Avast Home Stops exe files

[norxh]

Very odd, I installed in a MS VPC 2004 guest, as well as on my host system, it worked on both. Are you formating the drive or installing over existing windows? Are you slipstreaming SP2? Is it a legal copy of windows?

It's really bizarre that on a fresh install of windows it would work for me and not you since we basically have identical systems at that point.

[eangulus]

What t6he hell are you guys talking about? This is not to do with the key. I read that thread when I was first trying to find a solution and it wasn't the problem.

Can someone PLEASE try to emulate my issue as per instructions prior.

Even if knowone else can then at least I will have an answer.....

[Lisandro]

First of you have to have a system with clean install or at least NEVER ever had Avast on it even if uninstalled.
Then you install SP2 (i run XP pro btw)
Reboot as per nessacery.
Now create a restore point and name it Pre Avast. This step is not what I had done before but will allow you to get working again.
Now install Avast. Reboot.
Now try and run what I think are Installshield created .exe files. The 3 I tried was the Win32 MySQL setup program (latest version), Canon A40 Drivers, and PixelVeiw TV Software. All so far are Installshield apps.

When you double click you will see avast scan it before running. then nothing at all happens. no setup no errors nothing at all.

Now to get working again you must follow these steps. Uninstall and reinstall won't work.

Use System Restore to go back to Pre Avast but Post SP2. You will notice the above applications are working again. Then Re install avast and reboot. You will now notice that everyhting is working as per normal now. Avat installed and all exe files running.

This is the issue I have had with the past 5 reinstalls on my main machine plus 2 friends computers. Can't remember what builds of SP2 I used but I did mention them earlier in this thread.

eangulus, take it easy, please. We're reading your thread and trying to understand what  we can do but, I myself can't reproduce your system (there is not SP2 in other languages than English right now...)  

[bilemke]

@Technical and eangulus

I beleive we are still on the topic.

eangulus, have to you tried doing the same thing as you mentioned in your first post, but without using system restore, and then checking if the registry key referrenced so many times in this thread is both there and correct?

Also, yes, I have tried emulating what you described with system restore.. For some reason, after a system restore operation, Avast will correctly produce teh said registry key and all will be good.  


@norxh

Note, the differences in VLK PRO, PRO and Home are not that drastic or important.. But, if someone thinks it matters, yes.. I have tried it on all of the 3.... Even a persons machine that I beleive had a VLK version of PRO.  

And for the last time     fresh clean install of slipstreamed sp2. I always destroy the entire existing copy of windows before installing again. Upgrading a old install sucks!


@Everyone

The final point is, some may not be having the problem, but others deffinately are. I can easily reproduce the problem on several machines. Said problem being strictly the registry key mentioned does not get produced on all installs and I have to manually add it. Then Avast work 100% great.

BTW, yes I can reproduce it on many machines. All will run anything else flawlessly. Hardware is in ideal working conditions and considerable variety amongst them all.

Finally, all names mentioned above, do not take anything I said personally, I am just getting a little frustrated. If avast setup has/had a nice logging feature I would run it. It may have one already that I am not aware of, but no one has suggested it so is it safe to assume it doesnt?

[bilemke]

Almost foregot,

@eangulus

Yes, when this problem occurs InstallShield 2.x and 3.x installers will fail to run properly.

I have fixed this every time by manually fixing the registry key. Please try this if you have yet to get the installers you need to run. It should fix it for now.

[bob3160]

Does this help any?
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\Setup\setup.log
Your discussion is way over my head but, there is a log.

[bilemke]

Dont want to ask too much.. but may I ask, does someone know at what point setup is supposed to make this key? Or is it one of the installed services is supposed to make it on first run? Setup.log doesnt say much, only when/where/what files.. etc.. Some basic things like CLSID's and shared dlls.. But never a reference to aswMonVD.dll except for moving it.

