Author Topic: Latest update crashed my computer  (Read 40874 times)

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ululator

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Latest update crashed my computer
« on: January 15, 2011, 08:59:49 PM »
The most recent update to Avast crashed my computer.  I had to turn Avast completely off & run System Restore to get up & running again.  What the #@$&?!?!?

I have the free version of Avast 5.0.677.  Today (Jan. 15, 2011) I received a pop-up notification of an Avast update, which I installed.  Right after the required restart, I tried going online.  My computer froze, the display dimmed out, & I couldn’t even open Task Manager to kill the process.

After several panicky minutes, it cleared itself.  I then tried opening another program & everything froze & dimmed again.  Then the entire screen went black & I got a pop-up “security fail” warning.  Holy crap!

I was eventually able to restart my computer.  That’s when I shut off Avast & ran System Restore.

I’ve had the free version of Avast for several years & have been very happy with it… but no way am I going to risk another meltdown like that! 

Any idea what happened, & why?

Offline schmidthouse

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Re: Latest update crashed my computer
« Reply #1 on: January 15, 2011, 09:58:24 PM »
The most recent update to Avast crashed my computer.  I had to turn Avast completely off & run System Restore to get up & running again.  What the #@$&?!?!?

I have the free version of Avast 5.0.677.  Today (Jan. 15, 2011) I received a pop-up notification of an Avast update, which I installed.  Right after the required restart, I tried going online.  My computer froze, the display dimmed out, & I couldn’t even open Task Manager to kill the process.

After several panicky minutes, it cleared itself.  I then tried opening another program & everything froze & dimmed again.  Then the entire screen went black & I got a pop-up “security fail” warning.  Holy crap!

I was eventually able to restart my computer.  That’s when I shut off Avast & ran System Restore.

I’ve had the free version of Avast for several years & have been very happy with it… but no way am I going to risk another meltdown like that!  

Any idea what happened, & why?

Hello ululator: It would be helpful if you would state your OS and any other security software installed on your computer.
It's possible there is a download corruption.
Please uninstall Avast and do a 'Clean Install'

1>Download the latest official version of Avast, 5.1.889 Free AV:                    
http://files.avast.com/iavs5x/setup_av_free.exe (English only) and save it to your HDD, somewhere you can find it again (if you didn't save your last download). Use that when you reinstall.
2> Download the Avast! Uninstall Utility, aswClear5 at: http://www.avast.com/uninstall-utility and save it to your HDD (it has uninstall tools for both 4.8 and 5.0).
•   1. Now uninstall Avast! (using add remove programs, if you can't do that> start from the next step), reboot. When your system is up and running Reboot into ‘Safe Mode’
•   2. run the Avast! Uninstall Utility from safe mode separately, first for 4.8 if previously installed, your computer will reboot automatically, then reboot into ‘Safe Mode’, and run the tool again for 5.0. Again your computer will reboot into ‘Normal Mode’.
•   3. Install the latest version and reboot.

Please let us know if there are any further problems. :)


« Last Edit: January 15, 2011, 10:00:39 PM by schmidthouse »

ululator

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Re: Latest update crashed my computer
« Reply #2 on: January 16, 2011, 06:06:07 PM »
Thank you for responding to my questions so quickly.  Your instructions were clear & easy to follow.  I did as you recommended, & that seems to have solved my problem.

You’re right: I should have included additional info in my original message, but I was a bit too distraught when I wrote.  If it’s any help at this point, I have Vista Home Premium & AdAware 9.0.1.  In fact, it was while trying to open AdAware that I experienced the second crash, so I believe it was at least a partial source of conflict in yesterday’s problem.

However, your advice seems to have corrected whatever was wrong.  Thanks again!

Offline schmidthouse

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Re: Latest update crashed my computer
« Reply #3 on: January 16, 2011, 06:15:12 PM »
Thank you for responding to my questions so quickly.  Your instructions were clear & easy to follow.  I did as you recommended, & that seems to have solved my problem.

You’re right: I should have included additional info in my original message, but I was a bit too distraught when I wrote.  If it’s any help at this point, I have Vista Home Premium & AdAware 9.0.1.  In fact, it was while trying to open AdAware that I experienced the second crash, so I believe it was at least a partial source of conflict in yesterday’s problem.

However, your advice seems to have corrected whatever was wrong.  Thanks again!

