unable to boot with Pro version installed in XP

[pcguy]

Trying to help someone out of town via remote access via loginme in. She recently purchased the Pro version of Avast after using the older free version 4 without any problems. She upgraded from version 4 free version to version 5 (free version possibly) but the upgrade failed halfway through leaving Avast partially installed. Was able to boot into safe mode and run the Avast clean up tool Installed Avast in normal mode scanned and it found nothing. She applied the license file received via email from Avast and every since then they have been unable to reboot windows without selecting last known good configuration. They uninstalled Avast and have had no problems rebooting the computer.

She is a non techie and is frustrated and has told me to go with another anti-virus. She is mad that she just paid for Avast Pro version after seeing the normal upgrade nag screen in Avast free version.

[Lisandro]

I suggest an installation from 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. Boot.
6. Register your free copy or add the license key for Pro.
7. Check and post the results.

[pcguy]

I had previously done all this.

I used the uninstall util in safe mode to remove avast. Rebooted into normal mode installed the current free version. Rebooted.  When the friend applied the key that she had received from Avast for the paid version it requested a reboot at which time she did reboot but it was then when the computer would not boot into normal mode properly but instead rebooted again trying to reboot windows.

That was when she used last known good configuration and got windows to boot. However the next reboot caused the same problem and the only way this was solved was by uninstalling Avast altogether.

[SafeSurf]

I recommend you do an uninstall and CLEAN install again.  However since there may be remnants of version 4.0 and 5.0 in the machine, you will need to uninstall BOTH versions using the Uninstall Utility in Safe Mode.

1. Save a copy of newest version of Avast (5.0.594) for the version you need and save it to your HDD:
Pro  –  http://files.avast.com/iavs5x/setup_av_pro.exe
2. Download the Avast Uninstall Utility, aswClear5.exe http://www.avast.com/uninstall-utility and save it to your HDD (it has uninstall tools for both 4.0 and 5.0).
3. Disconnect from the Internet at this time.
4. Uninstall Avast through "Add/Remove Programs". 
5. Boot into Safe Mode and run the Avast Uninstall Tool.
6. Reboot twice.
7. Clean your computer up (clean up cache, etc.).
8. Install the newest version of Avast and reboot twice.
9. Get Internet access and update Avast definitions.
10. Register your copy or add the license key for Pro.
11. Reset your settings, if needed.

Please post your results.  Thank you.

[pcguy]

Sorry for being stubborn but remember I and doing this removal remotely so disconnecting from internet is not possible. I have already run the current removal tool in safe mode to remove avast4 and partly installed version 5, rebooted normally before I did a new install of the current free version 5 of Avast then applying the Avast Internet Security key so why would running the uninstall util again and reinstalling Avast do anything different this time around?

[SafeSurf]

She upgraded from version 4 free version to version 5 (free version possibly) but the upgrade failed halfway through leaving Avast partially installed.

So you only have version 5.0 partially installed.  Therefore you need to uninstall 5.0 again and do a clean reinstall.

[pcguy]

No version 5 was partially installed then removed in safe mode via the use of the uninstall util, the machine rebooted and Avast free version 5 reinstalled again properly then the newly purchased key was applied. That was when the computer failed to reboot properly. Only way to get the computer to boot correctly was to select Last Known Good configuration. This reboot problem happened several times again at which time the person decided to uninstall Avast via normal means. After that the computer was rebooting fine.

[SafeSurf]

OK...thank you for that clarification.  So 5.0 was properly uninstalled.  But was 4.0 properly uninstalled?

[pcguy]

OK...thank you for that clarification.  So 5.0 was properly uninstalled.  But was 4.0 properly uninstalled?

Are you saying that running http://www.avast.com/uninstall-utility once will not uninstall all versions of Avast ? If so then there is no of that on that page.

[SafeSurf]

Are you saying that running http://www.avast.com/uninstall-utility once will not uninstall all versions of Avast ? If so then there is no of that on that page.

The Uninstall Utility has a drop down menu which lists the Avast products.  In the drop down menu you will see AV 4.0, AIS, plus more, and at the very bottom is AV 5.0. 

Since 5.0 was uninstalled properly already, you need to now uninstall 4.0 using the Uninstall Utility because it sounds like remnants were left behind causing the problem.  Make sure you boot twice afterwards.  If you still have a problem after doing this, then you need to uninstall 5.0 again to do a CLEAN install from scratch as I described above, but hopefully you won't have to do this.

Question:  Have you been able to run a malware scan on the machine to see if malware is causing a problem?

[pcguy]

Question:  Have you been able to run a malware scan on the machine to see if malware is causing a problem?

First thing I did when I got version 5 installed was a virus scan and there were no infections

[pcguy]

Do not know if it was because I was trying to install Avast Internet Security (which after checking my email is what the person mistakingly purchased) but upon rebooting Logmein no longer sees the remote computer i.e. it has not rebooted properly. During the installation Avast Internet Security informed me that the firewall portion could not be installed.

[SafeSurf]

During the installation Avast Internet Security informed me that the firewall portion could not be installed.

Do you have another firewall (FW) on the machine, or did you have one previously?

So now you are telling me that you have Internet Security (AIS) on the machine and not AV 5.0...correct?  This is the first time you mentioned that the product is AIS.

1. When you did the uninstalls with the Uninstall Utility in Safe Mode, did you uninstall AIS as well? 
2. If so, did you then do a clean install of AIS? 
3. If you have not done these 2 steps, then please do so. 

Please post your signature in your Profile for the PC you are referring to (Profile is found in the top of this page) so that we can give you more help.

[pcguy]

I had received the key file that they received 2 weeks ago from the person just prior to me doing the install of Avast Internet Security yesterday.  

Before then it was only the Free version and the botched upgrade of free version of Avast (prior to their purchase of AIS) that was ever installed. Both of which were uninstalled and the uninstaller run (using to remove both of these BEFORE AIS was installed yesterday by me. The uninstall util does Free/Pro/AIS with the one selection in the utility which I did. The only firewall previously installed was Windows XP firewall.

This computer is used for business and the person at the remote end can not afford further down time with a computer that will not reboot if Avast is installed. They have therefore decided to go with another anti-virus product which is installed on the machine. Too bad she had so much problem with her 2 week old purchase of  AIS.

Appreciate all the time and help everyone here has provided me in an attempt to get this problem fixed

[SafeSurf]

You may want to check that you have to have the Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable Package installed on your computer, which is needed before you can successfully install or even uninstall Avast correctly.  This was something that was recently discovered.

To see if you have the Package installed on your machine, look in Add/Remove Programs to see if you have Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable Package listed.  If not, download the file (see below for links) and restart your machine. 

For Windows 2000 Service Pack 4; Windows Server 2003; Windows Vista; Windows XP:
·http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=9b2da534-3e03-4391-8a4d-074b9f2bc1bf&displaylang=en

For Windows 7; Windows Server 2003; Windows Server 2008; Windows Server 2008 R2; Windows Vista; Windows XP:
·http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=ba9257ca-337f-4b40-8c14-157cfdffee4e&displaylang=en

After installing the Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable Package, Avast will be able to properly install and the Avast Uninstall Utility will work properly.

This may correct your problem and I do appreciate the fact that you need the machine for business and cannot afford any down time.  I thank you for your efforts in trying to correct this problem as well.