstalled Avast, I have not reinstalled Avast, I have not edited my registry. I believe that if I remove or remedy the problem, you have nothing to troubleshoot and nothing to learn, so I'm letting this system remain as it is, so that I can help Avast get this right. If Avast is still interested.

With Avast (currently running 4.7.1029) fully enabled:
After booting WinXP64, the system reaches the normal user login screen and then suffers from freezeups, remains frozen until I reboot; second boot attempt usually passes, a few times I needed a third boot and never needed more than 4 boots to get logged in.

The freezing is not related to what the user does - it might freeze during an admin login selection or freeze during a normal user login; it might freeze before while entering a password or might freeze during password entry or (if I'm VERY fast) freeze after password entry but before the screen ever clears. I've seen the system freeze BEFORE I could click a user icon. For the one time that I tested the freeze duration, the freeze has lasted several hours (I then gave up and rebooted).



With MSCONFIG, I used selected startup, uncheck all Avast startup items:
System is fully normal.

You have asked me if I found any unpxxxx files in <avast>/data/log directory; I responded I have not seen any of those files.

I have returned to allowing all Avast items to startup, I have only warm booted, warm booting always allows me to log in. I need full cold boots to get the freezeup problem at all. Now that I have restored Avast to being allowed to start, I believe I need a few cold boots to resume the problem.

Offline Vlk

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Re: WinXP64 freezes at login screen
« Reply #26 on: August 19, 2007, 03:14:06 PM »
Try turning on the "Delay loading of avast services" option on the Troubleshooting page of the avast Settings.

Thanks
Vlk
If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving's not for you.

mmmmna

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Re: WinXP64 freezes at login screen
« Reply #27 on: August 19, 2007, 03:59:27 PM »
Ok, I will do that after the machine resumes freezups... the freezeups take a few cold boots before they return, I have only cold booted once and machine did not freeze this time.

mmmmna

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Re: WinXP64 freezes at login screen
« Reply #28 on: August 20, 2007, 06:05:25 PM »
Ok, it just froze a few minutes ago on todays first cold boot. 8) I'll assume the problem has returned and hasn't changed.

I am now setting the software to delay loading, as mentioned a few posts above.

akinney

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Re: WinXP64 freezes at login screen
« Reply #29 on: September 26, 2007, 12:32:53 PM »
I know resurrecting an old topic is a no-no, but this one was left hanging.

I have Windows XP Pro x64 (SP2 plus all updates except some optional updates) and avast home 4.7-1043 (on my home computer). I had the Welcome screen hang problem every other boot. One boot would work, but the next would freeze / hang on the welcome / login screen before or after entering the password. This was solidly consistent.

After days of fiddling with updating drivers and firmware without solving the trouble, I broke down and went through the msconfig selective startup to try to isolate the problem. I quickly learned it was a service causing the problem and, through a process of elimination (*many* reboots while methodically adding services to a base setup that worked), I discovered avast was the source of the trouble.

I googled and came upon this thread.

I tried selecting the "always connected" updates preference (neither were selected by default), but that did not help. Same problem.

I tried selecting the "start after other system services" option under the troubleshooting preferences and that has solved the trouble.

I am not really sure when the problem began because I don't reboot often, but there is definitely some kind of errant interaction between other services and avast that causes the trouble. I don't really have time to stick a debugger on this, but it shouldn't be that hard to run down for a fix with later versions.