Strange Avast behaviors

[Pierre-DNA]

Hello,

I have a strange problem today.

First, I notice that the resident protection of Avast (home ed, win xp, french) is halted (little red sign on taskbar icon). All providers are off.

I try to start them manually but I receive a message : "this provider could not start" or something (and that's all).

Intrigued, I decide to reinstall Avast. I download the latest version, I click on the downloaded file but then I receive a new message : "This installation does not contain all required components. Please use a complete version." (or something, message is in french).

Then I don't know what to do. I can't use the installed Avast and I can't seem to be able to reinstall it.

I suspect a nasty virus passed through. I checked the running processes and found nothing weird (csrss.exe, smss.exe, lsass.exe - dunno what it is, but labelled M$).

Thank you for your help.

[RejZoR]

Go to www.security-ops.tk and check your sistem with some online Antivirus (F-Secure,Command On Demand or RAV are very reliable) and submit all detected files (if any) to Alwil software(you can get submission mail on their Contacts sections of webpage) to add them to VPS.

[Vlk]

If you want to reinstall you first need to uninstall.
You can't just run the setup program - otherwise, it will try to do update instead of uninstall...

Cheers,
Vlk

[Pierre-DNA]

Ok, I'll try both advices. Thanks.

[Pierre-DNA]

Ok...

So I ran F-Secure online, it found some viruses, but only in temp internet files and in Avast chest.

I uninstalled Avast and reinstalled it.

And... same problems:
- avast icon in the taskbar remains crossed,
- no provider can seem to be able to start,
- I can't launch Avast antivirus (several errors, first one is "a stockage space cannot be created for the task "splash").

Help please !  :'(

[Lisandro]

avast icon in the taskbar remains crossed

Can you download the avast External Control and try to 'reenable' avast protection (click on 'control' in my signature).
If it's not work, can you repair your installation (Control Panel).

no provider can seem to be able to start

The same as above, your installation is 'crashed'.

I can't launch Avast antivirus (several errors, first one is "a stockage space cannot be created for the task "splash").

In the same application you can choose the storage method. Change from ODBC to XML and it will help.

Can you post the results?  

[Pierre-DNA]

Well Tech, thank you very much but nothing is working.  

When I try to reenable avast protection, it does some things, but then, avast protection remains off.
Repairing installation didnt work either: things are happening, but no results.

I changed the storage method from odbc to xml, without more luck.

Something happened and I can't know what that makes Avast totally inert. Really strange.

[bob3160]

Pierre-DNA
If your game, here is one more thing you could try.
Please download Avast! Complete Uninstall Utility
Run it and then reboot. After the reboot, Do a new install and that will hopefully get you going.
Please let us know how you make out.

[Lisandro]

Something happened and I can't know what that makes Avast totally inert. Really strange.

I bet on the following:

1. You have (or had but do not uninstall very well) another antivirus in your system.
2. Your firewall are blocking the access of avast to Internet or local network.

[Pierre-DNA]

I'll try the complete uninstall as soon as I get home. Thanks.

However, Tech, I am 100% positive that no other AV software is installed or badly uninstalled. I don't have a firewall, I have a "box" that shares my internet connection, used as firewall.

Also, Avast were working fine for several months before this incident. I am completely puzzled by this, I can't link this strange behaviors to anything solid...

Thank you all for your help anyway.

[whocares]

So I ran F-Secure online, it found some viruses, but only in temp internet files and in Avast chest.

Hi,
- which viruses were found ?
- are you uptodate with Windowsupdates ?
- you might want to try some other Onlinescanners like RAV & Trend and
- post a hijackthis-Logfile

--> See link "VirusRemoval" below in my sig
(just to be sure it's not a virus problem)

*

you DID do all the uninstalling/reinstalling as administrator ?
with a reboot in between each action ?

Maybe disabling system RESTORE (+ reboot) could help, too ...

[Pierre-DNA]

Still no luck after the complete uninstall / reinstall.

My system is being sweeped now by avast anti-virus cleaner and an online scanner.

What is a highjackthis-logfile ?

[Lisandro]

What is a highjackthis-logfile ?

Take a look here: http://s89223352.onlinehome.us/mirror/hjt/

[Pierre-DNA]

Avast virus cleaner log:

Code: [Select]

11/08/2004, 13:18:17
Memory scanning started...
No virus body found in memory.
Memory scanning finished (6,5s).
----------
Files scanning started...
No virus body found.
Files scanning finished  (95089 files, 0 infected, 1323,8s).
Drives scanned: C:
----------

[Pierre-DNA]

Here is the log file.

I am sorry, but Avast is still refusing to launch anything. All providers remains desperatly down, for no reason that I can think of.