Avast, crashing my system...

[normski-]

I updated Avast from free version 5.1.889 using the update button. I'm running XP.

Now what happens is the PC boots up all right but the desktop freezes. If I'm lucky I can open the Avast summary window & I used that to run a boot scan. But apart from that, from desktop, I can't open any other applications, connect to the internet, do anything from Start menu etc. The mouse moves the arrow all right but that's about it. Can't close it down from desktop, just have to press the manual on-off switch to switch the pc off.

Ho hum.

Any help for a struggling technophobe?

[SafeSurf]

The problems you describe started after your Avast upgrade? 

What other security software are on your machine?

[normski-]

Yes the problems started only after installing the update.

IIRC the only other security software is Zonealarm and Spybot...

[SafeSurf]

There have been reported problems with ZA FW.  Do you use Teatimer?

[normski-]

Now you come to mention it... just after installing Avast I noticed that Spybot no longer appeared on the toolbar so I reinstalled it. SO actually the problems I've described here came after reinstalling Spybot.

[SafeSurf]

The reason I asked about TeaTimer (TT) is because most users who use (TT) with Avast have had conflicts and have had to uninstall TT, and usually uninstall SB (it has become somewhat obsolete compared to other security software recently anyway).

You can test the TT issue by uninstalling it:
Uninstall Spybot S&D w/Teatimer: http://www.safer-networking.org/en/howto/uninstall.html.
- How to disable Spybot-S&D (temporarily).  http://www.safer-networking.org/en/howto/disable.html .  Even though it says temporarily, the resident parts of SpyBot Search & Destroy must be enabled manually if disabled in this manner.  TeaTimer doesn't load into memory at all when disabled.  Reboot your machine.

You may need to do an Avast Repair if Avast still is not working correctly.  To do 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 above does not fix your problems, then I suggest an uninstall of Avast and a clean install using the new Avast Uninstaller Tool.

1. Save a copy of Avast 6.0.1000 and save it to your HDD:
Free: http://files.avast.com/files/avast6f...up_av_free.exe
2. Download the Avast Uninstall Utility http://files.avast.com/files/eng/aswclear6.exe 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 versions and products 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 Free:
    Free – http://www.avast.com/registration-free-antivirus.php
9. Update the Avast definitions.

Let us know if this fixes your problem.  Thank you.

[SafeSurf]

I suggest that you uninstall SB w/TT, then reboot.

Then uninstall and do a clean install of Avast - see my last post.

See if this fixes the problem.

[trigun001]

damm i read your post just now i already install SBSD...anyway thnx for the information!!..

this problem happen to me too after using avast for 2 years smoothly....it but i decided to uninstall avast through revounsitaller because of the same problem when updating and it make avast not working and cause BSOD and it happen to me 2x, but chkdsk and disable all shield help me to recover but today malwarebytes and microsoft malicious software removal tool save me because my computer is restarting when scanning even in boot time scan so i decided to install super anti spyware but same thing happen my computer is restarting in the middle of scan..i dont know if its a virus or a spyware but last saturday its attack my pc and it make my computer restart everytime, all kind of internet browser is crashing, dr watson postmortem debugger notice, data execution prevention notice and windows explorer encounter a problem notice always appears i think it came from a file that i download from utorrent. i was too late to notice in the list of avast webshield utorrent is unticked and i dont know why...

question.. is SBSD can detect virus?? because i think SBSD is high specialize on spyware right?? and i didnt see a virus definition in SBSD like in avast..

[Daris]

I been Using Spybot, with SpywareBlaster and Avast for about 3 years, since Avast 4.8, and never had an issue with the Tea Timer whatsoever...The only thing that I find is that when I do a Custom Scan with Avast, It catches the Teatimer in the scan results but doesn't delete it automatically. At one time it did delete it and I had to re install Spybot but after there was an Avast Update and now it just shows you the results and classifies Tea Timer as a High risk but it is not highlighted so It doesn't delete it any more and doesn't let you delete it...Anyways when I do a Scan Now with Avast I just disable the Teatimer and the Spybot Resident...This also makes the Avast scan much Faster...Luck Ohh Also I heard that Avast has Issues with Zone Alarm...Try Googling it...

[doluck]

I have the same problem on xp sp3 with zonealarm and spybot but not with teatimer

[SafeSurf]

Everyone's machine is different with different set up's.  All I can tell you is the troubleshooting I and others have done here regarding SB, SB w/TT, and ZA FW.  All have had issues with Avast at some time (ZA FW depending on their update status and not all the time).  However the TT issue seems to be consistent and the reason for my prior post.

If you are having a problem on your machine and you have other security software, one way to find out the offending software is to uninstall it; disabling it will not work since drivers are still in your machine, then reboot your machine and see how things work.  You can always reinstall.

There are other software to use in place of the offending software that we can suggest that do not conflict with Avast (and are free).  The decision is yours since this is your machine.  Please let me know if you have further questions and I'd be happy to help.  Thank you.

[normski-]

@SafeSurf

Thanks for your helpful advice.

I removed Spybot & the PC still froze.

I then removed all Avast versions with the uninstaller and it unfroze.

I am now running Avast 6 & not encountered any problems so far

What is the deal with Avast and Spybot?

Can I run Spybot or not?

If not, then is this a deliberate decision by Avast to sabotage Spybot?
Or is it a technical problem which Avast & Spybot intend to fix?

[doktornotor]

What is the deal with Avast and Spybot?
Can I run Spybot or not?
If not, then is this a deliberate decision by Avast to sabotage Spybot?

Pretty much every vendor out there wants about incompatibility and conflicts w/ Spybot. Many of them won't even allow you to install their product until you've uninstalled Spybot. And Spybot's TeaTimer is one of the worst things invented ever, a cure worse than the disease.

So no, there's definitely no sabotage. And frankly said, Spybot S&D best days are looong gone, there are much better utilities (MBAB, SAS) now and you can safely and more easily live without Spybot.

[wooninvest]

Problems with the update on one computer. The other two with exact the same software on it, is not a problem. Just one had a problem. Back to Avast 5 and all problems are gone. The only difference is that the computer with problems is a computer with XP Pro.

[cynderella28]

I updated Avast from free version 5.1.889 using the update button. I'm running XP.

Now what happens is the PC boots up all right but the desktop freezes. If I'm lucky I can open the Avast summary window & I used that to run a boot scan. But apart from that, from desktop, I can't open any other applications, connect to the internet, do anything from Start menu etc. The mouse moves the arrow all right but that's about it. Can't close it down from desktop, just have to press the manual on-off switch to switch the pc off.

I have a similar problem, but the desktop only freezes after I've clicked on one of the game applications on the desktop. Then everything freezes and I have to manually shut down the computer.
After rebooting everything works.  

I have Spybot but I installed it without the tea timer and I'm using an older version of Zone Alarm (8.0.290.000. I hadn't had any problems until the other day after installing avast 6.

For now everything is working again and I don't know why.