XP Floppy Disk creator

[Lisandro]

Eddy, I have found that I can run the Floppy Disk Creator, with Avast installed, if I unzip the download file, and run the 'makebt32' option.  Does this help in finding why it will not run in the normal way?

Did you change any of the Blocker Behavior settings of avast (Standard Shield > Customize > Blocker Behavior)?

[Champion]

Hi Technical, no, the settings are the default settings that installed with the free Home Version.

[Lisandro]

Hi Technical, no, the settings are the default settings that installed with the free Home Version.

You mean all 'actions' allowed (not-blocked)... I suppose.
I asked because the creating could be blocked if you select the option 'format'.

Let me try to understand, did you change the file C:\Windows\Config.nt ?
Is this the only .exe file that is not working?

[Champion]

When I installed Avast Home I left all the defaults.  The Blocker only has 'Default Extensions Set' ticked, and a dot in 'Allow the operation'.
I haven't altered Config.  
 

[Lisandro]

Strange Champion... it works for me.
Which is the language of the Floppy Creator application? Is it the same as your system language?

[Eddy]

Have tried to reproduce the problem. No luck. It keeps working here. Could have something to do with the system that is used. Drivers interefering with the proper operation or so.....??

[Champion]

I have all my Language options set to 'English-United Kingdom'.

[Lisandro]

Looks like it is the combination of the XP 16bit module with Avast.

If Eddy is correct, you can test if you add a REM before the line
device=C:\...\Avast4\aswmonds.sys
into the file
C:\WINDOWS\system32\CONFIG.NT

Save the file, boot and then see if you can use the floopy disk creator in this situation.

[Champion]

Thanks Technical, that did the trick.  Creator now runs fine.

Any idea why this problem happened to me, when it didn't appear to have happened to others?

Thanks also to Eddy for pinpointing the problem.  

[Lisandro]

Thanks Technical, that did the trick.

In fact, the problem is like Eddy said...

Note: you are not protected with 16bits virus (DOS under XP).
I just point the trick not the solution. The solution should come by the programmers of Alwil). Take care.

[Champion]

Thanks Technical, I have removed REM from the entry you told me about.  I still cannot understand why no one else appears to have this problem, as you all seem to be able to run the Creator program OK.  Could it be caused by me using the Home version of Avast?  

[Eddy]

Some people have simulair problems with dos(based) applications in combination with XP and Avast while others can run the same applications just fine. Therfor I believe it is not only Avast/XP that is causing this, but also (as I mentioned earlier) the combination of those two with a certain driver and/or piece of hardware.

Which one? I don't know. There may even be multiple. To research that, one should make a list from all these simulair problems together with the system specs like Everest provides and then look what they have in common when the problem appears with the same application on several systems. Lot of work. This looks to me the way to find out, but since it is so much work, I am not gonna do it

Let's just use the "rem fix" and wait for Avast 4.5 and see if that is solving it.

Thanks to all who have contributed to this thread. I believe it really have teached us something about what is causing this.

[Lisandro]

Could it be caused by me using the Home version of Avast?  

Nope, for sure.
My first avast! 'problem' was this one... So, I'm here because of it  
At that time, I had only the Home version and, as far I know, this is not a difference between Home and Pro versions