[Lisandro]

Bob, now I like your signature... Very good change indeed  

Oh, sorry, I'm off topic  

[norxh]

Dont want to ask too much.. but may I ask, does someone know at what point setup is supposed to make this key? Or is it one of the installed services is supposed to make it on first run? Setup.log doesnt say much, only when/where/what files.. etc.. Some basic things like CLSID's and shared dlls.. But never a reference to aswMonVD.dll except for moving it.

funny thing. i can reproduce it now. i'm using the exact same disc image and avast installer file as before, in VPC2k4, you can run a VPC without ever commiting any changes so each time you do a cold boot of the VPC, its reverted back to the original hard disk image. So, I can say nothings changed for sure. Anyway, I ran about 10 times, reverted each time, and its reporducable every time. The installer does not write to the VDD key. Here is all regmon picks up during the install, right near the end:

5674   79.67422089   avast.setup:452   OpenKey   HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\VirtualDeviceDrivers   SUCCESS   Access: 0xF003F    
5675   79.67447790   avast.setup:452   QueryValue   HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\VirtualDeviceDrivers\VDD   SUCCESS   ""   
5676   79.67462904   avast.setup:452   QueryValue   HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\VirtualDeviceDrivers\VDD   SUCCESS   ""   
5677   79.67476984   avast.setup:452   QueryValue   HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\VirtualDeviceDrivers\VDD   SUCCESS   ""   
5678   79.67489332   avast.setup:452   QueryValue   HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\VirtualDeviceDrivers\VDD   SUCCESS   ""   
5679   79.67513944   avast.setup:452   CloseKey   HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\VirtualDeviceDrivers   SUCCESS   

Not WRITEs. I tried running it with and without the preexisting 2 null bytes,

[Lisandro]

Norxh, I'm Flamengo  

[Vlk]

1. Why the emotions, guys? Is this some kind of stress situation? Calm down, it's just a minor issue between your AV program and the new enhancement of your OS...

2. I'm currently on vacation and cannot simulate/debug the issue but I've forwarded it to a dev that will take care of it.

3. Thanks to everyone who helped to pinpoint the problem.


Greetings from Paris,
Vlk

[bilemke]

@Vlk

All is ok, just one of the more concerning (yet relatively small) bugs/problems I have seen with Avast...

And hey, the emotions are there.. use them.. Not like we used a lot or anything.

Oh yeah, Have a nice vacation in France.

[Lisandro]

Why the emotions, guys? Is this some kind of stress situation?

Well we're not in Paris  

[Forejt]

Hi,
I tried to simulate this problem following eangulus' instructions - vmware with WinXP clean install and the registry entry was written correctly. Please all who can reproduce this problem, send me export of registry HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\VirtualDeviceDrivers, before avast is installed on SP2 and after installation, to forejt at asw dot cz.

[bilemke]

@Forejt

Will do, actually plan on getting sp2 final installed on my machine (personal primary, not a friend, family, customer) finally.. today or tommorow..

Note, I assume you saw this post....

Dont want to ask too much.. but may I ask, does someone know at what point setup is supposed to make this key? Or is it one of the installed services is supposed to make it on first run? Setup.log doesnt say much, only when/where/what files.. etc.. Some basic things like CLSID's and shared dlls.. But never a reference to aswMonVD.dll except for moving it.

funny thing. i can reproduce it now. i'm using the exact same disc image and avast installer file as before, in VPC2k4, you can run a VPC without ever commiting any changes so each time you do a cold boot of the VPC, its reverted back to the original hard disk image. So, I can say nothings changed for sure. Anyway, I ran about 10 times, reverted each time, and its reporducable every time. The installer does not write to the VDD key. Here is all regmon picks up during the install, right near the end:

5674   79.67422089   avast.setup:452   OpenKey   HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\VirtualDeviceDrivers   SUCCESS   Access: 0xF003F    
5675   79.67447790   avast.setup:452   QueryValue   HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\VirtualDeviceDrivers\VDD   SUCCESS   ""   
5676   79.67462904   avast.setup:452   QueryValue   HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\VirtualDeviceDrivers\VDD   SUCCESS   ""   
5677   79.67476984   avast.setup:452   QueryValue   HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\VirtualDeviceDrivers\VDD   SUCCESS   ""   
5678   79.67489332   avast.setup:452   QueryValue   HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\VirtualDeviceDrivers\VDD   SUCCESS   ""   
5679   79.67513944   avast.setup:452   CloseKey   HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\VirtualDeviceDrivers   SUCCESS   

Not WRITEs. I tried running it with and without the preexisting 2 null bytes,

2nd, doing what eangulus did (i tried it out) with sytem resotre will result in the registry entry being creadted/modified correctly. However, this should not be required to get it installed. So I will send you before and after install of avast (not doing the system resotre trick) and and a after doing the sytem restore if needed.