XP hangs at shutdown after upgrading to 6.0

[Lisandro]

Could anything have to do with me using FAT32 and not NTFS file system or something?

Version 6 should have addressed some problems of version 5 and FAT32.
Hope the programmers take a look here.

[Lars-Erik]

Strange. I had no problem with 5.
But now I have both the shutdown problem.
And the problem with "file shield" scanning all start menu programs and "AvastUI.exe" over and over.
I uses so much as 75% of my CPU time all the time :-)

[doktornotor]

Well, a tool to help with your shutdown hangs has been suggested many times here, so I will stop repeating myself. On another note, FAT32 is insecure obsolete filesystem that should be avoided on system partitions.

[Samorodok]

I have noticed the very same issue as the topic starter. Windows shuts almost completely to the point of black screen and the mouse pointer, when Ctrl+Alt+Del already has no effect. And it hangs for 1-2-3 minutes, than finally shuts down.
Also noticed the much longer startup time as well as mentioned above.


On another note - it seems to be an epidemic trend among security programs across the board. Get an update - and you you face so many problems suddenly, that will want to change a product that worked for many years for you. I guess Marketing has finally defeated Common Sense and Technical Reasons.

[Lars-Erik]

Well, a tool to help with your shutdown hangs has been suggested many times here, so I will stop repeating myself. On another note, FAT32 is insecure obsolete filesystem that should be avoided on system partitions.

As you see further up I have tested that tool.
No log entries at all.
Also have done a full cleanup (with the avast uninstall tools).
Reinstalled without changing any setting.
Still same problems (hang at shutdown with file shield active, repeat scanning etc).
Keep in mind that many XP system use FAT32 for the boot partition (and often the one with "Program Files").
So if avast! suddenly don't work with XP SP3 and FAT32 then they have a real problem.

Still want to help solving this, but how can I give more info?
I have reported all I can find, and tried all you have suggested.
Even uninstall other programs, but nothing has helped so far (except stopping "file shield")

[Lars-Erik]

I have noticed the very same issue as the topic starter. Windows shuts almost completely to the point of black screen and the mouse pointer, when Ctrl+Alt+Del already has no effect. And it hangs for 1-2-3 minutes, than finally shuts down.
Also noticed the much longer startup time as well as mentioned above.

Could you open avast! and go to the "file shield" and check what it is scanning
(if it is scanning all the start menu programs and/or "AvastUI.exe").

When my system won't shut down it really hangs (left it on over the night :-)
But it does hang at the same place that your system hangs.
Have tried setting flags in XP for killing hung processes, but that didn't help eihter.

[doktornotor]

As you see further up I have tested that tool.

Maybe I am blind but don't see anything like that anywhere.

Keep in mind that many XP system use FAT32 for the boot partition (and often the one with "Program Files").
So if avast! suddenly don't work with XP SP3 and FAT32 then they have a real problem.

That would be the same partition for pretty much everyone. As said, it is insecure and can only used during XP install for partitions <32GB. That said, I have no idea whether your problem is FAT32-related, I just noted that FAT32 is a poor filesystem choice especially for system partitions/volumes...

[Samorodok]

Could you open avast! and go to the "file shield" and check what it is scanning
(if it is scanning all the start menu programs and/or "AvastUI.exe").

It is unclear to me how to do that.
I go to the "Real-time Shields -> File System Shield - and then where on the attached screen?

[Lars-Erik]

Maybe I am blind but don't see anything like that anywhere.

Anyway I have :-)
So we need to find a way to gather more info.
I have isolated all the problems down to the "file shield".
Is there a way to get more debug info?

Why is it hanging at shutdown?
Why is it scanning all start menu program at each startup (even if they are scanned before)?
Why is it scanning "AvastUI.exe" over and over and over (until I add an exception for "X" on that file)?

[Lars-Erik]

It is unclear to me how to do that.
I go to the "Real-time Shields -> File System Shield - and then where on the attached screen?

Yours look OK (compare to my screenshot in the thread about the new beta)

[YoKenny]

Have tested some more. And if I disable the "file shield" before shutting down Windows then it does not hang. Have other problems with the file shield as well (see the thread on the newest beta). Could anything have to do with me using FAT32 and not NTFS file system or something?

I have not used FAT32 on my XP system in years

• Reliability
FAT32 drives are much more susceptible to disk errors.

NTFS volumes have the ability to recover from errors more readily than similar FAT32 volumes.

Log files are created under NTFS which can be used for automatic file system repairs.

NTFS supports dynamic cluster remapping for bad sectors and prevent them from being used in the future.

http://www.theeldergeek.com/ntfs_or_fat32_file_system.htm

[Samorodok]

It is unclear to me how to do that.
I go to the "Real-time Shields -> File System Shield - and then where on the attached screen?

Yours look OK (compare to my screenshot in the thread about the new beta)

By the way - my file system is NTFS without any alterations.

[Daris]

As I mentioned earlier in my prior post....Avast 5 and 6 were and are running smooth, in other words everything been working fine since I can remember....Although when I shut my computer down it hangs on "Windows is shutting Down" at which time it stays there...Until I hold my button down to shut it off..So before it gets to this point ...."I Right click on my Avast 6 ball on my Task Bar and "Disable Until Computer Is Restarted"  Than I shut it down normally with no issues ..Shuts down every time this way...I have had the UPH clean for about 6 months now and I have no errors in my event viewer...But the fact still remains the same.. Avast blocks the shut down process..I personally think it keeps working and doesn't realize the computer is shutting down....
         I have Googled this issue a few dozen times, and the answers I get are that people with different kinds of Antivirus Software programs whether it's Norton or Bit Defender or Kaspersky...When they disable their Antivirus prior to shut down all have no issues with the shut down....And most in this case are on a XP machine
       The Only other thing I tried is to shut down without the Windows Welcome Screen and this also hasn't worked...Also I am the only User and my computer is set up that way, but when I log off (I get a messege) (2 programs running) Although I closed all programs and ran all my cleaners and nothing is running that I can see.. And I haven't had a virus for a log long time.....

      The only other thing I would like to see is if ..   Lars-Erik .. would edit his Profile Settings, and list his computer programs...that way I would be able to see if there is any programs that we have in common..So that I can test my machine to disable those programs and see how this goes...

[Lars-Erik]

I also must use my power-off button :-(
The programs active in my system (background) is ZoneAlarm 4.5 (tried uninstalling that).
Else I use Forte Agent for mail and Firefox for web, and Skype and Trillan IM.
Strange thing is that if I shutdown without using any programs then it works OK.
But if I run a bit Agent and Firefox then it hangs at shutdown.
I don't need to disable whole of avast!.
If I shut down the "file shield" the shutdown works OK.
I might suspect a link to the problem with "file shield" scanning more files than it should
(it use much CPU and then there might be some trouble when things shut down).

[Jack 1000]

Lars-Eric,

This is an interesting thread.  I haven't updated to version 6 myself yet, but I was wondering if you used the Avast complete uninstall utility in safe mode?  I apologize if this has already been answered.  You have probably done a totally clean uninstall and reinstall already.

I wonder if there is something running in your Task Manager processes that is causing this hang?  Maybe if you could do a screen capture of your Task Manager, one of the techs might be able to see if there is something there that is standing out as a problem.

Jack