Another internet connection problem with 5.0.594 (Win2000 Pro SP4)

[Rickajho]

(Version 4.8 worked so well. Sigh...)

I got dragged into this because my free license was due for renewal. I was asked if I wanted to update the program when the license renewal reminder came up, and the license renewl process downloaded and installede version 5.0.594

Everything was fine for about 2 weeks. Today I reboot my system and it chokes after the Avast icon shows in the system tray with a yellow exclaimation mark through it. Hover over says my system is not protected and opening Avast shows that all internet protection services are disabled - red "minus sign" graphic.

I've screwed with this for over six hours so forgive me if my memory of what happened is shot at this point. The obvious points is: Whatever happened hijacked my dial-up internet connection services.

Tried connecting to the internet to find a solution to the Avast problem - couldn't do it. All my predefined internet connection settings were blank. Minor panic, but ok - all I have to do is recreate a new connection with the MS Network Connection Wizard. Can't do it. Internet Connection Wizard is, also, showing a blank field where the "Country/region name and code:" selection box should be. Click on the down arrow to select a region and the Connection Wizard craps out and closes. The log regarding this says:

Application exception occurred:
        App: icwconn1.exe (pid=528)
        When: 09/03/2010 @ 21:23:40.592
        Exception number: c0000005 (access violation)

Working backwards through the event viewer log, the very first error! logged for this whole problem was:

"The avast! Antivirus service hung on starting."

After that came:

"The avast! Antivirus service depends on the avast! Standard Shield Support service which failed to start because of the following error:
No attempts to start the service have been made since the last boot."

"The following boot-start or system-start driver(s) failed to load:
Aavmker4
aswSP
aswTdi
MRxSmb
NetBIOS
NetBT
RasAcd
Rdbss
Smapint
Tcpip
TDSMAPI
TPHKDRV
TPPWR "

"The Remote Access Connection Manager service depends on the Telephony service which failed to start because of the following error:
No attempts to start the service have been made since the last boot."

Ultimately the log viewer starts every boot session with "The avast! Antivirus service hung on starting." and then shows multiple services, mostly communication services, hung with the message "...No attempts to start the service have been made since the last boot."

Yes, I tried the fix option from within the Avast add/remove program option. It said it completed, it didn't change anything.

Still not knowing what the hell was going on, I was within an inch of doing a full OS reinstall. But I booted into safe mode, uninstalled Avast 5, rebooted... and all the problems disappeared. My previously defined internet connection profiles are magically back. I tried the MS Network Connection Wizard and it's functioning normally again.

Hope this helps the technicians. There was one other person who reported a similar problem with Win 2000 but I've seen a lot of similar reports in this forum with everything through Windows 7. So I have to doubt an "old" operating system is to blame.

Personally, all I want to know is how to revert to Avast 4.8 since there isn't a download link for the free home version any longer on the download page. Really p.o.'d about how badly version 5 messed with my system and don't care if I ever see it again.

Rick 

[mikaelrask]

welcome to the forum first.

The problem is not avast I think you could have been hit by malware that disable avast from running. Sens the repair option didn't work try a clean installation from scratch

download the latest version of avast from avast.com.
uninstall avast
reboot the pc
download and run the registry option in ccleaner to clean registry keys left of avast
install the new avast you downloaded from there homepeage.
register the product for 14 mouths license key.

http://filehippo.com/download_ccleaner/

download, install, update, and scan with malwarebytes antimalware
if malware is found hit remove (reboot might be necessary).
http://filehippo.com/download_malwarebytes_anti_malware/

good luck write back if you need more help or if the problem was solved.

[topsecretnick]

Hello Rick and Mikael,
as mentioned in another thread I'm experiencing
nearly exactly the same issue as Rick - also on
Win2000 Pro SP4.

My event viewer log entries are very similar or
even the same as Rick's.

I did a scan with Malwarebytes as suggested by
you Mikael but nothing unusual came up.

I have reason to believe that it isn't some kind
of malware but rather a special combination of
software / services running on Rick's and my system.

Many thanks to everybody taking the time to help .

Best regards,
Georg

[g0dsends]

i find IOBIT 360 SECURITY FREE works better than malware bytes and is updated more regular  it has 5 star rating and magazine awards

heres the link if you are interested

http://www.iobit.com/security360.html

[CraigB]

i find IOBIT 360 SECURITY FREE works better than malware bytes and is updated more regular  it has 5 star rating and magazine awards

heres the link if you are interested

http://www.iobit.com/security360.html

Iobit is an untrustworthy company as they've been caught stealing definition's from malwarebyte's. I would not give this company the time of day.

[DavidR]

Considering there was a god almighty stink about iobit pinching MBAMs signatures and another issue about dubious use of intellectual property (copying) I wouldn't touch iobit products with a long stick. Try a search on the forums about this there are lots.

There are better products out there that don't have this suspicion/black mark on the ethical policy of the company.