Author Topic: Boot time scan does not work, just gray screen.  (Read 13589 times)

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Wildchild-

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Boot time scan does not work, just gray screen.
« on: September 26, 2009, 01:16:18 AM »
Well the topic says the problem. I just recently reinstalled my XP (32-bit) and now my boot time scan does not work. Just gray screen and then i must restart my computer. Also, after i had to force restart this came along:

I try start avast:



then..

This screen only disappears via pressing esc and the help file does not open with the program, just white page.

(i have registered avast, that says i dont)


This problem countinues, until i reinstall avast.

The os is Windows Xp Pro (sp3) and Avast 4.8 Home edition.. Nothing in my hardware / software has not changed, eventhought i reinstalled Windows..

Offline DavidR

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Re: Boot time scan does not work, just gray screen.
« Reply #1 on: September 26, 2009, 01:41:59 AM »
What you are showing isn't the boot-time scan but the initiation of the Simple User Interface by using the ashAvast.exe icon on the desktop, is that what you are doing ?

If the first bit fails then I wouldn't expect the second part to work either.

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.

First you shouldn't have to use that ashAvast.exe shortcut, but right click the avast 'a' icon, select Start avast! Antivirus. Try that, does it work ?

If not try launching the C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashSimpl.exe file directly, does that work ?

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

Wildchild-

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Re: Boot time scan does not work, just gray screen.
« Reply #2 on: September 26, 2009, 01:48:53 AM »
This is the cause of boot time scan not working.

Okay, lets start over.

1. I schedule a boot time scan.
2. Restart the computer
3. When the boot time scan supposed to run, screen is just gray and i have to reboot the computer... (waited an hour and nothing happens)
4. Now, when i try to start ashSimpl.exe, those problems comes, what are in the first post.

ashSimpl.exe works perfectly when just istalled avast.. When i make the boot time scan and it fails, this starts... The not working scan makes all the problems to ashSimpl.exe too.

And yes, ashSimpl.exe works, but the memory test and splash creen dont..
« Last Edit: September 26, 2009, 01:50:31 AM by Wildchild- »

Offline DavidR

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Re: Boot time scan does not work, just gray screen.
« Reply #3 on: September 26, 2009, 02:33:59 AM »
You didn't mention about other/previous AVs as this can have an impact.
You also didn't say if you tried the avast repair.

In the meantime, try this (as strange as it may seem) it could be another shell extension clashing with avast.

- Menu, Display Remnants, Log Viewer Remnants, Graphics glitches, etc.
- Edit the C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\DATA\avast4.ini using Notepad [Common] section, add the following line to the section SunbeltKPFHack=2, save the file, you will be prompted by the avast! Self-defence module if this is OK answer Yes. Whilst this is primarily for Sunbelt or Kerio Personal Firewalls it may well work even if you don't use either of these firewalls.
Also see http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=37609.msg315764#msg315764 - Also see, http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=40840.msg342656#msg342656 which mentions a similar issue relating to McAfee Site Advisor and remnants of menus, etc.

Now why you have a grey screen on the boot-time scan I don't know it should be a basic blue showing the avast.
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

Wildchild-

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Re: Boot time scan does not work, just gray screen.
« Reply #4 on: September 26, 2009, 03:04:32 AM »
Oh sry, i dont have another antivirus programs and i tried to repair avast. It didnt work.

Yes, i have kerio, i put that extra line into ini file, nothing. Problem fixes only if i reinstall avast.

The problem occures when i rightclick the avast balloon in taskbar witch open the ashAvast.exe. The ashSimpl.exe works if i go from C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashSimpl.exe.

The scanner works, but somehow the failed boot scan srews up the ashAvast.exe.

Main problem still is the boot scan.  :-[ Is there a windows option/setting witch would block the boot scan? And its bit mystery why program starts to function this way after i force boot from failed scan.

(I must apoligise my english, aint perfect) ;)
« Last Edit: September 26, 2009, 03:06:56 AM by Wildchild- »

Offline Lisandro

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Re: Boot time scan does not work, just gray screen.
« Reply #5 on: September 26, 2009, 02:06:39 PM »
Oh sry, i dont have another antivirus programs
Did you have in the past?

I suggest an installation from the scratch:

1. Download the latest version of avast! Uninstall Utility and save it.
2. Download the latest avast! version and save it.
3. Uninstall avast from Control Panel (if possible). If, for any reason, you can't run it, try booting in Safe Mode and doing it from there. Anyway, boot after that.
4. Run the avast! Uninstall Utility saved on 1. If, for any reason, you can't run it, try booting in Safe Mode and doing it from there. Anyway, boot after you've run it.
5. Install avast! using the setup saved on 2. It will be good to accept the boot time scanning. Boot.
6. Check and post the results.
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Offline DavidR

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Re: Boot time scan does not work, just gray screen.
« Reply #6 on: September 26, 2009, 02:51:30 PM »
Oh sry, i dont have another antivirus programs and i tried to repair avast. It didnt work.

Yes, i have kerio, i put that extra line into ini file, nothing. Problem fixes only if i reinstall avast.

