Author Topic: Avast won't start all of a sudden  (Read 27033 times)

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Torniojaws

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Avast won't start all of a sudden
« on: December 14, 2008, 12:08:00 AM »
It's the dreaded AAVM subsystem / RPC error, but after following many different methods of fixing it, it still does not work.

If I remember, this started happening after one Windows Automatic Update where I shut down my computer instead of doing the install-updates-and-then-shutdown thing (and installed the updates later).

I've uninstalled Avast, and reinstalled the latest version from avast.com, but it won't work at all. First it loads up, but very soon it just stays there with a red circle on it. If I click the icon, I get the "AAVM subsystem detected a RPC error" message. When I check in services.msc, none of the Avast services are running:

avast! Antivirus = stopped, Automatic
avast! iAVS4 Control Service = stopped, Automatic
avast! Mail Scanner = stopped, Manual
avast! Web Scanner = stopped, Manual

When I try to start them, I get the following:
avast! Antivirus = Windows could not start the avast! Antivirus service on Local Computer. Error 1053: The service did not respond to the tstart or control request in a timely fashion.
avast! iAVS4 Control Service = Windows could not start the avast! iAVS4 Control Service service on Local Computer. Error 1053: The service did not respond to the tstart or control request in a timely fashion.
avast! Mail Scanner = Windows could not start the avast! Mail Scanner service on Local Computer. Error 1068: The dependency service or group failed to start.
avast! Web Scanner = Windows could not start the avast! Web Scanner service on Local Computer. Error 1068: The dependency service or group failed to start.

All the avast dependencies - Remote Procedure Call (RPC) and DCOM Server Process Launching - are running.

In the registry, the following is set to start:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
avast! | C:\PROGRA~1\Avast4\ashDisp.exe

And Windows Security Center reports avast as Not Found (!)

I've tried installing avast many times, but the result is always the same.

I've never had another antivirus program installed either. My firewall is Comodo (without the antivirus component).

The system is HP 8710p laptop with Windows Vista Business SP1.
« Last Edit: December 14, 2008, 12:11:02 AM by Torniojaws »

Offline Tarq57

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Re: Avast won't start all of a sudden
« Reply #1 on: December 14, 2008, 12:48:56 AM »
A fresh install from scratch might be the way to go, assuming the Windows Updates were installed correctly in the end. (If not, uninstall then re-install the Windows updates involved. Windows Update was particularly slow to do its thing with the December "Patch Tuesday", in my experience.)
Download the Avast uninstall utility here: http://www.avast.com/eng/avast-uninstall-utility.html
Uninstall Avast from "add/remove programs" (or the Vista equivalent) reboot if prompted. Reboot into safe mode and run the uninstall utility. Reboot again into normal, install Avast.
See how that goes. If no luck, maybe time to look at the Windows Updates, I think.
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Offline Lisandro

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Re: Avast won't start all of a sudden
« Reply #2 on: December 14, 2008, 10:51:22 PM »
Does any antivirus came preinstalled in the machine?
How are set your avast! services?
Start > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services

I suppose you have to have four avast! services:

C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashServ.exe (avast! antivirus service)
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\aswUpdSv.exe (avast! Update Service)
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashWebSv.exe (avast! Web Scanner service)
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashMaiSv.exe (avast! e-Mail Scanner service)

The two first of them should be Automatic loaded and the two last Manually loaded.
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Offline DavidR

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Re: Avast won't start all of a sudden
« Reply #3 on: December 14, 2008, 11:46:40 PM »
Another common reason for the AAVM/RPC error (red circle on the icon) although it isn't mentioned on the FAQ is, either another AV installed or remnants of your previous AV on the system.

