My system (Windows XP SP3) hang when updating to Avast 6.0.1367

[schmilbilic]

After updating to the latest Avast version 6.0.1367 and reboot, the system freezes when starting Avast sevice. The only way to recover is a reboot in safe mode to configure the start Avast service to manual. Then, system works fine as long as Avast is not running.
My system is Windows XP SP3. The problem is independent of firewall used. I have used Avast for several years without problem, and should be sorry to change anti-virus. Thank you for your help.

[DavidR]

What version of avast did you have before 6.0.1367 ?

It may be best to a clean reinstall:
- Download the latest version of avast, 6.0.1289 http://www.avast.com/free-antivirus-download 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.

- Download the avast! Uninstall Utility, aswClear.exe find it here and save it to your HDD (it has uninstall tools for both 5.x and 6.0.x).

• 1. Now uninstall avast! (using add remove programs, if you can't do that start from the next step), reboot.
• 2. run the avast! Uninstall Utility from safe mode, first for 5.x if previously installed and then for 6.0, once complete reboot into normal mode.
• 3. install the latest version, reboot.

[schmilbilic]

I was using version 6.0.1289.
As you have suggested me, I removed the faulty version 6.0.1367 in Safe Mode using aswClear.exe.
A new complete installation of this version (6.0.1367) now works fine.
Problem exists only in the update mode !!!
Thank you very much.

[DavidR]

No problem, glad I could help.

Welcome to the forums.

[YoKenny]

Problem exists only in the update mode !!!

I have not had a problem with update mode on my XP Pro system.

You do not indicate if you are running XP Home or XP Pro nor how much RAM the system has.

[Anaxphone]

You do not indicate if you are running XP Home or XP Pro nor how much RAM the system has.

I just finished disabling Avast on my XP Pro SP3 system.  I had ran checks and repairs on my system for a few days before realizing that Avast was the culprit.  Getting ready to complete the uninstall and reinstall now.

[YoKenny]

You do not indicate if you are running XP Home or XP Pro nor how much RAM the system has.

I just finished disabling Avast on my XP Pro SP3 system.  I had ran checks and repairs on my system for a few days before realizing that Avast was the culprit.  Getting ready to complete the uninstall and reinstall now.

Please do not hijack this topic and use NEW TOPIC button.

[DavidR]

Hardly hijacking when A) the OP has resolved his problem and B) Anaxphone isn't asking for help just reporting what he is going to do.

[Anaxphone]

At the risk of causing the collapse of modern civilization as we know it, I will comment one more time in this thread.

My actual purpose was to let YoKenny know that it had affected an XP Pro user.  I misquoted, but that's because the video drivers in safemode do bad things to my migraines and I was hurrying.

[schmilbilic]

Problem exists only in the update mode !!!

I have not had a problem with update mode on my XP Pro system.

You do not indicate if you are running XP Home or XP Pro nor how much RAM the system has.

Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition 5.1.2600 Service Pack 3
RAM : 1024 Mo
Partition système C:\  18700 Mo (748 Mo free)

Maybe my problem is due to the limited space on my system partition ... maybe not ?
I will see at next update 

[ady4um]

Having only 4% of free space in your system partition is going to give you many problems. This is beyond avast. This is related to how Windows works, and less than 30% of free space is problematic, to say the least.

[DavidR]

If you have less than 15% free space windows defrag won't run as there is insufficient room to move stuff round. So aside from it not having much space left it could be highly fragmented.

You can open Explorer and right click on the C:\ Drive and select Properties, from the window select Disk Cleanup (image1), now you can choose what to clean up freeing up space (image2). There is also another More Options tab (image3) which allows you also remove all but the most recent system restore point; this would save you a lot of space.

Look at what you have installed on C:\ is it absolutely necessary if not uninstall it. Clear out temp folders, check system restore size and reduce to something more reasonable for the size of disk (windows usually allocates a large chunk (%) to it that can be reduced.

[ady4um]

It is not only a fragmentation issue. With such low percentage of free space, the possibility for Windows to automatically expand the pagefile (virtual memory) is very limited, some services will not run correctly, system restore will fail (or not run, or will overwrite older restore points too quickly to be of any actual help), backup drivers may be lost, and the probabilities for filesystem corruption would be higher. Those are only examples.

In other words, take anything that could be data or optional out of the "C:" partition.

[DavidR]

I'm not saying it is, it is just one area that will slow the system.

[schmilbilic]

I know my system partition is very limited, but I can not remove anything.
I use two other partitions spread over 2 drives which I assign temp files whenever possible.
For the virtual memory, I have allocated 1.5 GB.
A percentage of 30% of free disk space seems unnecessary under these conditions. With only 4%, this configuration is working properly for several years even with memory intensive applications such as Gimp, Open Office, etc ....
However, to improve the performance and reduce fragmentation of disk space I have reduced the space dedicated to the system restore point to 3% ( I use Acronis to back up my system )
I now have 10% free disk space, which is always a minimum.
The best method might be to reorganize my partitions, but I do not know how, even using Acronis.
Now I wait quietly for the next maj Avast  .
Thank you for your suggestions.