The problem occures when i rightclick the avast balloon in taskbar witch open the ashAvast.exe. The ashSimpl.exe works if i go from C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashSimpl.exe.
<snip>

Having made the changes, you would probably have to reboot for avast to use the new avast4.ini settings, so it may work. Reinstalling avast would effectively undo the changes you made to the avast4.ini, so the hooking/shell extension problem is highly likely to return.

Even a clean reinstall as suggested is unlikely to get round this conflict with shell extensions. The problem with conflicts, they may not happen for some time or right away, hense the period previously where it worked for a while.

So I suggest that you make the changes to the avast4.ini again and reboot and see how that goes.
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

Wildchild-

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Re: Boot time scan does not work, just gray screen.
« Reply #7 on: September 26, 2009, 06:44:35 PM »
Did you have in the past?
No.

I suggest an installation from the scratch:

1. Download the latest version of avast! Uninstall Utility and save it.
2. Download the latest avast! version and save it.
3. Uninstall avast from Control Panel (if possible). If, for any reason, you can't run it, try booting in Safe Mode and doing it from there. Anyway, boot after that.
4. Run the avast! Uninstall Utility saved on 1. If, for any reason, you can't run it, try booting in Safe Mode and doing it from there. Anyway, boot after you've run it.
5. Install avast! using the setup saved on 2. It will be good to accept the boot time scanning. Boot.
6. Check and post the results.

When i unstalled avast, i cleaned up registy keys ect, anything that releated to avast. Do the uninstall utility make same thing? Ill try this anyway.


Having made the changes, you would probably have to reboot for avast to use the new avast4.ini settings, so it may work. Reinstalling avast would effectively undo the changes you made to the avast4.ini, so the hooking/shell extension problem is highly likely to return.

Even a clean reinstall as suggested is unlikely to get round this conflict with shell extensions. The problem with conflicts, they may not happen for some time or right away, hense the period previously where it worked for a while.

So I suggest that you make the changes to the avast4.ini again and reboot and see how that goes.

I rebooted after making that change into inifile. Nothing..

Offline DavidR

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Re: Boot time scan does not work, just gray screen.
« Reply #8 on: September 26, 2009, 07:15:16 PM »
That's weird as at the very least you should get the blue avast boot-time scan screen, on occasion some can't use their USB keyboard (not an avast but BIOS issue), but they at least get the scan screen.

So I'm at a loss as to what else to suggest, I would have what firewall as Online Armor can get in the way on occasion, but you said you are using Kerio and I haven't heard of that occurrence.

I would also have asked if you had a registry protection application, etc. which would block the creation of the registry key which is needed for the scan. But then again if that was the case then it wouldn't have even attempted to run, so on reboot it would have gone into windows directly, as I said weird.
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

Wildchild-

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Re: Boot time scan does not work, just gray screen.
« Reply #9 on: September 26, 2009, 07:31:03 PM »
I suggest an installation from the scratch:

1. Download the latest version of avast! Uninstall Utility and save it.
2. Download the latest avast! version and save it.
3. Uninstall avast from Control Panel (if possible). If, for any reason, you can't run it, try booting in Safe Mode and doing it from there. Anyway, boot after that.
4. Run the avast! Uninstall Utility saved on 1. If, for any reason, you can't run it, try booting in Safe Mode and doing it from there. Anyway, boot after you've run it.
5. Install avast! using the setup saved on 2. It will be good to accept the boot time scanning. Boot.
6. Check and post the results.

Now tried this couple of times, still nothing. I tried newest english version, older english version (4.8.1229 what i found from computer) and newest finnish version.

And the errors what are in first post now comes right after i put the registation code to avast, or if i skip registration code and try start program again.  :(

That's weird as at the very least you should get the blue avast boot-time scan screen, on occasion some can't use their USB keyboard (not an avast but BIOS issue), but they at least get the scan screen.

So I'm at a loss as to what else to suggest, I would have what firewall as Online Armor can get in the way on occasion, but you said you are using Kerio and I haven't heard of that occurrence.

I would also have asked if you had a registry protection application, etc. which would block the creation of the registry key which is needed for the scan. But then again if that was the case then it wouldn't have even attempted to run, so on reboot it would have gone into windows directly, as I said weird.

Yeah, im starting to wonder if theres something wrong with hardware or with kerios programcontrol. Cause i noticed that Mozilla Thunderbird cant open links anymore to Firefox. Well, i must reistall kerio too, lets see what happens.

Offline DavidR

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Re: Boot time scan does not work, just gray screen.
« Reply #10 on: September 26, 2009, 07:35:51 PM »
OK, good lock.
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Wildchild-

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Re: Boot time scan does not work, just gray screen.
« Reply #11 on: September 26, 2009, 07:57:12 PM »
Reinstalling kerio did not work. The program control asked everything it supposed to and i gave access. :-\ Im out of ideas..

Offline Lisandro

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Re: Boot time scan does not work, just gray screen.
« Reply #12 on: September 26, 2009, 08:09:31 PM »
Did you follow steps 1 and 4?
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Wildchild-

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Re: Boot time scan does not work, just gray screen.
« Reply #13 on: September 26, 2009, 08:54:44 PM »
Did you follow steps 1 and 4?

Yes i did.

Offline Lisandro

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Re: Boot time scan does not work, just gray screen.
« Reply #14 on: September 26, 2009, 09:08:19 PM »
Strange... what is happening in your computer???
How many admin accounts do you have in this computer?
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