Have (or did) you another AV installed in this system, if so what was it and how did you get rid of it ?
Windows 10 Home 64bit/ Acer Aspire F15/ Intel Core i5 7200U 2.5GHz, 8GB DDR4 memory, 256GB SSD, 1TB HDD/ avast! free 24.2.6105 (build 24.2.8918.824) UI 1.0.799/ Firefox, uBlock Origin, uMatrix/ MailWasher Pro/ Avast! Mobile Security

doc62

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Re: Avast won't start all of a sudden
« Reply #4 on: December 31, 2008, 01:54:59 PM »
Hello,
I have exactly the same problem,
it happened probably during some re-installation I'm doing after a replacement of my second hard disk where Documents and Settings folder was (I had no backup of this folder).
I Uninstalled and re-installed twice without success.
I checked Windows update (I don't know how to un-install and reinstall a previous update, please help)
I can't find the awsClear mentioned by Tarq57 in this 3D (URL not found!).
Avast! has been working on this PC for long time.
I don't have software firewall but a router, and I never had to set any firewall rule.

Thanks
doc62


Offline DavidR

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Re: Avast won't start all of a sudden
« Reply #5 on: December 31, 2008, 03:38:06 PM »
The link to the avast Uninstall Utility instruction page given by Targ57 is working, I have just checked it.

Here is a direct link (see below) to the avast Uninstall Utility file and not just the info page and save it to a location on your hard disk.

####
It would probably be best to first 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, http://files.avast.com/files/eng/aswclear.exe, right click on it and select Save As or Save File As (depending on your browser) 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.
« Last Edit: December 31, 2008, 03:40:24 PM by DavidR »
Windows 10 Home 64bit/ Acer Aspire F15/ Intel Core i5 7200U 2.5GHz, 8GB DDR4 memory, 256GB SSD, 1TB HDD/ avast! free 24.2.6105 (build 24.2.8918.824) UI 1.0.799/ Firefox, uBlock Origin, uMatrix/ MailWasher Pro/ Avast! Mobile Security

Offline Lisandro

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Re: Avast won't start all of a sudden
« Reply #6 on: December 31, 2008, 03:52:27 PM »
I'm doing after a replacement of my second hard disk where Documents and Settings folder was (I had no backup of this folder).
Is this Documents and Settings folder on drive C:?
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doc62

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Re: Avast won't start all of a sudden
« Reply #7 on: January 01, 2009, 09:45:36 PM »
Hello,
Thank you for your replies.
I checked again the link and it was effectively working.
Document and setting was on drive D:
Anyway I solved the issue, I got BAGLE virus. I eradicated it using indications found on HWUPGRADE forum.

Doc62

Offline Lisandro

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Re: Avast won't start all of a sudden
« Reply #8 on: January 01, 2009, 11:29:21 PM »
Document and setting was on drive D:
How did you make it? How could you tweak the Windows installation? I want to learn this...
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doc62

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Re: Avast won't start all of a sudden
« Reply #9 on: January 02, 2009, 12:11:42 PM »
Quote
How did you make it? How could you tweak the Windows installation?

I'm sorry, I did this quite some time ago when I installed a second drive.
Now I don't remember how I did,
anyway it should be not very difficult since I'm not so experts.

Doc62

Offline Lisandro

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Re: Avast won't start all of a sudden
« Reply #10 on: January 02, 2009, 01:08:58 PM »
You can change subfolders (like Images, Music...), but I did not found how to move the entire Users folders.
http://www.technospot.net/blogs/how-to-move-users-folder-to-different-location-in-windows-vista/
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doc62

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Re: Avast won't start all of a sudden
« Reply #11 on: January 03, 2009, 11:38:40 AM »
I use XP.

Doc62

Offline Lisandro

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Re: Avast won't start all of a sudden
« Reply #12 on: January 03, 2009, 11:58:30 AM »
Even on XP, you can change the "User" subfolder but not all "Documents & Settings", if I'm not wrong...
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doc62

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Re: Avast won't start all of a sudden
« Reply #13 on: January 03, 2009, 12:06:38 PM »
I just found this on the web
http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb%3Ben-us%3B314843&x=14&y=9
But I don't remember that this was the procedure I followed.

Doc62

Offline Lisandro

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Re: Avast won't start all of a sudden
« Reply #14 on: January 03, 2009, 12:17:39 PM »
I just found this on the web
http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb%3Ben-us%3B314843&x=14&y=9
But I don't remember that this was the procedure I followed.

Doc62
Living and learning... I didn't know that...
Anyway, like Microsoft says, it's not sure that after installation you can move that folder.
Vista uses a similar method with Unattend.xml
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