You are quite welcome. I'm glad all is working for you now. ;)

goldenkey

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Re: Latest update crashed my computer
« Reply #4 on: January 16, 2011, 06:52:12 PM »
I am having the same issue I think. I updated the avast with the program update tool it then froze at the end of the install. After rebooting I had the same issues with windows not responding at all. I ran the removal tool and did a clean install and still had the same issue with window freezing when i logged in. I have had avast for some time now and like it very much but currently it will not run on my system at all. I am running windows 7 64 bit system running on 8 gig or ram.

Offline schmidthouse

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Re: Latest update crashed my computer
« Reply #5 on: January 16, 2011, 07:00:00 PM »
I am having the same issue I think. I updated the avast with the program update tool it then froze at the end of the install. After rebooting I had the same issues with windows not responding at all. I ran the removal tool and did a clean install and still had the same issue with window freezing when i logged in. I have had avast for some time now and like it very much but currently it will not run on my system at all. I am running windows 7 64 bit system running on 8 gig or ram.

Did you follow the steps 'exactly' as laid out above in my initial response to ululator for a Clean Install?
Also, what other Security programs do you have installed now? Also in the past and how did you remove them?
« Last Edit: January 16, 2011, 07:01:34 PM by schmidthouse »

goldenkey

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Re: Latest update crashed my computer
« Reply #6 on: January 17, 2011, 01:58:03 AM »
I am running windows firewall and I did follow the steps exactly the problem started with the latest avast update that I installed yesterday. Oh and I have the Microsoft removal installed but nothing else ATM. The avast program hangs at the end of the install and I have to reset the computer due  to the fact that it is no longer responding.

Artlover

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Re: Latest update crashed my computer
« Reply #7 on: January 17, 2011, 08:31:48 AM »
I'd like to report yet another similar problem.

Windows 7 Ultimate (32 bit)
No other security software installed
Updated to 5.1.889 from 5.0.667 (free versions).
AvastSvc.exe is crashing.

(snippit from Event Viewer)
"Faulting application name: AvastSvc.exe, version: 5.1.889.0, time stamp: 0x4d2ebaae"
"Faulting module name: ntdll.dll, version: 6.1.7600.16559, time stamp: 0x4ba9b21e"
"Exception code: 0xc0000005"


It "seemed" to be working fine at first after I updated, until I rebooted. Then windows threw up an application error in avastsvc.exe. Waited till windows is fully booted, and the avast notification icon had a red x. Launched the user interface, it says nothing was running and gives me an option to fix the condition. It goes and tries to restart the service, which is a 50/50 shot that it will work. If it does, it crashes again with the application error as soon as you do anything that triggers avast to want to scan (opening a file, trying to access the internet, etc..). Rebooted, same thing. Downgraded back to 5.0.667, no problems at all.

And before you ask, no, I did not follow your instructions above, and with good reason. Regardless if it works that way or not, it still fails to address the issue that avast is "supposed" to allow updates, which have always worked just fine in the past for me (been using avast for years). That updating to this particular version has seemingly caused various crashing problems for a lot of people, there is obviously a problem somewhere. That doing a clean install fixes it for some seems to indicate that maybe the updater app is botching things. But given that according to some replies on these forums, not even a clean install fixes the crashes with this particular version (but no problems with older versions), that comes back to v5.1.889 itself being bugged somewhere.

Further, this workaround requires you to enter safemode. Problem is when you use a screen res higher then windows default and have icons on your desktop. Safemode uses default screen res, and icons that are outside the resolution boundary are relocated willy-nilly to empty areas of the safemode desktop, then when you shutdown and reboot back to your normal resolution, all your desktop icons are messed up because windows saved the icon positions from when you were in safemode. Happens to me everytime since the Win95 days. Just another inconvenience that I as a user have to be forced to deal with because the avast program isn't functioning as advertised.

Sorry to be blunt, but that's not my problem to have to deal with. I mean, thank you for the advice on how to hopefully get it working, but instead of work being put on the users, someone needs to focus on fixing the issue causing the need for users to have to do that to begin with. That one has to do things they shouldn't have to do and normally don't need to do just to get this particular version to work says all that needs to be said right there when you think about it. When have those conditions ever "not" been related to fundamental problems in the program requiring that extra TLC. Never that I can think of in my nearly 30 years of PC use.

Thanks, but I'll stick with 5.0.667 for now. Something is obviously wrong somewhere with regards to this new version, and avast downplaying this isn't going to get it fixed any quicker (though it does make long time users question their loyalty towards avast.)

SafeSurf

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Re: Latest update crashed my computer
« Reply #8 on: January 17, 2011, 09:35:40 AM »
@ goldenkey,

I have the Microsoft removal installed but nothing else
Are you referring to the removal tool that Windows Update offers every month?

