"Operating system restart needed" on every boot

[mwillson]

Folks,

Since the update to 1296, Avast has been requesting an operating system restart on every boot.  I have tried deleting the file C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\Setup\reboot.txt, but the restart requests are still coming up.
I am running Windows 2000 SP4.

Any help or advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks,
-mark

[DavidR]

Operating system restart needed by avast message - First check the contents of the C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\Setup\setup.log file, which should show you why it thinks the reboot is needed.

This may be solved, in some systems, by deleting the file C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\Setup\reboot.txt (seems to have failed in your case). With the avast self-defence module it will complain (did it) so disable that first, Program Settings, Troubleshooting.

If that doesn't resolve it check this:
You can also check this registry entry (right after computer restart):
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager, if it contains "PendingFileRenameOpertaions".

Check its contents and if there's only "reboot.txt" from avast4\setup folder, delete PendingFileRenameOperations, don't delete any other key.
Back-up (export) the registry key before you edit/delete, just in case.

It may be quicker to do a clean reinstall though than try and chase the fault.
Download the latest version of avast http://www.avast.com/eng/download-avast-home.html and save it to your HDD, somewhere you can find it again. Use that when you reinstall.

Download the avast! Uninstall Utility, find it here and save it to your HDD.
1. Now uninstall (using add remove programs, if you can't do that start from the next step), reboot.
2. run the avast! Uninstall Utility, reboot.  If step 1 failed it may be necessary to run this from safe mode, once complete reboot into normal mode.
3. install the latest version, reboot.

[mwillson]

DavidR,

Thanks for the suggestions.

Here's a snippet of the log file at startup:

15:45:05 min/gen  Started: 30.11.2008, 15:45:05
15:45:05 min/gen  Running setup_av_pro-510 (1296)
15:45:05 nrm/sys  Operating system: Windows2000 ver 5.0, build 2195, sp 4.0 [Service Pack 4]
15:45:05 nrm/sys  Memory: 24% load. Phys:788684/1048052K free, Page:1792936/1995440K free, Virt:2074232/2097024K free
15:45:05 vrb/sys  Computer WinName: GOLD
15:45:05 min/sys  Windows Net User: SYSTEM
15:45:05 min/gen  Cmdline: /refresh /noreboot /updatenews /verysilent /nolog /limitcpu 
15:45:05 vrb/gen  Operation set to INST_OP_UPDATE_INSTALL_PACKAGES
15:45:05 min/gen  Old version: 510 (1296)
15:45:05 nrm/sys  Using temp: C:\WINNT\TEMP\_av_proI.tm~a01048 (693M free)
15:45:05 nrm/gen  SGW32P::CheckIfInstalled set m_bAlreadyInstalled to 1
15:45:05 nrm/sys  Installed in: D:\CProgramFiles\Alwil Software\Avast4 (2481M free)
15:45:05 nrm/int  SYNCER: Type: use IE settings
15:45:05 nrm/int  SYNCER: Auth: another authentication, use WinInet
15:45:05 vrb/pkg  Part prg_av_pro-510 is installed
15:45:05 vrb/pkg  Part vps-8112900 is installed
15:45:05 vrb/pkg  Part news-4b is installed
15:45:05 vrb/pkg  Part setup_av_pro-510 is installed
15:45:05 vrb/pkg  Part jrog-6c is installed
15:45:05 min/gen  Old version: 510 (1296)
15:45:05 min/gen  GUID: 4461e476-a1df-4a92-8164-4454de8641d6
15:45:05 vrb/gen  Entering:UpdateInstallPackages
15:45:05 min/pkg  LoadProductVpu: D:\CProgramFiles\Alwil Software\Avast4\Setup\prod-av_pro.vpu
15:45:05 vrb/pkg  LoadPartInfo: jrog = jrog-6c returned 00000000
15:45:05 vrb/pkg  LoadPartInfo: news = news-4b returned 00000000
15:45:05 vrb/pkg  LoadPartInfo: program = prg_av_pro-510 returned 00000000
15:45:05 vrb/pkg  LoadPartInfo: setup = setup_av_pro-510 returned 00000000
15:45:05 vrb/pkg  LoadPartInfo: vps = vps-8112900 returned 00000000
15:45:05 min/pkg  LoadProductVpu: D:\CProgramFiles\Alwil Software\Avast4\Setup\prod-av_pro.vpu ended with 00000000
15:45:05 vrb/pkg  FilterOutExistingFiles: 154 & 0 = 154
15:45:06 vrb/pkg  FilterOutExistingFiles: 154 & 0 = 154
15:45:06 vrb/pkg  FilterOutExistingFiles: 154 & 0 = 154
15:45:06 vrb/pkg  ArePartsInstallable: 1
15:45:15 vrb/fil  SetExistingFilesBitmap: 1054->153->87
15:45:15 vrb/pkg  FilterOutExistingFiles: 154 & 87 = 67
15:45:16 vrb/pkg  Extracting from av_pro_core-4b0.vpu
15:45:16 vrb/sys  Rename on reboot(D:\CPROGR~1\ALWILS~1\Avast4\Aav2.tmp,D:\CPROGR~1\ALWILS~1\Avast4\Aavm4h.dll)
15:45:16 vrb/fil  Installed file:D:\CProgramFiles\Alwil Software\Avast4\Aavm4h.dll

The "15:45:05 vrb/gen Operation set to
INST_OP_UPDATE_INSTALL_PACKAGES" seems a mite suspicious.  You can see
the "old version" is 1296.

When I deleted C:\Program Files\AlwilSoftware\Avast4\Setup\reboot.txt,
there were no complaints from self-defence module.

I also tried deleting the registry key
"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session
Manager\PendingFileRenameOperations" in which reboot.txt was indeed
referenced.  Made no difference at the next boot.

I have also tried de-installing and re-installing with a fresh
download (as you suggested).  No reboot requests with that version.
However, once I updated to 1296, the reboot requests returned.

-mark

[DavidR]

You would need to look into the registry to see what else might be there, I told you it might be easier to do a clean reinstall as you tried, but you don't appear to have started with the latest avast version...

Did you also run the uninstall utility after the add remove programs uninstall ?
This really does a deeper clean of anything that might have been missed/failed, primarily that registry key I mentioned earlier.

I'm betting you started by downloading using the CNet icon, which hasn't updated its version. Use the download directly from avast.com, see image. This is not only likely to be quicker but avast.com will always have the latest version, so you then wouldn't have the need to update to 4.8.1296.

[mwillson]

DavidR,

Thanks for letting me know that the latest version was available as a fresh install.  Having now installed 1296, the reboot requests have disappeared.  There must have been something in the update process that caused the problem.  I shall wait and see what happens when the next program update is released.

Thanks,
-mark

[DavidR]

You're welcome, fingers crossed