You can first try an Avast Repair:
- Go to Control Panel > Add/Remove programs > Avast Antivirus.
- Scroll down and choose Repair function in the pop-up window.
- Reboot.

If the Avast Repair fails, you will need to uninstall Avast and do a clean install again with the instructions below.  Please note that if you had a prior version or product of Avast on this machine in the past, you will also need to uninstall that as well (see below).

I'd like to add one piece of information to the steps given above for the uninstall / clean install of Avast (last step):

1. Save a copy of newest version of Avast for the product you need and save it to your HDD:
Build 5.1.889 download files:
Freehttp://files.avast.com/iavs5x/setup_av_free.exe
Pro:    http://files.avast.com/iavs5x/setup_av_pro.exe
AIS:    http://files.avast.com/iavs5x/setup_ais.exe
2. Download the Avast Uninstall Utility http://www.avast.com/uninstall-utility and save it to your HDD (it has uninstall tools for all Avast versions and products).
3. Disconnect from the Internet at this time.
4. Go to Control Panel and uninstall Avast through Add/Remove Programs if possible and reboot.
5. If Step 4 fails, boot into Safe Mode (hit F8 repeatedly) and run the Avast Uninstall Tool.  Uninstall all previous products and versions of Avast you had on this machine at this time.
6. Reboot.
7. Install the newest version of Avast and reboot.
8. Get Internet access and register your copy or add the license key for Free, Pro, or AIS.
9. Update the Avast definitions.

If you continue to have problems, please report back and let us know what other security software do you currently have or had in the past on this machine including:
- Antivirus (AV)
- Firewall (FW)
- Trial versions of AV, FW and other security programs
- Other security software
And let us know how you removed the software.  Thank you.

SafeSurf

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Re: Latest update crashed my computer
« Reply #9 on: January 17, 2011, 09:50:01 AM »
@ Artlover,

Some users who have attempted to upgrade from a lower version to the higher version have had some difficulties and we have found that uninstalling and doing a clean install is the best solution.  Yes, there are sometimes minor bugs with every release with ANY software since everyone's system runs differently, however they do eventually get worked out.

If you feel more comfortable continuing to use v.677, by all mean do so as it will be supported for some time.  It is v.4.8 that will not be supported VERY shortly.

As for your concern of having to always go into Safe Mode for uninstalling, this is not true.  If you review my instructions above, you will note that the first way to uninstall is under #4, and this should not affect your machine.

I hope I have addressed your concerns.  Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance.  Thank you.  :)
« Last Edit: January 17, 2011, 10:34:02 AM by SafeSurf »

Offline Asyn

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Re: Latest update crashed my computer
« Reply #10 on: January 17, 2011, 10:12:49 AM »
Keep in mind that v.889 is a beta release. 

No, it's a final...!! ;)
asyn
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ovim

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Re: Latest update crashed my computer
« Reply #11 on: January 17, 2011, 10:26:45 AM »
I've also got serious problems after updating my free Avast. I'm writing this from my phone because I cant get past the XP (sp3) bootscreen after the update. Also I cant get to safemode either because it hangs on startup too. What to do?

SafeSurf

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Re: Latest update crashed my computer
« Reply #12 on: January 17, 2011, 10:37:09 AM »
I cant get to safemode either because it hangs on startup too.
Have you tried rebooting your machine (turn it off completely, then reboot), while tapping F8 to go into Safe Mode?  You should be able to do this. 

Has your machine been acting normally up until  you did the upgrade?

ovim

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Re: Latest update crashed my computer
« Reply #13 on: January 17, 2011, 11:34:00 AM »
My comp has worked flawlessly until today. I cant get to safe mode. the loading hangs on giveio.sys which I think belongs to hw monitoring prog speedfan. After a bit of googling I found out this has happened to others after win update so maybe its not avast after all. I think xp updated yesterday.

y2ken

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Re: Latest update crashed my computer
« Reply #14 on: January 17, 2011, 12:49:27 PM »
The latest version hosed my computer too. Avast! Free w/ Windows7 Home Premium 64bit.
The first time I did a regular upgrade when prompted by Avast! which hosed my PC. Then I followed the instructions given in this forum using the Avast! uninstall tool and safe mode and did a clean install of Avast!. Didn't work either. None of my programs would open. Every time I tried to open a program I would get a "this program failed to open" error and numerous other errors. There is something seriously wrong with this version. I uninstalled Avast! again and replaced it with Microsoft Security Essentials instead. Everything is working fine now.